SAP Data Services vs SAP Information Steward comparison

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SAP Data Services and SAP Information Steward are both solutions in the Data Quality category. SAP Data Services is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4, while SAP Information Steward is ranked #21. SAP Data Services holds a 4.0% mindshare in DQ, compared to SAP Information Steward’s 2.9% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of SAP Data Services users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SAP Information Steward users who would recommend it.

SAP Data Services

Read 52 SAP Data Services reviews

8,481 Views
2,459 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

SAP Information Steward

Read 9 SAP Information Steward reviews

2,503 Views
1,702 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

SAP Data Services

SAP Information Steward

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

SAP Data Services and SAP Information Steward are prominent tools in data management and integration solutions. SAP Data Services has an edge due to its comprehensive ETL capabilities that make it adaptable for various data sources and environments.

Features: SAP Data Services offers powerful extraction, transformation, and loading functions, broad database support, and robust data quality management, including impact analysis and lineage tracking. SAP Information Steward provides exceptional data quality management, metadata insights, and user-friendly tools for creating data quality rules and scorecards.

Room for Improvement: SAP Data Services could enhance dynamic source handling and improve connectivity with non-SAP systems, while simplifying the interface and scheduling options. SAP Information Steward could benefit from stronger data manipulation capabilities, a more intuitive interface, and better export features for in-depth analysis.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both products are commonly deployed on-premises, with SAP Data Services also offered in hybrid cloud setups for added flexibility. Customer service is mixed; some users find SAP's support efficient whereas others see a need for more responsiveness. Community resources and consulting, however, are highly valued.

Pricing and ROI: SAP caters to medium and large enterprises due to higher licensing costs. Data Services adopts a usage-based pricing model, while Information Steward is deemed more expensive compared to alternatives. Both offer strong ROI through increased efficiency, though smaller organizations might find Information Steward's cost restrictive.

To learn more, read our detailed SAP Data Services vs. SAP Information Steward Report (Updated: November 2026).

Buyer's Guide

SAP Data Services vs. SAP Information Steward

November 2026

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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

SAP Data Services

Ranking in Data Quality

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Integration (17th)

SAP Information Steward

Ranking in Data Quality

21st

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Metadata Management (12th)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Data Quality category, the mindshare of SAP Data Services is 4.0%, down from 6.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP Information Steward is 2.9%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Data Quality Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
SAP Data Services	4.0%
SAP Information Steward	2.9%
Other	93.1%

Data Quality

Featured Reviews

reviewer2686500

SAP BI Architect at a government with 10,001+ employees

Integration has become more robust and seamless

SAP Data Services is mainly used for extraction of data, and it works with all databases. The flows and everything are configured effectively. One of the most valuable features is that it is integrated. Compared to the past, it is much more robust and easier to use. The only issue is that documentation is not up to the mark. The data quality management features support our business because we can fetch anything based on the requirements. Before, we used to have a tough time getting data, but now, with HANA and all these tools, it is seamless.

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FranciscoSantos

Director at Pixel Studio PTY

Provides accurate data that is validated against a personalized reference tool

For most SAP customers, Information Steward is enough because it is able to build quality data rules to detect issues in the source systems like SAP HANA, Business Warehouse, or other systems. A business user can first organize their data into several data domains. For example, procurement, human resources, and logistics setup. The domains can build data quality dimensions where you can describe the kind of rule that you are going to use. The user then can immediately see if something is wrong with their data using traffic lights. Another great feature of SAP Information Steward is the accuracy that the content is followed by validating against the reference tool. With the solution, you are creating data quality dimensions. Within these dimensions, you are creating business data quality rules that are looking for specific fields. From these rules, you can create a scorecard. The scorecard will highlight the percentage of good data and ensure the user can feel confident that the data is accurate within predetermined limits. SAP tables have field names that are very cryptic, making them hard to understand the meaning of the fields. Metapedia helps describe these fields in business terms.

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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

"The technical support from SAP was quick and technically very clear."

"After working with the tool for so many years, I can say that overall their services are a really good deal."

"The user interface is ok."

"Data Services' table comparison mechanism is very powerful. It's pretty hard to find a similar feature in other solutions."

"I like how SAP Data Services links reporting and data integration. That's what's most interesting. You also have the opportunity to leverage the power of the Data Services server."

"The development is faster than SSIS or Talend."

