Quick verdict
Choose Qlik Replicate when your sources include Db2 for z/OS, IMS or SAP applications next to Oracle and SQL Server, you want replication that runs entirely on your own servers, and the target mostly needs a faithful copy of the source. Choose Striim when you want to filter, join or enrich changes with streaming SQL before they reach Snowflake, BigQuery, Fabric or Kafka, or you prefer a vendor-run cloud service. Neither publishes production prices, so get quotes for the same set of endpoints.
Qlik Replicate (formerly Attunity Replicate) is the change data capture engine in Qlik's client-managed data integration line. A task runs a full load of the selected tables and then reads the source transaction log, buffering each transaction's changes and forwarding them to the target when the transaction commits. The May 2026 release runs on Windows Server 2016 to 2025, RHEL 8, 9 and 10 and Amazon Linux 2023, and adds IMS as a native source. Qlik's managed integration service is a separate product, Qlik Talend Cloud.
Striim reads changes from database logs and other sources, processes them with a SQL-based streaming language (continuous queries, windows and caches) and writes them to one or more targets. It is sold as Striim Cloud, a dedicated managed service on AWS, Google Cloud and Azure, and Striim Platform, which you run yourself on RHEL, Ubuntu or Windows Server with Java 17. Both were at 5.4.4 in November 2026, and a free Striim Developer tier covers up to 25 million events a month.
New to CDC? Change data capture reads committed changes from a database log instead of re-querying tables. For the wider picture of pipeline types, see ETL vs data pipeline.
Side by side
| Aspect | Qlik Replicate | Striim |
|---|---|---|
| Product model | Client-managed software only; Qlik Talend Cloud is the separate managed offering | Striim Cloud (managed, dedicated) or Striim Platform (self-managed) |
| Server platforms | Windows Server 2016 to 2025; RHEL 8, 9, 10; Amazon Linux 2023 | Platform: RHEL, Ubuntu, Windows Server with Java 17; Cloud: AWS, Google Cloud, Azure |
| Mainframe and SAP sources | Db2 for z/OS and iSeries, IMS (native from May 2026), SAP HANA and SAP application sources | No Db2 or IMS reader documented; Db2 for z/OS appears only as a target; HP NonStop source |
| Mainstream database capture | Oracle, SQL Server (log or MS-CDC), MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Sybase ASE, Informix, MongoDB | Oracle Reader and OJet, MS SQL Reader and MSJet, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, YugabyteDB, MongoDB, Cosmos DB |
| In-flight processing | Filters and table or column transformations defined in the task | Streaming SQL: continuous queries, joins with cached data, windowed aggregation |
| Apply behaviour | Transactional apply (commit order) or Batch optimized apply (grouped batches) | Writers per target, with schema change handling chosen per target or halt and alert |
| Initial load | Full load then CDC in the same task; changes buffered until affected tables finish loading | Wizard-driven initial load followed by CDC; the wizard can create the target schema |
| Free option | None published | Striim Developer, free up to 25 million events a month |
| Pricing model | Quote; available endpoints depend on the licence | Cloud: quote, "pay only for the data you move"; Platform: quote, licensed per connector, unlimited volume |
| Main trade-off | Very broad source list and simple console, but no managed edition and endpoint-scoped licences | Processing and managed option in one product, but another language to learn and no mainframe capture |
Key differences
Replication engine versus streaming platform
Qlik Replicate is built to copy data faithfully. The architecture page describes a filtered stream of rows during full load, change capture from the transaction log, and forwarding of each committed transaction as a unit. Its task settings offer two apply modes. Transactional apply applies each transaction individually, in commit order, which keeps strict referential integrity; Batch optimized apply groups changes into batches, which Qlik says may affect transactional integrity and which is not supported for tables with foreign keys. Tables without a primary key or unique index always use transactional apply.
Striim treats a change as an event in a stream that you can process before it is written. A Striim application wires a CDC reader to continuous queries written in its SQL-like language and then to one or more writers, so you can drop columns, mask values, look up reference data from a cache or aggregate over a window on the way. In our view, if the requirement is "a copy of these Oracle tables in Snowflake", Replicate is the more direct tool; if it is "these Oracle changes, enriched with customer data and split by region, into Kafka and BigQuery", Striim fits the shape of the job better.
Source coverage: mainframe and SAP
This is the sharpest difference. The Qlik Replicate May 2026 support matrix lists Db2 for LUW, iSeries and z/OS, IMS (a new native source that replaces the legacy ARC agent route), SAP HANA and SAP application extractors, as well as Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Sybase ASE, Informix, MongoDB and Salesforce. Each release also retires older versions: May 2026 drops MySQL 8.0 and 8.1 and Db2 LUW 11.1 and 11.5 as sources, so check the matrix before upgrading.
Striim's 5.4.4 readers cover Oracle (two readers), SQL Server (two readers), MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, YugabyteDB, MongoDB, HP NonStop, Salesforce CDC and the Cosmos DB change feed. There is no Db2 or IMS reader in the documentation. If a mainframe or SAP application is one of your sources, Replicate (or another tool that documents that source) is the practical choice; if your sources are Oracle, SQL Server and open source databases, both cover them.
Deployment: your servers or a managed service
Qlik Replicate is client-managed only: you install the Replicate server on Windows or Linux, on premises or on a cloud VM, and operate it. Managing many Replicate servers centrally needs Qlik Enterprise Manager, a separate product. If you want Qlik to run the pipeline, the offering is Qlik Talend Cloud, which is priced and packaged separately.
