Top 8 Snowflake ETL Tools in 2024 (Features Compared)

Claudia Rosca

MAY 1, 2023

5 min read

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Modern business is built on the back of usable data – internal, external, and from third parties. The process by which a company can make use of all collected data will determine its profitability, streamline its business practices, and ultimately determine its spot on the market.

Snowflake and ETL tools are taking data integration to a whole new level. Their ability to rapidly move any data to the data cloud in a seamless way, accelerates efficiency and eliminates wasted resources and spend.

To help you unleash the full advantage of Snowflake, we’ve compiled a list of the best Snowflake ETL tools you need to know about.

What is Snowflake?

Snowflake is a cloud-based data warehouse that integrates all siloed data into one storage space. It allows you to have multiple databases from various locations.

Data silos isolate information and can hinder decision-making, as they disrupt seamless communication between different departments. This is where Snowflake comes in. Integrating Snowflake with the right ETL tool allows you to access all the pertinent information and make real-time decisions to streamline your business.

Snowflake allows you to reduce IT spending and increase data sharing and collaboration between departments. Break down data silos with Snowflake ETL tools and gain value in a secure, governed, and compliant way.

What is Snowflake ETL?

What are Snowflake ETL tools, and why do you need them? ETL tools for Snowflake will give you access to all data without the headache or added expense of in-house coding.

Snowflake ETL stands for Extract, Transform, and Load:

Extract: During this step, raw data is collected from source locations and sent to the staging area for cleansing and organization. This is done to eliminate corrupted data due to files coming in in various formats.
Transform: This is when all the cleansing and organization happen. Data is transformed into a homogenous configuration to be ready for analysis.
Load: The data is then transferred into a data lake, database, data warehouse, etc., on-site or on a cloud. The data is now ready for use.

ETL tools for Snowflake allow users to make data ready and usable without coding. It is far more cost-effective to use an ETL tool than handle coding on-site.

How Does ETL Work in Snowflake?

Snowflake ETL tools allow all data to be collected and converted into an actionable single source. Data could be internally, externally, and even third-party sourced. A single source of information will allow for a more effective and efficient analysis of data.

Business Benefits of Snowflake ETL

The best ETL tools for Snowflake will help you access all the business benefits of Snowflake:

Clean Data

Snowflake can support ETL and ELT and eliminates the need to clean data. A continual real-time transfer of data equates to responsive changes to your data and more effective decisions. With manual coding out of the way, data engineers can focus their energy on creating data strategies.

Flexibility and Ease of Use

Data pipelines can be built seamlessly. Simplicity and ease of use are key.

Data can be pulled out of data silos to create a single source. Snowflake ETL automatically manages how data is stored, and this is done as simply and effectively as possible to make it usable ASAP.

Top-level Security and Privacy

Privacy and security are ongoing concerns in any business. Snowflake ETL is fully regulatory and strictly compliant with all industry-standard requirements, ensuring data security regardless of the line of business you’re in. Government, health, and banking sectors (businesses with the highest security needs in the world) are making use of Snowflake due to their indisputable security standards.

Data Sharing

Data sharing can happen securely and easily by permitting only the pipelines you wish to share. Sharing can be restricted within the company based on access. Sharing can even occur between partners who are not current customers.

Low Costs and Real-Time Data

Costs are kept low because Snowflake data cloud makes it possible to store large quantities of data. You only pay for that which you are using.

Real-time data loading keeps your information fresh and relevant to your current business. From the consumer side, real-time changes can be made to promote your business to their needs.

Best Snowflake ETL Tools in the Market

What is the best ETL tool for Snowflake? When the goal is to spare valuable time, money, and resources, you’ll want to be certain of the right choice. The best ETL for Snowflake for your company is accessible with a little research:

Rivery

Rivery is a cloud ETL tool that can extract, organize, and turn raw data into business insights. The platform is an industry leader and an all-inclusive solution for businesses looking to automate their operations code-free or using custom code.

Rivery offers 200+ fully managed connectors to combine all origins of information into a single source in a no-code solution. Reverse ETL can take previously prepared data from the data warehouse and apply it to CRMs like Salesforce to drive sales decisions and operations. To top it off, features like role-based access control and superior customer support give you unparalleled control.

Rivery allows you to communicate with all data sources and incorporates API (application programming interface) and CLI (command line interface) to automate pipelines and create seamless workflows with third-party tools. Variables give you the power to reuse pipelines between different clients, making updates quick and easy.

Finally, Rivery gives you the flexible data acquisition needed to run your business. With their custom file zones, Rivery never saves your data, and you have total control over who can access it.

Pros	Cons
Fully managed servers to run your Python script in the cloud for you Workflow automation provides the ability to integrate complex data Custom connectors work with your existing tech stack giving you the freedom and flexibility to integrate with other tools Multiple environments and deployment scripts allow users to make changes quickly, simply, and with increased stability	Rivery is regularly changing, which can mean an ongoing learning curve as adjustments are implemented

Hevo Data

Hevo Data is an end-to-end no-code platform offering near real-time data. The user interface is easy to use, and they offer 24/7 support.

Hevo Data offers a cost-effective product with tier pricing, but the tiers can cost smaller companies more. They have reverse ETL functionality; however, there is an added cost for this feature that’s quite substantial.

