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For production self-hosting, deploy Metabase with Docker or its standalone JAR and store its application data in a separate production database—preferably PostgreSQL. Do not rely on the bundled H2 database for production: Metabase describes it as suitable for local use and trials. If you would rather not operate upgrades, backups, monitoring, and availability yourself, Metabase Cloud is the managed alternative.
Choose a deployment path
Metabase documents several ways to run the application. Its installation guide describes Metabase Cloud as the easiest option and recommends Docker for self-hosting. A standalone JAR is also supported, though Metabase notes that moving a JAR-based setup into production may be more challenging. Other documented options include Podman, Azure Web Apps, systemd, and building from source. Check the installation guide for the requirements and instructions for the Metabase version you plan to deploy; its documentation version and available releases can change.
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Metabase says it is not distributed through AWS Marketplace or Azure Marketplace, and it does not provide an officially supported Helm chart. If your platform depends on a particular packaging method, confirm that it fits your support and maintenance needs before building around it. Metabase installation options
Plan the production architecture
A production deployment has two distinct kinds of data connection. Metabase connects to your business databases to query analytics data, but it also needs its own application database to store Metabase content: dashboards, questions, accounts, and configuration. This application database is not a replacement for, or copy of, the business databases you connect to.
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Use a dedicated application database
Metabase recommends PostgreSQL for the application database. MySQL and MariaDB are also supported. The bundled H2 database is intended for local use and trials, not production. Keeping application data in a separate database also protects it from the lifecycle of the Metabase process or container.
Keep persistent data outside the container
Container storage can be ephemeral. If the application database is embedded in a container and the container is replaced, Metabase warns that its application data can be lost. Run a dedicated application database and ensure it is backed up independently of the container. Metabase’s production guidance recommends daily backups and weekly vacuuming and analysis for the application database. Metabase guidance for running in Docker
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Include traffic handling and logs
Metabase’s production guidance covers placing a load balancer in front of the service, terminating TLS, and retaining both application and proxy logs. These are operational parts of a production setup, not substitutes for securing the database or preserving its data. Metabase production setup guidance
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsEstimate resources from concurrent use
Metabase publishes sizing recommendations, not performance guarantees. Its guidance recommends a baseline of 1 CPU core and 1 GB RAM for Metabase, with 1 additional core and 2 GB RAM for every 20 concurrent users. It gives 3 cores and 5 GB RAM as an example for 40 concurrent users. For the application database server, Metabase suggests starting at 1 core and 2 GB RAM, then adding 1 core and 1 GB RAM for every 40 concurrent users. The guidance does not state a publication year, and actual needs depend on workload, queries, and environment. Treat these figures as a starting point and monitor real resource use after launch. Metabase production sizing recommendations
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Choose between Cloud and self-hosting
Metabase frames Cloud as the simpler managed route: its Cloud documentation says the hosted service handles uptime, backups, and upgrades. Self-hosting gives the team more responsibility as well as more control. Decide based on who will operate the system and what constraints the deployment must meet.
| Consideration | Metabase Cloud | Self-hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Routine operations | Metabase says it handles uptime, backups, and upgrades. | Your team plans and operates upgrades, backups, monitoring, and availability, including multi-zone availability where needed. |
| Special deployment requirements | Check the current Cloud offering against your requirements. | May fit requirements such as a custom build or driver, an air-gapped environment, or particular regulatory deployment constraints. |
| Infrastructure cost | Check current plan features and pricing with Metabase. | Metabase’s undated ballpark estimates for a comparable production setup are about $48+/month for high-availability servers, $12+/month for a load balancer, $40–60+/month for a managed database, and $12+/month for SMTP. These are estimates, not current quotes; actual costs vary by provider, region, and requirements. |
The practical choice is not simply hosted versus free software. Compare the control you need with the engineering capacity and ongoing infrastructure cost you can sustain. Check Metabase’s current Cloud information and Cloud comparison before deciding, because features and estimates can change.
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Monitor health and maintain the instance
Metabase documents /api/health as a health check for Metabase and its connection to the application database. Where your hosting platform supports separate probes, use /livez for liveness and /readyz for readiness. Configure checks according to the platform’s probe behavior, and retain application and proxy logs so that failures can be investigated. Metabase health checks
Move from Metabase Cloud to self-hosting
Cloud-to-self-hosted migration involves moving Metabase’s application data, not the data stored in connected source databases. Metabase’s documented process is operationally specific, so verify the current instructions before starting:
- Request an application-database snapshot from Metabase’s Success Engineering team.
- Match the self-hosted instance’s major version to the Cloud instance.
- Provision a self-hosted application database and restore the snapshot into it.
- If migrating a Pro plan, arrange a self-hosted Pro plan and license token.
The snapshot contains Metabase application data; it does not include the data in connected business databases. Confirm the current process with Metabase’s Cloud migration instructions before scheduling a move.
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