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Machine Learning · head to head

Apache Spark MLlib vs Vespa

Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Machine Learning

Scalable machine learning on Apache Spark

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vespa logo

Vespa

Databases

Distributed AI search platform for retrieval, ranking, and inference

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Vespa pricing not publicly listed, requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Vespa covers Vector search.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apache Spark MLlib and Vespa differ
AttributeApache Spark MLlibVespa
Pricing modelopen-sourcecontact-sales
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsCloud, Self-hosted
CategoryMachine LearningDatabases
Founded19992023

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 Apache Spark MLlib

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Collaborative filtering
  • Feature engineering
  • Apache Spark
  • Hadoop
  • Kafka

Only in Vespa

  • Vector search
  • Text and structured search
  • Machine-learned ranking
  • Real-time serving
  • SQL interface
  • Automatic scaling
  • Open-source

What people use each for

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

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Machine learningnot Vespa
  • Data sciencenot Vespa
  • Distributed computingnot Vespa

Vespa

  • Build RAG systems with semantic search over documentsnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Power e-commerce search with ML rankingnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Create recommendation engines for personalizationnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Implement real-time search for news or feedsnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Deploy private semantic search over sensitive datanot Apache Spark MLlib

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Vespa

  • Pricing not publicly listed, requires contacting sales
  • Steeper learning curve compared to simpler search tools
  • Operational complexity for self-hosted deployments
  • Smaller ecosystem compared to cloud-native alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Spark MLlib

Free

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

Vespa

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Vespa review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Vespa if

  • You need vector search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want text and structured search.
Vespa review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Spark MLlib or Vespa better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Spark MLlib starts at Free and Vespa at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Spark MLlib or Vespa?
Apache Spark MLlib starts at Free and Vespa at Free.
Does Apache Spark MLlib or Vespa run on more platforms?
Apache Spark MLlib runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Vespa runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Apache Spark MLlib for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Spark MLlib best used for?
Apache Spark MLlib is most often used for machine learning, data science, distributed computing. Of those, machine learning and data science are not what Vespa is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Spark MLlib do that Vespa cannot?
Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering. Vespa covers Vector search, Text and structured search, Machine-learned ranking, Real-time serving.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Spark MLlib: How much does Apache Spark MLlib cost?

MLlib is completely free and open source, licensed under the Apache License Version 2.0. There are no subscription, licensing, or usage fees.

Source
Vespa: Is Vespa open-source?

Yes, Vespa is open-source under the Apache 2.0 license. The code is available on GitHub, and you can self-host or use the managed cloud service.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: What licensing does MLlib use?

MLlib is licensed under Apache License Version 2.0, making it freely available for all users regardless of organization size or use case.

Source
Vespa: What latency can Vespa achieve?

Vespa is designed for sub-100 millisecond latencies with thousands of queries per second, suitable for real-time search and recommendation applications.

Source
Apache Spark MLlib: How do I use MLlib?

MLlib is built into Apache Spark. Download Spark, which includes MLlib as a module, and deploy on your choice of infrastructure including Hadoop, Mesos, Kubernetes, standalone, or cloud.

Source
Vespa: Does Vespa support vector search?

Yes, Vespa provides native vector search capabilities alongside text, structured data, and tensor operations for building comprehensive search and AI applications.

Source
Vespa: What is the pricing model for Vespa Cloud?

Vespa Cloud pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting their sales team to discuss your specific use case and scale requirements.

Source
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