# What is Metabase? The Complete Guide by Erathos > Metabase is the open source BI tool for dashboards without SQL. Features, free and paid plans, and use cases for non-technical teams. Source: https://www.erathos.com/en/blog/what-is-metabase Em português: https://www.erathos.com/blog/what-is-metabase Published: 2025-08-20 Category: Tool Guides ![Metabase interface showing dashboard creation with charts and interactive filters](https://cms-media.erathos.com/Metabase - The Complete Guide.png) ## Unlocking Metabase: The Power of Data at Your Fingertips What is Metabase: understanding Metabase can change how you look at your company's data. More and more B2B startups want to build a data-driven culture, but few professionals want to rely on a technical team to generate charts and reports. In this article, you will discover what Metabase is, its main features, who uses this tool, practical examples, and, of course, how Erathos can help your team gain autonomy and visibility with reliable data, always on time. If your company is looking to turn data into decisions, read on and find out how to achieve more freedom and results with Erathos' support. ## What is Metabase and what is it for Metabase is an open-source business intelligence and data visualization tool that has a very clear goal: to remove complexity for anyone who needs to access information. You know that feeling of waiting for the IT team to deliver a report? Well, with Metabase, any user can build dashboards, query databases, and understand what is happening in the operation. Imagine a solution that connects directly to your database and provides features to build charts, tables, maps, and reports just by clicking, dragging, or selecting filters. It doesn't matter if you have little to no experience with [SQL](https://www.erathos.com/blog/o-que-e-sql): Metabase was designed precisely for those who have never worked with programming languages, but still want to access and interpret information. ### Core features: dashboards, visual queries, SQL editor Here are the three most used features on the platform: - Dashboards: allow anyone to track key performance indicators in real-time, organizing charts and metrics into dynamic, shareable pages. Just drag and drop. - Visual queries: Metabase refers to pre-built queries as "questions". With just a few clicks on filters, you can find out, for example, how many customers signed a contract this month or which products are growing the fastest. No code required, just point and click. - SQL editor: for those who know a bit about databases, there is an incredibly simple SQL editor. Power users can extract detailed information by freely joining tables. ### Who uses it, user profiles, and data self-service Metabase wasn't made just for data analysts or data scientists. Quite the opposite. It is increasingly adopted by marketing, sales, product, or customer success teams. This diversity is possible because the platform lowers the technical barrier, giving autonomy for each department to build their own reports, discover trends, and address business questions directly. Managers don't need to request support every single time, making decision-making much faster. > No waiting, no backlog of requests: data is always available. ## Advantages of using Metabase for data analysis Metabase has won the hearts of modern, agile companies because of its open, visual, and simple model. While some still look for extremely robust enterprise platforms, simplicity often delivers exactly what most teams need in their first steps towards being data-driven. ### Open-source and low-code Being open-source, the entry cost is low or non-existent, especially for startups. This encourages experimentation and innovation. The visual layer, with little to no coding required, enables access even for those who have never used data analytics tools before. ### Intuitive visualization and agility If you think building charts is a nightmare, you should try Metabase. It offers a complete palette of charts, interactive tables, maps, and an interface that requires no extensive training. Just type in a question and get a clean chart in seconds. ### Integration with SQL and NoSQL databases Metabase connects natively to a wide variety of databases, both SQL (such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server) and NoSQL (MongoDB, for example). This offers flexibility for startups migrating between technologies, running workloads in the cloud, on-premise, or even in a hybrid model. It is worth noting that other platforms can require much more painful setups, while Metabase focuses on simplicity without losing scalability. And to ensure that all [data types](https://www.erathos.com/blog/tipos-de-dados) are always fresh, Erathos' integration automates data ingestion from your systems directly to your Data Warehouse. This way, you never analyze outdated information. ## How Metabase stands out from other tools You probably know the traditional players in this market, but honestly, Metabase ends up being the number one choice precisely because of the balance between business value and