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All industries · head to head

Airtable vs Folk

Airtable logo

Airtable

All industries

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Folk logo

Folk

All industries

The CRM that works for you, not the other way around

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Airtable hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully; Folk no native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Folk covers Contact management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Folk actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Folk differ
AttributeAirtableFolk
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopWeb
Founded20122020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).

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 Folk

  • Contact management
  • Email tracking
  • Mail merge
  • Chrome extension
  • Tags & groups
  • Notes & activities
  • Import/export
  • Search & filters

Both cover

  • Gmail
  • GDPR

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

Folk

  • Contact managementnot Airtable
  • Sales outreachnot Airtable
  • Networkingnot Airtable
  • Recruitmentnot Airtable
  • Investor relationsnot 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

Folk

  • No native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
  • Limited workflow automation capabilities compared to enterprise CRMs
  • No automatic phone call tracking, requires manual entry
  • Limited reporting and analytics features
  • Monthly caps on email sends and enrichment credits on lower tiers
  • LinkedIn Chrome extension sometimes has synchronization problems
  • Email sent through Folk sometimes doesn't appear as sent in user's Outlook account

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

Folk

Free
  • Standard$24/month
    • Pipeline management
    • Email campaigns
    • Contact enrichment
  • Premium$48/month
    • Custom objects
    • Email sequences
    • Dashboards
  • Enterprise$80/month
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom integrations
    • Priority support

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.

Choose Folk if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Folk better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Folk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Folk?
Airtable starts at Free and Folk at Free.
Does Airtable or Folk run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Folk runs on Web.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Folk is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Folk cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Folk covers Contact management, Email tracking, Mail merge, Chrome extension. Both handle Gmail, GDPR.

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
Folk: What are Folk's pricing plans?

Folk offers three plans: Standard at $24/month per member (billed annually), Premium at $48/month with custom objects and email sequences, and Enterprise from $80/month with advanced security and dedicated support. New workspaces get a 2-week free trial with all Premium features.

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
Folk: Does Folk offer a mobile app?

Folk does not have native iOS or Android apps. The web interface technically works on mobile browsers but is built primarily for desktop use.

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
Folk: Does Folk track phone calls automatically?

No, Folk does not automatically track phone calls. All call interactions must be manually entered into the system.

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
Folk: What integrations does Folk support?

Folk supports over 5,000 integrations through platforms like Zapier and Make. It includes native email, calendar, and WhatsApp sync, LinkedIn extension, and can enrich contact data using its built-in enrichment tool.

Source

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