Airtable is a specialized database tool optimized for structured data management and automation with superior relational capabilities, while Notion is an all-in-one workspace combining databases, documents, wikis, and task management in one flexible platform. Airtable excels at complex workflows; Notion excels at simplicity and integration of multiple work types.
Airtable vs Notion — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based database and workflow automation platform for structured data management.
Flexible all-in-one workspace combining databases, documents, wikis, and task management in an intuitive block-based interface.
Primary Use Case. Relational Database Features. Document & Wiki Capabilities. Native Automations. Learning Curve. API & Integration Depth. Pricing Model for Teams
Choose Airtable if you need powerful database automation, complex workflows, relational data management, or plan to build custom apps for business processes. Choose Notion if you want an affordable all-in-one platform for team documentation, knowledge management, project tracking, and don't need advanced database automation or complex data relationships.
Airtable: Free (limited) | Notion: $10 per user
Airtable: $20-$50 per base | Notion: $18 per user
Airtable: Advanced (Automations + Scripting) | Notion: Basic (via integrations only)
Airtable: Generous with tiers | Notion: Limited tier system
Airtable: 5+ million | Notion: 10+ million
Airtable: Basic (attachments, linked records) | Notion: Full editor (formatting, blocks, collaboration)
Airtable: 500+ native | Notion: 600+ via Zapier
Starting Price Per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Airtable: Free ($0) or Team Plan ($20/user) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 1,000 records per base | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 50,000 records per base | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Grid, Gallery, Calendar, Form, Kanban, Timeline, Map (7+) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Extensive with Zapier + native automations | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Moderate - requires data modeling knowledge | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited custom fields, formulas, and rollups | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $540 annually ($45/month) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $20 (annual billing) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 30 requests/second (enterprise) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $0 (5 editors, 1,000 records) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited on paid plans | Notion: N/A
Airtable: No (third-party integration required) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 6+ (Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Calendar, Timeline, Form) | Notion: Table, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gallery, List
Airtable: Comments and mentions only | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 1,000+ via Zapier and native | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Advanced automations, scripting, and workflows | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $0 free tier or $6-$20 paid tier | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $720-$2,400 annually ($6-$20 per user) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Instant (< 1 second) | Notion: Unlimited
Airtable: 0.5-1 week for intermediate use | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited (100,000+ tested) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 500+ no-code automations | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 6,000+ via Zapier + 50+ native | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited with relationships | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Visual workflow builder (no code) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 15-20 (basic setup) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: $120 | Notion: $0 (free tier) / $10 (Plus)
Airtable: 500+ | Notion: 2000+ community templates
Airtable: No, third-party only | Notion: Yes, basic timeline view only
Airtable: $20/month | Notion: $10 (Plus tier)
Airtable: 8,000+ integrations | Notion: Zapier/Make (indirect, 5,000+ apps)
Airtable: Advanced (linked records, complex queries, rollups) | Notion: Advanced with filters, sorts, rollups
Airtable: AI Assistant on Team+ plans only ($30+/month) | Notion: Notion AI included in Pro/Team plans
Airtable: Limited (gallery view only) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited with complex conditions | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 2 GB per attachment | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Advanced linked records, lookups, rollups, and junctions | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Advanced visual automation builder with multi-step workflows | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 6 (grid, calendar, kanban, gallery, form, timeline) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Basic (timeline view only) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 7 (moderate - requires database thinking) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Native linked records with rollups and lookups | Notion: N/A
Airtable: REST API + Metadata API + JavaScript SDK | Notion: Public API with Zapier/webhook support
Airtable: Automations, Scripting, Extensions | Notion: Database automations, API integrations, Zapier/Make support
Airtable: 25+ (including linked records, lookups, rollups, formulas) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 5 (Grid, Calendar, Kanban, Gallery, Timeline) | Notion: 3 (Table, Board, Gallery)
Airtable: Limited (attachments only) | Notion: Full rich-text editor with synced blocks
Airtable: Comprehensive REST + GraphQL APIs with extensive examples | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 1,200 records | Notion: Unlimited pages (feature-limited)
Airtable: 25+ (conditionals, multi-step) | Notion: 8 (basic actions only)
Airtable: Unlimited linked records + lookups + rollups | Notion: Linked databases with basic relations
Airtable: 100+ simultaneous | Notion: 50+ simultaneous
Airtable: $20-50 (Pro/Team tier) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Native; live cursors, instant updates, comment threads | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 1,200 records per base | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Yes (linked records, automatic relationships) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Limited; read-only offline, edits sync when online | Notion: 40% (cached pages only)
Airtable: 6 views (grid, gallery, calendar, kanban, form, timeline) | Notion: 8+ views (Table, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gallery, Kanban, Database)
Airtable: Minimal (tables-focused, limited formatting) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Advanced with junctions, rollups, complex queries | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 14 days | Notion: Unlimited free tier available
Airtable: $0 (with limits) | Notion: $10 flat monthly (unlimited users)
Airtable: Free (limited) | Notion: $10/user
Airtable: $20 per seat/month (Team plan) | Notion: $8
Airtable: Enterprise-grade with linked records, lookups, rollups | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Not included (third-party required) | Notion: No (requires integration)
Airtable: 6 views (Grid, Gallery, Calendar, Kanban, Form, Timeline) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 200+ via Zapier; strong API with webhooks | Notion: 100+
Airtable: Moderate (database concepts, relational thinking) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Unlimited (with limitations) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: 6 (grid, gallery, form, calendar, kanban, expandable records) | Notion: N/A
Airtable: Automations with advanced conditions and nested logic | Notion: Native + Zapier/Make support + 1000+ integrations
Airtable: $20/month (Pro) | Notion: $15/month (Plus annual)
Airtable: 170+ actions | Notion: 50+ actions
