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# Apache Ambari vs Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark Comparison - What are their main differences?

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Apache AmbariGoogle Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark[+ Add Product](#)

Reviews

**Apache Ambari** [

4.1/5(23)

](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-ambari/reviews#reviews)

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark** [

4.3/5(18)

](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews#reviews)

Pricing

**Apache Ambari**
No pricing available

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**Apache Ambari**
Not enough reviews yet

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough reviews yet

Return on Investment

**Apache Ambari**
Not enough reviews yet

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough reviews yet

Perceived Cost

**Apache Ambari**
$$$$$

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**Apache Ambari**
Not enough reviews yet

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough reviews yet

Pros & Cons

**Apache Ambari**
Not enough data

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough data

Integrations

**Apache Ambari**
Not enough data

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_7c23f7efbbad335c53ed6bdca9953572/etl-tools.png "Product Avatar Image")

ETL tools

](https://www.g2.com/products/etl-tools/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/integrations)

Ratings

Meets Requirements

**Apache Ambari**

8.1

8.117

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**

8.6

8.611

Ease of Use

**Apache Ambari**

8.7

8.717

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**

8.8

8.811

Ease of Setup

**Apache Ambari**

8.0

8.010

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough data

Ease of Admin

**Apache Ambari**

8.7

8.710

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough data

Quality of Support

**Apache Ambari**

7.1

7.116

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**

8.8

8.811

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**Apache Ambari**

8.7

8.710

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**
Not enough data

Product Direction (% positive)

**Apache Ambari**

7.5

7.514

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark**

8.9

8.911

Features

Big Data Processing and Distribution[Hide 10 FeaturesShow 10 Features](javascript:void(0);)

8.0

13

8.7

10

Database

Real-Time Data Collection

7.6

9

8.1(won by 0.5)

8

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Data Distribution

7.8

10

8.8(won by 1.0)

8

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Data Lake

7.2

10

8.1(won by 0.9)

8

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Integrations

Hadoop Integration

8.6

12

9.0(won by 0.4)

8

Spark Integration

8.0

10

9.3(won by 1.3)

9

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Platform

Machine Scaling

8.3

8

9.1(won by 0.8)

9

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Data Preparation

8.6(won by 0.7)

7

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

7.9

8

Spark Integration

8.0

10

9.3(won by 1.3)

9

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Processing

Cloud Processing

8.1

8

9.1(won by 1.0)

9

 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors)

Workload Processing

7.9

8

8.3(won by 0.4)

8

Show 2 feature categories with incomplete data

ETL Tools[Hide 57 FeaturesShow 57 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

Not enough data

Management

Reporting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Auditing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Functionality

Extraction

Not enough data

Not enough data

Transformation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Loading

Not enough data

Not enough data

Automation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Scalability

Not enough data

Not enough data

Non-Relational Transformations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Extraction

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Data Mapping

Not enough data

Not enough data

Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Charting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Integration Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting/Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Ad hoc Analysis

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Match & Merge

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Metadata Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Pipeline Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Job Scheduling

Not enough data

Not enough data

Dashboard Creation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Storage Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Multiple Data Sources

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Import/Export

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Quality Control

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Connectors

Not enough data

Not enough data

Customizable Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Version Control

Not enough data

Not enough data

Visual Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Accounting Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Data

Not enough data

Not enough data

eCommerce Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

CRM

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Visualization

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Search/Filter

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Capture and Transfer

Not enough data

Not enough data

Collaboration Tools

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Synchronization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Drag & Drop

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Replication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

Database Support

Not enough data

Not enough data

Workflow Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Predictive Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Migration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Analysis Tools

Not enough data

Not enough data

Big Data[Hide 17 FeaturesShow 17 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

Not enough data

Building Reports

Data Transformation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Modeling

Not enough data

Not enough data

WYSIWYG Report Design

Not enough data

Not enough data

Integration APIs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Data

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Data

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Platform

Mobile User Support

Not enough data

Not enough data

Customization 

Not enough data

Not enough data

User, Role, and Access Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Internationalization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Sandbox / Test Environments

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance and Reliability

Not enough data

Not enough data

Breadth of Partner Applications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Mobile Access

Not enough data

Not enough data

Metadata Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Insights

Reviewers' Company Size

[![Apache Ambari](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b1715b5723ca979cc096358331ad82df/apache-ambari.png "Apache Ambari")](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-ambari/reviews)

Apache Ambari

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

19.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

9.5%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

71.4%

[![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")](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews)

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

25.0%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

43.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

31.3%

Small-Business

(50 or fewer emp.)

