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Hortonworks Data Platform vs Amazon EMR Comparison

Last updated:

Hortonworks Data Platform

4.0(49 reviews)

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

4.2(93 reviews)

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…

Amazon EMR leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 93 reviews.

Hortonworks Data Platform vs Amazon EMR — at a glance

FeatureHortonworks Data PlatformAmazon EMR
Rating4.0 / 54.2 / 5
Reviews4993
Starting priceContact for pricing$0.04 per hour
Free trial No No
Free version No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryData Science and Machine Learning PlatformsData Science and Machine Learning Platforms
PlatformsSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailable
Support modesOnlineOnline
CertificationsSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001
Data residencyGlobalGlobal

Key differences between Hortonworks Data Platform and Amazon EMR

  • 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: Hortonworks Data Platform supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Amazon EMR supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Hortonworks Data Platform vs Amazon EMR — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

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.

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Amazon EMR - Big Data Processing and Distribution Software
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Hortonworks Data Platform

Best for scalable, customizable big data processing with hybrid cloud and GPU support.

Choose if
  • 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.
Consider alternatives if
  • 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.

Choose if
  • 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.
Consider alternatives if
  • 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.

Hortonworks Data Platform: Best for scalable, customizable big data processing with hybrid cloud and GPU support. Amazon EMR: Best for scalable, secure big data processing with broad open-source tool support.

Description

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

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

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $0.04

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.2

(93)

Best Company Size

Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
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How do Hortonworks Data Platform and Amazon EMR Compare on Features?

Total Features

4 Features

5 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Get Quote

Compare Hortonworks Data Platform and Amazon EMR 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.

Pricing Option

      Starting From

      • Not Available
      • $0.04

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • Not Available

      Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Small Business
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Freelancers
      • Individuals
      • Small Business
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Freelancers
      • Individuals

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Not Available
      • Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      SOC 2

      ✓ Yes

      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

      Hortonworks Data Platform User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      Rating Distribution

      12

      6

      2

      0

      0

      38

      22

      1

      1

      1

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      Buyer sentiment

      Overall positive sentiment highlights HDP's powerful capabilities and flexibility, tempered by concerns over complexity and limited pricing transparency.

      What buyers like

      • Performance and scalability
      • Flexibility and configurability
      • Integration with cloud storage

      Common complaints

      • Complex setup and management
      • Unclear pricing structure

      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

      • Ease of launching and scaling clusters
      • Support for popular big data frameworks
      • Configuration control and debugging

      Common complaints

      • Complexity with Spot instances
      • Slow cluster startup times

      Pros and Cons

      • Versatile open-source framework supporting distributed storage and processing

      • GPU support for enhanced performance in AI and data science workloads

      • Cloud storage integration with Microsoft ADLS and WASB

      • No publicly available pricing, indicating potential complexity in cost estimation

      • Requires significant technical expertise to deploy and manage

      • Ease of launching and cloning EMR clusters with scalable resource management

      • Support for widely used open-source big data applications like Spark, Hive, and Flink

      • Robust configuration control and debugging support

      • Complexity and unreliability when using Spot instances due to availability issues

      • Notebook interface lacks features like auto-completion

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Used Hortonworks Data Platform or Amazon EMR? Tell buyers what actually differs.

      List of Customers

      Customers

      No Customers information available.

      Expedia

      Expedia

      Nasdaq

      Nasdaq

      Finra

      Finra

      Media and Screenshots

      Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      Top Alternatives to Hortonworks Data Platform and Amazon EMR in 2026

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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, Hortonworks Data Platform or Amazon EMR?
      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 Hortonworks Data Platform and Amazon EMR offer a free trial?
      Neither Hortonworks Data Platform nor Amazon EMR currently lists a free trial.
      What is the starting price of Hortonworks Data Platform vs Amazon EMR?
      Hortonworks Data Platform starts at Contact for pricing. Amazon EMR starts at $0.04 per hour.
      What are the top alternatives to Hortonworks Data Platform?
      Top alternatives to Hortonworks Data Platform include HarperDB Cloud, Qubole, Dagster Cloud, Qualified, Workvivo.
      What are the top alternatives to Amazon EMR?
      Top alternatives to Amazon EMR include AWS Data Pipeline, Snowflake, Qubole, BigDataCloud, Alibaba E-MapReduce.