Top 10 CData Alternatives & Competitors: NEW (July 2023)

Not all ELT tools are created equal - but if you're in the market for one, chances are you've come across CData software.

Rather than a single application, CData is a platform with a suite of tools for various types of data tasks, including ELT, ETL, and Reverse ETL.

But CData isn’t perfect. Support for long-tail ETL connectors can be challenging, and building a complete data pipeline can be complex since each component is sold separately.

There are several worthwhile CData alternatives to consider before choosing the right ETL tool. Today we’ll look at CData’s top 10 competitors.

CData overview

CData is one of the most complete data integration platforms on the market. Its suite includes tools for data visualization, data connectivity, cloud connectivity, ELT, ETL, Reverse ETL, and more.
Because it’s all bundled in the same suite, you can reduce the total number of tools in your tech stack to be more efficient.
CData software tools work with APIs and SaaS tools (including Salesforce, Oracle, HubSpot, SAP, and AWS) as well as NoSQL and big data sources using the most popular types of data connectors (including ODBC, JDBC, Python, and ADO.NET).
CData supports major cloud data warehouses including Snowflake, Amazon Redshift, Google BigQuery, and Microsoft Azure Synapse.
CData also has a unique offer that you won’t find with most competitors: the company will create all the custom integrations you need in 90 days.
For teams without the resources to develop their own data connectors, this is the next-best option after a plug-and-play platform.
However, CData’s pricing can be complex, since each tool is included separately.
It can be hard to find the community support and documentation you need.
For those who opt for the 90-day custom integration offer, there aren’t details on how CData will maintain those connectors when their underlying APIs inevitably change.

CData pricing

Standard: $49/month (one data source)
Professional: $99/month (limited to five data sources)
Enterprise: $199/month (limited to 10 data sources; custom pricing for more than 10 sources)

Each additional tool has separate pricing and plans.

CData’s key features

250+ real time data source connectors (called “drivers”)
90-day done-for-you custom integration setup option
Universal API Driver to connect to data sources not prebuilt
Complete suite of tools for a huge variety of data processing needs
Cloud-based and on-premise options available
SQL gateway that makes sources look and behave like a SQL server

CData's drawbacks

Pricing can add up for teams that need to use several tools in the CData suite
Reviews say user documentation can be difficult to understand
Data connectors don’t fully support custom fields
Uses proprietary column names that lock you into the platform

Top 10 CData alternatives

Portable
Matillion
Rivery
Hevo
Airbyte
Meltano
Stitch
Segment
Fivetran
Precog

1. Portable

Portable builds and mantains the long-tail connectors you won’t find on CData or anywhere else.

Portable connects to 250+ data sources to Snowflake, RedShift, BigQuery, Postgresql and provides ongoing maintenance for bespoke integrations.

Portable also works fast, turning around new connectors within days or sometimes even hours—a significant difference compared to CData’s 90-day custom connector option.

Portable pricing

Manual: Unlimited data sources including destinations, volumes, and sources using manual sync
Scheduled data flow: $200 per data flow with unlimited sources, destinations, and volumes
Custom: Talk to sales team

What’s included with Portable?

250+ data source connectors
Support for major cloud-based data warehouses
Unlimited data sources, destinations, and volumes (even on the free plan)
Development and maintenance for new data sources included
Personalized support with fast response times

Prebuilt connectors

Portable has 250 pre-built connectors ready to go. These focus on long-tail connectors, as opposed to the major data sources you’ll find with major competitors like CData.

Custom connectors

Portable’s strength is creating and maintaining custom connectors. Just request new data sources and the Portable team will develop an integration at no extra cost. And Portable does ongoing maintenance as well, so your team won’t be responsible for updates if the existing API changes.

Maintenance and support

Portable provides 24/7 customer support.

Pros

Unlimited data and transparent pricing
All connectors available to try indefinitely and with no volume limitations, including on the free manual plan
More than 250 long-tail connections other manufacturers don’t support
Customization and ongoing support for custom connectors at no extra cost

Cons

Supported integrations limited to long-tail data sources, leaving out large and popular apps like Salesforce or QuickBooks
Limited support for database sources
Only available to customers in the United States

Who is Portable best suited for?

Portable is best for teams that need support for one or more long-tail data sources but don’t have the internal resources to create (and maintain) those connectors.

2. Matillion

Matillion is an established data pipeline company that focuses on enterprise customers. It’s a close CData Sync alternative because of its plans—Matillion offers SaaS cloud-based and on-premise deployment options as well.

