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Machine Learning & Data Science · head to head

Databricks vs Pluralsight

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning & Data Science

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pluralsight logo

Pluralsight

Education & E-Learning

Technology skills platform for IT professionals

From
On request
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; Pluralsight core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, Pluralsight covers Video courses.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and Pluralsight actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and Pluralsight differ
AttributeDatabricksPluralsight
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb, IOS, Android, Apple TV
CategoryMachine Learning & Data ScienceEducation & E-Learning
Founded20132004

Identical on both: 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 Pluralsight

  • Video courses
  • Skill assessments
  • Learning paths
  • Hands-on labs
  • Certifications
  • Mobile learning
  • Offline viewing
  • Analytics

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

Pluralsight

  • Technology teams building structured skill development and certification prep programsnot 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

Pluralsight

  • Core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page
  • Free trial is limited to 10 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

Pluralsight

On request
  • Standard$29/month
    • Core library
    • Learning paths
    • Skill assessments
  • Premium$45/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Hands-on labs
    • Exams
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • All content
    • Analytics
    • SSO

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 Pluralsight if

  • You need video courses.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV.
  • You also want skill assessments.
Pluralsight review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or Pluralsight better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and Pluralsight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or Pluralsight?
Databricks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databricks and On request for Pluralsight.
Does Databricks or Pluralsight run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Pluralsight runs on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV.
Can I use Databricks for free?
Yes. Databricks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pluralsight starts at On request.
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 Pluralsight is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that Pluralsight cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Pluralsight covers Video courses, Skill assessments, Learning paths, Hands-on labs. Both handle Web support.
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