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Redash: Open Source alternative to Looker in 2026

Redash connects to multiple data sources to write SQL queries, visualize them and share them in dashboards, as a lightweight alternative to Looker for data teams.

Alternative to Looker
License BSD-2-Clause28.8k starsWebsite GitHub Repository

Audit Snapshot

View notes →

  • License — Matches GitHub

  • GitHub — Active

  • Latest release — v26.9.0 · 19 days ago

  • Docker Compose — Partial

  • Production — Not production-tested by AltFreeStack

Redash vs. Looker

Pros

  • Very permissive BSD license

Things to consider

  • Slower development pace than Metabase in recent years

Quick Docker installation guide

Copy this docker-compose.yml, adjust the example passwords and run docker compose up -d on your server. See the full step-by-step guide →

💡 Official SaaS or self-hosted with AltFreeStack?

  • On the official cloud: a recurring monthly fee and usage limits on Looker.
  • On your own VPS: 100% free software on your own server, with no artificial row, project or user limits.
docker-compose.yml
version: "3.9"
services:
  redash:
    image: redash/redash:26.9.0
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "5000:5000"
    environment:
      - REDASH_DATABASE_URL=postgresql://redash:change-me-postgres-password@redash-db:5432/redash # password must match the canonical db password below
      - REDASH_REDIS_URL=redis://redash-redis:6379/0
      - REDASH_COOKIE_SECRET=change-me-super-secret
    depends_on:
      - redash-db
      - redash-redis
  redash-db:
    image: postgres:15-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=redash
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=change-me-postgres-password # REQUIRED: generate a random secret before first run
      - POSTGRES_DB=redash
    volumes:
      - redash_pg_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
  redash-redis:
    image: redis:7-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
  redash_pg_data:

🚀 Deploy in 1 command

Recommended for beginners

Copy this single command and paste it into your freshly created VPS's console (Vultr, DigitalOcean...). It downloads the script, prints it to your screen so you can see exactly what it's about to do (never a blind direct pipe), and only then installs Docker if needed, writes the files with secrets already generated, and starts everything — no nano, no pasting code blocks.

curl -sSL ".../api/deploy?stack=redash" -o deploy.sh && cat deploy.sh && bash deploy.sh
See what this script does →

This docker-compose corresponds to an actively maintained project — last commit 5 days ago.

This docker-compose not working for you? Report it on GitHub →

Technical profile

License
BSD-2-Clause
Category
Web Analytics
Replaces
Looker
Tech stack
PythonFlaskPostgreSQLRedis

Under the hood

Database

PostgreSQL

Language

Python

Platforms

Web

Key features

  • Reusable SQL queries
  • Shareable dashboards with filters
  • Query-based alerts

Frequently asked questions

What is Redash?

An open source tool (BSD-2-Clause license) that connects to multiple data sources to write SQL queries, visualize them, and share them in dashboards — a lightweight alternative to Looker for data teams.

Is Redash still actively developed?

Its development pace has slowed compared to Metabase over the past few years. It's still a solid choice with a very permissive license, but don't expect the release pace of tools with commercial backing.

How do you deploy Redash with Docker?

With the official `redash/redash` image plus PostgreSQL and Redis — this page's docker-compose includes all three services ready to copy.

Preview

Redash interface preview

Public image provided by Redash on its own website.

💾 Backups in 3 steps (Day 2)

As long as the ./data folder (the "volume" mapped into the container) exists on your server, your data survives any restart or container update — that's the only thing you need to back up.

1. Create a compressed backup on the server

tar -czvf backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz ./data

2. Download it to your computer

From your computer's terminal (not your server's):

scp root@YOUR_IP:~/app/backup-*.tar.gz ./

3. Restore in case of emergency

tar -xzvf backup-file.tar.gz
🌐 Connect your domain with free SSL

Step 1 — Set up the DNS

In your domain registrar's dashboard (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy...), create a record:

Type
A
Name/Host
@ (root domain) or a subdomain, e.g. app
Content/Value
Your server's public IP

Wait 5 to 15 minutes for the record to propagate across the internet.

Step 2 — Automatic reverse proxy with Caddy

One single file, no Nginx config or manual certificates — Caddy issues and renews Let's Encrypt HTTPS on its own.

Create a file called Caddyfile:

yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:5000
}

Start Caddy with this command (pulls the image and runs it in the background):

docker run -d -p 80:80 -p 443:443 --name caddy --restart always -v $PWD/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile -v caddy_data:/data caddy