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Spreadsheet & Data · head to head

Looker vs Apache Spark MLlib

Looker logo

Looker

Spreadsheet & Data

Modern business intelligence platform by Google

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Machine Learning & Data Science

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: Looker requires annual commitment with no month-to-month billing option; 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: Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Looker and Apache Spark MLlib differ
AttributeLookerApache Spark MLlib
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform)Linux, macOS, Windows
CategorySpreadsheet & DataMachine Learning & Data Science
Founded20081999

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 Looker

  • LookML Data Modeling
  • Embedded Analytics
  • API Access
  • Version Control
  • Data Actions
  • BigQuery
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift

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.

Looker

  • Business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision makingnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Embedded analytics for integrating BI capabilities into third-party applicationsnot Apache Spark MLlib

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Large-scale distributed machine learning on Spark clustersnot Looker
  • Classification and regression with decision trees, random forests, gradient-boosted treesnot Looker
  • Clustering with K-means and Gaussian Mixture Modelsnot Looker

Where each one falls short

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

Looker

  • Requires annual commitment with no month-to-month billing option
  • Conversational analytics will incur token overage charges ($3.00 per 1M input tokens, $20.00 per 1M output tokens) after October 1, 2026

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

Looker

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Looker review.

Apache Spark MLlib

Free

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Looker if

  • You need lookml data modeling.
  • You work on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform).
  • You also want embedded analytics.
Looker 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 Looker or Apache Spark MLlib better?
Neither clearly leads. Looker starts at On request and Apache Spark MLlib at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Looker or Apache Spark MLlib?
Apache Spark MLlib has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Looker and Free for Apache Spark MLlib.
Does Looker or Apache Spark MLlib run on more platforms?
Looker runs on Web, Cloud (Google Cloud Platform). 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. Looker starts at On request.
What is Looker best used for?
Looker is most often used for business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision making, embedded analytics for integrating bi capabilities into third-party applications. Of those, business intelligence and interactive dashboards for data-driven decision making and embedded analytics for integrating bi capabilities into third-party applications are not what Apache Spark MLlib is typically brought in for.
What can Looker do that Apache Spark MLlib cannot?
Looker covers LookML Data Modeling, Embedded Analytics, API Access, Version Control. Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering.
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