Stackby

Build a small table-based operational tracker with views and API columns

KINDA · partial replacement
price $9/mo per seatsubscription / year $108estimated build time multi-dayreplaced by 0 people

The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Stackby, build a small table-based operational tracker with views and API columns. The hard boundary is templates, integrations, api columns, collaboration, and hosted sync, plus data model flexibility, collaboration, and integrations.

Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability

What you give up

  • templates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync
  • real-time multiplayer
  • automation and integration breadth
  • scale and formula depth
  • enterprise permissions

Why people still pay

People still pay for Stackby because teams pay when a flexible database becomes a shared operational system with integrations and years of accumulated business logic. The recurring cost buys schema changes, formulas, permissions, imports, attachments, views, APIs, concurrency, backups, and migrations, not just the visible interface.

Your build guide

The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.

Before you start

  • Runtime and tools: TypeScript, React, Node and PostgreSQL with workspace membership enforced on the server.
  • Before starting: A PostgreSQL database, session authentication, two isolated example workspaces and private attachment storage.
01
TypeScript, React, Node and PostgreSQL with workspace membership enforced on the server
02
Data design: Store Table, Column, Record, LookupConfig and Observation; fetched values retain timestamps/source and never overwrite manual fields without an explicit mapping.
03
Setup: A PostgreSQL database, session authentication, two isolated example workspaces and private attachment storage
engineering roadmap

Implementation plan

1

Phase 1

Pin the working slice and create its example input: Create a small operations table with typed fields and one read-only API lookup column whose refresh state is visible per row. Confirm setup: A PostgreSQL database, session authentication, two isolated example workspaces and private attachment storage.

2

Phase 2

Implement persistence and write-time invariants before decorating the UI: Store Table, Column, Record, LookupConfig and Observation; fetched values retain timestamps/source and never overwrite manual fields without an explicit mapping.

3

Phase 3

Connect the working view to real saved state. Check membership on reads, mutations, attachments and exports. Keep activity history separate from editable current state; do not make private records public through search.

4

Phase 4

Expose the app-specific limits and recovery path in context: Start with one reviewed integration and secret references held server-side. Arbitrary API formulas and public sharing need explicit authorization boundaries.

5

Phase 5

Walk through this concrete acceptance case and preserve its exported evidence: Refresh a SKU lookup after a provider changes schema; mark stale/failed cells, preserve the last observation and do not convert missing prices to zero. Finish the README and backup/restore instructions; report unfinished capabilities explicitly.

the pro prompt
download AGENTS.md
Build the following focused alternative to Stackby. This is a deliberately limited personal or small-team substitute, not parity with the paid service.

WORKING SLICE
Create a small operations table with typed fields and one read-only API lookup column whose refresh state is visible per row.

SETUP AND ARCHITECTURE
Use TypeScript, React, Node and PostgreSQL with workspace membership enforced on the server. Prerequisites: A PostgreSQL database, session authentication, two isolated example workspaces and private attachment storage. Before integrating anything, record actual versions and permissions, plus model files or provider limits only where used, in the README; make unavailable dependencies visible rather than simulating success.

DOMAIN MODEL AND INVARIANTS
Store Table, Column, Record, LookupConfig and Observation; fetched values retain timestamps/source and never overwrite manual fields without an explicit mapping.

IMPLEMENTATION CONTRACT
Check membership on reads, mutations, attachments and exports. Keep activity history separate from editable current state; do not make private records public through search. Provide an input/setup view, the main work view, and a review/export view appropriate to this workflow. Preserve the last saved state if a job or save fails. Include empty, loading, permission-denied, partial and retryable-error states. Log identifiers and error categories without secret values or unnecessary private content.

APP-SPECIFIC BOUNDARY AND RECOVERY
Start with one reviewed integration and secret references held server-side. Arbitrary API formulas and public sharing need explicit authorization boundaries.

ACCEPTANCE SCENARIO
Refresh a SKU lookup after a provider changes schema; mark stale/failed cells, preserve the last observation and do not convert missing prices to zero. Also reopen the app after an interrupted operation, confirm the saved record/export remains inspectable, and document the recovery action. These are implementation acceptance requirements, not a claim that this guide has been tested.

