Salesforce is a gold mine when it comes to the data that sits within its data storage, and the valuable information, insights, and efficiencies that it can provide to your business. Most businesses have more data than they realize within Salesforce – and often even more outside that could be put to use on the platform.
To get data both in and out of Salesforce, you will need to perform a data load. You will need to find a suitable tool that meets your needs as a Salesforce data loader. There are a number of tools available that have different pros and cons, so we have done some deep research and compared them. We have also prepared some additional information to help you decide which tool would best suit your needs in a number of scenarios.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Considerations for Performing a Data Load
- How to Choose the Right Salesforce Data Loader
- Top 7 Data Loader Tools for Salesforce
- Summary and Recommendations
Considerations for Performing a Data Load
Ultimately, there are three key areas that you need to consider and plan for when using a Salesforce data loader. According to experience from years of performing Salesforce data loader jobs for clients and Salesforce customers, these are the three most common reasons why someone would need to perform a Salesforce data loader job in the first place.
The tool you select to perform your Salesforce data loader needs should be one that can support additional functionality that your business is likely to require in the future.
Data Enrichment
Salesforce is likely not the only system that stores a database of valuable data for your business. There are a plethora of platforms that your business may use to run day-to-day operations – some will be more general, and others specific to your business and the industry you operate in. Regardless, it will likely contain data that can be combined with your Salesforce data to provide your business with valuable insights and help you to make good decisions.
Enriching your Salesforce data with data from other systems is one of the three main reasons why Salesforce data loader jobs are performed. Usually, these external systems’ data is exported in the form of a CSV (Comma Separated Value) file and needs to be pulled into the Salesforce database, either as new records or updating existing ones.
If you have multiple platforms beyond just Salesforce that you use for BAU tasks, then data enrichment into Salesforce is going to be a necessity for you to create the ‘single source of truth’ that you need. Your business decisions should be driven by complete and accurate data, not a small portion of it.
Data Migration
The second most common reason why someone would need to perform a Salesforce data loader job is to migrate data into Salesforce from external systems. This sort of data load is usually a one time operation, and performed when you’re moving away from an existing system and into Salesforce. A data migration usually is required when a new Salesforce environment is established in place of another CRM system, or when a new feature is added into an existing Salesforce environment and the data from the legacy system needs to be moved across into Salesforce.
Think of the following analogy: You’ve bought a brand new supercar, and it has all the bells and whistles. It comes with a super powerful engine, comfortable seats, and stylish interior. Once you get in the car, you realize that it’s not turning over because you haven’t filled it up with fuel yet! The same goes for your Salesforce environment. Whether this is an entirely new Salesforce implementation or you’re building a new feature within Salesforce, you’ll need to fuel it with data to make it go.
Your data migration process will usually begin with exporting a CSV file (or a set of CSV files) from a legacy system, tidying this data up by cleansing and transforming it, and importing it into your new system using a carefully selected Salesforce data loader tool.
Data Backup
Finally, backing up your Salesforce data is something that all businesses should get into the habit of doing. Consider the value and scale of the data that resides in your Salesforce org. Your business relies on this data to create and maintain an advantage over your competitors and to continue to offer high quality services to your customers. Now, imagine that data disappeared without a trace. It’s not a likely scenario, but it’s certainly not something your business should be risking.
Your Salesforce data loader tool should be able to support your business’s requirement for backing up your data to an external data warehouse, separate from your main Salesforce repository. In the case of a data catastrophe, your business won’t be left stranded and unable to operate. Your data remains exactly the way it was, and continues to be owned by your business.
How to Choose the Right Salesforce Data Loader
The first thing you should do is identify the scenarios in which you would need to perform a Salesforce data load, either putting data in or taking it back out again. Create a list of business requirements surrounding the Salesforce data loader task that you are setting out to perform. You will be able to use this list later on in this article to help you identify the kind of Salesforce data loader task/s you will need to perform. This will also be helpful for you in identifying the best Salesforce data loader tool for the job.
Data Cleansing and Transformation
One of the biggest challenges when using a Salesforce data loader tool to migrate data either in or out of the platform is ensuring your data is clean and organised. Consider the following simple scenario: You are a Salesforce Administrator who has just been handed a spreadsheet filled with new lead information by your Sales Team, and they’ve asked you to upload it into Salesforce. After figuring out which tool you’re going to use and pulling together a Salesforce data loader plan, you decide to check the spreadsheet to see what format the data is in.
The data is a mess – missing field values, text in the Phone number field, and highlighted cells with no explanation as to what the colors mean. This is why assessing the data that is to be pushed through your Salesforce data loader tool is a crucial step that must be performed early on in your process.
