The 9 best ETL tools in 2026

You can't really have too much data, but you can definitely have too much disjointed data. If you have mountains of information in this app that need to go over to that—and you plan to transfer it by hand—you're basically setting yourself up for failure. At best, you spend a few miserable hours glued to the computer screen. At worst, you watch tearfully as your coworkers go to happy hour on a Friday while you're navigating broken VLOOKUPs and manically bouncing between apps.

ETL is the solution to these data nightmares: it transfers data quickly and accurately, enabling you to sync your systems and build efficient, automated processes that don't require constant supervision. 

I've scoured the web, done thorough research and review-reading, and tested the most popular ETL tools on the market so you can join your coworkers for every happy hour.

The best ETL software

• Zapier for lightweight ETL

• Informatica for AI-powered data governance

• IBM DataStage for complex batch processing

• AWS Glue for AWS users

• Azure Data Factory for Microsoft users

• Airbyte for open-source ETL

• Meltano for DataOps teams

• Fivetran for low-maintenance ETL

• Hevo for budget-friendly ETL

What are ETL tools?

ETL tools are software solutions that move data from one or more sources to a central destination. They also clean and standardize the information along the way, so the data reaching your warehouse or database is error-free and actually usable. 

The acronym stands for:

• Extract: Pulling data from different sources like a CRM, an ad platform, or that SQL database your dev team guards like Gollum with the One Ring.

• Transform: Cleaning the data to fix typos, standardizing date formats, and correcting any rounding errors (like those accidental extra zeros from a tired intern).

• Load: Depositing the now-polished data into a new destination, like a data warehouse, data lake, or a primary CRM.

Let's say you want to adopt a new, advanced CRM and use it as your customer-facing source of truth. You could manually search through your previous CRM, Google Sheets, Facebook Ad accounts, and social media pages to transfer over information—but, again, many tears and missed happy hours. 

An ETL tool automatically scans those sources, standardizes the messy formatting, and pipes everything into your new CRM before your second cup of coffee.

What makes the best ETL tool?

ETL tools have a decent amount of variety in the space that, at first glance, makes it hard to compare products. I put on my sleuthing hat and separated each entry by use case. There's a bit of overlap among them, but here are the main categories:

• Enterprise/on-premise: These are the heavy-duty products usually found in massive corporations with their own server rooms. Dedicated dev teams sold separately. 

• Cloud-native: These are built specifically for the modern era, where everything lives on the internet; they're often plug-and-play options that can scale up and down automatically, so you aren't paying for computing power you're not using.

• Open-source: A DIY approach that lets your engineering department tinker with and optimize exactly what you need without being locked into a specific vendor.

• No-code: Tools that typically use visual, drag-and-drop interfaces to help you build a data pipeline without typing a single line of code (if you don't want to).

I also vetted my choices further with a few criteria that I found to be most important:

• Connectivity: If an ETL tool can't connect to your systems, what are we even doing here? I made sure every tool on my list offered a wide range of pre-built connectors and could handle everything from organized spreadsheets to messy, unformatted text files.

• Performance: Transferring data is a big undertaking; you don't want to be hampered by your chosen technology. Things like processing speed (throughput), scaling capabilities, and the amount of "juice" the tool needs to run were key points for me here.

• Ease of use: Some teams have a gaggle of CS grads on staff, while others have no idea where to start, but know they need something. I have software on my list that speaks to different audiences, but whatever the target market was, the interface had to actually make sense.

• Data quality: While you're moving data, make sure you're transferring the good stuff, not illegible sludge. I was looking for key capabilities such as data standardization, error reporting, and other functions that ensure the final result is actually trustworthy.

So, let's dive into the best ETL tools.

The best ETL tools at a glance

Best ETL tool for AI orchestration

Zapier (Web)

Zapier pros:

• 8,000+ integrations

• No-code automation

• Fast deployment

Zapier cons:

• Lacks some of the traditional ETL features compared to other tools on this list

Some software on this list can do many things that Zapier can't because Zapier isn't a traditional ETL tool. But if you want to go beyond simple data transfer—in other words, you want to accomplish something with that data movement—Zapier may be a better fit. 

