dbt: Pricing, Features & Alternatives
dbt is where the T in ELT happens: you write SELECT statements, dbt handles dependency order, materialisation, testing and documentation, all in Git. dbt Core is Apache-2.0 and free to run from any scheduler you already have; dbt Cloud adds a browser IDE, job scheduling, the semantic layer and a catalogue, priced per developer seat.
Category
Data & ETL
Pricing
Free tier available
Free tier
Yes
Best for
Data & ETL — dbt, transformation
dbt Pricing Plans (2026)
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Developer | $0 (1 developer seat) |
| StarterPopular | $100 / developer seat / month |
| Enterprise | Custom |
Pricing summary: Free · paid from $100/mo. Always confirm current pricing on the official site.
Key dbt Features
- Up to 5 seats
- dbt Wizard
- Semantic layer basics
- API access
Pros
- +The de-facto standard for warehouse transforms
- +dbt Core is free and self-hosted
- +Tests and lineage come with the model
- +Huge community and package ecosystem
Cons
- −Cloud seats add up quickly
- −SQL-only by design
- −Still needs a warehouse and an orchestrator
Best dbt Alternatives
Compare all
dbt Compared
dbt FAQ
What is dbt used for?⌄
dbt is a data & etl tool. SQL transformations with version control, tests and lineage — the layer that turns raw warehouse tables into models you trust.
Is dbt free?⌄
Yes — dbt has a free tier you can start with, and paid plans for more usage and features.
How much does dbt cost?⌄
dbt offers a free tier, with paid plans starting at $100/month. Some plans are usage-based (pay-as-you-go).
What are the best dbt alternatives?⌄
Popular dbt alternatives include Fivetran, Hightouch, Airbyte, Estuary Flow, RudderStack. Compare pricing and features on our dbt alternatives page.
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