Airbyte vs Census Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
Free
- Single user
- API and MCP access
- Context Store refreshes daily (hourly for the first 14 days)
Individual
- Single user
- API and MCP access
- Context Store with hourly refresh
Team
Popular- Everything in Individual
- Parallel workflow execution
- Multiple users and workspaces
- Standard and AI support
Custom
- Everything in Team
- Custom workspace limits
- Custom Context Store refresh frequency
Free
- 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections
- 3,500 monthly active rows (MAR) for activations
- 5,000 monthly model runs (MMR) for transformations
Standard
Popular- Unlimited users
- 15-minute syncs
- 700+ fully managed connectors
- 200+ fully managed activation destinations
- Integration for dbt Core™
- Role-based access control
- Access to Fivetran REST API
- Access to SSH tunnels for encryption
Enterprise
- 1-minute syncs
- Fivetran Activations' Audience Hub
- Enterprise database connectors
- Custom roles
- VPN tunnels (annual contract only)
- SCIM/user provisioning
- Pick any cloud provider (GCP, AWS, Azure)
- Hybrid deployment option
Business Critical
- Customer-managed keys for encryption
- PCI DSS Level 1 certification
- Private networking options
Airbyte vs Census FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Both offer free plans, so you can try each without paying. Start with whichever fits your workflow better and upgrade when you hit the limits.
- How do they charge?
- Both use a usage-based model, so the comparison is straightforward — it comes down to features and limits at each price point.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. Airbyte: Airbyte built its reputation as the scrappy open-source alternative to Fivetran and Stitch, and that DNA shows — the free tier is genuinely generous. They're not trying to be the enterprise-first premium play; they're going after cost-conscious data teams who want flexibility without a five-figure contract. Census: Opaque custom pricing across all paid tiers signals they're not trying to win on being the cheapest option — they're positioning against tools like Hightouch and Segment as a data activation layer for teams already invested in a modern data stack. The free tier and 14-day trial per connection are the low-friction entry points to get teams hooked before the sales motion kicks in.
Keep tabs on both.
We'll monitor pricing changes for Airbyte and Census and let you know when something moves.