Why companies are switching from Atlan to DataGalaxy
3 June 2025 | 6 mins read | Data Culture
by Jessica, Tech writer
With so many data management and governance tools on the market, two platforms consistently rise to the top: Atlan and DataGalaxy.
In this article, we’ll discuss why more and more organizations are making the switch from Atlan to Datagalaxy, including sharing what the two platforms offer, and which is truly the more powerful, business-first data management and governance platform.
What is Atlan?
Atlan is a data catalog and data collaboration tool designed to help technical teams manage and discover metadata.
Atlan offers a data ops approach, which works to centralize metadata from various sources and make it accessible through their modern interface.
Key features of Atlan’s platform include:
- Metadata discovery & classification
- Lineage tracking
- Slack & Jira integration
- Role-based access control
- Data quality and governance features
What is DataGalaxy?
DataGalaxy is the world’s first data & AI governance platform built to make data understanding accessible across an entire organization, not just IT or data teams.
DataGalaxy uses a holistic approach to data governance, enabling users to catalog, document, and visualize data assets alongside business processes and definitions.
Key features of DataGalaxy include:
Rich business glossary with semantic modeling
Data & AI product management
AI-powered metadata enrichment
Portfolio & value management
A collaborative data catalog
Built-in governance workflows with no code required
Data & AI governance
Interactive data lineage
DataGalaxy is specifically built to help businesses foster a data culture, making it easy for any employee, not just data professionals, to understand, trust, and use data effectively.
Top 3 benefits of using Atlan
Before making the switch from Atlan, it’s important to understand what the platform does well. Atlan delivers real value in several areas:
1. Integrated collaboration
Through integrations with tools like Slack and Jira, Atlan enables data engineers and analysts to collaborate in real-time around data assets
2. Flexible metadata management
Atlan offers robust APIs that allow for custom workflows and integrations. This is particularly useful for teams that have in-house engineering resources.
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Atlan’s UI is sleek and modern, making it easier for technical users to discover and classify data.
These features make Atlan a good fit for startups or teams seeking a quick way to manage metadata. However, as teams’ data governance needs evolve, many companies begin to experience the limitations of this approach. Then, they consequently switch from Atlan to DataGalaxy.
The main benefits of using DataGalaxy
For companies looking to build a scalable, organization-wide data strategy, DataGalaxy stands out as the clear leader.
1. Business-first approach
Unlike Atlan, DataGalaxy is designed for both business users and data professionals. The platform offers a shared language for understanding data, thanks to its built-in business glossary, semantic layer, and interactive data lineage tools.
3. Collaboration across the entire organization
While Atlan focuses on data team collaboration, DataGalaxy enables cross-functional alignment. Marketing, finance, compliance, and operations teams can all use DataGalaxy to understand and govern data to make smarter decisions.
5. AI-driven automation
DataGalaxy automatically suggests data owners, glossary terms, and tags using AI to accelerate onboarding and reduce manual tasks.
2. All-in-one platform
DataGalaxy goes beyond metadata discovery to include process catalogs, semantic modeling, a data product marketplace, and collaborative governance, all in one place. This eliminates the need to stitch together multiple tools and pay for multiple subscriptions.
4. No-code governance
Governance workflows, stewardship assignments, and approval chains are built in, so there’s little to no developer effort required. This makes the platform far easier to scale than others on the market.
6. Process catalog
The process catalog maps data to actual business operations, providing complete transparency into how data flows across departments.
Why organizations choose to switch from Atlan to DataGalaxy
Are you considering making the switch from Atlan?
More companies are deciding to switch from Atlan after discovering that its data team-centric model doesn’t fully meet the needs of enterprise-wide data governance. Here’s why they’re turning to platforms like DataGalaxy:
1. Broader user adoption
On average, organizations that switch from Atlan to DataGalaxy often see greater engagement from business teams. That’s because DataGalaxy’s interface and features cater to both technical and non-technical users, while Atlan’s platform is primarily used by technical staff.
2. Faster implementation & ROI
DataGalaxy is known for rapid onboarding: Many teams see value in weeks, not months. The platform’s built-in tools, automation, and simple configuration mean teams spend less time setting up the platform and more time using their data.
