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All industries · head to head

Airtable vs Brain.fm

Airtable logo

Airtable

All industries

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Brain.fm logo

Brain.fm

Productivity

Scientifically-designed music to enhance focus and productivity

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Airtable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airtable hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully; Brain.fm monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent)
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Brain.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Brain.fm differ
AttributeAirtableBrain.fm
Starting priceFree$14.99/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded20122015

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android, Desktop), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airtable

  • Spreadsheet-database hybrid
  • Custom views
  • Automation
  • Forms
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access

Only in Brain.fm

  • Neuroscience-designed music
  • Focus tracks
  • Relaxation tracks
  • Sleep tracks
  • Offline mode
  • Multiple genres
  • Cross-platform access
  • Ad-free experience

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airtable

  • Structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban viewsnot Brain.fm
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Brain.fm
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Brain.fm
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Brain.fm
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Brain.fm

Brain.fm

  • Knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocksnot Airtable
  • ADHD individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentrationnot Airtable
  • Students preparing for exams with learning and meditation supportnot Airtable

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airtable

  • Hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully
  • Team is $20 per user per month and Business $45, both at the annual rate
  • Automation and API usage are capped by plan
  • Enterprise Scale pricing is not published

Brain.fm

  • Monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent)
  • ADHD mode available only with active subscription; no trial access to specialised features
  • No offline mode documented; requires internet connectivity for audio delivery
  • Content library composition not published (proprietary vs. licensed music distinction unclear)

Pricing, plan by plan

Airtable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited bases
    • 1,000 records per base
    • Up to 5 editors
  • Team$20/month per editor annual
    • 50,000 records per base
    • Unlimited automations
    • API access
  • Business$45/month per editor annual
    • 125,000 records per base
    • Advanced permissions
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise Scale$null/custom
    • 500,000+ records per base
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support

Brain.fm

$14.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Brain.fm review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Airtable if

  • You need spreadsheet-database hybrid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want custom views.
Airtable review

Choose Brain.fm if

  • You need neuroscience-designed music.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want focus tracks.
Brain.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Brain.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Brain.fm at $14.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Brain.fm?
Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and $14.99/month for Brain.fm.
Does Airtable or Brain.fm run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Yes. Airtable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month.
What is Airtable best used for?
Airtable is most often used for structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views, lightweight internal tools built on shared records, automations between airtable and other systems, sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not charged. Of those, structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views and lightweight internal tools built on shared records are not what Brain.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Brain.fm cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Focus tracks, Relaxation tracks, Sleep tracks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Airtable: Is there a free Airtable plan and what does it include?

Yes, Airtable's Free plan is indefinite with unlimited bases, 1,000 records per base, up to 5 editors, 1 GB storage per base, 100 automation runs per month, and core features like Interface Designer and mobile apps.

Source
Airtable: How does Airtable handle permissions and viewers?

Airtable charges per editor only. Read-only viewers, form submitters, and people accessing share links are free on every plan, making it cost-effective for large viewing audiences.

Source
Airtable: What are Airtable's record limits?

Free plan has 1,000 records per base, Team plan has 50,000, Business plan has 125,000, and Enterprise Scale has 500,000+ records. Performance degrades past 100,000 records in a single base.

Source
Airtable: Can Airtable integrate with other tools like Slack?

Yes, Airtable integrates with Slack via Zapier or Make.com, allowing automation like sending Slack messages when records are created or updated. Airtable also has a native API for direct integrations.

Source
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Related pages

More on Airtable

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