Best Free and Open Source ETL Tools for Data Integration

Last Updated: May 10, 2023

Open Source ETL tools efficiently pull data from one or more data sources, apply a series of transformations to that data, and then load the resulting data into a destination data warehouse. It is used to perform complex data transformations, such as data cleansing, data deduplication, data migration, data enrichment, and data aggregation.

When it comes to choosing the type of ETL application, open-source ETL tools are usually free, well-supported by developer communities, and are often more scalable and customizable than commercial ETL systems.

But with so many free ETL tools on the market, it is extremely difficult to know which one is right for you. So, we have done the work and brought 12 Best Free & Open Source ETL Tools for Big Data Management.

Top ETL Tools List Open Source: Comparison Chart

Here is the table comparing unique functionalities and price of the best data integrator tools.

ETL Tools ListUSPPrice
Talend Open StudioSupports all types of deployment, open source ETL tool for Big Data14 Days Free Trial
Custom Pricing
SingerSupports 100+ Sources and 10+ DestinationsFree
Pentaho Data IntegrationIntegrated Data extractions and transformation with business analytics30 days Free trials
Custom Pricing
Apache NifiPowerful Graphs for Data transformation, routing, and system mediation logic.Free
Apache CamelIntegrates Data producers and consumer with easeFree
AirbyteCustomizable, pre-built and maintenance free Data Connector and APIFree on-premises version
Cloud deployed version costs ₹200/credit
KETLPowerful Job scheduling and Execution XML, SQL and OS defined jobsFree
CloverDXDevelop, test and debug entire dataflow pipeline45 Days Free Trial
Custom Pricing
ApatarMapping and transforming semi structured and unstructured dataCustom pricing

12 Best Open Source ETL Tools with Detailed Analysis

Here are some of the best ETL and data integration tools along with their features and pricing.

  • Talend Open Studio

With Talend Open Studio, you can easily and quickly transform complex data with the help of a graphical environment. It also offers drag and drops features for faster data transformation.

Talend Features

  • Connect to Hadoop and NoSQL databases
  • Powerful data integration
  • Data governance and integrity
  • Also, supports cloud, multi-cloud and Hybrid cloud
  • Integrated Data with documentation and categorization
  • Quality data access and lifecycle management

Pricing: Talend Open Studio offers a 14-day free trial. However, you can also upgrade to a Big Data Platform and Data Fabric plan. In fact, it has a custom pricing plan that varies as per the needs of the organization. Contact Techjockey team for detailed pricing.

  • Singer

Singer Tap is a non-proprietary ETL software that allows you to move data from various platforms like MySQL, Salesforce, and Postgres into data warehouses like Redshift, BigQuery, and Snowflake. Moreover, Singer Tap is extremely lightweight and easy to use. You can also schedule your data transformation and Singer will automatically handle the tasks.

Singer Tap Features

  • Additionally, supports multiple data sources and destination
  • Batch and real-time data transformation ·
  • Data scheduling
  • Unix Inspired for simple targets and taps
  • JSON supported for easy implementation and customization
  • Also, allows automated alert and monitoring system

Singer Tap Price: It is free and open-source ETL software.

  • Pentaho Data Integration

Pentaho Data Integration and Analytics or PDI is a part of the Hitachi Vantara DataOps suite. Moreover, with PDI, you can easily extract, transform and manipulate data by designing and deploying enterprise-level, end-to-end data pipelines. It allows you to distribute data regardless of whether it’s in a lake, warehouse, or device, and integrate all of the data with a seamless flow.

Pentaho Features

  • End-to-end data orchestration
  • Drag and drop interface
  • Pre-existing dataflow templates
  • Flexible architecture
  • Machine learning algorithm
  • Powerful data integration, transformation, and manipulation ·

Pentaho Open Source ETL Price: It offers a 30-day free trial. However, Pentaho’s Enterprise Edition’s price varies depending upon the requirements of users. Contact the Techjockey team for more details.

  • Apache Nifi

Apache NiFi is a useful, powerful, and scalable open source ETL application for routing and transforming data flow. It is a reliable ETL tool since it supports system mediation logic and scalable data routing graphs in addition to high-level data transformation features.

There are several other options to customize your data flow, such as determining high throughput or low latency, guaranteeing delivery, or tolerating loss.

Apache Nifi Features

  • Interactive browser-based user interface
  • Entire information lifecycle management
  • Guaranteed delivery with loss tolerance
  • High throughput and low latency
  • Prioritization based on dynamic factors
  • Processor and service component architecture
  • Iterative development and testing
  • Multi-tenant policy and authorization management

Apache Nifi Pricing: It is a completely free and open source.

