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Machine Learning · head to head

Databricks vs Google Data Studio

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Data Studio logo

Google Data Studio

Business Intelligence

Free data visualization by Google

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; Google Data Studio limited to free offering with no paid tiers or premium features
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, Google Data Studio covers Free Platform.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and Google Data Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and Google Data Studio differ
AttributeDatabricksGoogle Data Studio
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb
CategoryMachine LearningBusiness Intelligence
Founded20131998

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 Google Data Studio

  • Free Platform
  • Real-time Collaboration
  • Custom Visualizations
  • Data Blending
  • Sharing
  • Google Analytics
  • BigQuery
  • Google Sheets

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

Google Data Studio

  • Self-service analyticsnot Databricks
  • Data explorationnot Databricks
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Databricks
  • Collaborative analysisnot Databricks
  • Embedded analyticsnot 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

Google Data Studio

  • Limited to free offering with no paid tiers or premium features
  • Advanced integrations may require Google Workspace subscriptions

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

Google Data Studio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited Reports
    • Data Connectors
    • Collaboration

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 Google Data Studio if

  • You need free platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Google Data Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or Google Data Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and Google Data Studio at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or Google Data Studio?
Databricks starts at Free and Google Data Studio at Free.
Does Databricks or Google Data Studio run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Google Data Studio runs on Web.
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 Google Data Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that Google Data Studio cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Google Data Studio covers Free Platform, Real-time Collaboration, Custom Visualizations, Data Blending. Both handle Web support.

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
Google Data Studio: Is Google Data Studio free?

Yes, Google Data Studio is completely free to use. The platform states it is easy and free to build interactive dashboards and reports.

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
Google Data Studio: Are there paid versions of Google Data Studio?

No, Google Data Studio does not offer paid tiers or premium plans. It remains free for all users.

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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