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Spreadsheets · head to head

Teable vs Thunkable

Teable logo

Teable

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet interface over real PostgreSQL tables, so the data stays queryable by anything that speaks SQL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thunkable logo

Thunkable

No-Code

No-code, drag-and-drop mobile app builder priced by AI tokens and project counts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Teable the automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.; Thunkable every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • They diverge on capability: Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Teable and Thunkable actually diverge.

Attributes where Teable and Thunkable differ
AttributeTeableThunkable
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer month, tiered by AI token allowance and project count
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
CategorySpreadsheetsNo-Code

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Teable

  • PostgreSQL native storage
  • Multiple views
  • Linked records and rollups
  • Generated REST API
  • Real time collaboration
  • Self hosting via Docker
  • Field level permissions

Only in Thunkable

  • Block-based logic editor
  • Native compilation
  • AI app assistant
  • Component marketplace
  • Live testing
  • Custom branding

What people use each for

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

Teable

  • A team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw SQLnot Thunkable
  • Operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync jobnot Thunkable
  • A regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructurenot Thunkable
  • An internal tool where a grid interface and a REST API over the same table are both requirednot Thunkable

Thunkable

  • A non-developer or founder prototyping an app idea before hiring an engineernot Teable
  • An educator teaching app-building concepts without requiring students to write codenot Teable
  • A small business needing a simple internal or customer-facing app with modest logicnot Teable
  • A hobbyist building a single published app who does not need more than one live app slotnot Teable

Where each one falls short

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

Teable

  • The automation builder is far less capable than the established commercial alternatives, so multi step workflows usually end up in an external tool that must be paid for and maintained separately.
  • Self hosting moves PostgreSQL backups, version upgrades, connection pooling and capacity planning onto your team, and the licence saving disappears if that time is costed honestly.
  • The integration catalogue is small, so connecting to a common business system often means writing against the REST API rather than installing a connector.
  • The project is young relative to the products it replaces, and interface and API changes still arrive at a pace that requires reading release notes before upgrading.
  • Storing every table as a real PostgreSQL table means schema changes are real migrations, so a careless field type change on a large table can lock it far longer than a spreadsheet user would expect.

Thunkable

  • Every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • Only the Builder tier and above allow a live published app at all in useful numbers, so the entry-level paid plan cannot actually get an app onto the store in a meaningful way.
  • Block-based logic becomes unwieldy for apps with genuinely complex business rules, and there is no clean escape hatch to written code within the platform.
  • Native integrations and performance-sensitive features (heavy graphics, background processing) are limited compared to a coded framework, so the tool has a real complexity ceiling.
  • App ownership and export options are more restrictive than an open source framework; leaving the platform typically means rebuilding rather than exporting a portable codebase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Teable

Free
  • Self hosted open sourceFree
    • No licence fee
    • Unlimited rows subject to your PostgreSQL capacity
    • Docker deployment

Thunkable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2,000 AI tokens
    • 3 public projects
    • 5 screens per project
  • Accelerator$19/month
    • 20,000 AI tokens
    • 5 public and 1 private project
    • 10 screens per project
  • Builder$37/month
    • 50,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited public, 10 private projects
    • Unlimited screens, 1 live published app
  • Advanced$99/month
    • 100,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited private projects and live published apps
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Teable if

  • You need postgresql native storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want multiple views.
Teable review

Choose Thunkable if

  • You need block-based logic editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want native compilation.
Thunkable review

Questions people ask

Is Teable or Thunkable better?
Neither clearly leads. Teable starts at Free and Thunkable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Teable or Thunkable?
Teable starts at Free and Thunkable at Free.
Does Teable or Thunkable run on more platforms?
Teable runs on Web, Linux. Thunkable runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Teable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Teable best used for?
Teable is most often used for a team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw sql, operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync job, a regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructure, an internal tool where a grid interface and a rest api over the same table are both required. Of those, a team that has hit the record ceiling of a hosted spreadsheet database and does not want to move to raw sql and operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync job are not what Thunkable is typically brought in for.
What can Teable do that Thunkable cannot?
Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Multiple views, Linked records and rollups, Generated REST API. Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor, Native compilation, AI app assistant, Component marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Teable: How many rows can it actually hold?

As many as your PostgreSQL instance can serve. There is no product imposed record limit on the self hosted edition, which is the main reason to choose it.

Thunkable: Can I publish an app on the free plan?

The free plan is aimed at building and testing; live publishing capacity in a meaningful way starts on the Builder plan.

Teable: Can I query the data with SQL directly?

Yes. Tables are real PostgreSQL tables, so any SQL client or reporting tool can read them.

Thunkable: What happens if I run out of AI tokens?

AI-assisted generation stops working until the next billing cycle or an upgrade; manual block-based editing still works.

Teable: Is self hosting genuinely free?

The licence is. The database server, backups and the engineer maintaining them are not.

Thunkable: Is this suitable for a complex business app?

No. It is built for simple to moderately complex apps; heavy custom logic and native integrations are better served by a coded framework.

Teable: Does it replace Airtable feature for feature?

No. Views and field types are close; automations, apps and the integration catalogue are not.

Teable: What happens to my data if the project stops?

It remains in a standard PostgreSQL database that you control, which is a materially better exit than a proprietary export format.

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