Software · head to head
Databricks vs SAS
Databricks
Software
Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Databricks cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges; SAS sAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
- They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, SAS covers Statistical analysis.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Databricks and SAS actually diverge.
| Attribute | Databricks | SAS |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp | Linux, Windows, Web |
| Founded | 2013 | 1976 |
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 SAS
- Statistical analysis
- Machine learning
- Forecasting
- Text analytics
- Optimization
- Python
- R
- Hadoop
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 SAS
- Building a lakehouse over data in cloud object storagenot SAS
- Training and serving machine learning models alongside the datanot SAS
SAS
- Regulated statistical analysis and clinical reportingnot Databricks
- Enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platformnot 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
SAS
- SAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
- Most new and existing customers are routed through authorized resellers rather than buying direct
- Cloud marketplace purchases require choosing between pay as you go and bring your own licence, each with different licensing terms
Pricing, plan by plan
Databricks
Free- Community EditionFree
- Limited cluster
- Notebook environment
- Community support
- Standard$0.07/DBU
- Jobs compute
- SQL compute
- Standard support
SAS
Free- SAS OnDemand for AcademicsFree
- Academic use
- Core SAS
- SAS ViyaFree
- Full platform
- Cloud-native
- AI/ML
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.
Choose SAS if
- You need statistical analysis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Web.
- You also want machine learning.
Questions people ask
- Is Databricks or SAS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and SAS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Databricks or SAS?
- Databricks starts at Free and SAS at Free.
- Does Databricks or SAS run on more platforms?
- Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. SAS runs on Linux, Windows, 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 SAS is typically brought in for.
- What can Databricks do that SAS cannot?
- Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. Both handle Web support.