6 best Airtable alternatives to consider in 2026

The best Airtable alternative is not one simple answer — it depends on what you’re replacing. For example, Wrike is suited to enterprise teams that need advanced project and work management, governance, resource planning, approval workflows, cross-functional visibility, and portfolio-level reporting. Other options, such as Notion, ClickUp, Monday.com, Smartsheet, and Asana, fit different needs.

If you’re an existing Airtable user, the recently announced Bending Spoons acquisition might mean you’re currently reviewing your options. With so many Airtable alternatives to choose from, it can be challenging to select the right option. 

That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive list of project management software and tools similar to Airtable, with a variety of features, capabilities, and considerations. We’ve also prepped some common use cases, migration tips, and FAQs to guide you through the process.

Let’s dive in.

Airtable alternatives quick comparison

Why are Airtable users considering alternatives in 2026?

Airtable’s acquisition by Bending Spoons

You might have seen the recent news that Airtable has agreed to be acquired by Bending Spoons. The $1.285 billion deal is due to close later this year, pending regulatory approval. 

Speaking on the acquisition, TechCrunch wrote that Bending Spoons “typically acquires companies that are trading at a decent discount to their private valuations, trims the staff, streamlines products, and tries to make them run profitably.”

At the time of writing, there are no confirmed product or pricing changes. However, that doesn’t mean existing Airtable users don’t have concerns about the platform they use and the uncertainty of the upcoming months.

What Airtable customers are saying

Some Airtable users are already discussing alternative platforms and what the acquisition could mean for their future use of Airtable.

On the Airtable community page, one user said: “I’m hoping this is a positive step and it doesn’t do a ‘Broadcom’ of buying companies and then hiking licence/subscription costs and/or stripping assets.” Meanwhile, some Reddit users are voicing concerns about potential changes and exploring other platforms as a result.

What should you look for in an Airtable alternative?

When choosing an Airtable alternative, consider your primary use cases for the platform. Do you use it mainly as a database, project tracker, or full work management system?

Project and task management

Airtable’s user-friendly software makes it popular among project managers, content planners, customer relationship management (CRM) teams, event planners, and others.

While Airtable allows multiple users to work on the same base simultaneously, its collaboration offering is not as robust as many modern teams require. It also lacks extensive functionality for project and task execution. 

One example is that Airtable has no folders, which means the workspace has to serve as an organizational container for all projects, making it hard to separate and define individual tasks, programs, and portfolios. 

Resource and capacity planning

Airtable is lacking on this front. Though it offers capacity “dashboards” and a resource management template, it does not have a purpose-built module with workload charts or resource views. Capacity planning must be modeled manually with fields and interfaces.

If that’s a dealbreaker for your team, you should consider software that offers native tools such as job roles, timesheets, billable time tracking, and effort-based scheduling to help you manage team capacity across projects.

Proofing and approvals

Airtable allows you to upload, review, annotate, and approve digital assets directly in the platform. Its “record review” interface can also be used to approve content.

If you need more in-depth, end-to-end proofing features — such as native integration with Adobe Creative Cloud and advanced, multistep approval workflows — you should look at other tools more tailored to creative teams. 

Reporting and portfolio visibility

Airtable can be used for managing and reporting data as it allows users to link records between tables, create multiple views, filter and sort information, and apply formulas to perform calculations.

Though its reporting dashboards are versatile, they’re more suitable as general data summaries rather than detailed analytics views with portfolio-level visibility. If you report to executives and oversee more complex projects, involving dependencies and cross-department deadlines, you’ll benefit from a tool that provides more native reporting functionality.

Database and structured data needs

For many Airtable fans, it’s the spreadsheet style that attracts them to the platform. It’s built on the concept of “bases,” which are similar to the type of spreadsheets or tables you would see in a traditional database. 

While this is of benefit to users who are familiar and comfortable with Excel, it might appear more complex than necessary to those who aren’t. You might also run into issues like duplicate bases or inconsistent data structures as users create their own workspaces independently. This is worth noting if your business is rapidly scaling and you need tighter control on your data management practices.

Security and enterprise governance

Airtable permissions can be set at the workspace level (owner/creator, editor, commenter, viewer). However, it hits a ceiling with more granular permissions, such as role-based access down to the task/item level, which matters more if you’re managing cross-functional projects rather than just data tables.

