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Airtable alternatives

9 projects to consider for your Airtable workflows.

7 open source · 1 source-available · 1 custom license

Explore Baserow, Directus and AITable. Each takes a different approach to your Airtable workflows. Read its capabilities and limitations to find the right fit.

Catalogue facts checked August 31, 2026

Baserow

No-code database and application builder you can host

Open sourceMITSelf-hosted

Teams that outgrow spreadsheets but must keep data on infrastructure they control will get the most from Baserow. Its no-code database combines grid, gallery, kanban, and form views with an API, webhooks, field-level permissions, and free self-hosting, and hosted plans start at EUR 8 per user per month. The price of that independence is a thinner ecosystem, so teams needing native automations, offline access, or Airtable-scale templates should stay with Airtable or pair Baserow with an automation tool. If you can run Docker or need EU-hosted data control, choose Baserow; if you need zero operations and the deepest integrations, choose Airtable.[1][2][3]

Good fit. Teams running operations in spreadsheets who need permissions, an API, and multiple views over the same data will feel at home quickly.[1][2]

Keep in mind. The agency review reports no native built-in automations at review time and routes scheduled or multi-step workflows through n8n, Zapier, or Make, which adds a second tool to own.[1]

Repository review signals: unknown status, very stale · Observed August 31, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 7, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

One inspected independent report: the LOW/CODE agency Baserow review drawn from client implementations, covering self-hosting, EU data residency, pricing, and scoped gaps against Airtable and NocoDB. Purposive sample of one inspected independent agency review based on client work, not a prevalence estimate. No original Reddit/G2 firsthand report was inspectable within the research budget, so no testimonials are quoted. Managed-cloud and non-technical end-user experiences are not represented.

  1. Baserow: the no-code database you can host

    official · Observed October 7, 2026

    Official homepage: no-code positioning, views, AI, collaboration, templates, dashboards, application builder, API and webhooks, field-level permissions, enterprise controls, open-source code badge.

  2. Baserow pricing

    official · Observed October 7, 2026

    Official pricing: free self-hosted tier, hosted Premium EUR 8/user/mo annual, Advanced EUR 16/user/mo annual, row limits, AI credit overages excl. VAT.

  3. Baserow Review: Is It the Right Open-Source Database Tool?

    community · Observed October 7, 2026

    Independent agency review from client work: self-hosting and EU residency strengths, per-user pricing, and scoped gaps on automations, offline mode, and ecosystem depth vs Airtable.

Directus

A content platform that wraps your existing SQL database

Source-availableBUSL-1.1Self-hosted

Directus fits teams that already own a SQL database and want an admin app plus REST and GraphQL APIs over it without migrating data. Editors get a friendly Data Studio with dashboards, developers get auto-generated APIs and an SDK, and cost-conscious teams can self-host free under BUSL-1.1 or start Cloud at $15 per project. Choose Contentful or Airtable instead when you want fully managed content infrastructure without operating a database.[1][2][3]

Good fit. Teams with a live database and an app to feed: the same tables can serve an existing application and a new editorial interface at once, which is the brownfield case Directus is built for.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Teams expecting a pure open-source licence: Directus is source-available under BUSL-1.1, not OSI-approved open source, so licence-sensitive adopters must read the terms.[1][2]

Repository review signals: unknown status, very stale · Observed August 31, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 9, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. Directus homepage (official)

    official · Observed October 9, 2026

    Official homepage: backend-platform positioning, wrap-existing-database definition, Data Studio, Analyse dashboards, JavaScript SDK, self-host and Cloud framing.

  2. Directus documentation (official)

    official · Observed October 9, 2026

    Official documentation: connect-to-existing-database quickstart, auto REST and GraphQL APIs, self-host requirements (Node.js 20/22, Docker, supported SQL vendors), BUSL-1.1 licence.

  3. Directus pricing (official)

    official · Observed October 9, 2026

    Official pricing: free-forever self-hosted Community, Cloud Standard $15 and Pro $99 per project per month, unlimited projects and roles, Power Pack, SOC 2 Type II and GDPR statements.

