9 Best Airtable Alternatives in 2026: Compared, Ranked and Priced
Nine alternatives to Airtable, ranked by the reason people leave it: SmartSuite, Baserow, Notion, Smartsheet, Appy Pie AI, Google AppSheet, NocoDB, Grist and Microsoft Lists, with every price read on 29 September 2026.
The short answer: SmartSuite is the closest Airtable alternative, at $15 a seat with commenters free; Baserow is the best if the data should live on your own server; Notion is the best if your base was mostly a list next to documents; and Smartsheet is the best for projects many people update. Before you move, check who Airtable is billing you for: on the Team plan every commenter is a paid seat, and on Business only editors are, so a change of plan can cost less than a change of tool. If you need your records in a mobile app, Appy Pie AI builds one on a Google Sheet. Appy Pie AI is our product; it is ranked fifth, with a disclosure, because it does a different job from the database tools on this list.
What This Guide Delivers
- 9 Airtable alternatives, each ranked for one specific job
- Verified pricing for each, and for Airtable (29 September 2026)
- What a 10-person team pays on each, commenters included
- Which ones you can host yourself, and under which licence
- What Airtable lets you export, and which tools import a base
- 10 FAQs, including the questions Google shows under this search
Sources: each vendor’s pricing pages and documentation, read on 29 September 2026 and linked on every card, plus reviews on G2 cited with the reviewer’s name and date. Screenshots are our own captures. We did not run a timed migration on every tool for this edition; the “What we checked” line on each card says exactly what was verified.
TL;DR Quick Summary
People leave Airtable for four reasons, and each has a different answer. The seat bill: SmartSuite, NocoDB and Smartsheet charge only for people who edit, where Airtable Team also charges for commenters. Record limits: Baserow and NocoDB self-hosted have none, and Microsoft Lists holds 30 million items per list. The data should live somewhere else: Baserow, Grist or NocoDB on your own server, or Microsoft Lists inside Microsoft 365. A different shape of work: Notion for records inside documents, Smartsheet for projects. 4 of the nine have a free plan, and paid plans start between $5 and $15 a person a month, against $20 for Airtable Team.
| Alternative | Best for | Free plan | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartSuite | A like-for-like switch at a lower seat price | Trial only | $15/seat |
| Baserow | An open-source database you can host yourself | Yes | $10/user |
| Notion | Databases inside your documents and wiki | Yes | $10/member |
| Smartsheet | Spreadsheet-first projects in larger teams | Trial only | $9/member |
| Appy Pie AI | A native Android and iOS app on a Google Sheet, without code | Trial only | $16/app |
| Google AppSheet | Apps on your sheets inside Google Workspace | Prototyping | $5/user |
| NocoDB | A spreadsheet view on a database you already run | Yes | $12/seat |
| Grist | Spreadsheet formulas in Python, free to self-host | Yes | $8/user |
| Microsoft Lists | Teams already on Microsoft 365 | Preview | $7/user |
Not sure you need to switch? Check what Airtable really costs first →
Table of Contents
Jump to any tool. The guide covers why people switch, what Airtable really costs, how we chose, the nine alternatives with strengths, cons, pricing and a bottom line, then a side-by-side table, a 10-person team priced on each, free and self-hosted options, Airtable against Notion and Smartsheet, how to export your base, a decision table and 10 FAQs.
- Why People Look for an Airtable Alternative
- Airtable Pricing Explained
- How We Chose, and What We Checked
- 1. SmartSuite: A like-for-like switch at a lower seat price
- 2. Baserow: An open-source database you can host yourself
- 3. Notion: Databases inside your documents and wiki
- 4. Smartsheet: Spreadsheet-first projects in larger teams
- 5. Appy Pie AI: A native Android and iOS app on a Google Sheet, without code
- 6. Google AppSheet: Apps on your sheets inside Google Workspace
- 7. NocoDB: A spreadsheet view on a database you already run
- 8. Grist: Spreadsheet formulas in Python, free to self-host
- 9. Microsoft Lists: Teams already on Microsoft 365
- Airtable vs the Alternatives: Side by Side
- What a 10-Person Team Pays on Each
- Free Airtable Alternatives
- Open-Source and Self-Hosted Airtable Alternatives
- Airtable vs Notion
- Airtable vs Smartsheet
- Moving Off Airtable: Exporting Your Base
- Which Airtable Alternative Should You Choose?
