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IBM Watson Studio vs Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

IBM Watson Studio
Ranking in Data Science Platforms
11th
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Azure Machine Lea...
Ranking in Data Science Platforms
5th
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
60
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Data Science Platforms category, the mindshare of IBM Watson Studio is 2.0%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio is 5.5%, down from 10.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Science Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

Abilio Duarte - PeerSpot reviewer
A highly robust and well-documented platform that simplifies the complex world of AI
The main challenge lies in visibility and ease of use. Providing training sessions can be immensely helpful in helping users navigate and understand the tool's potential. This approach would empower users to explore and make the most of the tools and technologies at their disposal. Another area where IBM could enhance its offering is by providing more visibility to end users regarding the vast potential that Watson offers.
Takayuki Umehara - PeerSpot reviewer
Streamlined workflows with drag and drop convenience but needs enhancements in AI
I use Machine Learning Studio for system reselling and integration Machine Learning Studio is easy to use, with a significant feature being the drag and drop interface that enhances workflow without any complaints. It provides a return on investment and cost savings, proving beneficial for…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"It stands out for its substantial AI capabilities, offering a broad spectrum of features for crafting solutions that meet specific requirements."
"Watson Studio is very stable."
"For me, the valuable feature of the solution is the one that I used, which was Jupyter notebooks."
"IBM Watson Studio consistently automates across channels."
"It has a lot of data connectors, which is extremely helpful."
"Watson Studio is the most complete tool for AI projects."
"Stability-wise, it is a great tool."
"It is a stable, reliable product."
"Machine Learning Studio is easy to use."
"It helps in building customized models, which are easy for clients to use​.​​"
"The AutoML is helpful when you're starting to explore the problem that you're trying to solve."
"Scalability, in terms of running experiments concurrently is good. At max, I was able to run three different experiments concurrently."
"I like that it's totally easy to use. They have an AutoML solution, and their machine learning model is highly accurate. They also have a feature that can explain the machine learning model. This makes it easy for me to understand that model."
"I like being able to compare results across different training runs. The hyperparameter tuning function is a valuable feature because it provides the ability to run multiple experiments at the same time and compare results."
"The most valuable feature is data normalization."
"The most valuable feature is the knowledge bank, which allows us to ask questions and the AI will automatically pull the pre-prescribed responses."
 

Cons

"Some of the solutions are really good solutions but they can be a little too costly for many."
"So a better user interface could be very helpful"
"I want IBM's technical support team to provide more specific answers to queries."
"I think maybe the support is an area where it lacks."
"It's sometimes easy to get lost given the number of images the solution opens up when you click on the mouse and the amount of different tabs."
"Watson Studio would be improved with a clearer path for the deployment of docker images."
"The decision making in their decision making feature is less good than other options."
"The main challenge lies in visibility and ease of use."
"Integration with social media would be a valuable enhancement."
"I cannot comment on specific improvements yet as we are still exploring and need more time to identify the areas that require enhancements."
"The price of the solution has room for improvement."
"Enable creating ensemble models easier, adding more machine learning algorithms."
"When you use different Microsoft tools, there are different pricing metrics. It doesn't make sense. The pricing metrics are quire difficult to understand and should be either clarified or simplified. It would help us sell the solution to customers."
"Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio could improve by adding pixel or image analysis. This is a priority for me."
"In terms of improvement, I'd like to have more ability to construct and understand the detailed impact of the variables on the model. Their algorithms are very powerful and they explain overall the net contribution of each of the variables to the solution. In terms of being able to say to people "If you did this, you'll get this much more improvement" it wasn't great."
"One problem I experience is that switching between multiple accounts can be difficult. I don't think there are any major issues. Mostly, the biggest challenge is to identify business solutions to this. The tool should keep on updating new algorithms and not stay static."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM Watson Studio is a reasonably priced product"
"Watson Studio's pricing is reasonable for what you get."
"IBM Watson Studio is an expensive solution."
"The pricing is generally reasonable and straightforward but can vary significantly depending on the specific workloads in use."
"I am paying for it following a pay-as-you-go. So, the more I use it, the more it costs."
"The product is not that expensive."
"It is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"The pricing for Microsoft products can be complex due to changes and being cloud-based, so it's not straightforward. I've been familiar with it for years, but sometimes details about product licenses and distribution can be unclear. For Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio specifically, I would rate the price a six out of ten."
"Last year, we paid 60,000 for Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio in our department."
"The solution operates on a pay-per-use model."
"There isn’t any such expensive costs and only a standard license is required."
"When we got our first models and were ready for the user acceptance testing, our licensing fees were between €2,500 ($2,750 USD) and €3,000 ($3,300 USD) monthly."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
8%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Watson Studio?
The pricing of Watson Studio is justified by the benefits and power it offers.
What needs improvement with IBM Watson Studio?
One area that could be improved is the backup and restoration of the database and the overall database configuration. There were also challenges with programming the network extension in the last p...
Which do you prefer - Databricks or Azure Machine Learning Studio?
Databricks gives you the option of working with several different languages, such as SQL, R, Scala, Apache Spark, or Python. It offers many different cluster choices and excellent integration with ...
What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio?
The learning curve is very low. Operationalizing the model is also very easy within the Azure ecosystem.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio?
Pricing is considered to be top-segment and should be improved. I rate the pricing as three or four on a scale of one to ten in terms of affordability.
 

Also Known As

Watson Studio, IBM Data Science Experience, Data Science Experience, DSx
Azure Machine Learning, MS Azure Machine Learning Studio
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

GroupM, Accenture, Fifth Third Bank
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Schneider Electric, BP
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Watson Studio vs. Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.