Report · 2026
Data Platform Modernization Outcomes
What 100 published Databricks and Snowflake programs report achieving, by industry and platform. Original analysis by Metric Oak, with the data available to download.
- case studies analysed
- 100
- median reported cost reduction (44 results)
- 50%
- median reported speed-up (25 results)
- 10x
- industries covered
- 3
1. What programs report achieving
Number of companies reporting each type of outcome. Many report more than one.
- Lower cost
43 - Faster processing or delivery
39 - Revenue, conversion or retention
15 - Risk, fraud or accuracy
5 - Scale and volume
87
Most stories quote scale (data volumes, users, models in production). Among business outcomes, lower cost and faster processing or delivery are reported about equally often, well ahead of revenue and risk results.
2. Results by industry
| Industry | Case studies | Median cost reduction | Median speed-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial services | 38 | 60% (19) | 5x (8) |
| Healthcare & life sciences | 27 | 50% (9) | 10x (9) |
| Retail & ecommerce | 35 | 50% (16) | 10x (8) |
Numbers in brackets are how many comparable results the median is based on. Each industry has a full benchmark with the top results.
3. Databricks and Snowflake
| Platform | Case studies | Median cost reduction | Median speed-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Databricks | 68 | 50% (35) | 8.5x |
| Snowflake | 32 | 60% (9) | 10x |
Customers of both platforms report results in a similar range. Published case studies cannot settle which platform is better: each vendor publishes its own best results. The platform matters less than how the program is run.
4. What this means for your business case
- Treat the medians as a ceiling, not a target. These are the success stories vendors chose to publish.
- Savings only count once the old system is off. A migration that keeps the legacy warehouse running "for now" pays for both platforms; put decommission dates in the plan.
- Measure a baseline first. Savings and speed-ups can only be proven against a baseline agreed with finance before the program starts.
- Plan for more than cost. Faster delivery, new revenue and lower risk feature in most stories and often matter more to the board.
Methodology and citation
We collected 100 customer stories published by Databricks and Snowflake (27 October 2026), recorded each headline number and classified it as cost, speed, revenue, risk or scale. Medians use only directly comparable figures: percentage cost reductions up to 100%, and speed-ups expressed as multiples. Figures are as reported by each company and were not independently verified. Every case study and its source is listed in our case-study library.
Cite as: Metric Oak, Data Platform Modernization Outcomes 2026, https://metricoak.com/report/data-platform-outcomes. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0: download CSV.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the data come from?
From 100 customer stories published by Databricks and Snowflake on their own websites, collected on 27 October 2026. We recorded every headline number and classified it by outcome type. Each case study links to its source in our library.
Can I use these figures?
Yes. Please cite "Metric Oak, Data Platform Modernization Outcomes" with a link to this page. The underlying data is available as a CSV download.
Why might real programs see smaller results?
Vendors publish their most successful customer stories, and the numbers are self-reported. Treat the medians as an optimistic reference point, and build your own business case from a measured baseline.
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