Database Replication Software: 11 Data Replication Tools Compared (2026)
Database replication software keeps two databases carrying the same data — continuously, on a schedule, or as a one-time load that stays in sync afterwards. The tools differ on three axes that matter more than feature lists: the capture mechanism (transaction-log CDC vs trigger- or comparison-based sync), the engine matrix they cover, and what the pricing meters.
Real-time log-based replication is the strictest discipline — only some tools do it, and only for some engines. Trigger- and comparison-based sync covers far more engine pairs at the cost of latency. This list is grouped by that trade, so match your engines and your freshness requirement first.
The three ways replication software moves data
Full load
The whole table is read and written to the target in one pass. It is how every replication starts and how most one-off copies end. Simple, restartable, and indifferent to the source engine — but it re-reads everything, so it does not stay fresh on its own.
Incremental, from the transaction log
The tool reads the log the database already writes — MySQL binlog, PostgreSQL WAL, Oracle redo — and applies each committed change to the target. This is CDC: sub-second latency and almost no load on the source, because the log is a by-product of the writes rather than an extra query. The catch is engine support: log formats are engine-specific, so every source has to be implemented separately.
Scheduled comparison or triggers
The tool compares source and target on a schedule, or installs triggers that record what changed. Latency is minutes to hours and the source pays for the detection, but it works between engine pairs no log reader covers, which is why it is still the only option across a mixed Oracle/SQL Server/Access estate.
One direction or both
Most replication is one-way: a source of truth and a follower. Bidirectional replication lets both sides accept writes, which turns every concurrent edit into a conflict somebody has to resolve — a different class of product, and a reason to be sure you actually need it.
How we compare
Mechanism
Transaction-log CDC (real-time) vs trigger/comparison sync (scheduled). Different latency, different source impact.
Engine matrix
MySQL/Postgres only, or Oracle, SQL Server, Access and the long tail too?
Deployment
SaaS, self-hosted, or inside your cloud account.
Pricing basis
Flat, per-seat, per-row, per-GB, per-hour, or quote-only.
1. DBConvert Streams
Best real-time replication for MySQL ↔ PostgreSQL
Log-based CDC — MySQL binlog, PostgreSQL WAL — applied directly to the target database, files, or S3, with the initial load and the ongoing stream handled as one checkpointed workflow. Self-hosted (desktop or Docker), no Kafka or external orchestrator, and CDC is priced per pipeline: replication volume never changes the bill. Built-in monitor shows lag, per-table progress, and source/target comparison.
2. DBConvert Studio
Best engine coverage: trigger/comparison sync across any pair
Our desktop line covers the engine matrix Streams deliberately does not: Oracle, SQL Server, Access, Firebird, SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL and more, in any source-target combination. Synchronization is trigger- and comparison-based — scheduled runs that detect and apply differences — which trades real-time latency for near-universal engine support. One-time conversion and ongoing sync live in the same products.
3. Debezium
Best open-source replication engine (bring your own pipeline)
Apache 2.0 log-based CDC with the broadest OSS source list (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, SQL Server and more). It emits change events — turning them into a replicated database is your pipeline’s job: Kafka + Connect + sinks in the standard topology, or Debezium Server’s JDBC sink run and wired by you.
4. Qlik Replicate
Best enterprise heterogeneous matrix
Click-to-replicate enterprise CDC across Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, SAP, mainframe and AS/400 sources into databases, warehouses and big-data sinks. Agentless log reading on most sources. No published pricing; endpoint availability is license-gated.
5. Striim
Best when replication needs in-flight SQL transforms
Enterprise streaming platform combining CDC with SQL stream processing at very high event volumes, managed or self-hosted. Free Developer tier caps at 25M events/month; paid tiers are quote-only.
6. AWS DMS
Best for replication into AWS
Managed migration and ongoing log-based replication from a broad source matrix, billed per replication-instance hour or serverless DCU, running inside your AWS account with AWS-oriented targets.
7. Estuary Flow
Best managed pipeline with published per-GB pricing
Managed CDC/ELT with its own log-based connectors and transparent pricing ($0.50/GB + $100/connector/month, free tier included). Warehouse-leaning target catalog; BYOC requires an annual Enterprise contract.
8. Oracle GoldenGate
Best for Oracle-centred, mission-critical replication
Oracle’s own real-time replication platform, sold as an OCI service or an on-premises deployment. It replicates database transactions in real time within and across data centres, across a heterogeneous connectivity list that spans Oracle’s own database line, non-Oracle databases, and streaming endpoints (Kafka, Kinesis, Event Hub, Confluent). The OCI service meters per OCPU-hour, with a lower BYOL rate for existing licences; the on-premises licence is not published on the pricing page.
