About the Services
Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow is a free, open-source platform for developing batch-oriented workflows. It launched in 2014 and has big-name companies like Airbnb, Lyft, and Etsy in its portfolio. It has a growing community of over 2,000 contributors and many users worldwide.
Apache Airflow uses a workflow management system. This system handles automating and monitoring data integration processes. It can handle simple data transfers and complex machine-learning workflows. The user interface is easy to use, so you can focus on your work instead of minding a confusing interface.
But having that simple interface has a caveat. Open-source platforms need technical expertise, and Airflow is no different. You can start with several options to install. If you don’t want to hire experts to do this for you, you need to know about Python and some required libraries and even about Docker Containers for a seamless cloud deployment.
Apache Airflow also doesn’t have a record of privacy and security certifications, but it has security features like role-based access control and encryption. So, your data is safe from prying eyes. It also provides logging and auditing capabilities. So, this will help identify and investigate any security or privacy incidents. Companies with stringent security and privacy requirements trust Apache Airflow. But again, either you need some more technical expertise, or pay for someone who knows how to secure Airflow in your environment.
Hightouch
Hightouch is a reverse ETL tool that syncs your data warehouse with cloud apps your business runs on. Since its launch, its customer base has grown including Spotify, NBA, and TripAdvisor.
It works by defining the source and target of your data. You can select from 150+ sources and destinations. The pricing plan limits the number of destinations you can use. You can define the pipeline model using SQL, dbt, or a visual table selector. Hightouch allows the sync schedule to automate the data flow. You can perform syncs hourly or more often in the highest-paid plan.
Hightouch secures your data with SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA, and Privacy Shield. So, it ensures your data safety and privacy.
Skyvia
Skyvia is a no-code cloud data integration platform for many data integration scenarios. It’s an all-rounder tool for ETL, ELT, Reverse ETL, data migration, one-way and bi-directional data sync, workflow automation, and more. Devart launched this fantastic product in 2014 for cloud data integration and backup.
Skyvia offers more than 180 ready-made data connectors. These are available for thousands of free users, including 2000+ paid customers. Big names like Hyundai and General Electric trust Skyvia to process their data. Its easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interface suits both IT professionals and business users. And don’t take our word for it. Listen to G2 reviewers about how easy it is to start and work with it. Data integration experts who used other tools can adapt with little to no help from support.
Skyvia has flexible pricing plans perfect for small startups and large enterprises. So, it makes it applicable to businesses of all sizes. Also, Skyvia’s freemium model allows users to start using it now and then decide if they need to upgrade later.
The safety of your data is also our prime concern. So, we hosted it in Microsoft Azure cloud, providing the best data security and privacy. It complies with a wide set of security standards, including SOC 2, ISO 27001, and many others.
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | ETL, ELT, and reverse ETL | Reverse ETL | Data ingestion, ELT, ETL, reverse ETL, data sync, workflow automation. |
| Skill level | Python coding skills. | No-code, low-code solutions. SQL and dbt for defining data models. | No-code wizard. Top-rated as one of the easiest ETL tools by G2. |
| Sources | 80+ | 20+ | 180+ |
| Destinations | Supported data sources. | 130+ | Supported data sources, including databases, data warehouses, cloud apps and flat files. |
| Database replication | Full or incremental load. | Full and incremental loading. Supports Change Data Capture (CDP). | Full table and incremental via change data capture. |
| Ability for customers to add new data sources | Yes, by coding. | Using Custom Destination Toolkit or request for new sources/destinations. | Ye s, by request or using REST API connector. |
| G2 customer satisfaction | 4.3 out of 5 71 reviews | 4.6 out of 5 289 reviews | 4.8 out of 5 217 Reviews |
| Peer Insights satisfaction | - | None | 4.8 103 Ratings |
| Developer tools | Python packages/CLI. Web UI. | Personalization and REST API, CLI, Customer Studio (Business Plan only). Extensions to alerting, model building, and sync scheduling to dbt, Fivetran, Airflow and more. | REST connector for data sources that have REST API. |
| Advanced ETL capabilities | Integration with other integration tools like Kafka, dbt, Airbyte, and more. | REST API, dbt and other developer tool integration. | Visual ETL data pipeline designer with data orchestration capabilities. |
| Compliance and security certifications | No official list of certifications. | SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, Privacy Shield. | HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS. ISO 27001 and SOC 2 (by Azure). |
| Purchase process | Download and install. | Use the Free Tier, or start the 30-day trial, then talk to Sales. | Self-service or sales. |
| Vendor lock-in | None | Annual or monthly. | Monthly or annual contracts. |
| Pricing | Cloud-hosted with volume-based pricing. Self-managed with a customized package. With a free tier and 14-day trial. | 4 Pricing Plans (Free, Starter, Pro, Business). With a 30-day free trial for paid plans. | Volume-based and feature-based pricing. Freemium model allows to start with a free plan. |
Connectors
Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow provides 80+ built-in data connectors and provider packages. These connectors will work with various types of data sources. And this includes databases, cloud platforms, and messaging systems. It can also deal with popular APIs, data warehouses, and lakes. Some of the most popular connectors include MySQL and PostgreSQL.
But, if you need one that is not available, you can create your own using Airflow’s API. Additionally, the Airflow community never stops developing and sharing new connectors. So, if your data source is so unique and recent, look for a connector in the community first. But if nobody made one for it yet, prepare to roll up your sleeves and code.
