2 Open Source alternatives to Tableau in 2026
We compare 2 self-hostable tools you can deploy on your own server in minutes, with license, tech stack and a ready-to-copy docker-compose.
Quick comparison
Sorted by featured first, then GitHub stars as a tiebreaker — the same rule we use across the whole site.
| Tool | License | Minimum RAM | Docker | GitHub |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache Superset Lightest option100% FOSSMost popular on GitHub | Apache-2.0 | ~512MB | ✅ | ★ ~62,000 |
| Metabase 1-Click Deploy | AGPL-3.0 | ~1GB | ✅ | ★ ~38,000 |
Detailed profile of each alternative
Alternative to Looker, Tableau
Dashboards and BI over your databases, an alternative to Looker/Tableau.
Alternative to Tableau, Power BI
Large-scale BI and data visualization, an alternative to Tableau/Power BI.
How much does Tableau cost, and how much can you save?
Tableau charges a recurring monthly fee. Self-hosting the alternative, you only pay for the server — usually a few dollars a month.
Calculate your exact savings in the SaaS Audit →Already know which one you want?
Add Apache Superset to the Stack Builder and generate a ready-to-deploy docker-compose.yml, alone or alongside the rest of your stack.
Build my stackFrequently asked questions
Do I need Docker to self-host a Tableau alternative?
Yes, for all 2: each one has a ready-to-copy docker-compose.yml. You just need Docker installed on your server.
How much RAM do I need at minimum?
The lightest option on this list is Apache Superset, which runs on as little as 512MB of RAM — enough for a cheap VPS.
Are they all 100% free, or are there paid features like on Tableau?
1 out of 2 are 100% FOSS. The rest are Open-Core: the core is free and self-hostable, but some advanced feature may stay paid — we call it out on each tool's page.