5 Best Airtable Alternatives: Find Your Perfect Match

Airtable is known as a flexible, user-friendly platform blending spreadsheet functions with database capabilities. However, depending on specific needs, businesses and developers may seek alternatives that offer different features, customization, or pricing options. Below, we'll explore some top Airtable alternatives to help you make an informed choice for your workflow and application development needs.

1. UI Bakery

Best use case: custom web apps and internal tools.

UI Bakery is a well-known choice in a low-code community as a platform designed to build custom web apps and internal tools for various purposes. The best thing about the tool is that it goes much beyond spreadsheet-style functionalities, allowing users to connect to databases, create dashboards, automate workflows, and customize the UI and UX of their applications. UI Bakery supports a rich set of integrations, including SQL and REST API, making it an excellent choice for those who want to manage complex data within a user-friendly interface.

Key features:

• Customizable UI: drag-and-drop editor to build tailored user interfaces without coding knowledge.
• Data source integrations: Connects seamlessly with MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, and other data sources.
• Automation and workflows: Set up automated actions and workflows based on user-defined triggers.
• Advanced permissions: Control user roles and access, making it suitable for team collaborations and secure data handling.
• Data visualization: Build dashboards and visualizations to make data insights clear and actionable.
• Templates: UI Bakery has a rich selection of templates, including Airtable dashboard.

UI Bakery is one of the strongest alternatives to Airtable and will be a perfect match for teams looking for a powerful, customizable platform to build bespoke internal tools or applications beyond what Airtable's spreadsheet/database hybrid provides. In addition, UI Bakery allows developers to inject custom code if needed, offering flexibility for more advanced use cases.

2. Notion

Best use case: project management and personal knowledge bases.

Notion has quickly become a go-to choice for teams and large organizations who want to better organize tasks, databases, and project management workflows in a single platform. Being based on a modular approach, Notion allows users to build pages and databases, add timelines and Kanban boards, and customize layouts to fit specific needs. Notion’s simple and understandable but may require a learning curve for those not familiar with the app's working flow.

Key features:

• Flexible databases: Customize database layouts with list, board, calendar, and table views.
• Rich text editing functionality: Embed files, code, videos, and images directly into pages.
• Collaboration: Real-time editing, commenting, and team collaboration tools.
• Templates: Pre-made templates for various use cases, including project management, knowledge base, and habit tracking.
• Pricing: Freemium model with a free plan suitable for personal use and affordable plans for teams.

Notion's extensive customization options make it a versatile choice, although it lacks the same level of API integration and data processing power when compared to Airtable vs UI Bakery.

3. ClickUp

Best use case: task management with database features.

ClickUp was designed specifically for project and task management. However, it also includes database functionalities that are pretty similar to Airtable. ClickUp's app combines lists, Gantt charts, and boards to help teams manage complex workflows effectively. It's particularly popular among teams that need a high level of detail and control in their task management.

Key features:

• Custom fields: Add fields to tasks and lists, creating mini-databases within the project.
• Automation: Set triggers for repetitive actions within the platform.
• Multiple view options: Choose between Kanban, list, Gantt, and calendar views for task management.
• Goal tracking: Track progress toward goals and milestones.
• Time tracking: Built-in time tracking and productivity features.

ClickUp is a great fit for small, medium, and large teams seeking task-oriented workflows and want to switch from Airtbale to a more advanced alternative. However, ClickUp may lack some of the broader API integrations that Airtable and UI Bakery can offer.

4. Coda

Best use case: document-driven workspaces and teams who need flexible workflows.

Coda is an all-in-one doc that allows users to turn documents into interactive applications. The tool has a strong focus on transforming documents into dynamic workspaces. Cod offers tables, buttons, automation, and formula-based features allowing users to build sophisticated workflows. Working as a powerful database tool, Coda also enables integrations with various apps and interactive dashboards.

Key features:

• Interactive documents: Create documents with buttons, tables, and interactive elements.
• Integration-friendly: Connects to Google Calendar, Slack, and other commonly used tools.
• Automation: Set up automation to trigger actions, like sending notifications or modifying data.
• Custom views and filtering: Flexible table and list views that make data organization easy.
• Formulas and conditional logic: Similar to spreadsheet logic, allowing for custom calculations and complex workflows.

Cod is the best match for teams that heavily rely on documentation and who want to build interactive workflows. With its intuitive interface, Coda will be great for beginners.

5. Stackby

Best use case: database-driven projects with a need for API integrations.

Stackby's functionality combines strong database capabilities, making it a great Airtable alternative. The tool was specifically built for teams looking for API integrations and a similar spreadsheet-like interface but want more customization options. Stackby provides an extensive template library and supports various types of workflows, such as CRM, project management, and social media management.

Key features:

• API connectivity: Link tables to external APIs to pull real-time data from tools like YouTube, Mailchimp, and more.
• Templates: Templates tailored for multiple workflows, including marketing, sales, and development.
• Automation: Automate actions and populate fields with real-time data from APIs.
• Multiple view options: Kanban, calendar, and gallery views are available to make data easier to navigate.

Stackby will be an ideal choice for smaller teams who need to integrate live data and automation directly into their tables.The tool may lack some of the design flexibility offered by UI Bakery for custom interfaces.

Last thoughts

While Airtable is a powerful tool, each alternative brings unique advantages. UI Bakery is one of the strongest Airtable competitors and a solid choice for those seeking to build more sophisticated, fully customized web applications with flexible database integrations and a drag-and-drop interface tailored to business needs.

For project management, Notion and ClickUp offer robust task tracking with flexible database functionality, while Codais best for document-driven teams that need interactive documents and complex workflows. Finally, Stackby caters to users looking for API integrations and a simplified, Google-friendly experience.