9. Airbyte
Best open-source connector catalogue you can self-host
Open-source ELT with database CDC among hundreds of connectors. Core is free and self-managed; the cloud line splits into volume-based Standard (from $10/month), capacity-based Pro priced in Data Workers, and Enterprise Flex. CDC is available on every tier including Core, so self-hosting does not cost you the mechanism.
10. Hevo Data
Best managed pipeline with published per-event pricing
Managed ELT with database sources, metered on events — Hevo counts every record inserted, updated or deleted in the destination. Free up to 1M events/month, Starter from $265–$299/month for 5–50M, Professional $750–$849/month for 20–100M, then custom. Replication volume is the bill, which is the same trade Fivetran asks for in a different unit.
11. Fivetran
Best when replication is one line item of a big ELT estate
Managed connectors at scale with log-based database CDC, priced per Monthly Active Row. Excellent breadth; the meter scales with row churn, which is exactly what busy replicated databases produce.
Comparison table
| Tool | Deployment | Pricing basis | MySQL/PG CDC | License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBConvert Streams | Self-hosted | Per CDC pipeline ($99/mo) | Real-time (binlog/WAL) | Proprietary (closed source), free eval |
| DBConvert Studio | Desktop (Windows) | Per-license | Trigger/comparison sync — any engine pair | Proprietary |
| Debezium | Self-hosted | Free | Real-time (into Kafka) | Apache 2.0 |
| Qlik Replicate | Self-managed | Quote-only | Real-time, wide matrix | Proprietary |
| Striim | SaaS / self-managed | Quote (free dev tier) | Real-time + stream SQL | Proprietary |
| AWS DMS | AWS account | Instance-hours / DCU | Real-time, AWS targets | Proprietary |
| Estuary Flow | SaaS | $0.50/GB + $100/connector | Real-time, managed | Commercial |
| Oracle GoldenGate | OCI service or on-prem | Per OCPU-hour (BYOL); on-prem unpublished | Real-time, heterogeneous | Proprietary |
| Airbyte | Self-hosted (Core) or cloud | Core free; cloud from $10/mo | Real-time, all tiers | Open source core |
| Hevo Data | SaaS | Per event/mo (free to 1M) | Real-time, warehouse targets | Proprietary |
| Fivetran | SaaS / hybrid | Per-MAR usage | Real-time, warehouse targets | Proprietary |
How to choose
- 1Match engines first. Both ends MySQL/PostgreSQL → DBConvert Streams. Oracle, SQL Server, Access or a mixed estate → DBConvert Studio for scheduled sync, or Qlik/Striim/DMS for enterprise real-time.
- 2Then freshness. Sub-second replication requires log-based CDC; if minutes-to-hours is fine, trigger/comparison sync opens far more engine pairs at lower cost.
- 3Then the meter. Replication runs forever — a per-row or per-GB meter compounds monthly. Flat per-seat or per-license pricing is the only shape that ignores volume.
- 4Then who operates it. SaaS puts a vendor in the data path; self-hosted (Streams, Studio, Debezium) keeps replication inside your network at the cost of running it.
Frequently asked questions
What is database replication software?
Software that keeps a second database carrying the same data as the first — by reading the source’s transaction log in real time (CDC), or by detecting differences with triggers/comparison on a schedule — and applying those changes to the target automatically.
What is the difference between replication software and a CDC tool?
CDC is one mechanism replication software can use — the real-time one, reading the transaction log. Replication is the job; CDC, triggers, and comparison syncs are ways to do it. Log-based CDC gives the lowest latency and source impact but supports fewer engines.
What is the best database replication software for MySQL and PostgreSQL?
For real-time MySQL ↔ PostgreSQL replication you run yourself, DBConvert Streams — log-based CDC with initial load, no Kafka, flat price per CDC pipeline. If one side is Oracle, SQL Server or Access, use DBConvert Studio (scheduled sync) or an enterprise CDC platform.
How much does database replication software cost?
Free with high ops cost (Debezium), flat per CDC pipeline ($99/mo, DBConvert Streams), per-GB (Estuary), per-row (Fivetran MAR), per-hour (AWS DMS), or quote-only (Qlik, Striim). Because replication runs continuously, the pricing basis matters more than the sticker: metered models grow with your write traffic.
Try the flat-priced one first
Self-hosted MySQL/PostgreSQL CDC on your own databases — free evaluation, no credit card.