Software Alternatives & Startups

Microsoft SQL VS Fivetran

Compare Microsoft SQL VS Fivetran and see what are their differences

Microsoft SQL

Microsoft SQL is a best in class relational database management software that facilitates the database server to provide you a primary function to store and retrieve data.

Rating
0 reviews
Fivetran

Fivetran offers companies a data connector for extracting data from many different cloud and database sources.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Fivetran seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 12 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 12
Databases popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
239 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Microsoft SQL
Fivetran
Website microsoft.com fivetran.com
Pricing —
Company Startup from the United States Startup from the United States · 250 - 499 employees · 2012
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Microsoft SQL 7 features
Fivetran 6 features
  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    SQL Server offers a wide range of features including advanced analytics, in-memory capabilities, robust security measures, and integration services.
  • High Performance
    With in-memory OLTP and support for persistent memory technologies, SQL Server provides high transaction and query performance.
  • Scalability
    SQL Server can scale from small installations on single machines to large, data-intensive applications requiring high throughput and storage.
  • Security
    SQL Server offers advanced security features like encryption, dynamic data masking, and advanced threat protection, ensuring data safety and compliance.
  • Integrations
    It easily integrates with other Microsoft products such as Azure, Power BI, and Active Directory, providing a cohesive ecosystem for enterprise solutions.
  • Developer Friendly
    It supports a wide range of development tools and languages including .NET, Python, Java, and more, making it highly versatile for developers.
  • High Availability
    Features like Always On availability groups and failover clustering provide high availability and disaster recovery options for critical applications.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    SQL Server can be expensive, particularly for the Enterprise edition. Licensing costs can add up quickly depending on the features and scale required.
  • Complexity
    Due to its comprehensive feature set, SQL Server can be complex to configure and manage, requiring skilled administrators and developers.
  • Resource Intensive
    SQL Server can be resource-intensive, requiring substantial hardware resources for optimal performance, which can increase overall operational costs.
  • Windows-Centric
    While SQL Server can run on Linux, it is primarily optimized for and tightly integrated with the Windows ecosystem, which may not suit all organizations.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    Being a proprietary solution, it can cause vendor lock-in, making it challenging to switch to alternative database systems without significant migration efforts.
  • Automation
    Fivetran automates data integration, eliminating the need for manual coding and reducing maintenance overhead.
  • Scalability
    Fivetran can easily scale its services to handle growing data loads, making it suitable for businesses of various sizes.
  • Wide Range of Connectors
    It supports a broad array of data sources and destinations, allowing for diverse data pipelines.
  • Data Transformation
    Fivetran provides built-in data transformation capabilities, ensuring that data is in the correct format when it reaches the destination.
  • Real-Time Data Syncing
    Fivetran allows for near real-time data syncing, which is crucial for businesses that rely on up-to-date data for decision-making.
  • Reliability
    The service ensures data integrity and reliability, minimizing data loss during transfers.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    Fivetran can be expensive, especially for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
  • Limited Customization
    The platform offers limited options for customization, which might be a drawback for businesses with unique data integration needs.
  • Complex Setup for Non-Technical Users
    Despite its automation features, the initial setup can be complex for users without technical expertise.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Services
    Reliance on Fivetran means depending on a third party for crucial data integration tasks, which could be risky if the service faces downtime.
  • Data Latency for Some Sources
    While Fivetran supports near real-time syncing for many sources, some data sources might experience latency, affecting the freshness of the data.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Microsoft SQL
Fivetran

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Microsoft SQL Server is generally regarded as a good choice for database management, particularly for organizations that require high performance, reliability, and seamless integration with other Microsoft technologies.

Why this product is good

  • Microsoft SQL Server is considered a robust database management system because of its comprehensive features such as high scalability, strong security, and excellent integration with other Microsoft products. It provides tools for data mining, warehousing, and analytics, making it a popular choice for enterprises. Additionally, it offers high availability and disaster recovery solutions, and its active community provides extensive support and resources.

Recommended for

  • Enterprises
  • Businesses using Microsoft ecosystems
  • Organizations requiring robust data security
  • Users needing scalability for large datasets
  • Projects needing high availability and disaster recovery

Overall verdict

  • Fivetran is generally regarded as a good solution for businesses looking for an automated, reliable, and easy-to-use data integration tool. It is particularly beneficial for companies that wish to reduce time and effort spent on managing data pipelines and ensuring accurate data transfer.

Why this product is good

  • Fivetran is considered good due to its ability to automate data integration processes, providing a seamless and efficient way to connect various data sources to your data warehouse. It offers pre-built connectors, automated schema management, and reliable data syncing, which reduces the need for manual coding and maintenance. Its robust security measures and scalability also contribute to its positive reputation.

Recommended for

    Fivetran is recommended for small to large businesses that require efficient data integration from multiple sources into their data warehouse. It is ideal for organizations looking for a fully managed service to simplify their ETL/ELT processes, especially those using cloud-based data warehousing solutions such as Snowflake, BigQuery, or Redshift.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Microsoft SQL 3 videos + Add
Fivetran 3 videos + Add

3.1 Microsoft SQL Server Review

More videos

  • - What is Microsoft SQL Server?
  • - Querying Microsoft SQL Server (T-SQL) | Udemy Instructor, Phillip Burton [bestseller]

Cloud Data Warehouse Benchmark Redshift vs Snowflake vs BigQuery | Fivetran

More videos

  • - Looker + Fivetran: Data Source to Dashboard in an Afternoon
  • - The Modern Data Stack: Fivetran + Looker + Snowflake

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Microsoft SQL
Fivetran
100% 100%
0% 0%
27% 27%
73% 73%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
ETL
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Microsoft SQL and Fivetran. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Microsoft SQL no reviews yet
Fivetran no reviews yet
  • Best ETL Tools: A Curated List
    estuary.dev · Apr 2025

    High costs: Fivetran’s pricing model, based on Monthly Active Rows (MAR), is one of the most expensive modern ELT vendors, often 5-10x the alternatives. Fivetran measures MARs based on its internal representation of...

  • Top 11 Fivetran Alternatives for 2024
    estuary.dev · Aug 2024

    Fivetran's pricing is determined by monthly active rows (MAR), which can be unpredictable because of the way Fivetran internally represents data and manages non-relational sources. Additionally, reducing latency...

  • 10 Best ETL Tools (October 2023)
    www.unite.ai · Oct 2023

    It is a cloud-based ETL solution that supports data integration with data warehouses like Redshift, BigQuery, Azure, and Snowflake. One of the top selling points of Fivetran is its array of data sources, with nearly...

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Microsoft SQL 0 mentions
Fivetran 12 mentions

Tracking Microsoft SQL since Mar 2021.

  • Sync Snowflake and Google Sheets
    Even looking past these limitations, internal scripts invariably require development and maintenance time, and as any developer knows, can break at the worst of times :) Method #2: Use Zapier? (https://zapier.com) Want to use Zapier to... - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Big problem with companies now is they hire data scientist for task that don't require data science practices.
    Disclaimer: I work for Fivetran, a data integration company. Source: about 4 years ago
  • I love data science but hate data engineering
    Disclaimer: I'm a product evangelist for a data integration company called Fivetran, so I'm shamelessly shilling here. Source: over 4 years ago

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Alternatives to Microsoft SQL and Fivetran

When comparing Microsoft SQL and Fivetran, you can also consider the following products.