Fivetran Alternatives: 13 Popular Fivetran Competitors You Need to Know

Given the variety of business applications available to organizations today, data integration, specifically extract, load, transform (ELT) and extract, transform, load (ETL) processes, are more important than ever. Data integration allows organizations to consolidate data from their diverse sources into one or more locations for analysis and reporting to gain valuable insights. Fivetran is an example of a data integration service that automates the movement of data from source systems directly into a data warehouse. Fivetran includes key features, including a library of connectors, automated schema migrations, and strong security measures.

However, there are several disadvantages to Fivetran, and this article explores other data integration services and solutions that might better meet an organization's needs or budget constraints.

Why would you need a Fivetran alternative?

Fivetran is a prominent player in the data integration landscape, but like any technology, it has its limitations, which may lead some users to explore alternatives.

Unidirectional data flow

Fivetran primarily supports the flow of data in one direction: From source systems to a data warehouse. Organizations requiring complex data integration patterns, such as syncing data across multiple platforms or locations, may find this limitation restrictive.

Limited data management capabilities

Users looking for advanced data management features like data quality checks, complex transformations, or data cleansing may need to look beyond Fivetran or add additional tools to their data stack.

Potentially costly pay-as-you-go pricing

Fivetran uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model, which may not be cost-effective for smaller businesses or those with highly variable data usage, leading them to seek more predictable, flat-rate alternatives.

Lack of data flexibility

Users have limited control over how data is handled and transformed within Fivetran. The tool focuses on simplifying the data pipeline by automating many processes, which can restrict users who need custom data manipulations or specific transformations.

Only provides ELT capabilities, not ETL

Fivetran is designed to support the ELT process, where data is loaded into the data warehouse before any transformations occur. For scenarios where data must be transformed before loading due, the lack of traditional ETL capabilities can be a significant drawback.

Top 13 Fivetran alternatives in 2024

Below is a comparative look at some of the top alternatives to Fivetran in 2024, focusing on key features, target audience, pricing, ease of use, supported connectors, and unique functionalities or limitations.

CData Sync

CData Sync provides a straightforward way to replicate data from various sources to a database, data warehouse, or data lake. Predictable, connection-based pricing and more flexible pricing make it a logical alternative for organizations looking for replication across diverse sources of data.

Matillion

Matillion targets enterprises utilizing cloud data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, and Redshift, offering robust ETL capabilities and rich transformation tools. It’s particularly useful for complex data workflows that require transformations before loading, which can be a limitation with Fivetran’s ELT-focused approach. However, Matillion can be pricier and requires a heavy technical lift to implement.

Talend

Talend serves medium to large enterprises with a suite that includes data integration, integrity, and governance. It offers greater customization and comprehensive data processing capabilities, suited for detailed transformations prior to data loading—providing an alternative for users finding Fivetran’s automated but less flexible model restrictive.

Airbyte

Airbyte is an open-source data integration engine perfect for teams desiring customization and control over their data pipelines. It supports extensive data sources and is generally less expensive than Fivetran. However, it requires more setup and ongoing maintenance effort.

Hevo

Hevo provides a no-code, real-time data pipeline platform that’s easy to set up and is aimed at startups and mid-sized companies. It offers a simpler, more user-friendly interface and competitive pricing compared to Fivetran, though it may lack some of the advanced features.

Rivery

Rivery offers cloud-based data integration, emphasizing agility in data ingestion, transformation, and orchestration. It is designed for businesses seeking comprehensive data management tools and might offer more in terms of orchestration and automation than Fivetran, potentially at a better price point.

Keboola

Keboola is a flexible, cloud automation platform integrating well with analytics and BI tools. It allows for more hands-on data workflow management, making it a good choice for companies that need to frequently adjust their data processes, offering a different approach from Fivetran’s more streamlined service.

Stitch

Stitch is an accessible ETL service for small to medium businesses that prioritizes ease of use and quick setup. While typically less expensive and easier to deploy than Fivetran, it might not support as many advanced automated features or custom connector capabilities.

Meltano

Meltano is suitable for data teams favoring an open-source, highly customizable toolchain. It’s adaptable and developer-focused, making it a versatile alternative to Fivetran for those needing extensive customization in their data processes.

Segment

Segment specializes in real-time customer data integration, connecting data to analytics and marketing platforms. It's particularly well-suited for businesses focused on customer relationship management, offering capabilities that differ from Fivetran’s general data integration services.

Dataddo

Dataddo offers a straightforward, no-code platform for data extraction and transformation, targeting small to medium businesses needing simple, flexible solutions. It’s user-friendly and competitively priced, with less emphasis on large-scale operations compared to Fivetran.

Integrate.io

Integrate.io caters to medium and large enterprises with its extensive ETL capabilities and support for complex data workflows, providing a robust alternative for detailed data transformation needs where Fivetran may fall short.

Datameer

Datameer is known for its spreadsheet-like interface that simplifies data integration and analytics, ideal for analysts and business users preferring a direct, hands-on approach. It provides more interactive data manipulation capabilities than Fivetran’s automated processes.

CData Sync: A powerful alternative to Fivetran

CData Sync is built for high-volume ETL & ELT (with support for SQL and dbt transformations) into every popular database, data lake, and data warehouse. CData Sync's custom engineered connectivity to more than 300 SaaS applications, relational and non-relational data stores, and on-premises services paired with a predictable pricing model and flexible deployment options make it an option for most organizations looking to build or modernize a data strategy that involves replication.

Want to hear it from a customer? Join us May 9 for a live webinar with Anthony Neu of Manhattan Assoicates!