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TL;DR - Alation
- Data catalog discovery
- Asset governance
- Machine learning insights
Pricing: Paid only
Best for: Enterprises & pros
Score: 90/100
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Industry-leading data catalog with strong AI/ML
- Comprehensive data lineage tracking
- Strong governance and compliance features
- Natural language search for data discovery
- Active community and knowledge sharing
- Broad connector ecosystem
- Trusted by Fortune 500 companies
Cons
- Expensive - typically $200K+ for enterprises
- Complex implementation requiring consultants
- User-based licensing adds up quickly
- Connector fees increase total cost
- Steep learning curve
- Opaque pricing
Key Features
Data catalogData governanceMetadata managementData lineageCollaborationML-powered discovery
Pricing Plans
Free TrialEnterprise
Custom
- Data catalog
- Data governance
- Data search & discovery
- Lineage tracking
- Collaboration tools
- Custom integrations
- Dedicated support
About Alation
By Toolradar Team·
Alation is an enterprise data catalog and governance platform that helps organizations discover, understand, and trust their data. Using AI and machine learning, Alation automatically catalogs data assets, tracks lineage, and enables collaboration across data teams. It is widely used by Fortune 500 companies to improve data literacy and compliance.
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Alation FAQ
How much does Alation cost?
Alation uses quote-based pricing starting around $20,000/year for small deployments. Mid-sized enterprises typically pay $200,000-$400,000 annually including licensing, connectors, and implementation. Pricing is based on user tiers (Creators, Stewards, Viewers).
What is Alation used for?
Alation is used for data cataloging, governance, and discovery. It helps organizations understand what data they have, where it comes from (lineage), who owns it, and how it should be used. Common use cases include regulatory compliance, self-service analytics, and data democratization.
How does Alation compare to Atlan?
Alation is more established with deeper enterprise features, while Atlan is a newer cloud-native alternative often praised for modern UX and faster implementation. Alation typically costs more but offers stronger governance capabilities for complex enterprises.
Source: alation.com