Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Apache Superset VS Databricks

Compare Apache Superset VS Databricks and see what are their differences

Apache Superset logo Apache Superset

modern, enterprise-ready business intelligence web application

Databricks logo Databricks

Databricks provides a Unified Analytics Platform that accelerates innovation by unifying data science, engineering and business.‎What is Apache Spark?
  • Apache Superset Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-09-18
  • Databricks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-14

Apache Superset features and specs

  • Open Source
    Apache Superset is fully open source, allowing users to modify and extend it as needed without any licensing fees.
  • Rich Visualization Options
    Superset offers a wide range of pre-built visualization types, including pie charts, line charts, and maps, allowing for versatile data representation.
  • SQL Lab
    The SQL Lab feature makes it easy to explore and query data in a natural SQL interface, which is highly valuable for analysts and data scientists.
  • Lightweight
    Superset is designed to be a lightweight platform, making it relatively easy to set up and manage compared to more cumbersome BI tools.
  • Extensibility
    With its plugin architecture, Superset can be extended to support additional visualizations and data sources, which makes it highly customizable.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    As part of the Apache Software Foundation, Superset benefits from a robust community and a broad ecosystem of tools and integrations.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Superset

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users may find it difficult to get started with Superset due to its wide array of features and technical jargon.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is community-driven documentation, it may not be as comprehensive or up-to-date as needed, posing challenges during troubleshooting.
  • Resource Intensive
    Superset can be resource-intensive and may require significant optimization to run efficiently, especially with large datasets or numerous concurrent users.
  • Basic User Management
    User management features are somewhat basic compared to other BI tools, lacking advanced role-based access control and detailed audit logs.
  • Less Polished UI
    The user interface, while functional, may not be as polished or intuitive as some of the commercial alternatives, impacting the user experience.
  • Scaling Issues
    Superset can face scalability challenges when dealing with massive datasets or a high number of concurrent users, though ongoing improvements are being made.

Databricks features and specs

  • Unified Data Analytics Platform
    Databricks integrates various data processing and analytics tools, offering a unified environment for data engineering, machine learning, and business analytics. This integration can streamline workflows and reduce the complexity of data management.
  • Scalability
    Databricks leverages Apache Spark and other scalable technologies to handle large datasets and high computational workloads efficiently. This makes it suitable for enterprises with significant data processing needs.
  • Collaborative Environment
    The platform offers collaborative notebooks that allow data scientists, engineers, and analysts to work together in real-time. This enhances productivity and fosters better communication within teams.
  • Performance Optimization
    Databricks includes various performance optimization features such as caching, indexing, and query optimization, which can significantly speed up data processing tasks.
  • Support for Various Data Formats
    The platform supports a wide range of data formats and sources, including structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, making it versatile and adaptable to different use cases.
  • Integration with Cloud Providers
    Databricks is designed to work seamlessly with major cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, allowing users to easily integrate it into their existing cloud infrastructure.

Possible disadvantages of Databricks

  • Cost
    Databricks can be expensive, especially for large-scale deployments or high-frequency usage. It may not be the most cost-effective solution for smaller organizations or projects with limited budgets.
  • Complexity
    While powerful, Databricks can be complex to set up and manage, requiring specialized knowledge in Apache Spark and cloud infrastructure. This might lead to a steeper learning curve for new users.
  • Dependency on Cloud Providers
    Being heavily integrated with cloud providers, Databricks might face issues like vendor lock-in, where switching providers becomes difficult or costly.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Databricks is primarily designed for cloud environments, which means offline or on-premise capabilities are limited, posing challenges for organizations with strict data governance policies.
  • Resource Management
    Efficiently managing and allocating resources can be challenging in Databricks, especially in large multi-user environments. Mismanagement of resources could lead to increased costs and reduced performance.