DELIVERY
Deliver a runnable repository with migrations or project-format versioning, a non-sensitive example, environment/permission setup, the exact manual acceptance steps, and a backup/export-and-restore walkthrough. Implement the working slice before optional integrations; list any deferred paid-product capabilities honestly. Do not add capabilities outside the working slice just to resemble the original product.

PROJECT RULES FOR AGENTS.md
Keep the domain invariants above executable at the write boundary. Propose scope changes before adding providers or permissions. Never fabricate source evidence, publish results, identity matches or successful delivery. Preserve user originals and require an explicit confirmation for destructive changes or external publication.

$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan

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Alternatives to building your own

Stackby FreeThe same product's free plan does the actual job: 20 stacks, 1,500 rows each, two API columns, views, and 100 automations.$0free↗

no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real

Stackby pricing

planmonthlyannual (per mo)what you get
free$0/workspace$0/workspace5 editors plus 50 read-only guests; 20 stacks; 1,500 rows/stack; 2 GB attachments/stack; 100 internal automations; 2 MB uploads; 1 app/stack; 2-week history; 2 linked API columns.
economy$9/user$4.20/user25 stacks; 7,000 rows/stack; 6 GB attachments/stack; 1,000 internal automations; 500 automatic API runs; 5 MB uploads; 3 apps/stack; 6-month history.Annual rate is displayed per user, but annual checkout starts at 3 users ($149/year total).
business$18/user$8.30/user50 stacks; 50,000 rows/stack; 20 GB attachments/stack; 25,000 internal automations; 1,000 automatic API runs; 25 MB uploads; 10 apps/stack; 1-year history.Annual checkout starts at 3 users ($299/year total).
pro$35/user$12.50/user100 stacks; 100,000 rows/stack; 50 GB attachments/stack; 100,000 internal automations; 5,000 automatic API runs; 50 MB uploads; 20 apps/stack; 1-year history.Annual checkout starts at 3 users ($449/year total). The comparison table also labels this tier 'Business Plus.'
enterprise——Unlimited stacks; 250,000 rows/stack; 250,000 internal automations; 10,000 automatic API runs; 3-year history.Quote required. The live card says 1,000 GB attachment storage while the live comparison table says 100 GB.

free tier5 editors, 50 read-only guests, 20 stacks, 1,500 rows/stack, 2 GB attachments/stack, 100 internal automations, 2 MB uploads, 1 app/stack, 2-week history and 2 linked API columns

billingmonthly + annual; annual plans are sold in fixed team-size increments beginning at 3 users and advertise savings up to 70%

hidden costsAnnual checkout requires 3, 6, 10, 15 or larger preset seat quantities; paid editor/creator seats added mid-cycle are prorated; portal add-ons start at $60, $100 or $150 per 10 portal guests/month depending on plan; exceeding automation/API limits stops further runs.

pricing sources checked 2026-08-11 · pricing source ↗

Questions about Stackby

Can you build your own Stackby with AI?

Partly. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Stackby, build a small table-based operational tracker with views and API columns. The hard boundary is templates, integrations, api columns, collaboration, and hosted sync, plus data model flexibility, collaboration, and integrations.

What does the Stackby build prompt cover?

The prompt starts with this scope: Create a small operations table with typed fields and one read-only API lookup column whose refresh state is visible per row. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: templates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync; real-time multiplayer; automation and integration breadth. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.

How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?

Start with the Stackby prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.

How long will this Stackby project take?

The catalogue estimate is multi-day for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.

What would I give up by replacing Stackby?

templates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync; real-time multiplayer; automation and integration breadth; scale and formula depth; enterprise permissions. People still pay for Stackby because teams pay when a flexible database becomes a shared operational system with integrations and years of accumulated business logic. The recurring cost buys schema changes, formulas, permissions, imports, attachments, views, APIs, concurrency, backups, and migrations, not just the visible interface.

What price is this guide comparing against?

The recorded Economy plan is $9/mo per seat (monthly per user), checked 2026-08-11. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.

What can I use instead of building Stackby?

Stackby Free: The same product's free plan does the actual job: 20 stacks, 1,500 rows each, two API columns, views, and 100 automations. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.

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