19.0%

25.0%

Mid-Market

(51-1000 emp.)

9.5%

43.8%

Enterprise

(\> 1000 emp.)

71.4%

31.3%

Reviewers' Industry

[![Apache Ambari](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b1715b5723ca979cc096358331ad82df/apache-ambari.png "Apache Ambari")](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-ambari/reviews)
Apache Ambari

Telecommunications

19.0%

Computer Software

14.3%

Banking

14.3%

Retail

9.5%

Marketing and Advertising

9.5%

Other

33.3%

[![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")](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews)
Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark

Information Technology and Services

25.0%

Retail

12.5%

Marketing and Advertising

6.3%

Hospital & Health Care

6.3%

Higher Education

6.3%

Other

43.8%

FAQs

## Apache Ambari vs Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 15, 2026

### What is the difference between Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark vs Apache Ambari?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is distinguished by its higher G2 rating and superior Quality of Support score compared to Apache Ambari.

| [Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews) | [Apache Ambari](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-ambari/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.3/5 (18 reviews) | 4.1/5 (23 reviews) |
| — | — |
| — | 8.0 |
| 8.8 | 7.1 |
| Frees engineers from cluster management, offers fast job startup, and integrates with BigQuery and Cloud Storage | Highly customizable interface for Hadoop cluster management and monitoring |

### How do the pricing models of Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari compare?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is rated higher for value, with reviewers expressing greater satisfaction with its pricing compared to Apache Ambari.

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark:** Reviewers appreciate cost-saving features like idle cluster deletion and autoscaling, but note that pricing can become confusing for longer-running jobs.
- **Apache Ambari:** Reviewers highlight that it is a free, open-source tool, making it attractive for those seeking Hadoop stack installation without additional cost.

### What are the best alternatives to Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari?

The top three alternatives to Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari are Databricks, Cloudera, and Amazon EMR.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-managed-service-for-apache-spark/reviews) | 4.3/5 (18 reviews) | Reviewers value cost-saving features and integration with GCP services | Frees engineers from cluster management, fast job startup, strong GCP integration |
| [Apache Ambari](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-ambari/reviews) | 4.1/5 (23 reviews) | Open-source, no licensing cost | Customizable interface for Hadoop cluster management and monitoring |
| [Databricks](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/reviews) | 4.6/5 (1366 reviews) | — | Unified analytics platform with strong collaboration features |
| [Cloudera](https://www.g2.com/products/cloudera/reviews) | 4.1/5 (136 reviews) | — | Comprehensive enterprise data platform |
| [Amazon EMR](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-emr/reviews) | 4.2/5 (70 reviews) | — | Scalable big data processing on AWS |

### Which Big Data Processing and Distribution features should I prioritize when comparing Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari?

Buyers should prioritize cluster management automation, integration with cloud services, ease of setup, quality of support, and monitoring capabilities when comparing Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari.

- **Cluster management automation:** Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is frequently praised for eliminating manual cluster provisioning and scaling, while Apache Ambari is valued for simplifying Hadoop cluster administration.
- **Integration with cloud services:** Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark integrates with BigQuery and Cloud Storage, streamlining data movement and analytics workflows.
- **Ease of setup:** Apache Ambari scores 8.0 for Ease of Setup, with reviewers noting its intuitive interface for Hadoop stack installation; Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark receives positive qualitative feedback for quick cluster creation and job submission.
- **Quality of support:** Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark scores 8.8, while Apache Ambari scores 7.1, indicating a notable difference in reviewer satisfaction with support.
- **Monitoring capabilities:** Apache Ambari is highlighted for its customizable dashboards and cluster monitoring features.

