Software · head to head
Fivetran vs Salesforce Flows
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; Salesforce Flows not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
- They diverge on capability: Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Fivetran and Salesforce Flows actually diverge.
| Attribute | Fivetran | Salesforce Flows |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Cloud | Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2012 | 1999 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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
- Data transformation
- Real-time sync
- Monitoring
- Data quality
- Scheduling
- Notifications
Only in Salesforce Flows
- Visual flow builder
- Approvals
- Scheduled actions
- Screen flows
- Multi-step workflows
- Conditional logic
- Error handling
- Salesforce native
Both cover
- GDPR
- HIPAA
- 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 Salesforce Flows
- Keeping a warehouse in sync with production databases without writing connectorsnot Salesforce Flows
Salesforce Flows
- Workflow Automationnot Fivetran
- Data Integrationnot Fivetran
- Process Automationnot Fivetran
- App Integrationnot Fivetran
- API Connectivitynot 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
Salesforce Flows
- Not suitable for highly complex scenarios with intricate decision-making or bulk data processing
- No automatic record locking, causing conflicts when multiple users update same records
- Limited error handling compared to Apex
- Requires Enterprise edition or higher for full capabilities
- Auto-launched Flows cannot display screens to users
- Complex dependency management and configuration challenges when deploying between environments
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
Salesforce Flows
Free- Salesforce FreeFree
- 2 user licenses
- Basic workflows
- Limited automation
- Starter$25/user/month
- Sales flows
- Lead routing
- Email marketing analytics
- Professional$100/user/month
- Sales quoting
- Forecasting
- AppExchange access
- Enterprise$165/user/month
- Full Flow Builder
- Custom objects
- Sandboxes
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.
Choose Salesforce Flows if
- You need visual flow builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
- You also want approvals.
Questions people ask
- Is Fivetran or Salesforce Flows better?
- Neither clearly leads. Fivetran starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Fivetran or Salesforce Flows?
- Fivetran starts at Free and Salesforce Flows at Free.
- Does Fivetran or Salesforce Flows run on more platforms?
- Fivetran runs on Web, Cloud. Salesforce Flows runs on Salesforce Cloud, Web, Mobile.
- 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 Salesforce Flows is typically brought in for.
- What can Fivetran do that Salesforce Flows cannot?
- Fivetran covers Automated data pipeline, Change Data Capture, Data transformation, Real-time sync. Salesforce Flows covers Visual flow builder, Approvals, Scheduled actions, Screen flows. Both handle GDPR, HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Salesforce Flows: Which Salesforce editions include Flows?
Salesforce Flow Builder is included in Enterprise Edition ($165/user/month) and above. Professional Edition lacks advanced automation capabilities and Flow Builder access. Starter and lower editions have limited Flow support.
SourceSalesforce Flows: What are the main limitations of Salesforce Flows?
Flows are limited by DML operations (max 150 data elements that modify data), SOQL queries (max 100 data elements that retrieve data), and are not designed for bulk processing. Auto-launched Flows do not support screens and have limited error handling compared to Apex.
SourceSalesforce Flows: Can Salesforce Flows integrate with external systems?
Yes, through MuleSoft connectors and Salesforce API Catalog. Pre-built connectors exist for systems like Asana, and admins can create custom connectors. Complex integrations may still require Apex or third-party platforms.
SourceSalesforce Flows: When was Salesforce Flow redesigned?
Flow Builder was introduced in Spring '19 as a replacement for the previous Flow Designer, providing a more familiar interface similar to other Salesforce Lightning Builder tools.
Source