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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
12th
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
10th
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
4th
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
3rd
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
61
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Data Science Platforms category, the mindshare of IBM Watson Studio is 1.9%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio is 5.3%, down from 9.4% 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 has a lot of data connectors, which is extremely helpful."
"The scalability of IBM Watson Studio is great."
"It has greatly improved the performance because it is standardized across the company."
"The system's ability to take a look at data, segment it and then use that data very differently."
"Technical support is great. We have had weekly teleconferences with the technical people at IBM, and they have been fantastic."
"Stability-wise, it is a great tool."
"Watson Studio is very stable."
"The solution is very easy to use."
"Machine Learning Studio is easy to use, with a significant feature being the drag and drop interface that enhances workflow without any complaints."
"It's a great option if you are fairly new and don't want to write too much code."
"Split dataset, variety of algorithms, visualizing the data, and drag and drop capability are the features I appreciate most."
"The notebook feature allows you to write inquiries and create dashboards. These dashboards can integrate with multiple databases, such as Excel, HANA, or SQL Server."
"It is very easy to test different kinds of machine-learning algorithms with different parameters. You choose the algorithm, drag and drop to the workspace, and plug the dataset into this component."
"It helps in building customized models, which are easy for clients to use​.​​"
"Their web interface is good."
"Azure Machine Learning Studio provides a platform to integrate with large language models."
 

Cons

"The solution's interface is very slow at times."
"Some of the solutions are really good solutions but they can be a little too costly for many."
"The decision making in their decision making feature is less good than other options."
"Watson Studio would be improved with a clearer path for the deployment of docker images."
"So a better user interface could be very helpful"
"We would like to see it less as one big, massive product, but more based on smaller services that we can then roll out to consumers."
"One area that could be improved is the backup and restoration of the database and the overall database configuration."
"The main challenge lies in visibility and ease of use."
"The solution must increase the amount of data sources that can be integrated."
"I rate the support from Microsoft as five out of ten. It could be improved."
"Technical support could improve their turnaround time."
"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."
"The solution cannot connect to private block storage."
"If you want to be able to deploy your tools outside of Microsoft Azure, this is not the best choice."
"Machine Learning Studio is more dependent on legacy Machine Learning algorithms. It would be beneficial for them to incorporate more services required for LLMs or LLM evaluation."
"It would be great if the solution integrated Microsoft Copilot, its AI helper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM Watson Studio is a reasonably priced product"
"The pricing is generally reasonable and straightforward but can vary significantly depending on the specific workloads in use."
"IBM Watson Studio is an expensive solution."
"Watson Studio's pricing is reasonable for what you get."
"My team didn't deal with the licensing for Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio, so I'm unable to comment on pricing, but the money that was spent on the tool was worth it."
"It is less expensive than one of its competitors."
"I rate the solution's pricing a four on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being very expensive. Not very expensive, not very cheap."
"I am paying for it following a pay-as-you-go. So, the more I use it, the more it costs."
"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."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"There isn’t any such expensive costs and only a standard license is required."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
8%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
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: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.