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3. Scalability without complexity
It’s no secret that organizations’ governance requirements grow as they increase in size. Users have often reported that Atlan requires custom development to scale workflows or handle complex governance needs. However, DataGalaxy scales easily thanks to its no-code configuration and modular architecture.
4. Lower total cost of ownership
While Atlan’s pricing structure can become unpredictable as usage grows, DataGalaxy offers transparent and scalable pricing based on usage and needs.
5. Stronger customer success
When asked, customers who switch from Atlan regularly cite DataGalaxy’s exceptional support team and onboarding experience as differentiators.
Feature comparison: Atlan vs. DataGalaxy
| Feature | Atlan | DataGalaxy |
| Business glossary | Basic | Deep integration |
| Process mapping | Not supported | Supported |
| AI-powered metadata | Limited | Advanced |
| Governance workflows | Requires customization | Intuitive no-code solutions |
| Business user accessibility | Moderate | High |
| Semantic layer | Basic | Full semantic modeling |
| Collaboration tools | External | Native |
| Implementation time | Moderate | Fast |
| Designed for | Data teams | Entire organization |
Thinking about making the switch from Atlan?
If your current data catalog doesn’t engage your business teams, feels too technical, or fails to scale with your needs, it may be time to switch from Atlan to a platform built for the future.
DataGalaxy offers a smarter, simpler, and more inclusive way to manage your data assets.
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With its unique combination of business-friendly design, automation, and all-in-one architecture, DataGalaxy is the ultimate solution for organizations that want to empower everyone, not just engineers, with trusted data.
Though Atlan may be a solid starting point for data teams looking to centralize metadata, as companies mature and seek to involve the broader business in data governance, they often hit a wall.
That’s why more organizations are choosing to switch from Atlan to DataGalaxy: To gain a scalable, intuitive platform that drives tangible business outcomes.
FAQ
- What is value governance?
-
Value governance is the strategic oversight of data and digital initiatives to ensure they deliver measurable business value. It aligns investments with organizational goals, maximizes ROI, and promotes accountability. Effective value governance is key to driving data-driven decisions, optimizing resource use, and sustaining long-term growth in digital transformation and AI readiness.
- What is data governance?
-
Data governance ensures data is accurate, secure, and responsibly used by defining rules, roles, and processes. It includes setting policies, assigning ownership, and establishing standards for managing data throughout its lifecycle.
- What is data quality management?
-
Data quality management ensures data is accurate, complete, consistent, and reliable across its lifecycle. It includes profiling, cleansing, validation, and monitoring to prevent errors and maintain trust. This enables smarter decisions and reduces risk.
- What is DataGalaxy?
-
DataGalaxy is a modern data & AI governance platform that centralizes metadata, data lineage, and business definitions to create a shared understanding of data across the organization. Designed for collaboration, we empower teams to find, trust, and use data confidently. Learn how DataGalaxy accelerates data-driven decision-making at www.datagalaxy.com.
- What makes DataGalaxy different?
-
DataGalaxy stands out with our user-friendly, collaborative data governance platform that empowers everyone—from data stewards to business users—to understand, trust, and use data confidently. Unlike complex legacy tools, DataGalaxy offers intuitive metadata management, real-time lineage, and a business glossary in one centralized hub. Discover how we drive agile, value-first data strategies at www.datagalaxy.com.
At a glance
- Atlan is a strong data catalog for technical teams, but its data team-centric model limits enterprise-wide adoption and scalability.
- DataGalaxy offers a business-first, all-in-one governance platform with no-code workflows, AI-powered automation, and broad accessibility for both technical and non-technical users.
- Organizations switch from Atlan to DataGalaxy for faster ROI, easier scalability, stronger cross-functional collaboration, and a lower total cost of ownership.
About the author
With a passion for turning data complexity into clarity, Jessica Sandifer is an experienced content manager who crafts stories that resonate across technical and business audiences. At DataGalaxy, she creates content and product marketing messages that demystify data governance and make AI-readiness actionable.
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