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Machine Learning & Data Science · head to head

Databricks vs DataCamp

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning & Data Science

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DataCamp logo

DataCamp

Education & E-Learning

Learn data science and AI skills online

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Databricks cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges; DataCamp free tier limited to first chapter of every course only
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, DataCamp covers Interactive courses.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and DataCamp actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and DataCamp differ
AttributeDatabricksDataCamp
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb, Mobile
CategoryMachine Learning & Data ScienceEducation & E-Learning

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2013).

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 Databricks

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

Only in DataCamp

  • Interactive courses
  • Hands-on projects
  • Skill assessments
  • Career tracks
  • Certifications
  • Workspace
  • Mobile app
  • Practice mode

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Databricks

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

DataCamp

  • Interactive data science and AI education with 790+ coursesnot Databricks
  • Career-track learning (36-44 hours) for role-specific competencynot Databricks
  • Team upskilling with admin dashboards and learning activity trackingnot Databricks
  • Hands-on projects, certifications, and industry-recognised credentialsnot Databricks

Where each one falls short

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

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

DataCamp

  • Free tier limited to first chapter of every course only
  • Premium plan requires annual billing with no monthly option
  • Teams plan requires minimum 2+ users with annual upfront billing
  • Free tier excludes access to 790+ courses and skill assessments

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

DataCamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the DataCamp review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose DataCamp if

  • You need interactive courses.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want hands-on projects.
DataCamp review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or DataCamp better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and DataCamp at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or DataCamp?
Databricks starts at Free and DataCamp at Free.
Does Databricks or DataCamp run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. DataCamp runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Databricks for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Databricks best used for?
Databricks is most often used for running spark data engineering pipelines on managed clusters, building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storage, training and serving machine learning models alongside the data. Of those, running spark data engineering pipelines on managed clusters and building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storage are not what DataCamp is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that DataCamp cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. DataCamp covers Interactive courses, Hands-on projects, Skill assessments, Career tracks. Both handle Web support.
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