Hackolade
Hackolade (IntegrIT SA/NV) provides visual data modeling software for 45+ SQL, NoSQL, and API targets. The bootstrapped Belgian firm serves data architects, engineers, and governance teams via per-seat subscriptions, combining a free browser tier with enterprise sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBeersel, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Hackolade does
Hackolade (legal entity: IntegrIT SA/NV) is a Belgium-based software company headquartered in Beersel that provides visual data modeling software for heterogeneous data environments, including SQL and NoSQL databases, APIs, and storage/exchange formats. Its core product enables data architects, data engineers, and data governance teams to design, document, and maintain data structures through visual schema representations, with the ability to generate database-specific DDL and reverse-engineer existing schemas. The platform supports 45+ database targets and integrates with version control systems (GitHub), modern data stack tools (dbt, DataHub, Collibra), and DevOps pipelines via a command-line interface.
The underlying technology is built around a visual modeling engine coupled with a proprietary scripting approach (DBML) and export formats including Mermaid ER diagrams. The company has secured two granted US patents protecting core elements of the visual modeling approach. Recent product expansion has added GenAI-assisted diagram generation, AI-powered documentation, a Model Hub for reusable artifacts, browser-based collaboration, and CLI-based DevOps integration — progressively broadening the user base from data architects into developer and DevOps personas.
The business model combines product-led acquisition (free browser-based access) with enterprise sales for paid per-seat subscriptions and perpetual licensing. The company is bootstrapped with no external venture funding, operating with a headcount of 11–50 employees. Customer segmentation spans individual practitioners, SMB teams, and enterprise accounts, with global reach though no specific named customer logos or revenue figures are publicly disclosed.
Hackolade firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hackolade
- Legal name
- IntegrIT SA/NV dba Hackolade
- Website
- https://hackolade.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hackolade (IntegrIT SA/NV) provides visual data modeling software for 45+ SQL, NoSQL, and API targets. The bootstrapped Belgian firm serves data architects, engineers, and governance teams via per-seat subscriptions, combining a free browser tier with enterprise sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hackolade industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Data Modeling and Metadata Management Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Data Platform (Unified Data & Analytics) Suites (HDAEABAD)
Keywords
Where Hackolade is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beersel
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hackolade business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Per-seat license model with two options: (1) Fixed-term subscription licenses with periodic fees, non-refundable, including software maintenance and upgrades during term, and (2) Perpetual licenses with one-time fee, non-refundable after 30 days, with optional 12-month software maintenance.
- Software Maintenance: 12-month software maintenance period for perpetual licenses includes minor-version updates, enhancements, and online technical support. For subscriptions, upgrades are included as long as subscription remains valid.
- Professional Services: Training and professional services offered to complement product deployment and adoption.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free browser-based access with core functionality |
| Per seat | Annual | Per-seat subscription or perpetual licensing for Professional and Workgroup editions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Hackolade product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hackolade provides a visual polyglot data modeling platform that enables data architects, developers, and governance teams to design, document, reverse-engineer, and forward-engineer schemas across more than 45 SQL, NoSQL, graph, big data, cloud, and API targets within a single unified model. Its core products include Hackolade Studio (the main modeling application available via desktop and browser) and the Hackolade Data Model Hub (a collaborative add-on for Workgroup/Enterprise editions with Git-based versioning). The platform stores schemas in non-proprietary JSON, integrates with Git repositories for Metadata-as-Code workflows, and synchronizes with enterprise data catalogs such as DataHub and Collibra.
Product overview
Hackolade offers Hackolade Studio as its core visual data modeling application, supporting SQL and NoSQL databases, APIs, and storage formats through polyglot data modeling. The product comes in multiple editions (Evaluation, Community, Personal, Viewer, Professional, Workgroup) with increasing capabilities. The Hackolade Data Model Hub is a collaborative add-on (for Workgroup/Enterprise editions) enabling centralized model management with Git integration. The Command-Line Interface (CLI) add-on enables DevOps CI/CD pipeline integration for Metadata-as-Code workflows. Together, these products form a comprehensive data modeling suite that bridges business and technical data understanding through visual design, automated schema generation, and governance platform integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hackolade Studio: The company's flagship visual data modeling application for NoSQL databases, SQL databases, APIs, and storage formats.
