Fathom vs Metabase — Which One Wins?
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of Fathom and Metabase to help you pick the right tool for your workflow.
Quick Verdict
Fathom takes the lead with a 4.4 rating and is best for businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support.. Metabase (4.4) is the better pick if you need teams wanting bi and dashboards without enterprise pricing. self-hosted for maximum value..
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Fathom | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★★★★ 4.4(89) | ★★★★ 4.4(198) |
| Pricing Model | paid | open_source |
| Starter Price | $15/mo (100K pageviews) | $85/mo (Cloud Starter, 5 users) |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | web | web, linux |
| Learning Curve | easy | easy |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Best For | Businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support. | Teams wanting BI and dashboards without enterprise pricing. Self-hosted for maximum value. |
| Verdict | situational | recommended |
Feature Checklist
| Feature | Fathom | Metabase |
|---|---|---|
| Cookie-free analytics | — | |
| Beautiful single-page dashboard | — | |
| EU data isolation | — | |
| Custom events and goals | — | |
| UTM campaign tracking | — | |
| Multi-domain support | — | |
| Visual query builder (no SQL needed) | — | |
| Interactive dashboards | — | |
| Embeddable analytics | — | |
| SQL editor for advanced users | — | |
| Alerts and subscriptions | — | |
| Open source and self-hostable | — |
Fathom
Pros
- ✓Most polished privacy-friendly analytics dashboard
- ✓EU data isolation for GDPR compliance
- ✓Accurate visitor counting without cookies
Cons
- ✕More expensive than Plausible for similar features
- ✕No free tier or self-hosting option
- ✕Less capable than GA4 for marketing analytics
Metabase
Pros
- ✓Free self-hosted with no feature limitations
- ✓Visual query builder accessible to non-technical users
- ✓Embeddable analytics for building data products
Cons
- ✕Self-hosting requires DevOps resources
- ✕Cloud pricing jumps quickly above free tier
- ✕Less powerful than Tableau for complex enterprise analysis
The Bottom Line
Both Fathom and Metabase are solid tools in the Analytics & Data space. Fathom edges ahead with a stronger overall rating (4.4 vs 4.4) and is the better choice for businesses wanting the most polished privacy-friendly analytics with premium support.. However, if you prioritize teams wanting bi and dashboards without enterprise pricing. self-hosted for maximum value., Metabase is worth serious consideration. We recommend trying the free tier or trial of each before committing.