Compare Apache Airflow and Databricks 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (44.9% of reviews)
Enterprise (44.6% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
Apache Airflow
Star Rating
(123)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (44.9% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Apache AirflowDatabricks
Star Rating
(727)4.6 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (44.6% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about DatabricksSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that Databricks excels in providing a comprehensive data workflow solution, with features like Genie and Lakehouse Connect that streamline data processing, analysis, and machine learning all in one platform. Users appreciate the notebook environment that simplifies their tasks.
- Users say Apache Airflow shines in its ability to create ETL pipelines, particularly highlighting its UI-driven DAG visualization. This feature makes understanding workflows and dependencies much easier, which is a significant advantage for teams managing complex data processes.
- Reviewers mention that Databricks offers superior support and ease of setup compared to Apache Airflow. Many users have noted the intuitive onboarding process, which helps teams get started quickly, while Airflow users have reported a steeper learning curve during initial setup.
- According to verified reviews, both platforms are praised for their flexibility, but Databricks stands out with its Unity Catalog, which enhances governance and access control across data assets. This feature has been a game-changer for enterprises migrating from traditional architectures.
- G2 reviewers highlight that while Apache Airflow is strong in managing workflows with clear task definitions and dependencies, it sometimes lacks the integrated features that Databricks provides, which can lead to users needing to switch between multiple tools for different tasks.
- Users report that Databricks has a higher overall satisfaction score, reflecting its robust capabilities and user-friendly design. In contrast, while Airflow is effective for specific use cases, some users feel it could benefit from more streamlined features to enhance day-to-day usability.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Apache Airflow
No pricing availableDatabricks
No pricing availableFree Trial
Apache Airflow
No trial information availableDatabricks
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.0
91
8.9
578
Ease of Use
8.4
91
8.9
589
Ease of Setup
7.7
55
8.7
461
Ease of Admin
8.3
30
8.4
184
Quality of Support
8.2
83
8.7
553
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.6
29
8.9
188
Product Direction (% positive)
9.5
85
9.6
566
Features by Category
Reports
Not enough data
8.3
12
Not enough data
7.7
10
Not enough data
8.3
11
Not enough data
8.0
9
Not enough data
9.0
15
Data Preparation
Not enough data
8.9
6
Not enough data
8.8
7
Data Modeling and Blending
Not enough data
9.0
8
Not enough data
8.8
7
Not enough data
8.8
8
Generative AI
Not enough data
9.1
9
Not enough data
9.2
6
Agentic AI - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
9.3
7
Not enough data
8.7
5
Not enough data
8.3
6
Not enough data
8.3
6
Not enough data
8.3
7
Not enough data
9.7
6
Not enough data
9.3
5
Self Service
Not enough data
7.7
10
Not enough data
7.7
10
Not enough data
8.5
11
Not enough data
8.1
12
Not enough data
8.2
11
Not enough data
7.9
8
Deployment & Integration - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
8.1
7
Not enough data
9.2
8
Not enough data
8.6
6
Not enough data
9.2
6
Advanced Analytics
Not enough data
8.3
11
Not enough data
8.2
11
Not enough data
9.0
12
Performance & Scalability - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
8.8
7
Not enough data
Not enough data
Advanced Analytics & Modeling - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
9.0
8
Not enough data
8.5
8
Not enough data
8.6
6
Agentic AI Capabilities - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
8.6
7
Not enough data
8.8
7
Not enough data
8.9
6
Not enough data
8.6
7
Personalized Intelligence - Analytics Platforms
Not enough data
9.2
6
Not enough data
7.9
8
Not enough data
8.3
7
Building Reports
Not enough data
9.0
149
Not enough data
8.6
143
Not enough data
7.6
123
Not enough data
8.4
145
Administration
Not enough data
8.8
99
Not enough data
8.6
93
Not enough data
9.0
94
Not enough data
8.7
98
Management
Not enough data
8.4
87
Not enough data
8.6
86
Not enough data
8.6
88
Not enough data
8.5
87
Not enough data
8.8
86
Compliance
Not enough data
8.8
98
Not enough data
8.7
92
Not enough data
8.9
94
Not enough data
8.7
94
Security
Not enough data
9.0
87
Not enough data
8.9
86
Not enough data
8.8
86
Data Quality
Not enough data
9.0
94
Not enough data
8.7
93
Not enough data
9.0
93
Maintainence
Not enough data
8.7
85
Not enough data
8.8
84
Generative AI
Not enough data
8.4
82
Not enough data
8.5
81
Agentic AI - Data Governance
Not enough data
8.5
10
Not enough data
8.8
11
Not enough data
9.0
14
Not enough data
8.5
12
Not enough data
9.0
12
Not enough data
9.0
13
Management
Not enough data
8.6
171
Not enough data
8.5
164
Functionality
Not enough data
9.1
174
Not enough data
9.2
175
Not enough data
9.1
172
Not enough data
9.0
167
Not enough data
9.1
167
Deployment
8.5
8
8.9
64
8.5
9
8.9
64
8.5
8
8.9
66
8.3
9
8.9
66
8.9
9
9.0
67
Deployment
8.5
9
8.9
62
8.8
8
8.8
62
8.5
8
8.6
66
8.3
9
8.9
65
9.4
8
9.0
66
Management
8.5
8
9.0
64
8.3
8
8.8
65
9.0
8
9.2
61
8.5
8
9.0
69
Operations
8.1
9
8.7
62
8.5
8
8.8
62
8.8
8
9.0
63
Management
8.8
8
8.8
61
8.5
8
8.7
61
8.8
8
9.1
59
Generative AI
7.7
8
8.3
28
7.9
8
8.3
28
System
Not enough data
8.9
180
Model Development
Not enough data
8.8
182
Not enough data
7.9
187
Not enough data
8.3
186
Not enough data
8.7
191
Model Development
Not enough data
8.5
172
Machine/Deep Learning Services
Not enough data
8.2
174
Not enough data
8.5
180
Not enough data
8.3
172
Not enough data
8.2
172
Machine/Deep Learning Services
Not enough data
