> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mage.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Migrate from Fivetran to Mage Pro

Many teams start with Fivetran for ELT pipelines—but face limitations in flexibility, cost, and transparency. Mage Pro offers a powerful alternative: a unified platform for **data integration, transformation, and orchestration** with full code control, **AI-assisted development**, and **cloud-native scalability**.

## Why migrate from Fivetran to Mage Pro?

Fivetran is convenient for basic replication—but it wasn’t built for:

* Custom transformations or logic
* Managing orchestration and dependencies
* Running in your own cloud for cost control and security
* Debugging and optimizing individual steps
* Streaming data or event-driven triggers

Mage Pro replaces Fivetran’s “black-box” connector model with **modular, open pipelines** that give you full control over data extraction, transformation, and loading—plus visibility into every step.

***

## ✨ Mage Pro vs Fivetran: Benefits Overview

Mage Pro offers more flexibility, transparency, and scalability than Fivetran—at a fraction of the cost.

| Capability                     | Fivetran                                 | Mage Pro                                     |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Data integration**           | ✅ Managed connectors                     | ✅ Native connectors for APIs, DBs, files     |
| **Transformation support**     | ⚠️ External only (via dbt or dest SQL)   | ✅ Built-in SQL & Python support              |
| **Orchestration**              | ❌ None                                   | ✅ Full DAG-level orchestration               |
| **Visual pipeline UI**         | ❌                                        | ✅ Drag-and-drop builder                      |
| **AI assistance**              | ❌                                        | ✅ AI Sidekick for code & pipeline generation |
| **Incremental loads**          | ✅ Supported                              | ✅ Native with customizable logic             |
| **Custom logic**               | ⚠️ Limited (no in-flow transforms)       | ✅ Full Python & SQL control                  |
| **Streaming & event triggers** | ❌                                        | ✅ Real-time CDC, Kafka, webhooks             |
| **Data preview & validation**  | ⚠️ Destination-only                      | ✅ Block-level previews & schema validation   |
| **Git integration & CI/CD**    | ❌                                        | ✅ Git-native pipelines & deployments         |
| **Secrets management**         | ⚠️ Env-only                              | ✅ Built-in secrets & workspace isolation     |
| **Multi-environment support**  | ⚠️ Manual setup                          | ✅ Dev, staging, and production workspaces    |
| **Observability & debugging**  | ⚠️ Basic logs, no pipeline introspection | ✅ Logs, retries, lineage, and alerting       |
| **Scalability**                | ⚠️ Controlled by Fivetran, usage-priced  | ✅ Auto-scaled executors on your infra        |
| **Deployment options**         | ✅ Cloud, Hybrid, Self-Hosted (HVR)       | ✅ Cloud, Hybrid, or Fully On-Prem            |
| **Data stays in your VPC**     | ✅ With Hybrid deployment                 | ✅ Always (runs in your infra)                |
| **Control plane ownership**    | ⚠️ Fivetran-managed (except self-hosted) | ✅ Fully under your control                   |

***

## 🛠️ Step-by-Step Migration Instructions

<Steps>
  1. **Review your Fivetran connectors**
     * List all source → destination syncs
     * Identify transformation steps (dbt, SQL, external pipelines)
     * Export any sync configuration (e.g., schedule, sync mode)

  2. **Create your Mage Pro workspace**
     * Sign up at [Mage Pro](https://cloud.mage.ai)
     * (Optional) Connect GitHub or GitLab for version control

  3. \*\*Rebuild Fivetran sync using Mage pipeline \*\*
     * Each Fivetran **source** → Mage Data Integration **Source block**
     * Each Fivetran **destination** → Mage Data Integration **Destination block**
     * dbt or SQL logic → Mage **SQL block**
     * Add **Python blocks** for advanced transforms or conditionals

  4. **Design pipelines**
     * Combine extract → transform → load in one visual pipeline
     * Use UI builder or YAML configs for setup

  5. **Configure schedules and triggers**
     * Replace Fivetran sync schedules with Mage **cron, event, or file triggers**
     * Add webhooks or file watchers if needed

  6. **Validate pipelines**
     * Preview outputs at each block
     * Compare target tables and schema to Fivetran outputs
     * Test incremental sync and backfill behavior

  7. **Monitor and scale**
     * View logs, lineage, and metrics in Mage
     * Configure **alerts, retries, and concurrency**
     * Enable **auto-scaling** for high-volume loads
</Steps>

***

## 🤖 Use AI Sidekick to Convert Fivetran Configs

Mage Pro’s **AI Sidekick** helps migrate Fivetran configurations, dbt models, and logic into Mage pipelines.

### 🔧 How to Use It

1. Open your Mage Pro workspace
2. Click the **“Ask AI”** button
3. Paste in your Fivetran connector settings, sync SQL, or dbt model
4. Ask: **“Convert this Fivetran sync into a Mage pipeline.”**
5. The AI will:
   * Generate Extract and Load blocks
   * Create SQL/Python transforms
   * Add schedule and retry logic
6. Insert the generated pipeline into your workspace

***

## 🧠 Tips for Migrating Complex Pipelines

* Use **multiple pipelines** for large source groups (e.g., one per schema)
* Parameterize **table names and filters** with pipeline variables
* Replace dbt logic with **modular SQL blocks** using `ref()` and tests
* Use **batching or streaming** modes for large datasets

***

## ✅ After Migration: What You Gain

* Complete **ELT pipelines** with built-in orchestration
* Visual and modular pipeline builder
* AI-powered development & debugging
* Git-native deployments across environments
* Real-time ingestion with event-based triggers
* Transparent cost, better performance, full control

> Fivetran is great for getting started. But when you're ready for control, observability, and flexibility—**Mage Pro is built for scale**.

👉 [Start Migrating to Mage Pro](https://cloud.mage.ai)