Databricks
Large (~7,000)
Modal
Small (~110)
Best For
Databricks
Best for: Data engineers who want strong comp and deep technical pedigree at scale
Modal
Best for: Systems engineers who want to build developer-loved cloud infrastructure with elite teammates
Ratings
DatabricksModal
4.1
4.0
Overall
3.9
3.8
Work-Life Balance
4.0
4.2
Culture & Values
4.3
3.8
Comp & Benefits
3.8
4.0
Senior Mgmt
3.9
3.5
Career Opps
👍 82% Recommend
👤 88% CEO Approval (Ali Ghodsi)
👍 82% Recommend
👤 88% CEO Approval (Erik Bernhardsson)
Culture Values
Databricks only
🌱 Learning & Growth💎 Strong Comp & Equity🌈 Diverse & Inclusive
Modal only
🚀 Ship Fast & Iterate🎧 Deep Work / Low Meetings🔓 Open Source🧩 Wears Many Hats
Shared
⚙️ Engineering-Driven🎯 Direct Product Impact
Pros & Cons
Databricks
- Engineers who built Spark, Delta Lake, MLflow — deep technical pedigree
- Strong compensation and equity packages consistently above market
- Hypergrowth means org changes are constant — teams restructure frequently
- Some legacy Spark-era tech debt that can slow down new features
Modal
- World-class engineering team — includes creators of Luigi, Seaborn, and olympiad medalists
- High-impact product with 50x revenue growth — developers widely praise the platform
- Early-stage startup dynamics — roles shift quickly, requires high self-direction
- Limited HR infrastructure — benefits and career ladders still being developed
Bottom Line
Databricks
Choose Databricks if you want elite data infrastructure work with strong equity — but brace for constant org changes.
Modal
Choose Modal if you want world-class engineering peers and 50x revenue growth — but expect early-stage startup dynamics.
Open Roles
Databricks — 842 jobs
💼 Sales / GTM
353
💻 Engineering
284
📋 Product
39
📣 Marketing
34
📊 Data
22
👤 HR / People
12
🧠 ML / AI
12
⚙️ Operations
11
🎨 Design
6
💰 Finance
5
⚖️ Legal
5
Modal — 28 jobs
💻 Engineering
14
📣 Marketing
3
💼 Sales / GTM
3
🧠 ML / AI
2
⚙️ Operations
2
💰 Finance
1
Summary
Databricks scores 4.1/5.0 on Glassdoor with a 3.9 work-life balance rating. Modal scores 4.0/5.0 overall with a 3.8 WLB. That’s a 0.1-point gap on overall satisfaction.
Both companies share these culture values: Engineering-Driven, Direct Product Impact. Databricks also emphasizes Learning & Growth, Strong Comp & Equity, Diverse & Inclusive. Modal also emphasizes Ship Fast & Iterate, Deep Work / Low Meetings, Open Source, Wears Many Hats.
On the hiring front, Databricks has 842 open roles and Modal has 28 open roles.