In today’s era, companies get data from diverse sources ranging from web pages, print media, documents, forums, blogs, videos, etc. Harnessing potential information from these data sources helps corporations make incisive and business-improving decisions. This process of extracting valuable insights from multiple data sources is called Data Extraction and the tools they use to achieve this are called Data Extraction Tools.
Data Extraction can be quite a cumbersome process because any company will stutter in trying to make a valuable in-depth analysis of the data generated. Hence, to simplify the Data Extraction process, Data Extraction Tools were developed. Using the right Data Extraction Tool you can draw useful and helpful conclusions about a lot of things.
This article will give you a comprehensive list of the best Data Extraction Tools that are available in the market, along with their features and prices. It will also talk about the Data Extraction process, its types, and its benefits.
What are Data Extraction Tools?
Data extraction tools are software applications or utilities designed to extract specific data from various sources, such as websites, databases, files, or other structured or unstructured data formats. These tools are used to automate the process of data collection, transformation, and integration into a desired format for further analysis or processing.
Data Mining vs. Data Extraction
Data mining and data extraction are frequently confused. With the aid of data extraction technologies, key information may be extracted from a variety of sources, including emails, PDF documents, forms, text files, social media, and photos. Conversely, data mining allows consumers to examine data from several angles. It entails examining data sets for correlations, anomalies, and patterns.
Read more: Pros and Cons of Data Mining Simplified 101
Types of Data Extraction Tools
In order to determine the best Data Extraction Tool for a company, the type of service the company provides and the purpose of Data Extraction is very important parameter. In order to understand this all the tools are categorized into 3 categories and are given below:
1) Batch Processing Tools
There are times when companies need to transfer data to another location but encounter challenges because such data are stored in obsolete forms, or are legacy data. In such cases moving the data in batches is the best solution. This would mean the sources may involve a single or few data units, and may not be too complex. Batch Processing can also be helpful when moving data within a premise or closed environment. To save time and minimize computing power, this can be done during off-work hours.
2) Open Source Tools
Open Source Data Extraction Tools are preferable when companies are working on a budget as they can acquire Open-Source applications to extract or replicate data provided. Company employees have the necessary skills and knowledge required to do this. Some paid vendors also offer limited versions of their products for free, therefore, this can be mentioned in the same bracket as Open-Source tools.
3) Cloud-Based Tools
Cloud-Based Data Extraction Tools are the predominant extraction products available today. They take away the stress of computing your logic and discard the security challenges of handling data yourself. They allow users to connect data sources and destinations directly without writing any code making it easy for anyone within your establishment to have quick access to the data which can then be used for analysis. There are several Cloud-Based tools available in the market today.
How do Data Extraction Tools Work?
- Data Source Identification: The first step is to identify the source of the data that needs to be extracted. This could be a website, a database, a set of files, or any other structured or unstructured data source.
- Data Source Connection: Once the data source is identified, the extraction tool establishes a connection to it. This may involve authenticating with the source, configuring access permissions, and setting up the necessary protocols or APIs.
- Data Discovery: The tool then explores the data source to understand its structure, schema, or layout. This step is crucial for identifying the relevant data elements that need to be extracted.
- Data Extraction: Based on the data discovery phase, the tool applies appropriate techniques to extract the desired data from the source.
- Data Transformation: In many cases, the extracted data needs to be transformed or cleaned before it can be used effectively. The extraction tool may perform tasks such as data formatting, deduplication, normalization, or restructuring to prepare the data for further analysis or integration.
- Data Output: The final step is to output the extracted and transformed data in a desired format. This could be a structured file format like CSV, JSON, or XML, or the data could be directly loaded into a database, data warehouse, or other systems for further processing or analysis.
Top 10 Data Extraction Tools
This section of the blog talks about various Data Extraction Tools available in the market that help extract data seamlessly:
1) Hevo Data
Hevo allows you to replicate data in near real-time from 150+ Data sources to the destination of your choice including Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, and Databricks. Without writing a single line of code. Finding patterns and opportunities is easier when you don’t have to worry about maintaining the pipelines. So, with Hevo as your data pipeline platform, maintenance is one less thing to worry about.
Get Started with Hevo for Free
For the rare times things do go wrong, Hevo ensures zero data loss. To find the root cause of an issue, Hevo also lets you monitor your workflow so that you can address the issue before it derails the entire workflow. Add 24*7 customer support to the list, and you get a reliable tool that puts you at the wheel with greater visibility. Check Hevo’s in-depth documentation to learn more.
If you don’t want SaaS tools with unclear pricing that burn a hole in your pocket, opt for a tool that offers a simple, transparent Hevo pricing model. Hevo has 3 usage-based pricing plans starting with a free tier, where you can ingest upto 1 million records.
Hevo was the most mature Extract and Load solution available, along with Fivetran and Stitch but it had better customer service and attractive pricing. Switching to a Modern Data Stack with Hevo as our go-to pipeline solution has allowed us to boost team collaboration and improve data reliability, and with that, the trust of our stakeholders on the data we serve.
