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Machine Learning · head to head

MATLAB vs Amazon Redshift ML

MATLAB logo

MATLAB

Machine Learning

Programming and numeric computing platform

From
$940/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Amazon Redshift ML logo

Amazon Redshift ML

Machine Learning

SQL statements in Redshift that train models on SageMaker and return them as functions

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Amazon Redshift ML has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MATLAB a standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual; Amazon Redshift ML training is billed by SageMaker separately from Redshift, so a feature that looks like a free SQL statement produces a second line item on a different part of the bill that the analyst who ran it usually cannot see.
  • They diverge on capability: MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Amazon Redshift ML covers CREATE MODEL in SQL.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MATLAB and Amazon Redshift ML actually diverge.

Attributes where MATLAB and Amazon Redshift ML differ
AttributeMATLABAmazon Redshift ML
Starting price$940/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsWeb
Founded19842006

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning).

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 MATLAB

  • Matrix computations
  • Data visualization
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning
  • Signal processing
  • Simulink
  • Python
  • C/C++

Only in Amazon Redshift ML

  • CREATE MODEL in SQL
  • Automatic model selection
  • Local inference
  • Bring your own model
  • Algorithm selection
  • Cost ceiling controls
  • Existing warehouse security
  • Batch and interactive scoring

What people use each for

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

MATLAB

  • Numerical computing and analysisnot Amazon Redshift ML
  • Algorithm developmentnot Amazon Redshift ML
  • Academic research and teachingnot Amazon Redshift ML

Amazon Redshift ML

  • Adding a churn or propensity score to an existing dashboard where the data is already in Redshift and nobody needs a bespoke modelnot MATLAB
  • Letting an analytics team test whether a predictive column has any business value before asking for data science headcountnot MATLAB
  • Scoring rows inside a SQL pipeline where moving data out to a separate service would add fragility for little benefitnot MATLAB
  • Organisations committed to AWS whose main constraint is a data science backlog rather than modelling sophisticationnot MATLAB

Where each one falls short

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

MATLAB

  • A standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual
  • Add on toolboxes are bought separately through the web store rather than being included
  • No price is displayed for the academic, student, home or startup licences, each of which requires a quote
  • Eligibility rather than price separates most tiers, so a commercial user has one option

Amazon Redshift ML

  • Training is billed by SageMaker separately from Redshift, so a feature that looks like a free SQL statement produces a second line item on a different part of the bill that the analyst who ran it usually cannot see.
  • Autopilot searches many candidate models by default and the duration and cost of CREATE MODEL scale with the data size and the MAX_CELLS setting, so an unconstrained statement against a large table is an expensive accident rather than an experiment.
  • Local inference runs on the Redshift cluster itself, so scoring millions of rows competes for the resources the warehouse exists to provide, and the remote inference alternative adds a per-batch network call plus an hourly SageMaker endpoint charge that persists whether or not anyone queries it.
  • The supported problem types are limited to what the exposed algorithms cover, so anything involving text, images, sequences, a custom loss function or a bespoke evaluation metric is out of scope and has to be built conventionally.
  • There is no retraining schedule, drift detection or model registry, so a model created by a statement stays exactly as trained until somebody remembers to recreate it, and nothing in the warehouse will report that its accuracy has decayed.

Pricing, plan by plan

MATLAB

$940/year
  • Individual Standard$940/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • Online Training Suite
  • Startups$null/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • 90+ add-on products
  • Academic$null/year
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
  • Student$null/year
    • MATLAB

Amazon Redshift ML

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 2-month trial
    • 750 DC2.Large hours
  • On-Demand$0.25/hour
    • Per-node pricing
    • SageMaker training

Which should you pick?

Choose MATLAB if

  • You need matrix computations.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data visualization.
MATLAB review

Choose Amazon Redshift ML if

  • You need create model in sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automatic model selection.
Amazon Redshift ML review

Questions people ask

Is MATLAB or Amazon Redshift ML better?
Neither clearly leads. MATLAB starts at $940/year and Amazon Redshift ML at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MATLAB or Amazon Redshift ML?
Amazon Redshift ML has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $940/year for MATLAB and Free for Amazon Redshift ML.
Does MATLAB or Amazon Redshift ML run on more platforms?
MATLAB runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. Amazon Redshift ML runs on Web.
Can I use Amazon Redshift ML for free?
Yes. Amazon Redshift ML has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MATLAB starts at $940/year.
What is MATLAB best used for?
MATLAB is most often used for numerical computing and analysis, algorithm development, academic research and teaching. Of those, numerical computing and analysis and algorithm development are not what Amazon Redshift ML is typically brought in for.
What can MATLAB do that Amazon Redshift ML cannot?
MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Data visualization, Machine learning, Deep learning. Amazon Redshift ML covers CREATE MODEL in SQL, Automatic model selection, Local inference, Bring your own model.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MATLAB: What is the cost of an individual MATLAB license?

USD 940 per year for Standard individual license, which includes MATLAB, Simulink, Online Training Suite, and add-on products. All licenses include MathWorks Software Maintenance Service.

Source
Amazon Redshift ML: Does it require SageMaker?

Yes. Redshift ML is an interface; the training happens in SageMaker and needs an IAM role and an S3 bucket for the intermediate data.

MATLAB: Are pricing quotes available online for academic and startup licenses?

No, online pricing is not available for Academic, Student, Startup, or Home license types. Downloadable price lists are available only for Standard and Academic individual licenses. Contact sales for other tiers.

Source
Amazon Redshift ML: Is there an extra charge?

The SQL interface is part of Redshift, but the training runs as a SageMaker job charged at SageMaker rates, and a remote inference endpoint is billed for as long as it exists.

MATLAB: Can I switch between license terms (annual vs perpetual)?

Both Standard and Home licenses offer annual and perpetual licensing options. Academic licenses also offer both terms. Startup licenses are available on annual basis only.

Source
Amazon Redshift ML: What kinds of model can it build?

Regression, binary and multiclass classification through the automatic path, plus direct use of XGBoost, linear learner, multilayer perceptron and K-means. Anything beyond structured tabular prediction is out of scope.

Amazon Redshift ML: Can I use a model I trained myself?

Yes, through the bring-your-own-model path, either compiled into the cluster for local inference or called as a remote SageMaker endpoint.

Amazon Redshift ML: Does it retrain automatically?

No. Retraining means running CREATE MODEL again, on a schedule you build yourself, and nothing in the product monitors whether it is needed.

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