Apache NiFi
Open-source tool for building and running data flows in a drag-and-drop browser canvas.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted
Is Apache NiFi free?
Yes, free and open source
Switch from Apache NiFi to
All 5
AirbyteStarting price: $20/month (cloud)
InformaticaPaid
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About Apache NiFi
Apache NiFi moves data between systems using flows you draw in a web interface. You drop processors onto a canvas, connect them, and NiFi pulls data from sources such as files, databases, APIs, message queues and cloud storage, transforms or routes it, and delivers it elsewhere. It is built for continuous streams as well as batches, with back pressure, prioritised queues and guaranteed delivery, and it records the full provenance of every piece of data so you can trace where it came from and what happened to it. Flows can be changed while they run. It is popular in government, security and large enterprise settings where auditability matters. NiFi is a free Apache project under the Apache 2.0 licence that you host yourself on Java; the 2.x line is current and 1.x support has ended. A small agent called MiNiFi collects data at the edge, and several vendors sell managed NiFi.
Best for: Data and security teams that need auditable, always-on data flows they can host themselves..
Pros and cons
What works
- Visual flow design with hundreds of built-in processors
- Full data provenance for tracing every record end to end
- Back pressure, prioritisation and guaranteed delivery for streaming data
- Free and open source, with the MiNiFi agent for edge collection
Why people leave
- Heavy Java application that needs tuning and capacity planning
- Not a modern ELT tool: no managed connectors syncing SaaS apps into a warehouse
- Moving from 1.x to 2.x requires a migration
Apache NiFi vs Airbyte, Talend (Qlik Talend Cloud) and Informatica
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Apache NiFi | Airbyte | Talend (Qlik Talend Cloud) | Informatica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Open source | Paid | Paid |
| Verified price | — | $20/month (cloud) | — | — |
| Free plan | Free app | Free app | No | No |
| Open source | No | Yes | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | Yes | No | No |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted | Web, Self-hosted | Web, Self-hosted | Web, Self-hosted |
Top Apache NiFi alternatives
See all 5- 1Airbyte83.8
Open-source too, but focused on syncing apps and databases into a warehouse with ready connectors.
- 2Talend (Qlik Talend Cloud)64.8
Enterprise integration suite with visual pipelines, data quality tools and vendor support.
- 3Informatica61.8
Commercial data integration platform for large enterprises that want a supported product.
- 4
AWS Glue59.4Serverless ETL on AWS, so there are no NiFi clusters to run yourself.
- 5
Matillion57.5Visual pipeline builder aimed at cloud warehouses like Snowflake and BigQuery.
Why people left Apache NiFi
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Apache NiFi: common questions
What is Apache NiFi?
Apache NiFi: Open-source tool for building and running data flows in a drag-and-drop browser canvas. Best for data and security teams that need auditable, always-on data flows they can host themselves. Available for Linux, macOS and Windows, and you can host it yourself.
Is Apache NiFi free?
Yes. Apache NiFi is free, open-source software.
Is Apache NiFi open source?
No, Apache NiFi is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Airbyte.
What platforms does Apache NiFi run on?
Apache NiFi is available for Linux, macOS, Windows and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to Apache NiFi?
The highest-ranked Apache NiFi alternatives right now are Airbyte, Talend (Qlik Talend Cloud) and Informatica. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Apache NiFi vs Airbyte: what's the difference?
Both Apache NiFi and Airbyte are free and open source. Airbyte is open source and Apache NiFi is not. Only Apache NiFi runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. Only Airbyte runs on Web.