– Juan Ramos, Analytics Engineer, Ebury
Check out how Hevo empowered Ebury to build reliable data products here.
What makes Hevo amazing
- Exceptional Security: A Fault-tolerant Architecture that ensures Zero Data Loss.
- Built to Scale: Exceptional Horizontal Scalability with Minimal Latency for Modern-data Needs.
- Incremental Data Load: Hevo allows the transfer of data that has been modified in real-time. This ensures efficient utilization of bandwidth on both ends.
- Auto Schema Mapping: Hevo takes away the tedious task of schema management & automatically detects the format of incoming data and replicates it to the destination schema. You can also choose between Full & Incremental Mappings to suit your Data Replication requirements.
Sign up here for a 14-Day Free Trial!
2) Import.io
This is a web-based tool that is used for extracting data from websites. It does this by allowing you to convert your unstructured or semi-structured data from web pages into structured forms that can be used for business decisions or integrations with other applications.
Key Features
- Visual web data extraction
- Data crawling and scraping
- Data transformation and cleaning
- Scheduled and automated extraction
- Multiple data delivery formats (CSV, JSON, Excel, API)
- API access for integration
- Cloud-based, no installation required
- Team collaboration and sharing
Pricing Model for Import.io
The pricing model depends on the number of websites and the number of web pages that need to be monitored for the Data Extraction process. Users that want to use Import.io need to schedule a consultation with their sales team.
In order to know more about Import.io, click this link.
3) Octoparse
This is a modern visual Web Data Extraction Tool. It is a Cloud-Based web crawler that enables you to easily extract web data without coding.
Key Features
- Visual point-and-click interface for web data extraction
- Automatic data extraction from multiple pages and websites
- Built-in browser for handling JavaScript-rendered pages
- Data deduplication and data validation options
- Proxy rotation and IP address rotation support
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for extracting data from images
Pricing Model for Octoparse
Octoparse has 4 plans that companies can choose- Free, Standard, Professional, and Enterprise. This choice depends on the budget of the companies.
In order to know more about Octoparse, click this link.
4) Parsehub
This is a free Web Scrapper that helps you extract data with a few clicks. You can easily turn any site into a spreadsheet or API for subsequent extraction.
Key Features
- Visual Web Scraper (point-and-click interface)
- Reusable Data Extraction Templates
- Data Transformation and Cleaning
- Cloud Execution (scalable and reliable)
- Scheduling and Monitoring
- APIs and Integrations
- Team Collaboration
Pricing Model for Parsehub
Similar to Octoparse, Parsehub also has 4 plans companies can choose from- Free, Standard, Professional, and Enterprise. This choice depends on the budget of the companies.
In order to know more about Parsehub, click this link.
5) OutWitHub
This is a Data Extraction Tool that automatically helps you to extract information from media and online sources, and organize them in a suitable format.
Key Features
- Allows users to point and click to select data to extract from web pages.
- Uses advanced pattern matching to extract structured and semi-structured data.
- Can follow links and extract data across multiple pages automatically.
- Templates can be created and reused for similar websites.
- Extracted data can be cleaned, filtered, sorted before output.
- Web scraping tasks can be scheduled to run automatically.
Pricing Model for OutWitHub
In order for customers to use OutWitHub, they need to set up a meeting with the sales team of OutWitHub.
In order to know more about OutWitHub, click this link.
6) Web Scraper
This is one of the popular Data Extraction Tools today. It extracts content from websites and can replicate entire website content elsewhere.
Key Features
- Extracts data from the most complex websites
- Point-and-click interface
- Configure scraper by pointing and clicking on elements
- No coding required
- Extracts data from dynamic web sites
- Extracts data from sites with multiple levels of navigation
- Handles JavaScript sites
- Full JavaScript execution and waiting for Ajax requests
- Built for modern web
Pricing Model for Web Scraper
Similar to Import.io and OutWitHub, customers need to set up a meeting with the sales team of Web Scrapper to use their services.
In order to know more about Web Scrapper, click this link.
7) Mailparser
This is an Email Parser tool that allows you to extract data from emails and attachments to automate your workflow.
Key Features
- Extracts data from emails and attachments (PDF, DOCX, etc.)
- Creates rules for automatic data extraction
- Exports data to Excel, Google Sheets, and more
- Filters data for specific needs
Pricing Model for Mailparser
Mailparser also offers 4 plans- Free, Professional, Business and Business++. Companies can choose either of the plans based on their budget.
In order to know more about Mailparser, click this link.
8) Mozenda
This is a Cloud-Based web scraping service. It allows you to scrape information from web pages.
Key Features
- Extracts data lists from websites automatically
- Handles complex website structures
- Scales well for large websites
- Tracks data changes over time
- Cleans and prepares extracted data
- Offers cloud-based or on-premise deployment
Pricing Model for Mozenda
Mozenda also offers 4 plans- Free, Professional, Enterprise, and High–Capacity. Companies can choose either of the plans based on their budget.
Read more about Mozenda.
