10 Best Change Data Capture Tools (CDC)

Processing massive volumes of data at speed and with accuracy is one of the biggest challenges for data-driven companies looking to scale. Data teams, big and small, are left with this huge burden. They need to figure out a way to move large volumes of data at low latency and low impact if they want to thrive, survive, and oust their competition.

To make things easier, change data capture tools, (CDC) streamline and accelerate data processes, carrying out data replication instantly or in real-time. But what are change data capture tools? 

 Without a solid change data capture tool, companies risk data not syncing right away, databases slowing down, and data replication only occurring during certain “batch windows”.

Change data capture tools can be a real game-changer to your entire DataOps. To help you stay ahead of the curve, we’ve done the hard work and shortlisted the 10 best tools to power up your data processes. Ready to take your business growth to the next level? 

What is Change Data Capture (CDC)?

To put it simply, Change data capture (CDC) is the process of specifying and capturing changes and alterations made to data in a database and then translating the changes in real-time. The main goal of the CDC is to downstream the data process or data system. 

This functionality keeps the data system synchronized so that data is reliable for replication. The benefits? This helps to cut out downtime during cloud database migrations. It keeps cloud database architecture up to date, moving high-volume data across multiple data systems. 

Why Do You Need a CDC Tool?

There are plenty of reasons why your business should incorporate a change data capture tool into its workflows:

• Synchronizing replications: A CDC tool can be used to replicate data in real time, thanks to its transaction logs used to copy databases. CDC is perfect for deploying ETL pipelines and enabling data analytics in real-time.
• Faster decision-making: When CDC tools are in action, there are practically zero downtime database migrations during data replication. This, in turn, allows for faster decision-making.
• Minimized costs: Since CDC tools will only send incremental changes when moving data across WANs (Wide Area Networks), you are proactively reducing costs.
• Free production resources: CDC tools move data around via logs, while log-based data transfers are super efficient methods that minimize the effect on production resources during the process of loading data.

• Less burden on the network: Thanks to incremental uploads, CDC tools free up network bandwidth. Additionally, CDCs deliver protection against fraud.

Tacking Data Issues With CDC

Before selecting the right CDC tool for your business, it’s a good idea to consider the following:

• Problem resolution: Are potential problems quickly resolved?
• Scale: Is the tool suitable for all types of databases you work with?
• Post-resolution: Is the solution provided easy to check and configure?
• Database topology support: Is the tool versatile? Can it handle replicas, multi-master databases, and more?
• SSH tunnels and more connection topologies: Is there SSH connectivity? 
• Use cases: Is the tool versatile enough to handle all use cases, tables, column data types, database types, and so on?

Best CDC Tools

Finding the change data capture tool that fits your business needs should always be the top priority. 

We’ve handpicked 10 of the best CDC tools on the market. Below you’ll a deep dive change data capture tools comparison, to help you find what’s right for you.   

Rivery

Given the fact that the CDC speeds up the data processing actions while also eradicating the need for a full-on database replication within the ETL/ELT pipeline, Rivery offers a reliable CDC solution on the market.

Rivery uses the Go programming language to support a plethora of benefits, like substantial support for I/O, multithreading out of the box, flexibility, stability, compatibility with diverse channels, and more. Rivery’s CDC tool is also super lightweight so it won’t override the network or data systems. Rivery’s CDC engine is agile and all it takes is a few clicks to implement accurate CDC replication on various databases – from MySQL to Oracle.

Features

• Transactional consistency: Rivery’s CDC tool captures changes within a transaction as a single unit, ensuring data consistency and integrity.
• Built-in support: CDC is a built-in feature of SQL Server, developed and maintained by Microsoft, that seamlessly integrates with the database engine for reliable operation.
• Log scanning: Rivery’s CDC tool uses transaction log scanning to capture changes made to tables. The transaction log in SQL Server records all database changes and is a reliable component. CDC leverages this log to accurately capture changes without affecting database performance.
• Resilience: As a CDC tool, Rivery comes with built-in mechanisms to handle failures and ensure reliable change capture. It can manage interrupted or failed operations and provides error handling and recovery methods.

