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Machine Learning · head to head

AWS SageMaker vs Helicone

AWS SageMaker logo

AWS SageMaker

Machine Learning

Build, train, and deploy machine learning models at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Helicone logo

Helicone

AI

Open-source LLM observability and gateway platform for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AWS SageMaker vendor lock-in to AWS ecosystem makes migration to other platforms difficult; Helicone the free Hobby plan is capped at 10,000 requests per month, which teams with production traffic can exceed quickly.
  • They diverge on capability: AWS SageMaker covers Jupyter notebooks, Helicone covers Request dashboard and tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AWS SageMaker and Helicone actually diverge.

Attributes where AWS SageMaker and Helicone differ
AttributeAWS SageMakerHelicone
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWebweb, api
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded2006Unknown

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

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
  • Model monitoring
  • S3
  • Lambda
  • Step Functions

Only in Helicone

  • Request dashboard and tracking
  • Sessions and segments
  • Helicone Query Language (HQL)
  • Prompt datasets and improvement
  • Playground
  • Rate limits and alerts

What people use each for

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

AWS SageMaker

  • Machine learningnot Helicone
  • Data analysisnot Helicone
  • Model trainingnot Helicone
  • Predictive analyticsnot Helicone

Helicone

  • Monitoring cost and latency of production LLM applicationsnot AWS SageMaker
  • Debugging multi-step agent sessionsnot AWS SageMaker
  • Managing and iterating on prompts across a teamnot AWS SageMaker
  • Routing requests across multiple LLM providersnot 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

Helicone

  • The free Hobby plan is capped at 10,000 requests per month, which teams with production traffic can exceed quickly.
  • Advanced compliance features like SOC 2 and HIPAA are only available starting at the $799/month Team plan.
  • Usage beyond the free tier is billed on top of the base subscription, adding cost unpredictability at scale.
  • On-premises deployment is restricted to the custom Enterprise tier.

Pricing, plan by plan

AWS SageMaker

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the AWS SageMaker review.

Helicone

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 10,000 free requests
    • 1 GB storage
    • 1 seat
  • Pro$79/month
    • 10K free requests included, usage-based beyond
    • 7-day free trial
    • Unlimited playgrounds and workspaces
  • Team$799/month
    • 5 organizations
    • SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance
    • Dedicated Slack channel access
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom MSAs and SAML SSO
    • On-premises deployment
    • Bulk cloud discounts

Which should you pick?

Choose AWS SageMaker if

  • You need jupyter notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want built-in algorithms.
AWS SageMaker review

Choose Helicone if

  • You need request dashboard and tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want sessions and segments.
Helicone review

Questions people ask

Is AWS SageMaker or Helicone better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS SageMaker starts at Free and Helicone at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS SageMaker or Helicone?
AWS SageMaker starts at Free and Helicone at Free.
Does AWS SageMaker or Helicone run on more platforms?
AWS SageMaker runs on Web. Helicone runs on web, api.
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 Helicone is typically brought in for.
What can AWS SageMaker do that Helicone cannot?
AWS SageMaker covers Jupyter notebooks, Built-in algorithms, Automatic model tuning, One-click deployment. Helicone covers Request dashboard and tracking, Sessions and segments, Helicone Query Language (HQL), Prompt datasets and improvement.

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.

Source
Helicone: What does Helicone cost?

Helicone offers a free Hobby plan, a Pro plan at $79/month, a Team plan at $799/month, and custom Enterprise pricing, with usage-based charges applying beyond included request limits.

Source
AWS 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.

Source
Helicone: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The free Hobby plan includes 10,000 requests per month, 1 GB of storage, 1 seat, and 1 organization, aimed at kickstarting AI projects.

Source
AWS 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.

Source
Helicone: Are there discounts available?

Helicone offers 50% off the first year for qualifying startups, discounts for non-profits, a $100 annual credit for open-source projects, and free access for students.

Source
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