8 Data Ingestion Tools for Your Modern Data Stack

Data ingestion tools move your data from where it lives to where you need it. They automatically collect information from databases, APIs, and files, then deliver it to your data warehouse or analytics platform so teams can focus on insights instead of data movement.

These tools are essential because manual data copying wastes time and breaks often. Good ingestion keeps dashboards updated, ML models fed with fresh data, and business decisions based on current information rather than outdated numbers.

The problem? Too many options create confusion. Developers face endless choices: Fivetran, Airbyte, Stitch, Hevo, Portable, Meltano – each with different strengths and complexities. Some are user-friendly but expensive, others are free but technically demanding. Our guide reviews the top 8 tools to help you cut through the noise.

If you don’t have the time to read through our research, here is our quick comparison table of the best CDC tools that you should consider

Tool	Scalability	Supported Sources	Ease of Use	Real-time Processing
	Very High	150+ sources	Very High	✅
	Very High	700+ connectors,	High	✅
	Very High	900+ connectors	Medium	✅
	Very High	Extensive via custom processors	Medium	✅
	High	80+ connectors,	Medium-High	✅
	Very High	20+ built-in connectors	Medium-High	Partial
	High	100+ connectors	High	Limited
	High	550+ connectors	High	✅

Top Data Ingestion Tools To Consider In 2025

1. Hevo Data

When it comes to complicated data integration from multiple sources, I’ve seen firsthand how complexity can stall progress, especially for small to medium businesses without deep technical resources. That’s why I appreciate solutions like Hevo Data. As a no-code data integration platform, at Hevo, we let you connect all the data sources to data warehouses and analytics tools in real time, with no coding or complex setup needed.

We help data teams and analysts consolidate business data quickly and keep it updated automatically, whether it’s from databases or APIs. This allows you to focus on insights rather than infrastructure.

I would vouch for Hevo as it has a simple point-and-click interface, real-time synchronization, and transparent pricing that grows with the business. If you want easy, reliable data integration without the hassle, Hevo is your go-to solution.

Key Features

• 150+ Pre-Built Data Source Connectors
  • We let you quickly connect to major data sources like Salesforce, Google Analytics, MySQL, and many more, without need for coding or complex setup. You get all your important data together in just a few clicks and you’re ready to go. 
• Real-Time Sync with Change Data Capture (CDC)
  • We keep your data up-to-date by syncing changes instantly as it happen in your source systems.
  • You always work with the freshest, most up-to-date information, no more waiting for overnight refreshes. Just perfect for teams that need real-time insights to make quick decisions.
• Automatic Schema Mapping & No-Code Data Transformations
  • We automatically understands changes in your data’s structure and adapts without manual work.
  • You don’t have to map fields or fix mismatches yourself. So, anyone on your team can clean and prepare data, even if they aren’t technical.
• Flexible Ingestion Modes: Batch & Streaming
  • We let you choose between real-time streaming for instant updates or batch mode for scheduled data loads.
  • You get to mix and match these modes for different sources, depending on your business needs. This flexibility means you’re always in control of how and when data moves.
• Easy Pipeline Monitoring & Status Alerts
  • You instantly see if your data pipelines are running smoothly or if there’s an issue. This way, we get clear alerts and status updates so you can fix problems before they affect your business. No more guessing, always know where your data is.
• Automatic Handling of Updates & Deletes
  • At Hevo, we automatically reflect changes or deletions from your source data in your destination.
  • You don’t need to manually update or clean your data to keep it accurate. This saves you time and reduces errors.
• Built-in Metadata & Audit Trails
  • We assign every record a unique ID and a timestamp showing when it was last changed.
  • This makes it easy to track changes, spot duplicates, and audit your data for compliance. You always know where your data came from and when it was updated.

Pricing

• Starts at $239/month for the Starter plan (1 million events)
• Business plan at $679/month (10 million events)
• 14-day free trial with no credit card required

Pros

• Zero coding required – anyone can set up pipelines
• Fast implementation, often within hours

Cons

• It can get expensive with high data volumes
• Limited custom transformation capabilities
• Some connectors may have sync limitations

Customer Testimonial

2. Fivetran

Fivetran offers a reliable way to sync data from multiple sources into a data warehouse, removing the need for constant manual maintenance. It is a cloud-based data integration tool designed for companies that want enterprise-level reliability and are ready to invest in a premium solution.

Fivetran does everything needed to keep data flowing and up to date. It takes care of changes in data structure (schema changes) and updates data automatically. This means companies do not have to build or look after their own data pipelines.

Fivetran is good because it runs itself and does not need much work from people. It has a lot of connectors for different data sources and is very safe, big companies trust it. For businesses that want a simple, worry-free way to bring in data and can afford a top-quality service, Fivetran is a great pick.

