Airtable vs Smartsheet: relational database or project spreadsheet

Airtable is a relational database with views on top — excellent for structured content, weak on scheduling. Smartsheet is a project spreadsheet with real Gantt, dependencies and critical path, but no free plan and a per-seat price with minimums.

Which one fits you?

Choose Airtable if…

You're modelling data — inventories, content calendars, CRMs — and need linked records and formulas.

Choose Smartsheet if…

You're running dated project schedules and need dependencies and critical path.

Consider Akievo if…

You want project views that work immediately, with no schema to design and no per-seat pricing.

The differences that matter

Scheduling

Smartsheet has native dependencies and critical path. Airtable's Gantt sits on paid tiers and doesn't model blocking relationships.

Free access

Airtable has a free plan; Smartsheet's was discontinued in 2025 and replaced with a 30-day trial.

Billing

Airtable charges per billable collaborator from $20 per person annually; Smartsheet from $9 per user with plan minimums.

Airtable vs Smartsheet vs Akievo

"Paid" means the feature exists but needs a higher tier. Data checked September 2026.

Feature	Airtable	Smartsheet
Views and planning
Kanban board
Table / grid view
Calendar view
Timeline / Gantt	Paid
Task dependencies
Critical path
Board dashboard and reports	Paid	Paid
Eisenhower decision matrix
AI
AI builds the whole plan for you	Paid	Limited
AI included in the plan price	Paid	Paid
Manage tasks from ChatGPT
Connect your own AI agents (MCP)
Platform and pricing
REST API		Paid
Webhooks	Paid	Paid
Slack integration
Import from Trello	Limited	Limited
Free plan available
Flat price, not per seat

Pricing side by side

Airtable

Free$0

Limited records per base, core views, 1GB attachments

Team$20–$24 per collaborator/mo

Gantt and timeline views, more records, automations

Business$45–$54 per collaborator/mo

Admin controls, SSO, two-way sync, granular permissions

Enterprise ScaleContact sales

Enterprise governance, app library, audit logs

Smartsheet

FreeDiscontinued

Replaced by a 30-day trial in 2025

Pro$9–$12 per user/mo

Unlimited sheets, Gantt, reports, minimum 1 user

Business$19–$24 per user/mo

Workflows, portfolio reporting, minimum 3 users

EnterpriseContact sales

SSO, governance, advanced capacity and resource tools

Akievo

Free$0

1 board, 1 workspace, 2 members, 1 AI credit a month

Starter$5/mo

4 boards, 2 workspaces, 2 members, 25 AI credits a month

Pro$12/mo

Unlimited boards, unlimited workspaces, 5 members, 500 AI credits a month

Pro Plus$29/mo

Unlimited boards, unlimited workspaces, unlimited members, 2,000 AI credits a month

Prices checked September 2026 from Airtable and Smartsheet. Akievo prices are per account, not per seat. Always confirm current pricing with each vendor.

Where each tool wins

We'd rather you picked the right tool than switched and regretted it.

Airtable is the better pick when…

Relational data modelling that no project tool can match

Interface Designer builds genuine internal apps on top of your data

Powerful sync, scripting and automation ecosystem

Ideal as a content calendar, CRM or inventory system of record

Smartsheet is the better pick when…

Serious portfolio and resource management for large programmes

Formula and cross-sheet reference power that project tools lack

Approval workflows and forms used across whole enterprises

Long track record in construction, government and regulated industries

Where Akievo fits

Every view — Kanban, Table, Calendar, Timeline, Dependencies, Matrix and Dashboard — from the $5 plan.

A flat account price instead of per-seat billing, with no seat minimums.

AI that drafts the whole plan: lists, tasks, dates and dependencies, from one description.

Import your Trello boards directly, so switching doesn't mean retyping work.

Manage tasks from ChatGPT or connect your own AI agents over MCP.

Airtable vs Smartsheet FAQs

Is Airtable a project management tool?

It can be shaped into one, but you design the structure and it has no true dependencies or critical path.

Which is better for a dated project plan?

Smartsheet, clearly — that's what it was built for.

Which is cheaper?

Smartsheet Pro at $9 per user annually undercuts Airtable Team at $20 per collaborator, though Smartsheet has no free tier.

What if I want both simplicity and scheduling?

Akievo includes Kanban, Table, Calendar, Timeline, Dependencies and critical path from $5 a month for the account.

Still deciding? Try the third option

Describe your project and Akievo builds the board, the tasks, the dates and the dependencies. No card needed.

Where Akievo fits: the features behind this comparison

Project timeline & Gantt Task dependencies Critical path AI board generator AI project planner MCP project management

See all Akievo features

Keep comparing

Airtable alternative Smartsheet alternative Trello vs monday.com Trello vs Asana Trello vs ClickUp Trello vs Notion monday.com vs Asana monday.com vs ClickUp

See the full comparison table