If you’re working in the EU, it’s important to note that EU data residency is only available on Airtable’s Enterprise Scale tier. Also, enabling it means you won’t have access to Airtable’s Enterprise Key Management functionality. You may require a more enterprise-ready alternative that offers EU data residency on every plan, without limiting functionality for encryption keys.

Integrations 

Airtable is limited in its library of native core integrations, with about 30 tools on offer. This means that integration with third-party software may be necessary to meet all your team’s needs. There is a wide range available via programs such as Zapier and Workato, but these may require additional costs. 

If you want your everyday tools to be integrated into the platform rather than exist as plug-ins, you might want to consider an alternative.

6 best Airtable alternatives in 2026

Let’s break down the different Airtable alternatives by use case.

1. Wrike: Advanced project and work management

Why consider Wrike:
Wrike is a powerful work delivery platform with advanced proofing and approval tools, resource planning features, enterprise-grade security, and project portfolio management.

Where Wrike differs from Airtable:
Airtable is built to organize data, but Wrike is built to run the work around it. While Airtable prioritizes structured data and relational tables, Wrike Datahub brings the database-style flexibility directly into your projects and tasks, so you’re not choosing between structure and work management. Wrike also boasts increased space governance, which can prevent spreadsheet sprawl and duplicative efforts. 

Best fit:
Enterprise and cross-functional teams managing advanced, complex workflows

Considerations:
Airtable only has lightweight use cases for project management; you’ll need to stitch together any gaps with integrations as your requirements grow. If your team is already facing structural scaling limits, Wrike might be the way to go.

2. ClickUp: General task management for small to midsize teams

Why consider ClickUp:
ClickUp consolidates productivity tools such as task management, collaborative docs, real-time chat, and multiplayer AI.

Where ClickUp differs from Airtable:
In terms of collaborative features, ClickUp has a stronger offering; additional tools such as document collaboration and real-time chat functionality set it apart from Airtable.

Best fit:
Small to midsize teams that prefer built-in tools rather than plug-ins or third-party integrations

Considerations:
Both platforms offer free plans with many of the most popular work management features, including Kanban boards and list views. If that’s all you need, ClickUp’s selling point of an all-in-one platform is not as effective. Neither option is the best fit for a rapidly scaling or enterprise team.

3. Monday.com: Visual workflow management

Why consider Monday.com:
Monday.com is a well-known workflow management solution with a visual interface suited to cross-team collaboration.

Where Monday.com differs from Airtable:
The key difference is visual — Monday.com has a wide range of colorful project views, making it arguably more visually appealing than Airtable’s minimalist design.

Best fit:
Teams that prioritize visual, board-based workflows

Considerations:
If your teams also require advanced resource planning, portfolio visibility, and enterprise governance, you may need a platform with deeper capabilities, like Wrike.

4. Smartsheet: Spreadsheet-style project management

Why consider Smartsheet:
Smartsheet is a natural alternative to Airtable, given its similarities in spreadsheet capabilities.

Where Smartsheet differs from Airtable:
Though Smartsheet might be considered the closest competitor in this list, it leans more toward Excel qualities, while Airtable is a fully flexible relational database. 

Best fit:
Teams that prefer a traditional spreadsheet layout

Considerations:
Last year, Smartsheet announced it was acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners. If new ownership is a concern, you should rule out both Airtable and Smartsheet.

5. Notion: Documentation and lightweight databases

Why consider Notion:
Notion is a task management platform that offers users the ability to centralize knowledge, projects, and tasks.

Where Notion differs from Airtable:
Notion is a text-first platform that centralizes notes, documents, and other resources. Meanwhile, Airtable is data-first and more suited to teams working with complex datasets.

Best fit:
Teams that primarily need a document storage hub or knowledge base

Considerations:
While Notion is adequate for managing small teams and projects, it may lack the full range of capabilities required by larger or enterprise organizations — Wrike is stronger in this regard.

6. Asana: Structured project management

Why consider Asana:
Asana is a robust project management platform with customizable features and workflow automation tools.

Where Asana differs from Airtable:
Both platforms offer features for structured work management, but Asana is more tailored to team-led projects, while Airtable focuses on data-led insights.

Best fit:
Teams that require a structured approach, with project management hierarchies, folders, and task dependencies

Considerations:
Similar to most other tools on this list, Airtable is a good alternative to Asana if you prioritize database management over workflow management. With Wrike, you don’t need to choose — you get dedicated database management and project planning tools, all in one place.

Should you switch from Airtable after the Bending Spoons acquisition?