AITable

Visual database that turns tables into collaborative apps and automations

Open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-hostedManaged hosting

AITable suits teams that want Airtable-style visual tables with self-hosting and API-first extension. Teams needing a simple tracker or fixed pricing should weigh the hosted space plans and the operational cost of self-hosting.[1][2]

Good fit. Teams keeping projects, CRM, or operations records in linked visual tables.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Self-hosting runs through Docker and remains the operator's responsibility, so teams without infrastructure capacity may prefer the hosted cloud.[1][2]

Repository review signals: visibility change, fork change, unknown status, very stale · Observed October 2, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 7, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. AITable - AI Database for Next-Gen Team Collaboration

    official · Observed October 7, 2026

    Official AITable homepage: product definition, views, forms, automations, integrations, AI features, permissions, templates, enterprise governance, deployment options, and open-source APITable origin.

  2. apitable/apitable repository

    official · Observed October 7, 2026

    Public APITable repository page: open-source low-code platform, datasheet views, form, dashboard, automation, API-first panel, embed, real-time collaboration, permissions, Docker deployment, and star count.

Grist

Spreadsheet UI over a relational database you can self-host

Open sourceApache-2.0Self-hostedManaged hosting

Teams that outgrew flat spreadsheets and need linked records with row-level access control benefit most from Grist. Its Python formulas, granular access rules, REST API, and self-hostable Apache-2.0 core give small technical teams database power without building an app. The tradeoff is real builder effort: formulas, rules, and self-hosting assume someone comfortable with that work, and Grist is a browser UI with no documented native or offline clients. If you must self-host tabular data or want portable Python-backed records, choose Grist; if you want zero-admin SaaS simplicity with the largest template ecosystem, choose Airtable.[1][2][3][4]

Good fit. Teams that outgrew flat spreadsheets: linked records, lookups, and multi-view layouts handle project and inventory tracking that breaks down in single-sheet files, without commissioning custom software.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Non-technical teams wanting zero-formula simplicity: Python formulas, access-rule logic, and API or webhook integration assume builder comfort, so a fully managed competitor with a gentler learning curve fits better where nobody wants that job.[1][2]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 11, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

Zero inspected firsthand reports: one original r/selfhosted discussion and the G2 review listing were located but both were access-blocked at observation time, so no quotation or report analysis is included. No community sample was inspected; all experience-adjacent statements are editorial inferences from official documentation, not prevalence estimates. An uninspected video title suggesting SSO was removed from the Community Edition corroborates the documented Enterprise-only custom SSO rather than contradicting it.

  1. Grist homepage (official)

    official · Observed October 5, 2026

    Official homepage: relational-spreadsheet positioning, linked records, Python formulas, views, access rules, REST API and webhooks, Docker self-hosting with SQLite and S3-compatible storage, templates, hosted SaaS plans. Reused from prior ledger (observed 2026-10-05).

  2. Grist pricing (official)

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official pricing page: Free, Pro, Premium, Team, and Enterprise tiers; paid tiers per user per month; Enterprise custom-priced with consultation, dedicated region, admin API, audit log, priority support. Tier structure re-verified live on 2026-10-11.

  3. gristlabs/grist-core repository

    official · Observed October 5, 2026

    gristlabs/grist-core repository: Apache-2.0 license, TypeScript/Python/Node.js stack, SAML/SSO support, homepage link to getgrist.com confirming canonical identity. Reused from prior ledger (observed 2026-10-05).

  4. What are the differences between Grist and Airtable?

    official · Observed October 5, 2026

    Official Grist-vs-Airtable comparison: shared workflows (linked records, lookups, access rules, API, Gantt) and differences (Python vs proprietary formulas, charting, self-hosting), with migration and template resources. Reused from prior ledger (observed 2026-10-05).

  5. Grist: free open source alternative to Airtable (r/selfhosted discussion)

    community · Observed October 11, 2026

    Original public user discussion on r/selfhosted; permalink confirmed via a public forum citation but page content could not be inspected (login-walled at observation time), so no quotation is taken from it.

  6. Grist reviews on G2

    community · Observed October 11, 2026

    G2 review listing for Grist; page returned an access error at observation time, so no excerpt is taken from it.

