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# AWS Glue vs AWS Import/Export Snowball Comparison - What are their main differences?

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AWS GlueAWS Import/Export Snowball[+ Add Product](#)

Pricing

**AWS Glue**
Free Trial

**Contact Vendor for Pricing** · Basic

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**
No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Perceived Cost

**AWS Glue**
$$$$$

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**AWS Glue**
13%

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**
Not enough reviews yet

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Time to Implement

**AWS Glue** 6 months
Based on 100 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball** 6 months
Based on 100 responses

Return on Investment

**AWS Glue** 6 months
Based on 100 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball** 6 months
Based on 100 responses

**Pros & Cons**
from reviews

**AWS Glue**

Ease of Use (6)

Data Integration (3)

Slow Performance (3)

Debugging Difficulty (2)

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**
Not enough data

Integrations

**AWS Glue**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/amazon-athena.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

Amazon Athena

](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-athena/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_5b5ecb6259c4c0d54368899a457a4e08/aws-step-functions.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

AWS Step Functions

](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-step-functions/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_a6c205d533dba77b318af96d91beb2ac/databricks.jpeg "Product Avatar Image")

Databricks

](https://www.g2.com/products/databricks/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-glue/integrations)

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**
Not enough data

**Ratings**
from reviews

Meets Requirements

**AWS Glue**

**8.5** /10

Based on 158 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**8.7** /10

Based on 21 responses

Ease of Use

**AWS Glue**

**8.4** /10

Based on 161 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**8.5** /10

Based on 21 responses

Ease of Setup

**AWS Glue**

**8.6** /10

Based on 77 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**7.8** /10

Based on 9 responses

Ease of Admin

**AWS Glue**

**8.3** /10

Based on 68 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**8.7** /10

Based on 9 responses

Quality of Support

**AWS Glue**

**8.4** /10

Based on 156 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**8.5** /10

Based on 21 responses

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**AWS Glue**

**8.8** /10

Based on 68 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**8.7** /10

Based on 9 responses

Product Direction (% positive)

**AWS Glue**

**9.0** /10

Based on 157 responses

**AWS Import/Export Snowball**

**7.8** /10

Based on 21 responses

**Features**
ratings from reviews

Machine Learning Data Catalog

**8.7** /10

Based on 20 responses

Not enough data

Data Preparation

**8.4** /10

Based on 70 responses

Not enough data

Data Virtualization

**9.0** /10

Based on 28 responses

Not enough data

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ETL Tools

**8.9** /10

Based on 82 responses

Not enough data

Data Replication

**9.1** /10

Based on 22 responses

Not enough data

User Insights

**Reviewers' Company Size**

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
22.7%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
29.4%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
47.9%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
22.7%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
29.4%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
47.9%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
26.9%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
42.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
30.8%

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
26.9%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
42.3%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)
30.8%

**Reviewers' Industry**

[![AWS Glue](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476465/aws-glue.svg "AWS Glue")](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-glue/reviews)
AWS Glue

Information Technology and Services
18.1%

Computer Software
15.0%

Financial Services
6.7%

Hospital & Health Care
5.7%

Computer & Network Security
4.1%

Other
50.3%

[![AWS Import/Export Snowball](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1528476502/aws-import-export-snowball.svg "AWS Import/Export Snowball")](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-import-export-snowball/reviews)
AWS Import/Export Snowball

Computer Software
23.1%

Financial Services
15.4%

Information Technology and Services
11.5%

Telecommunications
3.8%

Non-Profit Organization Management
3.8%

Other
42.3%

Alternatives

**AWS Glue Alternatives**

 ![Alteryx](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5200f776b24b5976b8f7d151d1d2e8fd/alteryx.svg "Alteryx")

[
Alteryx
](/products/alteryx/reviews)

 ![Fivetran](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1526948884/fivetran.svg "Fivetran")

[
Fivetran
](/products/fivetran/reviews)

 ![Hevo Data](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1a4069c8ee36ae34c4c9c55aeea3a96d/hevo-data.svg "Hevo Data")