- Also Considered
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why People Look for an Airtable Alternative
Airtable is a good product, and nothing below says otherwise. It is still the most flexible tool here for linked records, automations and interfaces on top of them. The reasons people look elsewhere are specific, and six of them are written down in Airtable’s own pricing page and support site. We read both on 29 September 2026.
Commenters count as seats
On the Team plan Airtable bills any collaborator with Commenter access or higher. Read-only collaborators are free, but anyone who needs to leave a comment is a paid seat.
Source: Airtable plans overview, read 29 September 2026
Record caps per base
1,000 records per base on Free, 50,000 on Team, 100,000 on self-serve Business and 500,000 on Enterprise Scale. A growing base hits the ceiling and the fix is a more expensive plan.
Source: Airtable pricing page plan data, read 29 September 2026
A small free plan
Free allows 5 editors, 1,000 records per base, 1,000 API calls a month across the workspace and two weeks of revision history. Enough to try it, not to run a team on.
Source: Airtable plans overview, read 29 September 2026
Business needs a company domain
Business and Enterprise Scale require a private email domain, so a team on Gmail or Yahoo addresses cannot buy them.
Source: Airtable plans overview, read 29 September 2026
AI credits by plan
Free includes 500 AI credits per editor a month and Team 15,000 per billable collaborator. Heavy AI use is one more meter on top of the seats.
Source: Airtable plans overview, read 29 September 2026
Export is one table at a time
There is no whole-base export. Each table downloads as its own CSV, without record comments, field descriptions or the base guide, and attachment links expire after a few hours.
Source: Airtable support, exporting data, read 29 September 2026
Reviews add one thing the pricing page cannot. On G2, where Airtable has 3,296 reviews and an average of 4.6 out of 5, the most-tagged strengths are Ease of Use (507 mentions) and Automation (308). The most-tagged complaints are Learning Curve (261), Missing Features (253), Limited Features (225), Learning Difficulty (154) and Expensive (143). Price is fifth. The first complaint is how long it takes to learn, which is worth remembering before you move to a tool that does even more. Jacqui M., a systems and automation expert at a small business who gave Airtable 5 stars on 9 September 2026, still named three drawbacks: its complexity, wanting more control over Interfaces, and depending on one platform for the whole system. You can read the reviews on Airtable’s G2 page.
In fairness, Airtable does not bill everyone. Read-only collaborators are free on every paid plan, and Business bills only editors. If your problem is the cost of people who only comment, the next section is worth reading before you move anything.
Airtable Pricing Explained
Airtable has four plans. Free is $0. Team is $20 a seat a month billed annually, or $24 monthly. Business is $45 billed annually, or $54 monthly, and needs a private email domain. Enterprise Scale is priced on request. What changes most between them is not the feature list but who counts as a seat and how many records a base can hold:
| Plan | Price per seat a month | Who counts as a seat | Records per base | Attachments per base |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 5 editors and 50 commenters | 1,000 | 1 GB |
| Team | $20 billed annually, $24 monthly | Commenters and above | 50,000 | 20 GB |
| Business (self-serve) | $45 billed annually, $54 monthly | Editors and above | 100,000 | 100 GB |
| Enterprise Scale | Custom | Set by contract | 500,000 | 1 TB |
From airtable.com/pricing and Airtable’s plans overview, both read on 29 September 2026. The pricing page lists 100,000 records per base on Business; the plans overview in Airtable’s support site says 125,000. We show the lower figure.
The seat rule is where teams overpay. Take a team of 4 people who edit and 6 who only comment, on annual billing. On Team all ten are seats, so it costs 10 × $20 = $200 a month. On Business only the editors are, so it costs 4 × $45 = $180, with more records and storage as well. If the six only need to read, they are free on both, and Team costs 4 × $20 = $80. And if the base stays under 1,000 records, the Free plan covers this team at $0, because it allows 5 editors and 50 commenters.
So is Airtable worth it? For a team where most people edit, at $20 a seat, yes: none of the alternatives below is more capable for relational data and automations. It gets harder to defend in three cases: when most of your seats are people who only comment, when a base is heading past 50,000 records, or when the data has to live on your own server. Those are the cases the nine below solve.