Zapier is an AI orchestration platform with comprehensive data movement, storage, and automation capabilities. You can use it to move information from app to app (and department to department), standardize that data across sources, and link it all to AI and automation so you have to lift as few fingers as possible.

Tables is one of the headliners: a feature that lets you store, manipulate, organize, and connect your data in one place. It's here where you can push and pull information to all the apps you use and implement it across your workflows. 

The other side of the top billing is the sheer number of Zapier integrations—there are over 8,000 of them (that's nearly as many as all the other tools on this list combined). So, no matter what tools exist in your tech stack—whether it's HubSpot or that weird, niche contraption your IT team swears by—you'll likely be able to link it with Zapier.

Once you've connected your systems via integrations, Tables, or both, you can begin data sharing. Set up a workflow, either by hand or with Zapier Copilot, to automatically transfer information between apps, update coworkers, glean insights, and speed through daily to-do lists without human intervention.

Zapier isn't a traditional ETL tool, but maybe you don't need a traditional ETL tool. Zapier's customers didn't, and look how they turned out.

Zapier pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $19.99/month

Best ETL tool for AI-powered data governance

Informatica (Web)

Informatica pros:

• Suitable and scalable for large enterprises

• AI-powered assistance

• Drag-and-drop builders

Informatica cons:

• Steep learning curve

• No pricing transparency

Informatica may be the poster child for enterprise ETL tools; it's a big, clunky, complex behemoth that seems to need a how-to guide just to navigate its menu pages. But just like my '03 Honda Shadow motorcycle, which I still ride to this day, something can be clunky and exactly what you need at the same time.

On the other hand, just like my '03 motorcycle, just because it works well doesn't mean you're not daydreaming about something better. If I were a data engineer or IT professional trying to navigate this tool, I would appreciate its complexity while also scorning it at the same time. It will take you some time to get used to it.

But once you crack the code, useful ETL features pop out at every turn. Data replication and change data capture capabilities can help you feed data warehouses and lakes with minimal effort behind the scenes. Useful (yet visually outdated) analytics dashboards can give you real-time updates on data transfer to monitor successful or failed transfers, and you can even switch to a serverless ETL option if that's more your style.

One of my favorite features is CLAIRE AI, a system of copilots, agents, and models that can help you with platform navigation, engineering, and general usability; it can even give recommendations for structuring your data system and point you toward the best platforms to link to. 

The mapping designer is another standout, a drag-and-drop builder that lets you build complex data workflows and logic without writing code. It's not pretty—in fact, it looks like it just hopped out of a time machine from Y2K—but it's undeniably useful for helping your team create what you need without diving into an advanced CS textbook. 

Informatica also includes roughly 1,000 connectors, so you can work with just about any data source you have on hand. At the end of the day, this is a complicated tool, but if you're willing to put in the effort to learn, it could be more than worth your while.

Informatica pricing: Contact Informatica

Best ETL tool for complex batch processing

IBM DataStage (Web)

IBM DataStage pros:

• AI assistant and pipeline builder

• Remote data engine building

• Python SDK

IBM DataStage cons:

• Steep learning curve

• No pricing transparency

Everyone has heard of IBM; it's a tech powerhouse, so it makes perfect sense that it would offer an ETL tool alongside its smorgasbord of other offerings.

Like Informatica, IBM DataStage is a behemoth. There's likely no ETL stone left unturned within the IBM ecosystem, and initial navigation had me a bit skittish given my interactions with the former. But unlike Informatica, it feels fresh; well, fresh-er. More iPod Mini than Y2K.

To start, most of the connectors here are other IBM sources, cloud warehouses, or regional databases. So you won't find many direct app capabilities here, but if that's not your focus or objective, you don't necessarily need to worry about it.

