Airtable vs Smartsheet
A side-by-side look at 2 Productivity tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
A
airtable.com
Best for Ops, marketing and product teams that want database power with spreadsheet familiarity.
Part spreadsheet, part database, all flexible.
Visit Airtable
smartsheet.com
Best for Teams and PMOs that want spreadsheet-style familiarity with project views, automation and portfolio visibility.
A spreadsheet-style work management platform for running projects, portfolios and automated workflows.
Visit SmartsheetPricing compared
Airtable
$20/user/mo
Smartsheet
$9/member/mo
Head to head
| Airtable | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $20/user/mo | $9/member/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Free trial available |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android · macOS · Windows | Web · iOS · Android |
| HQ | — | Bellevue, WA, USA |
Pros & cons
Airtable
Pros
- Spreadsheet-style entry with real relational database power: typed fields, linked records and lookups.
- One dataset, many views: grid, kanban, calendar, gallery, timeline and forms.
- Built-in automations and an API cover most workflow glue without extra tools.
- Interface Designer turns a base into a simple app for teammates who do not need raw data.
- Free plan, and read-only collaborators, form submissions and share links are not billed.
Cons
- Per-seat pricing is charged for everyone with edit access, so costs climb as teams grow.
- Record, attachment and automation limits per plan can cap growth; over-limit bases stay usable but cannot add more.
- The relational model has a learning curve compared with a plain spreadsheet.
- Annual prices are published; month-to-month pricing is not shown on the pricing page.
Smartsheet
Pros
- Familiar grid interface lowers the learning curve for spreadsheet users.
- Gantt, table, board and calendar views sit on the same data.
- Unlimited free Contributors on paid plans keeps collaboration costs down.
- Automations, forms and reports are built in rather than add-ons.
- Enterprise tier adds portfolios, scenario planning and SAML-based SSO.
Cons
- Per-Member pricing and plan minimums (Business needs 3+ Members) can add up for larger teams.
- Pro plan is capped at 250 automations per month and 1-10 Members.
- Enterprise and Advanced Work Management pricing is custom and not published.
- Can feel heavier than lightweight task tools for small teams.
Features compared
| Airtable | Smartsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans & pricing | ||
| Free trial | — | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Member per month |
| Platforms & access | ||
| Web app | — | ✓ Yes |
| Mobile apps | — | ✓ Yes |
| Security & compliance | ||
| SSO / SAML | — | ✓ Yes |
| Collaboration | ||
| Guest access | — | ✓ Yes |