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AI · head to head

CoreWeave vs Databricks

CoreWeave logo

CoreWeave

AI

Specialized cloud for GPU compute

From
$0.35/per-hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Databricks has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CoreWeave gPU nodes are sold as full 8 GPU instances rather than single cards, so the entry cost for an H100 node is $49.24 an hour on demand; Databricks cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges
  • They diverge on capability: CoreWeave covers NVIDIA H100/A100, Databricks covers Delta Lake.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CoreWeave and Databricks actually diverge.

Attributes where CoreWeave and Databricks differ
AttributeCoreWeaveDatabricks
Starting price$0.35/per-hourFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloudWeb, Aws, Azure, Gcp
CategoryAIMachine Learning
Founded20172013

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), 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 CoreWeave

  • NVIDIA H100/A100
  • Kubernetes native
  • High bandwidth
  • Object storage
  • Kubernetes
  • Terraform
  • Cloud APIs
  • Cloud support

Only in Databricks

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

What people use each for

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

CoreWeave

  • Renting GPU compute for model training and inferencenot Databricks
  • Running large scale AI workloads without buying hardwarenot Databricks

Databricks

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

Where each one falls short

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

CoreWeave

  • GPU nodes are sold as full 8 GPU instances rather than single cards, so the entry cost for an H100 node is $49.24 an hour on demand
  • Spot pricing is roughly 40% of on demand, at $19.71 an hour for the same H100 node, so predictable capacity carries a large premium
  • The newest hardware carries no published price and requires contacting sales
  • Discounts of up to 60% require committed usage agreements negotiated with sales
  • Only the GH200 is offered as a single GPU instance

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

CoreWeave

$0.35/per-hour
  • Standard$0.35/per-hour
    • Various GPU types
    • Kubernetes
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Dedicated clusters
    • Custom solutions

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 CoreWeave if

  • You need nvidia h100/a100.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want kubernetes native.
CoreWeave 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 CoreWeave or Databricks better?
Neither clearly leads. CoreWeave starts at $0.35/per-hour and Databricks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CoreWeave or Databricks?
Databricks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.35/per-hour for CoreWeave and Free for Databricks.
Does CoreWeave or Databricks run on more platforms?
CoreWeave runs on Cloud. Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp.
Can I use Databricks for free?
Yes. Databricks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CoreWeave starts at $0.35/per-hour.
What is CoreWeave best used for?
CoreWeave is most often used for renting gpu compute for model training and inference, running large scale ai workloads without buying hardware. Of those, renting gpu compute for model training and inference and running large scale ai workloads without buying hardware are not what Databricks is typically brought in for.
What can CoreWeave do that Databricks cannot?
CoreWeave covers NVIDIA H100/A100, Kubernetes native, High bandwidth, Object storage. Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CoreWeave: How much does CoreWeave cost?

CoreWeave does not publish pricing on its website. The company uses a quote-based pricing model and directs customers to contact their sales team directly to discuss pricing options and customized solutions.

Source
Databricks: How is Databricks priced?

Databricks bills pay as you go with no up front cost, charging per second for the products used. Consumption is measured in Databricks Units, a normalised unit of processing power on the platform.

Source
CoreWeave: How can I get a quote from CoreWeave?

To obtain CoreWeave pricing, you must contact their sales team directly through the Contact Us option on their website. They will provide a customized quote based on your specific compute and infrastructure requirements.

Source
Databricks: Does Databricks publish a per DBU price?

Not on its main pricing page. Rates vary by product and instance type, and Databricks directs buyers to individual product pricing pages and a calculator rather than listing a single figure.

Source
Databricks: Does the Databricks price include cloud costs?

No. Databricks states that if you configure it to work with your own cloud account, your cloud provider still charges you separately for the underlying resources.

Source
Databricks: Can I get a discount on Databricks?

Databricks offers Committed Use Contracts, where larger usage commitments earn greater benefits, including options to use commitments flexibly across multiple clouds.

Source
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