The ETL features impressed me as I perused them. If you'd like to build a data system in safety and solitude, the remote engine lets you do so, free from ingress, egress, latency, and security risks. Parallel processing splits data into streams and moves it through a pipeline to speed up data processing. If you need an analogy for just how important that is, it's like if you enlisted a team of cleaners to help you organize your house rather than spending an entire Sunday doing it yourself. In a word (or two): much faster.

Just like most tools on the market, IBM has an AI assistant that can help you build pipelines with natural language rather than coding logic. If you'd like to stick to code, it also includes a full-featured Python SDK that users can switch to from the graphical user interface (GUI).

Overall, this is another complex ETL system, but I did find many useful features—even for the not-so-technical folks out there—that could help teams with data transfers. 

IBM DataStage pricing: Contact IBM

Best ETL tool for AWS users

AWS Glue (Web)

AWS Glue pros:

• Deep integration with other AWS products

• ML data quality monitoring

• Comprehensive Data Catalog

AWS Glue cons:

• Usage-based pricing

• May not be useful for teams that exist outside of the AWS ecosystem

I'd argue that if you want something in life, you should always go to the source that specializes in it. If you want a steak, you should go to a steakhouse. If you want new running shoes, you should go to the specialty running store. And, if your business primarily runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS)—and you want to combine and mobilize data in Amazon apps like S3, Athena, Lake Formation, and Redshift (in a cloud-based environment, mind you)—you should use AWS Glue.

One of Glue's features that jumps right off the page is its Data Catalog—a central repository for data you've stored across your AWS ecosystem. You can annotate and easily share information, essentially serving as a technological phone book for all your assets (a list that can include AWS products, limited Microsoft interfaces, and "regular" apps like QuickBooks and Salesforce). This, as you can imagine, makes the ETL process much easier.

Glue also spends a lot of time making sure your data quality is top-notch. The platform can automatically compute statistics for your datasets, then recommend rules and checklists to help you identify hiccups in data quality. It also has machine learning (ML) perpetually running in the background that jumps in whenever it detects anomalies or unusual data patterns. 

The one major downside I see here is Glue's pricing model. As a veteran of the app testing and review game, I've learned that if a product has a pricing calculator to help estimate your monthly costs, you may as well just pull out your Black Card right now. As such, Glue sits in a weird middle zone where it may be too complex for small businesses, but perhaps too pricey for larger operations with consistent ETL needs.

Despite that, I found AWS Glue to be a terrific platform—especially for teams within the AWS ecosystem. If you'd like to harness even more integrations, you can automate Amazon apps with Zapier. From S3 to Redshift, Zapier can help you link AWS apps with 8,000+ other apps. Learn more about Amazon automation.

AWS Glue pricing: Usage-based pricing

Best ETL tool for Microsoft users

Azure Data Factory (Web)

Azure Data Factory pros:

• Deep integration with other Microsoft products

• Code-free data flows

• Cloud-based hosting

Azure Data Factory cons:

• Usage-based pricing

• May not be interconnected enough for teams that exist outside of the Microsoft ecosystem

I just gave you roughly 300 words of gold on AWS Glue. And yet, nearly everything I asserted in the previous section could be applied here as well. Azure Data Factory (ADF) is the yang to AWS Glue's yin: it's a Microsoft-based powerhouse that's perfect for teams who operate on the other side of the technological aisle.

The first bit of ADF raving I have to do is centered on the connectors. Not only can it connect to every relevant Microsoft app under the sun, but it can also host apps like HubSpot and Jira, and a few select AWS databases. To reiterate, AWS Glue offers some Microsoft compatibility, but from my perspective, ADF is winning the connector battle. ADF is kind of like Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood": I drink your milkshake!

I always appreciate it when businesses offer code-free options for the less technical crowd, and ADF does that via code-free data flows. I dove into these flows to see just how easy it would be to set up, and I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was; I'm very confident that anyone with a teaspoon of tech knowledge could set up their systems without too many messages to customer support. In fact, they brand (and cater) to this type of user as a "citizen integrator," a non-technical user who needs to execute ETL.

