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Automation Integration · head to head

Automate.io vs Stacker

Automate.io logo

Automate.io

Automation Integration

Connect and automate your cloud applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stacker logo

Stacker

No-Code

Permissioned portals over data that stays in Airtable, Salesforce or Postgres

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Automate.io has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Automate.io no longer exists as a product. automate.io redirects to notion.com, which acquired the company and wound the integration service down; 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: Automate.io covers Multi-step automations, Stacker covers Per-record permissions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Automate.io and Stacker actually diverge.

Attributes where Automate.io and Stacker differ
AttributeAutomate.ioStacker
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
CategoryAutomation IntegrationNo-Code
Founded2014Unknown

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 Automate.io

  • Multi-step automations
  • Conditional logic
  • Data mapping
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • Webhooks
  • API integrations
  • 500+ apps

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.

Automate.io

  • Workflow Automationnot Stacker
  • Data Integrationnot Stacker
  • Process Automationnot Stacker
  • App Integrationnot Stacker
  • API Connectivitynot Stacker

Stacker

  • Giving clients a login that shows only their own records inside an internal Airtable basenot Automate.io
  • Contractor or franchisee portals where each account must see one slice of a shared datasetnot Automate.io
  • Replacing a spreadsheet emailed to partners with a permissioned live view of the same datanot Automate.io
  • Putting a usable interface on a Salesforce or Postgres dataset for users who should never see the underlying systemnot Automate.io

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Automate.io

  • No longer exists as a product. automate.io redirects to notion.com, which acquired the company and wound the integration service down
  • Existing automations were not portable to Notion, so users had to rebuild elsewhere

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

Automate.io

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 250 tasks/month
    • 2 automations
  • Starter$15/month
    • 5000 tasks/month
    • Unlimited automations
    • Email support
  • Professional$50/month
    • Unlimited tasks
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features

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 Automate.io if

  • You need multi-step automations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want conditional logic.
Automate.io review

Choose Stacker if

  • You need per-record permissions.
  • You also want external user portals.
Stacker review

Questions people ask

Is Automate.io or Stacker better?
Neither clearly leads. Automate.io 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, Automate.io or Stacker?
Automate.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Automate.io and On request for Stacker.
Does Automate.io or Stacker run on more platforms?
Automate.io runs on Web, Mobile. Stacker runs on Web.
Can I use Automate.io for free?
Yes. Automate.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stacker starts at On request.
What is Automate.io best used for?
Automate.io is most often used for workflow automation, data integration, process automation, app integration. Of those, workflow automation and data integration are not what Stacker is typically brought in for.
What can Automate.io do that Stacker cannot?
Automate.io covers Multi-step automations, Conditional logic, Data mapping, Error handling. Stacker covers Per-record permissions, External user portals, Live connection to the source, Page and layout builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

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.

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.

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