Airtable and Baserow are two powerful Nocode database tools. But which one is best suited to your specific needs? Understanding the nuances of each platform is essential to making the right choice. This in-depth comparison will provide you with the information you need to inform your decision.

What is Airtable?

Airtable is a hybrid collaboration platform that combines the functionality of a database with that of a spreadsheet. Launched in 2012, it has more than 200,000 corporate customers. It allows the integration of various types of data and media, and connects to more than 1,000 third-party applications. Its flexibility makes it a popular choice for project management, CRMs, and many other uses.

What is Baserow?

Baserow, launched in 2020, is an open-source Nocode database tool. It now has more than 20,000 active users, thanks to its collaborative platform to digitize workflows and automate processes, without the restrictions imposed by proprietary software licenses. Organizing data into easy-to-manage tables, the platform stands out for its ability to integrate various tools such as Zapier, Make, and n8n thanks to an API-driven architecture. ‍

Airtable and Baserow comparison

Comparison of detailed features

User interface

The platforms are similar. They are web-based and combine the features of a spreadsheet with those of a workflow tool. They are designed to be intuitive and easy to use, even for those unfamiliar with databases.

User experience

Both offer a modern, accessible interface, with Nocode and Lowcode features. They are designed to be visually appealing and easy to use. They also support real-time development for Web collaboration. Baserow offers great flexibility thanks to its free access to code, but Airtable is very easy to get to grips with and offers more native integrations and automated features that can enhance the user experience of non-technical teams.

Automation

Automation is one ofAirtable's greatest strengths. It offers built-in automations that allow users to create triggers and actions. It integrates with over 1,000 third-party applications thanks to platforms such as Zapier, n8n and Make.

In the Team plan, the platform offers up to 25,000 automations per base every month. This allows companies to automate a large number of tasks without having to worry about limits.

Thanks to its free access to code and API-based architecture, Baserow can be integrated with a multitude of tools and platforms. This offers great flexibility for creating customized automations.

Since the platform is self-hosted, automation limits depend largely on the resources of the user's server.

Being more developer-oriented, the tool can offer more complex and customizable automations. However, this may require technical expertise to maximize its potential.

App builder

Airtable offers the Interface Designer, a tool that enables teams to build applications to optimize their workflows. These applications are based on the same data sources and are updated in real time.

With this tool, users can create a simplified, visual "front door" for their shared data. This enables employees to make decisions based on the most relevant information, without being overwhelmed by an excess of information. If you want to go further, here's a guide to creating Interface Designers.

As for Baserow, it does not have a specific tool comparable to Airtable's Interface Designer, which forces the user to go through external data visualization tools to connect to the different tables.

Cost

Here's a comparison of plans and prices for both platforms to help you make the right choice.

Baserow price if self-hosted :

Baserow Saas prices :

If you'd like to find out more about the platform's prices and features, here's their dedicated page.

Airtable Award :

If you'd like to find out more about their pricing, here's their dedicated page.

Privacy & Security

User information is stored on Airtable servers. The company manages security updates.

In contrast, Baserow offers self-hosting, meaning that users can store their data on their own servers.

Open Source

Baserow is an open-source solution, which means that its code is publicly available and can be modified and adapted as needed. This is not the case with Airtable.

Database features

Airtable offers advanced spreadsheets with customizable views, fields, and filters. Baserow offers similar features, but with the ability to expand its capabilities by creating plugins, it is necessary to have development knowledge to create them.

Designed for scaling

Airtable offers 500,000 records called "records" per base in the Enterprise plan, which is a significant advantage for scaling.

Baserowl allows you to be scalable if it is self-hosted.

API

Airtable has APIs that easily integrate with Make, Zapier, and n8n. This is not the case with Baserow, where on the contrary, the competing tool is API-driven, which means that each feature can be an integration point for automation as long as you have the technical knowledge to achieve this integration. Baserow also integrates with Make, Zapier, and n8n.

AI

For $6/month, Airtable offers the possibility of integrating artificial intelligence into your workflows with the Team, Business and Enterprise Scale packages. This option can be used to facilitate complex automation operations, generate draft content or translate texts. Baserow has not yet developed its own artificial intelligence. 

License

Airtable uses a proprietary license, which means that the source code of their software is not freely available to the public. Baserow, on the other hand, uses the MIT license, which allows users to access, modify, and use the code.

Which platform is right for me?

Baserow

If you value customization, open source and self-hosting capabilities, this is the platform for you. Its free access to code gives you the freedom to adapt it to your needs, and its API-driven platform facilitates integration with other systems.

Airtable

If you want a very comprehensive database, automation, and application building tool that is accessible to non-technical teams, this is really an ideal tool. It is considered today as one of the leading Nocode tools on the market.

Beyond these key aspects, the tool is very accessible for its users.

Conclusion

The choice between the two tools largely depends on your specific needs and what you value most in a tool. If customization, open source and self-hosting are important to you, Baserow is an excellent option. On the other hand, if you're looking for a well-known solution with a large user community and numerous integrations, Airtable is hard to beat. Either way, both platforms offer impressive features that can transform the way you manage your data and collaborate with your team.