How We Chose, and What We Checked
We started from the tools that keep appearing when people ask what to use in place of Airtable, and kept the nine that answer a real reason for leaving. For each we read the pricing page on 29 September 2026, from a US server where the page allowed it because several vendors show different prices by country, and in a desktop browser where it did not; the card says which. We read each vendor’s documentation for four things: who is billed, how many records a plan holds, whether it can be self-hosted, and whether it can import an Airtable base. Screenshots are our own captures. We did not run a timed migration on every tool for this edition, and we say so on each card.
Who is billed
Editors only, every member, or every user who signs in. This decides the bill more than the headline price.
Record limits
Per base, per workspace, per document or per list, on the first paid plan.
Self-hosting
Whether you can run it on your own server, and under which licence.
Mobile
An official iOS and Android app, a browser only, or a separate app built for your users.
Airtable import
Whether the vendor documents importing a base, and what it leaves behind.
Disclosure
Appy Pie AI is our product. It is ranked fifth, with the same cons treatment as every other tool here.
RANK 01 · WORK MANAGEMENT
1. SmartSuite: Best for a like-for-like switch at a lower seat price
SmartSuite is the closest thing on this list to Airtable itself. You get tables with linked records, grid, kanban, calendar and Gantt views, forms and automations, organised into what SmartSuite calls solutions. Someone who knows Airtable finds their way around it in an afternoon, and it imports an Airtable base directly.
Where it differs from Airtable: The job is the same; the bill is not. SmartSuite charges only for people who edit: read-only users, commenters and anyone filling in a form are free, where Airtable’s Team plan bills every commenter. The trade is capacity. Team allows 5,000 records per solution, against 50,000 per base on Airtable Team, so a large base needs Professional.
Strengths
- Imports an Airtable base directly, signed in with your Airtable account
- Only editors are billed; commenters and viewers are free
- Views, forms and automations will feel familiar to an Airtable user
- iOS and Android apps
Cons
- No free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Team caps records at 5,000 per solution, a tenth of Airtable Team
- Seat minimums: 3 on Team, 5 on Professional
RANK 02 · OPEN SOURCE
2. Baserow: Best for an open-source database you can host yourself
Baserow looks and behaves like Airtable, with one difference that matters to a lot of people leaving it: you can run it on your own server. Almost all of the code is MIT-licensed, and Baserow states that the self-hosted version will never have row, storage or API request limits. The cloud version is there for teams that would rather not run anything.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable only runs in Airtable’s cloud and caps every base by plan. Baserow on your own server has no caps at all, and in its cloud the paid plans count rows per workspace rather than per base. It imports an Airtable base from a public share link, bringing tables, field types, linked records, attachments and grid views; automations, custom interfaces and row comments stay behind.
Strengths
- Self-hosted with no row, storage or API limits
- Almost all of the code is MIT-licensed
- Imports tables, linked records, attachments and grid views from Airtable
- On Advanced, viewers and commenters are free
Cons
- Premium bills every collaborator, commenters included
- The import needs a public share link to the whole base
- No official mobile app
RANK 03 · DOCS AND DATABASES
3. Notion: Best for databases inside your documents and wiki
Notion is where a lot of Airtable bases end up when the data was really there to support documents: a content calendar, a hiring tracker, a product roadmap with specs attached. Its databases sit inside pages, so the record and the writing about it live together, and the whole team already has a reason to open it every day.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable is a database first, with interfaces on top. Notion is a document tool first, with databases inside it. That makes Notion weaker for heavy relational work and automations, and much stronger when the records need long-form context. Notion bills members only, and guests are free, but guests see only the pages they are invited to. It has no Airtable importer; each table comes in as a CSV.
Strengths
- Records and the documents about them live on the same page
- Members are billed; guests are free
- Free plan to try it, unlimited for one person
- iOS and Android apps
Cons
- No Airtable importer, so each table moves as a CSV
- Free is capped at 1,000 blocks once a second member joins
- Weaker than Airtable for relational data and automations
RANK 04 · SPREADSHEET PROJECTS
4. Smartsheet: Best for spreadsheet-first projects in larger teams
Smartsheet is what larger organisations use when the work is projects: timelines, dependencies, resourcing and reporting across many teams, all on a grid that looks like a spreadsheet. If your Airtable base had become a project plan with a Gantt view bolted on, Smartsheet is built for exactly that job.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable is a flexible database that can hold a project. Smartsheet is a project tool with a spreadsheet interface. It bills Members, and Contributors are free on Pro and above, as are guests on Business, which suits a plan many people update but few people build. There is no Airtable importer; it imports Excel, CSV, Google Sheets, Trello and Microsoft Project. The free plan closed to new signups on 28 August 2024.
