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Software · head to head

SAS vs Snowflake

SAS logo

SAS

Software

Analytics, AI and data management software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Snowflake logo

Snowflake

Software

The AI Data Cloud for enterprise data warehousing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SAS sAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences; Snowflake no flat subscription price is published - cost varies by edition, cloud provider, and region and requires a separate calculator or credit-consumption table
  • They diverge on capability: SAS covers Statistical analysis, Snowflake covers Separated Compute/Storage.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SAS and Snowflake actually diverge.

Attributes where SAS and Snowflake differ
AttributeSASSnowflake
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsLinux, Windows, WebWeb, API
Founded19762012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 SAS

  • Statistical analysis
  • Machine learning
  • Forecasting
  • Text analytics
  • Optimization
  • Python
  • R
  • Hadoop

Only in Snowflake

  • Separated Compute/Storage
  • Near-zero Maintenance
  • Data Sharing
  • Time Travel
  • Cloning
  • Multi-cluster Warehouse
  • Semi-structured Data
  • dbt

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

SAS

  • Regulated statistical analysis and clinical reportingnot Snowflake
  • Enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platformnot Snowflake

Snowflake

  • Cloud data warehousing and SQL analyticsnot SAS
  • Data engineering and ELT pipelinesnot SAS
  • Data sharing and marketplacenot SAS
  • AI/ML workloads via Snowpark and Cortexnot SAS
  • BI backend for tools such as Tableau and Power BInot SAS

Where each one falls short

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

SAS

  • SAS publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver; the how to buy page offers only a customized price quote based on your requirements and deployment preferences
  • Most new and existing customers are routed through authorized resellers rather than buying direct
  • Cloud marketplace purchases require choosing between pay as you go and bring your own licence, each with different licensing terms

Snowflake

  • No flat subscription price is published - cost varies by edition, cloud provider, and region and requires a separate calculator or credit-consumption table
  • Free trial is capped at $400 in credits or 30 days, whichever comes first, not a perpetual free tier
  • During the trial, certain features (external network access, hybrid tables, Openflow) are capped at 10 credits/day until a payment method is added
  • Total cost combines compute credits, storage, and data transfer billed separately

Pricing, plan by plan

SAS

Free
  • SAS OnDemand for AcademicsFree
    • Academic use
    • Core SAS
  • SAS ViyaFree
    • Full platform
    • Cloud-native
    • AI/ML

Snowflake

Free
  • Standard$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Business Critical$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Virtual Private Snowflake$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose SAS if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Web.
  • You also want machine learning.
SAS review

Choose Snowflake if

  • You need separated compute/storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want near-zero maintenance.
Snowflake review

Questions people ask

Is SAS or Snowflake better?
Neither clearly leads. SAS starts at Free and Snowflake at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SAS or Snowflake?
SAS starts at Free and Snowflake at Free.
Does SAS or Snowflake run on more platforms?
SAS runs on Linux, Windows, Web. Snowflake runs on Web, API.
Can I use SAS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SAS best used for?
SAS is most often used for regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting, enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform. Of those, regulated statistical analysis and clinical reporting and enterprise data management, visualization and decisioning on one licensed platform are not what Snowflake is typically brought in for.
What can SAS do that Snowflake cannot?
SAS covers Statistical analysis, Machine learning, Forecasting, Text analytics. Snowflake covers Separated Compute/Storage, Near-zero Maintenance, Data Sharing, Time Travel. Both handle Web support.
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