--- title: "Presto vs Starburst: Which is Better in 2026? | App Stack Builder" description: "Presto vs Starburst compared for 2026: pricing, free tiers, features, pros & cons. See which distributed sql query engines tool is the better fit for your startup." source: https://appstackbuilder.com/compare/presto-vs-starburst retrieved: 2026-11-10 --- ![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=prestodb.io&sz=128) vs ![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=starburst.io&sz=128) # Presto vs Starburst: Which is Better in 2026? Distributed SQL Query Engines [Presto](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/presto) and [Starburst](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/starburst) are both Distributed SQL Query Engines tools, made for different people. Presto is for teams that want an Apache-licensed SQL engine under Linux Foundation governance, with a C++ native worker. Starburst is for teams that want Trino without running it, or need a supported enterprise build for private cloud and on-premises. Quick verdict There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Presto if you want the C++ native worker for performance. Choose Starburst if you like Trino but don’t want to run the cluster. ## Presto vs Starburst: Side by Side | | Presto | Starburst | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Category | Distributed SQL Query Engines | Distributed SQL Query Engines | | What it is | Open-source distributed SQL engine | Managed and enterprise Trino | | Licence | Apache 2.0 | Commercial (built on Apache 2.0 Trino) | | How you pay | Free; you pay for the servers | Per credit, $0.50 to $1.00 by tier | | Where it runs | Your infrastructure | Galaxy SaaS or your own environment | | Managed option | Not offered by the project | Yes (Galaxy) | | Pricing | Free | Free · paid from $0.5/mo | | Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available | | Free tier | ✓ | ✓ | | Rating | 4.2 | 4.4 | | Best for | Distributed SQL Query Engines: open source, C++ workers, Linux Foundation | Distributed SQL Query Engines: managed Trino, Iceberg, enterprise support | Ratings are App Stack Builder’s editorial score out of 5, not an average of user reviews. ## Pros & Cons ![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=prestodb.io&sz=128) [Presto](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/presto) * ✓Free under Apache 2.0 * ✓C++ native worker on Velox * ✓Neutral foundation governance * ✗Smaller community than Trino * ✗You run it yourself * ✗Fewer managed hosting options ![](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=starburst.io&sz=128) [Starburst](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/starburst) * ✓Managed Trino with nothing to operate * ✓Free tier and published credit prices * ✓Self-managed option for regulated teams * ✗Credit usage is hard to estimate up front * ✗Features above open Trino are paid * ✗Enterprise self-managed pricing by quote ## Key Features Compared ### Presto * ✓Apache 2.0 * ✓Governed by the Presto Foundation under the Linux Foundation; founding members Facebook, Alibaba, Twitter and Uber * ✓Presto native: a C++ rewrite of the worker on the Velox engine * ✓Distributed SQL over large datasets ### Starburst * ✓Built on Trino by Trino’s creators * ✓Galaxy (SaaS on AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) free for up to 3 clusters * ✓Pro $0.50, Enterprise $0.75 and Mission-Critical $1.00 per credit; usage per credit is the same across tiers * ✓30-day trial with $500 of compute and Enterprise features, then the free tier * ✓Starburst Enterprise: self-managed for private cloud, hybrid and on-premises ### Choose Presto if… * ✓You want the C++ native worker for performance. * ✓You prefer Linux Foundation governance. * ✓You already run Presto and want to stay on it. [Presto review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/presto) ### Choose Starburst if… * ✓You like Trino but don’t want to run the cluster. * ✓You need a vendor-supported build on-premises. * ✓You want Iceberg table management alongside queries. [Starburst review & pricing ](https://appstackbuilder.com/tools/starburst) ## Frequently Asked Questions Is Presto better than Starburst?⌄ There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Presto if you want the C++ native worker for performance. Choose Starburst if you like Trino but don’t want to run the cluster. What is the difference between Presto and Starburst?⌄ What it is. Presto: Open-source distributed SQL engine. Starburst: Managed and enterprise Trino. Licence. Presto: Apache 2.0\. Starburst: Commercial (built on Apache 2.0 Trino). How you pay. Presto: Free; you pay for the servers. Starburst: Per credit, $0.50 to $1.00 by tier. Where it runs. Presto: Your infrastructure. Starburst: Galaxy SaaS or your own environment. Managed option. Presto: Not offered by the project. Starburst: Yes (Galaxy). Presto vs Starburst: which is cheaper?⌄ Presto pricing: Free. Starburst pricing: Free · paid from $0.5/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change. Which is rated higher, Presto or Starburst?⌄ On our editorial score, Presto is 4.2 out of 5 and Starburst is 4.4 out of 5, so Starburst is slightly ahead. This is our own score, not an average of user reviews. When should I skip both Presto and Starburst?⌄ Skip Presto if you want a bigger community and more connectors. Trino has them. Skip Starburst if you have the skills to run it yourself and want no licence. Use Trino. Sources · tool facts checked November 2026 1. 1.[Presto on GitHubgithub.com ](https://github.com/prestodb/presto) 2. 2.[The Presto Foundation launches under the Linux Foundationsdtimes.com ](https://sdtimes.com/data/the-presto-foundation-launches-under-the-linux-foundation/) 3. 3.[Starburst pricingstarburst.io ](https://www.starburst.io/pricing/) 4. 4.[Starburststarburst.io ](https://www.starburst.io/) See more options in our guide to the [best distributed sql query engines tools for startups](https://appstackbuilder.com/categories/query-engine). ## Still not sure which to pick? Get a free, AI-powered tech stack, including the best distributed sql query engines pick for your budget and team, in 60 seconds. [Build my stack free ](https://appstackbuilder.com/build-stack)