Strengths
- Built for projects: timelines, dependencies and reporting
- Contributors are free on Pro and above
- Low entry price at $9 per member on yearly billing
- iOS and Android apps
Cons
- No free plan for new signups since August 2024, only a 30-day trial
- Pro stops at 10 members
- No Airtable importer; bring each table in as a CSV
RANK 05 · MOBILE APPS
5. Appy Pie AI: Best for a native Android and iOS app on a Google Sheet, without code
Disclosure first: Appy Pie AI is our product, and it is fifth on this list because it does one job the others here do not. It is not a database and it does not replace Airtable’s grid, formulas or automations. It turns a list of records into a branded app that your customers or field staff install from Google Play and the App Store, and it connects to that list through a Google Sheet.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable’s own mobile app is for the people who work in the base. Appy Pie AI builds a separate app, under your name, for the people who use the data. The documented connection is to Google Sheets, through our App Sheet feature; there is no Airtable connector. So the route is to export each Airtable table as a CSV, bring it into a Google Sheet, and connect the sheet. It is priced per app, not per person.
Strengths
- A native app in both stores under your own name, without code
- Priced per app, however many people use it
- Connects to a Google Sheet, so the data stays where you can edit it
- Guided store submission
Cons
- Not a database; it does not replace Airtable itself
- No Airtable connector; the data moves through a Google Sheet
- No free plan and no code export; iOS needs Platinum
RANK 06 · APPS ON YOUR DATA
6. Google AppSheet: Best for apps on your sheets inside Google Workspace
AppSheet builds working apps on data you already have, in Google Sheets, Excel, a database or Airtable itself, and it is included in most paid Google Workspace plans at the Core tier. If your team lives in Google Workspace and used Airtable mainly to give people forms and simple screens on a spreadsheet, AppSheet may already be paid for.
Where it differs from Airtable: AppSheet does not replace the base; it puts an app on top of your data, wherever that data lives. It connects to Airtable as a live data source on all three plans, which makes it the one tool here you can adopt without moving anything first. The catch is billing: every user who signs in is a licence, guests included, so a large audience gets expensive unless the app qualifies for the $50 Publisher Pro plan.
Strengths
- Connects to Airtable as a live data source, so nothing has to move
- Core is included in most paid Google Workspace plans
- Free prototyping with up to 10 test users
- Publisher Pro puts a public app on a flat $50 a month
Cons
- Every signed-in user and guest is a licence
- Its own database is small on the lower plans: 2,500 rows
- Some Airtable field types must be read-only or are not supported
RANK 07 · SELF-HOSTED
7. NocoDB: Best for a spreadsheet view on a database you already run
NocoDB puts a spreadsheet interface on a database. You can use its own, or point it at one your team already runs, which is the reason developers reach for it. The community edition is free to run on your own server with unlimited records and seats, and the cloud version has a flat price that stops counting seats after nine.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable keeps your data in Airtable. NocoDB can keep it in your own database, where other systems can already read it. It imports an Airtable base with a personal access token and a shared base link, with one gap: formula fields are not imported. Be precise about the licence: it is the Sustainable Use License, which NocoDB calls fair-code, and it is not an open-source licence.
Strengths
- Works on top of a database you already run
- Self-hosted community edition with unlimited records and seats
- Flat price for unlimited seats: $108 a month on Plus
- Commenters are free on Plus and above
Cons
- Formula fields do not come across in the Airtable import
- The licence is fair-code, not open source
- No official mobile app
RANK 08 · SPREADSHEET DATABASE
8. Grist: Best for spreadsheet formulas in Python, free to self-host
Grist is a spreadsheet that behaves like a database. Columns have types, tables link to each other, and formulas are written in Python, with ordinary spreadsheet formulas as well. It suits people who liked Airtable’s structure but missed the power of a real formula language, and it has unusually fine access rules for deciding who sees which rows and columns.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable limits records per base and formulas to its own language. Grist limits records per document and gives you Python. Its Airtable import copies the full contents of a base, attachments included, but not views, interfaces or forms. The Community edition is Apache-2.0 and can run on your own server, and each document can be shared with two free guests on any plan.
