Do I need Fivetran for basic database replication?

No — you do not need Fivetran for basic database replication.

If you mean simple replication like:

• copying data from one database to another,
• keeping a read replica updated,
• streaming changes from primary to secondary,

that’s usually handled by:

• native database replication tools/features, or
• CDC (change data capture) tools like Debezium, Kafka Connect, etc., depending on the setup.

What Fivetran is for

Fivetran is mainly an ELT/ETL data integration platform. It’s useful when you want to:

• sync data from many sources into a warehouse,
• manage schema changes automatically,
• avoid building and maintaining pipelines yourself,
• handle SaaS app connectors, not just databases.

Use native replication if:

• source and target are the same database system,
• you need low-latency operational replication,
• you want simpler, cheaper infrastructure.

Use Fivetran if:

• you’re loading data into a warehouse/lake,
• you want managed connectors,
• you need easy maintenance and broad source support.

If you tell me which database(s) you’re using and what you mean by “replication” (read replica, backup, warehouse sync, analytics pipeline), I can tell you the best option.