As I'm structuring this as a yin/yang approach to the AWS Glue review, I should discuss pricing. Like AWS Glue, ADF has a pay-as-you-go pricing model, but it seems cheaper than AWS; in fact, I dove into some review pages, and most users agree that it is cheaper, depending on the complexity of your needs, of course.

In all, Azure Data Factory does enough to earn my official stamp of approval, especially for teams in the Microsoft ecosystem. If you'd like to expand that ecosystem, you can connect many of your Microsoft tools with Zapier to build an integrated tech stack. Learn more about how to automate Microsoft apps.

Azure Data Factory pricing: Usage-based pricing

Best ETL tool for open-source ETL

Airbyte (Web)

Airbyte pros:

• Open-source hosting option

• AI agent integration

• 600+ connectors

Airbyte cons:

• Usage overage charges

• It may be too restrictive for larger businesses

Airbyte is a little more approachable for the average crowd. It's proudly open source, meaning you can download the core product and self-host it; this is beneficial for teams that want complete control over source code and data pipelines, or who just want a free product. If you'd prefer Airbyte handle the hosting—either because you don't want to or don't know how (no judgment here)—you can do so for a pretty modest fee compared to other options on this list.

The product separates itself into two distinct features: the Agent Engine and the Data Replication Engine. The former helps teams integrate AI agents and real-time systems that surface data faster through fetch-and-write operations, while the latter enhances analytics and data platforms and empowers ETL processes.

When starting your ETL journey, you'll first build a low-code or no-code pipeline using the connector builder—a handy little tool with built-in AI assistance. From there, you can integrate 600 connectors, including Shopify, Facebook, and Postgres. Airbyte also proudly displays a host of security features, such as SSO, audit logs, and SCIM provisioning, that give you a little extra peace of mind when linking all your data.

I'd recommend Airbyte for smaller to mid-sized teams, given its feature set and pricing structure. The platform does have a monthly fee and volume-based restrictions, so larger businesses that plan to handle large volumes of data may be charged to the point that they wonder why they didn't start with a more complex solution in the first place. Nonetheless, Airbyte is a solid product that shouldn't cause too many complaints.

Airbyte pricing: Free plan available; pricing starts at $10/month with usage-based caps

Best ETL tool for DataOps teams

Meltano (Web)

Meltano pros:

• 600+ connectors

• Open-source capabilities

• Developer-centric workflow and SDKs

Meltano cons:

• Code-heavy environment

• Too complex for non-technical teams

Have you ever gotten lost in a business or a hospital because every door and hallway had an "Authorized Personnel Only" sign? Well, consider Meltano to be that sign, and if you're not comfortable with code, you shouldn't enter.

Meltano is built primarily for data engineers and DataOps teams, so it's more complex than most. You won't find any no-code, drag-and-drop interfaces here—just a wide world of software development kits (SDKs) and text editors. The obvious benefit is that you can build your data transfer system exactly how you want, and it's inherently open source—meaning there's little (if any) cost.

The ETL process itself is pretty simple (relatively speaking). You just need to add and configure your chosen SaaS API connections, database, or custom source, configure your destination database, and synchronize your data either all at once or on an ongoing basis. And honestly, that's the meat and potatoes of Meltano.

Beyond that, the product offers pipeline logs and alerting to identify when your data isn't being processed properly, sandbox testing environments, and error rate limit handling. It even offers 600+ connectors for teams with a wide range of data sources.

Overall, Meltano is for developers, plain and simple. But if you are a developer, you'll find the platform to be simple, straightforward, and a treat to use.

Meltano pricing: Open source

Best ETL tool for low-maintenance ETL

Fivetran (Web)

Fivetran pros:

• Fully-managed connectors

• Data drift management

• Mostly hands-off experience

Fivetran cons:

• It might be too much product for a smaller business

• Usage-based pricing

Fivetran is impressively equal parts comforting and terrifying—kind of like watching a massive thunderstorm from your couch while wearing a Snuggie. On one hand, the interface is clean and supremely easy to use; on the other, the sheer breadth of capabilities is so massive that you may constantly be asking yourself if you're missing out on something.