### What are the pros and cons of Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark vs Apache Ambari?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark's headline strength is automated cluster management and integration with GCP services, while Apache Ambari's is its customizable interface for Hadoop cluster management.

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark strengths:** Reviewers highlight automated scaling, fast job startup, integration with BigQuery and Cloud Storage, and reduced manual infrastructure management.
- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark trade-offs:** Reviewers note documentation gaps, occasional autoscaling delays, and pricing complexity for long-running jobs.
- **Apache Ambari strengths:** Reviewers praise its intuitive and customizable interface, ease of Hadoop stack installation, and strong cluster monitoring and management features.
- **Apache Ambari trade-offs:** Reviewers mention limited monitoring features, less robust support, and occasional interface responsiveness issues.

### Is Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark or Apache Ambari better for small businesses?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is a stronger fit for small businesses, with reviewers citing its ease of use and cost-saving features.

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark:** Small-business reviewers appreciate the $300 free cloud credit, high uptime, and minimal infrastructure management required.
- **Apache Ambari:** Reviewers note its open-source nature and suitability for organizations seeking free Hadoop stack installation, but do not emphasize small-business adoption.

### Which Big Data Processing and Distribution platform has better integrations?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari are at parity for integrations, as neither product has recent reviewer-cited third-party integration counts above the publish floor.

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark:** Reviewers mention integration with BigQuery and Cloud Storage in recent feedback.
- **Apache Ambari:** Reviewers reference integration with Hadoop ecosystem components and mention Airflow in qualitative feedback.

### How do Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark and Apache Ambari compare on customer support?

Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is rated higher for Quality of Support, with a 1.7-point advantage over Apache Ambari (8.8 vs 7.1).

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark:** Reviewers consistently praise the helpfulness of the GCP support team and responsiveness to critical issues.
- **Apache Ambari:** Reviewers report mixed experiences, with some noting helpful support but others citing limited support and slower response times.

### Which is easier to implement, Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark or Apache Ambari?

Apache Ambari is rated higher for Ease of Setup, with a score of 8.0 and multiple reviewers citing its intuitive installation process.

- **Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark:** Reviewers describe setup as straightforward, with cluster creation and job submission being easy, but note occasional delays in cluster creation and configuration discovery.
- **Apache Ambari:** Reviewers highlight its intuitive interface, easy Hadoop stack installation, and configuration management, with several citing setup as quick and accessible for both technical and non-technical users.

Alternatives

**Apache Ambari Alternatives**

 ![Databricks](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/135d1c9e39e19ef56dc8d0bf90fce20f/databricks.svg "Databricks")

[
Databricks
](/products/databricks/reviews)

 ![Amazon EMR](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476487/amazon-emr.svg "Amazon EMR")

[
Amazon EMR
](/products/amazon-emr/reviews)

 ![Snowflake](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1544409170/snowflake.svg "Snowflake")

[
Snowflake
](/products/snowflake/reviews)

 ![Google Cloud BigQuery](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/875b8a68eca98ce3458f26e9dd34cdf9/google-cloud-bigquery.svg "Google Cloud BigQuery")

[
BigQuery
](/products/google-cloud-bigquery/reviews)

**Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark Alternatives**

 ![Databricks](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/135d1c9e39e19ef56dc8d0bf90fce20f/databricks.svg "Databricks")

[
Databricks
](/products/databricks/reviews)

 ![Cloudera](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/dcfb9e6879febb34cef773ddde921835/cloudera.svg "Cloudera")

[
Cloudera
](/products/cloudera/reviews)

 ![Azure Data Factory](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_f176b4154a751d10150daa67a57b7dc5/azure-data-factory.jpg "Azure Data Factory")

[
Azure Data Factory
](/products/azure-data-factory/reviews)

 ![Amazon EMR](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476487/amazon-emr.svg "Amazon EMR")

[
Amazon EMR
](/products/amazon-emr/reviews)

## Apache Ambari vs Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark

- Reviewers felt that Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark meets the needs of their business better than Apache Ambari.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Spark over Apache Ambari.