Airtable

You start with a simple list in Excel. A few weeks later you’re struggling with endless rows, references that make no sense and the feeling that your spreadsheet could explode at any moment. Sound familiar? Then it’s time to get acquainted with Airtable.

Airtable is not an ordinary spreadsheet. It’s also not a traditional database. It’s somewhere in between: the familiarity of Excel, but with the power of a real database. And that makes it perfect for anyone who wants more than what Google Sheets can offer, but doesn’t want to become a database expert.

Airtable: the company

Airtable was founded in 2012 by Howie Liu, Andrew Ofstad and Emmett Nicholas. The headquarters is located in San Francisco, and the company now has more than 300,000 organizations as clients. From small startups to large companies like Netflix, Shopify and Time Magazine.

The mission? Make software accessible to everyone. You don’t need to be a programmer to build powerful tools. That low-code principle attracts many people who are tired of rigid systems or expensive custom software.

In 2021, Airtable raised no less than 735 million dollars, with a valuation of 11 billion dollars. They mainly use that money to develop new features, such as AI integrations and better automation. The tool is growing rapidly, and you notice that in the updates that appear regularly.

Who is Airtable for?

Airtable is broadly applicable. That makes it difficult to say exactly who it’s for, but these groups benefit most from it:

• Project managers who want to track their projects without drowning in complex software
• Marketing teams who want to manage content calendars, campaigns and assets in one place
• HR departments for recruitment pipelines, onboarding and personnel management
• Event organizers who want to streamline guest lists, budgets and planning
• Product teams for roadmaps, feature requests and bug tracking
• Freelancers and small businesses who want CRM, invoicing and project management in one system

Basically, Airtable is for anyone who has data that is too complex for a spreadsheet, but not complex enough for a fully custom system. You want flexibility without technical barriers.

What can Airtable do?

Airtable is packed with features you won’t find in a regular spreadsheet. These are the most important ones:

• Relational databases – Link tables to each other like in a real database. Think of customers linked to projects, or products to orders. This prevents duplicate data and keeps everything organized.
• Different views – View the same data as Grid (spreadsheet), Kanban (like Trello), Calendar, Gantt, Gallery or Timeline. Each view has filters and sorting that you set yourself.
• Interface Designer – Build custom dashboards and apps without code. Perfect for clients or team members who only need to see or enter certain data.
• Automations – Set up triggers like “when status changes to Done, send an email” or “automatically add a record to another table”. This saves endless manual work.
• Forms – Create input forms that directly add data to your base. Useful for intakes, registrations, or feedback.
• Sync Integrations – Synchronize data with tools like Google Calendar, Slack, Salesforce, or Jira. This keeps everything up-to-date without manual copying.
• Extensions – Add extra functionality like charts, QR codes, page designers, or external API connections. There are dozens available.
• AI features – Generate content, analyze data, or create formulas with AI. New in 2024 and works surprisingly well for simple tasks.
• Collaboration – Work in real-time with your team. Leave comments, tag colleagues, and see who changes what.
• Version history – View the history of your base and restore old versions if something goes wrong.

The beauty is that you can start small. Start with a simple table and build it out as you need more. You don’t have to understand everything right away.

What does Airtable cost?

Airtable has a free plan and three paid options. Prices are per user per month.

Free – Free forever

You get unlimited bases, but with limits: maximum 1,000 records per base, 1 GB of attachments per base, 100 automation runs per month and maximum 5 editors. For small projects or testing this is fine.

Team – € 20 per month (annually) or € 24 per month (monthly)

Here you get 50,000 records per base, 20 GB attachments per base, 25,000 automation runs per month and 3 years of revision history. You also get access to Gantt and Timeline views. This is the plan for growing teams.

Business – € 45 per month (annually) or € 54 per month (monthly)

For larger organizations. You get 125,000 records per base, 100 GB attachments, 100,000 automation runs and unlimited revision history. Plus admin panels, SAML SSO and additional extensions.

Enterprise Scale – On request

For very large organizations with extra security, support and unlimited everything. Price depends on your situation.

You can try all paid plans free for 14 days. After that, you only pay if you decide to continue. Note: if you exceed the free plan, you can’t add new records until you upgrade or delete old records.

The prices are in dollars, so exchange rates can fluctuate. For Dutch users, this sometimes means small differences in what you ultimately pay.

What should you watch out for?

Airtable is powerful, but not perfect. These are the main criticisms users mention:

The price adds up quickly. The free plan is generous, but once your team grows or you need more records, you’ll soon be paying hundreds of euros per month. There’s no affordable middle tier between free and € 20 per person. For small teams, that can be a dealbreaker.

The learning curve is steeper than you think. Yes, Airtable looks like a spreadsheet. But once you start using relational fields, formulas and automations, you really need to take the time to understand it. For non-technical teams, this can be frustrating.

The mobile app is mediocre. Many users complain that the iOS and Android apps are slow, crash often and lack features. For simple tasks like adding a record it’s okay, but complex operations are better done on desktop.

Reporting and dashboards are limited. Want advanced charts or analytics? Then you need to add external tools like Tableau or Google Data Studio. The built-in charts are basic and not very customizable.

