Fivetran vs Supermetrics: A Guide to Choose the Right ETL Tool

If you’ve been comparing the best tools to automate data pipelines, integrate marketing data, or streamline ETL workflows, chances are Fivetran and Supermetrics have come up more than once. Although they are popular and widely trusted data integration tools, they solve very different challenges.

Fivetran is engineered for data teams and analysts who need robust, scalable pipelines to move structured data from sources like PostgreSQL, Salesforce, or Snowflake into cloud warehouses. In contrast, Supermetrics is built for marketers who want to automate campaign reporting with no-code data connectors for tools like Google Ads, Meta, and HubSpot.

This guide offers a side-by-side comparison of Fivetran vs Supermetrics, covering connectors, pricing models, transformation features, and ideal use cases. You’ll also learn which tool fits your business intelligence stack and data automation strategy better.

What is Fivetran?

G2 Rating: 4.2/5.0
Gartner Rating: 4.5/5.0

Fivetran stands out with its automated data integration, which requires minimal upkeep once deployed. It supports Change Data Capture (CDC) for near real-time sync and includes Schema Drift Handling that adapts to source changes without breaking pipelines. This automation makes it a top choice for data teams focused on stability and scale.

Fivetran offers over 700 fully managed connectors across SaaS apps, databases, and file systems. Furthermore, it integrates with dbt Core to support in-warehouse transformations, enabling teams to apply SQL logic directly within their destination systems. This works especially well for organizations with established data stacks.

However, Fivetran does have limitations. It offers limited flexibility beyond SQL and can become expensive at high volumes. Even so, for teams looking for a reliable, high-performance data pipeline tool with minimal maintenance, Fivetran remains one of the most trusted tools in the modern ETL landscape.

Top Features of Fivetran

• Prebuilt Data Models: Accelerate reporting with ready-to-use models for tools like Salesforce, NetSuite, and Marketo.
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Manage user access and ensure data governance across teams.
• Historical Sync and Backfills: Pull entire datasets initially, then keep them fresh with incremental updates.
• Advanced Scheduling Controls: Customize sync frequency to balance cost and latency based on business needs.

Pros

• Includes pre-built models that reduce setup time for reporting
• Offers enterprise-grade access control and security features
• Enables both full historical loads and efficient incremental syncs
• Scheduling flexibility helps control warehouse usage and cost

 Cons

• Lacks native support for non-SQL transformations
• No direct integration with spreadsheets or BI tools
• User interface is designed more for engineers than business users
• Advanced features are mostly locked behind higher-tier pricing

Need more choices? Here’s a list of top Fivetran competitors to explore

What is Supermetrics?

G2 Rating: 4.4/5.0
Gartner Rating: 3.8/5.0

Supermetrics is built for marketing teams that need quick, no-code access to their data. It connects with over 100 platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn, and HubSpot, and sends that data into tools like Google Sheets, Looker Studio, and BigQuery.

Once connected, you can schedule refreshes, blend campaign metrics across channels, and build live dashboards that update automatically. It’s a solid fit for day-to-day campaign tracking, ad performance analysis, and SEO reporting, especially when speed and simplicity are top priorities.

However, unlike full-fledged ETL tools such as Fivetran or Hevo, Supermetrics isn’t designed for deep data modeling or complex transformations. If your workflows involve data warehousing, multi-step transformations, or custom logic, you’ll likely need a more robust ETL platform alongside it.

Top Features of Supermetrics

• Custom Fields & Filters: Create calculated metrics and apply filters to customize your data exactly how you want it.
• Team Management & User Roles: Assign roles and manage permissions across workspaces for better collaboration.
• Filter Data Before Import: Unlike most ETL tools that filter post-load, Supermetrics lets you select exactly what data you want to pull upfront.
• Connector Templates & Prebuilt Queries: Use ready-made query templates to speed up campaign tracking and reporting.

Pros

• Simplifies cross-platform reporting for multi-client teams
• Prebuilt templates make onboarding faster and smoother
• Reliable delivery of scheduled reports with minimal maintenance
• Clear UI that suits both solo marketers and mid-sized teams

Cons

• Struggles with high-frequency or high-volume data pulls
• Support can be slow or inconsistent during peak hours
• Requires manual effort for deeper analysis or custom metrics
• Data syncs can occasionally break without obvious error logs

Need more choices? Click on our list of top Supermetrics alternatives to explore.

Fivetran vs Supermetrics vs Hevo: Comparison at a Glance

For more tabular comparisons like this, you can check out blogs on Alooma vs Fivetran vs Hevo and Fivetran vs Matillion.

Fivetran vs Supermetrics: In-depth Feature & Use Case Comparison  

At first glance, both Fivetran and Supermetrics help you move data with less manual effort. But when you look closer, they’re built for very different teams. One is made for engineers, the other for marketers.