Matillion pricing

Free: Limited to 1 million rows per month
Basic: $2.00/credit
Advanced: $2.50/credit
Enterprise: $2.70/credit

What’s included with Matillion?

110+ data source connectors
On-premise and SaaS deployments available
GUI for cloud data transformation
Consumption-based pricing model
Integration with Matillion Data Loader and Matillion ETL

Prebuilt connectors

Matillion includes 110+ connectors. Matillion’s two products—Data Loader and ETL—don’t support the same set of data sources.

Custom connectors

Matillion doesn’t support long-tail data sources. Customers can use the GUI to build simple API integrations, but will be responsible for ongoing maintenance.

Maintenance and support

Matillion offers a support portal for clients. Like CData, Matillion can require less maintenance since it’s all built into the same tech stack.

Pros

Strong built-in data transformation capabilities
On-premise and SaaS options
Easier to establish data governance best practices since Matillion handles all steps in the data pipeline

Cons

Matillion’s graphic user interface for transformations can be a bit difficult to master
There are fewer data connections than some competitors—CData supports more than twice as many
Since integrations are focused on Matillion’s internal tools there are less robust integrations with third-party data pipeline platforms

Who is Matillion best suited for?

Matillion is a good choice for enterprises that appreciate CData features like a suite of tools and on-premise deployment but need a low-code or no-code option.

3. Rivery

Rivery is a cloud-based SaaS ELT solution that uses no-code ELT scripts called “rivers.” In addition to a code-free GUI, users can also create connectors using the native Python integration.

Rivery pricing

Starter: $0.75 per credit
Professional: $1.20 per credit
Enterprise: Custom pricing
One credit equals 1 API pipeline execution, 100 MB of data replication, or one logic or transformation execution
14-day free trial

What’s included with Rivery?

200+ built-in data source connectors
15+ data destinations
24/7 customer support
Transformations, logic and capabilities for Reverse ETL
Data starter kits to get up and running quickly

Prebuilt connectors

Rivery provides 200+ pre-built connectors, all of which are included across all plans.

Custom connectors

The Rivery Custom API feature lets you import data from any source. Rivery can also create custom data connectors upon request, though it’s unclear how long this takes or how requests are prioritized.

Maintenance and support

Rivery provides global 24/7 support, and a dedicated customer support agent for higher-tier plans. Rivery is praised for its customer support, earning an 9.8/10 score on G2 (the industry average is 8.5).

Pros

Detailed API support for developers
Prebuilt “rivers” can help you set up an operational data pipeline in a matter of hours
Third-party recognition for exceptional customer support

Cons

Pricing can be hard to predict from one month to the next
Limited support for custom connectors and long-tail data sources
Alerts and error notifications can be hard to understand and act on
Visual-only integrations dashboard can be hard to navigate when dealing with complex scripts

Who is Rivery best suited for?

Rivery is ideal for teams with a lack of technical knowledge that need to get started quickly.

4. Hevo

Hevo is a no-code bidirectional data platform built to eliminate data silos. Like CData, Hevo supports ELT, ETL, and Reverse ETL workflows. Hevo has built-in transformations through its native Python integration.

Hevo pricing

Free: One million events (limited to 50+ data connectors)
Starter: Starts at $239/month
Business: Custom quote

Hevo Activate pricing for reverse ETL workflows

Free: Access to 4 data warehouses and 3 SaaS targets
Starter: $199/month (limited to 4 data warehouses and 4 SaaS targets)
Business: Contact sales
Flexible pricing

What’s included with Hevo?

150+ data connectors (only 50+ are available on the free plan)
Python data transformation support
Real-time data migration
24/7 live support

Prebuilt connectors

Hevo offers 150+ data connectors (only 50+ are available in the free plan).

Custom connectors

You’ll need to develop connectors to any long-tail data sources yourself, using Hevo’s Webhooks data source or REST API. You’ll be responsible for ongoing maintenance.

Maintenance and support

Hevo offers round-the-clock support that’s been praised by customers.

Pros

Hevo supports ETL, ELT, and Reverse ETL workloads
Complete automation with no-code interface
More affordable pricing when compared with other platforms

Cons

Not much support for long-tail connectors
Limited control of the frequency of data ingestion and loading
Manual mapping is required for changes between different tools

Who is Hevo best suited for?

Smaller businesses that make use of the most well-known data sources and need an easy-to-use ETL (or ELT) tool.

5. Airbyte

Airbyte is an open-source data integration tool and a relative newcomer founded in 2020. Airbyte offers a paid SaaS plan as well as its free open-source option for companies that host the software themselves.

