Top 10 Matillion Alternatives & Competitors (July 2023)

Matillion is a popular ELT tool, but it may not be right for every business.

The right ETL solution enables you to collect insights from the data you collect. But the wrong platform can leave you stuck with poor data quality and disjointed sources.

So, is Matillion the right data ingestion tool for your business needs?

Today we'll break down its key advantages, notable downsides, and share the 10 top Matillion alternatives that might be a better fit for your organization.

Is Matillion your best option?

Matillion is a data aggregation and ELT tool that focuses on large businesses. Matillion is made of two separate tools: Matillion Data Loader and Matillion ETL.

Confusingly, Matillion does not actually offer an ETL tool at all---it simply calls its ELT tool "Matillion ETL" because it's a more common term.

Unlike most tools that only offer a managed SaaS solution, Matillion features an on-premise deployment option as well. It's also a platform with an all-in-one solution that includes both data extraction and data transformation.

That said, Matillion has some serious downsides. Its pricing model is fairly outdated, with a credit-based (hourly) structure that can be hard to predict from one month to the next.

Matillion users also run the risk of vendor lock-in, since it's built as an all-in-one platform and doesn't integrate as well with third-party tools.

And perhaps most critically, Matillion only has 110+ data source connectors---one of the smallest libraries among best-in-class ETL/ELT tools.

Matillion pricing

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

Matillion's key features

Native GUI-based data transformation features that are very robust and help teams organize queries and relationships
Both managed SaaS and on-premise deployment solutions available
Combined platform with both data loading and transformation capabilities make it easier to implement best data security and data governance practices
Supports major destinations including Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics, and Databricks

Matillion's drawbacks

Only 110+ data connectors built in
GUI-based transformation interface can be intimidating at first
Only supports ELT workflows, so businesses looking for ETL need to find another solution
Credit-based pricing that can be hard to understand and predict month-to-month
Vendor lock-in due to Matillion being an all-in-one solution with fewer integrations with other third-party tools

Top 10 Matillion alternatives

Portable
CData
Hevo
Rivery
Fivetran
Segment
Precog
Airbyte
Meltano
Stitch

1. Portable

Portable is a platform that offers support for the data connectors you won't find with Matillion.

With Portable, you not only get access to all existing connectors (built for long-tail sources most major platforms don't offer), but you can request custom connectors.

The Portable team can turn around new connectors in a few days or even a few hours, and maintains them indefinitely at no extra cost.

Portable pricing

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

What's included with Portable?

250+ data source connectors
Support for major cloud data warehouses
No limits on destinations, sources, or volumes---even on free manual plan
Creation of new data connectors at no extra cost
Premium customer support on all plans

Prebuilt connectors

Portable comes with 250+ prebuilt connectors, more than twice as many as Matillion. All the connectors are available on all plans.

Custom connectors

Portable develops and maintains brand new long-tail connectors upon request, at no extra charge.

Maintenance and support

Portable provides top-quality support for all customers without extra fees or add-ons required.

Pros

More than 250 connectors, designed around the long-tail sources Matillion and other tools tend to ignore
Pricing per data flow is transparent and simple to forecast from month to month
Full-featured free plan lets you experiment with and use all connectors free of charge, with no caps on volume or number of data sources
Bespoke connectors built and maintained for free

Cons

Portable focuses on long-tail connectors and doesn't support common data sources like Salesforce or QuickBooks
Doesn't support databases as sources
Only available in the U.S.

Who is Portable best suited for?

Portable is ideal for businesses who need less-common connectors, but don't have the ability (or desire) to code and maintain those connectors on their own.

2. CData

CData is a set of data tools designed for universal connectivity. Like Matillion, CData is a data integration platform that can handle several features with a broad suite of tools for ELT, ETL, visualization, data connectivity, and more.

CDdata 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)

What's included with CData?

