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Databases · head to head

Knack vs MATLAB

Knack logo

Knack

Databases

Hosted no-code database and web app builder priced by stored records and storage, with unlimited user accounts on every plan.

From
$59/month
Free plan
No
Visit KnackFull review
MATLAB logo

MATLAB

Machine Learning

Programming and numeric computing platform

From
$940/year
Free plan
No
Visit MATLABFull review

The short version

  • Knack starts at $59/mo, MATLAB at $940/yr.
  • Only Knack lists visual database builder; only MATLAB lists matrix computations.
  • Where MATLAB falls short: A standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Knack and MATLAB actually diverge.

Attributes where Knack and MATLAB differ
AttributeKnackMATLAB
Starting price$59/month$940/year
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDatabasesMachine Learning

Identical on both: pricing model (Subscription), free tier (No).

Not yet recorded: founded for Knack.

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 Knack

  • Visual database builder
  • User logins and roles
  • Page builder
  • Unlimited users
  • E-commerce
  • Automation flows
  • Scheduled tasks
  • REST API and webhooks

Only in MATLAB

  • Matrix computations
  • Data visualization
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning
  • Signal processing
  • Simulink
  • Python
  • C/C++

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Knack

  • A member or client portal where thousands of external people need their own login and see only their own recordsnot MATLAB
  • Replacing a shared spreadsheet used by a team that has outgrown it but cannot justify a developer to build a bespoke internal toolnot MATLAB
  • Inventory, asset or case tracking for a small operations team that needs roles, forms and a record of who changed whatnot MATLAB
  • A registration or booking application for an association, school or non-profit where the user count is large and the record count stays modestnot MATLAB

MATLAB

  • Numerical computing and analysisnot Knack
  • Algorithm developmentnot Knack
  • Academic research and teachingnot Knack

Where each one falls short

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

Knack

  • Plans are capped by stored records, so an application that logs events or keeps history rather than current state climbs tiers on data volume alone, and archiving old records becomes a permanent maintenance chore rather than a one-off
  • API access is capped per day, at 1,000 calls on the entry plan and 10,000 at the Corporate tier, so a scheduled sync or a busy automation can exhaust the day's quota before the working day ends and integrations then fail silently
  • The application itself cannot be exported or self-hosted; records can be downloaded but the pages, roles, flows and business logic exist only inside Knack, so outgrowing the platform means rebuilding the app rather than moving it
  • Customisation beyond the builder is limited to injected CSS and JavaScript that Knack's support does not cover, so any non-standard interface behaviour becomes yours to maintain against a DOM the vendor can change without warning
  • Compliance capabilities that regulated buyers assume are baseline, HIPAA and GovCloud options, advanced SSO, IP restrictions and private environments, are gated to the Corporate and Enterprise tiers, so a small regulated pilot cannot legitimately start on an entry plan

MATLAB

  • A standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual
  • Add on toolboxes are bought separately through the web store rather than being included
  • No price is displayed for the academic, student, home or startup licences, each of which requires a quote
  • Eligibility rather than price separates most tiers, so a commercial user has one option

Pricing, plan by plan

Knack

$59/month
  • Starter$59/mo
    • 20,000 database records
    • Unlimited users, tables, fields
    • 25 AI credits
  • Pro$130/mo
    • 50,000 database records
    • Remove Knack branding
    • E-commerce payments
  • Corporate$300/mo
    • 125,000-2.5M database records
    • App restore functionality
    • Advanced SSO
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Dedicated account manager
    • HIPAA/GovCloud-based options
    • Custom pricing

MATLAB

$940/year
  • Individual Standard$940/yr
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • Online Training Suite
  • StartupsOn request
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
    • 90+ add-on products
  • AcademicOn request
    • MATLAB
    • Simulink
  • StudentOn request
    • MATLAB

Which should you pick?

Choose Knack if

  • You need visual database builder.
  • You also want user logins and roles.
Knack review

Choose MATLAB if

  • You need matrix computations.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want data visualization.
MATLAB review

Questions people ask

Is Knack or MATLAB better?
Neither clearly leads. Knack starts at $59/month and MATLAB at $940/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Knack or MATLAB?
Knack starts at $59/month and MATLAB at $940/year.
Does Knack or MATLAB run on more platforms?
Knack runs on Web. MATLAB runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
What is Knack best used for?
Knack is most often used for a member or client portal where thousands of external people need their own login and see only their own records, replacing a shared spreadsheet used by a team that has outgrown it but cannot justify a developer to build a bespoke internal tool, inventory, asset or case tracking for a small operations team that needs roles, forms and a record of who changed what, a registration or booking application for an association, school or non-profit where the user count is large and the record count stays modest. Of those, a member or client portal where thousands of external people need their own login and see only their own records and replacing a shared spreadsheet used by a team that has outgrown it but cannot justify a developer to build a bespoke internal tool are not what MATLAB is typically brought in for.
What can Knack do that MATLAB cannot?
Knack covers Visual database builder, User logins and roles, Page builder, Unlimited users. MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Data visualization, Machine learning, Deep learning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Knack: Is Knack charged per user?

No. User accounts are unlimited on all plans. Plans are bounded by stored record count, file storage, API calls per day and automation transactions.

MATLAB: What is the cost of an individual MATLAB license?

USD 940 per year for Standard individual license, which includes MATLAB, Simulink, Online Training Suite, and add-on products. All licenses include MathWorks Software Maintenance Service.

Source
Knack: What happens when I exceed the record limit?

You move to a higher tier or reduce stored records. Because the limit is on data rather than people, apps that accumulate history hit it while apps that track a fixed set of entities generally do not.

MATLAB: Are pricing quotes available online for academic and startup licenses?

No, online pricing is not available for Academic, Student, Startup, or Home license types. Downloadable price lists are available only for Standard and Academic individual licenses. Contact sales for other tiers.

Source
Knack: Can I export my application or self-host it?

You can export record data. The application itself, its pages, roles, permissions and flows, is not exportable and cannot be self-hosted, so leaving means rebuilding elsewhere.

MATLAB: Can I switch between license terms (annual vs perpetual)?

Both Standard and Home licenses offer annual and perpetual licensing options. Academic licenses also offer both terms. Startup licenses are available on annual basis only.

Source
Knack: Is it suitable for public-facing portals?

That is its strongest case, because logins are unlimited and role-based permissions are built in. The constraint is record volume and API throughput, not audience size.

Knack: Can I use it for regulated data?

HIPAA-aligned and government cloud options exist but only on the Enterprise tier, along with private server environments. Lower tiers should not be used for regulated workloads.

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