Mathesar

Spreadsheet-like interface for Postgres data

Open sourceGPL-3.0Self-hostedManaged hosting

Mathesar suits teams that already run Postgres and want colleagues to view, edit, and query that data through a familiar spreadsheet without duplicating the stack. Its native schemas, role-based permissions, and no-code Data Explorer carry the recommendation, while self-hosting duty and an early-beta single-user Cloud bound it. Teams without database capacity should weigh a managed no-code base instead.[1][2][3]

Good fit. Teams with a Postgres database and non-technical colleagues: admins keep the database while business users get a grid they already understand, under the same permissions.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Teams with no Postgres and no appetite to run one: Mathesar is a Postgres interface, not a hosted database, so adopting it means operating or renting Postgres first.[1]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 11, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. Mathesar - Open source UI for Postgres databases

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official homepage: open-source spreadsheet UI over Postgres, self-hosting, nonprofit maintenance, install and Cloud entry points, repository star badge.

  2. How Mathesar Works

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official product page: native Postgres schemas and role permissions, no-SQL exploration, spreadsheet UI, import/export, Docker setup.

  3. Mathesar Cloud pricing

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official Cloud pricing: $0 single-user beta, forthcoming Team, custom Dedicated with support; self-hosting free forever under GPL.

NocoBase

Open-source AI and no-code platform for business systems

Open sourceApache-2.0Self-hosted

Teams that want to own their data and escape per-record SaaS pricing benefit most from NocoBase. Its pairing of a WYSIWYG no-code interface with a coding-agent CLI builds data models, pages, workflows, and permissions on infrastructure the team controls. The material constraint is strings attached to openness: supplementary license terms restrict SaaS redistribution and branding removal, and SSO plus dedicated support sit behind one-time commercial payments. If you need a self-hosted system you fully control, choose NocoBase; if you want zero-ops convenience with a large template ecosystem, stay with Airtable.[1][2][3][4]

Good fit. Teams hitting Airtable per-record pricing, the 50,000-record base cap, or customization walls get a documented CSV and API migration path to a system they own.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Teams wanting zero operations should avoid it: CLI installation on Node 22 with a database and plugin management is real self-hosting work.[1][2][3]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 11, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. NocoBase homepage

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official homepage: product positioning, solution tracks, docs/demo/forum links, and the canonical GitHub repository link.

  2. NocoBase README

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    README: AI plus no-code positioning, supported coding agents, CLI quick start, and weekly release-note cadence.

  3. NocoBase root package.json

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Root package metadata: Apache-2.0 license declaration, Node >= 22 engine, and React client dependencies.

  4. NocoBase pricing

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Pricing page: free Community self-hosting, $800 Standard and $8,000 Professional one-time payments, SSO providers, database sources, and dedicated support rows.

  5. NocoBase license agreement

    official · Observed October 11, 2026 · Published February 24, 2026

    License agreement: Apache 2.0 incorporation with branding-retention and no-SaaS supplementary terms plus commercial license rights.

  6. NocoBase vs Airtable

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Vendor comparison article: Airtable limits that trigger a switch and the CSV-import or API-connection migration path with switching FAQ.

NocoDB

No-code spreadsheet interface over your own database

Custom licenseSustainable Use LicenseSelf-hostedManaged hosting

Teams paying Airtable per-seat prices for internal tracking benefit most from NocoDB. Its connect-your-own-database model, role-based access, multi-view layouts, and webhook/API automations give small technical teams database power without rebuilding internal tools. The tradeoff is real: the January 2026 relicense to the Sustainable Use License restricts commercial use of newer code, and advanced tools need a paid edition. If you must keep tabular data on your own infrastructure or want API access to everything, choose NocoDB; if you want zero-admin SaaS simplicity with the largest template ecosystem, choose Airtable.[1][2][3][4]

Good fit. Teams outgrowing Airtable per-seat pricing: the guided importer plus matching views, roles, and automations fit internal trackers whose record counts outgrew the pricing model before outgrowing the product.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Commercial users wanting OSI-approved open source: code from January 2026 onward carries the Sustainable Use License, which limits use to internal business or non-commercial purposes, so teams needing an OSI-approved license should look elsewhere.[1][2]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 11, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 11, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. NocoDB homepage (official)

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official homepage: no-code spreadsheet-database positioning over own or hosted store, million-row scale, GitHub/docs/API links, Airtable import flow with 20k+ bases, pricing and community channels.

