Machine Learning & Data Science · head to head
AWS SageMaker vs Domino Data Lab

AWS SageMaker
Machine Learning & Data Science
Build, train, and deploy machine learning models at scale
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -

Domino Data Lab
Machine Learning & Data Science
Enterprise MLOps platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: AWS SageMaker vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem makes migration to other platforms difficult; Domino Data Lab pricing is by quote only: the pricing page publishes no rate and no minimum, and the tier breakdown is behind a downloadable datasheet form
- They diverge on capability: AWS SageMaker covers Jupyter notebooks, Domino Data Lab covers Reproducible environments.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AWS SageMaker and Domino Data Lab actually diverge.
| Attribute | AWS SageMaker | Domino Data Lab |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Founded | 2006 | 2013 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning & Data Science).
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 AWS SageMaker
- Jupyter notebooks
- Built-in algorithms
- Automatic model tuning
- One-click deployment
- S3
- Lambda
- Step Functions
- CloudWatch
Only in Domino Data Lab
- Reproducible environments
- Model registry
- Collaboration
- Governance
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
- Kubernetes
Both cover
- Model monitoring
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AWS SageMaker
- Machine learningnot Domino Data Lab
- Data analysisnot Domino Data Lab
- Model trainingnot Domino Data Lab
- Predictive analyticsnot Domino Data Lab
Domino Data Lab
- Running reproducible data science workspaces and experiments on shared computenot AWS SageMaker
- Deploying and monitoring models with governance controlsnot AWS SageMaker
- Giving regulated enterprises a self managed MLOps platformnot AWS SageMaker
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AWS SageMaker
- Vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem makes migration to other platforms difficult
- Opaque pricing can lead to unexpected expenses like forgotten EBS volume charges
- Does not include native job scheduling, requiring Lambda or EventBridge integration
Domino Data Lab
- Pricing is by quote only: the pricing page publishes no rate and no minimum, and the tier breakdown is behind a downloadable datasheet form
- Licensing is split by user type, with separate data science professional, data analyst, service account and admin licences
- FinOps, Nexus and Governance are paid add on modules rather than part of the platform
- Support level is a separate priced choice
- Self managed VPC or on premises deployment requires the Premium tier or higher
- No free trial is offered on the pricing page
Pricing, plan by plan
AWS SageMaker
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the AWS SageMaker review.
Domino Data Lab
Free- TrialFree
- 14-day trial
- Full features
- EnterpriseFree
- Full platform
- Enterprise support
- SLA
Which should you pick?
Choose AWS SageMaker if
- You need jupyter notebooks.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want built-in algorithms.
Choose Domino Data Lab if
- You need reproducible environments.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want model registry.
Questions people ask
- Is AWS SageMaker or Domino Data Lab better?
- Neither clearly leads. AWS SageMaker starts at Free and Domino Data Lab at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AWS SageMaker or Domino Data Lab?
- AWS SageMaker starts at Free and Domino Data Lab at Free.
- Does AWS SageMaker or Domino Data Lab run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use AWS SageMaker for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is AWS SageMaker best used for?
- AWS SageMaker is most often used for machine learning, data analysis, model training, predictive analytics. Of those, machine learning and data analysis are not what Domino Data Lab is typically brought in for.
- What can AWS SageMaker do that Domino Data Lab cannot?
- AWS SageMaker covers Jupyter notebooks, Built-in algorithms, Automatic model tuning, One-click deployment. Domino Data Lab covers Reproducible environments, Model registry, Collaboration, Governance. Both handle Model monitoring, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
AWS SageMaker: What is AWS SageMaker used for?
AWS SageMaker is a machine learning service for building, training, and deploying ML models at scale. It provides tools for data preparation, model training, inference endpoints, and performance optimization.
SourceAWS SageMaker: How is AWS SageMaker priced?
SageMaker uses pay-as-you-go pricing with no upfront costs or long-term commitments. Pricing starts at $0.04 per hour for basic notebook instances and scales based on instance type. ML Savings Plans offer up to 64% off with hourly spend commitments.
SourceAWS SageMaker: Does AWS SageMaker have a free tier?
Yes, the free tier includes 250 hours of notebook usage, 50 hours of training, and 125 hours of hosting on ml.t3.medium instances during the first two months.
SourceRelated pages
More on AWS SageMaker
More on Domino Data Lab
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