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Software · head to head

Airtable vs Neo4j

Airtable logo

Airtable

Software

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Neo4j logo

Neo4j

Software

The world's leading graph database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Neo4j auraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Neo4j actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Neo4j differ
AttributeAirtableNeo4j
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopLinux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web
Founded20122007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Forms
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access

Only in Neo4j

  • Native Graph Storage
  • Cypher Query Language
  • ACID Transactions
  • High Availability
  • Graph Data Science
  • Full-text Search
  • Native Indexes
  • GraphQL

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 Neo4j
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Neo4j
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Neo4j
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Neo4j
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Neo4j

Neo4j

  • Running a managed graph database on AWS, Azure or Google Cloudnot Airtable
  • Building knowledge graphs and GraphRAG retrieval for AI applicationsnot Airtable
  • Fraud detection, recommendations and supply chain analysis over connected datanot 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

Neo4j

  • AuraDB Free has no service availability SLA, no backups and no point-in-time recovery
  • AuraDB Free imposes limits on node and relationship counts and runs single-zone only
  • SSO authentication and role-based access control are excluded from AuraDB Free and AuraDB Professional, starting only at Business Critical at $146 per GB per month with a 2GB minimum cluster
  • AuraDB Professional starts at $65 per GB per month with a minimum 1GB cluster and caps at 128GB memory per instance
  • AuraDB Professional backups are daily with only 7-day retention, against 30 days on Business Critical
  • Customer managed keys and private endpoints are available only on AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud, which is quote only with no published price
  • Change data capture, query log forwarding, secondaries and access to Neo4j Professional Services are excluded below the Business Critical tier
  • Support on AuraDB Free is community only and AuraDB Professional is best effort, with 24x7 one-hour response starting at Business Critical
  • AuraDB Virtual Dedicated Cloud is sold on prepaid contract terms with enterprise commercial negotiation rather than self-serve card payment

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

Neo4j

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Single database
    • Cypher queries
    • APOC library
  • AuraDB FreeFree
    • 50K nodes
    • 175K relationships
    • Cloud hosted
  • AuraDB Professional$65/month
    • Dedicated instance
    • Auto-scaling
    • Enterprise 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.
Airtable review

Choose Neo4j if

  • You need native graph storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
  • You also want cypher query language.
Neo4j review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Neo4j better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Neo4j at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Neo4j?
Airtable starts at Free and Neo4j at Free.
Does Airtable or Neo4j run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Neo4j runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, 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 Neo4j is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Neo4j cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Neo4j covers Native Graph Storage, Cypher Query Language, ACID Transactions, High Availability.

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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