The Best ETL Service of 2021

01.

Xplenty

Xplenty.com

01

About Xplenty

Xplenty is a cloud-based ETL with additional ELT capabilities, so it truly handles all aspects of data transformation. While other platforms claim to be "no code," Xplenty genuinely requires no data engineering experience — unless you're one of the few people who need to build really complicated pipelines.

When we tested Xplenty, we loved its simplicity, and we think this platform is a good fit for almost any business owner. The streamlined point-and-click, drag-and-drop interface required little setup. Plus, the large number of connectors (more than 100) let us extract data, transform it in the correct format for analytics and load it to our warehouse before we could even catch our breath. If that sounds like this platform is too simple, it's not. Developers can still execute more complex data pipelines with the REST API and X-Console.

It wasn't all plain sailing, though. During testing, one of our jobs failed, and we couldn't figure out why because of limited information on the error log. But this is a minor gripe. Also, there's no training program or certification for users who want to brush up on their data engineering skills for more complex data transformations. (The vast majority of users won't need to worry about performing such jobs.)

Overall, Xplenty is a stable, scalable and secure ETL, making it a worthy addition to this list. We particularly liked the Salesforce-to-Salesforce connector that not only moves Salesforce data to a warehouse but also moves it back again. Plus, the fixed-price model that charges users by the connector and not by the amount of data consumed is a refreshing approach to ETL pricing, and it sets this platform apart from its competition.

02.

Talend

Talend.com

02

About Talend

Talend is one of three ETL solutions on this list with an open-source license. (We know open-source ETL opens up a whole other can of worms in developer circles!) Talend Open Studio is Talend's open-source tool, which means it's free but comes with limited features and connectors. Talend Data Fabric is Talend's enterprise tool, which is available at three pricing tiers but offers a wealth of capabilities and customizations. We hope that clears up any confusion.

We've tested Open Studio and Data Fabric, and both performed well for us. However, despite the allure of free ETL, most will benefit from Data Fabric because there are far fewer restrictions. Open-source is all very well and good, but data-driven businesses require specific ETL features that are nearly always only available via paid software.

Let's quickly talk about customer service. Data Fabric provides several support options based on the three service-level tiers, which confused us. Open Studio offers users no support at all.

03.

Matillion

Matillion.com

03

About Matillion

Like Fivetran, Matillion isn't an ETL but an ELT, which switches the transform/load stages and lets the warehouse execute data transformations. As we said earlier, this approach suits larger enterprises with enormous loads of structured and unstructured data. However, most of you will benefit from an ETL tool that comes with ELT on the side.

ETL or not, Matillion makes our list because of its powerful execution. We had no problems during testing, and extract/load worked like a charm every single time. There's a big choice of connectors and the ability to create your own via the REST API. We're not crazy about the price-per-hour model here, but we can understand why users might prefer this approach, especially those with modest data management requirements.

The consensus is that Matillion customer service is good, and we like how phone and email options are available to all users regardless of how much they pay for services. Matillion Academy also seems like a great option for users who want to learn automation, data quality, data analysis, connectivity, data flows, data replication, metadata, schemas and other data management skills.

04.

Informatica PowerCenter

Informatica.com

04

About Informatica PowerCenter

Informatica PowerCenter makes our list because of its superior performance, wide range of connectors, and exceptional security and compliance credentials. You can extract data from various sources in minutes with impressive integrations or create more complex pipelines with various developer tools.

We admit we struggled with setup when testing Informatica. The entire process confused us, so we knocked off a few points in our review for ease of use. Another quibble we have is Informatica's strange approach to customer support. Users on cheaper service tiers only get access to telephone support during business hours, while those on more expensive plans receive technical assistance whenever they like.

Still, we can't argue with Informatica's performance, which dazzled us once we were (finally) up and running. We also love the generous 30-day free trial.

05.

Skyvia

Skyvia.com

05

About Skyvia

Skyvia is a simple,no-codesolution that lacks thehigh-performancefeatures available on more advanced platforms such asTalendand Informatica. There are relatively few out-of-the-boxconnectors(just 60). There are no support SLAs. There's also no phone or video chat support. And you can't load data to a data lake. So why does Skyvia have the highest user scores for anyETL toolon both Capterra and G2?

The answer could be the ingenious four-faceted approach todata integration, which provides users with lots of customization and bang for their buck. Skyvia offers four services:Data Integration, Backup, Query and Connect. Users subscribe to one or more of these services and only pay for the features they require, which seems like a novel way to dodata management. Depending on yourdata transformation requirements, Skyvia could work out to be pretty cheap.

When we tested thisdata migrationplatform, we appreciated its graphicaluserinterface,data processing capabilities and general ease of use, but the number ofdata sourceconnectorslimited us. Plus, there is no option for developers to build custom integrations. That said, we've included Skyvia on this list for its innovativepricingmodel.

06.

