Airtable alternatives: 5 free & open-source picks
Compare recorded free and open-source options, their capabilities and operating requirements. Source dates are shown below; licenses, hosted limits and project activity can change.
The obvious escape hatch is staying put: five editors and 1,000 records per base, with forms, interfaces, and small automations.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup; optional macOS or Windows desktop client
enginesAirtable Omni/AI is available only subject to plan/workspace settings; underlying models are not specified for the Free alternative
dataBases and attachments live in Airtable's cloud; each table/view can be exported as CSV, but there is no single-file full-base export
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs AirtableIt is the same product with strict record, attachment, automation, revision-history, and advanced-interface limits that a paid Airtable base can quickly exceed.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Airtable with fewer ornaments: 3,000 rows, forms, views, automations, and a small app builder for $0.
licenseMIT
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup
dataTables, application definitions, uploads, and workspace metadata live in Baserow Cloud; tables can be exported as CSV
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs AirtableBaserow has a much smaller integration, automation, extension, and polished Interface Designer ecosystem than Airtable.
facts verified 2026-08-10
A less spreadsheet-shaped Airtable replacement with relational databases, forms, views, formulas, and 250 automations for ten people.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup
enginesFibery AI is vendor-managed; the free plan includes limited AI/automation credits, but Fibery does not publish a fixed underlying model list for the free plan
dataWorkspace databases, documents, whiteboards, and files live in Fibery's cloud; a full-space export produces Markdown, CSV, and file folders
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs AirtableFibery is less spreadsheet-like and has a steeper data-modeling learning curve, with weaker public forms and lightweight interface building than Airtable.
facts verified 2026-08-10
A serious grid with 10,000 rows, forms, automations, scripts, and an app builder before it asks for money.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup for SeaTable Cloud
dataBases live in SeaTable Cloud and can be exported as proprietary .dtable containers containing JSON plus an asset folder; individual tables or views export to XLSX
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs AirtableSeaTable's interface and integration ecosystem is less polished and broad than Airtable's, especially for teams relying on marketplace extensions and automations.
facts verified 2026-08-10
An Airtable-shaped database with 1,000 rows, 100 automations, and a real app builder on the free plan.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup
enginesVendor-hosted AI and App Builder features use Teable's configured model services and free-plan credits; the exact model roster can change
dataBases, records, attachments, automation state, and app definitions live in Teable Cloud; bases can be backed up as .tea files and tables exported as CSV
setup✓ installs clean
the catch vs AirtableTeable closely matches the grid, but its integrations, automations, extensions, and polished interfaces remain notably less mature than Airtable's.
facts verified 2026-08-10
latest recorded source check 2026-08-10 · check current terms at the source
NocoDB CommunityThe grid and forms are real; Airtable-style automations and interfaces are not in the free Community product.
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, macos, windows, ios, android | — | — |
| Baserow Free | MIT | they host it | web | — | — |
| Fibery Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web, macos, windows, browser-extension | — | — |
| SeaTable Free | proprietary, free | they host it | web | — | — |
| Teable Free | AGPL-3.0 | they host it | web | — | — |
They pay because non-engineers can turn data into workflows without asking for a custom app. The recorded subscription totals $288 a year before any costs of an alternative.
Questions about these alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Airtable?
Yes: Airtable Free, Baserow Free, Fibery Free and 2 more. These are recorded free or open-source options. Compare their feature limits, licenses, hosting costs and current availability before choosing.
Should I just build my own Airtable?
Our verdict is KINDA. A spreadsheet database CRUD app is buildable, but Airtable's views, permissions, automations, interfaces, forms, sync, and integrations are broad. Review the scope, implementation prompt and trade-offs in the Airtable build guide.