Airtable: Advanced (linked records, rollups, lookups) | Notion: Basic (relations, limited rollups)
Airtable: Minimal (basic text blocks) | Notion: Extensive (rich editor, full wiki)
Airtable: 1000+ integrations | Notion: 500+ integrations
Airtable: 200+ functions | Notion: 80+ functions
Airtable: 100,000+ rows (stable) | Notion: 10,000 rows (before slowdown)
Airtable: 4-6 hours (relational setup) | Notion: 1-2 hours (template-based)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Notion's cloud servers
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Free / $8-15 per user
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Customizable approach
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Moderate support
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Real-time co-editing, permissions, comments, activity tracking
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full (relational databases, rollups, formulas)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Cloud-hosted (Notion controls servers)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes (built-in AI assistant)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: High availability (no published SLA)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 9/10 (blocks, databases, relations)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5/10 (basic automations only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 2-50 users (flexible scale)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 7-14 days (custom setup required)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $20 (Business tier)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $24+ (Enterprise, custom)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited task/project features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 9/10 - Highly customizable
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 8/10 - Steep learning curve
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 9/10 - Native docs & databases
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic (manual linking only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No (requires manual setup with databases)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Very High (fully customizable databases and properties)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10 (free plan with guests)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Not available (must track manually)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $8/month (Team tier)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Excellent for non-technical users - intuitive linked properties
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited native two-way sync capability
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Built-in AI assistant with limited agent connections
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Steep learning curve with flexible drag-and-drop
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Exceptional - optimized for feature roadmaps and linked data
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 100+ templates and integrations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited with role-based permissions
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Flexible block-based editor with databases
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Teams, project managers, content creators
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Views API, Markdown support, automatic retries (2026)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks and pages
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full relational database support
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited offline capabilities
Airtable: N/A | Notion: REST API and official SDK
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Comments, mentions, real-time editing, threads
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Free (or $10/month for AI)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited offline; web-first platform
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $0 (free tier exists)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic linked mentions; manual linking required
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 400+ (official integrations)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 100+ million across all sectors
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Free (Plus $10/user)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Moderate (2-3 seconds with complex databases)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1000+ through Zapier and native
Airtable: N/A | Notion: All-in-one workspace & documentation
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 3-7 days depending on customization
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Native iOS/Android, good but slower
Airtable: N/A | Notion: SSO, AI features, advanced permissions, audit logs
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30-60 (database learning curve)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 8 (iOS/Android, full sync)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: PDF/CSV (some lock-in)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10+ million active users
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 3 requests per second (~180/min)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (manual + integrations)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 50,000+ community templates
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Cloud-based SaaS
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Proprietary blocks
Airtable: N/A | Notion: CSV / Markdown export
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Cloud (built-in)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (limited API)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Notion AI (bundled in Business/Enterprise; trial on Free/Plus)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Free (10 guests)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Plus $10/user/mo
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Airtable: N/A | Notion: AI-powered search, Q&A, writing assistance (add-on)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Centralized knowledge/PM workspace
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $100 (10 users @ $10)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (Unlimited plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full relational databases with 10+ view types
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5-10 hours for proficiency
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10/month (Plus) or $20/month (Business)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 3 (full page, bookmark, simple)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic (AI blocks limited to Pro/Team plans)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 0 (no native integration)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 500+ via Zapier, native integrations, and API
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1000+ community and official templates
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (requires sync after reconnect)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30 minutes (learning curve for full features)
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited workspace content; 5GB file attachments
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes - relations, filters, sorts, multiple views
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 60+ (steep learning curve)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic (simple triggers and actions)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes - unlimited pages and sharing
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes (native relations, rollups, and rollup filters)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 6 (Table, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, Board, List)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10,000 (performance degrades noticeably after 5,000)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1,500+ (Zapier, Slack, webhooks, and native integrations)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Comments, mentions, reminders only
