In the realm of low-code platforms, Airtable has been making waves, offering an intuitive and robust tool for teams to manage complex data sheets and customize their workflows. Despite its impressive features, one glaring limitation is that as a hosted service, you do not have control over your data. This sparked a debate on the importance of data sovereignty and led to the exploration of open-source alternatives that provide the same functionalities as Airtable but with the added benefit of self-hosting. In this article, we will delve into the world of such alternatives, with a special spotlight on APITable, the open-source version of AITable.ai, and four other noteworthy options.
1- APITable
APITable is a stellar open-source alternative to Airtable that stems from the advanced technology of AITable.ai. This API-oriented and embed-friendly visual database offers a host of impressive features designed for both personal and enterprise use. The platform employs a real-time collaboration mechanism that supports simultaneous editing with the Operational Transformation (OT) Algorithm, making it an ideal tool for team-based projects. Moreover, APITable prides itself in its versatile database-spreadsheet interface, which is super-fast and user-friendly.
With its full-stack API access, you can efficiently manage data to metadata. It also offers an impressive seven view types, including Grid View, Gallery View, Mindmap View, and more. Furthermore, it provides enterprise-grade permissions for a secure data management environment. APITable also offers extensive extensibility with over 20 official open-source widgets, customizable graph, chart, dashboard, data column types, formulas, and automation robot actions. This platform is a testament to the power of open-source technology, providing a highly flexible and intuitive tool for managing complex data.
2- NocoDB
NocoDB is another open-source, self-hosted Airtable alternative that offers an equally impressive low-code collaborative web-based platform. It supports a host of database engines including MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL, Oracle, and MariaDB. With NocoDB, you can create, edit, and manage database tables, columns, and row content. Its features also extend to allowing the creation of galleries or list views instead of tables. To streamline data entry, NocoDB offers the option to create customized forms per table or use the provided REST API. The platform also offers an SDK, enterprise-grade REST-API, and multiple user support.
3- Baserow
Baserow is a low-code/no-code data platform that allows you to self-host on your server or local machine. It helps users connect to database servers, create complex spreadsheets, manage unlimited rows, and collaborate with team members. Baserow is built on top of Django and Nuxt.js frameworks and currently supports PostgreSQL. However, it can be tweaked to work with MariaDB, MySQL, and other SQL databases. To install Baserow, you can use its Docker image, offering a seamless install with minimal configuration.
4- Mathesar
Mathesar is another open-source Airtable alternative that supports PostgreSQL. Built on top of the Django framework, it provides a straightforward workflow to store, manage, organize, visualize and collaborate on data projects. You can install Mathesar either from the source or using a Docker image.
5- Metabase
Metabase offers a different approach to data management and manipulation, making it an attractive alternative for data engineers and data scientists. It allows users to ask simple questions, glean insights from data, or create and run queries. Metabase features a rich dynamic table tool with filters, summarizing options, full-text search option, column sorting, and many visualizations options. It supports both SQL and NoSQL database engines including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, and SQLite.
In conclusion, while Airtable is a powerful platform, the lack of data sovereignty is a significant limitation. Open-source alternatives like APITable, NocoDB, Baserow, Mathesar, and Metabase offer similar functionalities with the added benefit of self-hosting. These platforms not only give you control over your data but also provide an array of features that aim to streamline your data management process. If you are considering making a switch, these five alternatives serve as excellent starting points.
As effective project management is crucial for achieving organizational goals, project managers often rely on project management tools to reduce risks, ensure success, and increase productivity.
However, with the advent of the AI era in 2023, project managers must carefully evaluate the integration and user-friendliness of AI in their chosen project management software.
When choosing a project management tool, project managers should consider the different capabilities and focuses of each tool, as the right tool can make planning, executing, and monitoring project progress a breeze.
Nevertheless, each project management tool has its own focus. If you are confused about which project management tool in 2023 is better for you, here is a three-step guide to help you decide.
3 Steps to clarify which project management tool you need in 2023
Step 1: Define Your Project Management Needs
The first step is to define your project management needs by identifying which problems need to be solved. This involves prioritizing the issues based on their urgency and importance.
Generally, a project management tool can help project managers manage tasks, timelines, resources, and budgets more effectively. It can also facilitate communication and collaboration among team members and stakeholders, track project progress, and provide insights and analytics to help project managers make data-driven decisions.
Artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT) cannot be ignored. AI can help project managers automate repetitive tasks, analyze data more efficiently, and improve decision-making. Are you in need of an AI-powered project management tool? Consider that.
The second step is product research, where you should gather recommendations from your colleagues, talk to other project managers in your industry, and check out industry or software review websites (producthunt.com, G2. etc).