9) DocParser
This is a leading Document Parser. It can be used to extract data from PDF to Excel, JSON, etc. It takes information from in-accessible formats and converts them to usable format such as Excel sheets.
Key Features
- Extracts data without coding
- Works with PDFs, Word docs, and images
- Handles tables and repeating data patterns
- Cleans up scanned documents for better accuracy
- Exports data in Excel, CSV, JSON, and XML formats
Pricing Model for DocParser
DocParser offers 5 plans- Free, Starter, Professional, Business, and Enterprise. Companies can choose either of the plans based on their budget.
Learn more about DocParser.
10) Table Capture
This is an extension of the Google Chrome browser. It gives you the ability to capture HTML tables for easy use in a Spreadsheet application.
Key Features
- Grabs tables for direct copy into spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.)
- Understands existing spreadsheet formatting
- Works on different computer systems
- Free option with paid plans for extra features
Pricing Model for Table Capture
Table Capture is a free extension for Google Chrome.
Learn more about Table Capture.
Benefits of Data Extraction Tools
There are many reasons why data is extracted from a source to a destination. Whatever may be the case, extracting data helps in managing not only streaming data but also helps in analytical use. Some of the benefits of Data Extractor Tools are:
- Improving your Accuracy: Data Extraction Tools greatly enhance the correctness of data transfer as this is largely done without human interference which reduces errors and bias, therefore, improving the quality of data.
- Giving you Control: Data extraction Tools largely determine which data is necessary for extraction. This is done when gathering data from different sources as it determines the exact data that is required for such an operation and leaves the rest for subsequent transfers.
- Increases Efficiency and Productivity: Using a Data Extraction Tool increases the overall efficiency as the time required for collecting data is reduced as the whole process is automated, invariably increasing productivity.
- Scalability: Organisations can determine the scale at which they want data collected because of the use of Data Extraction Tools. It helps you avoid manually phasing through sources to collect information rather, you can easily increase or reduce the amount of data you want to be collected and for what purpose.
- Ease of Use: Data Extraction Tools are easy to use as they are interactive and provide a visual representation of your data whereby one who is not equipped with a vast knowledge of programming can easily use them.
Features to Look For in a Data Extraction Tool
When searching for a reliable data extraction solution, an organization should take into account a few crucial factors, such as:
Support for Multiple Formats
Data is received by organizations in a variety of formats, including unstructured, semi-structured, and structured data. Automated data extraction software assists businesses in structuring unstructured data sets, even though most business intelligence tools can process structured formats directly after some scrubbing. These solutions also allow businesses to utilize all the information they get by supporting a large number of unstructured forms, such as DOC, DOCX, PDF, TXT, and RTF.
Extraction of Data in Real-Time for Big Data Analysis
Timely access to data is essential for making the best decisions and running a business. Batch data extraction, which processes data sequentially based on needs, is a vital component of many enterprises.
This implies that the most recent performance data may not be reflected in the information that is available for analysis. Any significant business choices will be made on out-of-date information. In order to prepare data for BI efforts more quickly, an efficient data extraction solution should provide real-time extraction through workflow automation and process orchestration. For real-time data extraction, modern data extraction systems make use of ML algorithms and AI approaches.
Reusable Templates with Data Extraction Software
Building an extraction rationale that can be applied to any unstructured document with the same layout should be possible with the correct data extraction software. This removes the requirement to create extraction algorithms from scratch for any incoming document that has a comparable layout.
Built-in Data Quality & Cleansing Functionality
The user-defined business rules should enable the data extraction tool to automatically detect and clear up any errors. An extraction model should be able to identify and remove any orders with negative quantity values, for instance, if a business extracts order quantities and order data from PDF invoices.
User-Friendly Interface
It is crucial that these data extraction solutions offer an easy-to-use interface that allows business users to create various data extraction templates with ease. It ought to make handling data without code simple.
Support for Multiple Destinations
A large range of destinations are supported by contemporary data extraction systems. Because of this versatility, customers may export the converted data to several BI tools like Tableau and SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and other destinations of their choice with ease. This eliminates the need for additional integrations and allows organisations to obtain valuable information more quickly.
Conclusion
This article provided in-depth knowledge about the best and popular Data Extraction Tools in the market today that can be used in order to simplify the extraction process. It also gave the pricing models for each of the tools and also provided benefits for companies when they use these tools.
Overall, Data Extraction plays a crucial part in any company, and choosing the correct Data Extraction Tool is part of that.
Since now we know much about Data Extraction, we can now learn more about the ETL process and the best ETL tools that are available in the market.
If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, that will not only help you transfer data but also transform it into analysis-ready form, then Hevo Data is the right choice for you! It will take care of all your analytics needs in a completely automated manner, allowing you to focus on key business activities.
Visit our Website to Explore Hevo
Want to take Hevo for a spin? Sign Up here for a 14-day free trial and experience the feature-rich Hevo suite first hand.
Share your experience of learning about the popular Data Extraction Tools in the comments section below!
Ofem is a freelance writer specializing in data-related topics, who has expertise in translating complex concepts. With a focus on data science, analytics, and emerging technologies.