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Business intelligence (BI) platforms analyze and present all your data in a visually friendly way on reports, graphs, charts, and dashboards, making it easier to view insights about your operations. But how do you get data into these platforms in the first place? The easiest way is by using BI ETL tools that extract data from its source, transform that data into the correct format, and load it into a central repository like a data warehouse, a process known as Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL). From here, you can push data into the BI tools of your choice, whether that's Looker, Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, Dundas, Qlik Sense, or something else.

Three key takeaways about BI ETL tools are:

  • BI ETL tools extract, transform, and load data into a secondary location, allowing you to view that data in BI platforms.
  • ETL typically involves building complex data pipelines that move data between locations. However, BI ETL tools reduce or eliminate code, making it simple to load data into a warehouse and then push it into BI platforms.
  • There are various BI ETL tools on the market, including the ones listed below. This guide outlines the best tools out there based on features, capabilities, and user reviews.

What’s the Difference Between ETL Tools and BI Tools?

ETL tools extract, transform, and load data to a central repository so business intelligence tools can ingest that data. BI tools analyze and present data on dashboards, reports, and other interactive visualizations, making it easier to generate real-time insights about your organization and make business decisions from the latest data models.

What Are the Benefits of Using BI ETL Tools?

BI ETL tools automate many tasks associated with the ETL process, such as creating big data pipelines and writing complicated code. Many tools pull data from popular data sources via pre-built connectors, eliminating the need to write any code at all.

What are the Top BI ETL Tools that Offer Robust Security and Compliance?

Integrate.io, Stitch, and Informatica are top BI ETL tools known for strong security and compliance features. Integrate.io offers end-to-end encryption, role-based access controls, and support for HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC 2 compliance, making it ideal for industries with strict data governance. Its low-code pipelines help securely extract, transform, and load data into BI platforms like Tableau, Power BI, and Looker, ensuring sensitive data remains protected throughout the analytics workflow.

Complete with customer ratings, pricing, and key features, the best BI ETL tools for business intelligence include:

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1. Integrate.io

Price: When considering what are the top BI ETL tools that offer robust security and compliance, Integrate.io emerges as a prime choice. This cloud-based solution provides a fixed fee with unlimited usage, helping businesses manage costs while ensuring flexibility and accessibility. Integrate.io is highly regarded among top BI ETL tools for its strong security measures.

Tool type: Cloud-based

Customer rating: 4.3/5 (G2)

Key features: 

  • Over 200 pre-built data connectors for seamless integration
  • Field-level encryption for enhanced data protection
  • Exceptional customer support
  • Easy scalability for growing data needs
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
  • REST API code automation
  • Supports ETL, reverse ETL, ELT, data observability, and change data capture/data replication
  • Extensive customization options, including rich expression language, X-console, and webhooks

Integrate.io distinguishes itself as a comprehensive, no-code data pipeline platform that simplifies BI ETL processes. With its extensive connectors, it efficiently transfers business data from various sources to a central destination and then to a business intelligence platform for analysis. These sources include relational databases, SQL and non-SQL databases, CRM systems like Salesforce, ERP systems, apps, and SaaS tools.

Pros:

  • The drag-and-drop interface simplifies data integration to a data warehouse or lake, ideal for non-technical users.

  • Data governance is ensured as Integrate.io complies with GDPR, CCPA, and other data privacy and security frameworks, making it a top choice for those seeking robust security and compliance.

  • Field-level encryption during the BI ETL process allows secure encryption and decryption of data fields with your own encryption key.

  • You can scale data integration workflows by adding new sources and destinations, maximizing the value from analytics tools.

  • Excellent customer support

In summary, Integrate.io is a leading BI ETL tool for business intelligence due to its user-friendliness, extensive connectors, robust security, scalability, and positive customer feedback. It has an average user score of 4.3/5 on G2 and was recognized as one of the Top 50 IT Infrastructure Products at G2’s Best Software Awards in 2023.

    Cons:

    • Pricing is aimed at mid-market and Enterprise, with no entry-level pricing for SMBs.

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    2. Stitch Data

    Price: From $100/month, but for access to BI ETL tools, you'll need to purchase a more expensive plan, which starts at $1,250/month

    Tool type: Open-source, cloud-based

    Customer rating: 4.5/5

    Features:

    • Real-time alerts
    • Advanced monitoring
    • Troubleshooting guides
    • Alerts that notify you about problems with your data integration projects
    • You can also troubleshoot any issues with helpful guides and community resources.

    If you're looking for an open-source BI ETL tool, Stitch, now part of Talend, can help you move data from sources to a data warehouse for analytics in a business intelligence platform. However, you'll need to upgrade to one of Stitch's paid plans to automate more complicated data pipelines and load large amounts of data into a warehouse. 

    Pros:

    • Fully managed schema replication and data extraction.

    • Pay-as-you-go model with clear usage-based tiers.

    • SaaS platform with minimal infrastructure management.

    Cons:

    • Even the paid-for plans don't carry out data transformations in the same way as Integrate.io. Instead, the platform reverses the 'transform' and 'load' stages of ETL, meaning transformations take place inside a warehouse. This can pose problems when adhering to data governance frameworks as you'll be moving sensitive customer data to an external location without ensuring it's compliant.
    • Stitch has far fewer data connectors than Integrate.io, which might limit how you move data to a warehouse for analytics, especially if you lack data engineering skills. Without support for many popular apps and systems, you'll need to code data pipelines yourself or find another platform that offers the connections you require. 

    Stitch reviews are also positive, particularly for its open-source version, with the platform boasting an average user review score of 4.5/5 on G2. 

