# Census vs dbt Core

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Census

| Attribute | Census | dbt Core |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 79.7 (74% (medium)) | 65.7 (73% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 553 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 14,028 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | - | 21,005,917 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Fivetran ingests data from SaaS applications, databases, and ERPs into data warehouses and lakes, applies SQL-based transformations on schedule, and activates the data for analytics and business operations. It is indexed under Data Engineering Tools.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com","question":"What is Census?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Census offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $5 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com/pricing","question":"Is Census free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed browser-based access to Census. That is the extent of what we could verify from public sources, so it may well offer desktop or mobile clients we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com/pricing","question":"What platforms does Census support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Not fully, on what we have confirmed. Census is offered as cloud / SaaS and hybrid, and a hybrid deployment usually means some components can run on your own infrastructure while the rest stays vendor-hosted. We have not confirmed a completely self-hosted option, so check with the vendor if that is a requirement.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com","question":"Can Census be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 14 integrations for Census, including Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Salesforce, Databricks, AWS Redshift, Azure Synapse, Marketo and HubSpot, plus 6 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com","question":"What does Census integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA and GDPR for Census. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Census not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com/security","question":"What security certifications does Census have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Census is available worldwide. Its primary markets are the United States and the EU. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://www.getcensus.com/pricing","question":"Where is Census available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"answer":"dbt is a framework that enables data teams to transform data using SQL-based development practices similar to software engineering, with built-in testing, version control, and deployment capabilities. It provides lineage tracking, documentation, and can run locally or in the cloud. It is indexed under Data Engineering Tools.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"What is dbt Core?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"dbt Core is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the Apache-2.0 licence. A commercial or hosted edition starts at $100 per user per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"Is dbt Core free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"dbt Core supports the web, Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"What platforms does dbt Core support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. dbt Core can be deployed cloud / SaaS and self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"Can dbt Core be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 6 integrations for dbt Core, including Tableau, Fivetran, OpenAI, Snowflake, Azure AI and Databricks. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"What does dbt Core integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed ISO 27001 and GDPR for dbt Core. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as dbt Core not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com/security","question":"What security certifications does dbt Core have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Yes. dbt Core is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-core","question":"Is dbt Core open source?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"dbt Core is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States.","source":"https://www.getdbt.com","question":"Where is dbt Core available?","confidence":0.5}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Fivetran ingests data from SaaS applications, databases, and ERPs into data warehouses and lakes, applies SQL-based transformations on schedule, and activates the data for analytics and business operations. | A data transformation framework that applies software engineering principles—such as version control, testing, and modularity—to SQL-based analytics workflows. |
| features.capabilities | `{"cdc":true,"role":"elt","lineage":false,"paradigm":"both","dbt_native":true,"data_quality":false,"elt_pushdown":true,"python_first":false,"managed_cloud":true,"connector_count":"900+ sources and destinations","self_hosted_oss":false,"incremental_runs":true,"reverse_etl_addon":true,"distributed_executor":true,"schema_drift_handling":true,"managed_cloud_available":true}` | `{"role":"transform","lineage":true,"paradigm":"batch","dbt_native":true,"data_quality":true,"managed_cloud":true,"connector_count":"6+ named integrations with broader ecosystem","self_hosted_oss":true,"self_hosted_available":true}` |
| integrations.count | 900 | 6 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Snowflake"},{"name":"Google BigQuery"},{"name":"Salesforce"},{"name":"Databricks"},{"name":"AWS Redshift"},{"name":"Azure Synapse"},{"name":"Marketo"},{"name":"HubSpot"},{"name":"Zendesk"},{"name":"Braze"},{"name":"Facebook Ads"},{"name":"Google Ads"},{"name":"Postgres"},{"name":"MySQL"},{"name":"dbt Core","native":true},{"name":"SAP","native":true,"category":"erp"}]` | `[{"name":"Tableau"},{"name":"Fivetran"},{"name":"OpenAI"},{"name":"Snowflake"},{"name":"Azure AI"},{"name":"Databricks"}]` |
| language.primary | - | Rust |
