ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift: Live Redshift Data in Excel, Power BI, Tableau and Any ODBC Tool
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift is a commercial ODBC driver that lets Excel, Power BI, Tableau, Microsoft Access, SQL Server and other ODBC-aware tools query and update live Amazon Redshift data, on 32-bit or 64-bit Windows, macOS and Linux. A single-desktop license costs $179.95 a year, or $349.95 as a perpetual license.
If your company's data lives in a Redshift warehouse and your reports live in Excel or an older 32-bit tool, getting the two to talk is the problem. Devart's driver sits between them: you create one DSN with the cluster address, port 5439, database and credentials, and every ODBC application on that machine can see your Redshift tables as ordinary tables.
Quick facts
- Version: 4.2.0, released October 16, 2026
- Developer: Devart
- Platforms: Windows x86 and x64 (including Terminal Server), macOS Intel and Apple Silicon, Linux x86 and x64 (DEB and RPM packages)
- Redshift support: provisioned clusters and Redshift Serverless, over the PostgreSQL-compatible protocol (default port 5439)
- Sign-in: Redshift database user, AWS IAM credentials and roles, or browser-based single sign-on such as PingOne
- Security: SSL/TLS, SSH tunneling, HTTP/HTTPS tunneling, encrypted DSN passwords
- Price: $179.95 per year for the Desktop edition (subscription), $349.95 perpetual
- Trial: 30 days, free, activated with a trial key from a Devart account
What we checked: version 4.2.0 (released October 16, 2026) on Devart's download page and revision history, installer sizes of 30.93 MB (Windows EXE), 32.63 MB (MSI), 20.00 MB (macOS PKG) and 4.47 to 6.56 MB (Linux DEB/RPM), and prices on the order page of $179.95 a year for Desktop for Windows, $349.95 perpetual, $349.95 for two years, $529.95 for three years, and $999.95 a year or $1,999.95 perpetual for Server Standard, all on October 29, 2026. We didn't install the trial (the download needs a Devart account) or connect it to a Redshift cluster.
Before you buy
Amazon publishes its own Redshift ODBC driver at no charge. If you only need a 64-bit Windows connection from Power BI or Tableau, try that first. Devart's driver earns its price when you need what Amazon's doesn't offer: 32-bit applications (older Excel, Access or FoxPro installs), SSH or HTTP tunneling to a cluster that isn't open to the internet, a graphical DSN setup on macOS and Linux, and a commercial support team.
The default price is a subscription: the driver works only while it's paid up, and it needs an internet connection to activate and to check the license. A perpetual license costs about twice as much but can be activated offline and keeps working after the support year ends.
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Overview
ODBC is the oldest common language between databases and desktop software, and almost every reporting, spreadsheet and ETL tool still speaks it. Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift translates between that standard and Redshift's PostgreSQL-compatible wire protocol, so the tool sends SQL and gets rows back without knowing it's talking to an AWS warehouse.
The driver is self-contained. It connects over TCP/IP straight to the cluster or Serverless endpoint, with no AWS client libraries to install or ship alongside it. Devart updates it about twice a year: the 4.0 release in November 2025 added a graphical configurator for macOS and Linux and Bearer Token support for HTTP tunneling, and 4.2.0 in October 2026 improved compatibility with Ubuntu 26, CentOS 10, Node.js, Visual FoxPro and DBeaver.
Features
A direct connection, with nothing else to install
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift connects directly to Redshift's PostgreSQL-compatible endpoint, port 5439 by default, for both provisioned clusters and Redshift Serverless. You fill in a server, port, database, user and password in one dialog, click Test Connection, and the DSN is ready for every ODBC tool on the machine.
The driver's Windows configuration dialog: data source name, Redshift server, port 5439, database, authentication method, user and saved password, with tabs for advanced settings, security, tracing and the license.
AWS IAM and single sign-on, not just a database password
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift can sign in with a Redshift database user, with AWS IAM credentials and an IAM role (using your AWS account ID, IAM provider and role name), or through browser-based single sign-on, including PingOne. That matters in companies where analysts aren't given database passwords at all and access goes through the corporate identity provider.
SSL, SSH and HTTP tunnels for clusters behind a firewall
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift can encrypt the connection with SSL/TLS (including client certificates with password-protected private keys), route it through an SSH server, or tunnel it over HTTP/HTTPS with Bearer Token authentication. A Redshift cluster in a private VPC can be reached through a bastion host without opening port 5439 to the internet. Passwords saved in a DSN are stored encrypted.
The Security Settings tab: SSL options with CA certificate, client certificate, key, key password and SSL mode, next to the SSH and HTTP/HTTPS tunneling tabs.
32-bit and 64-bit builds on three operating systems
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift installs both a 32-bit and a 64-bit driver on Windows, and ships macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux DEB and RPM packages. The 32-bit build is the reason many people buy it: Amazon's own driver is 64-bit only, and plenty of offices still run 32-bit Office or legacy line-of-business apps.
