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Comparison · Analytics
OpenMetadata vs ThingsBoard
A side-by-side editorial comparison of OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
OpenMetadata vs ThingsBoard: at a glance
What is OpenMetadata?
OpenMetadata 2.0.8 widens Hex, Sigma and BigQuery coverage while 2.1 waits in release candidates.
OpenMetadata is still in 2.0.x maintenance mode, shipping a release every one to two weeks. 2.0.8 on November 13 is the broadest yet: Hex and Sigma ingestion now build data models and column lineage, BigQuery date-sharded tables can be grouped into one logical table, Power BI and Snowflake ingestion stop leaving stale or runaway jobs, and MCP authentication and access controls were tightened. The 2.1.0 line sits at rc2, whose only published change is a tag-resolution fix.
What is ThingsBoard?
ThingsBoard closes a script-sandbox file write and dozens of CVEs on its 4.3 and 4.2 lines.
ThingsBoard keeps three lines patched in parallel: 4.4, 4.3.1 and the 4.2 LTS. On October 27, 4.3.1.8 and 4.2.2.8 shipped a large security batch, including a fix for arbitrary file writes from the TBEL script sandbox and tamper protection for the OAuth2 authorization cookie. On October 30, 4.4.0.2 followed with security patches, though its notes list no details.
OpenMetadata vs ThingsBoard: editorial side-by-side
OpenMetadata
5.0ANALYTICS
OpenMetadata 2.0.8 widens Hex, Sigma and BigQuery coverage while 2.1 waits in release candidates.
◆ Current state
OpenMetadata is still in 2.0.x maintenance mode, shipping a release every one to two weeks. 2.0.8 on November 13 is the broadest yet: Hex and Sigma ingestion now build data models and column lineage, BigQuery date-sharded tables can be grouped into one logical table, Power BI and Snowflake ingestion stop leaving stale or runaway jobs, and MCP authentication and access controls were tightened. The 2.1.0 line sits at rc2, whose only published change is a tag-resolution fix.
◆ Where it's heading
Each 2.0.x release repairs connectors and lineage that 2.0 left incomplete, and the fixes increasingly touch accuracy (correct table identity, lineage that ends at the right model) rather than crashes. MCP keeps appearing in the security sections, which suggests OpenMetadata expects AI tools to read the catalog and is locking that path down before 2.1.
◆ Prediction
A 2.1.0 final is the next visible step, since two release candidates are out; the entries do not yet say what features 2.1 adds beyond the fixes backported to 2.0.x.
ThingsBoard
5.0ANALYTICS
ThingsBoard closes a script-sandbox file write and dozens of CVEs on its 4.3 and 4.2 lines.
◆ Current state
ThingsBoard keeps three lines patched in parallel: 4.4, 4.3.1 and the 4.2 LTS. On October 27, 4.3.1.8 and 4.2.2.8 shipped a large security batch, including a fix for arbitrary file writes from the TBEL script sandbox and tamper protection for the OAuth2 authorization cookie. On October 30, 4.4.0.2 followed with security patches, though its notes list no details.
◆ Where it's heading
After the 4.4 feature release the project is back to maintenance on all supported lines, mostly security and runtime fixes, with the IoT Hub catalogue getting steady UI work alongside. Feature work arrives in larger, infrequent releases.
◆ Prediction
Expect the next entries to be routine patches across all three lines. The notes do not say whether 4.4.0.2 carries the same fixes as the 4.3 batch.
Alternatives to OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard
Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either OpenMetadata or ThingsBoard.
Dagster
Dagster drops Python 3.10 and lets agents run schedules and sensors through MCP.
OpenHouse
OpenHouse adds time-zone-aware retention and per-database table caps.
Countly
Countly 25.03.59 defaults to Node 26, supports MongoDB 9 and tightens app scoping.
Kubecost
Kubecost cuts three 3.3.2 release candidates in two days, still without notes.
RStudio
RStudio opens the 2026.11 train with another NOTICE file update.
See all OpenMetadata alternatives → · See all ThingsBoard alternatives →
Recent activity from OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 21h agoOpenMetadata2.0.8: Hex and Sigma lineage, BigQuery shard grouping, MCP auth
- 23h agoOpenMetadata2.1.0 rc2: fix for tags removed when resolving tag tasks
- 14d agoOpenMetadata2.1.0 rc1 appears, with notes covering only a UI fix
- 14d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.4.0.2: security patches, no details listed
- 17d agoOpenMetadata2.0.7: Pub/Sub, SQL Server and Unity Catalog connector fixes
- 18d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.3.1.8 fixes TBEL sandbox file write and CVE batch
- 18d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.2.2.8: LTS security backport
- 22d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.4.0.1: 2026 time zone data update
- 22d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.3.1.7: 2026 time zone data update
- 22d agoThingsBoardThingsBoard 4.2.2.7: 2026 time zone data update
- 23d agoOpenMetadata2.0.6: ingestion accuracy, safer upgrades, multi-pod fixes
- 1mo agoOpenMetadata2.0.5 restores metadata lost to 2.0 ingestion regressions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is OpenMetadata better than ThingsBoard?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. OpenMetadata and ThingsBoard are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to OpenMetadata?
Top OpenMetadata alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "OpenMetadata alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/openmetadata for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to ThingsBoard?
Top ThingsBoard alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "ThingsBoard alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/thingsboard for the full list with editorial commentary on each.