The final round will include 3-5 tools after you finish your initial research. Based on flexibility and scalability, here are 10 of the best project management tools in 2023 for you to consider.
1. APITable – the best project management tool in 2023
What sets APITable apart from other project management tools is its user-friendly interface and intuitive design. You’ll be able to get started in just one second, without any complicated setup or training required. And once you’re up and running, you’ll find that APITable is the coolest project management tool you’ve ever used, making work organization a breeze.
APITable is an incredibly simple and powerful work management tool that makes onboarding a breeze. With APITable, you can easily manage your projects and tasks, streamline your workflow, and stay on top of your deadlines.
APITable has taken a proactive step in integrating AI by partnering with ChatGPT, a leading AI language model. This integration utilizes AI to help users generate data more efficiently, create a personalized AI warehouse, and improve their entire workflow.
Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner, or part of a large team, APITable can help you stay on top of your workload and achieve your goals. Try it out today and see how APITable can transform the way you work.
Key Features of APITable:
Multiple project views: Gantt, Kanban, Calendar, Grid, Gallery, Form, Architecture
ChatGPT integration for smarter projects
Tailor project goals, steps, and progress states
Set due dates, auto-notifications (email, Slack, API)
Add comments, attachments, members, emails to records
Seamless API access; 5,000+ tool integrations (Zapier), including Slack, Gmail, Zoom, Salesforce, etc.
This emerging project management tool is not only as powerful as well-known project management tools currently available on the market, but also, with its irresistible price, it is undoubtedly the best recommendation for 2023.
Airtable is a highly customizable project management tool that combines the features of spreadsheets and databases.
Key Features of Airtable:
It offers various views such as kanban, gallery, list, and calendar, and automations that allow notifications and task creation. It has over 50 pre-built apps that can help automate workflows.
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Airtable has a free plan and paid plans starting at $10/user/month, with advanced features such as custom branded forms and domain-restricted sharing on the Pro plan.
Asana is a cloud-based project management tool that focuses on collaboration and productivity.
Key Features of Asana:
It offers a range of features, such as customizable workflows, automation of recurring tasks, and real-time analytics to help teams track progress. Asana also allows unlimited guest users and offers the ability to build custom rules and approval workflows.
While Asana is well-suited for businesses of all sizes, some users may find its interface overly simple and the system too rigid. Additionally, some core project management functionalities are handled through integrations, which may not be ideal for all users. However, if your project organization style matches well with Asana, you will likely appreciate its strong task management and collaboration features.
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As for pricing, Asana offers a free plan for up to 15 users, with options to manage tasks through lists, calendars, and Kanban boards. Its premium plan, which costs $10.99/month/user, includes features such as timelines, reporting, custom fields, and automation rules. The business plan, priced at $24.99/user/month when paid annually, offers advanced features such as approvals, portfolios, workload tracking, and advanced integrations.
Overall, Asana is a visually appealing project management tool created by one of Facebook’s co-founders that is popular among teams and creatives worldwide. Its dynamic format and design keep users engaged and active, while its focus on accountability and communication helps teams stay on track and deliver quality results.
Monday.com is a project management tool with a visually appealing interface and a variety of project visualization tools. This makes it simple and intuitive to use.
It’s flexible and allows for transparent work organization, with project templates that can be customized to suit your needs. The platform offers a variety of display options, such as map view and calendar view.
However, some customers have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of recurring task functionality and clunky navigation in the mobile app. On the other hand, Monday.com boasts robust security features and easy customization.
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In terms of pricing, the system can be a bit complicated, with no freemium plan and a range of plans that vary based on the number of users, automation, and integration actions required. Paid plans start at $39/month for five users.
Trello is a lightweight and simple project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to create tasks and stay organized. It has built-in collaboration tools and allows users to leave comments and share files.
Key Features of Trello:
Its features include Kanban and calendar style boards, comments, due dates, attachments, workflow automation, custom fields, backgrounds, and stickers.
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The basic plan is free, but paid plans offer automation, integrations, and priority support.
Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-based project management tool that offers workflow automation, Gantt, calendar, and card views, and customizable branding.
Key Features of Smartsheet:
It also has features like critical path highlighting, real-time notifications, and reporting. The platform offers various integrations with Microsoft and Google apps, Jira, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Slack, Box, and Tableau.
ProjectManager.com is a project planning tool that helps teams collaborate on tasks, track progress and resources, and plan project timelines using Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and other features. Its intuitive interface and support for Agile and Waterfall planning make it a flexible option for teams of all sizes.
ClickUp is an all-in-one cloud-based project management tool that offers comprehensive features, including add-ons for customization. Its modularity is one of its strengths, allowing users to tailor it to their needs through Click Apps. Explore more alternatives to ClickUp.