Strengths
- Python formulas alongside ordinary spreadsheet formulas
- Imports the full base from Airtable, attachments included
- Community edition is Apache-2.0 and can be self-hosted
- Two free guests per document on every plan
Cons
- Views, interfaces and forms do not come across from Airtable
- Automations start at Business, which has a 5-user minimum
- No mobile app that we could find
RANK 09 · MICROSOFT 365
9. Microsoft Lists: Best for teams already on Microsoft 365
Microsoft Lists is Microsoft’s answer to the question people ask Google, whether there is a Microsoft equivalent to Airtable. It gives you lists with typed columns, views, rules and forms, built on SharePoint and shared through Teams. For a company already paying for Microsoft 365, it is the option that costs nothing extra and needs no new vendor.
Where it differs from Airtable: Airtable is a separate product with its own bill. Lists comes with Microsoft 365, and Business Basic lists it among the included apps at $7 per user a month on yearly billing. It holds far more data, up to 30 million items per list. It is also simpler, with no linked records on Airtable’s level, and it has lost ground on mobile: Microsoft retired the Lists apps for iOS and Android in mid-November 2025.
Strengths
- Already included if the company pays for Microsoft 365
- Up to 30 million items per list
- Shared through Teams and SharePoint, with Microsoft’s admin controls
- No new vendor to approve
Cons
- The iOS and Android apps were retired in November 2025
- Simpler than Airtable: no deep linked records or interfaces
- No Airtable importer that we could find
Airtable vs the Alternatives: Side by Side
One table, with Airtable on the first row for reference. Prices are the first paid tier, per person a month on annual billing, as read on 29 September 2026; the cards above carry the monthly prices and the billing terms.
| Tool | Paid from | Records on the first paid plan | Self-host | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable (for reference) | $20/seat | 50,000 per base on Team | No | iOS and Android apps |
| SmartSuite | $15/seat | 5,000 per solution on Team; 100,000 on Professional | Not listed | iOS and Android apps |
| Baserow | $10/user | 50,000 rows per workspace on Premium; no limit self-hosted | Yes, mostly MIT-licensed | No official app |
| Notion | $10/member | Not a record count; Free is 1,000 blocks once two members share it | Not listed | iOS and Android apps |
| Smartsheet | $9/member | Not checked for this edition | Not listed | iOS and Android apps |
| Appy Pie AI | $16/app | Not a database; the data stays in your Google Sheet | No | Native Android and iOS apps in both stores |
| Google AppSheet | $5/user | AppSheet database: 2,500 rows on Starter and Core | Not listed | Through the AppSheet mobile app |
| NocoDB | $12/seat | 50,000 on Plus; unlimited self-hosted | Yes, under a fair-code licence | No official app |
| Grist | $8/user | 100,000 per document on Pro | Yes, Community edition is Apache-2.0 | No app found |
| Microsoft Lists | $7/user | Up to 30 million items per list | No | None. The apps were retired in November 2025 |
Two things stand out. Record limits are counted differently everywhere, per base on Airtable, per workspace on Baserow, per document on Grist and per list on Microsoft Lists, so compare the unit and not just the number. And on mobile, three of the database tools here have no official app, while Microsoft retired the Lists apps in November 2025; if the records have to be on phones, check this column first.
What a 10-Person Team Pays on Each Airtable Alternative
Headline prices hide the rule that matters: who counts as a seat. So we priced the same team on every tool: 4 people who edit and 6 who only comment, on annual billing, on the first paid plan that fits.
| Tool | Who is billed | Per month | How it adds up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable (for reference) | Team: commenters and above. Business: editors and above | $200 | Team bills all ten; Business is $180 (4 editors × $45) |
| SmartSuite | Editors only. Read-only users, commenters and form submitters are free | $60 | 4 editors × $15; the six commenters are free |
| Baserow | Premium: every collaborator. Advanced: viewers and commenters are free | $72 | Advanced, 4 editors × $18. Premium would be $100, because it bills all ten |
| Notion | Members. Guests are free but see only the pages they are invited to | $100 | 10 members × $10; less if some of the six can be guests |
| Smartsheet | Members. Contributors are free on Pro and above; guests are free on Business | $36 | 4 members × $9, if the six are Contributors |
| Appy Pie AI | Per app, not per person | $16 | Per app a month on Basic, however many people use it (a different job) |
| Google AppSheet | Every user who signs in, guests included | $50 | 10 users × $5 on Starter |
| NocoDB | Pay for up to 9 users, the rest are free; commenters are free on Plus and above | $48 | 4 editors × $12; commenters are free |
| Grist | Team members; each document can have 2 free guests | $80 | 10 members × $8; $64 if two of the six are guests |
| Microsoft Lists | Per Microsoft 365 user | $70 | 10 users × $7 on Business Basic, with email, Teams and storage included |
Worked from the prices and billing rules on each vendor’s pricing page and help centre, read on 29 September 2026. Record limits, storage and seat minimums differ between these plans, so the cheapest line is not automatically the right one. Appy Pie AI is priced per app because it builds an app for your users, not a database for your team.
