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On-premises installer
Sign in| Feature | Etlworks | Pentaho Data Integration |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | ETL, ELT, CDC, data sync, data prep, API integration and management, workflow automation, B2B/EDI integration | ETL, ELT, data sync, data prep, API integration, big data, IoT, analytics orchestration |
| Price (Monthly) | $300–$4500+ | $0–$500+ (Community Edition free; Enterprise starts at ~$100–$500) |
| Pricing Model | Fixed per tier | Free (Community); subscription-based per user (Enterprise) |
| Cost Transparency | High | Moderate (Community free; Enterprise requires quotes) |
| Sources | 260+ | 200+ (databases, SaaS, big data, IoT, files) |
| Destinations | Data warehouses, databases, SaaS apps, big data and NoSQL platforms, file storage systems, APIs, message brokers, IoT brokers, email systems | Data warehouses, databases, SaaS apps, big data platforms, cloud storage, APIs |
| ETL capabilities | ETL, ELT, Reverse ETL, processing by wildcard | ETL, ELT, limited Reverse ETL |
| Data Replication | Log-based CDC, Full, Incremental | Full, Incremental (near-real-time) |
| Data Streaming (queues) | Kafka, Events Hub, Kinesis, SQS, PubSub, ActiveMQ, RabbitMQ | Kafka, other streaming frameworks via plugins |
| Data Streaming (IoT brokers) | MQTT brokers | Limited (IoT data support, no native MQTT) |
| Transformations | Drag-and-drop transformations, cleaning, normalization, restructuring, SQL/JavaScript/Python/XLS/Shell scripting, metadata-driven interactive mapping, lookups, enrichment, soft deletes | Drag-and-drop transformations, cleaning, normalization, Python/Java/JavaScript/SQL scripting, metadata injection, filtering |
| Advanced UI capabilities | Grid-based pipeline designer, drag and drop mapping, Explorer for visualizing and querying data | Graphical Spoon interface, drag-and-drop pipeline designer, transformation execution via Pan/Kitchen |
| API Management |  |
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| API Integration | |
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| EDI Processing | Read and write X12, EDIFACT, HL7, FHIR, NCPD and VDA messages | Read and write X12, EDIFACT via plugins |
| Nested Document Processing | Read, write, normalize and flatten: JSON, XML, Avro, Parquet | Read, write, normalize: JSON, XML, Avro, Parquet |
| SaaS/PaaS | |
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| On-premise Deployment | |
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| On-premise Data Access | |
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| Scalability and Performance | Horizontal scaling and vertical scaling, Supports High Availability (HA), Handles Large Datasets | Horizontal and vertical scaling, Supports High Availability (HA), Handles Large Datasets |
| Embeddable | |
|
| Data Governance | Automated schema management, access control and encryption, metadata management and data lineage not supported | Automated schema management, access control, encryption, metadata-driven lineage (Enterprise Edition) |
| Data Quality Management | Data validation, data cleansing, filtering, deduplication, normalization, and enrichment, automatic schema evolution | Data validation, cleansing, filtering, profiling, normalization |
| Compliance | HIPAA, GDPR, DPA, SOC 2 Type II | GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 |
| Collaboration and Dev tools | RBAC, Multi-Tenancy, Version Control, Export and Import, Artifact Patching, Open API, AI Assistant | RBAC, Version Control, Export and Import, Open API, Community Plugins |
| Skill level | Low to Intermediate | Low to Intermediate |
| Purchase Process | Self-Service (free trial converts to paid self-service), Conversations with Sales is optional | Self-Service (Community Edition); Sales contact for Enterprise Edition |
| Vendor lock-in | Monthly and Annual billing, no formal contract required | Minimal (Community); Annual subscription for Enterprise |
Etlworks vs. Pentaho Data Integration
Modern Data Integration Without the Legacy Complexity
Side-by-side comparison
Open-Source Roots vs. Fully Managed Simplicity
Pentaho Data Integration (PDI) and Etlworks both support ETL, ELT, and workflow automation. Pentaho is open-source and powerful but requires manual setup, scripting, and maintenance. Etlworks offers a fully managed alternative with broader connectivity, easier setup, and modern features like CDC, streaming, and API/EDI support — out of the box.
Difference
Why Etlworks Stands Out
All Features, No Complex Setup Required
Unlike Pentaho, which often requires installing, configuring, and maintaining your own environment, Etlworks runs fully managed in the cloud — with instant access to ETL, CDC, and streaming pipelines.
Broader Native Connectivity
Etlworks offers 260+ connectors for modern databases, cloud apps, file systems, message queues, and IoT — without plugins or custom development. Pentaho often relies on community extensions or manual configurations.
Built-In CDC and Real-Time Streaming
Pentaho supports batch ETL well but has limited native support for change data capture or real-time processing. Etlworks includes log-based CDC and native integration with Kafka, MQTT, and other streaming platforms.
Easier Collaboration and Scaling
Etlworks includes role-based access control, versioning, multi-tenancy, API access, and AI mapping assistance. Pentaho provides these via plugins or custom workarounds — often requiring deeper technical skills to manage.
A Modern Alternative to Traditional ETL
Pentaho is a solid tool for teams that prefer open-source and don’t mind maintaining infrastructure. Etlworks provides a fully managed, modern platform with broader functionality, real-time data support, and faster time-to-value. If you’re looking to reduce complexity and unify all your integrations — not just batch ETL — Etlworks is the simpler, more scalable choice.