Top 7 Data Loader Tools for Salesforce
Skyvia Cloud Data Loader
Skyvia Cloud Data Loader is arguably the best in class Salesforce data loader tool on the market. Not only does it allow you to connect to your Salesforce org and perform the full suite of insert, update, upsert, and even delete actions but it also connects to the greater Skyvia product functionality, making it much more than just a Salesforce data loader. It can also perform integration functions, work as a data replication tool, and maintain complete backups of your Salesforce org data.
You can start using Skyvia’s Salesforce data loader tool for free, with increased functionality available with paid tier upgrades that start at only $15USD per month. Unlike other options, Skyvia’s pricing is on a per business per month basis, not per user per month. This makes Skyvia an extremely cost effective option, especially considering the fact that Skyvia can be much more than a basic Salesforce data loader.
You can read more about Skyvia’s pricing here.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per minute (depending on Plan) |
| Price | From $0 per Business (not per User) |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | YES |
| FTP Connectivity | YES |
| Number of Records per Month | From 10k to Unlimited (depending on Plan) |
| Email Notifications | YES |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | YES |
| Support Availability | 24/7 (Support Portal, Live Chat, and more) |
Salesforce Data Loader (Apex Data Loader)
The Apex Data Loader is likely one of the first Salesforce data loader tools that any of us used to perform insert, update, or upsert tasks both to and from Salesforce. It is available as a free download from Salesforce and is included as part of the base licensing at no additional cost. It runs natively on both macOS and Windows and is always kept up to date as Salesforce goes through their regular upgrade cycle.
Salesforce Data Loader includes the ability to schedule tasks through the command line interface. Although this is a bit fiddly without a user interface, no command line support for macOS, and may not be the best option for everyone, it does provide this functionality at no additional cost which is nice.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES (through CLI) |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per minute |
| Price | $0 (included with Salesforce) |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | NO |
| FTP Connectivity | NO |
| Number of Records per Month | Up to 5m |
| Email Notifications | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Desktop/Server Agent |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | NO |
| Support Availability | 24/7 (Support Portal, Live Chat, and more) |
Dataloader.io
Dataloader.io is a Mulesoft product, and as such is owned by Salesforce. It is a web application that does not require locally installed software to use, making it extremely convenient. You are able to perform Insert, Update, Upsert, and Export operations through your web browser with dataloader.io, and you can create scheduled tasks that pickup new data from connected sources like Box, Dropbox, FTP servers, and SFTP servers.
Unlike the Salesforce Data Loader tool that you can download, install, and use as part of your existing Salesforce subscription, the dataloader.io tool is not completely free. There is a free tier that comes with some significant limitations (primarily, a 10k record limit per month) with two paid tiers that unlock additional features and increased limits. You can read more about dataloader.io’s pricing here.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per 60 minutes |
| Price | From $0 per user per month |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | YES |
| FTP Connectivity | YES |
| Number of Records per Month | Max 10k to Unlimited (depending on plan) |
| Email Notifications | YES |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | YES |
| Support Availability | 24/7 (Knowledge Base) |
Jitterbit’s Salesforce Data Loader (Cloud Data Loader)
The Salesforce Data Loader tool that Jitterbit owns is a completely free tool that you can access simply by providing your contact information to Jitterbit themselves. From here, you will need to sign up to a Jitterbit Harmony account, and you can download the tool to either your Windows machine or your Mac from here. The tool may be free, but you are handing over a lot of information and agreeing to two different agreements before you are able to access the tool. If you are using a Mac that is running the latest version of macOS you will have further issues – the macOS installer is a 32 bit application, which has not been natively supported since macOS 14. If you are using a Mac, you will need to install an earlier version of macOS or Windows inside a virtual machine.
That being said, once you download the Jitterbit Cloud Data Loader and successfully install it into your machine you will be able to perform your Salesforce data loader tasks to your heart’s content. Jitterbit Cloud’s Salesforce Data Loader allows you to perform insert, upsert, update, and export (query) jobs to and from Salesforce. These jobs can be performed multiple times, scheduled, and Jitterbit has the ability to connect to both local files, FTP servers, and fileshare services.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per minute |
| Price | $0 (But significant handover of information) |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | YES |
| FTP Connectivity | YES |
| Number of Records per Month | Unlimited |
| Email Notifications | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Desktop (Windows Only) |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | NO |
| Support Availability | Community/Knowledge Base |
Google Salesforce Connector
If your business operates within the Google Workspace (Formerly G Suite) then you may want to consider the Google Salesforce Connector to perform Salesforce data loader tasks. The installation process is extremely simple as it’s an add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Once installed, you simply need to enable the add-on inside a Google Sheet and you’re away!
