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Databases · head to head

Firebolt vs Apache Spark MLlib

Firebolt logo

Firebolt

Databases

Sub-second analytics at cloud data warehouse scale

From
$1.84/hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Machine Learning

Scalable machine learning on Apache Spark

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apache Spark MLlib has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Firebolt compute billed per second on Arm-based processors; small instances still incur measurable costs during idle periods despite auto-stop; Apache Spark MLlib apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.
  • They diverge on capability: Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebolt and Apache Spark MLlib actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebolt and Apache Spark MLlib differ
AttributeFireboltApache Spark MLlib
Starting price$1.84/hourFree
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, KubernetesLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDatabasesMachine Learning
Founded20191999

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 Firebolt

  • Sub-second Queries
  • Sparse Indexes
  • Data Pruning
  • Decoupled Storage/Compute
  • SQL Support
  • Semi-structured Data
  • Workload Isolation
  • Airflow

Only in Apache Spark MLlib

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Collaborative filtering
  • Feature engineering
  • Apache Spark
  • Hadoop
  • Kafka

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Firebolt

  • Data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirementsnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Real-time business intelligence platforms requiring ACID transactions and snapshot isolationnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Applications needing vector search on analytical data for similarity queriesnot Apache Spark MLlib

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Machine learningnot Firebolt
  • Data sciencenot Firebolt
  • Distributed computingnot Firebolt

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Firebolt

  • Compute billed per second on Arm-based processors; small instances still incur measurable costs during idle periods despite auto-stop
  • Storage pass-through charged at $0.0264/GB monthly on compressed data; uncompressed storage could exceed this
  • Azure deployment currently in Preview status; production recommendations unclear
  • Vector indexes limited to float arrays; other data types require alternative indexing strategies
  • Free tier credits ($200) limited; no perpetual free tier for production use

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.

Pricing, plan by plan

Firebolt

$1.84/hour

No published plan breakdown. See the Firebolt review.

Apache Spark MLlib

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark MLlib review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Firebolt if

  • You need sub-second queries.
  • You work on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want sparse indexes.
Firebolt review

Choose Apache Spark MLlib if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Apache Spark MLlib review

Questions people ask

Is Firebolt or Apache Spark MLlib better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour and Apache Spark MLlib at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Firebolt or Apache Spark MLlib?
Apache Spark MLlib has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1.84/hour for Firebolt and Free for Apache Spark MLlib.
Does Firebolt or Apache Spark MLlib run on more platforms?
Firebolt runs on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, Kubernetes. Apache Spark MLlib runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Apache Spark MLlib for free?
Yes. Apache Spark MLlib has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour.
What is Firebolt best used for?
Firebolt is most often used for data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirements, real-time business intelligence platforms requiring acid transactions and snapshot isolation, applications needing vector search on analytical data for similarity queries. Of those, data analytics teams running gigabyte-to-petabyte datasets with sub-second query requirements and real-time business intelligence platforms requiring acid transactions and snapshot isolation are not what Apache Spark MLlib is typically brought in for.
What can Firebolt do that Apache Spark MLlib cannot?
Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Sparse Indexes, Data Pruning, Decoupled Storage/Compute. Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Firebolt: How does Firebolt's compute billing model work?

Firebolt uses per-second billing with scale-to-zero capability. The smallest S tier costs $1.84 per hour with 8 vCPU and 64GB memory, while the largest 4XL tier costs $58.88 per hour with 256 vCPU. Users only pay when compute is running.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: How much does Apache Spark MLlib cost?

MLlib is completely free and open source, licensed under the Apache License Version 2.0. There are no subscription, licensing, or usage fees.

Source
Firebolt: What is the cost for data storage on Firebolt?

Storage costs $0.0264 per GB per month on object storage, billed as pass-through cost at cloud provider rates.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: What licensing does MLlib use?

MLlib is licensed under Apache License Version 2.0, making it freely available for all users regardless of organization size or use case.

Source
Firebolt: What free credits or trial does Firebolt offer new users?

New users receive $200 free credits to get started with the platform.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: How do I use MLlib?

MLlib is built into Apache Spark. Download Spark, which includes MLlib as a module, and deploy on your choice of infrastructure including Hadoop, Mesos, Kubernetes, standalone, or cloud.

Source
Firebolt: Does Firebolt publish pricing for commitment-based discounts?

The pricing FAQ lists a question about commitment-based discounts but does not provide published answers on the pricing page. This requires direct inquiry with sales.

Source
Firebolt: What deployment options does Firebolt offer besides managed service?

Firebolt offers self-hosted open source deployment (unlimited) and Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) options in addition to managed service.

Source
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