The Windows setup's Select Components page: the driver for Win32, the driver for Win64 and the Help and Manual, about 21 MB installed.
Full ODBC support, bulk updates and tuning switches
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift implements the ODBC 3.52 API and data types, so tools can read, insert, update and delete, and it batches statements for bulk updates. Connection pooling and prepared statements speed up repeated queries. For awkward tools there are compatibility switches: force ODBC 2.x behavior, return strings as ANSI or Unicode, treat empty strings as NULL, set a minimum number of rows per fetch, use regional number and date formats, or make the connection read-only.
Benefits
- No more CSV exports. Reports and pivot tables refresh from the warehouse itself, so nobody works from last week's extract.
- One setup for every tool. A DSN made once serves Excel, Access, Power BI, Tableau and your scripts alike.
- Old software keeps working. A 32-bit application that can't load a 64-bit driver can still reach Redshift.
- Security teams stay happy. IAM, SSO and tunneling mean the cluster doesn't have to be exposed or shared by password.
- Someone to call. Devart offers a support team and nightly builds with fixes, which a free driver doesn't.
Real-World Uses
- A finance team on 32-bit Excel builds a monthly revenue pivot table straight from Redshift tables and refreshes it with one click.
- A DBA joins Redshift to SQL Server through a Linked Server, so on-premises reports can query warehouse tables with T-SQL.
- An analyst on a Mac connects Tableau or Excel for Mac to a Redshift Serverless workgroup through a DSN set up in the driver's own GUI.
- A Linux ETL job in Python or PHP reads Redshift through unixODBC on an Ubuntu or CentOS server, with an SSH tunnel to a private cluster.
- A legacy Access or Visual FoxPro app gets read and write access to warehouse tables without being rewritten.
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
It's for analysts, DBAs and developers who need Redshift inside ODBC tools and hit a limit of the free route: a 32-bit application, a cluster reachable only through SSH or HTTP, macOS or Linux machines where a GUI configurator saves time, or a company that wants paid support behind its data connections.
Skip it if Amazon's free Redshift ODBC driver already connects your 64-bit Power BI or Tableau without trouble, since this would add a yearly bill for no gain. Skip it too if your tool has a native Redshift connector you're happy with, or if your code can use a JDBC driver or a Python library such as redshift_connector instead. If you need several different data sources, look at Devart's ODBC Universal Bundle (from $499.95 a year for all its ODBC drivers) before buying drivers one at a time.
Usage Guide
- Get the installer. Sign in to (or create) a Devart account on the download page and download the EXE or MSI for Windows, the PKG for macOS, or the DEB or RPM package for your Linux distribution.
- Install and activate. On Windows, run the wizard, keep or clear the 64-bit driver on the Select Components page, and on the License Information page enter your trial or purchased activation key (or choose to activate later). The driver must be activated even for the trial.
- Create a DSN. On Windows, open ODBC Data Sources (32-bit or 64-bit, matching your application), choose User DSN or System DSN, click Add and pick Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift. On macOS use iODBC or Devart's ODBC Administrator, on Linux edit odbc.ini or use the driver's configurator.
- Enter the connection details. Server, port 5439, database, authentication method and credentials, plus SSL, SSH or HTTP settings on the Security Settings tab if you need them. Click Test Connection.
- Connect your tool. In Excel use Data, Get Data, From Other Sources, From ODBC, in Power BI choose the ODBC connector, or pass a connection string such as
DRIVER={Devart ODBC Driver for Redshift};Data Source=...;Port=5439;Database=... from code.
On macOS, a DEVART_REDSHIFT system DSN selected in the iODBC Data Source Administrator, ready to test, alongside DSNs for other Devart drivers.
On Linux, unixODBC's isql connecting to the DEVART_REDSHIFT DSN on Ubuntu and showing "Connected!" with an SQL prompt.
Where It Falls Short
- The trial takes paperwork. You can't just download and try: the installer is behind a Devart sign-in and the driver won't work until you enter a trial key.
- Activation trouble is a recurring theme in the change log. Recent fixes include re-activating the driver under another Windows user (3.4.2) and license validation for a Linked Server in SQL Server Management Studio (3.3.3).
- Linux DSN handling depends on unixODBC. Version 4.2.0 had to add a workaround for unixODBC 2.3.13 and 2.3.14, so keep the driver current if your distribution updates unixODBC.
- Licensing is per machine and per seat. The Desktop edition allows one user at a time on one computer. A shared server, a terminal server with several users or a gateway needs the Server Standard edition at $999.95 a year, or Server Enterprise for more than 6 cores, quoted on request.
