Capabilities and workflow
| Criterion | StayCharted AI Model Trainer | Amazon SageMaker Canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | Business and operations teams training and using category models; developers can integrate predictions through the API.StayCharted documentation | Business analysts using a visual no-code interface, with IT administrators managing the AWS environment.Business users and administrators · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Setup and technical involvement | Create a StayCharted workspace and upload labeled examples. No customer-managed ML infrastructure is needed for the hosted workflow. API integration requires development work.StayCharted documentation | Set up an AWS account, SageMaker domain and permissions. Quick setup is available; administrators configure access, storage, encryption and networking as needed.Canvas setup · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Tasks | Text classification; image classification with Vision. No numeric prediction or time-series forecasting.StayCharted documentation | Text, image and tabular classification; numeric prediction and time-series forecasting.Custom model types · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Spreadsheet inputs | CSV or XLSX files with input columns and an approved category column.StayCharted documentation | CSV, Parquet or tables. AWS does not list XLSX in its tabular import formats; export an Excel sheet to CSV.Supported imports · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Images | Separate image models trained from categorized pictures; paid Vision add-on.StayCharted documentation | Custom single-label image models using JPG or PNG data.Image models · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Evaluation | Accuracy reports on examples not used in training, category-level results and incorrect predictions to inspect.StayCharted documentation | Model performance evaluation before making predictions.Model evaluation · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Using predictions | Fill files; call the API on Essentials and up. Publish a trained version for use.StayCharted documentation | Single or batch predictions; deployment to a SageMaker AI hosted endpoint.Prediction and deployment · checked October 8, 2026 |
| Billing | Free plan and paid workspace plans with allowances; Vision priced separately.StayCharted documentation | AWS lists workspace time at $1.90/hour and custom text/image prediction time at $0.408/hour. Training and other resources cost extra. Its two-month trial includes up to 160 workspace hours/month; check region, eligibility and current rates.Pricing structure · checked October 8, 2026 |
Buying through AWS
StayCharted is hosted on AWS and available through AWS Marketplace. Your team uses StayCharted’s hosted application; it does not need to provision a SageMaker or Comprehend environment.
Fit by requirement
StayCharted
A team needs category predictions from labeled files, with evaluation, review and publishing in the same application.
SageMaker Canvas
Business analysts who need broader predictive modeling in AWS, with someone responsible for AWS setup, permissions and resource costs.
Before choosing
Test both workflows on the same separate examples. Compare category errors, review effort, integration and total operating cost.
StayCharted plans and workflow
Free covers text and includes up to one AI Classifier Model. Essentials is $49/month and Business is $99/month per workspace. Pictures require Vision: +$49/month on Essentials or +$99/month on Business. Dedicated AI Models require Business. Prices are USD.
- Every training run reports accuracy on examples not used to train the model, overall and by category. Answers include confidence.
- Data-quality checks and personal-information masking before text training are available on every plan.
- On Essentials and Business, answers below your review cutoff go to a Review Queue. Grouping unlabeled examples into suggested categories is also included; pictures require Vision.
- Picture checks flag near-duplicates and potentially mislabeled examples. Location metadata is stripped from the copies used by the model; original uploads are retained unchanged until deletion.
StayCharted is a hosted service, with no on-premises application deployment or trained-model import. Standard workspace exports do not contain runnable models. Under Terms §6.3, an Owner can download a Dedicated model adapter after moving to a plan that no longer trains Dedicated models; running it elsewhere requires the exact base model and your own inference software.
Compare plans and allowances · Export conditions · Data handling
Common questions
Is SageMaker Canvas for business users or developers?
Canvas is designed to let business analysts build and use models without writing code. Its AWS environment still needs account, domain and permissions setup, which can be handled by an IT administrator. Separate day-to-day model use from the technical work of managing that environment.
Does SageMaker Canvas train models without code?
Yes. SageMaker Canvas provides a visual no-code model-building workflow. StayCharted also provides no-code training; no-code access alone does not distinguish the products.
Can SageMaker Canvas import an XLSX workbook directly?
No. StayCharted does not import trained model files. Prepare your labeled examples, train a new model and evaluate it on a separate test set.
Which is cheaper for a classification workload?
There is no universal cost winner. Compare training frequency, data preparation, prediction volume, hosting and administrative effort. StayCharted plan allowances and AWS resource-based billing use different units.
Is StayCharted more accurate than SageMaker Canvas?
No head-to-head benchmark is provided here. Evaluate both on the same separate test examples and compare category-level errors and review requirements.