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Automation Integration · head to head

Fivetran vs Mage AI

Fivetran logo

Fivetran

Automation Integration

The most trusted data movement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mage AI logo

Mage AI

Automation Integration

Data pipeline platform with AI-generated workflows and governance

From
$100/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fivetran has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fivetran billed on monthly active rows, so the bill tracks how much source data changes rather than how much is stored or queried; Mage AI usage-based pricing lacks transparency for cost forecasting
  • They diverge on capability: Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Mage AI covers AI-generated workflows.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fivetran and Mage AI actually diverge.

Attributes where Fivetran and Mage AI differ
AttributeFivetranMage AI
Starting priceFree$100/month
Pricing modelusage-basedUsage-based cloud platform
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, CloudCloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-Premises
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Fivetran

  • Automated data pipeline
  • Change Data Capture
  • Data transformation
  • Real-time sync
  • Monitoring
  • Data quality
  • Scheduling
  • Notifications

Only in Mage AI

  • AI-generated workflows
  • Pipeline building
  • Data validation
  • Workflow orchestration
  • Automatic recovery
  • Reusable components
  • Governance controls

What people use each for

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

Fivetran

  • Managed data pipelines from SaaS sources into a warehousenot Mage AI
  • Keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectorsnot Mage AI

Mage AI

  • Building and orchestrating data pipelines with visual interfacenot Fivetran
  • Automating ETL workflows with AI assistancenot Fivetran
  • Validating data quality across transformationsnot Fivetran
  • Distributing transformed data to multiple destinationsnot Fivetran

Where each one falls short

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

Fivetran

  • Billed on monthly active rows, so the bill tracks how much source data changes rather than how much is stored or queried
  • Each connection follows its own cost curve, so total spend is hard to predict before running a pipeline
  • The free plan allows 500,000 monthly active rows, 3,500 activation rows and 5,000 model runs
  • Transformations are metered separately, from $0.01 per model run above 5,000 down to $0.002 above 100,000
  • A schema change upstream that touches many rows raises the bill without any change on the customer's side

Mage AI

  • Usage-based pricing lacks transparency for cost forecasting
  • Limited standalone pricing details on website
  • Requires contact for enterprise deployment options
  • Smaller ecosystem compared to established competitors
  • May require significant customization for complex data models

Pricing, plan by plan

Fivetran

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited connectors
    • Basic support
  • Standard$300/month
    • 500+ connectors
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise$1000/month
    • Custom connectors
    • Dedicated support

Mage AI

$100/month
  • Cloud$100/month
    • 1 development environment
    • Unlimited users
    • Usage-based infrastructure pricing
  • Hybrid Cloud$null/custom
    • Private data processing
    • Custom infrastructure
    • Contact sales
  • Private Cloud$null/custom
    • Complete isolation
    • Full infrastructure control
    • Contact sales
  • On-Premises$null/custom
    • Full local control
    • Enterprise deployment
    • Contact sales

Which should you pick?

Choose Fivetran if

  • You need automated data pipeline.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want change data capture.
Fivetran review

Choose Mage AI if

  • You need ai-generated workflows.
  • You work on Cloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-Premises.
  • You also want pipeline building.
Mage AI review

Questions people ask

Is Fivetran or Mage AI better?
Neither clearly leads. Fivetran starts at Free and Mage AI at $100/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fivetran or Mage AI?
Fivetran has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fivetran and $100/month for Mage AI.
Does Fivetran or Mage AI run on more platforms?
Fivetran runs on Web, Cloud. Mage AI runs on Cloud, Hybrid, Private Cloud, On-Premises.
Can I use Fivetran for free?
Yes. Fivetran has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mage AI starts at $100/month.
What is Fivetran best used for?
Fivetran is most often used for managed data pipelines from saas sources into a warehouse, keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectors. Of those, managed data pipelines from saas sources into a warehouse and keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectors are not what Mage AI is typically brought in for.
What can Fivetran do that Mage AI cannot?
Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Change Data Capture, Data transformation, Real-time sync. Mage AI covers AI-generated workflows, Pipeline building, Data validation, Workflow orchestration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fivetran: What does Fivetran's free plan include?

The free plan includes 500,000 monthly active rows for connections, 3,500 monthly active rows for activations, and 5,000 monthly model runs for transformations.

Source
Mage AI: What is the starting price for Mage Cloud?

Cloud plan starts at $100/month for one development environment with unlimited users, plus usage-based compute charges.

Source
Fivetran: What is the trial period for Fivetran?

Fivetran offers a 14-day risk-free trial for new accounts. Each new connection also includes 14 days of free use, with trial extensions available by contacting support.

Source
Mage AI: How is compute usage billed on Mage?

CPU is charged at $0.50 per hour and RAM at $0.50 per 4GB per hour of utilization.

Source
Fivetran: How much do I save by paying annually instead of monthly?

Annual contracts save up to 22.6% compared to monthly pricing, with tiered discounts starting at 5% and increasing based on annual list price.

Source
Fivetran: Can I cancel or modify my Fivetran subscription anytime?

Plans can be upgraded at any time. Connections can be added or removed at any time, and you can block tables or schemas to reduce usage. Downgrade or cancellation policies are not specified on the pricing page.

Source
Fivetran: What is the pricing for Fivetran transformations?

Transformations cost $0.01 per run for 5,001 to 30,000 monthly runs, with per-run costs declining as volume increases.

Source
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