Change Data Capture (CDC)

The 3 Best AWS Database Migration Service Alternatives in 2026

AWS Database Migration Service is for teams moving databases into AWS, or keeping a source and target in sync during a migration, inside their own AWS account. If that isn’t you, these 3 Change Data Capture (CDC) tools are the closest alternatives. A common reason to look elsewhere: you need long-running CDC into a warehouse outside AWS. Estuary Flow or Debezium fit that better.

Category

Change Data Capture (CDC)

AWS Database Migration Service pricing

Pay-as-you-go

Free tier

No

Alternatives

3 compared

Choose AWS Database Migration Service if…

  • Your target, your source or both already live on AWS.
  • You are converting between engines, for example Oracle to PostgreSQL.
  • You want pay-by-the-hour with nothing to install.

Look at an alternative if…

  • You need long-running CDC into a warehouse outside AWS. Estuary Flow or Debezium fit that better.
  • You want stream processing on the changes as they flow. Striim does that.

AWS Database Migration Service vs Alternatives: Quick Comparison

ToolPricingFree tierRating
AWS Database Migration ServiceYou searchedUsage-based—4.1
1.DebeziumFree4.6
2.Estuary FlowFree · then usage-based4.3
3.StriimFree · paid plans by quote4.3

Ratings are App Stack Builder’s editorial score out of 5, not an average of user reviews.

Top AWS Database Migration Service Alternatives, Explained

Debezium

1. Debezium

Free tier4.6· Free

Debezium reads a database’s transaction log and turns each row change into an event your other systems can consume. It ships stable connectors for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, SQL Server, Oracle, Db2 and CockroachDB, with more (Cassandra, Spanner, Vitess, TiDB and others) incubating. You can run it on Kafka Connect, as the standalone Debezium Server with no Kafka required, or embedded as a library. It is Apache 2.0 licensed and hosted by the Commonhaus Foundation; 3.7.1.Final shipped on November 6 2026. There is no paid tier: you run and monitor it yourself.

Best for: open-source CDC, Kafka, Postgres WAL

  • Free at any volume
  • Log-based CDC, not polling
  • Runs with or without Kafka
Debezium pricing & review AWS Database Migration Service vs Debezium
Estuary Flow

2. Estuary Flow

Free tier4.3· Free · then usage-based

Estuary Flow is a real-time alternative to batch ELT: change-data-capture from Postgres, MySQL and MongoDB into warehouses and streams with millisecond latency, backfills and incremental syncs from the same pipeline. Pricing is transparent and usage-shaped, $0.50 per GB plus $100 per connector per month, which tends to beat MAR billing on high-churn tables.

Best for: managed CDC, per-GB pricing, real-time

  • Real-time CDC rather than batch
  • Pricing you can predict from data volume
  • Backfill and streaming in one pipeline
Estuary Flow pricing & review AWS Database Migration Service vs Estuary Flow
Striim

3. Striim

Free tier4.3· Free · paid plans by quote

Striim captures changes from operational databases and streams them to warehouses, lakes and messaging systems, transforming data in flight with SQL. The free Striim Developer tier covers up to 25 million events a month with trial access to premium and preview connectors. Striim Cloud (dedicated, usage-based, with SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA and PCI DSS) and the self-managed Striim Platform (unlimited volume, connectors licensed individually) are priced by sales. A newer product, Validata, checks that source and target data match.

Best for: streaming SQL, enterprise CDC, compliance

  • Free tier with a real event allowance
  • SQL transforms while data is in flight
  • Managed cloud or self-managed
Striim pricing & review AWS Database Migration Service vs Striim

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best alternatives to AWS Database Migration Service in 2026?⌄

The best AWS Database Migration Service alternatives in 2026 are Debezium, Estuary Flow, Striim. Each is a change data capture (cdc) option you can compare on pricing, free tiers, and features in the table above.

Is there a free alternative to AWS Database Migration Service?⌄

Yes. Debezium, Estuary Flow, Striim offer free tiers, making them strong free AWS Database Migration Service alternatives for bootstrapped startups.

When should I choose AWS Database Migration Service, and when an alternative?⌄

Choose AWS Database Migration Service when: Your target, your source or both already live on AWS. You are converting between engines, for example Oracle to PostgreSQL. You want pay-by-the-hour with nothing to install. Look at an alternative when: You need long-running CDC into a warehouse outside AWS. Estuary Flow or Debezium fit that better. You want stream processing on the changes as they flow. Striim does that.

What is the cheapest AWS Database Migration Service alternative?⌄

Debezium is among the most affordable AWS Database Migration Service alternatives: free. Check the comparison table above for the full pricing breakdown.

Which AWS Database Migration Service alternative is rated highest?⌄

Debezium has the highest editorial score among the AWS Database Migration Service alternatives here, at 4.6 out of 5. That is our own score, not an average of user reviews, so check it against your budget and stack before you pick.

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