Airbyte pricing

Open source: Free, as you’ll be hosting the software yourself
Cloud: $2.50/credit (one million rows equal 6 credits; 1 GB equals 4 credits)
Cloud high volume: Custom pricing for users who need more than 5,000 credits

What’s included with Airbyte?

170+ data connectors (not all are available on the cloud service)
Open-source solution with CDK
Change data capture support for databases
Support for both data warehouse and data lakes as destinations
Credit-based pricing or free self-hosted option
Warehouse data transformation capabilities

Prebuilt connectors

Airbyte currently has more than 170 connectors available on its open-source platform. Not all are currently available on the cloud service but likely will be added in the near future.

Custom connectors

You can request custom connectors through the Airbyte website, however they’ll likely prioritize those with the most use cases. To code new connectors yourself you’ll need to master the Airbyte protocols and build and maintain the integration yourself.

Maintenance and support

Airbyte has a community that’s 12,000 users strong. For customers of its paid SaaS plan, Airbyte offers in-app chat support with a one-hour response time.

Pros

Engineer-focused platform with a CDK to accelerate connector development
Open-source platform with a large and supportive community
Support for 20 destinations, more than more competitors

Cons

If you need long-tail connectors, you’ll need to create and maintain them yourself
For users who chose the paid plans, the credit-based pricing model can be hard to predict from one month to the next
Cloud service doesn’t have all the connectors you’ll find in the open-source option, including major omissions like WordPress, Google Analytics 4, and Apache Kafka

Who is Airbyte best suited for?

Airbyte is best for teams that have the technical knowledge and capacity to create and maintain new connectors using Airbyte’s CDK.

6. Meltano

Meltano is an open-source data platform that’s built with a code-first mindset. It’s reliant on the Singer protocol and has its own team that maintains the most popular connectors.

Meltano pricing

At the moment, Meltano only offers an open-source version of its platform. However, Meltano is in the process of developing a SaaS solution with a projected launch date in 2023.

What’s included with Meltano?

300+ connectors built in
Integration with Singer format for data source connectors
Open-source platform with MIT license
Integrated version control with Git

Prebuilt connectors

Meltano has 300+ connectors that are ready to use out of the box.

Custom connectors

You’ll need to develop and maintain your own custom connectors. Meltano offers an SDK and integrates with the Singer protocol, which can speed up development.

Maintenance and support

Meltano currently doesn’t offer paid support, but probably will once it launches its SaaS product. There is a small-but-growing community you can go to for help with Meltano.

Pros

Open-source platform is free to use if you host it yourself
Programming best practices are built-in
Separate staging and development environments
Singer library gives you access to more connectors and can speed up custom development

Cons

Meltano is heavily focused on programmers and doesn’t have a no-code or low-code option
There isn’t a managed SaaS product yet, which also means there’s no official support
Singer connectors can break without warning, and Meltano doesn’t guarantee ongoing maintenance

Who is Meltano best suited for?

Meltano is best for teams with technical expertise looking for a platform that’s built with programmers in mind.

7. Stitch

Stitch is a BI tool owned by Talend. Stitch seeks to streamline data management with features like automated alerts and monitoring. It supports data transformations using Java, SQL, Python, the Stitch user interface, or a third-party engine.

Stitch pricing

Standard: Starts at $100/month (limited to five million active monthly rows, one destination, and 10 sources)
Advanced: $1250/month (limited to 100 million rows and three destinations)
Premium: $2500/month (limited to one billion rows and five destinations)
14-day free trial

What’s included with Stitch?

130+ data source connectors
Integration with Singer open-source data connector protocol
Support for popular warehouses and data lakes
Integration with other Talend tools

Prebuilt connectors

Stitch includes 130+ data sources. Not all are available for all plans—some are considered “Enterprise” sources and are only available on the Premium and Advanced plans.

Custom connectors

Stitch has its own REST API and integrates with Singer for open-source data connections. This makes development more flexible, but your team will still be responsible for creating and maintaining long-tail connectors.

Maintenance and support

Stitch provides email and chat support to all customers during normal business hours. Some customers may be eligible for phone support as well as a dedicated Customer Success Manager.

Pros

Robust transformations, especially nested JSON
Quick setup in a matter of minutes
Helpful customer support
Works well with Talend suite of data tools

Cons

Usage-based pricing is complex and can be hard to predict
Customer support is limited for customers on the standard plan
If you use Singer connections, they aren’t maintained by Stitch and can break without warning

Who is Stitch best suited for?

Stitch is best for teams already using tools in the Talend ecosystem, or that are familiar with Singer or the Stitch API for developing custom connectors.