"The solution's most valuable feature is the scheduling part."

"The BA reporting tools, such as Data Services, and ETL tool in SAP Data Services are the most valuable."

More SAP Data Services pros

"The most valuable features are data quality insight, metadata management, and metadata dictionary."

"Ability to collect information, monitor user access and to plan storage capacity."

"The solution is very fast, very stable, and very easy to use and straightforward."

"The solution is very fast."

"Data integration is much easier with Information Steward - irrespective of the data sources, integration is very smooth and easy."

"I am very happy with the product."

"Setup is straightforward."

"The scorecard will highlight the percentage of good data and ensure the user can feel confident that the data is accurate within predetermined limits."

More SAP Information Steward pros

Cons

"The implementation was good from a technical perspective, but there were few flaws in the business logic which the third party consulting team should have gained from the in-house business analysts."

"Address validation in SAP Data Services is chargeable and should be made free."

"The interface is not quite user-friendly and is in need of improvement."

"We would like the different tools offered within this solution to be available as standalone entities, rather than having to purchase the entire package when we only require a few features."

"Sudden crashing of DS making unsaved changes lost, happens usually when logged in for a long amount of time."

"Regarding the pricing for SAP Data Services, I think it's on the higher side. Now, they are coming up with many pricing options, which is tricky; they offer one thing for free, but charge for nine others."

"The interface of SAP Data Services is still easy to use, but it is also dated as things are evolving."

"The solution lacks user-friendly features; compared to other integration tools I've used before, it's less user-friendly and the built-in features just aren't sufficient."

More SAP Data Services cons

"SAP is a bit pricey, and better tools are available for a lower price."

"SAP Information Steward is an expensive solution compared to others."

"SAP Information Steward could be improved by offering a cloud version of the product."

"Granularity could be reduced from an application level to the object level."

"A problem with the solution is that it does not allow us to review the results of Information Stewards for other analogies."

"In some cases they have given extraneous or erroneous information, which is completely useless."

"Needs to be more powerful on rules."

"The user experience of metapedia could be improved."

More SAP Information Steward cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Speaking about prices, Oracle and SAP are market leaders. So, the prices are more."

"Its pricing is as per the enterprise agreement and not a concern for us."

"Pricing is good, there is no problem."

"The pricing is a little high to make the product more competetive in the marketplace."

"The enterprise version of SAP Data Services is free."

"The license price is expensive but medium to large-scale companies, should be able to afford it. Other solutions, such as Talend are easier to afford for smaller companies. Depending on the sources of the data where you are receiving your data you could be paying for more than one license."

"The product’s on-premise version is expensive for a medium-sized company."

"I rate the product price as one or two on a scale of one to ten, where one is a low price, and ten is a high price."

More SAP Data Services pricing and cost advice

"Smaller-sized organizations may not be able to invest in SAP Information Steward because of the cost."

"SAP Information Steward is an expensive solution compared to others."

"A bit pricey, and better tools are available for a lower price."

"I do not know if there were additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

17%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Government

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	36

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	1
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

How do you evaluate the ratio of price to quality for SAP Data Services?

I believe the license for the product is fair, even though some competitors offer similar services at lower prices. The difference between the Edge edition and the next one up is significant in pr...

See all answers

Would you recommend SAP Data Services to complete beginners?

I think after some preparation, a beginner will be able to use SAP Data Services, however, if you are completely unprepared, you may have some issues. I think that in particular you will need a mo...

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How has SAP Data Services helped your organization?

SAP Data Services has helped our whole staff understand the data across various sources and systems within the company. Not everyone who works at my organization is an IT expert - most just have av...

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Comparisons

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

Compared 4% of the time

SSIS vs SAP Data Services

Compared 4% of the time

Informatica PowerCenter vs SAP Data Services

Compared 3% of the time

Syniti Data Quality vs SAP Data Services

Compared 3% of the time

Qlik Talend Cloud vs SAP Data Services

Compared 3% of the time

More SAP Data Services Competitors

Informatica Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) vs SAP Information Steward

Compared 12% of the time

SAP PowerDesigner vs SAP Information Steward

Compared 11% of the time

SAP Data Quality Management vs SAP Information Steward

Compared 11% of the time

Oracle Enterprise Data Quality (EDQ) vs SAP Information Steward

Compared 8% of the time

Experian Data Quality vs SAP Information Steward

Compared 4% of the time

More SAP Information Steward Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

SAP Data Services

October 2026

Download SAP Data Services product report

Buyer's Guide

SAP Information Steward

October 2026

Download SAP Information Steward product report

Also Known As

SAP BusinessObjects Data Services, SAP BusinessObjects Data Integrator, BusinessObjects Data Integrator

Information Steward, SAP Data Insight

Overview

SAP Data Services is a comprehensive data integration and management tool known for its robust ETL functionality and seamless data quality management across SAP and non-SAP systems, providing flexibility and effective data handling.

