Spreadsheets · head to head
APITable vs Stacker
APITable
Spreadsheets
Open source spreadsheet database with an API first design and an embeddable widget system
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Stacker
No-Code
Permissioned portals over data that stays in Airtable, Salesforce or Postgres
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only APITable has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: APITable records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.; Stacker there is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
- They diverge on capability: APITable covers API first design, Stacker covers Per-record permissions.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which APITable and Stacker actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).
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 APITable
- API first design
- Widget SDK
- Embeddable views
- Multiple view types
- Linked records and formulas
- Self hosting
- Real time collaboration
Only in Stacker
- Per-record permissions
- External user portals
- Live connection to the source
- Page and layout builder
- Workflow actions
- Custom domains and branding
- User onboarding
- Role based navigation
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
APITable
- Embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another toolnot Stacker
- An internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the API and only occasionally by peoplenot Stacker
- A self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost drivernot Stacker
- Building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting toolnot Stacker
Stacker
- Giving clients a login that shows only their own records inside an internal Airtable basenot APITable
- Contractor or franchisee portals where each account must see one slice of a shared datasetnot APITable
- Replacing a spreadsheet emailed to partners with a permissioned live view of the same datanot APITable
- Putting a usable interface on a Salesforce or Postgres dataset for users who should never see the underlying systemnot APITable
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
APITable
- Records are held in the product own schema rather than as native database tables, so the practical row ceiling is a product limit and large tables should be load tested before commitment.
- The hosted free tier caps records per space, so evaluating on the cloud version gives a misleading picture of what the software can do when self hosted.
- Automation is thin compared with the commercial alternatives, and most real workflows end up in an external automation tool.
- The self hosted deployment is heavier than a single container, so running it properly means managing several services rather than one.
- Documentation and community activity are uneven in English, and finding an answer to an operational problem can take longer than the problem itself deserves.
Stacker
- There is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
- Performance is bounded by the data source, so an Airtable base near its row limit or an API under rate limiting produces a slow portal that no amount of Stacker configuration will fix.
- Pricing distinguishes internal editors from external portal users, so a portal that succeeds by adding hundreds of light-touch external users can end up costing more than the internal system it fronts.
- Custom logic is limited to the actions and conditions the builder exposes, so anything resembling a calculation engine or a branching multi-step approval hits a wall and needs an external automation tool bolted on.
- It is a portal and CRUD tool by design, with no offline mode, no native mobile application and no real reporting layer, so it will not be the only system a growing operation runs.
Pricing, plan by plan
APITable
Free- Self hosted open sourceFree
- No licence fee
- No product record cap on self hosted deployments
- Docker and Kubernetes deployment
Stacker
On request- Stacker$undefined/month
- Priced by workspace tier with caps on apps and users
- External portal users charged differently from internal editors
- Higher tiers add permission depth and support
Which should you pick?
Choose APITable if
- You need api first design.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want widget sdk.
Questions people ask
- Is APITable or Stacker better?
- Neither clearly leads. APITable starts at Free and Stacker at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, APITable or Stacker?
- APITable has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for APITable and On request for Stacker.
- Does APITable or Stacker run on more platforms?
- APITable runs on Web, Linux. Stacker runs on Web.
- Can I use APITable for free?
- Yes. APITable has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stacker starts at On request.
- What is APITable best used for?
- APITable is most often used for embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool, an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people, a self hosted replacement for a per seat spreadsheet database where seat count is the cost driver, building a custom dashboard widget that sits beside the data instead of in a separate reporting tool. Of those, embedding an editable table view inside a product you are building, rather than sending users to another tool and an internal platform where tables are read and written mostly by code through the api and only occasionally by people are not what Stacker is typically brought in for.
- What can APITable do that Stacker cannot?
- APITable covers API first design, Widget SDK, Embeddable views, Multiple view types. Stacker covers Per-record permissions, External user portals, Live connection to the source, Page and layout builder.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
APITable: What is the record limit?
The self hosted edition has no product cap, but performance is bounded by the internal schema rather than by your database. Test at your expected size.
Stacker: Where does my data live?
In the source you connect: Airtable, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets or your own Postgres. Stacker reads and writes to it rather than becoming the system of record.
APITable: Can I embed it in my own product?
Yes, and that is the main reason to choose it. Views embed and the widget SDK extends them.
Stacker: Can I export the app if I cancel?
No. The data stays in your source system, but the interface, permissions and workflows are Stacker configuration and do not come with you.
APITable: Is the hosted version representative?
No. Its free tier caps records per space, which is a commercial limit rather than a technical one.
Stacker: Is it suitable for hundreds of external users?
Technically yes; check the pricing arithmetic first, because external portal users are charged separately and that is where the bill grows.
APITable: How hard is self hosting?
Harder than a single container. Plan for several services and someone to keep them running.
Stacker: Will it replace Airtable?
No, it sits in front of Airtable. If the base itself is at its limits, the fix is moving the data to Postgres rather than changing the portal.
APITable: Does it do automations?
Lightly. Expect to pair it with an external automation tool for anything multi step.
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