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Machine Learning · head to head

KNIME vs Presto

KNIME logo

KNIME

Machine Learning

Open source data analytics and integration platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Presto logo

Presto

Databases

The Meta-lineage distributed SQL query engine, distinct from the Trino fork

From
Free
Rated
-
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; Presto the original creators and most of the active contributor base left for Trino in 2020, so Presto has the smaller community, fewer connectors and slower feature delivery of the two branches.
  • They diverge on capability: KNIME covers Visual workflows, Presto covers Federated querying.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KNIME and Presto actually diverge.

Attributes where KNIME and Presto differ
AttributeKNIMEPresto
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryMachine LearningDatabases
Founded2004Unknown

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 Presto

  • Federated querying
  • In-memory execution
  • Open table format support
  • Presto C++ workers
  • ANSI SQL
  • Pluggable connectors

What people use each for

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

KNIME

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

Presto

  • An existing PrestoDB estate that needs continued upgrades rather than a migration to Trinonot KNIME
  • A team buying IBM watsonx.data, where Presto is the underlying query enginenot KNIME
  • Joining a Hive or Iceberg lake to an operational PostgreSQL database in one query without an ETL stepnot KNIME
  • Very large scale interactive SQL where the Meta-tested branch is a specific requirementnot 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

Presto

  • The original creators and most of the active contributor base left for Trino in 2020, so Presto has the smaller community, fewer connectors and slower feature delivery of the two branches.
  • Documentation, tutorials and Stack Overflow answers for the two projects are frequently mixed up, and a solution written for Trino often does not apply, which costs real debugging time.
  • It is a query engine with no storage of its own, so query performance is dictated by your file layout, partitioning and statistics, and a badly organised lake makes Presto look slow.
  • Memory-bound execution means a single large join can fail the whole query rather than spilling gracefully, and tuning cluster memory settings is a persistent operational chore.
  • Commercial support has consolidated into IBM since the Ahana acquisition, so the independent vendor market that once existed around Presto is largely gone.

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

Presto

Free
  • PrestoFree
    • Apache 2.0 licence
    • Presto Foundation governance under the Linux Foundation
    • No node or query limits

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 Presto if

  • You need federated querying.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want in-memory execution.
Presto review

Questions people ask

Is KNIME or Presto better?
Neither clearly leads. KNIME starts at Free and Presto at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KNIME or Presto?
KNIME starts at Free and Presto at Free.
Does KNIME or Presto run on more platforms?
KNIME runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Presto runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
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 Presto is typically brought in for.
What can KNIME do that Presto cannot?
KNIME covers Visual workflows, Data preprocessing, Machine learning, Visualization. Presto covers Federated querying, In-memory execution, Open table format support, Presto C++ workers.

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
Presto: Is this Presto or Trino?

This is PrestoDB, the branch that stayed at Facebook and moved to the Linux Foundation. Trino is the 2020 fork by the original creators.

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
Presto: Which should I choose for a new project?

Trino, in most cases. It has the larger community, more connectors and more commercial options.

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
Presto: Who maintains Presto now?

Principally Meta, Uber and IBM, which acquired the Presto vendor Ahana in 2023.

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
Presto: Is it still actively released?

Yes, releases continue on a regular cadence under the Presto Foundation.

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