SAP Data Services offers extensive integration capabilities with a range of systems, enabling efficient data migration, warehousing, and quality assurance. Despite challenges in connectivity, SQL optimization, and handling big data, it remains a top choice for data extraction and transformation. Its user-friendly interface and customization options enhance ease of use. The tool is recognized for scalability, performance, customer satisfaction, and supporting complex data transformations for improved analytics.

What are the key features of SAP Data Services?

Integration Capabilities: Facilitates seamless data handling between SAP and non-SAP systems.
Robust ETL Functionality: Enables effective extraction, transformation, and loading of data.
Seamless Data Quality Management: Maintains high standards of data integrity and quality.
Heterogeneous Data Processing: Supports diverse data environments for flexibility.
Powerful Data Transformation: Enhances reporting and analytics through complex transformations.

What benefits and ROI should be considered?

Scalability: Grows with business needs without compromising performance.
Performance: Efficient data processing and management for increased productivity.
Customer Satisfaction: High satisfaction levels due to reliability and performance.
Flexibility: Extensive customization options to suit diverse requirements.
Improved Analytics: Supports rich analytics through comprehensive data integration and transformation.

SAP Data Services is widely implemented across industries like banking, telecom, and manufacturing. Companies leverage it to integrate multiple data sources and manage migrations from legacy to modern platforms such as cloud environments and HANA architecture. It supports complex transformations essential for financial, operational, and business intelligence reporting, enhancing insights and decision-making.

SAP

SAP Information Steward offers data quality insights, metadata management, and data validation scorecards, ensuring accurate data validation through scorecards and dashboards, making it user-friendly and efficient for businesses seeking clarity and effective data profiling.

SAP Information Steward provides a comprehensive approach to managing data quality and governance. It is designed to simplify deployment and streamline data profiling and cleansing with ease. Businesses leverage its capabilities to create data quality rules and detect issues in source systems, enhancing business clarity and accurate data validation. Centralizing cloud data and offering business-friendly metadata descriptions with Metapedia, it supports better metadata management and data profiling. However, it requires improvements in data export capabilities, integration for data manipulation, data filtering features, and enhanced support responsiveness.

What are the key features of SAP Information Steward?

Data Quality Insight: Provides tools for insightful data quality assessments.
Metadata Management: Allows centralized management of metadata through Metapedia.
Scorecard for Data Validation: Offers intuitive scorecards and dashboards for validating data accuracy.
Data Profiling and Cleansing: Facilitates effective profiling and cleansing processes.
Cloud Data Centralization: Centralizes cloud data for effective management.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Ease of Deployment: Simplifies the integration into existing systems ensuring swift usage.
User-friendly Interface: Enhances usability for efficient operations.
Accurate Data Validation: Improves the accuracy of business data.
Comprehensive Metadata Descriptions: Offers detailed business-friendly descriptions.
Integrated Data Profiling: Enhances the quality and accuracy of data management.

Industries implement SAP Information Steward widely, notably in global enterprises for S/4HANA business processes and historical reporting, prioritizing data profiling, data quality assessments, and business rules for managing customer information and transformations. Its Metapedia component supports data governance initiatives within these businesses.

SAP

Sample Customers

EMC Corporation, LivePerson, Eldorado, Mozzart, The VELUX Group, AOK Bundesverband, Hilti Group, Nissha Printing Company Ltd., Asian Paints, Aareal Bank Group, Migros Group

American Water, Graphic Packaging International, OSRAM Licht AG, Maxim Integrated

Buyer's Guide

SAP Data Services vs. SAP Information Steward

November 2026

Free Report: SAP Data Services vs. SAP Information Steward

Find out what your peers are saying about SAP Data Services vs. SAP Information Steward and other solutions. Updated: November 2026.

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