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Machine Learning · head to head

Databricks vs SolarWinds

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolarWinds

Energy

Solar asset performance monitoring and management

From
$2/kW/month
Rated
-
Full review

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cloud compute is billed separately by the cloud provider on top of Databricks DBU charges; SolarWinds website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and SolarWinds actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and SolarWinds differ
AttributeDatabricksSolarWinds
Starting priceFree$2/kW/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpWeb, Mobile, Api
CategoryMachine LearningEnergy
Founded20132015

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 SolarWinds

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Performance analytics
  • Alarm management
  • O&M workflows
  • Reporting
  • Benchmarking
  • Weather integration
  • Financial tracking

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

SolarWinds

  • Solar monitoringnot Databricks
  • Performance optimizationnot Databricks
  • O&M managementnot Databricks
  • Portfolio reportingnot Databricks
  • Investor reportingnot 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

SolarWinds

  • Website uses outdated NetObjects Fusion 2015 tools, suggesting legacy technical infrastructure
  • No specific product models, brands, or technical specifications listed for offered solutions
  • Geographic service area boundaries unclear; only mentions San Francisco Bay Area and Central California
  • Minimal customer engagement features; lacks testimonials, project galleries, financing calculators, or online quote forms
  • Email contact discrepancy between display text ([email protected]) and actual mailto link ([email protected])

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

SolarWinds

$2/kW/month
  • Monitor$2/kW/month
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Performance tracking
    • Alerts
  • Optimize$4/kW/month
    • Advanced analytics
    • Degradation analysis
    • Benchmarking
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Portfolio management
    • Custom integrations
    • Financial modeling

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 SolarWinds if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want performance analytics.
SolarWinds review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or SolarWinds better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and SolarWinds at $2/kW/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or SolarWinds?
Databricks has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Databricks and $2/kW/month for SolarWinds.
Does Databricks or SolarWinds run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. SolarWinds runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Databricks for free?
Yes. Databricks has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SolarWinds starts at $2/kW/month.
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 SolarWinds is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that SolarWinds cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. SolarWinds covers Real-time monitoring, Performance analytics, Alarm management, O&M workflows.

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
SolarWinds: What geographic areas does SolarWinds Energy serve?

SolarWinds Energy serves the San Francisco Bay Area and Central California regions, but the exact service area boundaries are not clearly defined on their website.

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
SolarWinds: What solar and renewable products does SolarWinds Energy offer?

SolarWinds Energy specializes in energy efficiency and renewable technologies including solar energy systems and attic ventilation solutions, but specific product models and technical specifications are not published online.

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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