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Machine Learning · head to head

KNIME vs Modal

KNIME logo

KNIME

Machine Learning

Open source data analytics and integration platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Modal logo

Modal

AI

Cloud functions for AI and ML

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: KNIME the free Analytics Platform runs locally only, so anything shared or scheduled requires a paid Hub; Modal the Team plan carries a $250 monthly base fee and returns only $100 of that as free credits, so $150 is a flat charge before any compute
  • They diverge on capability: KNIME covers Visual workflows, Modal covers Serverless GPUs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KNIME and Modal actually diverge.

Attributes where KNIME and Modal differ
AttributeKNIMEModal
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsCloud, Api
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded20042021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 KNIME

  • Visual workflows
  • Data preprocessing
  • Machine learning
  • Visualization
  • Reporting
  • Python
  • R
  • Spark

Only in Modal

  • Serverless GPUs
  • Python functions
  • Auto-scaling
  • Fast cold starts
  • Python SDK
  • GitHub Actions
  • Cloud storage
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

KNIME

  • Data science and machine learning workflowsnot Modal
  • ETL and data pipeline automationnot Modal
  • Predictive analytics and modelingnot Modal

Modal

  • Running serverless GPU workloads for model inference and trainingnot KNIME
  • Executing Python functions on cloud compute without managing serversnot KNIME

Where each one falls short

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

KNIME

  • The free Analytics Platform runs locally only, so anything shared or scheduled requires a paid Hub
  • The free AI assistant is limited to 20 interactions a month
  • Paid workflow runtime is metered in credits, with 120 included on Pro and overage at $0.025 per vCore minute
  • The Team plan at $99 a month includes 3 members, with additional seats at $49 a month each
  • Business Hub pricing is on request, and its tiers are capped at 4, 8 and 16 vCores with 5, 5 and 20 users

Modal

  • The Team plan carries a $250 monthly base fee and returns only $100 of that as free credits, so $150 is a flat charge before any compute
  • Compute is billed per second across separate GPU and CPU meters, so total cost depends on execution time rather than any fixed rate
  • The Starter plan's $30 monthly free credit is the only allowance below the paid base fee
  • Enterprise volume discounts are custom and unpublished

Pricing, plan by plan

KNIME

Free
  • Analytics PlatformFree
    • 300+ data sources
    • Unlimited local processing
    • K-AI assistant (20 interactions/month)
  • Pro$19/month
    • 120 workflow runtime credits
    • Data app deployment
    • K-AI (500 interactions/month)
  • Team$99/month
    • All Pro features
    • Collaboration spaces for up to 3 team members
    • Additional members: $49/month each
  • Business Hub$null/month
    • Enterprise automation and governance
    • LDAP/OAuth authentication
    • Staged deployment

Modal

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 3 seats
    • 100 containers
    • 10 GPU concurrency
  • Team$250/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • 5,000 containers
    • 50 GPU concurrency
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom seats, containers, and GPU concurrency

Which should you pick?

Choose KNIME if

  • You need visual workflows.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data preprocessing.
KNIME review

Choose Modal if

  • You need serverless gpus.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Api.
  • You also want python functions.
Modal review

Questions people ask

Is KNIME or Modal better?
Neither clearly leads. KNIME starts at Free and Modal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KNIME or Modal?
KNIME starts at Free and Modal at Free.
Does KNIME or Modal run on more platforms?
KNIME runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Modal runs on Cloud, Api.
Can I use KNIME for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is KNIME best used for?
KNIME is most often used for data science and machine learning workflows, etl and data pipeline automation, predictive analytics and modeling. Of those, data science and machine learning workflows and etl and data pipeline automation are not what Modal is typically brought in for.
What can KNIME do that Modal cannot?
KNIME covers Visual workflows, Data preprocessing, Machine learning, Visualization. Modal covers Serverless GPUs, Python functions, Auto-scaling, Fast cold starts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

KNIME: Is KNIME free?

Yes, KNIME Analytics Platform is free with 300+ data sources, unlimited local processing, and 20 K-AI assistant interactions per month.

Source
Modal: How much does Modal cost?

Modal uses pay-as-you-go pricing with Team plan at 250 USD/month base. Starter includes 30 USD/month free credits; Team includes 100 USD/month free credits. Compute charges per second for CPU cores, memory, and GPU instances.

Source
KNIME: What do KNIME paid plans cost?

Pro plan starts at $19/month with 120 runtime credits. Team plan starts at $99/month for up to 3 members, with additional members at $49/month each.

Source
Modal: Is there a free tier?

Yes, Starter plan is free plus 30 USD/month in compute credits included monthly for new users.

Source
KNIME: What is KNIME's runtime credit system?

Pro and Team plans include runtime credits for workflow execution. Additional runtime beyond included credits costs $0.025 per vCore minute.

Source
Modal: What are the seat limits?

Starter plan includes 3 seats; Team plan provides unlimited seats; Enterprise tier has custom seat allocations.

Source
KNIME: Does KNIME offer enterprise pricing?

Yes, Business Hub is available for enterprises needing automation, governance, LDAP/OAuth auth, and dedicated resources. Pricing available on request.

Source
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