Striim gives you both routes under one product name. Striim Cloud is a dedicated managed service on AWS, Google Cloud or Azure; Striim Platform is the same engine on your own Linux or Windows servers. That makes it easier to start managed and move to self-managed (or the other way) without changing tools, though you should confirm that the connectors you need are available on the edition you buy.
Pricing and licensing
Both vendors sell production use by quote. Qlik's pricing page lists only the Qlik Talend Cloud editions, all with a Contact Us button, and the Replicate documentation states that the endpoints available to you depend on your licence. Striim publishes a free Developer tier and then asks you to contact sales: Striim Cloud is described as "pay only for the data you move" without a published rate, and Striim Platform is licensed by the connectors you need with unlimited volume. Ask both for quotes that list every source and target you plan to use in the next two years, since adding an endpoint later changes the price on both sides.
Pricing and licensing
Qlik Replicate. No list price is published. Qlik's data integration pricing page shows the Qlik Talend Cloud editions (Starter, Standard, Premium, Enterprise) with Contact Us only and says client-managed products are sold through sales. Licences are scoped to the endpoints you need.
Striim. Listed on striim.com/pricing on 7 November 2026: Striim Developer is free for up to 25 million events a month, with trial access to premium, standard and preview connectors. Striim Cloud (dedicated cloud) is "Contact us for pricing", described as paying only for the data you move. Striim Platform (self-managed) is "Contact us for pricing", licensed by connector with unlimited data volume. No currency amounts are shown for paid plans.
Pricing checked on the vendors' official pages on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Where each one leads
Qlik Replicate strengths
- Documented capture from Db2 for z/OS and iSeries, IMS and SAP application sources
- Full load and CDC in one task, designed and monitored from a web console
- Choice of transactional apply or batch optimized apply per task
- Runs entirely on your own Windows or Linux servers
- Clear support matrix and end-of-support lists in each release
Striim strengths
- Streaming SQL to filter, join, enrich and aggregate changes before delivery
- Managed Striim Cloud and self-managed Striim Platform from the same vendor
- Two Oracle readers and two SQL Server readers to choose from
- One application can deliver to several targets at once
- Free Developer tier for evaluation up to 25 million events a month
Limitations
Qlik Replicate limitations
- No managed edition of Replicate itself; the managed route is Qlik Talend Cloud
- Quote-only pricing with licences tied to specific endpoints
- Batch optimized apply is not supported for tables with foreign keys
- Each release drops older endpoint versions, so upgrades need planning
- Central management of many servers needs Qlik Enterprise Manager, sold separately
Striim limitations
- No documented Db2 or IMS capture; Db2 for z/OS only as a target
- Streaming SQL is another language for the team to learn and maintain
- Striim Cloud and Platform rates are not published
- macOS and Windows 11 are supported for evaluation only
When to choose each
Choose Qlik Replicate if
- Mainframe Db2, IMS or SAP applications are among your sources
- You must keep replication software and data on your own servers
- The target needs a faithful, transactionally ordered copy of the source
- Your team prefers configuring replication in a console rather than writing pipeline code
Choose Striim if
- You need to transform or enrich change events before they land
- You want a vendor-managed CDC service, or the option to switch between managed and self-managed
- You deliver the same changes to several targets, such as a warehouse and Kafka
- You want to evaluate on a free tier before talking to sales
When neither is right
- You want free, open source CDC into Kafka and can run it yourself: see Debezium or Debezium vs Oracle GoldenGate.
- Your estate is Oracle-centred and you need active-active replication with conflict resolution: see Oracle GoldenGate.
- You need self-hosted, high-volume replication from the Fivetran vendor: see Fivetran HVR vs Qlik Replicate.
- It is a one-off migration into AWS: a managed migration service may be enough, see the AWS DMS guide.
Final recommendation
Pick Qlik Replicate if source breadth, especially mainframe and SAP, and running on your own servers matter most, and the job is copying data rather than reshaping it. Pick Striim if you want processing inside the pipeline, a managed cloud option, or fan-out to several targets, and your sources are mainstream databases. Shortlist your sources and targets, confirm each is documented and licensed on both sides, and compare quotes for the same scope.
Frequently asked questions
Can Striim capture changes from Db2 for z/OS like Qlik Replicate?
Not according to the Striim 5.4.4 documentation, which lists no Db2 or IMS reader; Db2 for z/OS appears only as a Database Writer target. Qlik Replicate documents Db2 for z/OS and iSeries capture and, from May 2026, IMS as a native source.
Is there a managed version of Qlik Replicate?
Qlik Replicate itself is client-managed software. Qlik's managed integration service is Qlik Talend Cloud, a separate product sold by quote. Striim offers both a managed service (Striim Cloud) and self-managed software (Striim Platform).
Does Qlik Replicate keep transactions intact on the target?
In Transactional apply mode it applies each transaction individually in commit order, which Qlik says ensures strict referential integrity. Batch optimized apply groups changes into batches for throughput, which may affect transactional integrity and is not supported for tables with foreign keys.
Which is cheaper, Qlik Replicate or Striim?
Neither publishes production prices. Striim has a free Developer tier up to 25 million events a month; beyond that both are quoted, Qlik by licensed endpoints and Striim by data moved (Cloud) or connectors (Platform). Compare quotes for the same set of endpoints.
Sources
- Qlik Replicate supported source endpoints (May 2026)
- Qlik Replicate system architecture
- Qlik Replicate change processing tuning
- What's new in Qlik Replicate May 2026
- Qlik data integration pricing
- Striim pricing
- Striim readers overview
- Striim writers overview
- Striim Platform system requirements
Checked November 2026.
How we research comparisons: our editorial method.