No offline mode. Without internet you can’t do anything. That’s annoying when you’re on the go or working in locations with poor connectivity.

Automations are limited. Even on the Business plan you’re limited to 100,000 runs per month. For large teams that automate a lot, that may not be enough. Then you need to turn to external tools like Zapier or Make, which costs extra.

Despite these points, many users remain enthusiastic. The flexibility and power often outweigh the downsides. But don’t go in blind: test the free plan thoroughly before you invest.

What do others think?

The general sentiment about Airtable is positive. Users especially appreciate the flexibility and power of the platform. On review sites like G2 and Capterra, Airtable scores an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

What people love:

• The combination of spreadsheet interface with database power
• How easy it is to get started, even without technical knowledge
• The huge amount of templates for almost every use case
• Integrations with tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Zapier
• The community and support, including extensive documentation

What people find annoying:

• The price, especially for larger teams
• The mobile app that regularly crashes or is slow
• The lack of advanced reporting
• The learning curve for more complex features

On YouTube there are countless tutorials and reviews. Channels like Productive Dude, Gareth Pronovost and Dan Leeman have created extensive guides for 2025. Many reviewers emphasize that you need to let go of the “spreadsheet mindset” to use Airtable optimally. It’s not an Excel replacement, but a database tool that looks like a spreadsheet.

A frequently heard tip: start simple. First create one table, learn the basics, and then expand it. Too many people try to build a complex system right away and get frustrated.

Airtable alternatives

Airtable doesn’t quite fit what you’re looking for? These are the best alternatives:

• Notion – Choose this if you want an all-in-one workspace for notes, documents, and databases. Notion is cheaper and easier for teams that mainly want to document. But the database features are less advanced than Airtable.
• Monday.com – Choose this if you specifically want project management with ready-made workflows, task dependencies, and resource planning. Monday is more visual and more focused on projects, while Airtable is more flexible for custom use cases.
• Smartsheet – Choose this if you prefer a classic spreadsheet interface but still need enterprise features. Smartsheet is more like Excel than Airtable, but also has automation and collaboration.
• ClickUp – Choose this if you want a complete project management platform with tasks, documents, time tracking, and goals. ClickUp is broader than Airtable, but less strong in database functionality.
• Coda – Choose this if you want to combine documents and databases in one flexible platform. Coda is similar to Notion but with more powerful formulas and automation, closer to Airtable.

Each alternative has its strengths. It depends on what your priority is: flexibility, price, ease of use or specific features.

Frequently asked questions

Is Airtable free to use?

Yes, Airtable has a free plan that remains available forever. You can create unlimited bases, but you are subject to limits: maximum 1,000 records per base, 1 GB attachments per base, 100 automation runs per month and maximum 5 editors. For small projects or to get to know the tool, this is fine.

What happens if I exceed the limits of the free plan?

If you reach the limit of 1,000 records, you cannot add new records until you delete old records or upgrade to a paid plan. You won’t lose any data, but you cannot continue working. The same applies to other limits such as attachments or automation runs.

Does Airtable have a desktop app?

Yes, there are official desktop apps for macOS and Windows. These work the same as the web version but feel slightly faster. For Linux there is no official app, but the web version works excellently in any modern browser.

Can I use Airtable offline?

No, Airtable only works with an internet connection. There is no offline mode, so without internet you cannot access your data. This is a common complaint from users who work on the go.

Is Airtable suitable for large teams?

Yes, but then you need the Business or Enterprise plan. Large teams need more records, automations and users than the free or Team plan offers. The costs can quickly add up, so calculate carefully what you need.

Can I integrate Airtable with other tools?

Absolutely. Airtable has native integrations with popular tools like Slack, Google Calendar, Gmail, Salesforce and Jira. For other tools you can use Zapier, Make or the Airtable API. There are thousands of possibilities.

How secure is my data in Airtable?

Airtable takes security seriously. They use encryption, have SOC 2 Type II certification and offer SAML SSO and audit logs on higher plans. For most companies this is sufficient, but always check whether it meets your specific compliance requirements.

Conclusion

Airtable is one of the most powerful low-code tools out there. It combines the accessibility of a spreadsheet with the capabilities of a database, and that makes it perfect for teams that want more than Excel but don’t have developers in-house.

The flexibility is unmatched. Whether you’re building a CRM, managing a content calendar or setting up a recruitment pipeline: Airtable adapts to your workflow, not the other way around. And with the new AI features and improved automation it’s only getting more powerful.

But it’s not for everyone. The price can add up significantly as your team grows. The mobile app is disappointing. And the learning curve is real, especially if you want to use advanced features. If you need a simple spreadsheet, Google Sheets is cheaper and easier.

My advice: try the free plan thoroughly. Build a real use case, not just a test project. See if it fits how your team works. And calculate carefully what it costs when you scale up. For many teams Airtable is more than worth the money, but only if you actually use its power.

If you’re willing to take the time to learn it, you get a tool that can grow with your organization for years. And that’s exactly what Airtable is good at.