Exploring Evidence.dev, Metabase & Visivo

Evidence.dev Vs. Metabase Vs. Visivo

In this article, we'll compare the key features, capabilities, and differentiators between Evidence.dev, Metabase, Visivo. This comprehensive comparison will help you make an informed decision about which platform best suits your data visualization and analytics needs.

Quick Comparison

A high-level overview of key features and capabilities across these BI tools. This comparison helps you quickly identify which platform best matches your needs.

FeatureEvidence.devMetabaseVisivo
Deployment ModelSelf-host (static site), Self-host (server), Vercel/Netlify deploymentSelf-host OSS (Java), Metabase Cloud (hosted SaaS), Docker deploymentOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hosted
PricingOpen-source (MIT); free to use. New hosted service as of fall 2024 (can also deploy on Vercel, Netlify, etc.)Open-source core (AGPL v3); Enterprise features in paid plansOpen source (GPL-3.0)
Cost$$$$
Git Integration✔️✔️
CI/CD & Testing✔️
Real-time
AI✔️
Visual to Code✔️
DAG-Based✔️

Deployment & Pricing

Understanding the deployment options and pricing structure is crucial for making an informed decision. Here's how each platform handles deployment and what you can expect in terms of costs.

ToolDeployment ModelPricingCost
Evidence.devSelf-host (static site), Self-host (server), Vercel/Netlify deploymentOpen-source (MIT); free to use. New hosted service as of fall 2024 (can also deploy on Vercel, Netlify, etc.)$
MetabaseSelf-host OSS (Java), Metabase Cloud (hosted SaaS), Docker deploymentOpen-source core (AGPL v3); Enterprise features in paid plans$$
VisivoOpen-source, Cloud Service, Self-hostedOpen source (GPL-3.0)$

Target Users & Use-Cases

Each BI tool is designed with specific user personas in mind. Understanding the target audience helps ensure you choose a platform that aligns with your team's skills and needs.

Evidence.dev

Analytics engineersData-savvy users who prefer code/markdown workflowEngineers & Academics

Metabase

Non-technical business usersProduct teamsData teams for quick analytics

Visivo

Analytics EngineersData teamsBusiness usersEngineers

Ease of Development & Deployment

The development experience can significantly impact your team's productivity. This section compares how easy it is to build, deploy, and maintain dashboards in each platform.

Evidence.dev

Metabase

Visivo

Key Integrations & Ecosystem

A robust ecosystem of integrations is essential for modern BI tools. Here's how each platform connects with other tools in your data stack.

Evidence.dev

SQL databases via JDBC/ODBCdbt metadata integrationStatic site deployment platforms

Metabase

Major SQL databasesNoSQL databases (MongoDB, Druid)dbt metadata via community plugin

Visivo

dbt coreAll major databasesCustom connector frameworkSlack for alertsGithub

AI & Advanced Features

Artificial intelligence is transforming how we interact with data. Compare the AI capabilities and advanced features offered by each platform.

ToolAI Features
Evidence.dev
Metabase
Visivo✔️

Visualization Capabilities

The ability to create compelling and insightful visualizations is a key differentiator between BI tools. Here's how each platform handles data visualization.

Evidence.dev

Reports built as Markdown with embedded SQL and charts. Outputs static HTML dashboards. Customization via editing Markdown/HTML/CSS; not a point-and-click UI.

Metabase

Simplified UI: users can create questions (queries) via a point-and-click interface or SQL editor. Visualizations cover basic needs (bar, line, pie, maps, etc.). Dashboards allow filter widgets to link multiple cards. Customization is basic – focus is on quick insights over polished design.

Visivo

Highly custom UI with easy defaults

Detailed Differentiators

Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses. Here's a detailed breakdown of what sets each tool apart, including both advantages and limitations.

Evidence.dev

+ + Write dashboards as code – lightweight, reproducible, easily integrated with dbt pipelines. Great for data narratives that combine text, data, and charts.
− Static output means no ad-hoc drilling by end users; requires comfort with writing Markdown/SQL.

Metabase

+ Extremely easy for non-technical users to ask questions – great for self-service on simple queries.
− No semantic layer – each "question" is standalone, which can lead to inconsistent metrics if not careful. Lacks advanced visuals and fine formatting; not ideal for complex dashboards or large-scale governance.

Visivo

+ BI-as-code approach enables version control, collaboration, and CI/CD workflows. DAG-based architecture provides powerful data transformation capabilities and dependency management. Seamless visual-to-code workflow allows both technical and non-technical users to build dashboards effectively.
− Requires understanding of data concepts; not a pure drag-and-drop tool like Tableau. Initial setup requires technical knowledge for optimal configuration.

Security & Architecture

Security and architecture are critical considerations for enterprise deployments. Here's how each platform handles data security and system architecture.

Evidence.dev

DB Access: Queries run at build time (or page load if in server mode); not needed for end viewer (static pages). Virtualization: By nature, it materializes results into the page (no live DB query once published). Push: Yes – essentially a push of data into static site. Other: No runtime user management (pages are static); security depends on where you host (you wouldn't include sensitive data in a public build).

Metabase

DB Access: Yes, Metabase connects directly to each data source to run queries. Virtualization: No intermediate layer – it's live queries (with caching). Push: No (pull-based queries; can cache results in application DB). Other: Supports row-level security with query filters (enterprise). Offers auditing of questions run. Embedding to apps with signed tokens available (with its own permissions).

Visivo

No db access required. Very strong security features due to the DAG-based access controls and the push based deployment model.

Why Visivo Stands Out

While each platform has its strengths, Visivo offers unique advantages that make it an excellent choice for modern data teams.

  • DAG-Based Architecture: Enables complex data transformations and dependencies
  • Visual to Human-readable Code: Seamlessly switch between visual and code-based development
  • Ease of Development: Multiple approaches to build for both technical and non-technical users
  • AI-Powered Development: Leverage AI to accelerate dashboard creation
  • Git Integration: Full version control and collaboration capabilities

Ready to experience the power of modern BI? Try Visivo today and see how it compares to other tools in your stack.

$pip install visivo
Sign Up for FreeRequest a Demo
How can we help you?
EmailMuteEnd Chat
undefined
Support
Support
Support
agent avatar
Question? Just type it below and we are online and ready to answer.
Powered by Chatlio