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Databases · head to head

Airtable vs Braze

Airtable logo

Airtable

Databases

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Braze logo

Braze

E-Commerce

Customer engagement platform built for the modern marketer

From
On request
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; Braze no free tier or monthly billing, requiring annual enterprise contracts with no flexibility
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Braze covers Cross-channel messaging.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Braze actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Braze differ
AttributeAirtableBraze
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryDatabasesE-Commerce
Founded20122011

Identical on both: 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 Braze

  • Cross-channel messaging
  • Customer journey orchestration
  • Real-time personalization
  • A/B testing
  • Predictive analytics
  • Audience segmentation
  • Campaign analytics
  • Content cards

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA
  • ISO27001

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 Braze
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Braze
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Braze
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Braze
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Braze

Braze

  • Customer engagementnot Airtable
  • Marketing automationnot Airtable
  • Personalizationnot Airtable
  • Retention campaignsnot Airtable
  • Cross-channel messagingnot 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

Braze

  • No free tier or monthly billing, requiring annual enterprise contracts with no flexibility
  • Implementation costs of $20k-$100k+ significantly increase total cost of ownership

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$45/month per editor annual
    • 125,000 records per base
    • Advanced permissions
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise Scale$undefined/custom
    • 500,000+ records per base
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support

Braze

On request
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Core messaging channels
    • Basic segmentation
    • Campaign analytics
  • Plus$undefined/month
    • Advanced features
    • Predictive suite
    • Canvas Flow
  • Premier$undefined/month
    • All features
    • Dedicated CSM
    • Custom integrations

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 Braze if

  • You need cross-channel messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want customer journey orchestration.
Braze review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Braze better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Braze at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Braze?
Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and On request for Braze.
Does Airtable or Braze run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Braze runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Yes. Airtable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Braze starts at On request.
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 Braze is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Braze cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Braze covers Cross-channel messaging, Customer journey orchestration, Real-time personalization, A/B testing. Both handle Salesforce, SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA.

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
Braze: What is Braze's pricing model?

Braze uses a usage-based pricing model with custom annual contracts. There is no free plan or monthly billing. Typical contracts range from $60,000 to $200,000 per year for mid-market deployments.

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
Braze: Does Braze offer implementation support?

Implementation through a Braze Solutions Partner typically costs $20,000 to $100,000 or more, as Braze is an enterprise platform requiring custom configuration.

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
Braze: What messaging channels does Braze support?

Braze supports push notifications, in-app messaging, email, SMS, and web messaging across mobile apps and web platforms.

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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