Analysis of Apache Superset

Overall verdict

  • Apache Superset is a good choice for teams and organizations looking for a flexible, scalable, and user-friendly data visualization tool. It offers a balance between simplicity for non-technical users and depth for advanced users who want to perform complex data analyses. However, it might require some initial setup and configuration, especially for those not familiar with managing web applications or working with databases.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Superset is a powerful, open-source business intelligence tool that provides a wide range of data visualization and exploration capabilities. It is designed to handle large volumes of data, offers an intuitive user interface, and supports a variety of data sources through SQLAlchemy. Its main strengths lie in its ability to create complex dashboards with minimal effort, and its extensibility through a plugin framework. Superset also benefits from a vibrant open-source community, which contributes to its continuous improvement and feature expansion.

Recommended for

  • Organizations with medium to large datasets that need efficient data exploration and visualization.
  • Data analysts and scientists who require a tool that provides powerful SQL capabilities and extensive chart options.
  • Teams looking for an open-source, cost-effective alternative to proprietary business intelligence solutions.
  • Developers who are interested in customizing or extending the platform to fit specific needs via a robust API and plugin system.

Apache Superset videos

Observing Intraday Indicators Using Real-Time Tick Data on Apache Superset and Druid

More videos:

  • Review - Apache Superset-Building Dashboard-Filter or Slicer
  • Review - Installing Apache Superset

Databricks videos

Introduction to Databricks

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Azure Databricks Tutorial | Data transformations at scale
  • Review - Databricks - Data Movement and Query

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Apache Superset and Databricks)
Data Dashboard
37 37%
63% 63
Data Visualization
100 100%
0% 0
Database Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Business Intelligence
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Apache Superset and Databricks

Apache Superset Reviews

8 Alternatives to Apache Superset That’ll Empower Start-ups and Small Businesses with BI
Open-source vs cloud-hosted vs self-hosted Apache Superset open-sourceApache Superset interactive example dashboard. Image source: https://superset.apache.org/Main features and benefits Pricing and offersBest for Main drawbacks Apache Superset alternatives that are suitable for a small business or startup 1. Trevor.ioMain features and benefits Pricing and offersKey...
Source: trevor.io
Top 10 Tableau Open Source Alternatives: A Comprehensive List
Apache Superset is one of the best Tableau Open Source alternatives that you can opt for Data Exploration and Business Analytics. This Open-Source project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, which allows anyone to use it and distribute a modified version of it. In comparison to Tableau, which charges a minimum of $15 per month for Tableau Viewer, this software is...
Source: hevodata.com
Top 10 Data Analysis Tools in 2022
Apache Superset It is an open-source software application, meaning it can be modified to suit a company’s needs. It is among the few data analysis tools available to handle big data. Apache Superset is free to use. Apache Superset is a free tool businesses can use to explore and visualize data. However, it does not support NoSQL databases.

Databricks Reviews

Jupyter Notebook & 10 Alternatives: Data Notebook Review [2023]
Databricks notebooks are a popular tool for developing code and presenting findings in data science and machine learning. Databricks Notebooks support real-time multilingual coauthoring, automatic versioning, and built-in data visualizations.
Source: lakefs.io
7 best Colab alternatives in 2023
Databricks is a platform built around Apache Spark, an open-source, distributed computing system. The Databricks Community Edition offers a collaborative workspace where users can create Jupyter notebooks. Although it doesn't offer free GPU resources, it's an excellent tool for distributed data processing and big data analytics.
Source: deepnote.com
Top 5 Cloud Data Warehouses in 2023
Jan 11, 2023 The 5 best cloud data warehouse solutions in 2023Google BigQuerySource: https://cloud.google.com/bigqueryBest for:Top features:Pros:Cons:Pricing:SnowflakeBest for:Top features:Pros:Cons:Pricing:Amazon RedshiftSource: https://aws.amazon.com/redshift/Best for:Top features:Pros:Cons:Pricing:FireboltSource: https://www.firebolt.io/Best for:Top...
Top 10 AWS ETL Tools and How to Choose the Best One | Visual Flow
Databricks is a simple, fast, and collaborative analytics platform based on Apache Spark with ETL capabilities. It accelerates innovation by bringing together data science and data science businesses. It is a fully managed open-source version of Apache Spark analytics with optimized connectors to storage platforms for the fastest data access.
Source: visual-flow.com
Top Big Data Tools For 2021
Now Azure Databricks achieves 50 times better performance thanks to a highly optimized version of Spark. Databricks also enables real-time co-authoring and automates versioning. Besides, it features runtimes optimized for machine learning that include many popular libraries, such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, etc.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Superset should be more popular than Databricks. It has been mentiond 59 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Apache Superset mentions (59)

