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Amplitude vs Apache Spark MLlib

Amplitude logo

Amplitude

Software

The digital analytics platform to understand your users

From
Free
Rated
-
Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Software

Scalable machine learning on Apache Spark

From
Free
Rated
-

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 MLlib apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.
  • They diverge on capability: Amplitude covers Event tracking, Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Amplitude and Apache Spark MLlib differ
AttributeAmplitudeApache Spark MLlib
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiLinux, macOS, Windows
Founded20121999

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 MLlib

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Collaborative filtering
  • Feature engineering
  • Apache Spark
  • Hadoop
  • Kafka

What people use each for

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

Amplitude

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

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Large-scale distributed machine learning on Spark clustersnot Amplitude
  • Classification and regression with decision trees, random forests, gradient-boosted treesnot Amplitude
  • Clustering with K-means and Gaussian Mixture Modelsnot Amplitude

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 MLlib

  • Apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.

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 MLlib

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark MLlib 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.

Choose Apache Spark MLlib if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want regression.

Questions people ask

Is Amplitude or Apache Spark MLlib better?
Neither clearly leads. Amplitude starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Amplitude or Apache Spark MLlib?
Amplitude starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free.
Does Amplitude or Apache Spark MLlib run on more platforms?
Amplitude runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Apache Spark MLlib runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 MLlib is typically brought in for.
What can Amplitude do that Apache Spark MLlib cannot?
Amplitude covers Event tracking, User segmentation, Funnel analysis, Retention analysis. Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering.

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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