250+ connectors (CData calls these "drivers")
CData suite of software tools including Arc, Sync, and Connect Cloud
Speed optimized for data sources
Access for NoSQL data types as if they were SQL
Support for all kinds of workflows including ETL, ELT, and Reverse ETL
Both cloud-based SaaS product and on-premises deployments available

Prebuilt connectors

CData provides more than 250 data connectors (drivers) built-in.

Custom connectors

If you want access to a data source not supported natively by CData, you can use the CData Universal API Driver to create a new connector.

Maintenance and support

CData provides email support on all plans and offers additional levels of support for customers on higher tiers.

Pros

Simple per-source pricing for data extraction
Built-in connectors for a wide array of well-known data sources
Like Matillion, an all-in-one suite of tools that can handle most types of data ingestion workflows
Option for on-premise data platform deployment

Cons

Using an entire suite instead of a stack of individual tools can make it harder to determine pricing
Reviewers have said that documentation can be difficult to understand and use
All-in-one platform can mean it's more challenging to integrate third-party tools
Limited support for custom fields

Who is CData best suited for?

CData is a great fit for teams looking for an all-in-one platform for managing an entire data pipeline.

3. Hevo

Hevo is a cloud data integration tool that comes with built-in transformation capabilities. It's a no-code platform and supports ETL, ELT, and reverse ETL workflows.

Hevo pricing

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

For Reverse ETL workflows, businesses will need to use Hevo Activate:

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 (free plan is limited to 50+ connectors)
Real-time data migration capabilities
Built-in data transformations through Python
Live, round-the-clock support

Prebuilt connectors

The free Hevo plan includes 50+ data connectors. Paid plans include 150+.

Custom connectors

You can design an individual connector using Hevo's REST API. You can also connect to long-tail data sources through its Webhooks API.

Maintenance and support

Hevo offers 24/7 customer support on all plan types. Starter plans include live chat support, while Business users have access to a dedicated account manager.

Pros

Support for all workflows, including ETL, ELT, and Reverse ETL pipelines
No-code platform doesn't require programming expertise
Generous free plan for businesses that use well-known data sources and only need up to a million events

Cons

Limited support for long-tail connectors, especially on the free plan
Pricing based on usage can be challenging to forecast month-to-month
Transfers between tools can require manual mapping

Who is Hevo best suited for?

Hevo is the best Matillion alternative for teams that use common data sources and need a no-code platform.

4. Rivery

Rivery is a SaaS ELT big data orchestration platform that offers both a no-code and code option. You can build Rivery ELT scripts, called "rivers," using a GUI or with Python.

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+ data sources
15+ supported data management destinations
24/7 customer support
Full support for ELT, Reverse ELT, and transformations
Self-service starter kits with common data connections and transformations already set up

Prebuilt connectors

Rivery currently has over 200 connectors that are pre-built and available to use on any plan.

Custom connectors

You can create a new data sources with the Rivery Custom API. The Rivery team can also design custom data connectors upon request.

Maintenance and support

Rivery is well-known in the business for its customer support, scoring 9.8 at G2 (compared to an industry average of 8.5). The level of support depends on your plan.

Pros

Comprehensive API support for development teams
Starter kits and a no-code GUI makes it simple to create new data pipelines without technical knowledge
Recognized for its excellent customer service

Cons

Pricing based on credits is complicated and can be difficult to estimate ahead of time
GUI can become too cumbersome for complex connections and data sets
Error messages are often ambiguous and can make it difficult to determine (and fix) the issue

Who is Rivery best suited for?

Rivery is ideal for teams that are looking for a no-code option that's fast to set up.

5. Fivetran

Fivetran is one of the most established ETL and business intelligence tools. Fivetran focuses on larger enterprises.

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?

160+ data connectors
Robust support for the largest and most well-known enterprise applications
Native warehouse transformation that's especially efficient with complex data models
Replication using change data capture

Prebuilt connectors

Fivetran provides more than 160 data source connectors.

