Hightouch and Treasure Data both are tools that allow you to sync data to downstream marketing destinations like CRM tools, email tools, and advertising platforms. Both platforms have the functionality to collect events via an SDK, resolve identities, and sync data to downstream tools.
However, the devil is in the details. The architecture of each are vastly different. Treasure Data is a “traditional CDP” while Hightouch is a warehouse-centric, “composable CDP”.
This architectural difference leads to massive differences in cost, implementation time, and usability despite the fact both platforms allow you to do a similar thing at a high-level.
Compare Hightouch and Treasure Data
Functionality | Hightouch | Treasure Data |
---|---|---|
Data Activation | Data warehouse to destination | Treasure Data data store to destination |
Data Activation Destinations | 200+ | 170+ |
Custom Destinations | Yes | Yes |
Audience Management | No-code audience builder, journey management, and analytics | No-code audience builder and journey management |
Reverse ETL | Core competency. Built out with deep extensions into your existing workflows | Not available |
Real-Time | Event forwarding & low latency API | Event forwarding & low latency API |
Data Schema Flexibility | Supports any custom entity or object (users, accounts, households, playlists, etc.) | Uses a typical Relational Database Management System. More flexible that most traditional CDPs, more difficult to set up than Composable CDPs |
Data Storage | Data is stored in your existing cloud infrastructure | Treasure Data-managed infrastructure |
Data Retention | Unlimited lookback & history | Variable |
Source of Truth | Your owned data warehouse | Multiple: Treasure Data and your owned data warehouse |
Data Collection | Client-side, server-side, and other 3rd-party sources | Client-side, server-side, and other 3rd-party sources |
Identity Resolution | Unify any & all of the customer or entity data in your warehouse | Configurable models available |
Identity Graph Ownership | Lives in your owned data warehouse | Owned by Treasure Data |
Security & Compliance | Immediately GDPR & CCPA compliant. Able to sign BAA to be HIPAA compliant | Not immediately GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA compliant |
Pricing | Unbundled: individually priced features with no MTU billing | Dependent on monthly tracked users (MTUs) & feature add-ons |
Proof of Concept | 2-3 for SMB, 4-6 weeks for enterprise | Not available |
Implementation | 100% of customers are live with a production use case at the time of contract signature | Average 6-9 month implementation after contract signature |
Pros and Cons of Hightouch
Pros
- 10X faster implementation time
- No duplicative data storage
- Can sync events directly to downstream destinations
- Runs on your own existing data infrastructure
Cons
- Newer player in the CDP market
- Fewer customers
- Must have existing data store
Pros and Cons of Treasure Data
Pros
- Can act as both a data warehouse and a CDP
- Supports audience building, triggers, and some basic analytics
- Supports real-time profile unification
- Flexible schema structure
- Flexible SDKs
- Integration support for both exporting/importing data
Cons
- Not marketer-friendly
- Architecture is built on legacy technology (Presto & Hive)
- Data is stored outside of your infrastructure in Treasure Data
- Requires heavy engineering resources to implement and maintain
- Identity graph only exists in Treasure Data
- No Reverse ETL
Should I buy Hightouch or Treasure Data?
When deciding whether to invest in a Hightouch (a Composable CDP) or Treasure Data (a Traditional CDP), it's important to consider the unique needs of your business. Although a packaged Traditional CDP might appear simpler, Composable CDPs are more flexible and scalable.
The main areas Hightouch wins against Treasure Data are:
- Implementation Time: With Hightouch you are live at the time of contract signature. With Treasure Data, there is typically a 6-12 month implementation process after contract signature
- Flexibility: With Hightouch, you can use any data in your data warehouse vs Treasure Data where you can only use data that has been collected into your CDP
- Source of Truth: With Hightouch, your retain a single source of truth in your cloud data warehouse.
While Treasure Data can be a decent option for companies looking to implement a more legacy solution, most data-focused companies are now adopting Composable CDPs, such as Hightouch, because they offer greater flexibility, security, time-to-value, and interoperability at a far lower cost. If you’re interested in learning more about the Composable CDP, book a demo with one of our solution architects today to see how we can help.