  2. NocoDB pricing (official)

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    Official pricing: cloud Free/Plus/Business/Scale/Enterprise tiers with quotas; Business adds external DB connections, private bases, SAML SSO; Enterprise adds CSM, onboarding, priority support, invoice billing; self-hosted Community free with paid tiers.

  3. nocodb/nocodb repository

    official · Observed October 11, 2026

    nocodb/nocodb repository README: Docker/Binary/Compose installs, spreadsheet features, app-store automations, REST APIs plus SDK, Sustainable Use License section, official-site cross-link confirming identity.

  4. NocoDB LICENSE.md (official)

    official · Observed October 11, 2026 · Published January 29, 2026

    Current LICENSE.md: Sustainable Use License 1.0 since January 29, 2026; internal-business or non-commercial use only; free-of-charge non-commercial distribution; other branches unlicensed.

Rowy

Low-code backend with a spreadsheet UI on your Firestore data

Open sourceApache-2.0Self-hostedManaged hosting

Firebase teams that want a spreadsheet-style console over their own Firestore data benefit most from Rowy: a familiar table UI, in-browser JS/TS functions, and data that stays in your cloud project. It assumes real Firebase ownership and connectivity, so non-Firebase teams and anyone wanting zero-setup or offline use should look elsewhere.[1][2][3]

Good fit. Firebase teams needing a spreadsheet CMS over Firestore: editors work in a familiar table UI while data lives in the existing database.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Teams not on Firebase or Google Cloud: Rowy assumes an operator-owned project with Firestore and Firebase Authentication, so other stacks gain little.[1][2]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 12, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 12, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

  1. Rowy homepage (official)

    official · Observed October 12, 2026

    Official homepage: low-code backend positioning, spreadsheet UI with 30-plus field types, in-browser JS/TS logic with any npm package or API, data staying in the operator cloud project, live demo, BuildShip successor pointer.

  2. Welcome to Rowy docs (official)

    official · Observed October 12, 2026

    Docs welcome page: open-source low-code platform for product backends, Firestore database CMS on a spreadsheet UI, low-code cloud functions, templates, JS/TS plus npm extensibility, third-party APIs and webhooks, API reference.

  3. Rowy setup docs (official)

    official · Observed October 12, 2026

    Setup docs: installs on the operator Google Cloud/Firebase project in minutes via rowy.app or manual source install; requires Firestore and Firebase Authentication with a GCP service account.

Teable

AI spreadsheet for business on real PostgreSQL

Open sourceAGPL-3.0Self-hostedManaged hosting

Self-hostable Airtable-style database on real PostgreSQL. Teable is a no-code database platform that pairs a spreadsheet-style interface with real PostgreSQL storage. It offers grid, form, kanban, gallery, and calendar views, automations, a documented REST API, and AI chat and field-filling, deployable as Teable Cloud or self-hosted under AGPL-3.0.[1][2]

Good fit. If linked records, typed fields, and multi-view bases already run your operations, Teable keeps that workflow on your own Postgres with a usable free cloud tier. This fit is inferred from the airtable-alternative positioning and plan ladder, not stated by the vendor.[1][2]

Keep in mind. Standalone self-host covers tables, collaboration, API, and automation but excludes AI chat, agents, and the app builder, so teams wanting AI on the lightest deployment should look elsewhere.[1]

Repository review signals: unknown status, stale · Observed October 13, 2026.

Read project review Official website
Sources and editorial review

Source research. Reviewed on October 13, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.

We have not run or tested this product.

Inspected sample: official teable.ai homepage and pricing, teableio/teable README and repo metadata, help.teable.ai deployment and API docs. No community review sources were inspected. No Reddit originals or G2 reports about Teable were inspected during intake research, so no testimonial-grade community quotes are included. No individual community threads were reviewed.

  1. Teable official site

    official · Observed October 13, 2026

    Homepage headline: AI Spreadsheet for Business; spreadsheet UI over live data with AI workflows and custom apps; cloud or fully self-hosted.

