dbt

Transform data in your warehouse with SQL

Data Visualization Version Control Testing & QA

4.7(197 across the web)

What is dbt?

dbt is a data visualization tool. dbt transforms data in your warehouse using SQL. Write SELECT statements, and dbt handles dependencies, testing, and documentation—software engineering practices applied to analytics code. Version control for transformations. Tests ensure data quality. Documentation generates automatically from code. dbt ships a free plan plus paid tiers that unlock as usage grows. Buyers most often compare dbt against Lightdash, Looker, TestRigor.

TL;DR - dbt

Data transformation tool for analytics engineers
SQL-based modeling with version control
Industry standard for modern data stacks

Pricing: Free plan available

Best for: Growing teams

4.7/5 across review platforms

Pros & Cons

Pros

Industry standard
Great community
Excellent documentation
Free tier available

Cons

Learning curve
Requires SQL knowledge
Cloud pricing can add up

Ratings Across the Web

4.7(197 reviews)

G2197 reviews

4.7/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

SQL transformationsVersion controlTestingDocumentationLineageSchedulingIDE

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Developer

Free

Free tier

1 developer seat
3K models/month
1 project
Browser IDE
Job scheduling

Starter

$100/per user/month

Small teams

5 developer seats
15K models/month
dbt Catalog
dbt Semantic Layer
API access

Enterprise

Large orgs

100K models/month
30 projects
dbt Mesh
dbt Canvas
Cost optimization

View full pricing

About dbt

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated Mar 18, 2026

dbt transforms data in your warehouse using SQL. Write SELECT statements, and dbt handles dependencies, testing, and documentation—software engineering practices applied to analytics code. Version control for transformations. Tests ensure data quality. Documentation generates automatically from code. Data teams treat dbt as essential because it brought engineering discipline to analytics workflows that used to be undocumented SQL scripts.

How we evaluate tools →Source: getdbt.com

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Best dbt Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

View full list →

LightdashFreemium

Open-source BI for dbt projects

LookerPaid

Business intelligence platform

TestRigorPaid

AI-powered test automation that understands plain English, enabling 100x faster test creation and 200x less maintenance.

PrecedenFreemium

Create visual timelines for any topic, from project plans to alternate histories, in minutes.

SynthesizedPaid

Automate enterprise-grade test data provisioning with AI for faster, compliant software releases.

StarkPaid

The integrated suite of accessibility tools to speed up your workflow from months to minutes.

Grid.isFreemium

Transform spreadsheets into interactive web applications and data tools.

Balancing ActPaid

Engage stakeholders in public budgeting and planning with interactive simulations.

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dbt FAQ

Is dbt free?

dbt Core is free and open source. dbt Cloud has free tier for 1 developer. Team $100/month. Enterprise custom.

What is dbt?

dbt (data build tool) transforms data in your warehouse using SQL. Version control, testing, and documentation for analytics engineering.

What is dbt Cloud?

dbt Cloud is the hosted platform with IDE, scheduling, and collaboration. dbt Core is the CLI tool you can run anywhere.

dbt vs Airflow?

Different tools. dbt transforms data (T in ELT). Airflow orchestrates workflows. Often used together - Airflow runs dbt jobs.

Source: getdbt.com