PrivatePulse·Companies·Fivetran vs dbt Labs

Fivetran vs dbt Labs: employee equity compared

Secondary market prices, valuation trajectory, equity structure, and liquidity outlook for employees choosing between Fivetran and dbt Labs.

Secondary market data updated monthly · Sources: Hiive, Forge

Fivetran

Data/Cloud · United States · Founded 2012

Automated ELT pipeline platform with 500+ pre-built connectors that replicate data from any SaaS, database, or event source into cloud warehouses.

Last primary round$5.6B · Series D (2021-09)
Secondary market$4.8B (-14% vs primary)
Annual revenue$0.2B ARR · +35% YoY (solid)
Headcount~1,500
Equity typeISO/NSO
Strike price range$18–$30 (depends on cohort)
Illiquidity discount~22%
Last round leadAndreessen Horowitz
Liquidity outlook

IPO possible 2027–2029 once ARR milestones are hit. Secondary trades at a discount vs last round — exercise timing requires caution. Strategic M&A also plausible in consolidating sector.

Key equity angle

Sticky enterprise ARR; ISO/NSO options; secondary discount vs primary — price discovery ongoing; IPO imminent when ARR > $1B

↑ Higher secondary premium

dbt Labs

Data/Cloud · Philadelphia, PA · Founded 2016

Creator of dbt (data build tool), the open-source SQL transformation layer used by 30,000+ data teams at Airbnb, JetBlue, and GitLab.

Last primary round$4.2B · Series D (2022-02)
Secondary market$4.3B (+2% vs primary)
Annual revenue$0.1B ARR · +50% YoY (fast)
Headcount~650
Equity typeISO/NSO
Strike price range$14–$26 (depends on cohort)
Illiquidity discount~25%
Last round leadAltimeter Capital
Liquidity outlook

IPO possible 2027–2029 once ARR milestones are hit. Strategic M&A also plausible in consolidating sector.

Key equity angle

Sticky enterprise ARR; ISO/NSO options; IPO imminent when ARR > $1B

Key differences for employees

Equity structure

Fivetran grants ISO/NSO with strike prices ranging from $18–$30 depending on your grant year. dbt Labs grants ISO/NSO with strike prices from $14–$26.

Secondary market premium

The secondary market is pricing Fivetran at a +-14% premium over its last primary round ($5.6B$4.8B). dbt Labs trades at +2% over its last round ($4.2B$4.3B). A higher secondary premium signals stronger investor demand and potentially better near-term liquidity for employees looking to sell.

Revenue and growth

Fivetran runs at $0.2B ARR, growing +35% YoY (solid). dbt Labs runs at $0.1B ARR, growing +50% YoY (fast). Revenue growth rate matters for equity because it drives the peer-multiple valuation — the method most correlated with exit multiples.

Liquidity timeline

Fivetran: IPO possible 2027–2029 once ARR milestones are hit. Secondary trades at a discount vs last round — exercise timing requires caution. Strategic M&A also plausible in consolidating sector.

dbt Labs: IPO possible 2027–2029 once ARR milestones are hit. Strategic M&A also plausible in consolidating sector.

Calculate your specific grant

Enter your actual shares, equity type, and strike price. PrivatePulse calculates your personal equity value at both companies using 4 independent methods.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fivetran or dbt Labs a better company to work at for equity?
There's no universal answer — it depends on your risk profile, time horizon, and specific grant terms. Fivetran at $5.6B and dbt Labs at $4.2B offer very different risk/reward profiles. Use the calculator above to model your exact grant at each company.
How do I know if my Fivetran or dbt Labs equity is fairly priced?
Compare your grant's implied per-share value against the secondary market price. If investors are paying a premium on Hiive or Forge over the last primary round, that's a signal of strong demand. PrivatePulse shows you the gap between your 409A and what the secondary market says.
Can I sell my Fivetran or dbt Labs shares on the secondary market?
Secondary market transactions (Hiive, Forge, Caplight) require accredited investor status and your company's consent — most private companies have right-of-first-refusal (ROFR) provisions. Tender offers, when available, are typically the most accessible path to partial liquidity for employees.

More equity comparisons