Products and services
- Hackolade Studio Core visual data modeling application that supports polyglot data modeling across 45+ SQL, NoSQL, graph, big data, cloud, and API targets. Available as both a cross-platform desktop application and a browser-based deployment at studio.hackolade.com with no installation required. Designed for data architects, DBAs, developers, and governance teams who need to design, document, reverse-engineer, and forward-engineer schemas in a single unified model.
- Hackolade Data Model Hub Collaborative platform add-on (available with Workgroup and Enterprise editions) that provides centralized data model management with native Git repository integration, branching, conflict resolution, and peer review workflows for team-based data modeling.
- Hackolade Command-Line Interface (CLI) CLI tool that enables integration of Hackolade data modeling into DevOps CI/CD pipelines for automated schema validation and Metadata-as-Code workflows.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supports 45+ database and API technologies in a single model
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Hackolade
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Hackolade technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration21 records
AI capability6 records
Feature8 records
Hackolade partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DataHub (Acryl DataHub)coreOfficial partnership providing integration between Hackolade Studio and DataHub data catalog. Uses DataHub standard APIs and Generalized Metadata Service (GMS) endpoint to publish data models to DataHub, enabling metadata synchronization and governance platform integration.
- CollibracoreIntegration with Collibra Data Dictionary for publishing Hackolade data models to enterprise data catalogs. Supports OAuth setup with Entra ID and machine-to-machine connections.
- GitHubcoreNative Git repository integration with GitHub Enterprise for version control, branching, conflict resolution, and team collaboration on data models.
- GitLabcoreNative Git repository integration with GitLab for version control, branching, and collaborative workflows on data models.
- BitbucketcoreNative Git repository integration with Bitbucket Cloud and Bitbucket Data Center for version control and team collaboration.
- Azure DevOps ReposcoreNative Git repository integration with Azure DevOps Repos for organizations using Microsoft ecosystem.
- dbt LabscoreIntegration with dbt for forward-engineering data models to dbt schema YAML files, supporting model properties, configurations, and custom properties for major data warehouse platforms.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreSupport for AWS services including S3 storage, Glue Data Catalog, Redshift, DynamoDB, DocumentDB, Neptune, and EventBridge Schema Registry integration.
- Microsoft AzurecoreSupport for Azure services including Azure Blob Storage, ADLS, Cosmos DB, Synapse, Event Hubs Schema Registry, and Purview data catalog integration.
- Google CloudcoreSupport for Google Cloud services including BigQuery, Cloud Storage, and Bigtable, with native integration capabilities.
- ConfluentcoreIntegration with Confluent Kafka Schema Registry for Avro schema management and event-driven architecture support.
- MongoDBcoreDeep integration for MongoDB including reverse-engineering from live instances, forward-engineering to MongoDB validator scripts, and support for MongoDB Atlas authentication.
- Neo4jcorePlugin support for Neo4j graph database with Cypher query generation and visual graph schema modeling.
- SnowflakecoreSupport for Snowflake including reverse-engineering from instances, DDL generation, and integration with Snowflake authentication methods.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hackolade competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- erwin Data Modeler (Quest Software): erwin Data Modeler is a long-established enterprise data modeling tool from Quest Software that competes directly with Hackolade Studio for relational and NoSQL schema design. Both target data architects and DBAs with visual modeling, reverse-engineering, and forward-engineering capabilities, though erwin's strength is in traditional relational modeling.
- IDERA ER/Studio: ER/Studio is a direct competitor in the enterprise data modeling space, offering visual schema design, metadata management, and business glossary features. Both tools target the same data architect persona and compete for enterprise licensing budgets in regulated industries.
