Software · head to head
Airtable vs Freshservice
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; Freshservice change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up
- They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Freshservice covers Incident management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Airtable and Freshservice actually diverge.
| Attribute | Airtable | Freshservice |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $19/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, Desktop | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2012 | 2010 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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
- Forms
- Integrations
- Mobile apps
- Real-time collaboration
- API access
- Google Drive
Only in Freshservice
- Incident management
- Asset management
- Change management
- Knowledge base
- Reporting
- Microsoft Teams
- AWS
- Azure
Both cover
- Automation
- Slack
- 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 Freshservice
- Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Freshservice
- Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Freshservice
- Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Freshservice
- Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Freshservice
Freshservice
- IT service management and internal help desk ticketingnot Airtable
- Asset management and change control for IT teamsnot 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
Freshservice
- Change, problem and release management require the Pro plan at $99 per agent per month, so core ITIL processes sit two tiers up
- Every plan includes only 100 ITAM asset units, with more sold separately regardless of tier
- Orchestration transactions are metered monthly, from 1,000 on Starter to 20,000 on Enterprise, with extra packs at $250 per 1,000
- The Freddy AI copilot is a $29 per agent per month add on on top of Pro or Enterprise
- Sandbox and audit logs are Enterprise only, which carries no published price
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
Freshservice
$19/month- Starter$19/month
- Incident management
- Knowledge base
- Self-service portal
- Growth$49/month
- Asset management
- Approval workflows
- SLA management
- Pro$95/month
- Problem management
- Change management
- Release management
- Enterprise$119/month
- Freddy AI
- Audit logs
- Custom SSL
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 Freshservice if
- You need incident management.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want asset management.
Questions people ask
- Is Airtable or Freshservice better?
- Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Freshservice at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Airtable or Freshservice?
- Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and $19/month for Freshservice.
- Does Airtable or Freshservice run on more platforms?
- Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Freshservice runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Airtable for free?
- Yes. Airtable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Freshservice starts at $19/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 Freshservice is typically brought in for.
- What can Airtable do that Freshservice cannot?
- Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Forms, Integrations. Freshservice covers Incident management, Asset management, Change management, Knowledge base. Both handle Automation, Slack, SOC2, 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.
SourceAirtable: 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.
SourceAirtable: 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.
SourceAirtable: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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