Pros	Cons
Hevo offers 150+ integrations, unmanaged Can work with ETL, ELT, and reverse ETL Able to duplicate data from multiple sources	Although pipelines can be mass-produced, Hevo has a performance limit and cannot keep up with large schedules Pipelines cannot be edited or deleted

Portable

Portable is an excellent choice for larger firms that place valuable data above all else. The platform takes the load off your shoulders by monitoring your pipelines while you focus on insights.

Portable also offers 500+ connectors and can create custom integrations as well as long-tail connectors. Their pricing is a flat rate, which may deter smaller companies. However, the pricing is simple and predictable.

This Snowflake ETL tool is best for those who require custom connectors.

Pros	Cons
500+ connectors, including long-tail data sources and custom connectors Connectors can be tested for free Custom data source connectors can be created quickly and without additional fees	No incremental syncs, which leaves you with large data dumps at scheduled intervals Portable is not compatible with APIs like Salesforce and Quickbooks

Apache Airflow

Apache Airflow is an open-source ETL software that guarantees you’re always on top of day-to-day operations. Python enables you to author, schedule and monitor workflows, as ETL jobs are represented as DAGs (directed acyclic graphs).

The platform has one of the most user-friendly UIs you’ll come across – anyone with knowledge of Python can streamline their custom operations, determine the order of tasks, and monitor workflows.

Pros	Cons
Scalable and flexible for those who have coding expertise Workflow that can be defined as code, making maintenance and version control easier A large number of hooks make for easy and diverse integrations	High learning curve and requires technical knowledge to be able to use it effectively Does not log the success of DAG and needs to be checked manually

Stitch

Stitch is a no-code ETL that has an easy-to-use platform. Stitch Import API allows data to be pushed into Stitch. The Import API is for extracting data only, as it cannot receive data.

Stitch boasts 100+ prebuilt and fully managed connectors. In addition, there’s data support for warehouses such as Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, and Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics.

Pros	Cons
130+ data sources via Singer and Stitch Integrated through Talend and able to take advantage of Talend’s support Automated alarms and monitoring	Singer connectors are not maintained and are thus unreliable Sync frequency has longer intervals; 30 minutes as opposed to 5 minutes with most ETLs

Matillion

Matillion ensures neat data storage is accessible to all team members for a seamless workflow. It is a preferred option for larger companies with a need for multiple clouds.

Matillion can integrate with Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. As it is one of the more expensive tools, it is generally reserved for larger companies.

Pros	Cons
110+ connectors Easy-to-use data integration and transformation Reliable customer support	Limited built-in data connectors Does not integrate third-party tools well

RudderStack

Rudderstack flawlessly aids you through every step of ETL – from data collection to storage and implementation. It also offers reverse ETL and supports about 80 integrations.

Some engineering skill is required for this tool as it is not as user-ready as some others. Rudderstack offers transformations with some JavaScript code.

Pros	Cons
Rudderstack does not store customer data on their servers Offers single customer view for data visualization Reverse ETL function performs at peak levels	Doesn’t store data in-between warehouse syncs You should have a designated data engineer, as some coding will be required

Keboola

Keboola offers a comprehensive data platform that ensures all operations happen in one place. It’s one of the best tools for collaborative work, as it allows you to work on automation and analytics with your team, speeding up your data engineering by 10x.

Keboola ETL offers ETL, ELT, and reverse ETL. It offers code or no-code options and visual drag and drop. The end-to-end workflows and pipelines save you time and are easily shareable.

This is a great tool for teams with little technical expertise.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use and adaptable pay-as-you-consume pay structure Strong customer support that responds in as little as two hours All data is centrally located	Not all components are Keboola-native, which can be troublesome The onboarding process could be easier

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Snowflake ETL Tool

These few factors will determine the best ETL for Snowflake for your business:

Data Connectivity

Snowflake ETL tools should be able to communicate with any source of data. If your ETL limits the sources from which you can gain information, it will impede your ability to make fully informed decisions and take advantage of all possible scenarios.

You do not want your business to be limited by your ETL tool -it should expand and improve every facet of your business and allow complete freedom and flexibility. The best ETL for Snowflake will give you unfettered access to all possible information sources.

Performance

Moving and changing data can require serious processing power. It‘s important for your ETL tool to scale operations to a minimum. The best ETL tools for Snowflake will have a large number of connectors – upwards of 100.

Data Quality

The best ETL tools for Snowflake must cleanse the data during the transformation process. If the data is not clean, you’ll need a manual data entry process to rectify the problem, making your ETL tool less effective and adding to your bottom line. Fully managed connectors will provide a singular clear information source.

Committed Vendor to ETL

The best ETL tools for Snowflake will allow you to have continued control over your data with custom file zones. You will also want to have control over who can access your pipelines. This is when SSO (Single Sign-On) and role-based access control come in handy.

How Rivery Can Help

Choosing the right ETL tool will allow you to make the most of Snowflake’s features, and what better way to do this than with Rivery?

All of Rivery’s features, combined with its unparalleled customer service, make it the platform for all your ETL and integration needs. When you consider that leading companies such as The American Cancer Society, Buzzfeed, and Bayer have made Rivery their trusted SaaS, the answer is clear. You can read some of the customer stories here.

The best ETL for Snowflake should improve every data-driven aspect of your business while giving you peace of mind with top-notch security and privacy. Rivery can accomplish these necessities for your business.

Book a demo today, and see the magic unfold!