Alation Data Catalog vs SAP Data Governance comparison

Alation and SAP are both solutions in the Data Governance category. Alation is ranked #7 with an average rating of 7.3, while SAP is ranked #32. Alation holds a 5.3% mindshare in DG, compared to SAP’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 71% of Alation users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SAP users who would recommend it.

Alation Data Catalog

Read 12 Alation Data Catalog reviews

4,719 Views
4,106 Comparison Views

71% willing to recommend

SAP Data Governance

Read 2 SAP Data Governance reviews

401 Views
401 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Alation Data Catalog

SAP Data Governance

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

SAP Data Governance and Alation Data Catalog compete in the field of data management. Alation Data Catalog seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features and faster deployment.

Features: SAP Data Governance integrates well and has comprehensive compliance tools alongside competitive pricing support. Alation Data Catalog offers superior metadata management, more intuitive search options, and is favored for in-depth data analysis and collaboration.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both products allow streamlined deployment. Alation Data Catalog is known for a faster setup process and responsive customer service. SAP Data Governance provides extensive customer training resources suitable for thorough onboarding support.

Pricing and ROI: SAP Data Governance generally has a lower initial setup cost, appealing to budget-conscious organizations. Alation Data Catalog offers a better return on investment with its feature-rich platform that enhances data accessibility and insights.

To learn more, read our detailed Alation Data Catalog vs. SAP Data Governance Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Alation Data Catalog vs. SAP Data Governance

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Alation Data Catalog

Ranking in Data Governance

7th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Metadata Management (2nd)

SAP Data Governance

Ranking in Data Governance

32nd

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Data Governance category, the mindshare of Alation Data Catalog is 5.3%, down from 8.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Data Governance is 0.9%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Governance Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Alation Data Catalog	5.3%
SAP Data Governance	0.9%
Other	93.8%

Data Governance

Featured Reviews

Brahma Lam

Developer at CVS Health

Has metadata cataloging features but needs changes in domain model

The tool's metadata cataloging is the most valuable feature. The tool's domain model needs to be changed. Alation Data Catalog is stable. The solution is scalable. Alation Data Catalog's deployment is easy. I rate it a nine out of ten. Deployment takes only two to three hours to complete.…

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Vijaya Macherla

GTM Lead at Capgemini

A robust solution that establishes rules, policies, and procedures

The solution is used in Life Cycle Data Management where it can be stored in cheaper storage options like Amazon and OpenShift. It has helped with data retention It is robust solution. SAP should come up with specialized services as per their customer's requirements. I have experience with SAP…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Alation Data Catalog provides a nice interface for connecting to the database, querying the data, and working on it."

"The platform's most valuable features are workflow automation, automated business metadata tagging, technical metadata tagging, and data integration with data quality tools or platforms."

"The most valuable feature is cloud integration."

"The tool's metadata cataloging is the most valuable feature."

"The solution's most valuable feature is the ALLIE AI feature."

"The solution is used to query MySQL clients and store data and documentation."

"Given the relatively low level of maturity, Alation's most relevant feature at the moment is a user interface that's easy to navigate, which helps us find and understand the data. So while Alation has a lot more functionality, our pain point right now is being able to easily find, understand, and trust the information to use it."

"Alation Data Catalog's best feature is the SQL query publication."

More Alation Data Catalog pros

"The new workflow engine is based on the web app rather than the Java-based approach."

"It is robust solution."

Cons

"It would be good if the tool could show the output from the records while querying."

"The tool's domain model needs to be changed."

"We have had issues setting up the connectors and getting Alation's support team to resolve issues."

"The product's data governance features need improvement."

"I know that this has been on their roadmap and they're working on it, but as a whole, there's an untapped reservoir of capabilities within their article features that could be used and built upon."

"Alation Data Catalog doesn't support end-to-end lineage. By that, I mean the ability to trace the movement of data from when it first comes into our organization to where it's consumed."

"The interface is not user-friendly."

"Although the solution performs far better in terms of data cataloging, its data governance capabilities need improvement."

More Alation Data Catalog cons

"I would like to see harmonizing with some of the external third-party products so that it will all be within SAP."

"SAP should come up with specialized services as per their customer's requirements."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"A three-year agreement is better than a one-year rolling 12-month agreement from a price point of view. I'd recommend looking at a three-year deal because you can't stand up a catalog and produce value in 12 months."

"The solution is a little expensive."

"The platform is moderately expensive compared to the other competitors in the market."

"I don't have all the details on the pricing side, but the solution was more expensive than originally expected."

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

20%

Retailer

14%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	7

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Alation Data Catalog?

The platform's most valuable features are workflow automation, automated business metadata tagging, technical metadata tagging, and data integration with data quality tools or platforms.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alation Data Catalog?

The price difference between Alation Data Catalog and Collibra was not significant. Collibra is a little bit expensive than Alation, but I presented the benefits of having that platform, so that li...

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What needs improvement with Alation Data Catalog?

Alation Data Catalog is not user-friendly for business users. Its user experience is comparable to a Wikipedia page, lacking good visualization. In a fast-paced world, we need to grasp information ...

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What do you like most about SAP Data Governance?

It is robust solution.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SAP Data Governance?

SAP should come up with specialized services as per their customer's requirements.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SAP Data Governance?

The solution is used in Life Cycle Data Management where it can be stored in cheaper storage options like Amazon and OpenShift. It has helped with data retention.

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs Alation Data Catalog

Compared 41% of the time

Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) vs Alation Data Catalog

Compared 13% of the time

Collibra Governance vs Alation Data Catalog

Compared 10% of the time

Atlan vs Alation Data Catalog

Compared 5% of the time

IBM InfoSphere Information Governance Catalog vs Alation Data Catalog

Compared 3% of the time

More Alation Data Catalog Competitors

Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs SAP Data Governance

Compared 78% of the time

Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) vs SAP Data Governance

Compared 23% of the time

More SAP Data Governance Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Alation Data Catalog

September 2025

Download Alation Data Catalog product report

Buyer's Guide

Data Governance

September 2025

Download SAP Data Governance product report

Also Known As

Alation

No data available

Overview

Alation pioneered the data catalog market and is now leading its evolution into a platform for a broad range of data intelligence solutions including data search & discovery, data governance, lineage, stewardship, analytics, and digital transformation.

Thanks to its powerful Behavioral Analysis Engine, inbuilt collaboration capabilities, and open interfaces, Alation combines machine learning with human insight to successfully tackle even the most demanding challenges in data and metadata management. With Alation, analysts are empowered to search, query and collaborate on their data to achieve faster, more accurate insights.

Trusted by 400+ enterprises worldwide like Salesforce, Nasdaq, LinkedIn, Finnair, and Cisco.

Alation

SAP Data Governance helps consolidate and centrally govern the master data lifecycle of information across the organization. Key benefits: Consolidate and manage master data across the business, whether information is exchanged and accessed in SAP or non-SAP solutions on premise or in the cloud. Uses prebuilt data models, rules, workflows, and user interfaces to quickly deploy tasks such as financial consolidation, customer service, and supplier onboarding. And supports all your master data domains in one single application, and implement it in an on-premise, cloud, or hybrid environment.

SAP

Sample Customers

Salesforce, Snowflake, Citrix, eBay, TripAdvisor, Albertsons, Nasdaq, Pfizer, LinkedIn, Finnair.

Takisada-Osaka Co. Ltd., The VELUX Group, Asian Paints, AOK Bundesverband, EMC Corporation

Buyer's Guide

Alation Data Catalog vs. SAP Data Governance

September 2025

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