The spread is wide: from $36 on Smartsheet, if the six can be Contributors, to $200 on Airtable Team. The three tools that bill editors only, SmartSuite, NocoDB and Smartsheet, come out cheapest for a team like this one. The tools that bill everyone, Notion, Google AppSheet, Grist and Microsoft Lists, land between $50 and $100: still under Airtable, but well above what an editors-only tool charges the same team.
Free Airtable Alternatives
4 of the nine have a free plan: Baserow, Notion, NocoDB and Grist. Google AppSheet is free for prototyping only, and Microsoft Lists has a preview for personal accounts. Each free plan stops somewhere specific, and the table says where, as read on 29 September 2026.
| Tool | Free plan | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| Airtable (for reference) | Yes | 1,000 records per base, 5 editors, 1,000 API calls a month, 2 weeks of history. |
| SmartSuite | Trial only | No free plan; a 14-day trial of Professional. |
| Baserow | Yes | 3,000 rows and 2 GB per workspace. |
| Notion | Yes | Unlimited for one person; 1,000 blocks in total once two or more members share the workspace; 10 guests. |
| Smartsheet | Trial only | No free plan for new signups since 28 August 2024; a 30-day trial. |
| Appy Pie AI | Trial only | No free plan; a 7-day trial. |
| Google AppSheet | Prototyping | Prototyping only, with up to 10 test users. |
| NocoDB | Yes | 3 editors, 10 commenters, 1,000 records and 1 GB. |
| Grist | Yes | 5,000 records per document, 10 team members, 3,000 API calls a month. |
| Microsoft Lists | Preview | A preview for personal Microsoft accounts; its limits are not published where we could read them. |
The most generous free cloud plan here is Grist, at 5,000 records per document; Baserow allows 3,000 rows per workspace. Airtable’s own free plan is small on records but generous on people, with 5 editors and 50 commenters. If free matters more than convenience, the honest answer is one of the self-hosted editions below.
Open-Source and Self-Hosted Airtable Alternatives
Airtable runs only in Airtable’s cloud. Three tools on this list can run on your own server, and the licence differs on each, which matters if your organisation has rules about what it may install.
Baserow
Almost all of the code is MIT-licensed, and Baserow states that the self-hosted version will never have row, storage or API request limits.
Source: Baserow user documentation, read 29 September 2026
Grist
The Community edition is under the Apache-2.0 licence, an open-source licence, and runs on your own server.
Source: Grist help centre, read 29 September 2026
NocoDB
Free to self-host with unlimited records and seats, under the Sustainable Use License, which NocoDB calls fair-code. It is not an open-source licence.
Source: NocoDB repository and pricing page, read 29 September 2026
What self-hosting costs you is not on a pricing page: a server, backups, updates and a person who owns them. For a small team without that person, the cloud plan of the same tool is usually the better buy. For a team that already runs servers, or that is not allowed to keep data in someone else’s cloud, these three are the reason to leave Airtable.
Airtable vs Notion: Which One Fits?
They are often compared and rarely interchangeable. Airtable is a database with interfaces on top. Notion is a document tool with databases inside the pages.
| Airtable | Notion | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Tables, linked records and automations | Pages, documents and a wiki, with databases inside |
| First paid plan | $20 a seat, billed annually | $10 a member, billed annually |
| Who is billed | Commenters and above on Team | Members; guests are free |
| Free plan | 1,000 records per base, 5 editors | Unlimited for one person; 1,000 blocks once two members share it |
| Import from the other | CSV | CSV, one table at a time |
Choose Notion when the records need writing around them: a roadmap with specs, a content calendar with drafts, a hiring tracker with interview notes. Stay on Airtable when the records are the work: many linked tables, automations between them and people entering data through forms and interfaces.
