ActivePython vs Anaconda: The ActiveState Advantage for Anaconda Users
Gain more production nodes, support for any number of Python builds, restorable environments, and more. Download the ActivePython vs Anaconda comparison sheet to understand how ActiveState provides more for less when it comes to your organization’s Python needs.
ActiveState has been providing commercially-supported Python distributions for more than twenty years. To help automate the creation of our distributions, we created the ActiveState Platform, which contains a vetted set of Python packages imported from the Python Package Index (PyPI).
Using the ActiveState Platform, we’ve built a distribution similar to Anaconda, but with a number of key differences.
Anaconda-DatasheetAdvantage #1 – Support For Any Package At No Extra Charge
Add any package to your Python environment from our extensive catalog, which contains almost the entirety of PyPI. Need to add “extra” packages like Spacy, Keras, Tkinter, Selenium, or Dash? No charge.
Advantage #2 – More Production Nodes For Less
An ActiveState Platform subscription provides licensed nodes at the Team, Business and Enterprise tiers. On average, ActiveState production nodes are half the cost of an Anaconda node, which means your license dollars go further.
Advantage #3 – Automatically Build Packages
Rather than manually building packages like TensorFlow, Django or Plotly using conda forge, the ActiveState Platform can automatically build them and their dependencies (including linked C and Fortran libraries) for Windows, Mac and Linux. No need to maintain your own build environments.
Advantage #4 – Support For Any Number Of Python Builds
ActiveState provides free access to a library of prebuilt Python environments for creating everything from trading bots to blockchains to web applications. Or just use the ActiveState Platform to build an environment tailored to your specific project – it’s all included.
Advantage #5 – Restorable Environments
If you’ve ever experienced a corrupted environment you know how frustrating troubleshooting and/or reinstalling it can be. The ActiveState Platform saves a snapshot of every Python environment you create (including transitive dependencies like those at the OS level), so you can roll back to a previously working version with ease.
Advantage #6 – OEM Licensing
Need to embed Python in your application? You can license ActivePython royalty-free for redistribution with your application. A standard, out-of-the-box solution makes it easier for your customers to get started, and simpler for your Tech Support team to support.
Advantage #7 – Indemnification
Worried about IP infringement lawsuits? ActiveState’s indemnification offering can provide you with the level of protection from legal exposure your company needs so you can ship your code worry free.
Advantage #8 – Commercial Support Terms
At half the annual cost, ActiveState provides a lot of value beyond just the price tag:
| ActiveState Team Tier | Anaconda Starter | |
|---|---|---|
| Support Pricing (Annual) | $4,560* | $10,000 |
| Implementation Fee | N/A | $2,500 |
| Critical Updates | Yes | Yes |
| Additional Packages | Any | No |
| Pricing Per User (Annual) | Includes up to 20 | Includes up to 5 |
| Pricing Per Node (Annual) | Includes up to 5 | Includes up to 5 |
| Support | Email and Chat | Community |
| Package Builds | Automated | Manually via Conda Forge |
| Pre-Built Distributions | Multiple | Two: Anaconda & Miniconda |
ActiveState also has comparable offerings at the Anaconda Scale and Strategic levels, as well.
*Note: June 21, 2021 onwards we’ve changed how we distribute, license, and price our products and services. Read more about the changes here. or view our pricing page for the latest information about the different tiers.
Each version of ActivePython for Anaconda Users comes with a version of Python, as well as most of the packages included in the Anaconda Individual Edition. Download ActivePython for Anaconda for free today for Windows or Linux.
ActiveState also has comparable offerings at the Anaconda Scale and Strategic levels, as well. For more information on pricing, refer to our ActiveState Platform Pricing or else contact Sales.