Top CData Alternatives & Competitors

Revanth Periyasamy
July 14, 2025

Top CData Alternatives & Competitors in 2025

CData has established itself as a leader in data connectivity with 300+ connectors and recognition in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant. However, the rapidly evolving data integration landscape offers numerous alternatives that may better suit specific use cases, budgets, or technical requirements.

This comprehensive guide explores the top CData alternatives across enterprise ETL, cloud-native, and open-source categories.

Why consider alternatives to CData?

While CData has established itself with 300+ connectors and serves 7,000+ customers, many organizations are looking for alternatives. Many users also find CData difficult to learn and set up, with complex documentation that requires technical expertise. Performance can be slow when handling large datasets or real-time data processing.

Beyond these immediate issues, CData requires a lot of manual maintenance for things like error handling and schema changes. Modern alternatives offer automated solutions that handle these tasks automatically.

CData also lacks user-friendly features like visual pipeline builders and AI-powered tools that newer platforms provide. Many teams worry about being locked into CData’s system, making it hard to switch to other tools or integrate with modern data platforms they want to use.

CData competitors & alternatives in 2025

CData alternatives: Top 10

1. Peliqan – All-in-one data platform

Peliqan is the best CData alternative that disrupts traditional data warehousing by consolidating the entire modern data stack into a single, user-friendly platform that enables data warehouse deployment in under 5 minutes. Founded in 2022 by industry veterans, Peliqan addresses the fundamental problem that solutions like hevodata are too complex, expensive, and fragmented for most organizations.

Core Capabilities and Differentiators

The platform combines comprehensive functionality in one solution:

Built-in data warehousing with automatic optimization
ETL/ELT pipelines with 250+ pre-built connectors
AI-assisted data transformation and “Magical SQL” features
Complete BI tools with visual analytics and dashboards
Advanced data activation including reverse ETL and API publishing

Transparent, Predictable Pricing

Cost structure designed for budget predictability:

Starter tier: $380/month
Pro tier: $550/month

Technical Architecture

Cloud-native SaaS foundation with SOC 2 Type II certification
Trino-powered federated query engine for real-time cross-source queries
Built-in PostgreSQL warehousing plus “Bring Your Own” integration
Multi-cloud support including AWS, GCP, and Azure
Enterprise security with role-based access and audit logging

Best for: Organizations seeking predictable costs, fast implementation, and reliable data integration without enterprise complexity.

2. Informatica IICS

Informatica IICS is the cloud-native arm of Informatica’s Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC), known for its robust enterprise-grade capabilities and advanced AI-driven automation.

Ideal use cases

Large enterprises that need end-to-end data integration across cloud and on-premise with deep metadata and governance capabilities.

Key Features

600+ pre-built connectors across cloud and legacy systems
CLAIRE AI engine for intelligent data management automation
Integrated data governance and cataloging tools
Flexible hybrid deployment (PowerCenter + Cloud)

Pros

Enterprise-grade scalability and security
Comprehensive platform supporting the full data lifecycle
Strong metadata and lineage tracking

Cons

High cost for entry-level use
Complex implementation and setup

Pricing: PowerCenter starts ~$50,000/year; IICS: usage-based ~$1,000–$5,000/month

3. IBM DataStage

IBM DataStage is part of IBM Cloud Pak for Data, offering high-performance ETL with strong integration to IBM’s broader ecosystem and AI through Watson.

Ideal use cases

Companies with legacy systems, mainframes, or IBM-centric tech stacks requiring high-throughput and low-latency ETL.

Key Features

Parallel processing engine for large-volume data
Excellent support for mainframes and z/OS
Integration with IBM Watson AI and Db2
Governance-ready and secure

Pros

Battle-tested platform for enterprise-grade ETL
Excellent for regulated industries and legacy systems

Cons

Steep learning curve
Higher total cost of ownership

Pricing: From ~$35,000/year via IBM Cloud Pak + additional DataStage license

4. Fivetran

Fivetran is a fully managed ELT platform known for its automation-first approach and seamless data ingestion experience.

Ideal use cases

Cloud-native organizations looking for hands-free data ingestion and reverse ETL capabilities, especially using Snowflake, Redshift, or BigQuery.

