Your team is growing. Your projects are piling up. And those spreadsheets? They’re bursting at the seams. I tested SmartSuite intensively for three months to see if it really combines the flexibility of a database with the clarity of project management. Spoiler: it does, but not without catches.
SmartSuite: the company
SmartSuite emerged from a simple observation: teams struggle with tools that are either too rigid (traditional project management software) or too technical (pure database solutions). The platform was launched as a response to that frustration.
What makes SmartSuite different? They’re not trying to be yet another project management tool. Instead, they offer a flexible platform where you can build your own work processes. Think of Airtable, but with the visual appeal of Monday.com. Or vice versa, depending on where you’re coming from.
The company focuses on teams that want to digitize their processes without having to hire a developer right away. They are GDPR-compliant and offer HIPAA support for teams in healthcare. The latter is not unimportant if you work with sensitive data.
Who is SmartSuite actually for?
SmartSuite is built for teams stuck between two worlds. You know them: those spreadsheet lovers who know Excel no longer cuts it, but also don’t feel like dealing with yet another rigid project management tool where you have to squeeze your processes in.
Think of marketing teams that want to track campaigns, content, and budgets in one system. Or HR departments that want to streamline recruitment, onboarding, and performance reviews. Consultancy firms that want to combine client projects, time tracking, and resource planning also find what they’re looking for here.
But honestly? If you have a small team that just wants to check off tasks, this is overkill. Then you’re better off with something like Todoist or Asana. And are you a developer who wants full API control? Then Airtable will probably become your better friend.
SmartSuite requires an investment in learning time. Not months, but not ten minutes either. Count on a few days to really grasp it. That investment only pays off if you have complex processes that require customization.
SmartSuite features
Let’s take a look at what’s under the hood:
- SmartSuite AI – The AI assistant helps you with setting up workflows, generating content, and analyzing data. Type “create a project plan for a website relaunch” and you get a starting point. It’s not perfect, but it does save a lot of thinking when setting up new solutions.
- Advanced automations – This is where it gets interesting. New customer in your CRM? They automatically get an onboarding task, a welcome email, and a spot in your schedule. Someone marks a task as urgent? Then the system immediately sends a notification to your Slack. You build these flows with a visual editor, no code needed.
- Time tracking – Built-in time tracking that’s linked to your tasks and projects. Start a timer, switch between projects, and at the end of the week you see exactly where your time went. Useful for billing or just to see where your energy is leaking.
- Dashboards & Reports – This is where SmartSuite really shines. You build custom dashboards with charts, tables, and widgets that display real-time data. How many deals are in the pipeline? Which projects are running behind? What is your team’s workload? One glance and you know.
- 40+ Field Types – From simple text fields to complex relationships between databases. You have formulas, lookup fields, file uploads, location tracking, ratings, checkboxes… everything you need to build your own data structure. It feels like Excel on steroids.
- Kanban, Calendar & Timeline Views – The same data, different perspectives. Your marketer wants to see a kanban board, your manager a Gantt chart, and your designer a calendar overview? All possible, from the same data source. Everyone looks at what works for them.
Those dashboards deserve extra attention. Where many tools force you to choose between “task list” or “project overview,” SmartSuite gives you the freedom to build your own management cockpit. I’ve seen dashboards that combine real-time sales metrics with project deadlines and team capacity. You don’t often find that level of customization.
The automations are also more powerful than you’d expect. You can add conditional logic (if this, then that, else that), build in delays (wait three days before sending a reminder), and even trigger external webhooks. For non-developers, this is a huge step forward.
SmartSuite pricing
Let’s talk about money. SmartSuite has a free plan, but it’s mainly for testing. You’re limited to a maximum of 3 users, 5 solutions, 1,000 records per solution, and 100MB storage. For a real team, that’s too tight.
The Team plan costs $ 15 per user per month (or $ 12 with annual payment, so $ 144 per year). That’s the entry point for most teams. You get unlimited solutions and records, 10GB storage per user, and 1,000 automations per month.
The Professional plan jumps to $ 34 per month ($ 30 with annual payment, $ 360 per year). Here you get advanced permissions, 100GB storage per user, white-label portals, and unlimited automations. This is where SmartSuite becomes really interesting for consultancy firms or agencies that want to run client portals.
Enterprise costs $ 50 per month ($ 45 with annual payment, $ 540 per year) and adds HIPAA compliance, dedicated support, and custom contracts. Unless you’re in a heavily regulated industry, you probably don’t need this.
Is it worth it? That depends on where you’re coming from. Compared to Monday.com (starting at $ 9 per user but with much less flexibility) or Airtable (similar prices but fewer project management features), SmartSuite is in an interesting middle ground. For $ 12 per month you get a lot of functionality.