cost. Competitor platforms, like Power BI or Tableau, can be intimidating due to their pricing or steep learning curve. ### Lightweight, accessible, ideal for starting a data-driven culture Metabase is lightweight, consumes fewer server resources, and can be hosted even in modest environments. This means lower infrastructure costs. Most importantly, it doesn't force that immediate "jump" to expensive enterprise environments prematurely. It serves as the perfect gateway to a data-driven culture, scaling alongside your company's maturity. > Start small, move fast. Metabase is agile and grows with you. ## Best practices when implementing Metabase in B2B startups Introducing a new platform always brings up questions. Metabase is no exception. Those who have worked with complex solutions will feel relieved by the simple learning curve, but there are still recommended practices for efficiency and security. ### Governance and permissions Even with self-service usage, sensitive data requires care. Set up access levels: who can only view, who can edit questions, or who can build dashboards. Control can be managed by user, group, or department. This prevents data leaks and protects sensitive information within the company. ### Alerts, scheduled reports, and collaboration Metabase allows you to schedule automated reports via email or Slack, making regular monitoring effortless. Additionally, collaborative plans encourage cross-functional teams to contribute ideas and suggestions, keeping knowledge centralized and visible. If your startup uses Erathos, data delivery to Metabase happens seamlessly, ensuring that every generated report reflects the most recent state of your operations. ## How Erathos scales your Metabase usage Erathos simplifies and automates the entire ingestion pipeline to Metabase, without relying on scripts, plugins, or manual workarounds. Our platform connects multiple data sources with just a few clicks, ensuring automatic refreshes in your Data Warehouse. This means that every time a dashboard is loaded in Metabase, you can be sure the data is up to date. In addition, Erathos' smart monitoring provides alerts and detailed metrics on pipeline execution, increasing the reliability of your data stack. Thus, startups can grow with the confidence that their reports are built on a solid foundation, with no surprises. Less time firefighting, more time focused on strategy. > Leave data complexity to Erathos. Focus solely on generating insights. ## FAQ ### What is Metabase and what is it used for? Metabase is an open-source dashboard and business intelligence software that allows you to create reports, charts, and dynamic visualizations from databases. It aims to democratize data access, enabling both technical and non-technical teams to understand trends and monitor business metrics without relying entirely on the IT team. ### How do I install and configure Metabase? Metabase can be installed locally, on your own servers, or using cloud hosting options available on the market. Simply download the installation file for your operating system, run the application, and follow the initial setup wizard to create a user, connect your database(s), and you're good to go. Within minutes, you'll be ready to build questions and dashboards. ### Is Metabase free or paid? Metabase offers a free open-source version that covers the vast majority of needs for small and medium-sized businesses. For enterprise requirements, such as advanced authentication and scalability, there are paid options (Metabase Enterprise). The free version already lets you experience almost all of its most popular features. ### Which databases does Metabase support? Metabase connects natively with databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, MongoDB, among others. In addition, it supports new integrations via community-built connectors. This flexibility helps startups adopt Metabase without requiring major changes to their existing infrastructure. ### How do I create dashboards in Metabase? In Metabase, simply navigate to the dashboards section, click on "New Dashboard", and add existing visualizations or create new questions using filters, selections, and groupings as needed. It is fully visual: drag and drop charts, organize them on pages, set global filters, and share the results with your team. No coding is required to build clean, actionable dashboards. ## Decode the Future with Metabase and Erathos Believing in the power of data is the first step to transforming your startup! By adopting Metabase, you open the door to agile, data-backed decisions, putting relevant information in the hands of those who need it most. With Erathos by your side, you simplify the entire integration process, eliminating manual pipelines and ensuring your analytics are always filled with fresh, reliable data. But before connecting Metabase, you need centralized, reliable data flowing in. [Build your data warehouse with Erathos for free](https://app.erathos.com/signup?slug=blog&button=cta&utm_campaign=what-is-metabase) and start exploring your data in Metabase within days, with no manual maintenance.