Pricing Overview
Starburst offers a freemium pricing model, providing a free tier and a paid Pro plan. This approach allows users to try out the tool without incurring costs, while also offering advanced features for those who require more capabilities.
The core product is available at $0 cost to users.
Plan Comparison
| Plan | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Users | 10 | Unlimited |
| Query Capacity | Limited (dependent on usage) | Unlimited |
| Advanced Features | None | SQL support, data governance, and more |
| Support | Community-only | Priority email support, phone support, and online chat |
| Storage and Data Transfer | Limited (dependent on usage) | Unlimited |
Note that the free tier has limitations on query capacity and storage/data transfer. The Pro plan offers unlimited queries, advanced features, and priority support.
Hidden Costs and Considerations
While Starburst's pricing page is transparent about the costs associated with each plan, there are some potential hidden costs to consider:
- Data Ingestion: If you're planning to ingest large amounts of data from various sources, you may incur additional costs for data transfer.
- Storage: While the Pro plan offers unlimited storage, you'll need to consider the cost of storing your data in a cloud provider (e.g. AWS S3).
- Scalability: As your team grows, you may need to scale up your Starburst instance, which could result in additional costs for compute resources.
- Training and Support: While priority support is included with the Pro plan, you may still incur costs for training or consulting services if you're not familiar with the tool.
Cost Estimates by Team Size
Here are some rough estimates of monthly costs based on team size:
- Solo User: Free tier (10 users) should be sufficient for a single user.
- Small Team (5-10 users): The free tier may still work, but you'll need to monitor usage to ensure it doesn't exceed limits. If you expect growth or require advanced features, the Pro plan is likely the better choice ($29/mo per user).
- Enterprise (100+ users): At this scale, the Pro plan will be necessary, and costs can add up quickly. Be sure to factor in additional costs for data ingestion, storage, and scalability.
How Starburst Pricing Compares
Here's a brief comparison with two competitors' pricing:
| Tool | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Starburst | Freemium | Free (10 users) |
| Dremio | Subscription-based | varying amounts per user |
| Trino | Open-source, donations accepted | Free |
Note that while Dremio's starting price is similar to Starburst's Pro plan, Trino is an open-source tool with optional donations.