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Azure Machine Learning vs Databricks

Azure Machine Learning logo

Azure Machine Learning

Software

Enterprise-grade machine learning service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Databricks logo

Databricks

Software

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Azure Machine Learning requires knowledge of Azure ecosystem and integration with other Azure services; Databricks cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges
  • They diverge on capability: Azure Machine Learning covers Automated ML, Databricks covers Delta Lake.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Azure Machine Learning and Databricks actually diverge.

Attributes where Azure Machine Learning and Databricks differ
AttributeAzure Machine LearningDatabricks
PlatformsAzure CloudWeb, Aws, Azure, Gcp
Founded19752013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), 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 Azure Machine Learning

  • Automated ML
  • Designer (drag-and-drop)
  • Notebooks
  • MLOps
  • Model registry
  • Azure Blob Storage
  • Azure DevOps
  • Synapse Analytics

Only in Databricks

  • Delta Lake
  • Apache Spark
  • MLflow
  • Unity Catalog
  • Photon Engine
  • Collaborative Notebooks
  • Auto-scaling
  • AWS

Both cover

  • Power BI
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Azure Machine Learning

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

Databricks

  • Running Spark data engineering pipelines on managed clustersnot Azure Machine Learning
  • Building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storagenot Azure Machine Learning
  • Training and serving machine learning models alongside the datanot Azure Machine Learning

Where each one falls short

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

Azure Machine Learning

  • Requires knowledge of Azure ecosystem and integration with other Azure services
  • Compute resources for training and inference generate separate charges

Databricks

  • Cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges
  • The free trial lasts 14 days
  • Discounts require a Committed Use Contract, with larger commitments needed for larger discounts
  • Azure Databricks pricing is set by Microsoft rather than by Databricks
  • Security and compliance capabilities are sold as separate platform add ons rather than included in the base rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Azure Machine Learning

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Limited compute
    • Basic features
  • Pay-as-you-go$0.05/hour
    • Full platform
    • All compute options
    • Enterprise features

Databricks

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Limited cluster
    • Notebook environment
    • Community support
  • Standard$0.07/DBU
    • Jobs compute
    • SQL compute
    • Standard support

Which should you pick?

Choose Azure Machine Learning if

  • You need automated ml.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Azure Cloud.
  • You also want designer (drag-and-drop).
Azure Machine Learning review

Choose Databricks if

  • You need delta lake.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
  • You also want apache spark.
Databricks review

Questions people ask

Is Azure Machine Learning or Databricks better?
Neither clearly leads. Azure Machine Learning starts at Free and Databricks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Azure Machine Learning or Databricks?
Azure Machine Learning starts at Free and Databricks at Free.
Does Azure Machine Learning or Databricks run on more platforms?
Azure Machine Learning runs on Azure Cloud. Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
Can I use Azure Machine Learning for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Azure Machine Learning best used for?
Azure Machine Learning is most often used for machine learning, data analysis, model training, predictive analytics. Of those, machine learning and data analysis are not what Databricks is typically brought in for.
What can Azure Machine Learning do that Databricks cannot?
Azure Machine Learning covers Automated ML, Designer (drag-and-drop), Notebooks, MLOps. Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Both handle Power BI, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Azure Machine Learning: Does Azure Machine Learning have any platform licensing fees?

No, Azure Machine Learning carries no extra cost. You only pay for the underlying compute resources utilized during model training or inference.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: What AutoML capabilities does Azure Machine Learning provide?

Azure Machine Learning supports automated model creation for classification, regression, vision, and natural language processing tasks.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: Does Azure ML support language model fine-tuning?

Yes, Azure Machine Learning supports fine-tuning of foundation models from providers including OpenAI, Meta, Hugging Face, and Cohere.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: What MLOps features are included?

Azure ML includes end-to-end pipeline automation with CI/CD capabilities, managed endpoints for model deployment, and monitoring tools.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: Can I access foundation models from multiple vendors?

Yes, Azure Machine Learning provides access to a model catalog with foundation models from Microsoft, OpenAI, Hugging Face, Meta, and Cohere.

Source
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Related pages

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