Hex
The Trade Desk
| Feature | Hex | The Trade Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $28/mo | Contact sales |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | data-analysts, data-scientists, analytics-engineers, data-teams | media-buyers, agencies, enterprise-advertisers, programmatic-teams |
| Founded | 2019 | 2009 |
| Sql Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Python Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Charts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Programmatic Buying | ✗ | ✓ |
| Connected Tv | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audio Ads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Marketplace | ✗ | ✓ |
| Attribution | ✗ | ✓ |
| Identity Graph | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Hex Pros
- SQL + Python in one tool
- Beautiful data apps
- Collaborative notebooks
- Good sharing features
✗ Hex Cons
- Expensive for teams
- Learning curve for non-technical
- Limited self-hosting
✓ The Trade Desk Pros
- Best-in-class DSP technology
- Excellent CTV capabilities
- Strong data marketplace
- Transparent pricing
✗ The Trade Desk Cons
- Enterprise minimum spend
- Requires programmatic expertise
- Complex for beginners
The Verdict
Hex is built for data analysts and data scientists, with a focus on sql-cells and python-cells. The Trade Desk targets media buyers and agencies and leads with programmatic-buying and connected-tv.
The Trade Desk uses custom enterprise pricing, while Hex starts at $28/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Hex has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. The Trade Desk requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.