Key Features

• 700+ pre-built connectors with automatic updates and maintenance
  • You can connect to hundreds of data sources instantly and never worry about keeping integrations up to date.
• Automated schema evolution that adapts to changes in your source systems
  • Your data pipelines keep running smoothly even when your source data changes, with no manual fixes needed.
• Row-level security and compliance with SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR
  • Your sensitive data stays protected, and your business easily meets strict security and privacy standards.

Pricing

• Starts at $120/month for the Starter plan (100K monthly active rows)
• Standard plan at $180/month (1M monthly active rows)
• 14-day free trial available

Pros

• Industry-leading reliability and uptime
• Minimal ongoing maintenance required

Cons

• Premium pricing can be expensive for small teams
• Limited transformation capabilities within the platform
• High costs for large data volumes

Customer Testimonial

3. Talend

Talend handles data integration from start to finish, including data quality and governance. It is especially useful for complex or mixed (hybrid) IT environments. Talend is best for large companies that need strong and flexible tools to connect many different systems.

With Talend, businesses can collect data from hundreds of sources, use business rules to process it, and send it wherever it is needed. Talend stands out because it has a big library of connectors, powerful tools to change and manage data, and works with both cloud and on-premise systems.

For companies wanting the most flexibility and high-level control in their data integration, Talend is a top choice.

Key Features

• 900+ connectors covering virtually any data source or destination
  • You can easily bring in data from almost anywhere, saving tons of setup time and making sure nothing gets left out
• Visual development environment with drag-and-drop pipeline design
  • You and your team can quickly build and manage data pipelines without needing to write code, making the whole process faster and more user-friendly
• Advanced data transformation capabilities with custom code support
  • You can clean, shape, and prepare your data exactly how you want, even for complex needs, so your analytics are always accurate and ready to use

Pricing

• Cloud plans start around $1,170/month per user
• On-premise licensing is available with custom pricing
• Free open-source version (Talend Open Studio) available

Pros

• Most comprehensive connector library
• Powerful transformation capabilities

Cons

• Steep learning curve and complexity
• High cost for full enterprise features
• Can be overkill for simple use cases

Customer Testimonial

4. Apache NiFi

Apache NiFi lets you automate data ingestion across different systems easily and automatically. It is open-source, so you can use it without paying for licenses and build your own data flows.

With Apache NiFi, you create and manage data flows using a simple web interface. You can connect to many types of data sources, change or check data as it moves, and send it anywhere you need. It works with both batch and real-time data. You can rely on it for flexibility, extensive processor options, and the ability to handle both batch and streaming data, all while keeping full control over our infrastructure.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop visual interface for designing data flows
  • You can quickly build, monitor, and update your data pipelines using an intuitive, code-free interface, making setup and changes simple for everyone
• Guaranteed delivery and data provenance to see the complete lineage of every data point
  • You never have to worry about losing data or tracking its journey, since NiFi ensures every record is delivered and lets you see exactly where your data came from and where it goes
• Support for Real-Time and Batch Data Processing
  • You can handle both live streaming and scheduled data loads, so your business always gets the right data at the right time, whether you need instant updates or periodic transfers

Pricing

• Completely free and open-source
• Only costs are infrastructure and support/maintenance
• No licensing fees or usage-based charges

Pros

• No licensing costs – completely free
• Extremely flexible and customizable

Cons

• Requires significant technical expertise
• Setup and maintenance overhead
• Learning curve for new users

Customer Testimonial

5. StreamSets

StreamSets is built for making and running continuous data ingestion pipelines, especially for streaming data. It works well for companies that need their pipelines to adjust quickly to new data patterns or changes in their systems, particularly in real-time situations.

With StreamSets, teams can create strong pipelines that automatically deal with changes in data structure, data drift, and errors, without needing people to step in. Its smart, self-healing pipelines, strong monitoring tools, and focus on DataOps make it a top choice for managing streaming data and keeping data integration smooth and reliable.

Key Features

• Drag-and-Drop visual pipeline designer
  • Your team can quickly build, change, and monitor data pipelines without writing code, making setup and updates fast and easy for everyone.
• Pre-built Connectors for Streaming, Batch, and CDC
  • You can connect to a wide variety of data sources and destinations, whether you need real-time, scheduled, or change-data-capture ingestion, so all your data flows where you need it, with minimal effort.
• Automatic Handling of Data Drift and Schema Changes
  • Your pipelines keep running smoothly even if your incoming data changes unexpectedly, so you don’t have to constantly fix or rebuild them

Pricing

• StreamSets Cloud starts at $0.10 per pipeline hour
• Data Collector (self-managed) has usage-based pricing
• Free tier available for getting started

Pros

• Excellent for real-time streaming use cases
• Intelligent error handling and recovery

Cons

• Relatively smaller connector ecosystem
• Can be complex for simple batch use cases
• Pricing can scale up quickly with usage

Customer Testimonial

6. AWS Glue

AWS Glue is a serverless, cloud-native service for discovering, preparing, and combining data for analytics and machine learning. It is a great fit for organizations already using AWS, or for teams that want to focus on data logic instead of managing servers.

