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Software · head to head

Airtable vs Salesforce

Airtable logo

Airtable

Software

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce logo

Salesforce

Software

World's #1 CRM

From
$25/month
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; Salesforce sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Salesforce covers Contact management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Salesforce actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Salesforce differ
AttributeAirtableSalesforce
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20121999

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
  • Automation
  • Forms
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access

Only in Salesforce

  • Contact management
  • Opportunity management
  • Lead management
  • Reports & dashboards
  • Email integration
  • Workflow automation
  • Mobile access
  • AppExchange

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • 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 Salesforce
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Salesforce
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Salesforce
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Salesforce
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Salesforce

Salesforce

  • Sales managementnot Airtable
  • Customer servicenot Airtable
  • Marketing automationnot Airtable
  • Lead generationnot Airtable
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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

Salesforce

  • Sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually

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

Salesforce

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Account & contact management
    • Opportunity tracking
    • Lead management
  • Professional$80/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Complete CRM
    • Lead scoring
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Workflow automation
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • Everything in Enterprise
    • Unlimited customizations
    • 24/7 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 Salesforce if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want opportunity management.
Salesforce review

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Salesforce better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Salesforce at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Salesforce?
Airtable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Airtable and $25/month for Salesforce.
Does Airtable or Salesforce run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Salesforce 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. Salesforce starts at $25/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 Salesforce is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Salesforce cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Salesforce covers Contact management, Opportunity management, Lead management, Reports & dashboards. Both handle Slack, SOC2, HIPAA, ISO27001.

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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