  2. Teable Pricing

    official · Observed October 13, 2026

    Cloud plans: Free $0, Pro $13-24/seat/month, Business $20-36/seat/month with rows, automation runs, credits, attachments; Business adds SSO, custom app domain, authority matrix, domain verification.

  3. teableio/teable README

    official · Observed October 13, 2026

    Community Edition free for self-hosting under AGPL-3.0 (packages/ MIT); Postgres-backed collaboration with five view types, formulas, automations, API, real-time collab, attachments, import/export, SQL query; three deployment routes.

  4. GitHub repo metadata teableio/teable

    official · Observed October 13, 2026

    Repo teableio/teable, homepage teable.ai, primary language TypeScript, not archived or disabled; topics include airtable, airtable-alternative, no-code, postgres, spreadsheet.

  5. Teable Deployment guide

    official · Observed October 13, 2026

    Comparison of Teable Cloud, full-featured self-host (Docker machine or Kubernetes), and standalone self-host (app plus PostgreSQL); AI features excluded from standalone.

  6. Teable community surface (not inspected)

    community · Observed October 13, 2026

    Community forum URL recorded from the official site navigation. No threads or reports were inspected or quoted; listed only to record the community surface.

Compare Airtable alternatives

Known catalogue facts at a glance. Columns with no reviewed values are omitted. “Not reviewed” means unknown, not that a capability is absent.

Known facts for Airtable alternatives
ProjectLicense policyHostingDeploymentOfflineEnterprise supportBest fit
BaserowMIT · OSI-approvedSelf-hostedNot reviewedNot reviewedNot reviewedNot reviewed
DirectusBUSL-1.1 · source-availableSelf-hostedNot reviewedNot reviewedNot reviewedNot reviewed
AITableAGPL-3.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hosted + ManagedmoderateNot reviewedYesKeeping project, CRM, and operations records in linked visual tables; Collecting form responses and routing follow-ups with automations and integrations
GristApache-2.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hosted + ManagedmoderateNot reviewedYesProject and inventory tracking that outgrew flat spreadsheets; Teams needing row-level access control on shared tables
MathesarGPL-3.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hosted + ManagedeasyNot reviewedYesGiving non-technical teammates a spreadsheet UI over an existing Postgres database; Managing inventories, grants, timesheets, or support queues in linked tables
NocoBaseApache-2.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hostedmoderateNot reviewedYesSelf-hosted CRM, project, ticketing, and HR systems; Teams outgrowing Airtable per-record pricing and record limits
NocoDBSustainable Use License · customSelf-hosted + ManagedeasyNot reviewedYesTurning an existing Postgres or MySQL database into a governed no-code workspace; Replacing Airtable seats with role-based tables, views, and webhook automations
RowyApache-2.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hosted + ManagedmoderateNoNot reviewedFirebase teams needing a spreadsheet CMS over Firestore; Low-code backend automations with cloud functions
TeableAGPL-3.0 · OSI-approvedSelf-hosted + ManagedmoderateNot reviewedNot reviewedAirtable-style team databases on your own Postgres; Internal tools with AI-assisted data workflows

Before you switch

  • Check that the project covers the workflows and data you need to move.
  • Confirm that the license terms fit how you plan to run, modify, and distribute it.
  • Choose between self-hosting responsibility and a reviewed managed option.
  • Open the project page for repository freshness, review dates, and any unresolved requirements.

Browse by requirements

Explore projects grouped around common requirements.

Best overall by organic score

Baserow, Directus

About Airtable

Airtable let non-engineers build relational data models without knowing they were doing it. Linked records, typed fields, and multiple views over one table cover an enormous amount of internal tooling that would otherwise be a spreadsheet or a small application.

Pricing is per seat and per record, which is where it gets expensive quickly. Many teams reach a point where the data outgrows the pricing model before it outgrows the product.

Airtable · Free tier, paid from $20/seat/month · Checked August 31, 2026

Official website
How this list is ordered

Recommended · Organic catalogue order.

A deterministic editorial score using relationship confidence, category fit, logarithmic popularity, as-of maintenance and freshness, with bounded anomaly quarantine and known-data penalties. Payment is fixed at zero.

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