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Machine Learning & Data Science · head to head

Databricks vs Weka

Databricks logo

Databricks

Machine Learning & Data Science

Unified analytics platform for data engineering and data science

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weka logo

Weka

Machine Learning & Data Science

Collection of machine learning algorithms

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; Weka the package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • They diverge on capability: Databricks covers Delta Lake, Weka covers Classification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Databricks and Weka actually diverge.

Attributes where Databricks and Weka differ
AttributeDatabricksWeka
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, GcpLinux, Mac, Windows
Founded20131993

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning & Data Science).

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 Weka

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Association rules
  • Feature selection
  • Java
  • R
  • Python

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

Weka

  • Teaching and exploring classic machine learning algorithms through a GUInot Databricks
  • Running data mining experiments and preprocessing without writing codenot 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

Weka

  • The package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • Weka is split into a stable 3.8 branch that receives only bug fixes and compatibility-safe upgrades and a 3.9 development branch that may receive features that break compatibility
  • Weka requires a 64-bit Java VM; the bundled installers ship Bellsoft OpenJDK 25 per platform and architecture

Pricing, plan by plan

Databricks

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

Weka

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • All ML algorithms
    • GUI and CLI
    • Java API

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 Weka if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Weka review

Questions people ask

Is Databricks or Weka better?
Neither clearly leads. Databricks starts at Free and Weka at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Databricks or Weka?
Databricks starts at Free and Weka at Free.
Does Databricks or Weka run on more platforms?
Databricks runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp. Weka runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
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 Weka is typically brought in for.
What can Databricks do that Weka cannot?
Databricks covers Delta Lake, Apache Spark, MLflow, Unity Catalog. Weka covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Association rules.
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