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Databases · head to head

Firebolt vs Sublime Text

Firebolt logo

Firebolt

Databases

Sub-second analytics at cloud data warehouse scale

From
$1.84/hour
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sublime Text logo

Sublime Text

Technology

A sophisticated text editor for code, markup and prose

From
$99/license
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Sublime Text personal license requires payment after evaluation period
  • They diverge on capability: Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Sublime Text covers Lightning fast performance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebolt and Sublime Text actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebolt and Sublime Text differ
AttributeFireboltSublime Text
Starting price$1.84/hour$99/license
Pricing modelusage-basedone-time
PlatformsCloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, KubernetesWindows, Macos, Linux
CategoryDatabasesTechnology
Founded20192007

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Sublime Text

  • Lightning fast performance
  • Multiple selections
  • Command palette
  • Instant project switch
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Customizable UI
  • Advanced search and replace
  • Split editing

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 Sublime Text
  • Real-time business intelligence platforms requiring ACID transactions and snapshot isolationnot Sublime Text
  • Applications needing vector search on analytical data for similarity queriesnot Sublime Text

Sublime Text

  • Editing code and text files in a fast native desktop editornot Firebolt
  • Working across large files and projects with multi cursor editingnot 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

Sublime Text

  • Personal license requires payment after evaluation period
  • Business licenses use annual subscription model requiring renewal
  • After 3 years of updates on personal license, upgrade required for continued updates

Pricing, plan by plan

Firebolt

$1.84/hour

No published plan breakdown. See the Firebolt review.

Sublime Text

$99/license
  • Personal License$99/one-time
    • One license for all computers and operating systems
    • 3 years of updates
    • Free evaluation available
  • Business License - 1-10 seats$65/year
    • Per seat annual subscription
    • Volume discount for 11-25 seats at $60
    • Further discount for 26+ seats

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 Sublime Text if

  • You need lightning fast performance.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want multiple selections.
Sublime Text review

Questions people ask

Is Firebolt or Sublime Text better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour and Sublime Text at $99/license, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Firebolt or Sublime Text?
Firebolt starts at $1.84/hour and Sublime Text at $99/license.
Does Firebolt or Sublime Text run on more platforms?
Firebolt runs on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure preview), Docker, Kubernetes. Sublime Text runs on Windows, Macos, Linux.
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 Sublime Text is typically brought in for.
What can Firebolt do that Sublime Text cannot?
Firebolt covers Sub-second Queries, Sparse Indexes, Data Pruning, Decoupled Storage/Compute. Sublime Text covers Lightning fast performance, Multiple selections, Command palette, Instant project switch.

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
Sublime Text: How much does Sublime Text cost?

Sublime Text costs $99 USD as a one-time personal license covering all your computers and operating systems, with 3 years of updates included.

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
Sublime Text: What are the business license pricing tiers?

Business licenses use annual subscription pricing: $65 per seat per year for 1-10 seats, $60 per seat for 11-25 seats, $55 per seat for 26-50 seats, and $50 per seat for 51+ seats.

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
Sublime Text: Can I evaluate Sublime Text for free?

Yes, Sublime Text may be downloaded and evaluated for free, though payment is required to continue using it after evaluation.

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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