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Amplitude vs Apache Spark

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
A

Apache Spark

Software

A multi-language engine for data engineering, data science, and machine learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Amplitude metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow; Apache Spark licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Amplitude and Apache Spark actually diverge.

Attributes where Amplitude and Apache Spark differ
AttributeAmplitudeApache Spark
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Amplitude

  • Event tracking
  • User segmentation
  • Funnel analysis
  • Retention analysis
  • Cohort analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Revenue analytics
  • Predictive analytics

Only in Apache Spark

Nothing recorded that Amplitude does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Amplitude

  • User behavior analysisnot Apache Spark
  • Feature adoption trackingnot Apache Spark
  • Conversion rate optimizationnot Apache Spark
  • Customer journey mappingnot Apache Spark
  • Retention improvementnot Apache Spark

Apache Spark

No use cases recorded yet. See the Apache Spark review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Amplitude

  • Metered on event volume, so instrumenting more of a product raises the bill even if the audience does not grow
  • The free plan covers 2M events a month
  • The Plus plan scales to 70M events, above which pricing is custom
  • Growth and Enterprise pricing is not published

Apache Spark

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • Installation on a laptop requires pip install pyspark or a Docker image per spark.apache.org; there is no hosted single-click deployment offered by the Apache project itself

Pricing, plan by plan

Amplitude

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 2 million events per month
  • Plus$49/month
    • $0.049 per MTU
    • Up to 300k MTUs
    • Advanced analytics
  • GrowthFree
    • Causal insights
    • Feature experimentation
    • Real-time streaming
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Cross-product analysis
    • Advanced permissions
    • Dedicated account manager

Apache Spark

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Amplitude if

  • You need event tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want user segmentation.
Amplitude review

Choose Apache Spark if

  • You want to start without paying.
Apache Spark review

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or Apache Spark better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and Apache Spark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or Apache Spark?
Amplitude starts at Free and Apache Spark at Free.
Does Amplitude or Apache Spark run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Apache Spark runs on Web.
Can I use Amplitude for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Amplitude best used for?
Amplitude is most often used for user behavior analysis, feature adoption tracking, conversion rate optimization, customer journey mapping. Of those, user behavior analysis and feature adoption tracking are not what Apache Spark is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that Apache Spark cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Amplitude: Does Amplitude have a free plan?

Yes, Amplitude offers a free Starter plan with 2 million events per month and access to the entire platform including analytics, session replay, and experimentation features.

Source
Amplitude: What is Amplitude's pricing based on?

Amplitude's pricing is based on the number of monthly tracked users (MTUs), data volume, and advanced features selected. The Plus plan starts at $49 per month with a rate of $0.049 per MTU.

Source
Amplitude: What analytics features does every Amplitude plan include?

Every plan includes access to the full platform: analytics, session replay, feature experimentation, web experimentation, guides and surveys, activation, and AI tools like AI Feedback and AI Assistant.

Source
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