Spreadsheets · head to head
Mathesar vs SeaTable
Mathesar
Spreadsheets
Spreadsheet style interface that edits an existing PostgreSQL database directly, with no schema of its own
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
SeaTable
Spreadsheets
German-hosted database-spreadsheet hybrid from the team behind Seafile, with a self-hosted server edition
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Mathesar there is no hosted offering of any kind, so a team without someone who can run and secure a server cannot use it at all.; SeaTable the free self-hosted Developer Edition is capped at three users, so the pattern that makes Baserow and NocoDB attractive, running it yourself for free at real headcount, is not available and any serious on-premises deployment needs a paid per-user licence.
- They diverge on capability: Mathesar covers Direct PostgreSQL editing, SeaTable covers Typed column database.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mathesar and SeaTable actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheets).
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 Mathesar
- Direct PostgreSQL editing
- PostgreSQL permissions
- Schema editing
- Data exploration
- Relationship navigation
- Import of tabular files
- Self hosted only
Only in SeaTable
- Typed column database
- Multiple views
- Universal app builder
- Python and JavaScript scripting
- Self-hosted server
- German data centres
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mathesar
- A nonprofit or research group whose data is already in PostgreSQL and whose staff cannot write SQLnot SeaTable
- Giving analysts a safe editing interface governed by database roles that already existnot SeaTable
- Replacing a hand built Django or Rails admin screen that nobody wants to maintainnot SeaTable
- Editing production reference data where an export, edit and reimport cycle would risk losing concurrent changesnot SeaTable
SeaTable
- A German or Austrian company that needs a shared operational database but cannot put customer records on a US-hosted servicenot Mathesar
- Replacing a sprawl of Excel files used by several departments with one permissioned base and per-view sharingnot Mathesar
- Running a small internal tool, such as an equipment register or an application tracker, without commissioning a bespoke buildnot Mathesar
- Teams already using Seafile that want structured data alongside their file sync platformnot Mathesar
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mathesar
- There is no hosted offering of any kind, so a team without someone who can run and secure a server cannot use it at all.
- It works only with PostgreSQL, so a MySQL, SQL Server or SQLite estate is excluded outright.
- There are no automations, no webhooks and effectively no integration catalogue, so it edits data and does nothing else.
- Because it writes to the live database, a careless bulk edit or column type change is a production change with no staging step and no undo.
- Development is grant and community funded rather than commercially funded, so roadmap pace and long term continuity carry a different risk profile from a venture backed vendor.
SeaTable
- The free self-hosted Developer Edition is capped at three users, so the pattern that makes Baserow and NocoDB attractive, running it yourself for free at real headcount, is not available and any serious on-premises deployment needs a paid per-user licence.
- Row limits are counted across the whole account rather than per base, so the free plan ceiling of 10,000 rows and the Plus ceiling of 50,000 rows arrive sooner than people expect once a few tables hold historical records.
- The integration catalogue is short compared with Airtable, and many connections have to be routed through Zapier, Make or n8n, which adds a second subscription and a second failure point.
- English documentation and community content lag the German material, so non-German teams hit thinner tutorials and fewer worked examples when they get to scripting and the app builder.
- The vendor is a small German company rather than a venture-funded platform, which is a stability advantage but means a slower feature pace and fewer third-party consultants available to hire if a project needs outside help.
Pricing, plan by plan
Mathesar
Free- Self hosted open sourceFree
- No licence fee
- No hosted option offered
- Connects to your existing PostgreSQL database
SeaTable
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 25 users
- 10,000 rows in total
- 2 GB storage
- Plus$7/month
- Billed annually, 9 EUR if billed monthly
- 50,000 rows
- 50 GB storage
- Enterprise$14/month
- Billed annually, 18 EUR if billed monthly
- Unlimited rows
- 100 GB storage
- Dedicated Cloud$undefined/year
- Quoted, minimum 100 users
- Dedicated instance
- Unlimited rows
Which should you pick?
Choose Mathesar if
- You need direct postgresql editing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Linux.
- You also want postgresql permissions.
Choose SeaTable if
- You need typed column database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
- You also want multiple views.
Questions people ask
- Is Mathesar or SeaTable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mathesar starts at Free and SeaTable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mathesar or SeaTable?
- Mathesar starts at Free and SeaTable at Free.
- Does Mathesar or SeaTable run on more platforms?
- Mathesar runs on Web, Linux. SeaTable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Linux.
- Can I use Mathesar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Mathesar best used for?
- Mathesar is most often used for a nonprofit or research group whose data is already in postgresql and whose staff cannot write sql, giving analysts a safe editing interface governed by database roles that already exist, replacing a hand built django or rails admin screen that nobody wants to maintain, editing production reference data where an export, edit and reimport cycle would risk losing concurrent changes. Of those, a nonprofit or research group whose data is already in postgresql and whose staff cannot write sql and giving analysts a safe editing interface governed by database roles that already exist are not what SeaTable is typically brought in for.
- What can Mathesar do that SeaTable cannot?
- Mathesar covers Direct PostgreSQL editing, PostgreSQL permissions, Schema editing, Data exploration. SeaTable covers Typed column database, Multiple views, Universal app builder, Python and JavaScript scripting.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Mathesar: Is there a cloud version?
No. Self hosting is the only option, and that is a deliberate project decision rather than a gap waiting to be filled.
SeaTable: Where is SeaTable cloud data actually stored?
In data centres in Germany, under German and EU law, with a standard GDPR processing agreement available.
Mathesar: How does it handle permissions?
Through PostgreSQL roles and privileges directly, so there is no second permission model to keep in step.
SeaTable: Is SeaTable open source?
No. Seafile, from the same team, is open source. SeaTable is a commercial product with a free self-hosted edition limited to three users.
Mathesar: What is the row limit?
Whatever PostgreSQL can handle. Mathesar adds no storage layer of its own.
SeaTable: How does it compare with Airtable on price?
Plus is 7 EUR per user per month billed annually against Airtable Team at 20 USD, but SeaTable applies hard row ceilings on every plan below Enterprise.
Mathesar: Does it support databases other than PostgreSQL?
No.
SeaTable: Can I move an existing Airtable base across?
Yes, SeaTable imports Airtable bases and Excel files, though formula fields and automations usually need rebuilding by hand.
Mathesar: Can it replace Airtable?
Only for editing and exploring data. There are no automations, apps or integrations.
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