Fivetran Review: Is It Still the Best No-Code ETL Tool in 2025?

If you’re tired of manually updating spreadsheets, writing brittle API scripts, and handling endless data sync issues, you’ve likely stumbled across Fivetran in your search for a better way.

In fact, Fivetran is often the first name that appears when you Google how to automate your data pipeline. But what exactly makes this ETL platform so popular, and is it really worth the hype?

What Is Fivetran?

Fivetran is a cloud-based ETL platform designed to automate the entire data integration process — from connecting to data sources to syncing and transforming data — all without writing a single line of code.

With customers like OpenAI, Canva, and thousands of other businesses, Fivetran has become one of the most trusted names in the data integration space.

Fivetran Interface Overview (2025 Update)

Let’s break down the platform’s interface and core features.

1. 600+ Pre-Built Connectors

Fivetran supports over 600 ready-to-use connectors for databases, SaaS tools, CRMs, BI platforms, and more. From Facebook Ads and Salesforce to MySQL and Snowflake, setup is as simple as selecting your source and following the step-by-step guide.

Each connector includes built-in field-level tips, a detailed configuration guide, and automatic updates — so when the source platform changes, Fivetran adapts without needing any intervention from your team.

2. Custom Connector SDK

If your data source isn’t available in the catalog, you can build your own connector using Fivetran’s Software Development Kit (SDK). These custom connectors still support key features like data blocking, hashing, and resyncing.

3. Destination Support

Fivetran supports 31+ destinations, including popular databases and data warehouses like Postgres, MySQL, Clickhouse, Redshift, Snowflake, and — new in 2024 — the vector database Milvus.

4. Data Transformation Options

Data transformation in Fivetran offers two main paths:

• Prebuilt transformation models — Ideal for users who want to start fast without SQL knowledge.
• Integration with dbt and Coalesce — For advanced teams needing full control over data modeling.

Not all sources and destinations are supported by prebuilt models, but documentation is transparent and frequently updated.

Why Businesses Love Fivetran

Several features make Fivetran a go-to tool for companies of all sizes:

Simple, No-Code Setup

Fivetran is designed for non-technical users. You can connect and configure data sources without needing a data engineer — just follow the guide and you’re good to go.

Flexible Data Transformation

Choose between ready-to-use transformations or bring your own dbt/Coalesce project for full customization.

Enterprise-Grade Security

The platform supports multiple encryption protocols and lets you set granular access controls for users and teams.

Deployment Flexibility

While Fivetran is primarily cloud-based, it offers hybrid and on-premise deployment options on higher-tier plans.

Responsive Customer Support

Fivetran’s support team is highly active, helping users resolve issues quickly — a big plus for business continuity.

Free Plan Available

Fivetran offers a limited free tier — ideal for startups or anyone looking to test-drive the tool before committing.

Fivetran Pricing: Powerful but Pricey

Here’s where things get tricky. Fivetran’s pricing is based on two components:

• Plan type: Standard, Enterprise, or Business Critical.
• MAR (Monthly Active Rows): The number of rows added, updated, or deleted via Fivetran in a given month.

For example, if 10,000 rows are updated and 5,000 new ones are added in a month, that’s 15,000 MAR. Each transformation model usage also adds to the cost.

While the pricing model is transparent and there’s a calculator on the website, costs can quickly balloon if you’re working with multiple large data sources.

Real-World Use Case: Fivetran for Shopify + Meta + Mailchimp

One of our clients — a small online store — uses Shopify for sales, Instagram and Facebook Ads for marketing, and Mailchimp for email campaigns.

They needed a lightweight analytics system: syncing data into Google BigQuery and building dashboards in Looker. We chose Fivetran for the job.

Why? Because:

• The client didn’t have in-house data engineers.
• API sources like Facebook update frequently — but Fivetran handles that automatically.
• Their data volume was predictable, minimizing cost surprises.

We set up the connectors, deployed the BigQuery destination, and built dashboards — all without writing a single data pipeline script. The result? A hands-off analytics system with minimal ongoing maintenance.

Is Fivetran Right for You?

Perfect For:

• Startups and small businesses needing fast, no-code data integration.
• Teams without data engineers who still want serious analytics capabilities.
• Enterprises managing many SaaS APIs (Salesforce, Meta, Mailchimp, etc.).
• Anyone who wants to “set it and forget it” with minimal upkeep.

Probably Not For:

• Companies with tight budgets and no flexibility for unexpected costs.
• Organizations requiring deep customization of their data pipelines.
• Teams working with non-standard or heavily customized data sources.
• Open-source purists who prefer full control over every line of code.

Final Verdict: Fivetran Is Like Hiring a Driver

Think of Fivetran as hiring a driver instead of fixing the car and driving it yourself. It’s more expensive — but it’s also more convenient, reliable, and scalable.

Whether that trade-off is worth it? That’s up to you.

But if your goal is to focus on analytics, not engineering, Fivetran might be exactly what you need.

Have Questions or Need Help Getting Started?

Every business is different — and choosing the right data integration strategy can be tricky.

If you’re unsure whether Fivetran is the right fit for your stack, or want help setting it up effectively, we’re here to help.

Book a free consultation with our data experts — just fill out this quick form and we’ll get back to you within one business day.

Let’s build a data pipeline that works for you — not the other way around.