Side by side

MetricFlow vs Sema

Both stand on semantic layer software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

MetricFlow

Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

MetricFlow provides self-hosted metric definitions and SQL generation for compatible dbt projects. Its dbt and platform requirements, along with the lack of support for dbt built-in functions and packages, are important constraints.

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Sema

Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

Sema combines a semantic graph, natural-language querying, reporting, and governance for enterprise data work. Check connector availability and the Sandbox limits before choosing a plan.

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The facts

	MetricFlow	Sema
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	No
Runs on	API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows	API, Self-hosted, Web
Lowest paid plan	Starter: $100 per user a month	Pro: $49 per user a month
Plans published	5	4
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	github.com	semalayer.com
On semantic layer software	#2 of 28	#6 of 28

MetricFlow: what it does well

Supports five metric types.
Constructs joins using entity types and parameters.
Works with dbt 1.6 and higher.
Custom integrations can use four listed interfaces.
Free and Apache 2.0 licensed.

What to know first

Requires a working dbt project and adapter.
Does not support dbt built-in functions or packages.
Postgres support is for dbt v1 only.

Sema: what it does well

Answers questions in plain English and shows SQL used.
Verified inferred joins can be reused.
Supports scheduled reports and metric alerts.
Offers customer-VPC and self-hosted deployment options.
Pro includes unlimited connectors and chat.

What to know first

Free Sandbox has one connector and one user.
Sandbox limits chat to 100 queries monthly.
Several named connectors remain in beta or roadmap.
Pro requires at least three seats at $49/user/mo.

Alternatives to MetricFlow Alternatives to Sema The whole list