About the Services
Fivetran
Fivetran is an automated data movement platform that supports data ingestion and ELT. The company originated in 2013 and now has more than 2500 customers worldwide. Customers who trust Fivetran include Lufthansa, Morgan Stanley, and more.
Fivetran works by loading data from your sources to your desired destination. It supports hundreds of connectors to known data warehouses, databases, and more. You can set your sources and destinations using a simple web interface. Transformation is optional, but if you need it, you can use their pre-built and QuickStart data models. You can also use dbt for complex transformations. With this, you need to know SQL coding.
You can start with Fivetran for free. And it can stay that way as long as you only process 500,000 monthly active rows. You can also set up Fivetran in your cloud provider of choice or in on-premise servers. However, this is available only in the Business Critical pricing plan.
Security is also a prime concern, so Fivetran has privacy and security certifications like SOC 2 Type 2, GDPR, and more. The Business Critical pricing plan has the highest security features, and the Starter plan has the least.
SSIS
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) is a data integration tool from Microsoft. You have SSIS when you buy Microsoft SQL Server. Launched in 2005, SSIS works with a variety of sources and delivers it to the desired destination. It’s a mature product that is flexible, scalable, and reliable. It is ideal for small-scale data migrations to large-scale enterprise data warehouses.
You can design SSIS packages using Visual Studio with drag-and-drop functionality and then perform a variety of data integration scenarios. And this includes ETL, ELT, reverse ETL, data ingestion, replication, and more. SSIS provides a range of data connectors for SQL Server, Oracle, Excel, and other data sources. It can also work with structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. There are also third-party providers of free and commercial SSIS components. This adds more connectors and transformations to SSIS.
SSIS comes together with SQL Server installer. And it needs installation and configuration by a skilled IT professional. Data resides on customers’ on-premise or cloud servers. So, they are in control of its security. But you can also deploy it in the cloud. So, the security and privacy certifications of that cloud provider are in effect.
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 | Data ingestion, ELT. | ETL, ELT, and Reverse ETL. | Data ingestion, ELT, ETL, reverse ETL, data sync, workflow automation. |
| Skill level | Low-code solution. | Low-code, no-code solution. Or, coding in .Net languages like C#. | No-code wizard. Top-rated as one of the easiest ETL tools by G2. |
| Sources | 300+ | ODBC, ADO, .Net, OLEDB compatible data sources. | 180+ |
| Destinations | Supported databases, data warehouses and data lakes. | Supported data sources. | Supported data sources, including databases, data warehouses, cloud apps and flat files. |
| Database replication | Full table; incremental via markers called cursors in succeeding syncs. | Full and incremental load. | Full table and incremental via change data capture. |
| Ability for customers to add new data sources | Yes, by request. | Yes, by coding custom data source components. | Ye s, by request or using REST API connector. |
| G2 customer satisfaction | 4.2 out of 5 367 Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 11 reviews | 4.8 out of 5 217 Reviews |
| Peer Insights satisfaction | 4.3 231 Ratings | 4.4 291 Ratings | 4.8 103 Ratings |
| Developer tools | Fivetran REST API, dbt for transformations. | Visual Studio, SQL Server Management Studio. | REST connector for data sources that have REST API. |
| Advanced ETL capabilities | None. Fivetran is ELT. | Running external processes. Running within Azure Data Factory. | Visual ETL data pipeline designer with data orchestration capabilities. |
| Compliance and security certifications | HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2 Type II, Privacy Shield, ISO 27001, PCI DSS Level 1 | In the cloud: ISO/IEC 27001:2013, SOC 1/2, HIPAA, GDPR. On premise: IT departments are in control of security. | HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS. ISO 27001 and SOC 2 (by Azure). |
| Purchase process | Requires conversations with sales. | Bundled when you buy Microsoft SQL Server. | Self-service or sales. |
| Vendor lock-in | Annual contracts. | Based on SQL Server subscription. | Monthly or annual contracts. |
| Pricing | Volume-based pricing through Monthly Active Rows (MAR) with 14-day free trial. Has a free plan. | Pricing is based on SQL Server Edition licenses. Developer Edition is free. | Volume-based and feature-based pricing. Freemium model allows to start with a free plan. |
Connectors
Fivetran
Fivetran supports 300+ fully-managed data sources. And these sources include databases, SaaS apps, flat files, and more. Fivetran also supports 10+ destinations including databases, data warehouses, data lakes and High-Volume Agent (HVA) connectors like Oracle and DB2. But HVA connectors are for Enterprise and higher plans. So, you can’t use Oracle and other sources classified as HVA on the Free and lower-priced plans.
