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Google Vertex AI vs IBM Watson 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

Google Vertex AI
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
AI Infrastructure (1st)
IBM Watson Studio
Ranking in AI Development Platforms
10th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Data Science Platforms (12th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the AI Development Platforms category, the mindshare of Google Vertex AI is 12.5%, down from 21.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Watson Studio is 1.6%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
AI Development Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

Rajeev-Dave - PeerSpot reviewer
Streamlined machine learning with valuable models and good integration
We are using Google Vertex AI for various purposes, especially various chatbots for customer engineers and customers. Additionally, we are working on projects involving AI and machine learning Features like the LLM model are valuable, and we are using Google Vertex AI for these purposes.…
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It provides the most valuable external analytics."
"The most valuable features of the solution are that it is quite flexible, and some of the services are almost low-code, with no-code services, so it gives agents flexibility to build the use cases according to the operational needs."
"The most valuable feature we've found is the model garden, which allows us to deploy and use various models through the provided endpoints easily."
"The monitoring feature is a true life-saver for data scientists. I give it a ten out of ten."
"The integration of AutoML features streamlines our machine-learning workflows."
"Vertex AI possesses multiple libraries, so it eliminates the need for extensive coding."
"Google Vertex AI is an out-of-the-box and very easy-to-use solution."
"Vertex comes with inbuilt integration with GCP for data storage."
"It is a stable, reliable product."
"It stands out for its substantial AI capabilities, offering a broad spectrum of features for crafting solutions that meet specific requirements."
"The scalability of IBM Watson Studio is great."
"The system's ability to take a look at data, segment it and then use that data very differently."
"Watson Studio is the most complete tool for AI projects."
"For me, the valuable feature of the solution is the one that I used, which was Jupyter notebooks."
"It is a very stable and reliable solution."
"It has greatly improved the performance because it is standardized across the company."
 

Cons

"I believe that Vertex AI is a robust platform, but its effectiveness depends significantly on the domain knowledge of the developer using it. While Vertex AI does offer support through the console UI in the Google Cloud environment, it is better suited for technical members who have a deeper understanding of machine learning concepts. The platform may be challenging for business process developers (BPDUs) who lack extensive technical knowledge, as it involves intricate customization and handling numerous parameters. Effectively utilizing Vertex AI requires not only familiarity with machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch but also a proficiency in Python programming. The complexity of these requirements might pose challenges for less technically oriented users, making it crucial to have a solid foundation in both machine learning principles and Python coding to extract the full value from Vertex AI. It would be beneficial to have a streamlined process where we can leverage the capabilities of Vertex AI directly through the BigQuery UI. This could involve functionalities such as creating machine learning models within the BigQuery UI, providing a more user-friendly and integrated experience. This would allow users to access and analyze data from BigQuery while simultaneously utilizing Vertex AI to build machine learning models, fostering a more cohesive and efficient workflow."
"It would be beneficial to have certain features included in the future, such as image generators and text-to-speech solutions."
"The solution is stable, but it is quite slow. Maybe my data is too large, but I think that Google could improve Vertex AI's training time."
"I've noticed that using chat activity often presents a broader range of options and insights for a well-constructed question. Improving the knowledge base could be a key aspect for enhancement—expanding the information sources to enhance the generation process."
"I'm not sure if I have suggestions for improvement."
"The tool's documentation is not good. It is hard."
"Both major systems, Azure and Google, are not yet stabilized, especially their customer support."
"Google Vertex AI is good in machine learning and AI, but it lacks optimization."
"The main challenge lies in visibility and ease of use."
"One area that could be improved is the backup and restoration of the database and the overall database configuration."
"I want IBM's technical support team to provide more specific answers to queries."
"Watson Studio would be improved with a clearer path for the deployment of docker images."
"One area that could be improved is the backup and restoration of the database and the overall database configuration."
"We would like to see it more web-based with more functionality."
"Initially, it was quite complex. For us, it was not only a matter of getting it installed, that was just a start. It was also trying to come up with a standard way of implementing it across the entire organization, which had been a challenge."
"The decision making in their decision making feature is less good than other options."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's pricing is moderate."
"The price structure is very clear"
"I think almost every tool offers a decent discount. In terms of credits or other stuff, every cloud provider provides a good number of incentives to onboard new clients."
"The Versa AI offers attractive pricing. With this pricing structure, I can leverage various opportunities to bring value to my business. It's a positive aspect worth considering."
"IBM Watson Studio is an expensive solution."
"Watson Studio's pricing is reasonable for what you get."
"The pricing is generally reasonable and straightforward but can vary significantly depending on the specific workloads in use."
"IBM Watson Studio is a reasonably priced product"
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
6%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Vertex AI?
We extensively utilize Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform for our machine learning workflows. Specifically, we leverage the IO branch for EDA data in Suresh Live Virtual, employing Forte IT for trai...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Vertex AI?
They have different pricing models like pay-as-you-go or subscription model, and total cost of ownership. It is comparatively cheaper than Azure.
What needs improvement with Google Vertex AI?
I'm not sure if I have suggestions for improvement. Based on my comparison between the two, Vertex has various additional functionalities that Azure doesn't provide.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Watson Studio?
IBM Watson Studio is considered rather expensive, with a rating of six or seven. The pricing could be optimized relative to the features and capabilities of the product.
What needs improvement with IBM Watson Studio?
IBM Watson Studio, while powerful, lacks user-friendliness. It is not easy to use, particularly for medium or small enterprises or less experienced staff. Another aspect that requires improvement i...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Watson Studio, IBM Data Science Experience, Data Science Experience, DSx
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
GroupM, Accenture, Fifth Third Bank
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Vertex AI vs. IBM Watson Studio and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.