Amazon EMR vs Hortonworks Data Platform Comparison
Amazon EMR
Starting at $0.04 per hour
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Introducing Amazon EMR, the leading big data platform in the cloud. With a powerful combination of open-source tools such as Apache Spark, Hive, HBase, Flink, Hudi, and Presto, EMR makes it easy to process large amounts…
Hortonworks Data Platform
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP) provides a versatile open-source framework for both distributed storage and processing of vast, multi-source datasets. Take advantage of HDP to deploy big data workloads easily and securel…
Amazon EMR leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 93 reviews.
Amazon EMR vs Hortonworks Data Platform — at a glance
| Feature | Amazon EMR | Hortonworks Data Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Reviews | 93 | 49 |
| Starting price | $0.04 per hour | Contact for pricing |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Free version | No | No |
| Best for | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms | Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud |
| API | Available | — |
| Support modes | Online | Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 | — |
| Data residency | Global | Global |
Key differences between Amazon EMR and Hortonworks Data Platform
- Pricing: Amazon EMR starts at $0.04 per hour. Hortonworks Data Platform pricing is not publicly listed.
- User satisfaction: Amazon EMR scores higher with a 4.2-star average.
- Deployment: Amazon EMR supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Hortonworks Data Platform supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Amazon EMR vs Hortonworks Data Platform — find the better fit before you commit.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
Where each product wins, per real buyers
Most Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
Talk to an expert Talk to an expert | Talk to an expert Talk to an expert |
Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for scalable, secure big data processing with broad open-source tool support.
- You need to run large-scale data engineering and ETL pipelines using Spark or Hive.
- Your team requires seamless integration with AWS services like EC2 and VPC for secure deployments.
- You want robust configuration control and debugging capabilities for managing complex clusters.
- You have small teams lacking cloud infrastructure expertise and want minimal setup complexity.
- You require rapid cluster startup times for transient workloads or highly interactive environments.
Best for scalable, customizable big data processing with hybrid cloud and GPU support.
- You need an open-source platform for distributed storage and processing of large datasets.
- Your team requires GPU acceleration for AI and data science workloads on Hadoop clusters.
- You want flexible deployment across hybrid and cloud environments with cloud storage integration.
- Your organization lacks dedicated technical expertise for complex setup and management.
- You prefer turnkey, out-of-the-box big data solutions with transparent pricing.
Amazon EMR: Best for scalable, secure big data processing with broad open-source tool support. Hortonworks Data Platform: Best for scalable, customizable big data processing with hybrid cloud and GPU support.
Description | Introducing Amazon EMR, the leading big data platform in the cloud. With a powerful combination of open-source tools such as Apache Spark, Hive, HBase, Flink, Hudi, and Presto, EMR makes it ... Read More about Amazon EMR | Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP) provides a versatile open-source framework for both distributed storage and processing of vast, multi-source datasets. Take advantage of HDP to deploy big ... Read More about Hortonworks Data Platform |
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User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||
Best Company Size | Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises | Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Software Demo
Demo |
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How do Amazon EMR and Hortonworks Data Platform Compare on Features?
Total Features | 0 Features | 4 Features |
|---|---|---|
Unique Features | No features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Amazon EMR and Hortonworks Data Platform on pricing
Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.
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Other Details
Organization Types supported |
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API Support |
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | — |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | — |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | — |
ISO 27001 | ✓ Yes | — |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | — |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | — |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | — |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | — |
Data Residency | 🌐 Global | 🌐 Global |
Amazon EMR User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | ||
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Rating Distribution | ||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate Amazon EMR's powerful big data processing capabilities and ease of cluster management, though some express frustration with startup delays and troubleshooting challenges. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights HDP's powerful capabilities and flexibility, tempered by concerns over complexity and limited pricing transparency. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | No reviews available for the product |
List of Customers
Customers |  Expedia  Nasdaq  Finra | No Customers information available. |
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Media and Screenshots
Videos |  3 Videos |  3 Videos |
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Top Alternatives to Amazon EMR and Hortonworks Data Platform in 2026
Alternatives |
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Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, Amazon EMR or Hortonworks Data Platform?
- Amazon EMR edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Amazon EMR and Hortonworks Data Platform offer a free trial?
- Neither Amazon EMR nor Hortonworks Data Platform currently lists a free trial.
- What is the starting price of Amazon EMR vs Hortonworks Data Platform?
- Amazon EMR starts at $0.04 per hour. Hortonworks Data Platform starts at Contact for pricing.
- What are the top alternatives to Amazon EMR?
- Top alternatives to Amazon EMR include AWS Data Pipeline, Snowflake, Qubole, BigDataCloud, Alibaba E-MapReduce.
- What are the top alternatives to Hortonworks Data Platform?
- Top alternatives to Hortonworks Data Platform include HarperDB Cloud, Qubole, Dagster Cloud, Qualified, Workvivo.