[
Hevo Data
](/products/hevo-data/reviews)

 ![Workato](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5e21242185438a3b63b0b3cc5eb921b0/workato.svg "Workato")

[
Workato
](/products/workato/reviews)

**AWS Import/Export Snowball Alternatives**

 ![HubSpot Data Hub](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/623d45935338f8a4283f9a911c18780c/hubspot-data-hub.svg "HubSpot Data Hub")

[
HubSpot Data Hub
](/products/hubspot-data-hub/reviews)

 ![Fivetran](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1526948884/fivetran.svg "Fivetran")

[
Fivetran
](/products/fivetran/reviews)

 ![Salesforce Platform](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/b2a749c6cf5119ab76e497c1082c3161/agentforce-360-platform-formerly-salesforce-platform.svg "Salesforce Platform")

[
Salesforce Platform
](/products/agentforce-360-platform-formerly-salesforce-platform/reviews)

 ![Workato](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5e21242185438a3b63b0b3cc5eb921b0/workato.svg "Workato")

[
Workato
](/products/workato/reviews)

## AWS Glue vs AWS Import/Export Snowball FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: August 16, 2026

### What is the difference between AWS Import/Export Snowball vs AWS Glue?

AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue differ most clearly in their core use case, with Snowball focused on large-scale physical data transfer and Glue on serverless ETL and data integration.

| [AWS Import/Export Snowball](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-import-export-snowball/reviews) | [AWS Glue](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-glue/reviews) |
| --- | --- |
| 4.1/5 (29 reviews) | 4.3/5 (202 reviews) |
| Enterprise | Enterprise |
| 7.8 | 8.6 |
| 8.5 | 8.3 |
| Petabyte-scale data transport and secure physical appliance | Serverless ETL, automation, and integration with AWS ecosystem |

### How do the pricing models of AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue compare?

AWS Glue is rated higher for value, with a stronger Price/Cost satisfaction score than AWS Import/Export Snowball.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** In recent reviews, several reviewers mention that Snowball is cost-effective for large data transfers but note that pricing can be higher than expected for smaller use cases.
- **AWS Glue:** Reviewers consistently highlight Glue's cost-effectiveness, especially due to its serverless, pay-for-what-you-use model, though some caution that costs can rise if jobs are not optimized.

### What are the best alternatives to AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue?

The top three alternatives to AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue are Alteryx, HubSpot Data Hub, and Fivetran.

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [AWS Import/Export Snowball](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-import-export-snowball/reviews) | 4.1/5 (29 reviews) | Enterprise | Cost-effective for large transfers; higher for smaller use cases | Petabyte-scale data transport and secure physical appliance |
| [AWS Glue](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-glue/reviews) | 4.3/5 (202 reviews) | Enterprise | Cost-effective serverless pricing; costs can rise if not optimized | Serverless ETL, automation, and integration with AWS ecosystem |
| [Alteryx](https://www.g2.com/products/alteryx/reviews) | 4.6/5 (894 reviews) | Enterprise | — | Advanced analytics and automation capabilities |
| [HubSpot Data Hub](https://www.g2.com/products/hubspot-data-hub/reviews) | 4.5/5 (578 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Data integration for marketing and sales workflows |
| [Fivetran](https://www.g2.com/products/fivetran/reviews) | 4.3/5 (828 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | Automated data pipeline management |

### Which ETL Tools features should I prioritize when comparing AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue?

Buyers should prioritize Transformation, Integration, Ease of Setup, Data Cataloging, and Scalability when comparing AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue.

- **Transformation:** AWS Glue is frequently cited for its transformation capabilities, with multiple recent reviews highlighting its ETL automation and PySpark support; Transformation is the most frequently mentioned feature across both products.
- **Integration:** AWS Glue is mentioned in 2 all-time reviews for easy integrations, with 5 all-time mentions of Amazon Athena integration; Snowball is noted for integration with AWS services in qualitative recent reviews.
- **Ease of Setup:** AWS Glue scores 8.6, while AWS Import/Export Snowball scores 7.8.
- **Data Cataloging:** AWS Glue has 2 all-time mentions for data cataloging and is repeatedly praised for its Glue Data Catalog and schema discovery features.
- **Scalability:** AWS Glue has 2 all-time mentions for scalability and is described as highly scalable in recent reviews; Snowball is praised for petabyte-scale data transport in qualitative feedback.

