Link copied to clipboard # Amazon EMR vs Databricks Comparison - What are their main differences? Share [ Export ](/compare/amazon-emr/databricks/export.csv) Amazon EMRDatabricks[+ Add Product](#) Pricing **Amazon EMR** No pricing available **Databricks** Free Trial **$99.00** Per Feature Per Month ยท Basic **Pricing Insights** from reviews Perceived Cost **Amazon EMR** $$$$$ **Databricks** $$$$$ Average Discount **Amazon EMR** Not enough reviews yet **Databricks** 14% Uncover valuable pricing insights from real user feedback to improve your shopping experience. See it for free Time to Implement **Amazon EMR** 6 months Based on 100 responses **Databricks** 6 months Based on 100 responses Return on Investment **Amazon EMR** 6 months Based on 100 responses **Databricks** 6 months Based on 100 responses **Pros & Cons** from reviews **Amazon EMR** Data Integration (1) Ease of Use (1) Performance Issues (1) Poor Performance (1) **Databricks** Features (288) Ease of Use (278) Learning Curve (112) Expensive (97) Integrations **Amazon EMR** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/amazon-cloudwatch.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Amazon CloudWatch ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-cloudwatch/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_764bdd3b0bc81b470d93f18d12c826d2/amazon-web-services-aws-amazon-dynamodb.png "Product Avatar Image") Amazon DynamoDB ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-web-services-aws-amazon-dynamodb/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/amazon-redshift.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Amazon Redshift ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-redshift/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_0148ca76408710a295015ec26b43fd3e/amazon-relational-database-service-rds.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Amazon Relational Database... ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-relational-database-service-rds/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-emr/integrations) **Databricks** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_f6ee5c9dddbf5c28b136829c8782ed1b/slack.png "Product Avatar Image") Slack ](https://www.g2.com/products/slack/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/integrations) Screenshots **Amazon EMR** No screenshot available **Databricks** ![Databricks screenshot](https://images.g2crowd.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,height=600,fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,/https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/attachment/file/1231334/automated-etl-processing-img.png) **Ratings** from reviews Meets Requirements **Amazon EMR** **8.7** /10 Based on 55 responses **Databricks** **9.0** /10 Based on 683 responses Ease of Use **Amazon EMR** **8.3** /10 Based on 54 responses **Databricks** **8.8** /10 Based on 1,070 responses Ease of Setup **Amazon EMR** **8.6** /10 Based on 27 responses **Databricks** **8.4** /10 Based on 918 responses Ease of Admin **Amazon EMR** **8.6** /10 Based on 22 responses **Databricks** **8.4** /10 Based on 203 responses Quality of Support **Amazon EMR** **8.3** /10 Based on 53 responses **Databricks** **8.7** /10 Based on 667 responses Has the product been a good partner in doing business? **Amazon EMR** **8.9** /10 Based on 22 responses **Databricks** **8.9** /10 Based on 206 responses Product Direction (% positive) **Amazon EMR** **8.1** /10 Based on 48 responses **Databricks** **9.6** /10 Based on 673 responses **Features** ratings from reviews Big Data Processing and Distribution **8.8** /10 Based on 43 responses **9.0** /10 Based on 542 responses Business Intelligence Not enough data **8.9** /10 Based on 399 responses Data Visualization Not enough data **9.5** /10 Based on 44 responses Uncover more feature rated insights from real users to improve your shopping experience. See it for free Analytics Platforms Not enough data **9.2** /10 Based on 404 responses Data Governance Not enough data **8.8** /10 Based on 144 responses ETL Tools Not enough data **9.0** /10 Based on 220 responses MLOps Platforms Not enough data **9.0** /10 Based on 99 responses Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms Not enough data **8.7** /10 Based on 244 responses Data Warehouse Not enough data **8.9** /10 Based on 245 responses DataOps Platforms Not enough data **9.1** /10 Based on 102 responses Generative AI Infrastructure Not enough data **9.5** /10 Based on 31 responses AI Agent Builders Not enough data **10.0** /10 Based on 22 responses Big Data Analytics Not enough data **8.9** /10 Based on 286 responses Big Data Not enough data **8.7** /10 Based on 367 responses User Insights **Reviewers' Company Size** Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 21.0% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 21.0% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 58.1% Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 21.0% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 21.0% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 58.1% Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 15.3% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 