Comparison
Databricks vs Snowflake
Scored side by side on data-analytics, using the same criteria we apply across the category.
Lakehouse platform unifying data engineering, analytics and machine learning on open formats.
Cloud data warehouse with separated storage and compute and per-second billing.
Scored side by side
Query performance
Cost predictability
Governance
Ease of operation
Value for money
Databricks verdict
The right platform when machine learning is a first-class workload rather than an afterthought.
- Best unified platform for data and machine learning
- Open table formats limit lock-in
- Mature experiment tracking and model serving
Snowflake verdict
The lowest-operations warehouse available. Budget for a FinOps owner from the start.
- Almost no operational overhead
- Zero-copy cloning transforms development workflows
- Best-in-class cross-organisation data sharing
FAQ
Common questions
What's the difference between Databricks and Snowflake?
Databricks: The right platform when machine learning is a first-class workload rather than an afterthought. Snowflake: The lowest-operations warehouse available. Budget for a FinOps owner from the start.
Which has better reviews, Databricks or Snowflake?
Databricks and Snowflake carry the same 4.5/5 rating, from 4,300 and 6,100 reviews respectively.
Does Databricks or Snowflake have a free plan?
Both do. Databricks starts at $0.07 per DBU, consumption-based, and Snowflake starts at $2 per credit, consumption-based.