Suggested Read: 12 Best Open Source Data Visualization Tools

  • Apache Camel

Apache Camel is another popular and full-featured enterprise data integration framework that integrates various data consumption and generation systems. Additionally, Apache Camel provides a Java object-based implementation of the Enterprise Integration Patterns or EIPs to transform and route data with Java beans through the routing engine. You can use Camel either as a standalone application or embed it in other J2EE applications.

Apache Camel Features

  • Multiple EIP patterns for data transformation and routing
  • Robust extensible framework for connecting disparate systems
  • Domain-specific languages for configuration
  • 50+ Data Platforms
  • Also, supports microservice architecture integration pattern

Apache Camel Pricing: It is a completely free and open-source data integrator.

  • Airbyte

Airbyte is a open source ELT tool that synchronizes data from APIs, databases, and applications to warehouses. Moreover, data engineering teams can manage everything from one platform using Airbyte’s modular architecture and open-source nature.

Airbyte Features

  • High-quality data connectors for easy API and Schema adaptation
  • Customizable prebuilt connectors
  • Connector development kit
  • DBT based transformation
  • Large Community based
  • Highly configurable data pipelines

Airbyte Pricing: The on-premises open-source version is completely free. However, the cloud-deployed version of Airbyte pricing starts at ₹200/credit.

  • KETL

KETL is another ETL platform with (a General Public License) GPL that facilitates the extraction, development, and deployment of data consolidation and transformation processes. In fact, users can schedule ETL jobs based on time or data events using KETL’s scheduling manager. In addition to proprietary database APIs, KETL supports both relational and independent file sources of data.

KETL Features

  • Compatible with multiples CPUs and X-64 servers
  • Platform independent engine
  • Dataflows based job scheduling and execution
  • Conditional exception management and alerts
  • Executes XML, SQL and OS defined jobs
  • Central repository and Performance Monitoring

KETL pricing: It is a free and open source with GPL license.

  • CloverDX

CloverDX ETL software enables developers to connect to any data source and manage a wide variety of data formats and transformations. Additionally, with CloverDX, developers can write, read, consolidate, join, and validate data with a wide range of customizable components. Also, as an added benefit, you can create data pipelines easily and debug them using an integrated development environment.

CloverDX Features

  • Visual Interface and prebuilt components assist in quick development.
  • Data monitoring in real time
  • Inbuilt coding, debugging, and testing
  • Version control tracking
  • Orchestrate external and internal dataflows
  • Legacy code integration

CloverDX Pricing: It offers a free trial of 45 days. However, there are 3 plans: Standard, Plus and Enhanced with variable pricing model. Contact Techjockey team for a detailed quotation.

  • Apatar

Apatar is a complete data integration solution that helps users to connect to any data source and transform and automate the data migration process. Apatar also offers a transformational component that converts the data into the required format and a scheduler to automate the data synchronization process.

Features

  • Data mapping and transformation
  • Data connectors for popular databases and applications
  • Masking and anonymization
  • Lineage and impact analysis
  • Quality management

Apatar Pricing: It has a custom pricing plan depending on the requirements of the users.

  • Apache Kafka

Apache Kafka is an open, real-time ETL platform used by companies across the world for efficient data pipelines, data integration, and streaming analytics. Moreover, this event streaming platform helps process various streams of events with aggregation, joins, transformations, and more with a one-time processing facility.

Apache Kafka Features

  • Connect to hundreds of event sources & event sinks
  • Process streams of events in a range of programming languages
  • Deliver messages even at limited network
  • Rich online resources including guided tutorials, online training
  • Stores data change events

Apache Kafka Pricing: Apache Kafka has a custom pricing plan depending on user requirements that you can request from their official website.

  • Hevo Data

Hevo Data is a no code data pipeline that allows you to replicate data in real-time to the destination of your choice – Firebolt, Redshift, etc. Additionally, the platform is quite intuitive and eliminates the need for technical resources to set up. It further integrates with 100+ databases, CRMs, SaaS apps, Salesforce software.

Also, with Hevo Data’s reverse ETL solution, businesses can easily transfer data from their data warehouses to any sales, marketing and business apps. The tool also converts data types from different sources to a source of your choice in order to match your target application.

Hevo Features

  • 150+ plug and play integrations
  • 15+ destinations – apps, databased & more
  • Streamline and automate organization wide data flows
  • Operate with minimal effort

Hevo Pricing: Hevo has 3 pricing plans based on user needs. It also offers a free plan that includes 50+ free connectors, unlimited models, users, among other things.

  • Logstash

Logstash is a free and open source data processing pipeline that extracts and blends data from multiple sources in real time and makes it simple for your use in preferred destinations. Also, it is a product from the Elastic company and is a part of Elasticsearch.

This ETL tool is designed to collect data from logs. Moreover, it can extract all types of data logs (web & app) as well as capturing log formats and networks from the cloud and on-premises data sources.

