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Software · head to head

Fivetran vs RudderStack

Fivetran logo

Fivetran

Software

The most trusted data movement platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RudderStack logo

RudderStack

Software

The open-source customer data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; RudderStack on the free plan data processing stops after a second consecutive overage rather than being billed, so exceeding 250,000 events twice breaks the pipeline
  • They diverge on capability: Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, RudderStack covers Data collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fivetran and RudderStack actually diverge.

Attributes where Fivetran and RudderStack differ
AttributeFivetranRudderStack
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Self-hosted
Founded20122018

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

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
  • Monitoring
  • Data quality
  • Scheduling
  • Notifications
  • 500+ connectors
  • Cloud data warehouses

Only in RudderStack

  • Data collection
  • Event tracking
  • Audience segmentation
  • Warehouse ingestion
  • Privacy controls
  • 200+ destinations
  • Analytics tools
  • Marketing platforms

Both cover

  • Data transformation
  • Real-time sync
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

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 RudderStack
  • Keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectorsnot RudderStack

RudderStack

  • Collecting event data from apps and websites and routing it to warehouses and toolsnot Fivetran
  • Building a warehouse first customer data pipelinenot 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

RudderStack

  • On the free plan data processing stops after a second consecutive overage rather than being billed, so exceeding 250,000 events twice breaks the pipeline
  • The free plan allows 250,000 events a month
  • Growth starts at $265 a month for 1 million events, with volume sold in tiers up to 25 million
  • Overage is charged as the gap to the next tier's price rather than per event, so a small excess costs a full tier step

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

RudderStack

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • Cloud$100/month
    • Cloud hosted
    • Email support
  • Enterprise$500/month
    • Dedicated support
    • Advanced features

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 RudderStack if

  • You need data collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want event tracking.
RudderStack review

Questions people ask

Is Fivetran or RudderStack better?
Neither clearly leads. Fivetran starts at Free and RudderStack at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fivetran or RudderStack?
Fivetran starts at Free and RudderStack at Free.
Does Fivetran or RudderStack run on more platforms?
Fivetran runs on Web, Cloud. RudderStack runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Fivetran for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 RudderStack is typically brought in for.
What can Fivetran do that RudderStack cannot?
Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Change Data Capture, Monitoring, Data quality. RudderStack covers Data collection, Event tracking, Audience segmentation, Warehouse ingestion. Both handle Data transformation, Real-time sync, GDPR, Cloud deployment.
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Related pages

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