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Machine Learning · head to head

Databricks vs Deepnote

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Deepnote logo

Deepnote

Business Intelligence

Collaborative cloud workspace for data analytics and machine learning

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; Deepnote free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, Deepnote covers Collaborative notebooks.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and Deepnote actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and Deepnote differ
AttributeDatabricksDeepnote
Pricing modelusage-basedSubscription with free tier
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb, API
CategoryMachine LearningBusiness Intelligence
Founded2013Unknown

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 Databricks

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

Only in Deepnote

  • Collaborative notebooks
  • Interactive dashboards
  • Data agent building
  • Scheduled pipelines
  • Model management
  • 100+ integrations
  • GPU support
  • API deployment

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 Deepnote
  • Building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storagenot Deepnote
  • Training and serving machine learning models alongside the datanot Deepnote

Deepnote

  • Data exploration and analysis workflowsnot Databricks
  • Building interactive business intelligence dashboardsnot Databricks
  • Collaborative machine learning model developmentnot Databricks
  • Automating ETL and data pipeline orchestrationnot Databricks
  • Creating shareable reports without exportsnot 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

Deepnote

  • Free plan limited to 3 editors, restricting team usage
  • Limited revision history on free plan compared to competitors
  • Requires Team plan or higher for automated scheduling
  • GPU support incurs additional charges beyond base subscription
  • No mentioned offline capability

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

Deepnote

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 editors
    • Up to 5 projects
    • Limited Deepnote AI
  • Team$39/month
    • Unlimited viewers and notebooks
    • Full Deepnote AI access
    • Premium integrations
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Everything in Team plan
    • Custom contracts
    • Priority support

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 Deepnote if

  • You need collaborative notebooks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want interactive dashboards.
Deepnote review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or Deepnote better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and Deepnote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or Deepnote?
Databricks starts at Free and Deepnote at Free.
Does Databricks or Deepnote run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Deepnote runs on Web, API.
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 Deepnote is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that Deepnote cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Deepnote covers Collaborative notebooks, Interactive dashboards, Data agent building, Scheduled pipelines.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Deepnote: What is included in the free Deepnote plan?

The free plan includes up to 3 editors, up to 5 projects, limited Deepnote AI, basic machines with 5 GB RAM, and 7-day revision history.

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
Deepnote: What data sources can Deepnote integrate with?

Deepnote integrates with 100+ data sources including major data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift, as well as BI platforms like Looker, Tableau, and Power BI.

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
Deepnote: Does Deepnote support collaboration?

Yes, Deepnote provides real-time collaborative notebooks where multiple team members can work simultaneously. The Team plan allows unlimited viewers and notebooks.

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
Deepnote: What compliance certifications does Deepnote have?

Deepnote is SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliant and offers role-based access control, single sign-on, and directory synchronization.

Source
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