Airbyte
An open-source data integration platform with 600+ connectors, free to self-host (Core) and Cloud plans from about $10 a month.
- Free (open source)
- Volume or capacity
- Cloud or self-hosted
- Open-source ELT
- Independent sources
- Verified 11 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this profile
- 2 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- Independent third-party sourcesHow this profile was compiled
- Not an endorsementStack18 has not tested this product
What is Airbyte?
Airbyte is an open-source ELT platform with 600+ connectors and a Connector Builder, available self-hosted or as Airbyte Cloud.
- Best forEngineering teams wanting open source and custom connectors
- Team size fitSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises
- PricingCore free (self-hosted); Cloud Standard from $10-$20 a month (volume-based); Plus $500 a month (50 credits); Pro capacity-based; Enterprise Flex.
- Main limitationSelf-hosting needs ops work.
- AlternativesFivetran, Stitch, Estuary · compare all
Airbyte overview: who it is for and what it does.
Airbyte offers 600+ connectors and a Connector Builder, self-hosted for free or managed in Airbyte Cloud.
A June 2026 guide lists free self-hosted Core, Cloud Standard from $10 a month (volume-based), Plus at $500 a month with 50 credits, capacity-based Pro and Enterprise Flex; a competitor article cites Cloud Standard at $20 a month with an hourly minimum sync schedule.
It notes self-hosting means owning uptime and upgrades, and Cloud brings back volume billing.
Main problem it solves
Moves data without vendor lock-in.
Typical customer segment
Startups to enterprises.
Target users
- Data engineers
- Platform teams
- Analytics engineers
Primary use cases
- ELT
- Custom connectors
- Self-hosting
- Cloud
What makes it distinct
- Open source.
- Connector Builder.
- Self-host or cloud.
Airbyte features explained.
Plans
- Core
- Free, self-hosted.
- Cloud Standard
- From $10-$20 a month.
- Plus
- $500 a month; 50 credits.
Enterprise
- Pro
- Capacity-based.
- Enterprise Flex
- Hybrid.
- Sync
- Hourly minimum on Standard.
Trade-offs
- Self-hosting
- You own uptime.
- Cloud
- Volume billing.
- Connectors
- 600+.
Airbyte pricing and plans.
Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly. Checked 11 Nov 2026 against Dupple · dltHub.
Pricing model
Free self-hosted or usage/capacity in Cloud.
Free plan
Yes (self-hosted Core)
Free trial
Not documented
Airbyte plans and prices (USD)
Core
$0
Free
Self-hosted.
Cloud Standard
From ~$10-$20 per month
Monthly
Volume-based.
Plus
$500 per month
Monthly
50 credits.
Pro / Enterprise Flex
Quote
Annual
Capacity-based.
Dupple (June 2026); dltHub (competitor).
Prices change. Confirm current plans and terms on the vendor's site before you decide.
Visit official website (external) ↗See alternativesAirbyte integrations, API and platforms.
Important integrations
- Snowflake
- BigQuery
- Databricks
- Postgres
Supported platforms
- Web
- Self-hosted
API
Not reviewed for this profile.
Data import and export
Not reviewed for this profile.
Integration coverage was not assessed in full. Check Airbyte's integrations directory and documentation for your tools.
Airbyte pros and cons.
Strengths, limitations and best fit. Each point cites a source; editorial summaries are not customer reviews.
Limitations
Best for
- Engineering teams wanting open source and custom connectors
- Cost-conscious startups
- Platform teams
May be less suited to
- Teams wanting zero ops
- Non-technical analysts
Top Airbyte alternatives and competitors.
Fivetran
A managed ELT platform with 700+ connectors priced by monthly active rows (MAR), with a free tier of…
Explore →Related productStitch
A simple Singer-based ELT service in the Qlik Talend family, from $100 a month (Standard, 5M rows).
Explore →Related productEstuary
A real-time data integration platform (Estuary Flow) for continuous CDC and ELT, priced at about $0.50…
Explore →Airbyte compared with similar data integration, ETL and ELT software.
Summaries come from each profile. This is a side-by-side aid, not a ranking.
| Product | Pricing model | Starting price | Free tier | Approach | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbyte | Free / usage / capacity | Free; Cloud ~$10/mo | Yes (self-hosted) | Open-source ELT | Custom connectors |
| dbt | Per user | Free; $100/user/mo | Yes (Developer) | Transformation | Analytics engineering |
| Estuary | Per GB + task hours | ~$0.50/GB | Not documented | Real-time CDC | Streaming CDC |
| Fivetran | Usage (MAR) | Free (500K MAR) | Yes | Managed ELT | Hands-off pipelines |
| Hevo Data | Events | ~$239/mo (annual) | Not documented | No-code ETL/ELT | Analyst teams |
| Informatica IDMC | IPU quote | ~$50K/yr (est.) | Entry-level CDI | Enterprise ETL + MDM | Large enterprises |
Airbyte vs competitors: head-to-head comparisons.
Each comparison has a feature table, pricing side by side, strengths and limits, and best-fit scenarios.
Airbyte discussions and buying questions.
No published discussions mention this product yet.
Airbyte questions and answers
What is Airbyte used for?
Airbyte is an open-source ELT platform with 600+ connectors and a Connector Builder, available self-hosted or as Airbyte Cloud. Typical uses include eLT, custom connectors, self-hosting, cloud.
Is Airbyte free?
Airbyte Core is free to self-host; Cloud plans start around $10 to $20 a month.
How many connectors does Airbyte have?
600+.
Can I build custom Airbyte connectors?
Yes, with the Connector Builder.
How does Airbyte compare with its competitors?
Stack18 publishes head-to-head comparisons of Airbyte vs Estuary and Fivetran vs Airbyte, each with a feature table, pricing and best-fit scenarios.
What are the main alternatives to Airbyte?
The main alternatives to Airbyte covered on Stack18 are Fivetran, Stitch and Estuary. Fivetran may suit teams wanting fully managed pipelines with broad connector coverage. Stitch may suit small teams needing simple, low-cost replication. Estuary may suit teams needing continuous database CDC. See the Airbyte alternatives guide for a side-by-side table.
What are the pros and cons of Airbyte?
Strengths: Open source and free to self-host. 600+ connectors. Limitations: Self-hosting needs ops work. Cloud brings volume billing.
Who is Airbyte best for?
Airbyte may suit engineering teams wanting open source and custom connectors; cost-conscious startups; platform teams. It may be less suited to teams wanting zero ops; non-technical analysts.
What integrations does Airbyte support?
Documented integrations and ecosystem items include Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, Postgres. API: Not reviewed for this profile.
When was the Airbyte profile last verified?
Sources for this profile were last reviewed on 11 Nov 2026. 2 sources are listed under Sources, and prices and plans can change, so confirm with the vendor.
Where this information comes from.
- The Best ETL Tools in 2026 (prices as of June 2026) Dupple Third-party Accessed 11 Nov 2026
- 9 Fivetran Alternatives in 2026 dltHub (competitor blog) Competitor Accessed 11 Nov 2026
Secondary-source profile. Vendor pages were not reviewed directly for this profile. Facts and prices are taken from independent third-party sources and may differ from the vendor's current pages. Confirm with the vendor before buying.
Pricing comes from the dated sources listed; usage-based bills vary widely and competitor blogs are labelled. Confirm with the vendor before buying. Capabilities were not tested.
Stack18 has not tested this product or received anything from the vendor for this profile. Editorial summaries of vendor information are not endorsements. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.
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