  • RisingWave Turns Four: Our Journey Beyond Democratizing Stream Processing
    By making RisingWave compatible with PostgreSQL, we ensured that any developer familiar with SQL could immediately start writing streaming queries. This wasn't just about syntax; it meant RisingWave could plug seamlessly into existing data workflows and connect easily with a vast ecosystem of familiar tools like DBeaver, Grafana, Apache Superset, dbt, and countless others. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Apache ECharts
    Superset[1] BI tool is a good example of how useful ECharts are [1] https://superset.apache.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • The DOJ Still Wants Google to Sell Off Chrome
    Is this really true? Something that can be supported by clear evidence? I’ve seen this trotted out many times, but it seems like there are interesting Apache projects: https://airflow.apache.org/ https://iceberg.apache.org/ https://kafka.apache.org/ https://superset.apache.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Major Technologies Worth Learning in 2025 for Data Professionals
    Open source tools like Apache Superset, Airbyte, and DuckDB are providing cost-effective and customizable solutions for data professionals. Becoming adept at these tools not only reduces dependency on proprietary software but also fosters community engagement. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • ClickHouse: The Key to Faster Insights
    ClickHouse is highly compatible with a wide range of data tools, including ETL/ELT processes and BI tools like Apache Superset. It supports virtually all common data formats, making integration seamless across diverse ecosystems. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

Databricks mentions (18)

  • Platform Engineering Abstraction: How to Scale IaC for Enterprise
    Vendors like Confluent, Snowflake, Databricks, and dbt are improving the developer experience with more automation and integrations, but they often operate independently. This fragmentation makes standardizing multi-directional integrations across identity and access management, data governance, security, and cost control even more challenging. Developing a standardized, secure, and scalable solution for... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • dolly-v2-12b
    Dolly-v2-12bis a 12 billion parameter causal language model created by Databricks that is derived from EleutherAI’s Pythia-12b and fine-tuned on a ~15K record instruction corpus generated by Databricks employees and released under a permissive license (CC-BY-SA). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Clickstream data analysis with Databricks and Redpanda
    Global organizations need a way to process the massive amounts of data they produce for real-time decision making. They often utilize event-streaming tools like Redpanda with stream-processing tools like Databricks for this purpose. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • DeWitt Clause, or Can You Benchmark %DATABASE% and Get Away With It
    Databricks, a data lakehouse company founded by the creators of Apache Spark, published a blog post claiming that it set a new data warehousing performance record in 100 TB TPC-DS benchmark. It was also mentioned that Databricks was 2.7x faster and 12x better in terms of price performance compared to Snowflake. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • A Quick Start to Databricks on AWS
    Go to Databricks and click the Try Databricks button. Fill in the form and Select AWS as your desired platform afterward. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Apache Superset and Databricks, you can also consider the following products

Metabase - Metabase is the easy, open source way for everyone in your company to ask questions and learn from...

Google BigQuery - A fully managed data warehouse for large-scale data analytics.

Microsoft Power BI - BI visualization and reporting for desktop, web or mobile

Looker - Looker makes it easy for analysts to create and curate custom data experiences—so everyone in the business can explore the data that matters to them, in the context that makes it truly meaningful.

Tableau - Tableau can help anyone see and understand their data. Connect to almost any database, drag and drop to create visualizations, and share with a click.

Jupyter - Project Jupyter exists to develop open-source software, open-standards, and services for interactive computing across dozens of programming languages. Ready to get started? Try it in your browser Install the Notebook.