What happened to Mode after ThoughtSpot acquired it?

ThoughtSpot acquired Mode for approximately $200M in 2023. Since then, parts of Mode have been folded into ThoughtSpot's search-driven BI platform. The standalone Mode product still exists, but the long-term roadmap is unclear, and some teams report uncertainty about which features will survive independently.

How does Mode pricing compare to Hex?

Mode removed public pricing after the ThoughtSpot acquisition and now requires direct sales conversations for enterprise contracts. Hex publishes pricing openly at $36/editor/month (Team) and $75/editor/month (Enterprise), though compute-minute billing can add unpredictable costs for heavy workloads.

Which is better for SQL-heavy teams, Mode or Hex?

Mode was purpose-built for SQL-heavy analytics workflows with strong report scheduling and a mature SQL editor. Hex also handles SQL well but shines when teams mix Python into their analysis. For pure SQL report scheduling, Mode has more depth; for SQL+Python hybrid work, Hex is stronger.

Where does Fastero fit in the Mode vs Hex comparison?

Fastero sits in a different layer. Mode and Hex are analytics notebook platforms; Fastero is relevant when the team needs to take notebook-born analysis and run it as a production app with auth, monitoring, scheduling, and operational visibility that neither notebook platform provides.

Can Mode and Hex connect to the same data warehouses?

Yes. Both Mode and Hex support connections to Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, Databricks, and PostgreSQL, among others. Warehouse compatibility is rarely the deciding factor. The real differences are in notebook experience, Python support, app publishing, and pricing model.

Comparison guides

Adjacent comparison

Mode vs Hex

This is usually a SQL-report-scheduling versus Python-app-publishing decision. Mode built its reputation on SQL-first analytics and recurring report delivery, but ThoughtSpot's acquisition adds real uncertainty about where the product is headed. Hex is independently run, pairs SQL with Python in a reactive notebook, and ships a more polished app layer.

See Hex vs Deepnote Try Fastero

Mode tends to fit

SQL-first analytics with a built-in report scheduler

Teams already invested in the ThoughtSpot ecosystem

Cases where recurring report delivery matters more than interactive app publishing

Hex tends to fit

SQL+Python notebooks with real-time multiplayer editing

Teams that need polished, shareable data apps from notebook work

Cases where Python flexibility and app publishing are both critical

Buying frame

The first decision is usually report scheduling versus app publishing.

Notebook experience

Mode

Mode's SQL editor is fast and well-integrated with its report builder, but the Python notebook feels bolted on. Python cells run in a separate environment, and passing data between SQL and Python is clunky compared to Hex.

Hex

Hex treats SQL and Python as first-class citizens in the same reactive notebook. Cells can reference each other across languages, and the overall editing experience is more cohesive for mixed SQL+Python workflows.

Pricing transparency

Mode

Mode removed public pricing after the ThoughtSpot acquisition. Enterprise contracts are negotiated directly, which makes budgeting harder for mid-market teams. Legacy Mode plans were roughly $35–$50/editor/month.

Hex

Hex publishes pricing openly: $36/editor/month on Team, $75/editor/month on Enterprise. The catch is compute-minute billing — heavy dbt or warehouse work can spike costs in ways that are hard to predict before you run the workload.

Post-acquisition uncertainty

Mode

ThoughtSpot acquired Mode for ~$200M in 2023. Since then, the product roadmap has blurred. Some features are being folded into ThoughtSpot's search-driven BI, and it's unclear which parts of Mode will survive as standalone products versus absorbed capabilities.

Hex

Hex is independently funded and actively shipping. The roadmap is visible, the release cadence is steady, and the team is building toward a broader analytics platform. There's no acquisition overhang muddying the long-term bet.

Real-world fit

The stronger fit depends on how the team blends SQL and Python.

Leaning Mode

The team runs on scheduled SQL reports

Mode is a natural fit when analysts write SQL, schedule recurring reports, and distribute them to stakeholders on a cadence. The report builder and scheduling engine are mature and reliable. If the team is already in ThoughtSpot, Mode slots in without adding another vendor.

Leaning Hex

The team mixes Python into their analysis and wants to publish apps

Hex pulls ahead when analysts need Python alongside SQL — data science, statistical modeling, or building interactive apps from notebook logic. The app publishing layer is more polished than Mode's, and real-time collaboration makes pair analysis practical.

Where Fastero fits

This comparison still leaves the operating-layer question open.

Where Fastero fits

Neither Mode nor Hex is designed to host production apps with auth, monitoring, and alerting outside the notebook. Fastero becomes relevant when the team wants to take a notebook-born analysis and run it as a standalone app with access controls and operational visibility.

The gap both leave open

Mode schedules reports but doesn't give you a monitored app. Hex publishes apps but doesn't provide deep operational tooling around them. If the work needs to graduate from “shared notebook” to “production system,” that gap matters.

When Fastero becomes the right layer

Once the team has settled the Mode-vs-Hex question and needs the resulting analysis to run as an operated workflow — with scheduling, auth, monitoring, and alert routing — Fastero sits in the layer that neither notebook platform covers.

How to choose

First choose the notebook model. Then choose how the resulting work should run.

Choose Mode when

The team is SQL-heavy and relies on scheduled report delivery to stakeholders.

You're already in the ThoughtSpot ecosystem and want a unified analytics stack.

Python notebooks are a nice-to-have, not a core part of the analytical workflow.

Choose Hex when

Analysts need Python and SQL together in a reactive, collaborative notebook.

Publishing polished data apps from notebook work is a primary use case.

You want transparent pricing and an independently-run product with a clear roadmap.

Related paths

Mode vs Hex

The first decision is usually report scheduling versus app publishing.

Notebook experience

Pricing transparency

Post-acquisition uncertainty

The stronger fit depends on how the team blends SQL and Python.

The team runs on scheduled SQL reports

The team mixes Python into their analysis and wants to publish apps

This comparison still leaves the operating-layer question open.

Where Fastero fits

The gap both leave open

When Fastero becomes the right layer

First choose the notebook model. Then choose how the resulting work should run.

Choose Mode when

Choose Hex when

Continue into the comparison that matches the operating question your team really has.

All comparisons

Hex vs Streamlit

Hex vs Deepnote

Hex alternatives

Hosted apps

Natural language to SQL