Pros 

✅ Instantaneous and automated data integration

✅ Minimizes the expenditure of resources

✅ Easy to set up

✅ Real-time streaming of data changes between source and target

✅ Oracle CDC available 

Cons

❌ Some technical knowledge needed

Pricing

📌 Starter ($0.75 per RPU credit), Professional ($1.20 per RPU credit), Enterprise (custom)

Hevo Data

With Hevo, companies can replicate data from more than 150 sources in real-time. Businesses have the option to replicate data in Firebolt, Snowflake, Redshift, Databricks, and BigQuery without writing any code. 

Features

• Zero data loss ensured
• Data is retrievable
• Almost real-time data analytics

Pros 

✅ Automatic data identification

✅ 24/7 customer support

✅ Many integration capacities

Cons

❌ Error messages do not always suggest steps to resolution

Pricing

📌 Free, Basic ($239), Enterprise (custom)

Qlik Replicate

As a data-ingestion and relocation tool, Qlik Replicate offers real-time insights into business data. The tool delivers data replication options and data streaming across different data sources and targets. Businesses can use Qlik as a cloud or on-premise. With Qlik, businesses can move and replicate data across big data warehouses and platforms, using CDC as one of the most efficient methods. 

Features

• CDC support for Oracle, CDC for SQL Server, and other mainframes
• Includes tools for data governance and data monitoring 
• Many automation options

Pros  

✅ Streamlined data replication and data ingestion

✅ Many data sources and destinations

✅ Parallel streams to handle big data payloads

Cons

❌Poor product support

Pricing

📌 Available upon request

Oracle 

Oracle provides a wide range of data integration tools catering to traditional and modern use cases. These tools can be used in both on-premises and cloud environments. Oracle’s product portfolio includes various technologies and services that enable organizations to efficiently manage data throughout its lifecycle.

Features

• Real-time replication, transformation, and filtering of transactional data from databases 
• CDC data replication from numerous sources
• End-to-end monitoring of data processing solutions

Pros 

✅ No need for managing the computing environment

✅ Optimized, high-speed movement of data

✅ Minimizes data warehousing costs

Cons

❌ Data triggers might burden the Oracle database 

Pricing

📌  Available upon request

Debezium

As an open-source CDC platform, Debezium is built on Apache Kafka, falling into the category of change data capture tools that deliver scalability and handle massive data volumes. In addition, Debezium boasts the constant-monitoring option that allows apps to stream data changes in the same manner in which they were fed into the database.

Features

• Data monitoring even when apps are down
• Supports MySQL servers, PostgreSQL servers, SQL servers, and MongoDB
• Minimal data loss

Pros 

✅ One of the first open-source CDC frameworks to draw momentum among users

✅ Data apps can be stopped and restarted at any time

✅ Fits into a prototypical microservice architecture

Cons

❌ Manual backfills

Pricing

📌 Free to use, but hidden costs apply

HVR (Fivetran)

As a no-code, no-configuration data integration solution, HVR, formerly known as Fivetran, is one of the change data capture tools catering to the requirements of real-world data needs. HVR extends a CDC option through log-based replication methods. 

Businesses that use HVR can replicate databases and allocate data both on-premise and in the cloud while analyzing any changes in data.

Features

• Progressive data governance tools
• Customizable data automation options
• Data can be centralized from any source and brought to various warehouses

Pros 

✅ Easy to set up

✅ Automatic schema migrations

✅ Many data connectors

Cons

❌ Poor client support

Pricing

📌 Free, Starter (pay-as-you-use), Standard (pay-as-you-use), Enterprise (custom)

Talend

Talend is a data management and integration solution praised by many loyal users. This change data capture tool allows for CDC support in its open-source data integration platform, running on a publish/subscribe model. The data publisher using Talend is able to capture data changes in real-time. 

