dbt Semantic Layer (MetricFlow) pricing in 2026

Hosted Starter: $100/user/month; additional usage and warehouse costs may apply

Local MetricFlow

$0 software license

  • Apache 2.0 engine; managed APIs not included

Starter

$100/user/month

  • 5,000 queried metrics/month
  • Platform plan; additional usage and warehouse costs may apply

Enterprise

Custom

  • 20,000 queried metrics/month
  • Caching and multiple service-token warehouse credentials

Enterprise+

Custom

  • 20,000 queried metrics/month
  • Additional enterprise platform requirements

Every figure on this page was read from dbt Semantic Layer (MetricFlow)’s own pricing page on 5 Oct 2026. Prices change without notice, so confirm on the vendor’s pricing page.

Hosted Semantic Layer is available on paid dbt platform plans. Queried metrics count successful API SQL render/run requests by metric, not distinct metric definitions. The free Developer plan does not include paid hosted APIs.

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Questions people ask

Is dbt Semantic Layer Free?

The MetricFlow engine is open source under Apache 2.0 and can be used locally. dbt's managed service layer and hosted Semantic Layer APIs require a paid platform plan.

Is MetricFlow the Same as dbt Semantic Layer?

MetricFlow compiles metric requests into SQL. dbt Semantic Layer adds managed services, authentication, and integrations around that engine.

Does dbt Semantic Layer Replace a Data Warehouse?

No. It generates queries against the underlying warehouse models. It does not create a full second copy of warehouse data by default, although optional caching creates warehouse tables and query results pass through the service.

Can I Use dbt Semantic Layer With Power BI?

Yes, through a preview integration using DirectQuery. It requires a custom connector and ODBC driver, plus an on-premises gateway for Power BI Service. Check the limitations on custom calculations and modeling against your reports before adopting it.

Do I Need to Know SQL to Use It?

The team implementing it needs technical modeling skills and an understanding of the underlying SQL data models. Downstream users can consume prepared metrics through supported tools, but someone must maintain the definitions, relationships, and permissions.