To start, Fivetran offers 700+ connectors with built-in, fully managed pipelines. What does that mean? Well, all you really have to do is identify your start and end points, and Fivetran will handle the connector setup, replication, API updates, and maintenance. In other words, it kind of does all the work for you.

But that's not where the white glove service ends. If an API changes in one of your data sources, Fivetran will automatically update it on its end, keeping your pipeline relatively unscathed. If a data transfer is interrupted, Fivetran will restart it from the last successful state and check for data loss. If you change the data format in one of your sources—say, add some columns to a data sheet—Fivetran will replicate those changes in your endpoint without you having to do a thing. These features honestly get me excited, and I've never wanted to willingly engage in ETL in my life.

Really, the only downside here is the price. Fivetran primarily offers usage-based pricing, and it's not unheard of for even the cheapest plans to cost roughly $500 per month. That said, if you have the adequate needs and checkbook to match, Fivetran may be the most comprehensive, low-maintenance ETL tool I've seen.  

Fivetran pricing: Usage-based pricing

Best ETL tool for budget-friendly ETL

Hevo (Web)

Hevo pros:

• No-code capabilities

• Zero-maintenance data transfer

• Good value of features for price

Hevo cons:

• Limited connectors compared to other similar products

• Advanced security features are only available in the most expensive plan

Earlier, I compared AWS and ADF as two sides of the same coin; now, I realize I need to surface a similar theme here. After diving into Hevo, the best way I can describe it is Fivetran's cousin who isn't quite as good at academics or sports.

Just like Fivetran, Hevo offers a wide range of connectors. It's not even close to the same (Hevo's 150 vs. Fivetran's 700), but it has all the hits you'd likely need, like Salesforce, Postgres, and AWS apps. Connecting these apps is just as easy, as it just takes a few key strokes to sync your start and end points.

Just like Fivetran, Hevo has absurdly simple management once you're up and running. If you change the schema of your data at the start point, Hevo can automatically reflect those changes on your endpoint without sending your data stores into a tailspin. If there's an error, the app will recover record failures and give you proactive alerts on changes. This is another product where you don't have to babysit your data—you can sit back and trust that it will get migrated correctly.

Unlike Fivetran, Hevo is very wallet-friendly. It offers a free plan, and if you'd like a little extra juice, paid plans start at $239 per month—roughly half of what you'd pay with Fivetran. Another incredibly important area I found that sets Hevo apart is when data transfer happens. Fivetran is a batch-processing ETL, meaning data gets transferred every 1-15 minutes, depending on your preferences. Hevo can transfer data as changes occur—a key differentiator for industries that value real-time updates, such as eCommerce.

Ultimately, Hevo is a slightly lesser version of Fivetran, but that doesn't mean it's watered down. It has several high points of its own that make it worth a good, hard look if you want a premium product at a less-than-premium price.

Hevo pricing: Free plan available; paid options from $239/month

ETL honorable mentions

I can write all day about ETL tools, but every good thing has to come to an end. Allow me to leave you with a few parting gifts on a few tools I really liked, but didn't quite make the list:

• Talend: A heavy-duty tool that can handle complex on-premise legacy systems just as easily as it handles the cloud.

• dbt: The poster child for the "T" in "ETL", this software allows you to transform and model data already inside your warehouse using pure SQL.

• Confluent: The gold standard for real-time data streaming built on Apache Kafka.

Using Zapier for ETL connectivity

If you need to get data from point A to point B quickly, safely, and accurately, there's no better method than an ETL tool. But before you decide on a software, you should weigh which features are most important to you.

If you need data-sharing capabilities alongside end-to-end automation, Zapier is a perfect choice. It can connect to all of your apps, share and standardize your information, and help you integrate comprehensive workflows. Explore one of our pre-made templates to give you a better idea of how you can use Zapier in your organization, or dive headfirst into a trial today.

Related reading:

• The best data integration tools

• What is data extraction?

• What is data orchestration?

• What is data automation?