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $120/year (Plus plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 6 platforms (Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Advanced relational databases with filtering and sorting
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full real-time collaboration with comments and permissions
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Partial offline (web requires internet, mobile has limited offline mode)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Proprietary Notion format (limited standard export)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30-60 minutes to understand core features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Robust public API with extensive integration ecosystem
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (Plus plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Not FedRAMP authorized
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $0 (limited to 1M blocks/month)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (team plan dependent)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1-to-1, Many-to-1, Many-to-Many
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 12+ (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, etc.)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 6+ (complex feature set requires training)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 8+ (PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV, etc.)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes - unlimited features for individuals/small teams
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 75+ million registered users (as of 2024)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $120 per year (Plus plan, no AI)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited in Team plan
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (per subscription)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No (third-party integrations only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No (web-based only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Linear page-based structure
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (paid plans)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Advanced relational databases with formulas, rollups, filters
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full offline capability with sync
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks + 10 GB files
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 7-14 days to use advanced features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (unlimited access)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 50+ integrated features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (requires extension)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $0 (Pro: $120/year)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 20+ workspace templates
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Timeline view available; no dependency or critical path analysis
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Manual tracking only; no native capacity features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited cross-database visibility
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5-10 MB per block
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5+ (Table, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $12 (Notion Team plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $0 (personal), $120/year (Pro single-user)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5 GB (Notion personal, expandable)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 50+ (SUM, IF, COUNT, ROLLUP, etc.)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 8-15 hours for competent database design
Maximum Database Rows (optimal performance)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10,000 rows before noticeable slowdown
Real-time Simultaneous Collaborators (unlimited tier)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited by workspace plan (typically 10-50 concurrent editors)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Excellent; optimized for mobile-first reading and editing
Native Data Visualization (charts, pivots)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No; requires third-party tools or manual workarounds
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full relational with rollups, formulas, aggregations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (formula-based)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full offline mode
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes, real-time collaboration
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Up to 10 databases/pages
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 6 views (table, kanban, calendar, timeline, gallery, list)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: View-only for complex databases; limited editing
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 120-240 minutes (requires template setup)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes - rich-text with synced blocks and templates
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No (Zapier workaround only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1-2 seconds (1000-2000ms)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10+ (stable with minor lag)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No native email; third-party only
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 100+ REST API endpoints
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Read-only mode offline
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1000+ community templates + Zapier/Make
Airtable: N/A | Notion: iOS + Android official apps
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 800+ official templates
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Notion API + CSV/Markdown exports
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $14 (Pro plan, annual)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $32 (Team plan, annual)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 12 basic automation triggers
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30 hours for proficiency
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic calendar view (limited critical path analysis)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited custom fields, relations, formulas, rollups, and linked databases
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 500+ via Zapier, 50+ native
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (billed annually)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: ~10,000+ templates
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Optimized up to 10,000 items per view
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10.00 (or free)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $120/month (Pro plan, capped usage)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $120/month (unlimited members, Pro)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 0 native (requires third-party integration)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full rich-text editor with embeds
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited offline; requires internet for most features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Sync requires active internet connection
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10/user (free tier available)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited users, unlimited workspaces
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Third-party only (Zapier)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Advanced (rollups, lookups, formulas)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 3 requests/second (180/min)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1.4s (typical page/database view)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 300+ integrations via Zapier/native