With AWS Glue, you can build ETL pipelines that connect easily with other AWS services. These pipelines grow automatically as your data grows, so you do not have to worry about scaling. The service is pay-as-you-go, so you only pay for what you use. Its tight AWS integration, serverless architecture, and pay-as-you-go pricing make it my go-to for efficient, cost-effective data integration in the cloud.

Key Features

• Serverless architecture with automatic scaling and no infrastructure management
  • You don’t have to set up or manage any servers, AWS Glue handles all the infrastructure, so you can focus on your data, not on maintenance or scaling.
• Data catalog with automatic schema discovery and metadata management
  • AWS Glue automatically finds, organizes, and catalogs your data from different sources, making it easy for your team to discover and use the right data quickly.
• Native AWS integration with S3, Redshift, RDS, and other AWS services
  • You can easily move and process data across all your AWS tools without a complicated setup, making your data pipelines faster.

Pricing

• Pay-per-use model: $0.44 per Data Processing Unit (DPU) hour
• Data Catalog: $1 per 100K API calls, $1 per 1M objects stored
• No upfront costs or minimum commitments

Pros

• No infrastructure to manage
• Seamless AWS ecosystem integration

Cons

• Limited to AWS ecosystem
• Fewer pre-built connectors than specialized tools
• Can become expensive for high-volume, continuous processing

Customer Testimonial

7. Matillion

Matillion is a cloud-native data integratio tool for moving and changing data in the cloud. It works especially well with cloud data warehouses like Snowflake, BigQuery, or Redshift.

With Matillion, you can easily connect to many different data sources. You can use simple drag-and-drop tools to change and prepare your data. Everything runs right inside your cloud data warehouse, so it’s fast and you don’t need to move data around a lot. Matillion is great for teams that want to handle big amounts of data and want everything to be easy and fast. It helps both engineers and analysts work with data in a way that is simple, scalable, and made for the cloud.

Key Features

• Cloud data warehouse optimization for Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift, and Delta Lake
  • You get the best performance and cost efficiency by taking full advantage of your cloud data warehouse’s unique features, so your analytics run faster and more smoothly
• ELT architecture that pushes processing down to your data warehouse
  • Your data transformations happen directly in your warehouse, making large-scale data prep faster and reducing the load on your own systems
• Visual transformation designer with 100+ pre-built components
  • Your team can easily build complex data pipelines using a drag-and-drop interface, speeding up development and making it simple for everyone to use, even without coding skills

Pricing

• Pay-as-you-go model: Number of “credits” you consume for data processing.
• Free Developer plan for individuals is available
• Basic plan starts at $2.00 per credit hour, Advanced plan at $2.50 per credit hour

Pros

• Optimized performance for cloud data warehouses
• Intuitive visual interface

Cons

• Limited to cloud data warehouse destinations
• Can be expensive for large-scale processing
• Primarily batch processing, limited real-time capabilities

Customer Testimonial

8. Airbyte

Airbyte is great for teams that want to build and manage data pipelines with open-source flexibility. It lets you use both ready-made and custom connectors, so you can connect to almost any data source.

With Airbyte, you can run it on your own servers or use a managed cloud service—whatever fits your needs. This means you avoid being locked into one vendor. You keep full control over your data setup.

Airbyte’s community-driven approach means you get new connectors and features quickly. It is reliable, easy to customize, and grows with your needs. This makes Airbyte a strong choice for teams that want flexible, powerful data movement.

Key Features

• Reverse ELT (syncing data from your warehouse back to operational systems)
  • You can easily push transformed or enriched data from your data warehouse back into business applications and databases
• Change data capture (CDC) for real-time data synchronization
  • You can keep your data warehouse instantly updated with every change—insert, update, or delete—from your databases, ensuring your analytics are always based on the latest information
• Custom connector development framework for unique sources
  • You can build your own connectors so you’re never limited by pre-built options and can integrate all your critical systems

Pricing

• Open-source version: Free forever
• Airbyte Cloud: $2.50 per credit, starting with free credits
• Teams and Enterprise plans offer predictable, capacity-based pricing based on the number of pipelines and data refresh frequency.

Pros

• Open-source with no vendor lock-in
• Rapidly growing connector library

Cons

• Newer platform with some connectors still maturing
• Self-hosted version requires technical maintenance
• Limited enterprise features in open-source version

Customer Testimonial

What are the Benefits and Key Features of Data Ingestion Tools?

