Databricks
Best for: Complex data engineering, ML/AI workloads, multi-cloud
Strength: Open-source Spark ecosystem, MLflow, Delta Lake
Storage: Delta Lake (open format)
Governance: Unity Catalog
Learning curve: Higher — more configuration needed
Choose when: You need ML pipelines, complex ETL, streaming
VS
Snowflake
Best for: Analytics-first teams, SQL-centric workflows, BI dashboards
Strength: SQL-first, near-zero admin, auto-scaling virtual warehouses
Storage: Micro-partitions (proprietary)
Governance: Snowflake Horizon
Learning curve: Lower — SQL skills transfer directly
Choose when: You want fast analytics with minimal ops overhead