Logstash was designed initially for data collection from logs, but its functionality goes beyond data. It can effectively transform data using its filters, native codecs and output plugins. However, if you’re not a programmer or have no technical expertise, you may find difficulty in using Logstash. Also, one needs to install, verify, run and maintain this tool in a development-based environment.

Logstash Features

  • Collect, store & manage data from logs
  • Transform data using Elastisearch plugin filter
  • Data filtering & data analysis

Logstash Pricing: Logstash comes in 4 pricing packages namely Standard, Gold, Platinum & Enterprise. However, the standard package starts from INR 7839 and gives access to security, enterprise search & support features among others. You can also request a free trial from the official website.

Types of ETL Tools

With evolution in technology over the past few years, different types of ETL solutions have entered the market. Here are the 3 most popular types:

  • Commercial ETL Tools – This type of ETL solution is a great pick for large enterprises that have complex workflows and high volumes of data. Commercial ETL tool solutions can be on premise or available as a cloud-based service.

Example: Oracle Data Integrator, IBM DataStage

  • Open Source ETL Tools – Open source tools are preferred by several companies as they provide powerful features on a budget (even free). In addition, with open-source tools, users are free to modify the source code, omit parts of the code & more. Moreover, they come with a simple and accurate UI and even allow users to add new functionalities.

Few Examples: KETL, Hevo Data

  • DIY ETL Scripts – DIY ETL Scripts involve hand-coding with complete flexibility, unlike a tool-based approach which may be limited by certain features. ETL scripts can be written in many programming languages including SQL, Python, etc. This hand coded system can also be customized to directly manage any set of data for your business as well.

Example: Airflow, Pygrametl

How to Find the Best Open Source ETL Tool

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing an open source ETL tool. Some of the most important factors include: The size, complexity, transformation requirements, update frequency, source and target database of your data. Choose the ETL tool that best fits your requirements and needs,

If you have a small amount of data that is not too complex, you may be able to get away with a normal ETL tool. However, if you have a large amount of data or your data is very complex, you will likely need to customize the open source ETL application with plugins, integrations and coding.

Limitations of Open Source ETL Tools

Although ETL tools can be a solid component for your Extract, Transform & Load pipeline, they do have a few drawbacks especially when it comes to providing support. Some of the limitations of open source ETL tools include:

  • Some companies fail to connect a few of their apps
  • Due to a lack of robust management, ETL tools are not capable of handling errors easily
  • Non-RDBMS connectivity of ETL tools can lead to the poor performance of data pipeline, when data is collected from a variety of RDBMS (Relational Database Management System)
  • Some ETL tools need to analyze large amounts of data, but the processing of data can happen in small batches only. This can reduce the efficiency of data pipeline

As open source ETL tools often lack experts’ support, companies that have complex transformation requirements cannot use the tool.

Related Category: Data Migration Tools | Data Mining Software | Data Management Software

FAQ’s

  1. What are ETL tools?

    ETL stands for Extract, Transform and Load. ETL tools are used to extract data from multiple data sources, transform it into the required format and load it into the database.

  2. What are the key features of Open Source ETL Tools?

    The key features of Open Source ETL Tools are that they are available with GPL, support multiple data formats, and provide a wide range of customization options. Some of the popular Open Source ETL applications are Apache Camel, Airbyte, and CloverDX.

  3. What are the benefits of Open Source ETL Tools?

    Offer several benefits such as ease of use, customization, scalability and support from the developers’ community.

  4. What are the limitations of Open Source ETL Tools?

    The biggest limitation of free open source ETL Tools is the lack of technical support from the vendor. In case of any issue, the users have to rely on the developers’ community for resolution.

  5. Which is the best open source ETL tool?

    The best open source ETL tool depends on the specific requirements of the users. Some of the popular tools are Talend Open Studio, Apache Camel, and Singer.

  6. What factors should you consider while selecting ETL tools?

    Some of the factors that you should consider while selecting an ETL tool are the features offered, ease of use, cost, scalability, and support.

  7. What is the difference between ETL and ELT tools?

    ETL tool is generally used for compiling relational, structured and smaller datasets while ELT tools are mostly used to compile semi-structured and unstructured data. Besides, ETL tools transform data before loading into data warehouse, while ELT tool load in the data warehouse before the transformation.

Published On: September 7, 2022
Rajan Rauniyar

Rajan is pursuing CA with a keen interest in trends and technologies for taxation, payroll compliances, Tally Accounting, and financial nuances. He is an expert in FinTech solutions and loves writing about the vast scope of this field and how it can transform the way individuals and businesses manage their finances. His passion is not just confined to core finance-related writing but likes to explore the world of metaverse, cryptocurrency and stock trading. His content not only provides practical and effective solutions for business owners but is also engaging and informative to read.

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