Features

• Works well with many databases (Oracle, MS SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, etc.)
• A plethora of data apps are available
• Combines CDC with API management

Pros 

✅ Extensive built-in monitoring solutions

✅ Similar functions linked together for easier use

✅ Useful data cleansing/standardization/organization capacities

Cons

❌ Some solutions are too basic for complex data issues

Pricing

📌 Stitch, Data Management Platform, Big Data Platform, Data Fabric (prices available upon request)

Integrate

Next up is a comprehensive data integration platform offering users reverse ETL, ETL, and CDC options. Integrate is a no-code, meaning you can manage loads of data without needing code at all. Plus, the drag-and-drop UI makes the platform easy to navigate. 

Features

• More than 100 out-of-the-box connectors
• CRM and ERP solutions
• Enterprise-level cybersecurity

Pros 

✅ Great customer support

✅ Speedy and easily set up data pipelines

✅ Award-winning service

Cons

❌ Might take some learning for non-technical users

Pricing

📌 Monthly ($199/m), annual ($159/m)

StreamSets

StreamSets is a DataOps, real-time ETL tool that boasts some neat CDC capacities. It automatically transforms data into convertible records. Businesses use this change data capture tool to build more intuitive, more advanced data pipelines. Its flexible deployment capacities allow users to move data in the cloud or on-premise.

Features

• 100+ data connectors
• Reusable pipeline assets
• Pre-built integrations

Pros 

✅ Detects and handles data drifts

✅ Built-in version control

✅ Flexible deployment

Cons

❌ Pricing isn’t transparent 

Pricing

📌 Available upon request 

IBM Infosphere

The last change data capture tool on our list is IBM Infosphere, a well-known ETL platform that works great as a CDC. With it, users can integrate data across all data systems in the enterprise and do that on-premise or in the cloud.

Features

• Command line interface
• Source database logs
• Integration with IBM

Pros 

✅ Connects to Oracle, Teradata, Snowflake, SQL Server, etc.

✅ Easily handles large data volumes

✅ Able to parallel process, hash handle, etc.

Cons

❌ Might take some getting used to

Pricing

📌 Available upon request 

Choosing the Best CDC Tool

Having the right change data capture tools onboard translates to less network burden, synchronized data across WANs, fastened data replication processes, and more. 

What is considered a solid change data capture tool for one company is not necessarily the same for another one. It all depends on the data needs, as well as the experience of the data teams working with the tool. 

Wrapping up on CDC 

Ultimately, which change data capture tool you choose will heavily depend on your specific use cases. For one, you can research the tool you’re considering and calculate the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Consider the actual price of the tool, the hosting fees, onboarding costs, the learning curve, as well as the maintenance and/or customization fees.

Additionally, who will use the tool is an important aspect to pay attention to. For example, if data engineers are designated tool users, you should consider choosing CDC tools with programmatic access or a code pen. On the other hand, if the team using the tool is rather non-technical, then look for CDC tools with intuitive interfaces and no-code features.

Consider change data capture tools that deliver scalability, are versatile, scalable, minimize costs, are easy to set up, and won’t require a lot (if any) of manual work.

Get Started with Rivery

Data teams will have an easy time setting up Rivery CDC, it takes a few clicks and you have award-winning support to guide you all the way. 

• Set up your Rivery account: Click here to create your free account. 
• Connect your data sources: Rivery supports a wide range of data sources, simply select the appropriate connectors for your specific databases.
• Configure CDC settings: Specify the tables or entities you want to track for changes, set up the frequency of data synchronization, and define any filters or transformations you need to apply to the captured data.
• Run the CDC pipeline: This will start capturing the changes that occur in your data sources and propagate them to your desired destinations or targets.
• Monitor and troubleshoot: If you encounter any problems, refer to Rivery’s documentation or reach out to the support team for assistance.