Custom connectors

You can request custom data connectors through the Fivetran website, but the development time is slow. You can also design your own connectors, but you won't be able to access the Fivetran REST API unless using the Standard Select plan or higher.

Maintenance and support

Fivetran provides 24/7 support on all its plans. The more expensive plans have SLAs available.

Pros

One of the most reliable data integration platforms, trusted by some of the biggest players across industries
Integrations with the biggest corporate sources and destinations
Near-real-time or real-time data sync

Cons

More expensive than other Matillion alternatives
Complex pricing model that can vary month to month and be hard to predict
There isn't a lot of support of long-tail connectors for data and there's a slim chance they'll be developed by the company itself
Fivetran does not support ETL workloads, which means that companies using ETL will require an alternative tool

Who is Fivetran best suited for?

Businesses that make use of the most widely-available data sources and have more resources for an enterprise-level data integration tool.

6. Segment

Segment is an ETL platform for customer data. This emphasis gives Segment a number of unique characteristics, including merging personas and segmentation based on the customer journey.

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+ data sources
Tools for managing data and debugging
User profiles, customer segments, and pixel embedding
Export functionality to CRM and marketing tools and platforms

Prebuilt connectors

Segment offers 300+ connectors that are included in all plans.

Custom connectors

Segment comes with a built-in Functions tool to develop custom connectors. Your team is responsible for the development and maintenance of these connectors.

Maintenance and support

Each plan comes with Standard support. Segment provides additional levels of support that you can add on for a fee.

Pros

Simple and easy-to-use user interface
Integrated tool to connect with and load data from new sources
Unique features for segmenting customers which aren't found with other platforms like Matillion

Cons

Pricing based on the number of visitors could be costly and could charge for anonymous users several times
Some connectors can't use the full range of API data, which means you'll have to modify existing connectors to import all available data
The focus is primarily on marketing and sales, and not as applicable for other use cases

Who is Segment best suited for?

Segment is a great choice for data teams that handle customer and marketing data.

7. Precog

Precog is a cloud-based ETL tool that takes a different method of operation. In lieu of manual connectors, Precog uses an artificial intelligence engine to extract new data sources.

Precog pricing

Pricing is customized based on the number of data sources.

What's included with Precog?

10,000+ data sources available out of the box
100+ supported destinations
Available as cloud SaaS product and on-premise
No-code platform that's very scalable for new data sources

Prebuilt connectors

Precog provides 10,000+ connectors, far more than any other Matillion alternative. These aren't coded by hand, but created with Precog's AI engine.

Custom connectors

You can create new connectors using Precog's AI engine. You can also request custom connectors and the Precog team will deliver them in under 48 hours.

Maintenance and support

Precog provides customer support according to the plan you select.

Pros

More connectors, thousands more than Matillion or other competitors
Transparent pricing based on data sources
Unique, no-code data integration platform that uses AI
Both SaaS and on-premise deployments available

Cons

Newcomer to the ELT area with relatively small user community
No-code, automated connectors can feel restricting for technical team members
Pricing can be expensive for teams that need several connectors

Who is Precog best suited for?

Precog is ideal for teams that require long-tail data connectors and prefer a no-code environment.

8. Airbyte

Airbyte is an open-source ELT platform. Airbyte includes a free plan for self-hosting as well as a paid SaaS plan.

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+ connectors for data sources (not all of them available on the cloud service)
Open-source solution
Change data capture support for databases
Supports data warehouses and data lakes as destinations
Pricing based on credits, or the option to host the software for free
Native warehouse data transformations

Prebuilt connectors

Airbyte currently has more than 170 connectors on its open source platform. Some of them are not accessible on the latest cloud service, but all will likely be added soon.

Custom connectors

You can request custom connectors on the Airbyte website, but the selection process is unclear. You can also create and maintain new connectors yourself using the Airbyte CDK.