### What are the pros and cons of AWS Import/Export Snowball vs AWS Glue?

AWS Import/Export Snowball's headline strength is petabyte-scale secure data transport, while AWS Glue excels in serverless ETL automation and integration.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball strengths:** Petabyte-scale data transfer, secure physical appliance, robust for large-scale migrations, praised for speed and scalability in recent reviews.
- **AWS Import/Export Snowball trade-offs:** Higher cost for smaller use cases, learning curve for non-technical users, interface could be more intuitive, and customer support is occasionally cited as slow.
- **AWS Glue strengths:** Serverless ETL automation, strong integration with AWS ecosystem, Glue Data Catalog and schema discovery, praised for ease of use (6 all-time mentions), data integration (3 all-time mentions), and scalability (2 all-time mentions).
- **AWS Glue trade-offs:** Debugging and troubleshooting can be complex (2 all-time mentions for debugging difficulty), job startup times can be slow for small workloads, and costs can rise if jobs are not optimized.

### Is AWS Import/Export Snowball or AWS Glue better for small businesses?

HubSpot Data Hub is the top-ranked alternative with a Small-Business segment, while both AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue are primarily used by Enterprise reviewers.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** Largest segment is Enterprise; recent reviews note that the product is often overkill for smaller companies and may not be necessary for small-scale data transfers.
- **AWS Glue:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers highlight its suitability for large-scale ETL and integration, with some noting a learning curve for smaller teams.

### Which ETL Tools platform has better integrations?

AWS Glue is favored for integrations, with multiple reviewer-cited integrations and higher all-time mention counts.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** Recent reviews mention integration with AWS services, but no specific third-party integration counts are supplied.
- **AWS Glue:** Amazon Athena integration is cited in 5 all-time reviews, and integrations are mentioned in 2 all-time reviews, with additional qualitative praise for integration with S3, Redshift, and Lake Formation.

### How do AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue compare on customer support?

AWS Import/Export Snowball and AWS Glue are rated within 0.2 points on Quality of Support, indicating parity.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** Reviewers describe support as generally responsive, though some mention slow response times and the need for repeated follow-ups.
- **AWS Glue:** Reviewers note that support is helpful and knowledgeable, with several citing positive experiences, but a few mention that support can be slow or documentation could be improved.

### Which is easier to implement, AWS Import/Export Snowball or AWS Glue?

AWS Glue leads on Ease of Setup with a score of 8.6 versus AWS Import/Export Snowball's 7.8.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** Reviewers describe setup as straightforward for technical users but note a learning curve for non-technical teams and some challenges with initial configuration.
- **AWS Glue:** Reviewers consistently highlight easy implementation, with multiple recent reviews praising the visual interface and automation features that reduce manual setup effort.

### Which product has better Transformation?

AWS Glue is the stronger product for Transformation, with more frequent reviewer mentions and higher satisfaction for ETL automation and transformation features.

- **AWS Import/Export Snowball:** Transformation is not a primary theme in reviews; the product is focused on physical data transfer rather than data transformation.
- **AWS Glue:** Transformation is the most frequently mentioned feature, with multiple recent reviews highlighting ETL automation, PySpark support, and schema conversion; reviewers cite Glue's transformation capabilities as a core strength.

## AWS Glue vs AWS Import/Export Snowball

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found AWS Import/Export Snowball easier to use and administer. However, reviewers preferred the ease of set up, and doing business with AWS Glue overall.

- Reviewers felt that AWS Import/Export Snowball meets the needs of their business better than AWS Glue.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that AWS Import/Export Snowball is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of AWS Glue over AWS Import/Export Snowball.