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Machine Learning · head to head

Databricks vs Lambda Labs

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lambda Labs logo

Lambda Labs

AI

GPU cloud for deep learning

From
$1.1/per-hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Databricks has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Databricks cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges; Lambda Labs on demand capacity is first come access rather than guaranteed, so an instance type can be unavailable when needed
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, Lambda Labs covers NVIDIA GPUs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and Lambda Labs actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and Lambda Labs differ
AttributeDatabricksLambda Labs
Starting priceFree$1.1/per-hour
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpCloud
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded20132012

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 Databricks

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

Only in Lambda Labs

  • NVIDIA GPUs
  • Pre-installed frameworks
  • Persistent storage
  • SSH access
  • JupyterLab
  • VSCode
  • SSH
  • Cloud 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 Lambda Labs
  • Building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storagenot Lambda Labs
  • Training and serving machine learning models alongside the datanot Lambda Labs

Lambda Labs

  • Renting GPU instances for model training and inferencenot Databricks
  • Short term access to high memory accelerators without buying hardwarenot 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

Lambda Labs

  • On demand capacity is first come access rather than guaranteed, so an instance type can be unavailable when needed
  • H100 pricing varies within a band, at $3.99 to $4.29 an hour per GPU, so the rate is not fixed
  • Reserved capacity is arranged by contacting the team rather than self serve
  • Prices are quoted before applicable tax

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

Lambda Labs

$1.1/per-hour
  • On-Demand$1.1/per-hour
    • A10 GPU
    • Instant availability
  • ReservedFree
    • Volume discounts
    • Guaranteed capacity

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 Lambda Labs if

  • You need nvidia gpus.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want pre-installed frameworks.
Lambda Labs review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or Lambda Labs better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and Lambda Labs at $1.1/per-hour, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or Lambda Labs?
Databricks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databricks and $1.1/per-hour for Lambda Labs.
Does Databricks or Lambda Labs run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Lambda Labs runs on Cloud.
Can I use Databricks for free?
Yes. Databricks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Lambda Labs starts at $1.1/per-hour.
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 Lambda Labs is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that Lambda Labs cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Lambda Labs covers NVIDIA GPUs, Pre-installed frameworks, Persistent storage, SSH access.

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
Lambda Labs: What does Lambda Labs GPU pricing depend on?

Lambda Labs pricing depends on the GPU model (H100, B200, A100, V100, etc.), cluster size, and contract length. For example, a 16-GPU H100 cluster costs $6.16/GPU/hour for 2 weeks to 1 year, while A100 GPUs are $1.99-$2.79/GPU/hour.

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
Lambda Labs: Are there volume discounts for larger GPU clusters?

Yes. Pricing decreases with larger cluster orders. For example, NVIDIA H100 clusters cost $6.16/GPU/hour for 16 GPUs, $5.85/GPU/hour for 64 GPUs, and $5.54/GPU/hour for 256 GPUs (all for 2 weeks to 1 year terms).

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
Lambda Labs: Can I get custom pricing for a long-term GPU contract?

Yes. For cluster orders of 16+ GPUs with 1-year or longer contracts, Lambda Labs offers custom pricing. Contact their sales team to request a quote.

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
Lambda Labs: What additional costs should I expect beyond the hourly GPU rate?

All listed prices are plus applicable sales tax, VAT, or GST depending on your location.

Source
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