This breakdown walks you through how each tool handles connectors, pricing, transformations, and more. By the end, you’ll know exactly which one fits your workflow better.

1. Connectors

Think of connectors as the fuel. More connectors means less manual effort and faster data movement.

• Fivetran brings 700+ fully managed connectors across databases, SaaS apps, and cloud platforms like PostgreSQL, Snowflake, and Salesforce. This wide coverage means fewer custom pipelines and less maintenance for engineering teams.
  
• Supermetrics focuses on 100+ marketing connectors like Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, and HubSpot. It’s tailored for marketers who want quick, no-code access to campaign data without needing technical help.

Winner: Fivetran if you need wide coverage across tools and databases.

But Supermetrics wins if your world revolves around marketing data.

2. Pricing

Here’s where it gets tricky. Pricing depends on how much you pull, and from where.

• Fivetran uses a credit-based model based on Monthly Active Rows (MAR). Entry-level plans typically start at $500 to $1,000 per month, with larger workloads (like 10M+ rows) pushing costs to $2,000 or more. Pricing is custom, and exact quotes depend on sync volume and frequency.
  
• Supermetrics is transparent. The Essential Plan is $39/month for one user, one source, one destination. The Super Plan is $199/month for 10 sources and 10 users. Enterprise plans start at $579/month, with support and SLA options.

Winner: Supermetrics for simple use cases or smaller teams.

But if you need stability at scale, Fivetran can be worth the cost.

3. Data Transformation

Let’s talk about cleanup. How do these tools help turn raw data into usable insights?

• Fivetran integrates with dbt Core for post-load transformations directly in your warehouse. This is a big plus for analytics teams that need scalable, SQL-based workflows and want to automate reporting with pre-built models for tools like NetSuite and Marketo.

• Supermetrics doesn’t handle transformations. You get raw marketing metrics as-is and handle cleanup manually in Sheets or dashboards. This works for quick reports but can slow things down when deeper analysis or custom metrics are needed.

Fivetran takes this one as it’s built for structured data pipelines and scalable SQL workflows.

4. Data Security

Not the most fun category, but easily one of the most important.

• Fivetran brings SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, HIPAA compliance, and encryption both in transit and at rest. This matters a lot for finance and healthcare teams that deal with sensitive data and strict regulatory audits.
  
• Supermetrics offers encryption and secure OAuth access, but lacks deeper certifications. For teams in finance or healthcare, this may fall short of strict compliance needs.

Fivetran wins here for robust, audit-ready security.

5. Support and Documentation

When something breaks, who’s going to help?

• Fivetran offers detailed documentation and in-app support. Enterprise users get faster SLAs, a dedicated success manager, and priority troubleshooting. But on lower tiers, live chat or 24/7 support isn’t included, which can slow things down for smaller teams.
  
• Supermetrics provides email and ticket-based support, with typical response times of 1-2 business days. While its documentation is helpful, it doesn’t offer 24/7 help unless you’re on an enterprise plan. Moreover, users occasionally mention delays during peak hours.
  

Winner: Fivetran for more detailed guidance and faster help on premium plans.

6. Ease of Use & Setup

How fast can you start pulling data? And how much do you need to know before clicking “connect”?

• Fivetran has a clean interface and auto-schema handling. But let’s be honest, it still helps to know your way around SQL and warehouse setups. It’s great for engineers who want set-it-and-forget-it pipelines.
  
• Supermetrics is plug-and-play. Log in, select a source, hit sync, and watch the metrics drop into Sheets or dashboards. No engineering needed. Marketing teams at agencies can pull cross-platform data in minutes without engineering help.

Supermetrics takes the win if ease is your top priority.
But if you’ve got a technical team, Fivetran won’t slow you down either.

If you’re considering other alternatives for Supermetrics, check out our blog on Top 9 Supermetrics alternatives.

If you are looking for other Fivetran Alternatives, have a look at some other comparisons:

• Fivetran vs Airflow
• Fivetran vs Informatica
• Fivetran vs ADF
• Fivetran vs Supermetrics

Conclusion

Picking the right data integration tool isn’t always about features, it’s about how well it fits into your team’s rhythm. Whether you’re automating syncs or reporting on campaign performance, the tool needs to adapt to your workflow, not the other way around.

Fivetran and Supermetrics offer very different experiences. One is infrastructure-focused, giving teams more control under the hood. The other is tailored for quick wins, helping teams skip the setup and get straight to insights. It’s less about which tool is “better” and more about which one feels frictionless in everyday use.

The best way to choose is by looking at where the most time gets spent, managing pipelines or building reports. Once that’s clear, the right choice tends to follow naturally.

Want to simplify data integration without compromising flexibility or scale? Try Hevo for free today.

FAQ on Fivetran vs Supermetrics