8.4
158
Not enough data
8.4
160
Deployment
Not enough data
8.5
178
Not enough data
8.7
180
Not enough data
9.0
187
Generative AI
Not enough data
8.2
86
Not enough data
8.4
87
Not enough data
7.6
86
Agentic AI - Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms
Not enough data
9.2
8
Not enough data
8.3
7
Not enough data
8.1
8
Not enough data
8.6
7
Not enough data
9.2
10
Not enough data
9.2
6
Not enough data
9.3
7
Data Management
Not enough data
9.0
185
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.9
180
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.9
179
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.8
180
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.7
167
|
Verified
Not enough data
9.1
171
|
Verified
Integration
Not enough data
8.8
168
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.8
166
|
Verified
Not enough data
9.1
174
|
Verified
Deployment
Not enough data
7.9
156
|
Verified
Not enough data
9.1
178
|
Verified
Performance
Not enough data
9.1
177
|
Verified
Security
Not enough data
8.8
168
|
Verified
Not enough data
8.9
168
|
Verified
Generative AI
Not enough data
8.5
76
Not enough data
8.4
75
Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Maintenance
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Data Management
Not enough data
9.0
68
Not enough data
8.8
70
Not enough data
8.8
68
Not enough data
9.1
69
Agentic AI - DataOps Platforms
Not enough data
9.1
9
Not enough data
8.8
7
Not enough data
8.9
9
Not enough data
9.0
8
Not enough data
9.4
8
Analytics
Not enough data
8.8
67
Not enough data
8.5
67
Monitoring and Management
Not enough data
8.6
67
Not enough data
8.6
68
Cloud Deployment
Not enough data
9.0
63
Not enough data
9.0
64
Generative AI
Not enough data
8.9
36
Not enough data
8.9
36
Scalability and Performance - Generative AI Infrastructure
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Cost and Efficiency - Generative AI Infrastructure
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Integration and Extensibility - Generative AI Infrastructure
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security and Compliance - Generative AI Infrastructure
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Usability and Support - Generative AI Infrastructure
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Customization - AI Agent Builders
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Functionality - AI Agent Builders
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Data and Analytics - AI Agent Builders
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Integration - AI Agent Builders
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Workflow Design & Integration - AI Orchestration
8.4
20
Not enough data
8.2
18
Not enough data
8.4
18
Not enough data
8.5
17
Not enough data
8.7
17
Not enough data
7.7
15
Not enough data
Performance Optimization & Analytics - AI Orchestration
8.1
17
Not enough data
7.7
15
Not enough data
8.6
15
Not enough data
7.0
15
Not enough data
8.0
14
Not enough data
8.4
16
Not enough data
Governance & Compliance Controls - AI Orchestration
7.7
14
Not enough data
7.3
14
Not enough data
8.0
14
Not enough data
8.3
15
Not enough data
8.2
14
Not enough data
Traffic Management & Performance - AI Gateways
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Governance & Observability - AI Gateways
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Database
Not enough data
8.7
237
Not enough data
8.9
244
Not enough data
9.3
259
Integrations
Not enough data
8.3
220
Not enough data
9.1
261
Platform
Not enough data
9.0
252
Not enough data
8.8
249
Not enough data
9.1
261
Processing
Not enough data
9.0
244
Not enough data
9.0
246
Data Transformation
Not enough data
8.8
226
Not enough data
9.1
233
Connectivity
Not enough data
8.7
206
Not enough data
9.2
230
Not enough data
9.0
220
Not enough data
9.2
230
Operations
Not enough data
8.4
228
Not enough data
8.8
224
Not enough data
8.6
212
Not enough data
8.6
209
Not enough data
9.3
231
Building Reports
Not enough data
9.0
149
Not enough data
8.6
143
Not enough data
7.6
123
Not enough data
8.4
145
Platform
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Apache Airflow and Databricks are categorized as MLOps Platforms
Unique Categories
Apache Airflow is categorized as AI Orchestration
Databricks is categorized as DataOps Platforms, Data Governance, ETL Tools, Big Data Processing and Distribution, Big Data Analytics, Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms, Analytics Platforms, Data Warehouse, Database Management Systems (DBMS), Generative AI Infrastructure, AI Agent Builders, and AI Gateways
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Apache Airflow
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Databricks
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
22.2%
Computer Software
17.1%
Financial Services
11.1%
Marketing and Advertising
4.3%
Banking
3.4%
Other
41.9%
Information Technology and Services
15.9%
Financial Services
10.4%
Computer Software
8.5%
Consulting
4.0%
Hospital & Health Care
3.7%
Other
57.5%
Alternatives
Discussions
Who is using Apache airflow?
1 Comment
FE
To send custom metadata to AtlanRead more
Is Apache airflow an ETL tool?
1 Comment
BM
Yes, we can use it to schedule and trigger ETL jobs and orchestrate them into a logical workflow Read more
What is Lakehouse in Databricks?
4 Comments
BR
Lakehouse is a new and open data management architecture solution that combines the best features of the data lake and warehouse.Read more
What are the features of Databricks?
4 Comments
SA
It supports large amount of data with capability to write code in SQL, Spark, Python and R.
In the backend, it stored the data in the parquet file which...Read more
What is Databricks unified analytics platform?
3 Comments
CA
Databricks' Unified Data Analytics Platform helps organizations accelerate innovation by unifying data science with engineering and business. With Databricks...Read more
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