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Spreadsheets · head to head

Teable vs VerneMQ

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
VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

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.; VerneMQ the official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • They diverge on capability: Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Teable and VerneMQ actually diverge.

Attributes where Teable and VerneMQ differ
AttributeTeableVerneMQ
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsWeb, LinuxLinux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes
CategorySpreadsheetsDatabases

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 VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

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 VerneMQ
  • Operational data that a business intelligence tool must also read directly, without an export or a sync jobnot VerneMQ
  • A regulated or data resident organisation that needs the underlying database inside its own infrastructurenot VerneMQ
  • An internal tool where a grid interface and a REST API over the same table are both requirednot VerneMQ

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot Teable
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot Teable
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot Teable
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot 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.

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ.
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack.
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

Teable

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

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker images$undefined/year
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

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 VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Teable or VerneMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Teable starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Teable or VerneMQ?
Teable starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free.
Does Teable or VerneMQ run on more platforms?
Teable runs on Web, Linux. VerneMQ runs on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
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 VerneMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Teable do that VerneMQ cannot?
Teable covers PostgreSQL native storage, Multiple views, Linked records and rollups, Generated REST API. VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling.

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.

VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

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.

VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

Teable: Is self hosting genuinely free?

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

VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

Teable: Does it replace Airtable feature for feature?

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

VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

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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