     

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    3. Informatica Power Center

    Price: From $2,000/month

    Tool type: Cloud-based

    Customer rating: 4.4/5

    Features:

    • Automated alerts
    • Numerous data connectors
    • Easy-to-use interface
    • Data governance adherence

    Informatica Power Center is an ETL tool that lets you move data from various locations to a data warehouse for BI reporting. Once you’ve loaded data into a supported warehouse, you can push it through BI solutions and start analyzing data and forecasting business outcomes with the latest reporting tools. The first thing end users might notice about this platform is its simple user interface. It’s easy to create automated pipelines between data locations with Informatica’s numerous connectors.

    With an average customer rating of 4.4/5 on G2, users enjoy many of Informatica Power Center’s features.

    Pros:

    • Provides automated data validation testing, advanced data transformation (via ETL), and the ability to scale the platform depending on business requirements.
    • Informatica Power Center also adheres to data governance frameworks and provides automated alerts when data integration projects experience difficulties.

    Cons:

    • Despite its many benefits, Informatica Power Center is one of the costliest BI ETL tools on the market, with prices starting from $2,000 per mont, that’s considerably more expensive than Integrate.io, which offers all the same features. Also, some users on G2 complain about the platform performing slow integrations.

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    4. Oracle Data Integrator

    Price: Oracle Data Integrator has a complicated pricing structure based on the number of users and features required. You can get a quote for Oracle pricing on the company’s website.

    Tool type: Cloud-based and on-premises

    Customer rating: 4/5

    Features:

    • Ability to schedule data integrations
    • SQL Developer feature for debugging and writing SQL queries
    • Available for both cloud and on-premises
    • Allows to schedule data integrations and write and debug SQL queries with the platform’s SQL Developer tool. Like Integrate.io, the platform is capable of performing ETL and CDC workloads, but it doesn’t support Reverse ETL.

    Pros:

    • Oracle Data Integrator allows you to perform data integrations via the cloud or on-premises, making it different from other BI ETL tools on this list. Whichever method you choose, you can move data from disparate sources to a data warehouse and then onto a BI platform with metrics, KPIs, data analytics, business analytics, and interactive dashboards for improved decision-making.

    Cons:

    • Oracle Data Integrator has the lowest user score of any platform on this list, with reviewers pointing out the tool’s steep learning curve and difficult setup process.

    Comparison of Best BI ETL Tools

    Tool G2 Rating Pricing Model Key Features Pros Cons
    Integrate.io 4.3/5 Fixed fee, unlimited usage 200+ connectors, ETL, ELT, Reverse ETL, CDC, REST APIs, drag & drop, security (HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2), field-level encryption No-code interface, strong governance, scalability, top customer support No entry-level pricing for SMBs, mid-market & enterprise focused
    Stitch 4.5/5 From $100/month, BI ETL starts at $1,250/month Open-source, real-time alerts, advanced monitoring, SaaS platform, schema replication Affordable starter plans, managed service, open-source flexibility Limited transformations, fewer connectors, governance risks from ELT model
    Informatica PowerCenter 4.4/5 From $2,000/month ETL with advanced transformations, automation, data governance, scalable pipelines, automated alerts Rich features, good governance, scalable for enterprise needs High cost, slower integrations reported, premium solution
    Oracle Data Integrator 4.0/5 Custom pricing, quote-based Cloud/on-premise, SQL Developer, scheduling, ETL, CDC Hybrid deployment (cloud/on-prem), flexibility for enterprise setups Steep learning curve, complex setup, lowest user satisfaction

    Best BI ETL Tools: How Integrate.io Can Help

    Integrate.io is your top choice for extracting, transforming, and loading data sets into a central repository and then pushing that data to BI software for data analysis. Its drag-and-drop functionality, advanced security, scalability, and vast number of data connectors make it a good choice for users of any skill level. Your business will also benefit from data governance compliance, world-class customer service, and the ability to create and automate secure REST APIs and further improve data management.

    Ready to start your data journey? Try Integrate.io yourself when you sign up for our 14-day free trial. Get help with setup and learn how to make the most of your trial by signing up for an ETL trial set-up meeting.

    FAQs

    Q1: Which BI ETL tools offer strong data observability?

    Top BI ETL tools with strong observability features include Monte Carlo, Acceldata, Bigeye, Datafold, and Metaplane for pipeline health, data quality, and lineage tracking. Integrate.io also offers built-in pipeline monitoring, error alerts, and logging. For open-source flexibility, Apache NiFi provides real-time flow tracking through its visual UI.

    Q2: What are the best BI ETL tools for small to medium-sized businesses?

    Best BI ETL tools for SMBs are Microsoft Power BI for ease of use and affordability, Zoho Analytics for budget-friendly self-service BI, Metabase for open-source simplicity, and Integrate.io for no-code ETL with strong BI connectors. KNIME and Mode Analytics are great for teams needing advanced data workflows on a budget.

    Q: Which are the best BI ETL tools for creating REST APIs from data sources?

    The best BI ETL tools for creating REST APIs include Integrate.io, which offers no-code API creation to expose transformed data as REST endpoints, Apache NiFi for flexible data flows with REST API integration, DreamFactory for auto-generating REST APIs from databases, Keboola for ETL with API publishing features, and Airbyte with API connectors and open-source extensibility. These tools simplify data access for BI applications via secure, scalable APIs.

    Q: How can ETL tools improve my BI dashboard performance?

    ETL tools optimize data before it reaches your BI tool by cleaning, aggregating, and transforming it into analytics-ready formats. This reduces query load on BI dashboards, speeds up report generation, and ensures only relevant, streamlined data is visualized.

    Q: How do ETL tools help ensure data accuracy in BI reports?

    ETL tools enforce data validation, transformation rules, and cleansing routines before data reaches BI tools. This minimizes reporting errors and ensures that dashboards always reflect accurate, consistent, and business-ready data.