| license.spdx | - | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":["US","CA","GB","AU","IN","SG"],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"usage","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Starter","description":"For small teams with low data volumes","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Standard","description":"For organizations with database sources, 15-minute sync frequencies, or REST API needs","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","description":"High-volume replication with timely support and granular role-based access control","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Business Critical","description":"For global enterprise teams with strict data residency and compliance requirements","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Usage-based (pay per monthly active record). Free tier: 5,000 model runs monthly on all plans. 14-day trial per new connection. Annual contracts: automatic discounts from 5%+.","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.getcensus.com/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-09-18T12:37:51.007Z","freeTrialDays":14,"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Developer","summary":"Free","features":["Browser-based IDE","Multi-factor authentication (MFA)","Job scheduling","Keep on the latest dbt release"],"minSeats":1,"description":"The fastest way to get started with dbt","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"seats":"1","projects":"1","successful_models_per_month":"3,000"}},{"free":false,"name":"Starter","summary":"$100/seat/month","features":["All Developer features","dbt Catalog basic","dbt Semantic Layer basic","dbt Copilot code generation","API access"],"minSeats":5,"components":[{"kind":"per_unit","unit":"seat","amount":100,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Pay as you go pricing for your first dbt project","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"seats":"5","projects":"1","queried_metrics_per_month":"5,000","successful_models_per_month":"15,000"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["All Starter features","dbt Catalog advanced","dbt Semantic Layer advanced","dbt Copilot","dbt Canvas","dbt Insights","dbt Mesh Enterprise"],"contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"projects":"30","queried_metrics_per_month":"20,000","successful_models_per_month":"100,000"}},{"free":false,"name":"Enterprise+","summary":"Custom pricing","features":["All Enterprise features","PrivateLink","IP Restrictions","Rollback","Hybrid projects"],"contactSales":true,"includedLimits":{"projects":"Unlimited","queried_metrics_per_month":"20,000","successful_models_per_month":"100,000"}}],"summary":"Free Developer tier, $100/seat/month for Starter, custom pricing for Enterprise","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.getdbt.com","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T13:08:54.690Z","freeTrialDays":14,"startingPrice":{"amount":100,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | low | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 2 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.8","date":"2026-10-14T07:49:06Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.13.0b1","date":"2026-10-14T07:41:52Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v1.13.0b1"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.12.6","date":"2026-10-14T10:24:02Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.12.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.11.16","date":"2026-10-14T08:25:55Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.11.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-dev.41-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-23T14:17:38Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-dev.41-test-pypi"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.5","date":"2026-09-18T15:47:44Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.4","date":"2026-09-16T07:12:13Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.3","date":"2026-09-16T01:44:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.2","date":"2026-09-15T16:08:05Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.2-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-15T14:48:47Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.2-test-pypi"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.12.5","date":"2026-09-15T19:07:42Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.12.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.1","date":"2026-09-14T22:07:43Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0","date":"2026-09-14T20:50:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-dev.39-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-09T13:17:55Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-dev.39-test-pypi"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-dev.38-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-09T11:24:08Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-dev.38-test-pypi"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-dev.37-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-09T09:21:59Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-dev.37-test-pypi"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-rc.2","date":"2026-09-08T14:57:16Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.12.4","date":"2026-09-08T10:00:57Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.12.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v1.11.15","date":"2026-09-08T06:42:56Z","type":"stable","version":"v1.11.15"},{"url":"https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt/releases/tag/v2.0.0-dev.35-test-pypi","date":"2026-09-03T12:35:02Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.0-dev.35-test-pypi"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.hipaa | yes | - |
| security.iso27001 | yes | yes |
| security.pci | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | - | 6 |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":4,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=dbt-core&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` |

## Capabilities (Data Engineering Tools)

| Capability | Census | dbt Core |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Tool role | ELT / ingestion | Transformation |
| Processing paradigm | Batch + streaming | Batch |
| **Connectivity** |  |  |
| Connector count | 900+ sources and destinations | 6+ named integrations with broader ecosystem |
| CDC / log-based replication | ✓ | - |
| **Transformation** |  |  |
| In-warehouse transformation (push-down) | ✓ | - |
| dbt-native orchestration | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Self-hosted / open-source available | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managed cloud available | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Governance** |  |  |
| Data lineage / asset catalog | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Authoring** |  |  |
| Python-first authoring | ✗ | - |
| **Execution** |  |  |
| Incremental / partition-aware runs | ✓ | - |
| **Quality** |  |  |
| Built-in data quality / tests | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Scale** |  |  |
| Horizontal scale (distributed executor) | ✓ | - |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T20:48:17.101Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*