Hightouch
Hightouch can connect to 150+ connectors, including data warehouses, SQL and NoSQL databases, SaaS tools, and many more. There are more than 20 data warehouses, and about 10 of them can act as both source and destinations. The remaining 130+ act as destinations only.
You can use all available data sources in your reverse ETL pipelines for all plans. The pricing plan defines the number of available destinations. The free plan allows only one billable destination, not including free destinations like Excel, Google Sheets, and Airtable.
You also have two options if your source and destination are not in their list of connectors. You can either request Hightouch to support it or use the Custom Destination Toolkit and build it yourself.
Skyvia
Skyvia offers more than 180 connectors, and more to come very soon. It supports connectors for CRMs, accounting, email marketing, e-commerce, human resources, marketing automation, payment processing, product management, all major databases and DWH, flat files, and more. It’s also not a problem whether your data is on-premise or in the cloud.
You can access your on-premise data with peace of mind using the Skyvia Agent. It allows you to connect to databases like SQL Server, MySQL, and more using an encrypted connection. You need to download the Skyvia Agent and install it. Then, download a secured key file and place it in the same folder as the Agent. The Agent is like an unbreakable metal door, and you use the key file to open that door to your on-premise data. You can also set it up so that Skyvia can access only the resources you specify and nothing else.
Customers can also leave a request for a new data connector. And Skyvia will prioritize building it without additional payment.
Transformation
Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow provides a flexible way to handle data transformations. Airflow supports a variety of data transformation tasks. This includes data cleansing, aggregation, filtering, and enrichment. You can perform transformations using code-based approaches. So, if you prefer to click than code to perform transformations, this is not for you.
Airflow has a web, graphical interface for data transformations, but coding is always required. So, it supports programming languages like Python and SQL.
Hightouch
You can perform transformations in Hightouch using SQL queries and functions with a visual table selector. You can also do dbt transformations like joining, aggregating, pivoting, and more in SQL or coding in Python.
You can design these transformations through Hightouch models after defining your data source. Your transformation options in Hightouch should be enough for almost any reverse ETL projects. And there’s even more transformation you can do in destinations like Excel or Google Sheets.
Skyvia
Skyvia is a full-featured ETL service that allows powerful data transformations. It is a no-code solution allowing data splitting, conversion, lookups, and many more.
You can use the Skyvia Data Flow and Control Flow for advanced data pipelines. Transformations for these advanced pipelines are flexible. It supports extending your data with new columns, conditional flows, and summarized values. And all these you can do with parameters, variables, and more for flexibility without code.
Moreover, Skyvia has an Expression Builder to build formulas with many functions. With this, you can convert or extract parts of the data or form new values to suit your needs. And if you love coding in SQL, Skyvia can further extend your transformation needs. It supports multiple joins, groupings, CASE expressions, and more in SELECT queries. And you can also use DML commands like INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE.
Support
Apache Airflow
Airflow has an active and helpful community, and users can access various support channels depending on their needs. Their website provides documentation and guides for all levels of users. They also have a mailing list where users can ask for help and get support from the community.
For those who need more help, premium support is available through third-party vendors. These vendors provide support levels, including response time guarantees and service-level agreements (SLAs). They also offer training and consulting services.
Users can reach out to these vendors through their websites or by contacting them directly to benefit from their premium support services. With these options, users can choose the level of support that fits their needs and budget.
Hightouch
Hightouch support varies based on the pricing plan. However, product documentation and learning resources are available for all plans.
For the Free, Starter, and Pro plans, you can use email and Intercom with a 72-hour SLA. The Business plan provides custom email and Intercom SLA, and allows you to add a custom product uptime and support SLA. You can have a dedicated CSM and avail yourself of professional services.
Consult their Support and Pricing page for more details.
Skyvia
Skyvia offers free email, chat (on the website or in-app), and forum support for all customers. It also provides extensive documentation with lots of tutorials and user guides.
For paid customers, Skyvia offers a prioritized support including additional support options for Enterprise customers.
Pricing
Apache Airflow
Apache Airflow is an open-source platform, which means it’s free to use. There are no hidden charges or fees to access and use Airflow’s core features.
Moreover, Apache Airflow doesn’t need any upfront payment, subscription, or contract. Users can download, install, and run the software. They can do that on their own hardware or cloud infrastructure. They have full control over their deployment, scaling, and maintenance. This makes it an attractive option for those who want to avoid vendor lock-in.
There are also no user, workflow, or data source limitations in using Airflow. You can experiment, innovate, and collaborate on your pipelines without worries.
But this flexibility needs a lot of skilled work hours. So, if you need a data integration tool that is ready to use from day 1, this may not be an attractive option.
Hightouch
Hightouch pricing has 4 plans: Free, Starter, Pro, and Business. The main difference between the pricing plans is the number of billable destinations. Such destinations as connectors for Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, and more are available for free. Destinations like Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics, and Salesforce Marketing Cloud are premium destinations, available for the Business plan only.
Support, security and number of workspaces also vary depending on the plan. Hightouch offers a 30-day free trial for the paid plans.
Skyvia
Skyvia Data Integration is a freemium tool with an option to request a 14-day trial. So, price is not a barrier to entry.
And when you’re ready, paid plans start from $19 per month. Pricing tiers depend on a few factors. It includes the number of loaded records, scheduling frequency, and advanced ETL features. There are no sale commitments. And customers can upgrade or downgrade at any time. Check out a detailed comparison here.
If you doubt the price is worth it, check out review sites like G2. Aside from ease of use, reasonable pricing is one of the things Skyvia customers like. So, you can be sure the features you get are worth every penny.