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Software · head to head

Airtable vs Hive

Airtable logo

Airtable

Software

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hive logo

Hive

Software

Project management built for speed

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; Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Hive covers Tasks.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Hive actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Hive differ
AttributeAirtableHive
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierYesNo
Founded20122015

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android, Desktop), 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
  • Automation
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access
  • Box

Only in Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Zoom
  • SOC 2
  • Web support
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Forms
  • Slack
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox

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

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot Airtable
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for 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

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by plan

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

Hive

On request
  • FreeFree
    • Basic features
    • 10 users
  • Teams$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Time tracking
    • Automations

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 Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.
Hive review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Hive better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Hive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Hive?
Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and On request for Hive.
Does Airtable or Hive run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Yes. Airtable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hive 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 Hive is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Hive cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Integrations. Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking. Both handle Forms, Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox.

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

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