Customers can request and pay extra if there are no connectors for the desired data source. Fivetran also provides data replication from various APIs and supports event-tracking libraries. Its Function connector helps with creating a custom connector as an extension. Fivetran also has a Lite connector that helps to develop API-based connectors.
SSIS
SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) comes with various data connectors. These data sources are compatible with ADO, .Net, ODBC, and OLEDB providers. Some of the popular ones include connectors for SQL Server, Oracle, and Excel.
You can also create your own custom connectors to connect to unknown data sources. You can do this by creating a custom data source component. This allows customers to extend its functionality. And connect to any data source they need.
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
Fivetran
Fivetran uses dbt Core transformations. They have pre-built and QuickStart data models that are dbt Core compatible. But not all sources and destinations support these pre-built models. So if you need these models for your unsupported destination, you need to contact Support to request them.
Otherwise, you will need SQL and dbt skills to make your own transformations. So, for example, your source is Monday.com and your destination is Azure Synapse. No pre-built data models exist for these at the moment. The only option is to create a new dbt Core transformation project.
In the end, you need to learn SQL and dbt for better transformation options.
SSIS
SSIS can handle data transformations in ETL, ELT, and reverse ETL scenarios. You can do transformation tasks like data cleansing, conversion, merging, and more. There are 30+ built-in transformations available in SSIS. And if you need something outside of that, code using C# or VB.Net to make your custom transformation.
Additionally, AI in Visual Studio can help you code faster. This is possible by using extensions like GitHub Copilot.
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
Fivetran
Fivetran support depends on your pricing plan. All plans have access to the support portal and technical documentation. You can also use 24/7 email support and the Fivetran community. The Enterprise and higher plans have a Service Level Agreement. This includes a 1-hour response support.
The quality of support is a mixed bag according to review sites like G2 and Gartner Peer Insights. Most are favorable but the others are not.
SSIS
SSIS customers can receive support from Microsoft through a variety of channels. This includes online documentation, community forums, and direct support from Microsoft.
Different levels include free online resources, paid support plans, and premium support plans.
Customers can access support through the Microsoft Support Center. From here they can create a support ticket or chat with a support representative.
Microsoft also offers a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for its premium support plans. It guarantees a response time and resolution time for support requests. To use this option, contact a Microsoft sales representative or visit the Microsoft Support website.
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
Fivetran
There are 5 levels of pricing in Fivetran. These are Free, Starter, Standard, Enterprise, and Business Critical. And with these tiers, the security, data governance, and support differ.
The Free plan is where you want to start using a low-volume ELT pipeline, and this limits your monthly active rows to 500,000 only. It also allows you up to a 15-minute sync frequency.
You can enjoy more security and features from the paid plans starting from Standard. The Starter plan is an odd plan. It has fewer features compared to the Free plan except for the higher monthly active rows.
Pricing in Fivetran earns the most dislikes from review sites like G2. It’s pricey for the customers who used them and it’s not practical for small companies.
SSIS
SSIS is part of the SQL Server suite of products. And the pricing model is per-core. You can choose to buy a SQL Server license with SSIS included, or they can buy an SSIS license separately. Prices vary depending on the SQL Server edition and the number of cores required.
Microsoft also offers cloud-based options for SSIS through its Azure services. Customers can choose to run SSIS packages on virtual machines. Or use Azure Data Factory, a cloud-based ETL service that includes SSIS functionality. Azure Data Factory pricing model is another thing to consider. But you will only pay based on usage.
Developers can use SSIS for free if they have a SQL Server Developer Edition. This version includes all features of SQL Server Enterprise. But the license is for development and testing only.
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.