ToolStack

Smartsheet vs Airtable

Side-by-side comparison · Updated 2026-03-30

Our VerdictSmartsheet wins overall

Smartsheet leads on our composite score — 4.4/5 on G2 vs Airtable's 4.6/5 — but the gap is narrow enough that team fit matters more than the numbers.

Choose Smartsheet if…

Choose Smartsheet if your team focuses on project tracking and resource management and fits a scaleup, enterprise profile. Starting at $9/user/mo/user/mo with a free tier. Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use

Choose Airtable if…

Choose Airtable if your team focuses on product launch tracking and content calendar and fits a startup, scaleup profile. Starting at $20/user/mo/user/mo with a free tier. Unmatched flexibility as a hybrid spreadsheet-database — PMs can build custom trackers, CRMs, and workflows without code

Smartsheet
by Smartsheet
4.4
out of 5 · 21k+ G2 reviews
Visit Smartsheet ↗
Airtable
by Airtable
4.6
out of 5 · 3k+ G2 reviews
Visit Airtable ↗

Feature Comparison

FeatureSmartsheetAirtable
Category
work_management
database_pm
G2 Score
4.4 / 5.0
4.6 / 5.0Better
G2 Reviews
21000
3200
Free Tier
Starting Price
$9/user/moBetter
$20/user/mo
Mobile App
AI Features
API Access
SSO / SAML
SOC 2
Learning Curve
moderate
moderate
Platforms
web, mac, windows, ios, android
web, mac, windows, ios, android

Pros & Cons

Smartsheet

Pros
✓ Spreadsheet-familiar interface makes adoption easy for teams transitioning from Excel — minimal training needed for basic use
✓ Extremely powerful Gantt chart and dependency tracking capabilities, ideal for traditional project management and waterfall methodologies
✓ Robust automation engine with conditional logic, approval workflows, and automated notifications that scale across the organization
✓ Strong portfolio-level dashboards and reporting allow PMOs to aggregate data across dozens or hundreds of projects
Cons
✗ Not designed for agile/Scrum teams — lacks native sprint planning, backlog management, and velocity tracking
✗ Pricing can escalate quickly at scale since every collaborator who edits needs a licensed seat
✗ Sheet-based architecture creates data silos — cross-sheet references and formulas become complex and brittle at scale

Airtable

Pros
✓ Unmatched flexibility as a hybrid spreadsheet-database — PMs can build custom trackers, CRMs, and workflows without code
✓ Rich view options including Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Gantt, and Form views all from a single data source
✓ Powerful automation engine with conditional triggers, integrations, and scripting for sophisticated no-code workflows
✓ Relational database capabilities allow linking records across tables, enabling complex data modeling that spreadsheets can't handle
Cons
✗ 1,000-record limit on the free tier is extremely restrictive — most teams outgrow it within weeks
✗ Pricing jumps significantly from free to paid tiers ($20/user/month) with no intermediate option
✗ Not a purpose-built PM tool — lacks native sprint planning, velocity tracking, and agile-specific features out of the box

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your needs. Smartsheet scores 4.4/5 on G2, while Airtable scores 4.6/5. Smartsheet is better for project_tracking and resource_management, while Airtable excels at product_launch_tracking and content_calendar.
Smartsheet starts at $9/user/mo per user/month with a free tier. Airtable starts at $20/user/mo per user/month with a free tier.
Smartsheet supports 150 integrations, while Airtable supports 1,000.
Full Smartsheet Review →Full Airtable Review →
Data verified 2026-03-30. Some links may be affiliate links — see disclosure.