Airtable vs Smartsheet: Database or Project Plan?
Both look like a spreadsheet at first glance. Airtable is a flexible database that can hold a project. Smartsheet is a project tool with a spreadsheet interface.
| Airtable | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | A relational database of any shape | Projects: timelines, dependencies and reporting |
| First paid plan | $20 a seat, billed annually | $9 a member, billed yearly, up to 10 members |
| Who is billed | Commenters and above on Team | Members; Contributors are free on Pro and above |
| Free plan | Yes, 1,000 records per base | Closed to new signups since 28 August 2024; 30-day trial |
| Import from the other | CSV | No Airtable importer; Excel, CSV, Google Sheets and more |
Choose Smartsheet when the base has become a project plan that many people update and few people design. Stay on Airtable when the data does not fit the shape of a project, such as an inventory, a CRM or a content library with many linked tables.
Moving Off Airtable: Exporting Your Base
Airtable does not export a whole base as one file. Each table downloads as its own CSV. Four things stay behind: record comments, field descriptions, the base guide and any data held only in extensions. Attachments come across as links, and those links expire after a few hours, so download the files themselves before you close the account.
Several alternatives skip the CSV step and read the base directly, each with its own gaps. Google AppSheet does not move the data at all: it connects to Airtable as a live source, so you can build on it before deciding anything.
| Tool | Can it bring in an Airtable base? |
|---|---|
| SmartSuite | Yes. Import from Airtable, signed in with your Airtable account |
| Baserow | Yes, from a public share link. Automations, interfaces and row comments do not carry over |
| Notion | No importer. Import each table as a CSV |
| Smartsheet | No importer. Imports Excel, CSV, Google Sheets, Trello and Microsoft Project |
| Appy Pie AI | No Airtable connector. Export to CSV, move the data to a Google Sheet, connect the sheet |
| Google AppSheet | Connects to Airtable as a live data source on all three plans |
| NocoDB | Yes, with an Airtable token and a shared base link. Formula fields are not imported |
| Grist | Yes, the full base including attachments. Views, interfaces and forms are not included |
| Microsoft Lists | No Airtable importer found |
Export limits are from Airtable’s support article on exporting data. Import statements are from each vendor’s documentation: smartsuite.com, baserow.io, notion.com, smartsheet.com, support.google.com/appsheet, nocodb.com and support.getgrist.com, all read on 29 September 2026. We did not test an import ourselves.
A move goes more smoothly in this order: export every table and download the attachments, rebuild the links between tables in the new tool, check a sample of records against the original, and only then rebuild automations and switch your team over. Keep the Airtable base read-only for a month, in case something turns out to be missing.
Which Airtable Alternative Should You Choose?
Match your reason for leaving to one row.
| If you… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly pay for people who only comment | Airtable Business | Bills editors only, before you move anything |
| Like how Airtable works and want a lower seat bill | SmartSuite | Editors only, direct Airtable import |
| Want the data on your own server | Baserow | Mostly MIT-licensed, no limits self-hosted |
| Keep records next to documents and a wiki | Notion | Members billed, guests free |
| Run projects many people update | Smartsheet | Contributors free on Pro and above |
| Need a branded app in both stores on your records | Appy Pie AI | Priced per app, not per person (our product) |
| Are on Google Workspace and want an app without moving data | Google AppSheet | Connects to Airtable as a live source |
| Want a spreadsheet view on a database you already run | NocoDB | Works on top of your own database |
| Outgrew Airtable’s formulas | Grist | Python formulas, Apache-2.0 self-hosted |
| Already pay for Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Lists | Included, up to 30 million items per list |
Also Considered
Five more tools came up often enough to mention, and did not make the nine. monday.com is work management with a free plan for up to two seats and Basic from $9 a seat a month. ClickUp puts tasks, docs and tables in one tool, from $7 a user a month billed yearly or $10 monthly. Teable is a newer spreadsheet database with Pro at $13 and Business at $20 a month, billed yearly. Stackby is a spreadsheet database from $4.20 a month. Softr is different in kind: it builds portals and internal apps on top of Airtable, from $19 a month, so it is a way to keep Airtable, not to leave it. If what you want on top of your data is an app for customers or staff, our ranking of the best no-code platforms covers that family, and if you are leaving a code-writing tool and not a database, we ranked nine alternatives to Replit the same way.
