Looker (Google Cloud) vs Metabase
Self-hosted for $4/mo on hetzner CAX11, versus $5000-$70000/user/mo on Looker (Google Cloud).
Side-by-side
| Looker (Google Cloud) | Metabase (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $5000-$70000/user/mo | $4.13/mo flat (any team size) |
| Hosting | Looker (Google Cloud)'s servers | Your VPS (hetzner CAX11) |
| Data ownership | Looker (Google Cloud) controls the data | Your disk, your encryption |
| Source code | Closed | Open (NOASSERTION) |
| Customization | API + integrations only | Full source access; modify freely |
| Maintenance burden | Zero | Backups + updates (Docker available) |
| Health score (ossreplace) | — | 80 / 100 |
Why teams leave Looker (Google Cloud)
- Enterprise pricing locks out small teams
- Tightly coupled to Google Cloud
- LookML training curve
Metabase answers this by: Same SQL-based BI, no Google Cloud dependency, free for unlimited users.
The cost math
Assumes 5-person team using Looker (Google Cloud) at the midpoint price ($37500/user/mo).
| Period | Looker (Google Cloud) | Metabase on hetzner | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $187500 | $4.13 | $187495.87 |
| Yearly | $2250000 | $49.56 | $2249950.44 |
| 3 years | $6,750,000 | $149 | $6,749,851 |
Deploy Metabase now
One-click deploys at the cheapest provider for this workload:
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Common questions
Is Metabase a good alternative to Looker (Google Cloud)?
Metabase is an open-source, self-hostable alternative to Looker (Google Cloud) with an ossreplace health score of 80/100 — a composite of project activity, maturity, community, security, and adoption. It runs on your own hetzner VPS from $4.13/mo with full source access under the NOASSERTION license, versus Looker (Google Cloud)'s $5000–70000/user/mo hosted plans.
How much cheaper is Metabase than Looker (Google Cloud)?
A 5-person team pays about $187500/mo on Looker (Google Cloud). Self-hosting Metabase on hetzner CAX11 costs a flat $4.13/mo regardless of team size — roughly $6,749,851 less over three years (100% lower).
Is Metabase hard to self-host?
Metabase ships a Docker setup, so deployment is usually a single docker-compose command on a $4.13/mo VPS. You own the backups and updates, and there are no per-seat fees.
Do you keep control of your data with Metabase vs Looker (Google Cloud)?
Yes. Because Metabase runs on your own server, the data lives on your disk under your encryption. With Looker (Google Cloud), Looker (Google Cloud) controls the hosting, storage, and access.