37.7% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 47.0% Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 15.3% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 37.7% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 47.0% **Reviewers' Industry** [![Amazon EMR](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476487/amazon-emr.svg "Amazon EMR")](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-emr/reviews) Amazon EMR Financial Services 23.0% Computer Software 21.3% Information Technology and Services 14.8% Retail 4.9% Biotechnology 3.3% Other 32.8% [![Databricks](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/135d1c9e39e19ef56dc8d0bf90fce20f/databricks.svg "Databricks")](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/reviews) Databricks Information Technology and Services 13.5% Financial Services 11.9% Computer Software 7.7% Consulting 4.8% Manufacturing 4.7% Other 57.4% Alternatives **Amazon EMR Alternatives** ![Snowflake](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1544409170/snowflake.svg "Snowflake") [ Snowflake ](/products/snowflake/reviews) ![Qubole](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1542306394/qubole.svg "Qubole") [ Qubole ](/products/qubole/reviews) ![Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_0c51d2c2e5f85fe45126eb818f748267/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark.png "Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark") [ Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark ](/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews) ![Azure HDInsight](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_f8a2fdaa6a98b6c3313197f7d8472d1b/azure-hdinsight.jpg "Azure HDInsight") [ Azure HDInsight ](/products/azure-hdinsight/reviews) **Databricks Alternatives** ![Cloudera](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/dcfb9e6879febb34cef773ddde921835/cloudera.svg "Cloudera") [ Cloudera ](/products/cloudera/reviews) ![Snowflake](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1544409170/snowflake.svg "Snowflake") [ Snowflake ](/products/snowflake/reviews) ![Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/18effe7340087cf76270e479644d3e42/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform.svg "Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform") [ Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform ](/products/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform/reviews) ![Qubole](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1542306394/qubole.svg "Qubole") [ Qubole ](/products/qubole/reviews) ## Amazon EMR vs Databricks FAQs Generated using AI Last updated: August 14, 2026 ### What is the difference between Databricks vs Amazon EMR? Databricks stands out for its higher G2 rating and reviewer-cited strengths in unified data and AI workflows, while Amazon EMR is favored for its integration with AWS and cost-saving auto-termination features. | [Databricks](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/reviews) | [Amazon EMR](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-emr/reviews) | | --- | --- | | 4.6/5 (1366 reviews) | 4.2/5 (70 reviews) | | Enterprise | Enterprise | | 8.4 | 8.6 | | 8.8 | 8.3 | | Unified data and AI workflows, collaborative notebooks, strong governance | Integration with AWS ecosystem, cost-saving auto-termination, scalable Spark ETL | ### How do the pricing models of Databricks and Amazon EMR compare? Databricks is rated higher on value by reviewers, with a stronger satisfaction score on price and cost-related dimensions compared to Amazon EMR. - **Databricks:** Reviewers highlight the pay-for-what-you-use model, serverless compute, and auto-scaling as cost-efficient, but note that costs can rise quickly if compute usage is not monitored. - **Amazon EMR:** Reviewers appreciate the ability to save up to 90% on processing with Spot Instances and only pay for compute when needed, but mention that cost management requires attention and can become high if clusters are not optimized. ### What are the best alternatives to Databricks and Amazon EMR? The top three alternatives to Databricks and Amazon EMR are Cloudera, Snowflake, and Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform. | Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Databricks](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/reviews) | 4.6/5 (1366) | Enterprise | Reviewers highlight cost efficiency with pay-for-what-you-use and serverless compute. | Unified data and AI workflows, collaborative notebooks, strong governance | | [Amazon EMR](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-emr/reviews) | 4.2/5 (70) | Enterprise | Reviewers note cost savings with Spot Instances and pay-per-use, but caution on cost management. | Integration with AWS ecosystem, cost-saving auto-termination, scalable Spark ETL | | [Cloudera](https://www.g2.com/products/cloudera/reviews) | 4.1/5 (136) | Enterprise | โ€” | Flexible big data platform with strong security and governance | | [Snowflake](https://www.g2.com/products/snowflake/reviews) | 4.6/5 (763) | Mid-Market | โ€” | Cloud-native data warehousing, high scalability, and ease of use | | [Teradata Autonomous Knowledge Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/teradata-autonomous-knowledge-platform/reviews) | 