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $0 (Unlimited free tier)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30+ automation options
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10+ types (includes relations, rollups, formulas, templates)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 2-4 hours to start productive work
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited (basic role options, no granular permissions)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $150/month (15 members × $10)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $500/month (50 members × $10)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1 (comments only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 8 (relational, formulas, rollups, filters, sorts, synced blocks, templates)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 40% of desktop features
Base Monthly Cost Per User (Annual Billing)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10.00 (Team plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Not native - timeline view available via database relations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Manual tracking via database properties
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full support with many-to-many relations and rollups
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic - templates and button automations, limited conditional logic
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 150+ integrations via Zapier, Make, and native connectors
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (Personal Pro with AI)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 30-60 minutes to configure workspace
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Advanced with filtering, sorting, and relations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (Plus plan, free tier available with limits)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $120/year ($600 over 5 years)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 2000-4000ms (dependent on internet)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full (one-to-many, many-to-many, rollups, formulas)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 200+ (primarily cosmetic and integration)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Manual creation (no AI)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 20+ interface languages
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 0 without AI add-on
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 0% (no AI acceleration)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes - unlimited notes with basic features
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 6 platforms (Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux via web)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks (tested with 1M+ blocks)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Up to 100+ simultaneous editors per workspace
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 80+ native integrations + Zapier support
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Markdown support with limited native formatting
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5 primary views (table, board, gallery, calendar, timeline)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks (varies by content type)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No (third-party integration only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full relational databases with custom properties
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Limited to cached data only
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10.00 (Notion AI)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10+ (Table, Kanban, Gallery, Timeline, Calendar, Board, etc.)
Monthly Cost Per User (Team Plan, Annual Billing)
Maximum Concurrent Users Per Board/Workspace
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes (unlimited pages, limited blocks)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (async-optimized)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Full relational DB support with rollups
Airtable: N/A | Notion: ~1000+ via Zapier + REST API
Airtable: N/A | Notion: CSV, JSON, Markdown, HTML, PDF
Airtable: N/A | Notion: ~1000 blocks per page (soft limit)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks
Airtable: N/A | Notion: N/A (no native OCR)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Mobile requires internet
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 800+ Zapier integrations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $8-10/user/month (Pro plan for teams)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 40+ field types including relations and rollups
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 60% feature parity, web-responsive only
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5-10 hours for team mastery
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No - requires Slack, Discord, or Email integration
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1,000+ records with noticeable performance impact
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 100+ integrations + native API
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (Team Plan, unlimited users)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 45% - Limited timeline view, workarounds needed
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 95% - Multi-level relations, rollups, filters
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 4.5 stars (64,000+ reviews)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited users, full feature access
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 4 (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 50+ native automations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 20 blocks/month; major restrictions
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10/user/month (billed annually)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: No native option; requires third-party
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Rich collaborative docs with AI assistance
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1 week to start basic workflows
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $10 (Team plan per seat, or $200/month unlimited)
Total Cost of Ownership (50 Users, Annual)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: $2,400 (workspace plan $200 × 12)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 3 levels (Workspace, Page, Database controls)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Included in plan
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (Business plan)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 2000-4000ms (dependent on connection)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 1000 blocks per free account
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Yes (live cursors, comments)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: ~50 official integrations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 5,000 rows before noticeable lag
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited file uploads (paid only)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Unlimited users (read-only limit applies)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 10,000-25,000 items (performance degrades)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic database automations only
Airtable: N/A | Notion: 100+ official + community integrations
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Basic backlinks (added 2023)
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Slows with 1,000+ items in single database
Airtable: N/A | Notion: Not available; no native graph view
How to choose between Airtable and Notion
Airtable vs Notion — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Airtable vs Notion. Contains 541 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Airtable vs Notion — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Airtable vs Notion.