Key Features

700+ managed connectors with guaranteed uptime
Automatic schema evolution and maintenance
Reverse ETL through Census integration
Integrates with dbt, Snowflake, Redshift, and BigQuery

Pros

Truly hands-off pipeline maintenance
Strong uptime and reliability (99.9% SLA)

Cons

Cost grows rapidly with data volume
No advanced transformation engine

Pricing: Usage-based (Monthly Active Rows), ranges from ~$25,000–$200,000/year

5. Airbyte

Airbyte is an open-source data integration platform that provides the largest connector catalog in the industry with self-hosted and cloud options.

Ideal use cases

Technical teams needing maximum customization and flexibility, especially with open-source preference and long-tail connectors.

Key Features

600+ connectors and growing via community contributions
Connector builder for custom pipelines
Modular deployment (self-hosted or cloud)
Transparent and flexible pricing

Pros

No vendor lock-in with open-source option
Highly customizable and developer-friendly

Cons

Requires technical expertise for setup
UI and monitoring tools still evolving

Pricing: Open-source (free), Cloud: $0.50/credit, Enterprise: custom

6. Matillion

Matillion is a cloud-native ETL/ELT platform purpose-built for modern data warehouses like Snowflake, Redshift, and Databricks.

Ideal use cases

Cloud-first companies with large-scale transformations needing visual design and pushdown ELT into cloud DWHs.

Key Features

Visual drag-and-drop ELT pipeline builder
Supports SQL/Python transformations
Pushdown architecture for performance
Cloud platform integrations: Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks

Pros

Optimized for cloud warehouse performance
Easy for analysts and engineers alike

Cons

Credit-based pricing can be complex
Interface can feel heavy for simple use cases

Pricing: Credit-based model by vCore usage and plan (Developer to Enterprise)

7. Apache Airflow

Apache Airflow is the leading open-source orchestration tool, providing flexibility and full control over complex workflows.

Ideal use cases

Data engineering teams needing advanced orchestration logic, versioning, and workflow customization using Python.

Key Features

Extensive operator library (350+)
Declarative DAG-based orchestration
Flexible integration with data tools and cloud platforms
Massive open-source ecosystem

Pros

No licensing costs
Customizable and production-ready

Cons

High setup and maintenance burden
Requires Python and DevOps skillset

Pricing: Free (open-source), with managed options available via Astronomer, Google, AWS, etc.

8. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

MuleSoft provides a complete API integration platform especially for Salesforce ecosystems, with enterprise-grade security and governance.

Ideal use cases

Large orgs needing robust API-led integration, especially Salesforce-native companies or regulated industries.

Key Features

API lifecycle management (design, deploy, secure)
High availability and global deployments
Deep Salesforce integration
Compliance and monitoring out of the box

Pros

Best-in-class for API-led architecture
Strong governance and enterprise features

Cons

Expensive and complex pricing tiers
May be overkill for simple ETL/ELT tasks

Pricing: Subscription model (Gold/Platinum/Titanium), custom enterprise quotes

9. Workato

Workato is a leading iPaaS platform offering recipe-based automation accessible to both business users and IT teams.

Ideal use cases

Mid-market or enterprise teams automating cross-functional workflows without needing deep technical expertise.

Key Features

Visual “recipe” builder for automation
Real-time workflow automation with AI suggestions
Secure integrations with governance and RBAC
Supports 1000+ applications

Pros

Business-user friendly UI
Fast time-to-value

Cons

Can become costly as workflows scale
Limited control for deeply technical use cases

Pricing: Starts at ~$2,500/month, usage-based with recipe bundles

10. Rivery

Rivery is a SaaS data platform combining ELT, orchestration, and reverse ETL with a credit-based pay-as-you-go pricing model.

Ideal use cases

API-heavy workflows and companies needing cost control across ingestion, transformation, and activation in one tool.

Key Features

Unlimited connectors at no extra cost
Change Data Capture (CDC) for real-time pipelines
Custom API builder and Python script support
Unified UI for ingestion, orchestration, and data ops

Pros

Flexible credit pricing with no connector fees
Strong CDC capabilities

Cons

Interface may be overwhelming for simple use cases
Limited community support

Pricing: Credit-based: Starter $0.75/credit, Pro $1.25/credit, Enterprise: custom

CData competitors comparison

Selecting the optimal CData alternative depends on your specific organizational needs, technical requirements, and strategic priorities. Here’s the quick comparison of top CData alternatives.