The Google Salesforce Connector is a wonderful tool if you like simplicity. It performs simple tasks including the ability to insert, update, and upsert data to Salesforce, and query records into the Google Sheet (that can then be exported).
While the query/export functionality can be scheduled, the other functions (insert, update, and upsert) must be performed manually.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | No (Auto-Refresh Current Sheet Only) |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | N/A |
| Price | $0 |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | NO (Not beyond current Sheet) |
| FTP Connectivity | NO |
| Number of Records per Month | Unlimited |
| Email Notifications | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud (Must install Google Add-on) |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | NO |
| Support Availability | Google FAQ Article |
CloudExtend Excel for Salesforce
Like the Google Salesforce Connector option above, CloudExtend’s Excel for Salesforce add-in suits businesses who are using Microsoft 365 rather than Google Workspace. The CloudExtend Excel for Salesforce data loader tool can be installed easily using the ‘Get add-ins’ feature, and you will be guided through the process the first time.
The CloudExtend Excel for Salesforce data loader tool has a free version that allows you to export Salesforce data into Microsoft Excel, but if you want to perform any form of insert, update, or upsert functions then you will need to start a paid subscription (starting at $149 USD per user per year).
Unfortunately, CloudExtend’s tool does not support any form of scheduling or automated processing. Each insert, update, upsert, and query needs to be run manually. That being said, these processes are created as templates, and it only takes two clicks to run each time.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | NO |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | N\A |
| Price | From $0 (Significant Limitations until $149/user/year upgrade) |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | NO |
| FTP Connectivity | NO |
| Number of Records per Month | Unlimited |
| Email Notifications | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud (Must install Microsoft Add-on) |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | NO |
| Support Availability | CloudExtend Website |
G-Connector
The last, but not least, Salesforce data loader tool in this list is G-Connector by Xappex. An alternative to Google’s own Salesforce Connector for Sheets, G-Connector is also available as an add-in in the Google Workspace Marketplace.
Unlike Google’s option, G-Connector is not 100% free. If you want to do any more than just query and export data from Salesforce into a Google Sheet, you will need to pay a minimum of $99USD per user per year. You will receive some additional features over Google’s option including the ability to automate Salesforce data loader tasks.
If you do subscribe to Xappex’s product, you will be able to insert, update, upsert, and export data to and from your Salesforce org into a Google Sheet easily, and on an automated schedule if required.
| Criteria | Result |
| Support for Insert, Update, Export, Delete | YES |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per 60 minutes |
| Price | From $0 |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | NO |
| FTP Connectivity | NO |
| Number of Records per Month | Unlimited |
| Email Notifications | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud (Must install Microsoft Add-on) |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | NO |
| Support Availability |
Summary and Recommendations
You now have a strong framework that you can use to assess your business’s internal Salesforce data loader needs, and categorize them by frequency and data action type. You also have learnt the pros, cons, and seen a comparison of the top 7 Salesforce data loader tools that are currently available.
| Criteria | Skyvia | Salesforce Data Loader | Dataloader.io | Jitterbit | Google Salesforce Connector | CloudExtend Excel | G-Connector |
| Supports Scheduled Tasks | YES | YES (Through CLI) | YES | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| Frequency of Scheduled Task Runs | From 1 per minute | From 1 per minute | From 1 per 60 minutes | From 1 per minute | N/A | N/A | From 1 per 60 minutes |
| Price | From $0 | $0 | From $0 | Starting at $0 (But significant handover of information) | $0 | Starting at $0 (Significant Limitations until $149/user/year upgrade) | From $0 |
| Cloud Storage Connectivity | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| FTP Connectivity | YES | NO | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Email Notifications | YES | NO | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Cloud or Desktop | Cloud | Desktop | Cloud | Desktop (Windows Only) | Cloud (Google) | Cloud (M365) | Cloud (Google) |
| Export Related Objects and Attachments | YES | NO | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Support Availability | 24/7 (Support Portal, Live Chat, and more) | 24/7 (Support Portal, Live Chat, and more) | Knowledge Base | Knowledge Base | Google FAQ Article | CloudExtend Website |
Skyvia’s entire suite of products is in a completely different league from other Salesforce data loader tools due to the advanced functionality and versatility across the board. The tool is much more than a simple Salesforce data loader and can indeed behave as a backup and sync tool, and even a method of opening new web APIs. Skyvia’s Data integration can intelligently connect with multiple sources of data, including Salesforce, and perform complex data loading jobs in real time.
Skyvia Cloud Data Loader is a versatile tool that performs well in all categories outlined in this article. Given the return on your investment when you set Skyvia Data Loader up to automatically run recurring tasks on a scheduled basis, it is also extremely good value for money. You can sign up for Skyvia for free today and prove for yourself how capable of a Salesforce data loader it truly is.
