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Knowi vs Metabase: Best Embedded Analytics for SaaS with NoSQL Data?

Choose Knowi if Your data lives in MongoDB/Elasticsearch and you need embedded analytics with multi-tenancy, cross-source joins, and private AI.
Choose Metabase if You need free internal dashboards on a single SQL database for an internal team.

Metabase makes it easy to build dashboards on SQL databases. Knowi natively queries NoSQL, supports cross-source joins, and bundles Private AI with embedded analytics.

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AT A GLANCE

Things to Know Before You Decide

Metabase cannot join data across different databases. Knowi joins MongoDB + PostgreSQL + Elasticsearch + REST APIs in a single query without data movement.

Metabase has no connectors for Elasticsearch or Cassandra. Knowi natively connects to both.

Metabase's row-level security works on SQL databases only and does not support MongoDB. Knowi provides row-level security across all connected sources including NoSQL.

Metabase's open source edition carries a permanent "Powered by Metabase" watermark that cannot legally be removed. Full white-label requires Pro or Enterprise.

Metabase's AI (Metabot) is cloud-only, English-only, limited to single-level aggregation and 100 tables. Knowi's AI runs privately inside your deployment.

SIDE BY SIDE

Knowi vs Metabase at a Glance

Capability Knowi Metabase
MongoDB Native connector, full nested doc support at any depth Driver present but schema from first 200 rows only. Deep nesting causes failures.
Elasticsearch Native connector with live querying No official support
Cassandra Native connector with live querying No official support
Cross-Source Joins Join any SQL, NoSQL, and REST API sources in a single query Not supported. Single-database queries only.
Nested JSON Native support at any depth, no flattening 200-row schema scan. Naming conflicts and deep nesting cause errors.
Row-Level Security All sources incl. MongoDB, Elasticsearch, REST SQL databases only. No MongoDB. Max 5 rules/table.
White-Label Embed Full white-label, 3 embed methods, AI embeddable OSS: permanent watermark. SDK: React-only, Pro/Enterprise.
AI / NLQ Private AI, NLQ on all sources, Document AI Metabot: cloud-only, English-only, 100-table cap
Multi-Tenancy Built-in architecture with RLS on all sources RLS SQL-only, or separate instances (3x infra cost)
Deployment Cloud (SOC2), on-prem (Docker/K8s), hybrid Cloud, self-hosted OSS/Pro/Enterprise

BEST FIT

Who Should Choose Knowi

  1. SaaS embedded analytics at scale: Embed analytics for hundreds of customers with per-tenant data isolation, white-label branding, and no per-user pricing that scales with growth.
  2. MongoDB or Elasticsearch as primary data stores: Your application data lives in NoSQL databases and you need analytics that query it directly, not through a 200-row schema scan.
  3. Cross-source analytics: A single dashboard needs data from MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and a REST API joined together. Knowi does this without building a data warehouse.
  4. Private AI for regulated industries: Compliance requirements prohibit sending data to cloud AI services. Knowi's AI runs entirely in your environment.
  5. Document analysis: Users need to query PDFs, contracts, or regulatory filings alongside structured data. Document AI with source attribution.
  6. MongoDB row-level security: RLS on MongoDB data for multi-tenant analytics. Metabase's RLS doesn't work with MongoDB. Knowi's does.

HOW CLIENTS SUCCEED WITH KNOWI

Who's Using Knowi

Retirement Planning Software

Workflow Automation SaaS

Moved off GoodData because it couldn’t natively connect to MongoDB. With Knowi, they embed a self-service dashboard builder directly in their platform, no ETL, full white-label, dark mode CSS support.

3PL Shipping Logistics Company

3PL & Freight

Embeds shipment metrics directly into their customer portal. Customers see real-time visibility into deliveries and logistics KPIs, powered by MySQL with no additional data infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Metabase really free?
The open-source edition is free to download and self-host. However, it lacks interactive embedding, the embedding SDK, AI features, SAML SSO, and advanced row-level security. Embedded content carries a "Powered by Metabase" watermark. Self-hosting requires infrastructure and averages 18.7 hours/week in maintenance. For production SaaS embedding, most companies need Pro ($575+/month) or Enterprise ($15,000+/year).
Can Metabase connect to Elasticsearch or Cassandra?
No. Metabase has no official connectors for Elasticsearch or Cassandra. Community-built drivers may exist but are not officially supported or maintained. Knowi has native connectors for both with live querying.
Can Metabase join data from different databases?
No. Metabase sends queries to individual databases and cannot join results across different connections. If you need to combine data from MongoDB and PostgreSQL, you must consolidate the data into a single database outside of Metabase first.
Does Metabase support row-level security on MongoDB?
No. Metabase's row-level security works with SQL databases only. If your data is in MongoDB, you cannot use Metabase's built-in RLS to restrict data per user or tenant. Knowi provides row-level security across all connected sources, including MongoDB and Elasticsearch.
How does Metabase's AI compare to Knowi's?
Metabase's Metabot is a cloud-only add-on that handles basic natural language queries in English against the first 100 tables, limited to single-level aggregation. It is not available on self-hosted deployments. Knowi's NLQ works across all data sources without pre-modeling, Document AI handles unstructured files, and Private AI runs inside your own infrastructure.
What happens to Metabase pricing as embedded users grow?
Metabase Pro charges $12/user/month beyond the initial 10 users. Every customer user accessing embedded analytics counts. At 500 users: ~$64,140/year. At 1,000 users: ~$124,800/year. Knowi's embedded analytics pricing does not follow a per-end-user model, making costs more predictable as your customer base grows.

See How Knowi Handles MongoDB Without the 200-Row Schema Limit

Native NoSQL querying, real multi-tenancy, and Private AI - without per-user pricing that scales with your customer base.

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