CData alternatives	Key Features	Strengths	Pricing Model	Limitations
Peliqan	– 250+ pre-built connectors – Built-in data warehouse – BI, ELT & reverse ETL in one	– All-in-one stack – Fast deployment – Transparent pricing	Tiered (Starter: $380/mo, Pro: $550/mo)	– New to market – Limited legacy support
Informatica IICS	– 600+ connectors – CLAIRE AI engine – Hybrid deployment	– Enterprise-grade scale – Strong metadata management	Usage-based ($1k–$5k/mo); PowerCenter ~$50k+/yr	– High cost – Complex setup
IBM DataStage	– Parallel processing – Mainframe connectivity – Watson integration	– Strong IBM ecosystem – Legacy support	Starts ~$35k/yr + licensing	– High learning curve – Premium pricing
Fivetran	– 700+ connectors – Auto schema sync – Reverse ETL (Census)	– Zero maintenance – 99.9% uptime SLA	Usage-based (MAR); $25k–$200k/yr	– High cost – No pre-load transforms
Airbyte	– 600+ connectors – Open-source + cloud – Connector builder	– No vendor lock-in – Community driven	Free (open-source); $0.50/credit (cloud)	– DIY setup – UI still maturing
Matillion	– Visual ELT builder – SQL & Python transforms – Pushdown architecture	– Cloud-optimized – Great for Snowflake	Credit-based (vCore hours)	– GUI learning curve – Cost scales with usage
Apache Airflow	– 350+ operators – Python-based DAGs – Full control	– Highly customizable – Open-source ecosystem	Free (open-source); Managed options available	– Requires engineering skill – Ongoing maintenance
MuleSoft	– API lifecycle tools – Salesforce integration – Governance-ready	– Ideal for APIs – Enterprise security	Subscription (Gold, Platinum, Titanium)	– High pricing – Overkill for simple ETL
Workato	– Recipe-based workflows – AI-assisted automation – Real-time triggers	– Business-friendly UI – Fast deployment	Starts ~$2,500/mo; usage-based	– Costly at scale – Limited for coders
Rivery	– 200+ connectors – CDC & reverse ETL – Python scripting	– No connector fees – API & data ops ready	Credit-based ($0.75–$1.25/credit)	– Monitoring gaps – Complex licensing

Conclusion

The data integration landscape offers numerous compelling alternatives to CData, each with distinct advantages for different use cases. Peliqan leads with transparent pricing and simplicity, making it ideal for organizations seeking predictable costs and fast implementation. Cloud-native solutions like Fivetran and Matillion excel in automation and modern data stack integration, while open-source platforms like Airbyte and Apache Airflow provide flexibility and cost-effectiveness for technical teams.

Enterprise organizations may benefit from comprehensive platforms like Informatica or IBM DataStage, while mid-market companies often find better value in specialized solutions like Peliqan, Workato, or Rivery. The key is aligning your choice with specific technical requirements, budget constraints, and long-term strategic goals.

As the market continues evolving toward AI-ready, real-time, and cloud-native architectures, organizations should prioritize platforms that support these modern requirements while providing the reliability and scalability needed for mission-critical data operations.

FAQs

1. Who are the competitors of CData?

Competitors of CData include platforms like Peliqan, Fivetran, Airbyte, Hevo Data, Matillion, Stitch, Rivery, Apache Airflow, Informatica IICS, and IBM DataStage. These tools offer data integration, ELT/ETL, and data pipeline management features, often tailored for modern data stacks or enterprise workflows.

2. What is the difference between CData and Fivetran?

CData primarily focuses on enabling real-time connectivity to data sources through drivers (like JDBC, ODBC, ADO.NET) and APIs. It is ideal for developers and integration teams. In contrast, Fivetran is a fully managed ELT solution designed to automate data extraction and loading into data warehouses, with no infrastructure management required. Fivetran is better suited for analytics and BI teams, while CData is more infrastructure- and developer-focused.

3. What is the purpose of CData?

CData provides real-time data connectivity solutions that allow applications, databases, and platforms to interact with SaaS, NoSQL, and cloud data sources using standard interfaces like SQL, REST, ODBC, and JDBC. It helps organizations simplify integration without writing custom code or managing APIs directly.

4. Is CData Sync free?

No, CData Sync is a paid product. While it may offer a free trial, the full version requires a commercial license. Pricing is typically based on the number of destinations, connectors, and deployment options (cloud or on-premise). Organizations need to contact CData for detailed pricing tailored to their use case.

Revanth Periyasamy

Revanth Periyasamy is a process-driven marketing leader with over 5+ years of full-funnel expertise. As Peliqan's Senior Marketing Manager, he spearheads martech, demand generation, product marketing, SEO, and branding initiatives. With a data-driven mindset and hands-on approach, Revanth consistently drives exceptional results.

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