ETL Commodity – Why Are You Still Paying a Premium?

The ETL commodity market has shifted. Once a specialised element of the data stack, it has now become a routine utility. At the present time, many organisations still pay premium prices for functionality that is no longer niche.

To begin with, ETL—the process of extracting, transforming, and loading data—has become repeatable and standardised. It is widely offered by dozens of vendors. Consequently, ETL is now a commodity. Yet, the cost continues to climb for many businesses. So, why is your ETL bill still increasing?

Let’s examine the root causes and the most effective steps you can take.

The Issue Is Not the ETL Commodity—It’s the Pricing Model

Most ETL tools still use volume-based pricing models, charging for every row processed. In other words, regardless of whether data is unchanged, duplicated, or even unused, you’re billed for everything. For that reason, organisations continue to face unpredictable and inflated costs.

To illustrate, this outdated pricing model:

• Penalises scale, even when operational activity remains stable

• Creates difficulties for both finance and data teams when forecasting spend

• Incentivises wasteful processing rather than optimisation

• Treats the ETL commodity as though it were still a high-value luxury

As a result, the pricing structure is not only inefficient—it’s exploitative.

 

What Fair Pricing for an ETL Commodity Should Look Like

If we accept that ETL is now a commodity, then pricing must reflect that. Here’s what a fair model includes:

• Charges based on infrastructure usage, not arbitrary data counts

• Transparent costs with accurate forecasting

• Full visibility into what you’re paying for

• Incentives for efficient, clean data operations

At Matatika, we refer to this as performance-based pricing. It rewards best practices and discourages waste. In short, it’s how an ETL commodity should be priced in 2025.

 

But Even If You Agree, One Question Remains

“How do we switch without breaking things?”

This is what holds most teams back.

Even when they know their current platform is too expensive…
Even when leadership wants to cut spend…
Even when they’ve explored better options…

The fear of disruption stops the decision.

That’s why we built Mirror Mode.

 

Mirror Mode: Switch Without the Risk

Mirror Mode lets you run Matatika alongside your current ETL platform, so you can validate everything before making the switch.

You get:

• The same data sources
• The same transformation logic
  
• Live, side-by-side comparisons of outputs
  
• No schema changes or rebuilds
  
• Zero disruption to existing reports or workflows
  
• And no billing until you go live

It’s a way to prove the switch works, before you commit to anything.

 

Why This Matters to Data and Finance Teams

💡 For Data Leaders

• You get clarity, not complexity
• You protect your team from firefighting during a transition
  
• You build confidence internally, because you’ve already validated it

💡 For Finance

• You avoid double payment
  
• You get a clean view of comparative costs
  
• You turn a risky migration into a clear, ROI-driven decision

 

You Don’t Need to Justify a Switch You Haven’t Tested

Most renewal conversations go like this:

“We want to move… but we can’t take the risk right now.”

Mirror Mode changes the conversation.

Instead of asking for budget approval based on a pitch,

You present a working solution, with validated output, a clean cost model, and a transition plan.

You move from guessing to proving. From delaying to deciding.

 

Want to Know What Your Real ETL Costs Should Be?

Let’s run a Renewal Planning Session, a focused, no-pressure session where we’ll take a look at your current ETL setup and walk you through:

• Where you’re likely overspending
  
• What side-by-side validation looks like using Mirror Mode
  
• How to map out a risk-free transition on your timeline

This isn’t a sales call.

It’s a practical way to get clarity, test the thinking, and prepare for renewal with confidence.

📅 If your renewal’s coming up, or you’re just tired of guessing, this is your first step.

👉 Book your Renewal Planning Session 

#Blog #Cost Optimisation #Data Infrastructure #Data Pricing Strategy #ETL Commodity #Mirror Mode