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Automation Integration · head to head

Census vs Hevo Data

Census logo

Census

Automation Integration

The reverse ETL infrastructure for data activation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hevo Data logo

Hevo Data

Automation Integration

The easiest way to move data reliably

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Census census domain permanently redirects to Fivetran (301 redirect); Hevo Data billed on events ingested rather than on connectors or seats, so the bill tracks how chatty the sources are
  • They diverge on capability: Census covers Reverse ETL, Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Census and Hevo Data actually diverge.

Attributes where Census and Hevo Data differ
AttributeCensusHevo Data
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Cloud
Founded20202016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Automation Integration).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Census

  • Reverse ETL
  • Data syncing
  • Transformation
  • Real-time activation
  • Analytics
  • 150+ destinations
  • Data warehouses
  • SaaS platforms

Only in Hevo Data

  • No-code pipeline builder
  • Real-time sync
  • Data validation
  • Data transformation
  • Scheduling
  • 150+ sources
  • SaaS apps
  • Databases

Both cover

  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Multiple language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Census

  • Syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse ETL)not Hevo Data

Hevo Data

  • Data pipeline and ETL managementnot Census
  • Cloud data integrationnot Census

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Census

  • Census domain permanently redirects to Fivetran (301 redirect)
  • Exact per-tier pricing not listed; customers directed to contact sales or request quotes
  • Annual contracts offer up to 22% savings but discount terms not detailed
  • Usage rates vary by connection type; pricing examples show variance ($17–$202 for different sources)

Hevo Data

  • Billed on events ingested rather than on connectors or seats, so the bill tracks how chatty the sources are
  • The free plan allows 1M events a month and the Starter plan starts at $265 a month billed annually
  • Event volume is a priced tier inside each plan, at 5M, 20M or 50M on Starter
  • Usage above the plan quota is charged as on demand on top of the subscription, and the overage rate is not published anywhere on the pricing page
  • Paying monthly rather than annually raises Starter from $265 to $299

Pricing, plan by plan

Census

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections
    • 3,500 MAR for activations
    • 5,000 monthly model runs (MMR) for transformations
  • Standard$null/month
    • Usage-based pricing for connections, transformations, activations
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Greater flexibility and control
    • Custom pricing

Hevo Data

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 1M events/month
    • 1-hour scheduling
    • Up to 5 users
  • Starter$265/month
    • 5M-20M events/month options
    • Up to 10 users
    • 150+ connectors
  • Professional$750/month
    • 20M-100M events/month options
    • Unlimited users
    • Hevo APIs
  • Business Critical$null/month
    • Custom quote required
    • Streaming pipelines
    • Role-based access control

Which should you pick?

Choose Census if

  • You need reverse etl.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want data syncing.
Census review

Choose Hevo Data if

  • You need no-code pipeline builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want real-time sync.
Hevo Data review

Questions people ask

Is Census or Hevo Data better?
Neither clearly leads. Census starts at Free and Hevo Data at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Census or Hevo Data?
Census starts at Free and Hevo Data at Free.
Does Census or Hevo Data run on more platforms?
Census runs on Web, Api. Hevo Data runs on Web, Cloud.
Can I use Census for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Census best used for?
Census is most often used for syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse etl). Of those, syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse etl) is not what Hevo Data is typically brought in for.
What can Census do that Hevo Data cannot?
Census covers Reverse ETL, Data syncing, Transformation, Real-time activation. Hevo Data covers No-code pipeline builder, Real-time sync, Data validation, Data transformation. Both handle Error handling, Monitoring, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Census: What happened to Census.com?

Census (formerly getcensus.com) has been acquired by Fivetran. The domain permanently redirects (301) to fivetran.com. Census functionality is now part of Fivetran's data platform.

Source
Hevo Data: How much does Hevo Data cost?

Hevo Data offers a free plan (up to 1M events/month) and paid plans starting at $265/month (Starter for 5M-20M events/month) up to $750/month (Professional for 20M-100M events/month).

Source
Census: How much does Fivetran (formerly Census) cost?

Fivetran uses usage-based pricing. Free tier includes 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections, 3,500 MAR for activations, and 5,000 monthly model runs for transformations. Paid pricing depends on usage; example: Facebook Ads with 34,479 MAR costs $17.23/month; Snowflake-to-Salesforce with 12,007 MAR costs $202.01/month.

Source
Hevo Data: How are Hevo Data events counted?

Each record inserted, updated, or deleted in the destination counts as one event toward the monthly quota.

Source
Census: Do Fivetran/Census offer discounts for annual commitments?

Yes, annual contracts offer up to 22% savings versus monthly pricing. Additional discounts are available for nonprofits, startups, and specific use cases.

Source
Hevo Data: Does Hevo Data offer annual discounts?

Yes, Hevo Data offers 12% discount for annual billing on all paid plans.

Source
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