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Databricks vs NocoDB

Databricks logo

Databricks

Software

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NocoDB logo

NocoDB

Software

Open-source no-code database platform with REST and GraphQL APIs

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; NocoDB the free cloud tier is capped at 3 editor seats, 1,000 records and 1 GB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, NocoDB covers REST API.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and NocoDB actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and NocoDB differ
AttributeDatabricksNocoDB
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpCloud, Self-hosted, Docker
Founded20132020

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

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 NocoDB

  • REST API
  • GraphQL API
  • No-code database
  • Multiple SQL databases
  • Webhooks
  • Automation
  • Cloud support
  • Self-hosted 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 NocoDB
  • Building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storagenot NocoDB
  • Training and serving machine learning models alongside the datanot NocoDB

NocoDB

  • Self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet databasenot Databricks
  • Putting a spreadsheet interface over an existing Postgres or MySQL databasenot Databricks
  • Building internal tools on structured data with an APInot Databricks
  • Team bases with per-field and per-table permissions on the paid tiersnot 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

NocoDB

  • The free cloud tier is capped at 3 editor seats, 1,000 records and 1 GB of storage
  • Records are the metering unit on cloud, so Plus covers 50K and Business 300K rather than scaling by seat alone
  • Row-level security, audit log retention and team hierarchy require the Scale tier
  • SCIM provisioning and air-gapped deployment are Enterprise only
  • The self-hosted Community edition is unlimited on records and seats but does without workflows, scripts and dashboards, which start at the paid self-hosted tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

NocoDB

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted NocoDB
    • Community support
  • Starter$5/monthly
    • Cloud hosting
    • Basic features

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 NocoDB if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want graphql api.
NocoDB review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or NocoDB better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and NocoDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or NocoDB?
Databricks starts at Free and NocoDB at Free.
Does Databricks or NocoDB run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. NocoDB runs on Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
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 NocoDB is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that NocoDB cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. NocoDB covers REST API, GraphQL API, No-code database, Multiple SQL databases.
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