- SAP PowerDesigner: SAP PowerDesigner is a legacy data modeling and enterprise architecture tool that Hackolade explicitly targets for migration (see hackolade.com landing page). Both tools address data modeling, architecture, and metadata management, with PowerDesigner being the incumbent that Hackolade positions itself against for modern polyglot and NoSQL use cases.
- DbSchema: DbSchema is a visual database design and management tool supporting SQL and NoSQL databases with reverse-engineering capabilities. It competes directly with Hackolade Studio on visual schema design and multi-database support, though at a different price point and feature depth.
- Moon Modeler: Moon Modeler is a visual data modeling tool specifically targeting NoSQL databases like MongoDB, Cassandra, and Neo4j — the same niche where Hackolade has patent-protected IP. Both tools compete for the same data architect persona working with document and graph databases.
- Vertabelo: Vertabelo is an online visual database design tool supporting relational databases with reverse-engineering and team collaboration features. It competes with Hackolade's browser-based deployment model and targets similar data architect and developer personas.
Broad incumbents
- IBM InfoSphere Data Architect: IBM InfoSphere Data Architect is part of IBM's broader data management portfolio, offering data modeling capabilities for relational and some NoSQL databases. It competes with Hackolade in the enterprise segment, particularly with IBM shops, but lacks Hackolade's breadth of NoSQL and polyglot target support.
- Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler: Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler is a free Oracle-branded data modeling tool that overlaps with Hackolade for Oracle database customers. While it lacks Hackolade's NoSQL breadth and polyglot capabilities, it competes for Oracle-centric data architect budgets as a free alternative.
Emerging players
- dbdiagram.io: dbdiagram.io is a free, browser-based database design tool using DBML notation. While it competes at the lower end of the market for simple ER diagrams, it overlaps with Hackolade's free browser-based offering and poses a freemium pricing threat in the data modeling space.
Others
- DataHub (Acryl Data / LinkedIn): DataHub is an open-source metadata platform and a Hackolade integration partner. While not a direct competitor for schema design, DataHub's data catalog and lineage features increasingly overlap with Hackolade's metadata-as-code capabilities, making it both a partner and a potential adjacent competitor in the data governance space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hackolade social profiles
Digital presenceHackolade compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Hackolade financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hackolade leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hackolade funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hackolade M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hackolade
What does Hackolade do?
Hackolade provides a visual polyglot data modeling platform that enables data architects, developers, and governance teams to design, document, reverse-engineer, and forward-engineer schemas across more than 45 SQL, NoSQL, graph, big data, cloud, and API targets within a single unified model. Its core products include Hackolade Studio (the main modeling application available via desktop and browser) and the Hackolade Data Model Hub (a collaborative add-on for Workgroup/Enterprise editions with Git-based versioning). The platform stores schemas in non-proprietary JSON, integrates with Git repositories for Metadata-as-Code workflows, and synchronizes with enterprise data catalogs such as DataHub and Collibra.
Is Hackolade a public or private company?
Hackolade is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hackolade founded?
Hackolade was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hackolade based?
Hackolade is headquartered in Beersel, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Hackolade make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are software Maintenance and professional Services.
Who are Hackolade's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are erwin Data Modeler (Quest Software), IDERA ER/Studio, SAP PowerDesigner, DbSchema, Moon Modeler and Vertabelo. Broad incumbents are IBM InfoSphere Data Architect and Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler. dbdiagram.io is listed as an emerging player. DataHub (Acryl Data / LinkedIn) is listed as an others.
Does Hackolade have an API?
Yes. Hackolade integrates with DataHub using the standard DataHub APIs of the Generalized Metadata Service (GMS) endpoint. The integration allows users to publish data models to DataHub and keep them synchronized. Authentication is via Personal Access Token. The product also has a Command-Line Interface (CLI) for DevOps CI/CD pipeline integration.
What industry is Hackolade in?
Hackolade's product category is Data Modeling and Metadata Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEABAD, Data Platform (Unified Data & Analytics) Suites. Its NAICS code is 5415 and its SIC code is 7372.