What Users Say
We found no published user reviews of Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift on its own. Review sites list Devart's ODBC drivers as one product line covering all of its 90-plus drivers, mostly reviewed for MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL and Salesforce, so treat these ratings as a guide to the vendor rather than to this driver. The line's ratings as listed in October 2026:
- Capterra: about 4.7 out of 5 from around 25 reviews of Devart ODBC Drivers
- GetApp and Software Advice: 4.7 out of 5 from 26 reviews
- G2: 4.6 out of 5 from 18 reviews of Devart ODBC Driver, where reviewers praise easy installation and responsive support and some find the documentation confusing
- TrustRadius: a much lower 5.2 out of 10 from 58 ratings, a listing reviewed mostly for the MySQL driver
The recurring picture: people like how quickly the drivers install and how responsive Devart's support is, while the complaints are about connection problems with specific tools and confusing licensing on networks. The free trial is the only reliable way to know how this driver behaves with your own tool and cluster.
Comparisons
Devart ODBC Driver vs. Amazon's Redshift ODBC driver
Amazon's driver is free and is the obvious first choice for a 64-bit Windows BI tool. Devart's comparison lists what its paid driver adds: 32-bit as well as 64-bit builds, packages for Ubuntu/DEB as well as RPM, SSH and HTTP/HTTPS tunneling, a graphical DSN configurator on macOS and Linux, nightly builds with hotfixes and a dedicated support team, where AWS relies on periodic GitHub releases and AWS Support plans.
Desktop vs. Server editions
The Desktop edition covers one computer used by one person at a time, directly or remotely. Server Standard covers one server with up to 6 cores used by many people within one company, such as a web, application or report server. Server Enterprise removes the core limit. Site licenses (unlimited computers in one company) and OEM licenses (shipping the driver inside your own application) are quoted on request.
Editions and Pricing
| Edition | Subscription | Perpetual | Who can use it |
|---|
| Desktop (Windows, macOS or Linux) | $179.95 per year | $349.95 | One user at a time on one computer |
| Server Standard | $999.95 per year | $1,999.95 | Many users on one server with up to 6 cores |
| Server Enterprise, Site, OEM | On request | On request | Any core count, whole company, or redistribution |
Each license is for one platform (Windows, macOS or Linux) and includes a year of support and upgrades. A Desktop subscription paid for two years up front costs $349.95 and for three years $529.95. Priority support is an optional extra, and Devart takes 5, 10 or 15 percent off for 5, 10 or 20 copies.
FAQs
Does Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift work with Redshift Serverless?
Yes. Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift connects to the PostgreSQL-compatible endpoint that both provisioned clusters and Serverless workgroups expose, on port 5439 by default.
Can I use the Redshift ODBC driver with 32-bit Excel or Access?
Yes. The Windows installer for Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift adds both a 32-bit and a 64-bit driver. Create the DSN in the 32-bit ODBC Data Sources tool (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe) so a 32-bit application can see it.
What happens when the Devart Redshift driver subscription ends?
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift on a subscription license only works for the term you've paid for, and it checks the license status online. A perpetual license keeps the version you bought working indefinitely, and only updates and support stop after the included year.
Do I need a separate license for Windows and Mac?
Yes. Devart sells ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift licenses per platform: Desktop for Windows, Desktop for macOS and Desktop for Linux are separate items at the same price.
Can I install the Redshift ODBC driver on a server for Power BI Gateway or a report server?
Not with the Desktop license. Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift on a server that several people use at once needs a Server edition: Server Standard for up to 6 cores, or Server Enterprise for more.
Can the Devart driver activate on a computer without internet access?
Only with a perpetual license. Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift on a subscription needs an internet connection to activate and to check the license, while a perpetual license can be activated offline with an activation file.
Does the driver support writing data back to Redshift?
Yes. Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift supports INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE through the ODBC API and batches statements for bulk updates. A Read Only option in the DSN blocks changes when you want a report connection to stay safe.
System Requirements
- Windows: x86 or x64, including Windows Terminal Server. About 21 MB of disk space for both drivers and the help
- macOS: Intel or Apple Silicon, with iODBC or Devart's ODBC Administrator to manage DSNs
- Linux: x86 or x64, DEB or RPM package, with unixODBC
- Amazon Redshift: a provisioned cluster or Serverless endpoint reachable on its port (5439 by default), directly or through SSH or HTTP tunneling. No AWS client software required
Conclusion
Devart ODBC Driver for Amazon Redshift is worth $179.95 a year if Amazon's free driver can't do your job: a 32-bit application, a private cluster you reach through SSH or HTTP, Mac or Linux users who need a simple DSN setup, or a team that wants a vendor to call when a connection breaks. It's well maintained, with releases in April and October 2026. The main reason not to buy is that for a plain 64-bit Power BI or Tableau connection, the free driver does the same thing. Install the 30-day trial against your own cluster and tool first, and choose a perpetual license if you'd rather not depend on a yearly subscription.
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