If you’re still relying on manual data processes, it’s time to switch to data ingestion tools because:

• You’ll save hours (or even weeks) of tedious, repetitive work by automating data movement and preparation, so you’re not stuck writing and fixing scripts every time something changes.
• Your team can finally focus on what really matters—turning data into insights and strategy, instead of constantly putting out fires with broken pipelines.
• You’ll make smarter, faster business decisions because your dashboards and reports will always show the most up-to-date, accurate data you can trust.

Key Features Your Data Ingestion Tool Must Offer

Automated Data Flow

You don’t want to waste time writing scripts or fixing broken data processes. With automated data flow, your data moves from one place to another on its own, so you can relax knowing everything’s up to date without lifting a finger.

Versatile Connectivity

Your data is everywhere, maybe in databases, cloud apps, or even spreadsheets. Versatile connectivity means you can pull all your important data together, no matter where it lives, without jumping through hoops or building custom connections.

Batch and Real-Time Processing

Sometimes you need data updates right away, and other times you’re fine with getting them in batches. With both options, you get to choose what works best for your business, so you’re always in control of how fresh your data is.

Data Transformation and Cleansing

You want to trust the numbers you see. These tools clean up and organize your data as it comes in, so you’re not stuck sorting out messy or inaccurate info later. That means you can make decisions with confidence.

Scalability and Flexibility

Your business is always growing and changing. With scalable and flexible tools, you don’t have to worry about outgrowing your data solution. As you add more data or new sources, your tools keep up—no stress, no switching needed.

Key Factors in Choosing the Best Data Ingestion Tools

Data Sources & Connectivity

Selecting the best data ingestion tools starts with ensuring they can connect to all your important data sources.

• Does the tool support your databases, APIs, cloud storage, and streaming platforms?
• Does it offer pre-built connectors, or will you need to build custom integrations?

Batch vs. Real-Time Processing

The right data ingestion types, batch or real-time, depend on your business needs. Batch works for scheduled loads, while real-time is crucial for instant analytics and live dashboards.

• Do you need batch processing, real-time streaming, or both?
• Can the tool easily switch between these modes as your requirements change?

Scalability & Performance

Scalable cloud data ingestion ensures your pipelines keep up as your data grows, without bottlenecks or slowdowns.

• Can the tool handle increasing data loads efficiently?
• Does it offer auto-scaling or distributed processing for large datasets?

Ease of Use & Deployment

The best data ingestion tools fit your team’s skills and minimize setup and maintenance.

• Is the tool fully managed, or does it require self-hosting and manual setup?
• Does it provide an intuitive UI, or will your team need to write complex scripts?

Data Transformation & Enrichment

Transforming and enriching data before loading maximizes its value for analytics and reporting.

• Does the tool support data cleaning, validation, and transformation out of the box?
• Can you enrich your data as part of the ingestion workflow?

Data Reliability & Fault Tolerance

Reliable pipelines are critical for business continuity and trust in your data.

• Does the tool offer error handling, retries, and data deduplication?
• How does it recover from failures or interruptions?

Cost & Pricing Model

Understanding pricing helps you choose a tool that fits your needs and budget as you scale.

• Is the cost usage-based, subscription, or just infrastructure for open-source tools?
• Will the pricing model remain sustainable as your data grows?

Security & Compliance

Cloud Data Ingestion must meet your organization’s security and compliance requirements.

• Does the tool support encryption, access controls, and regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA)?
• How does it protect sensitive data?

Vendor Support & Community

Strong support and a vibrant community help you resolve issues and stay productive.

• Is there thorough documentation and responsive support?
• Does the community actively contribute to improvements and troubleshooting?

Integration with Data Stack

The best data ingestion tools integrate smoothly with your existing analytics and BI platforms.

• Does the tool work with your data warehouse, BI, and analytics tools?
• Will it fit into your current and future data architecture?

Conclusion

Building a strong data strategy starts with understanding what you actually need from a data ingestion tool, not just picking the most popular option. The benefits we’ve outlined – saving time, reducing errors, and getting real-time insights – only matter if you choose a tool that matches your team’s skills, budget, and technical requirements. Focus on the key features that solve your specific data challenges, whether that’s handling multiple data sources, scaling with growth, or maintaining reliable pipelines without constant babysitting.

Even the best tool won’t help if your team gets stuck during implementation or can’t get support when things go wrong. That’s where solutions like Hevo shine with 24/7 support, transparent pricing, and a setup process that actually works for real teams with real deadlines. Don’t let another quarter pass with manual data processes holding back your business insights. 

If you’re looking for a powerful, no-code data ingestion solution, Try Hevo for Free and transform your data strategy today!

Frequently Asked Questions