Alooma

Alooma.com

06

About Alooma

Alooma makes this list because of its ability to handle even the most complex data ingestion and ETL software tasks without a single stumble. During our test, it performed well on speed, scalability and security. We also appreciated the free support for all users.

But Alooma will not be the right fit for everyone. Since Google acquired the company a couple of years back, users can only load data into BigQuery, which, of course, is Google's data warehouse. That means no data integrations with Snowflake, Amazon Redshift or any other warehouses (or lakes) on the market.

Everything else is also Google-centric, which people will either love or hate. For example, most connectors are Google-owned (Ads, Analytics, Cloud Services, etc.). Perhaps those are the reasons that, at the time of this writing, Alooma has the lowest user scores on Capterra and G2 of any ETL on this list.

07.

Fivetran

Fivetran.com

07

About Fivetran

Since 2014, Fivetran has handled billions of extract//load tasks for data-driven organizations, moving all kinds of data between sources and destinations at incredible speeds. We think it's a fast, reliable platform for data management and one of the most respected brands in the industry.

People unfamiliar with Fivetran probably don't realize that the platform doesn't pre-load ETL transformations to a destination. That's because Fivetran is an ELT platform that handles data transformation after the loading stage. This method might suit larger enterprises with sizeable amounts of structured and unstructured data. However, you might benefit more from a cloud-based ETL that handles relational and structured data formats. Or you might like a tool that's capable of both ETL and ELT.

Still, Fivetran is on this list because it's one of the most advanced data transformation tools on the market, and it certainly serves a purpose. During our tests, we found the platform easy to use. Plus, the 100+ out-of-the-box connectors impressed us. Extracting and loading data was a breeze. Users at the enterprise service level can also create custom connectors with the REST API.

We weren't big fans of the consumption-based pricing model or the fact that the platform doesn't comply with HIPAA, which makes it a poor fit for healthcare organizations. Plus, you might need to know a little code (SQL) to do what you need to do. However, for speed and scalability, few tools match this one.

08.

Stitch

StitchData.com

08

About Stitch

Stitch is a cloud-based, open-source ETL tool that extracts and loads raw data relatively easily, and it has a sizeable chunk of connectors that facilitate this process. These connectors include Amazon S3 and BigCommerce, and they come ready out-of-the-box, making Stitch one of the best ETL tools for people who can't code with Java, Python or anything else.

While Stitch excels at extract and load, we found the platform struggled with data transformations during our test. Stitch preloads transformations through basic tasks like breaking nested structures, and we think many other tools on this list better execute the transformation process.

Still, this is an open-source platform, so it won't cost you anything to perform ETL as long as you don't use over 5 million data rows a month. If you consume more data than this, you'll need to upgrade to the Enterprise Plan, which charges by data volume.

We loved the wide range of security and data governance certifications, which provide peace of mind when transferring sensitive business data. However, we think there could be improvements with the way the company handles customer support. There's no phone or video support for customers who use the open-source version of Stitch.

09.

Panoply

Panoply.io

09

About Panoply

Panoply takes a fresher approach to the ETL process than the other platforms on this list. In our full review, we described Panoply as an "ETL-data warehouse combo." That's because it extracts and transforms data and then loads it into its own warehouse. We've included the platform on this list because some users will love its approach.

There's no need to shop around for cloud data warehouses such as Snowflake or AWS Glue because Panoply takes care of extract/load, data transformation and data warehousing. But if you already use a warehouse, look for an alternative.

Let's discuss pricing, which seems fair for a platform like this. There are three relatively straightforward pricing tiers, and users get unlimited data integrations at each one. Panoply also scores points for being both GDPR and HIPAA compliant.

During testing, Panoply performed great, and we had few problems. Although the range of connectors is smaller than other ETLs on this list, there's a wonderful selection, and you can always create your own connectors if you wish. There are limited support and training options, but we think Panoply has developed a unique product in the ever-crowded ETL space. Its dual functionality, in particular, is a fascinating concept.

10.

Pentaho

Pentaho.com

10

About Pentaho

Like Stitch and Talend Open Studio, Pentaho (or Kettle) is an open-source ETL that's available for free. (However, users can upgrade to a commercial license on the Enterprise Edition.)

In our experience, Pentaho pipes data pretty quickly, and we encountered no issues during our tests. We liked the interface and simplicity of it all, and we could extract, transform and load data from our source to our final destination in minutes. Kudos to Pentaho for its generous 30-day trial, which lets prospective users try out enterprise features.

Most organizations, even small businesses, will probably feel restricted when using the open-source Pentaho. There are only 50 connectors and no customization options, so you'll probably have to upgrade to the paid-for version. We can't tell you the exact costs because Pentaho doesn't publish these on its website.

Final Word

It's impossible to pick one "best" ETL tool because each platform on this list serves specific business requirements. Each one comes with unique features, capabilities and pricing models. To guide you on your search for the best ETL tool, check out our in-depth reviews on each of these platforms for insights, user feedback and our final verdict.