Can I use Notion for complex CRM and sales pipeline automation?
Notion can handle basic CRM with kanban boards and database filtering, but it lacks the automation power and relational database sophistication Airtable provides. Notion's 50 automation actions and weak relationship features make it unsuitable for complex sales processes requiring conditional routing, multi-step workflows, or connected data lookups. For advanced CRM, Airtable is the better choice.
Is Notion good enough to replace separate tools for docs, wiki, and project management?
Yes, Notion excels as an all-in-one platform replacing Google Docs, Confluence, and basic project tools. Teams save 20-30% on tool costs and reduce context-switching by using one workspace. However, for specialized needs (advanced workflows, large databases, complex automation), you may still need supplementary tools. Airtable is database-only and cannot replace document tools.
Which platform integrates better with my existing tech stack?
Airtable has deeper integration depth with 1000+ Zapier connections, a robust REST API, JavaScript SDK, and strong webhook support. Notion offers 500+ Zapier integrations and REST API but with less advanced customization options. If you need custom API integrations or complex third-party workflows, Airtable is superior. For standard business app connections (Slack, Gmail, Salesforce), both work well.
What are the typical hidden costs when scaling each platform?
Airtable's per-user pricing ($20/month Pro) becomes expensive at 20+ users (quickly exceeding $400/month), though enterprise licensing offers discounts. Notion's annual Plus plan ($180/user/year = $15/month) scales better for large teams. However, Airtable's advanced features reduce need for additional tools, while Notion users often purchase complementary apps for automation, offsetting cost savings. For teams under 10 people, Notion is cheaper; for 15+, Airtable's flexibility may justify cost.
Can I embed databases and documents together seamlessly?
Notion offers superior embedded database-in-document experience—you can embed filtered databases directly in pages with full interactive views. Airtable has limited embedding and no rich document layer, requiring separate tools for documentation. If you need integrated databases and narrative documentation in one view, Notion wins. For standalone database power, Airtable excels.
How to Choose Between Airtable and Notion
Primary Use Case: Airtable has Database & workflow automation, while Notion has All-in-one workspace & documentation.
Relational Database Features: Airtable has Advanced (linked records, rollups, lookups, complex automations), while Notion has Basic (relations and rollups only, limited automation).
Document & Wiki Capabilities: Airtable has Minimal (database-focused, limited text blocks), while Notion has Extensive (full-featured rich text editor, wiki functionality).
Native Automations: Airtable has 170+ automation actions with advanced workflow builder, while Notion has 50+ automation actions, simpler trigger-action model.
Learning Curve: Airtable has Steep (complex relational concepts, formula syntax), while Notion has Gentle (intuitive interface, drag-and-drop simplicity).
API & Integration Depth: Airtable has Robust REST API, 1000+ Zapier integrations, strong developer ecosystem, while Notion has Good REST API, 500+ Zapier integrations, growing ecosystem.
Pricing Model for Teams: Airtable has $20/user/month (Pro plan with full features), while Notion has $10-15/user/month equivalent (Notion Plus $180/year seat).