Maintenance and support

Even though it's relatively new, Airbyte has a robust community of more than 12,000 users. Paid plans also come with in-app chat support with a one-hour response time.

Pros

Open-source platform with a large user community
Engineer-centric platform that includes a CDK to accelerate development
Support for 20 destinations, more than many competitors

Cons

You'll have to design your long-tail connections and keep them up-to-date on your own using the Airbyte CDK
Credit-based pricing models are difficult to predict
The Airbyte cloud service is missing a variety of well-known data sources and destinations (e.g., WordPress, Google Analytics 4, Apache Kafka)

Who is Airbyte best suited for?

Engineering teams that are ready and able to design and maintain connectors using Airbyte's CDK.

9. Meltano

Meltano is among the latest newcomers into the ELT world, after it spun out of GitLab in 2021. Meltano is an open-source platform that integrates with the Singer protocol.

Meltano pricing

As of this writing, Meltano does not offer paid plans. However, a cloud-based SaaS solution is in development with a launch date set in 2023.

What's included with Meltano?

300+ data sources
Native integration using Singer data integration format
SDK for fast development of custom connectors
Integrated testing and version control
Engineer-first focus in design and interface

Prebuilt connectors

Meltano connects to 300+ data sources.

Custom connectors

Meltano's CDK is compatible with Singer to build your own connectors. You can also use the open-source Singer protocol and any connectors created by the community.

Maintenance and support

Meltano has a small but growing community. Meltano might provide paid support in the near future when it launches its cloud service.

Pros

Open-source, free platform
Features such as Git version control, separate staging and dev environments, and end-to-end CI testing are integrated natively
Integration with Singer makes it simpler to create flexible connectors

Cons

Meltano is specifically designed by engineers and doesn't provide a no-code or low-code option
There is there isn't a managed SaaS plan available currently
Smaller user base and no official support
Singer-based connectors can fail without warning without additional support from Meltano

Who is Meltano best suited for?

Meltano is best for teams of data engineers with a high degree of technical proficiency.

10. Stitch

Stitch is an ETL tool that focuses on business intelligence. Stitch has built-in data transformations that work with a variety of native tools.

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?

More than 130 data sources
Automation tools such as monitoring and alerts
Support for the most well-known data lakes and data warehouses
Built-in capabilities for transformation using a UI, Java, SQL, or Python

Prebuilt connectors

Stitch has 130+ data sources. Certain connectors are only accessible on the higher-tiered plans.

Custom connectors

Stitch integrates with Singer, which makes it easier to create new connectors. However, your team will be responsible for the development and ongoing maintenance.

Maintenance and support

Stitch provides basic support via chat and email for all customers during business hours. Customers with more expensive plans may qualify for phone support and a dedicated representative.

Pros

Robust transformations with a variety of built-in tools
Integration with Talend suite of data tools
Cost-effective solution that will meet the requirements of most small and medium businesses
Support for data lakes and warehouses as destinations

Cons

Row-based pricing model can be costly and is difficult to predict
Customer support is limited on the most basic plans
Singer connectors aren't maintained by Stitch and can break unexpectedly

Who is Stitch best suited for?

Stitch is made for teams who plan to make use of commonly used data sources, or that are comfortable with the creation and maintenance of new connectors for Singer.

Matillion Alternatives: The Bottom Line

Matillion is a popular ELT tool that markets itself as an ETL tool. It's an all-in-one platform with robust GUI-based data transformation features and the option to deploy on-premise instead of only in the cloud.

But before choosing Matillion, there are several downsides to consider.

It has one of the smallest libraries of data source connectors in the industry, at just 110+.
It has an opaque pricing structure that can be hard to predict. And you can expect vendor lock-in once you switch to Matillion, since it doesn't work as well with third-party solutions.
There are other ETL/ELT tools out there with the same features but without the disadvantages.

Looking for the best Matillion alternative?

Get started with Portable today.