Key Features of ClickUp:
It offers customizable views, including list, board, box, and calendar views, as well as the ability to add docs and wikis, and time-tracking.
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ClickUp offers four pricing plans, with the free plan including 100 MB storage and unlimited tasks and members, while the enterprise plan includes white labeling and custom pricing.
Notion is a project management tool that combines a team wiki, project and task management, and note-taking into one centralized platform. It offers flexible Kanban boards and list-views for project and task management, as well as the ability to assign individual team members and prioritize tasks.
Key Features of Notion:
A centralized platform for team Wiki, project and task management, and note-taking
Kanban boards and list views for project and task management
Ability to assign team members and prioritize tasks
Pricing
Free plan available with limited features
Paid plans start from $8 per user per month
More advanced features and customizations are available with the Business plan, which starts at $20 per user per month
Wrike is a cloud-based project management tool that offers advanced features such as Gantt charts, task management, and real-time newsfeed, making it ideal for marketing, software development, and professional services teams. It can be overwhelming for new users due to its complex interface but offers custom team workflows, in-depth work intake forms, and flexible project management templates.
Key Features of Wrike:
Wrike features include multiple project and task views, custom workflow statuses, and real-time report building. It also allows synchronization of tasks and milestones with Google, iCalendar, and Outlook calendars, and provides accurate and up-to-date information to clients.
Pricing
Pricing for Wrike starts with a freemium version for up to five users, while paid plans start at $9.80/user/month for the Professional package (billed annually). The business plan, priced at $24.80/user/month, includes features such as subtasks, time-tracking, and workflows.
Step3: Test it out and get feedback from your team
As a project manager, it’s important to make sure the project management tools you select are the best fit for your team’s needs. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, the final step is to select 1-2 tools for your team to try out. Most project management tools offer free trials, but if not, you can contact them to request one.
To ensure that the tools are tested thoroughly, organize a group to try them out together. If you need to collaborate across departments, include members from different functions.
If you need to focus on customer collaboration, include members of the testing team in the role of customers. You can also consult with the sales team of the project management tool to simulate problems you might encounter in customer service. You can ask them for demos and answers.
After the test is complete, gather feedback from the team to make a final decision. Ask them questions like:
Will the tool improve project efficiency?
Do you need to spend some extra time learning and implementing the tool?
What do you like and dislike most about the tool?
What problems does the tool solve for you?
Is it difficult to get started with the tool?
How likely would you be to recommend this tool to others?
Considering the answers to these questions will help you make an informed decision about which project management tool to invest in.
A new version of APITable Open-Source Community Edition has been released. Team collaboration capabilities are unlocked.
Last month we hastily released the open-source APITable Community Edition, and the market response has far exceeded our expectations, with nearly 8000 stars on GitHub so far. At the same time, many community users have given us similar feedback, that is, the APITable Community Edition can’t collaborate with their partners, and they can’t really enjoy the coolness and performance improvement of the multi-person real-time collaborative visual database.
Therefore, this release focuses on addressing the basic capabilities related to multi-person collaboration, including but not limited to:
Support to invite others to join the Space by email
Support inviting others to join the Space by invitation link
Let’s take a look at the updates that have received the most attention from developers.
Support registration by email
You can now use email to register and log in to APITable, further improving the account system.
Support to change password
In “Settings,” you can receive a verification code via the registered email and change the password you previously set.
Support reset password
If you forget your password, you can receive a verification code via the registered email, reset your password, and log in.
Support to invite others to join the Space by email
You can now invite others to collaborate with you in your workspace in multiple ways. One way is to add the other person’s email address and send an invitation email.
After the recipient clicks the link in the email, they can enter your workspace and collaborate synchronously.
Support inviting others to join the Space by invitation link
You can also generate a public link and send it to your colleagues. Clicking on the link takes them to the page to join your workspace.
Version release details
The most eye-catching feature in this version update is undoubtedly the points mentioned above. But our development team has done a lot of work, including but not limited to feature updates and enhancements, bug fixes, etc. Click to view the version release details.
What’s next for APITable: APITable Roadmap
Many of you are very interested in knowing the future feature plan of the APITable Open-Source Community Edition and Cloud Edition, so we have seamlessly embedded and made public the product roadmap built on APITable through our highlight feature “Embed” on the official website.
Currently planned until the first half of 2023, you are welcome to learn about.
The specific location of the product roadmap is at the bottom of the APITable.com official website. Please feel free to pay attention:
If you have any questions or suggestions about APITable, please contact us on Github / Discord / Twitter, or go to www.apitable.com for more information.