Just because Airtable is being acquired doesn’t mean you have to switch. After all, no pricing or product changes have been announced. This choice will depend on your team’s unique needs — for example, if your database use case remains straightforward and you have no unmet project/work management requirements, you might opt to stay put for now.

That said, now is a good time to reassess your use of Airtable and think about your options.

Reasons to review your Airtable setup now

You should take the time to consider Airtable alternatives if:

• Your use of the Airtable platform has become business-critical, and you don’t want to risk potential disruption to your day-to-day business if the product changes 
• Your requirements have grown beyond database-style workflows
• Your teams need resource planning or portfolio visibility
• Your renewal is approaching
• Migration would be difficult if postponed

How to move from Airtable to another platform

If you’ve made the decision to move from Airtable, here’s a six-step guide to help you through the migration process.

1. Document how your team uses Airtable

Make a list of all the ways you use Airtable, dividing it into mission-critical and non-critical categories. Ensure you get feedback from all teams in your company using the platform, as they will have different use cases.

2. Separate database needs from work management needs

Do you use Airtable primarily as a database, a work management tool, or both? If the former, it makes sense to look at a simple database or spreadsheet-style alternative. If you need a full work management system that also offers data management, you need a more robust tool.

3. Audit integrations and automations

Take a look at your current list of integrations and automations. Decide which ones you need to keep, which ones you no longer need, and which ones you need to add to your repertoire. This will help you narrow down options based on each platform’s offering.

4. Test alternatives with a real workflow

When trying out different options, use a real-life work example, like a recurring task or repeatable project. You need to know if your chosen alternative works for your actual workflows, not hypothetical situations. 

5. Plan data and workflow migration

Work with a migration specialist to support your transition. They’ll help you ensure your data and workflows are backed up and can effectively be exported to a new platform without losing any context. 

Note: See here for more details on how to migrate to Wrike.

6. Move before your renewal deadline if switching makes sense

You don’t want to get locked into an annual contract and then decide in a month or two that you want to leave. Check your renewal deadline and get things in place to move before that date.

Why consider Wrike as an Airtable alternative?

If you’re hitting the ceiling with Airtable, particularly in the areas of resource management, proofing and approvals, or cross-team collaboration, Wrike delivers all of it natively, without relying on third-party integrations to fill the gaps. 

Wrike is built as the trusted work delivery platform for people and AI — where humans and AI agents work side by side on planning, execution, and delivery, all with enterprise-grade security and control.

With Wrike, you don’t need to worry about losing the robust data management capabilities that Airtable is known for, as both tools use relational database structure. Wrike Datahub is the perfect gateway; it provides a relational data layer that feeds directly into tasks and projects, so you get the best of both worlds — Airtable-style structure in the same place where the work actually happens.

Check out our page below for a full comparison of Wrike vs. Airtable, including a feature comparison chart, different team use cases, and pricing details.

Airtable alternatives FAQs

What is the best alternative to Airtable?

Wrike is the best Airtable alternative for enterprise teams that need advanced project and work management, resource planning, approvals, governance, cross-functional collaboration, and portfolio-level visibility.

Why are Airtable users looking for alternatives in 2026?

Some users are considering switching from Airtable in response to the August 4 announcement that the platform is to be acquired by Bending Spoons.  

Did Bending Spoons acquire Airtable?

Yes, Bending Spoons has agreed to acquire Airtable in a deal that is expected to close later in 2026, subject to regulatory approval. Until then, both companies will continue to operate separately.

Will Airtable pricing change after the acquisition?

No pricing change has been announced. The possibility has been raised and discussed in online forums, but this is all speculative to date.

Should I switch from Airtable after the Bending Spoons acquisition?

The acquisition alone isn’t a reason every Airtable customer needs to switch. But it’s a reasonable point for teams that depend heavily on Airtable to review their requirements, renewal timing, and available alternatives.

Can Wrike replace Airtable for project management?

Wrike is the best Airtable replacement for enterprise teams that need advanced project and work management. Wrike provides native resource planning, approvals, reporting, and governance, while Wrike Datahub connects relational data directly to projects and tasks.

What should I consider before migrating from Airtable?

You should consider documenting how your team uses Airtable, including your database/work management needs and your reliance on integrations and automations.

You should also consider your renewal deadline, test alternatives using a real workflow, and devise a migration plan with a specialist.

What is the difference between Wrike and Airtable?

Airtable is primarily a database tool, while Wrike is a comprehensive work management platform. Check out our Wrike vs. Airtable page for a more in-depth comparison.