But for Dutch companies, $ 15-34 per user per month feels steep, especially as your team grows. Do the math: a team of 10 people on the Professional plan costs you $ 3,600 per year. You could also hire a dedicated developer to build a custom solution for that.
The good news: you get a 14-day trial to try it out. No credit card required. Use that time well and build a real workflow, not just a playground.
What should you watch out for?
The mobile app is disappointing. Really. You can view tasks and make simple updates, but forget about complex workflows or building new solutions. Working on the go? That gets frustrating. The app feels more like an emergency solution than a full-fledged companion.
Then there’s that learning curve. SmartSuite sells itself as “intuitive,” but let’s be honest: the first time you set up a solution with relationships between different tables, you scratch your head. It’s not rocket science, but it does require logical thinking about data structures. For people used to linear project management tools, this can feel overwhelming.
The native integrations are sparse. Yes, you have Zapier and webhooks, but forget about a long list of one-click connections like you find with Monday.com or ClickUp. Want to connect SmartSuite with your existing tool stack? Then Zapier becomes your best friend, and that costs extra money.
Speed issues emerge with large datasets. One user complained that the system became slow with more than 10,000 records in a solution. For most teams that’s not a problem, but if you want to migrate a large database, test thoroughly first.
And another thing: bulk actions are limited. Want to update 50 tasks at once? You can, but not as smoothly as in ClickUp. Power users who are used to keyboard shortcuts and bulk edits will miss this.
What do others think?
The general sentiment is positive. Users praise especially the combination of database flexibility and project management overview. “Finally a tool that unites both worlds” is a frequently heard cry.
The visually attractive interface gets many compliments. Where Airtable sometimes feels technical and boring, SmartSuite looks modern. That sounds superficial, but when you work in it daily, it makes a difference.
The customer service is consistently praised. Quick responses, helpful answers, and a team that genuinely seems to listen to feedback. For a relatively young platform, that’s not a given.
But that mobile app? The complaints are unanimous there. “Unusable for serious work” sums it up. And the speed issues with large datasets come up regularly in reviews. SmartSuite works fantastically until you reach a certain scale, then you start to feel the limitations.
YouTube reviewers are cautiously positive. Keep Productive praises the dashboards and views, but warns about the learning curve. ProcessDriven emphasizes the superior permissions compared to ClickUp, but misses the speed for power users. The pattern is clear: SmartSuite excels in flexibility and overview, but does require adjustment.
SmartSuite alternatives
Doesn’t this quite match what you’re looking for?
- Monday.com – Simpler to use but less flexible in data structure. Choose this if you want to get started quickly with traditional project management without a steep learning curve. The interface is more colorful and playful, which some teams appreciate.
- Airtable – More focus on database functionality and API integrations. Choose this if you’re looking for a pure database solution with maximum freedom for developers. The scripting capabilities are more extensive, but the project management features are more limited.
- ClickUp – Cheaper entry-level model but can be overwhelming due to too many features. Choose this if your budget is limited and you want to cram an extreme amount of features into one app. Note: that amount of options can also be paralyzing.
Frequently asked questions
Is SmartSuite GDPR and HIPAA compliant?
Yes, on both fronts. SmartSuite complies with GDPR guidelines, which means you can safely store data from European customers. HIPAA compliance is available on the higher plans, specifically for healthcare teams working with patient data. Just check whether your specific use case falls within the compliance requirements.
Can I use my own domain name?
Yes, but only starting from the Professional plan. Then you get white-label portals where you can add your own branding and domain name. Useful if you want to run client portals or use SmartSuite as part of your own product. On the lower plans you’re stuck with SmartSuite branding.
Can I change my subscription at any time?
Yes, you’re not locked in. Upgrading is immediate and takes effect right away. Downgrading is also possible, but then your current plan expires first before the change becomes active. That prevents you from losing money on an already paid subscription. Just watch out for the limits of your new plan – downgrading from Professional to Team means you’ll lose certain features.
Conclusion
SmartSuite isn’t a tool for everyone. It’s also not a tool you’ll master in an afternoon. But if your team is stuck between spreadsheets and rigid project management software, then this is exactly the bridge you need.
The strength lies in the flexibility. You build your own workflows, your own dashboards, your own automations. That does require investment in time and brainpower. For teams under five people, that’s probably overkill. For larger teams that want to digitize complex processes? Then that investment pays off.
The mobile app remains a weak point. Real mobile work isn’t possible. And the limited native integrations mean you’ll probably need Zapier on top of it. Those aren’t dealbreakers, but they are reality.
Personally? I would recommend SmartSuite to consultancy firms, marketing teams, and HR departments that want to professionalize their processes without immediately adopting an enterprise monster like Salesforce or SAP. The price-quality ratio is good, the support is excellent, and the platform grows with your ambitions. But start with that 14-day trial. Build a real workflow. Test your use case. Then you’ll know soon enough whether this becomes your new workplace.