8. Segment

Segment is a platform for customer data. Unlike CData and the other competitors on this list, Segment is exclusively focused on customer data, giving it some unique strengths but also limited use cases.

Segment pricing

Free: 1,000 visitors per month and two data sources
Team: $120/month for up to 10,000 monthly users
Business: Custom pricing

What’s included with Segment?

300+ connectors
Data management and debugging features built-in
Support for customer-centric features like embedding pixels, segmentation of users based on the customer journey, and more
Export of user information to marketing tools and CRMs

Prebuilt connectors

Segment includes 300+ built-in connectors which are included on all plans, including the free plan.

Custom connectors

Segment includes a Functions tool that lets users integrate custom data sources.

Maintenance and support

Segment offers three levels of support across its plans: Standard, Advanced, and Premium, with enhanced support available as an add-on for Business plan members.

Pros

User-friendly and easy-to-use
Affordable pricing and a generous free plan
Segment offers several unique features for customer data that set it apart from competitors

Cons

Segment’s focus on user data means it’s not very applicable to other use cases like BI
Pricing based on monthly visitors can be expensive for companies with large numbers of anonymous visitors
Not all connectors extract all available API data

Who is Segment best suited for?

Segment is best for teams who only work with customer data.

9. Fivetran

Fivetran is one of the oldest ELT tools, having been on the market since 2012. It offers a premium service for larger enterprise clients and has focused on the most widely used data sources.

Fivetran pricing

Standard Select: Est. $60/month (limited to one user and 500k active monthly rows)
Starter: Est. $120/month (limited to 10 users)
Standard: Est. $180/month
Enterprise: Est. $240/month
Business Critical: Contact sales
A 14-day free trial is available

What’s included with Fivetran?

Native warehouse transformation
Robust and feature-rich support for the largest enterprise apps
Change data capture for database replication

Prebuilt connectors

Fivetran connects to 160+ data sources, which represent the most popular enterprise platforms.

Custom connectors

You can request custom data connectors through Fivetran, but there’s no insight into how requests are prioritized or how long they take. You can design your own connectors, but REST API access is not available on all plans.

Maintenance and support

Fivetran provides 24/7 support for all customers. Higher tier plans are provided with SLAs.

Pros

Integrations with the most popular data sources
One of the most established data platforms that’s earned the trust of several major companies
Real-time or near-real-time data synchronization

Cons

More expensive than other tools available in the market
Complex pricing model that can be difficult to understand and forecast
Limited support for long-tail data sources and no guarantee custom requests will be developed quickly (or at all)
No support for ETL workloads, only ELT

Who is Fivetran best suited for?

Fivetran is best for large enterprises with a sizable budget looking to work with popular data sources.

10. Precog

Precog takes an innovative approach to ELT using artificial intelligence. The platform uses an AI engine to create connectors, offering a no-code platform that can integrate with new data sources quickly.

Precog pricing

You’ll need to request a demo or free trial to find pricing for Precog. The price is based on the number of data sources you need.

What’s included with Precog?

10,000+ data sources built-in
Support for more than 100 destinations
SaaS or on-premise deployment available
No-code solution that doesn’t require technical expertise

Prebuilt connectors

Precog provides over 10,000 data sources—thousands more than CData and every other competitor on this list.

Custom connectors

According to Precog, you can build new data connectors in minutes using its AI engine. You can also request new connectors from Precog, and they’ll deliver within 48 hours.

Maintenance and support

Precog’s support plans are customized to your team’s specific needs.

Pros

More data sources out-of-the-box than with any other platform
Straightforward, no-surprises pricing based on data sources used
Unique feature to let anyone create new data connectors without using code
SaaS and on-premise solutions available

Cons

Platform is fairly new and has a small user base
No-code, AI-based platform can limit teams looking for more complete control over integrations
Connector-based pricing can get expensive for teams that need support for lots of data sources

Who is Precog best suited for?

Precog is best for teams looking for a code-free solution that works with a huge number of data sources.

CData Alternatives: The Bottom Line

CData is a popular choice with a large number of connectors, a done-for-you service, and a comprehensive suite of ELT, ETL, and Reverse ETL tools.

But CData isn’t the best fit for every team. It uses proprietary field names that lock you into the software. Creating a full data ecosystem in CData can be complex. And the 90-day setup offer is relatively slow, likely costly, and probably won’t cover ongoing maintenance.

There are other options that offer more tailored support to set up and maintain new data connectors.

Looking for the best CData alternative?

Get started with Portable today.