dbt vs Datagaps ETL Validator
Verdict: dbt scores 8.9/10 against 8.2/10 for Datagaps ETL Validator on our data score for ETL testing tools.
dbt has a free plan; Datagaps ETL Validator does not.
dbt leads on 2 checks and Datagaps ETL Validator on 0; 3 are even, out of 5 checks (yes/no, price and seats) where we have data for both.
Choose dbt for analytics engineers testing transformations inside the warehouse. Choose Datagaps ETL Validator for teams validating data warehouse loads and large data migrations.
Scoreboard: 5 checks
| Check | dbt | Datagaps ETL Validator |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Leads | |
| Free trial | Even | Even |
| Smaller seat minimum | Leads | |
| CI/CD integration | Even | Even |
| Scheduled test runs | Even | Even |
| Total | 2 | 0 |
At a glance
| dbt | Datagaps ETL Validator | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.9/10 (#2) | 8.2/10 (#5) |
| Best for | Analytics engineers testing transformations inside the warehouse | Teams validating data warehouse loads and large data migrations |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Paid from (annual) | See vendor | See vendor |
| Paid from (monthly) | $100/user/mo | — |
| Free trial | Starter plan free trial (length not stated) | 14-day free trial, extendable by 14 days on request; no credit card required |
| Minimum seats | 1 | 4 |
| Platforms | Cloud (SaaS), Self-hosted (open-source runtime) |
Features
| Tool | Score | No-code test creation | Source-to-target comparison | CI/CD integration | Scheduled test runs | Snowflake, Databricks and BigQuery support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dbt | 8.9/10 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Datagaps ETL Validator | 8.2/10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not confirmed |
- Only dbt confirms: Snowflake, Databricks and BigQuery support.
- Only Datagaps ETL Validator confirms: No-code test creation, Source-to-target comparison.
Pros and cons
dbt
Pros- Free Developer plan (1 seat) and an Apache 2.0 open-source runtime
- Four generic data tests built in; any SQL query that returns failing rows can become a test
- Job scheduling and CI checks on GitHub and GitLab included from the free plan
- Adapters for Snowflake, Databricks and BigQuery among others
- Tests run inside one warehouse; comparing a separate source system with a target is not built in
- Tests are written in SQL and YAML rather than built in a no-code interface
- Starter costs $100 per user per month and is limited to 1 project; SSO needs Enterprise
Datagaps ETL Validator
Pros- Validates 100% of rows rather than samples, with row-level detail on mismatches
- Drag-and-drop visual test builder and AI test generation from source-to-target mapping documents
- Flat file testing with a file watcher that triggers tests when new files arrive
- 14-day free trial, extendable by another 14 days on request; SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified
- No public prices; annual subscription with a minimum of 4 users
- Minimum contract term is one year
- BigQuery is not named on the product page (Snowflake and Databricks are)
Frequently asked questions
How do dbt and Datagaps ETL Validator compare on features and price?
dbt leads on 2 checks and Datagaps ETL Validator on 0; 3 are even, out of 5 checks (yes/no, price and seats) where we have data for both.
Is dbt better than Datagaps ETL Validator?
dbt scores 8.9/10 against 8.2/10 for Datagaps ETL Validator on our data score for ETL testing tools. dbt is best for analytics engineers testing transformations inside the warehouse; Datagaps ETL Validator is best for teams validating data warehouse loads and large data migrations.
Which is cheaper, dbt or Datagaps ETL Validator?
Check each vendor's pricing page; one of them does not publish an entry price.
Do dbt and Datagaps ETL Validator have free plans?
dbt: yes. Datagaps ETL Validator: no.
See the full ETL Testing Tools ranking for other options.
Sources
- dbt: official pricing page · dbt pricing page · dbt docs: data tests · dbt docs: unit tests · dbt docs: trusted adapters · dbt docs: installation overview
- Datagaps ETL Validator: official pricing page · Datagaps ETL Validator page · Datagaps pricing page · Datagaps data reconciliation page · Datagaps about us · Datagaps contact page