Comparison

Apache Spark vs dbt Core

On the evidence we track, dbt Core leads this comparison with a composite score of 66/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Apache Spark full profile →dbt Core full profile →

Machine formatsMarkdownJSONGraphQLMarkdown is open. JSON and GraphQL need a free key.

Apache Spark52

★dbt Core66

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	Apache Spark	dbt CoreLeader
vioscaleAI score	52 / 100low · 34%	66 / 100medium · 73%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	commercial	open_source
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	✓
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	5	6
Security
Disclosure policysecurity.disclosure_policy	✓	-
Gdprsecurity.gdpr	-	✓
Iso27001security.iso27001	-	✓
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	5.6	6
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	Count: 9 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=org.apache.spark%3Aspark-core_2.10&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 1 · Max severity: CRITICAL	Count: 4 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=dbt-core&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: HIGH
Reliability
Status pagereliability.status_page	-	✓
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	8,896	553
Github starsadoption.github_stars	44,188	14,028
Package downloads weeklyadoption.package_downloads_weekly	-	21,005,917
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	100	100
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	-	2
Historyrelease.history	-	20 items
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	Scala	Rust
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide	Available worldwide · Popular in US
Content
Faqcontent.faq	6 items	8 items

Score

vioscaleAI score

Apache Spark52 / 100low · 34%

dbt Core66 / 100medium · 73%

Pricing

Free tier

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✓

Model

Apache Sparkcommercial

dbt Coreopen_source

Price level

Apache Sparkfree

dbt Corefree

Transparent

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✓

Integrations

Count

Apache Spark5

dbt Core6

Security

Disclosure policy

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core–

Gdpr

Apache Spark–

dbt Core✓

Iso27001

Apache Spark–

dbt Core✓

Scorecard

Apache Spark5.6

dbt Core6

Vulnerabilities

Apache SparkCount: 9 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=maven&package_name=org.apache.spark%3Aspark-core_2.10&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 1 · Max severity: CRITICAL

dbt CoreCount: 4 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=dbt-core&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 · Max severity: HIGH

Reliability

Status page

Apache Spark–

dbt Core✓

Adoption

Dependent repos

Apache Spark8,896

dbt Core553

Github stars

Apache Spark44,188

dbt Core14,028

Package downloads weekly

Apache Spark–

dbt Core21,005,917

Activity

Commits last 30d

Apache Spark100

dbt Core100

Release

Cadence days

Apache Spark–

dbt Core2

History

Apache Spark–

dbt Core20 items

License

Spdx

Apache SparkApache-2.0

dbt CoreApache-2.0

Language

Primary

Apache SparkScala

dbt CoreRust

Market

Availability

Apache SparkAvailable worldwide

dbt CoreAvailable worldwide · Popular in US

Content

Faq

Apache Spark6 items

dbt Core8 items

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for data engineering tools. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Data Engineering Tools
Capability	Apache Spark	dbt Core
Core
Tool role	Processing engine	Transformation
Processing paradigm	Batch + streaming	Batch
Connectivity
Connector count	-	6+ named integrations with broader ecosystem
CDC / log-based replication	-	-
Transformation
In-warehouse transformation (push-down)	-	-
dbt-native orchestration	-	✓
Deployment
Self-hosted / open-source available	✓	✓
Managed cloud available	-	✓
Governance
Data lineage / asset catalog	-	✓
Authoring
Python-first authoring	-	-
Execution
Incremental / partition-aware runs	-	-
Quality
Built-in data quality / tests	-	✓
Scale
Horizontal scale (distributed executor)	✓	-

Core

Tool role

Apache SparkProcessing engine

dbt CoreTransformation

Processing paradigm

Apache SparkBatch + streaming

dbt CoreBatch

Connectivity

Connector count

Apache Spark-

dbt Core6+ named integrations with broader ecosystem

CDC / log-based replication

Apache Spark-

dbt Core-

Transformation

In-warehouse transformation (push-down)

Apache Spark-

dbt Core-

dbt-native orchestration

Apache Spark-

dbt Core✓

Deployment

Self-hosted / open-source available

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✓

Managed cloud available

Apache Spark-

dbt Core✓

Governance

Data lineage / asset catalog

Apache Spark-

dbt Core✓

Authoring

Python-first authoring

Apache Spark-

dbt Core-

Execution

Incremental / partition-aware runs

Apache Spark-

dbt Core-

Quality

Built-in data quality / tests

Apache Spark-

dbt Core✓

Scale

Horizontal scale (distributed executor)

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core-

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Apache Spark

A data processing framework offering high-level APIs across multiple programming languages and integrated tools for SQL processing, machine learning, graph analysis, and real-time stream processing.

Independently observed

dbt Core

Leader

A data transformation framework that applies software engineering principles—such as version control, testing, and modularity—to SQL-based analytics workflows.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Apache Spark

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-08-14verify ↗

dbt Core

Leader

from $100/moHybridFree tier14-day trial

Free Developer tier, $100/seat/month for Starter, custom pricing for Enterprise

DeveloperFree
- Browser-based IDE
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Job scheduling
- Keep on the latest dbt release
Starter$100/seat/month
- All Developer features
- dbt Catalog basic
- dbt Semantic Layer basic
- dbt Copilot code generation
- API access
EnterpriseContact sales
- All Starter features
- dbt Catalog advanced
- dbt Semantic Layer advanced
- dbt Copilot
- dbt Canvas
- +2 more
Enterprise+Contact sales
- All Enterprise features
- PrivateLink
- IP Restrictions
- Rollback
- Hybrid projects

as of 2026-08-05verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	Apache Spark	dbt Core
WebPlatforms	✗	✓
macOSPlatforms	✗	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✗	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✗	✓
CLIPlatforms	✓	✓
Cloud / SaaSDeployment	✗	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓
On-premiseDeployment	✓	✗

Platforms

Web

Apache Spark✗

dbt Core✓

macOS

Apache Spark✗

dbt Core✓

Windows

Apache Spark✗

dbt Core✓

Linux

Apache Spark✗

dbt Core✓

CLI

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✓

Deployment

Cloud / SaaS

Apache Spark✗

dbt Core✓

Self-hosted

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✓

On-premise

Apache Spark✓

dbt Core✗

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Apache Spark

5 total

Hadoop
HDFS
YARN
Kubernetes
Docker

Independently observed

dbt Core

Leader

6 total

Tableau
Fivetran
OpenAI
Snowflake
Azure AI
Databricks

Independently observed

Still deciding?

Apache Spark or dbt Core: which one depends on you

A composite score cannot know your constraints. Describe them and both get re-weighted against what you actually need, with the evidence behind every position.

Free to run, no account needed to start. How the evaluation works

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.