Need Your Records in a Mobile App?
Disclosure: Appy Pie AI is our product and it is ranked fifth above. It does not replace Airtable; it builds a branded Android and iOS app on a Google Sheet, for the customers or staff who use your data. Export each Airtable table as a CSV, bring it into a Google Sheet and connect the sheet. There is no free plan and no code export, which is the trade. Our page on how to create an app from Google Sheets shows what the connection does.
Try Appy Pie AI no-code app maker Compare no-code platforms instead
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there anything better than Airtable?
It depends on why you are leaving. For the same way of working at a lower seat price, SmartSuite. To host the data yourself, Baserow or NocoDB. For records inside documents, Notion. For project plans, Smartsheet. For Python formulas, Grist. For a Microsoft 365 company, Microsoft Lists. Airtable is still the most flexible of them for relational data, so check whether a different Airtable plan fixes the problem before you move.
Is there a Microsoft equivalent to Airtable?
Microsoft Lists is the closest. It comes with Microsoft 365, and Business Basic names it among the included apps at $7 per user a month on yearly billing. A list can hold up to 30 million items. It is simpler than Airtable, and Microsoft retired its iOS and Android apps in mid-November 2025, so on a phone it runs in the browser.
Is Airtable basically Excel?
No. It looks like a spreadsheet, but underneath it is a relational database: every column has a field type, tables link to each other through linked records, and the same data can be shown as a grid, kanban, calendar or form. Excel is a calculation tool. If what you need is a better spreadsheet with a database underneath, Grist is the closest in spirit.
What are some free alternatives to Airtable?
Baserow, NocoDB, Grist and Notion all have free plans. Baserow’s free cloud plan allows 3,000 rows per workspace, NocoDB’s 1,000 records with 3 editors, and Grist’s 5,000 records per document. Baserow and Grist can also be self-hosted for free, and self-hosted Baserow has no row, storage or API limits.
Is Airtable free?
Yes, there is a free plan. It allows 5 editors and 50 commenters per workspace, 1,000 records per base, 1,000 API calls a month, 1 GB of attachments per base and two weeks of revision history. Paid plans start at $20 per seat a month on the Team plan, billed annually.
How much does Airtable cost for a team?
Team is $20 per collaborator a month billed annually, or $24 monthly, and Business is $45, or $54 monthly. The detail most teams miss is who counts: Team bills commenters, Business bills only editors. For 4 editors and 6 people who comment, Team costs $200 a month and Business $180, both on annual billing. Read-only collaborators are free on both.
Is Notion better than Airtable?
For different work. Notion is better when records need documents around them, such as a roadmap with specs or a hiring tracker with notes, and it bills members only, with free guests. Airtable is better for relational data, automations and interfaces. Notion has no Airtable importer, so each table moves as a CSV.
Is there an open-source Airtable alternative?
Yes. Baserow is almost entirely MIT-licensed and Grist’s Community edition is Apache-2.0, and both can run on your own server. NocoDB can also be self-hosted for free, but its Sustainable Use License is fair-code rather than an open-source licence, which matters if your organisation has rules about licences.
Can I export my data from Airtable?
Yes, one table at a time. Airtable does not export a whole base as a single file; each table downloads as its own CSV. Record comments, field descriptions, the base guide and data held only in extensions are not included, and attachment links in the CSV expire after a few hours, so download the files separately. Several alternatives import a base directly instead: SmartSuite, Baserow, NocoDB and Grist.
Can I turn my Airtable data into a mobile app?
Yes, in three ways. Airtable’s own iOS and Android apps give your team access to the base. Google AppSheet connects to Airtable directly and builds an app on top of it. Appy Pie AI, our product, publishes a branded app in Google Play and the App Store, connected through a Google Sheet rather than to Airtable, so you move the data into a sheet first.
Pick the Alternative That Fixes Your Reason for Leaving.
Start with the bill, because the cheapest fix may be a different Airtable plan. If it is still too high, SmartSuite, NocoDB and Smartsheet charge only for people who edit. If the problem is where the data lives, Baserow, Grist and NocoDB run on your own server, and Microsoft Lists keeps it inside Microsoft 365. If the problem is the shape of the work, Notion suits records next to documents and Smartsheet suits projects. Whatever you choose, export every table and download the attachments first, so the move costs you nothing you have already built.
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