4.3/5 (376) | Enterprise | โ€” | Enterprise-grade analytics and robust data management | ### Which Big Data Processing and Distribution features should I prioritize when comparing Databricks and Amazon EMR? Buyers should prioritize scalability, integration capabilities, governance and security, ease of setup, and cost management when comparing Databricks and Amazon EMR. - **Scalability:** Both Databricks and Amazon EMR are frequently cited for handling large-scale data processing and distributed workloads. - **Integration capabilities:** Databricks is mentioned in recent reviews for integrations with Git (30 all-time mentions), Tableau (10), and GitHub (7); Amazon EMR is highlighted for integration with AWS services like S3 and Airflow. - **Governance and security:** Databricks reviewers frequently cite Unity Catalog for centralized governance and permissions; Amazon EMR is noted for built-in security features. - **Ease of setup:** Databricks scores 8.4 and Amazon EMR 8.6 on Ease of Setup, with reviewers noting straightforward onboarding for both. - **Cost management:** Both products receive reviewer attention for cost efficiency, but also for the need to monitor and optimize usage to avoid unexpected expenses. ### What are the pros and cons of Databricks vs Amazon EMR? Databricks' headline strength is unified data and AI workflows with strong governance, while Amazon EMR's is integration with the AWS ecosystem and cost-saving auto-termination. - **Databricks strengths:** Unified platform for data engineering, analytics, and AI; collaborative notebooks; strong governance with Unity Catalog; broad integration capabilities; high scalability; intuitive UI; serverless compute and auto-scaling. - **Databricks trade-offs:** Steep learning curve for new users; cost model can lead to unexpected expenses if not monitored; some reviewers cite challenges with documentation and onboarding; occasional UI and performance issues with large datasets. - **Amazon EMR strengths:** Deep integration with AWS services (S3, Airflow, Glue); cost savings with Spot Instances and auto-termination; scalable Spark ETL workloads; user-friendly UI for job management; flexible framework support (Spark, Hadoop, Hive, Flink). - **Amazon EMR trade-offs:** Cluster configuration and optimization can be complex; cost management requires attention; lacks a serverless model; auto-scaling can be slow; notebook interface lacks advanced features; initial learning curve for new users. ### Is Databricks or Amazon EMR better for small businesses? Amazon EMR is a better fit for small businesses based on reviewer sentiment and its cost-saving features. - **Databricks:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers note a steeper learning curve and cost management challenges, which may be less ideal for small businesses. - **Amazon EMR:** Largest segment is Enterprise, but recent reviews highlight cost efficiency with pay-per-use and Spot Instances, making it attractive for small businesses seeking scalable, cost-effective solutions. ### Which Big Data Processing and Distribution platform has better integrations? Databricks is favored by reviewers for integrations, with more frequent and diverse integration mentions than Amazon EMR. - **Databricks:** Integrations with Git (30 all-time mentions), Tableau (10), and GitHub (7) are frequently cited in reviews. - **Amazon EMR:** Reviewers mention integration with AWS services such as S3 and Airflow, but with fewer all-time mentions and less diversity in third-party integrations. ### How do Databricks and Amazon EMR compare on customer support? Databricks and Amazon EMR are rated within 0.5 points on Quality of Support, with Databricks at 8.8 and Amazon EMR at 8.3, indicating near parity. - **Databricks:** Reviewers describe helpful support during setup and ongoing use, with positive experiences resolving onboarding and technical issues. - **Amazon EMR:** Reviewers note straightforward support and onboarding, especially for AWS users, but mention occasional challenges with troubleshooting and cluster issues. ### Which is easier to implement, Databricks or Amazon EMR? Amazon EMR scores slightly higher on Ease of Setup (8.6 vs 8.4), but both products are rated highly and reviewers describe straightforward implementation experiences for each. - **Databricks:** Reviewers frequently mention easy initial setup, quick onboarding, and a productive environment, though some cite a learning curve for new users. - **Amazon EMR:** Reviewers highlight fast cluster setup, simple onboarding for AWS users, and easy management, with some noting that initial configuration can be complex for large workloads. ### Which product has better Scalability? Scalability is the most frequently mentioned feature for both Databricks and Amazon EMR, with reviewers citing strong performance on large-scale data processing. - **Databricks:** Reviewers consistently highlight high scalability, cluster autoscaling, and efficient handling of large datasets; Ease of Setup 8.4, Meets Requirements 9.0. - **Amazon EMR:** Reviewers cite scalable Spark ETL workloads, flexible cluster sizing, and strong performance on large data; Ease of Setup 8.6, Meets Requirements 8.7.