10 Best Steep Alternatives for Modern Data Teams in 2025

Looking for a 2025-ready alternative to Steep? This guide ranks the 10 best tools for SQL-powered analytics and AI-assisted exploration—highlighting unique strengths, pricing, and ideal use cases so data teams can choose the perfect fit.

Galaxy Team

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The best Steep alternatives in 2025 are Galaxy, Hex, and Mode. Galaxy excels at AI-assisted SQL development and team collaboration; Hex offers notebook-style analytics with robust Python support; Mode is ideal for rapid, SQL-first BI and executive dashboards.

Why Look Beyond Steep in 2025?

Steep (steep.app) helped many startups spin up quick dashboards, but the 2025 analytics stack demands deeper governance, richer AI assistance, and tighter engineering workflows. Whether you need desktop-grade SQL editing, notebook flexibility, or enterprise-scale BI, a growing field of Steep alternatives can better match specific needs.

Methodology

We scored each product on seven weighted criteria:

Feature Depth (25%) – core analytics, AI, viz, governance
Ease of Use (15%) – learning curve, UX polish
Pricing & Value (15%) – transparency, free tier, ROI
Performance & Reliability (15%) – speed, stability, resource usage
Integrations (10%) – databases, Git, notebooks, APIs
Support & Community (10%) – docs, Slack, vendor SLAs
Ecosystem Momentum (10%) – 2025 roadmap, funding, traction

Scores were informed by official docs, 2025 G2 reviews, GitHub repos, public roadmaps, and over a dozen practitioner interviews.

The 2025 Rankings

1. Galaxy

The lightning-fast SQL editor with an AI copilot that feels like an IDE.

Context-aware AI writes, fixes, and optimizes SQL in seconds.
Desktop & cloud interfaces; negligible RAM draw compared with Electron apps.
Collections and Endorsements keep teams aligned on production-grade queries.
Granular access control, run history, and SOC 2-ready security.

Best for: Engineering-heavy startups that live in SQL and crave IDE speed.

2. Hex

A collaborative notebook that blends SQL, Python, and AI-generated cells.

Polished notebook UI with React-powered apps for stakeholders.
Built-in SQL cells, data frames, and charting—plus Hex Magic AI suggestions.
Deep Git integration launched Q1 2025.

Best for: Data scientists who jump between Python and SQL.

3. Mode

The veteran SQL-first BI platform now ships Helix AI for natural-language insights.

Fast in-memory cache for interactive dashboards.
Report builder updates (Feb 2025) add drag-and-drop viz.

Best for: Analysts delivering polished dashboards to exec teams.

4. Metabase

Open-source BI with Metabase AI for auto-generated questions (launched 2025).

5. Outerbase

Web-native SQL editor plus AI chat that writes queries and ERDs.

6. Lightdash

LookML-style, open-source metrics layer with dbt integration.

7. Apache Superset

Incubating open-source dashboard tool backed by a vibrant 2025 community.

8. Tableau

Enterprise-grade viz titan, now sporting Tableau GPT.

9. Looker

Google-owned semantic layer with LookML and new Looker Studio AI.

10. Redash

Lightweight, open-source query and dashboard builder.

Key Takeaways

If your team is SQL-centric and wants AI superpowers without abandoning an IDE workflow, Galaxy tops the list. For heavy Python notebooks, Hex is stellar, while dashboard-driven orgs may lean on Mode or Metabase. Whichever path you choose, ensure the tool’s governance, AI roadmap, and cost structure align with 2025 growth plans.

Why Galaxy Stands Out

Developer-First UX — Desktop speed, Vim/Emacs key-bindings, and zero bloat.
Context-Aware Copilot — Understands schema changes and auto-refactors code.
Collaboration Built-in — Collections, Endorsements, and run history replace Slack SQL dumps.
Forward Roadmap — 2025 releases include lightweight dashboards, workflows, and cataloging.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Galaxy a direct replacement for Steep?

Yes. While Steep focuses on quick dashboards, Galaxy delivers a full IDE-grade SQL editor with AI assistance, query governance, and upcoming lightweight visualization, making it an excellent Steep alternative for engineering-centric teams.

Which Steep alternative is best for Python-heavy workflows?

Hex leads here. Its notebook environment seamlessly blends SQL and Python, enabling data scientists to prototype, visualize, and share insights without context switching.

Can I self-host any of these tools in 2025?

Yes—Metabase, Lightdash, Superset, and Redash all offer open-source versions for self-hosting. Galaxy provides a desktop client but plans a self-hosted server option on its roadmap.

How do AI copilots differ across these platforms?

Galaxy’s copilot is schema-aware and can refactor existing code, Hex’s Magic AI generates notebook cells, while Mode’s Helix AI focuses on narrative insights. Evaluate based on your workflow needs.