What is the best Airtable alternative?

Short answer

In the no-code database category, the well-known Airtable alternatives are Baserow, NocoDB, Teable and 4database.net.
The best alternative is the one that gives you the same features (views, rich fields, automations) without vendor lock-in.
4database.net is an open, team-friendly alternative: you build it visually and you can even host it yourself (self-hosting).
You get the six views, over 25 field types, automations, forms, real-time collaboration and an instant REST API.
Your data stays yours: EU hosting, GDPR compliance and export anytime, without being trapped in a closed ecosystem.

Feature parity: a good alternative covers Airtable's views (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Timeline, Form) and rich field types.
Openness and portability: look for full export and, ideally, self-hosting — that avoids the vendor lock-in many teams criticize in Airtable.
Baserow and NocoDB are open-source and self-hostable; Teable is a modern option in the same category.
Predictable cost: check the limits (rows, automations, users) at which prices rise as your team grows.
4database.net positions itself as an open alternative, with real-time collaboration, granular permissions, an instant REST API and EU hosting / GDPR.

An agency that outgrew Airtable's free plan moves to 4database.net for unlimited automations and role-based permissions on clients and campaigns.
A startup that wants data control picks a self-hostable alternative and keeps its product roadmap on its own server, in the EU.
An HR team migrates its hiring pipeline with a direct import, keeping the Kanban view by stage and the public application Form.

Picking a closed tool with vendor lock-in: when the price rises, you can't migrate easily because export is limited.
Looking only at price, not limits: cheap plans with few automations or users become expensive as the team grows.
Ignoring where the data lives: for EU personal data, EU hosting and GDPR matter, not just features.
Misreading the category: a real Airtable alternative must have views, rich fields and automations — not just a simple table.

4database.net is an open Airtable alternative: you build it visually, no code, and you can host it yourself (self-hosting).
Feature parity: six views (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Timeline, Form) and over 25 field types.
No-code automations and data-collection forms, plus an instant REST API for every table and integrations (Zapier/Make/n8n/webhooks).
Real-time collaboration with granular row- and field-level permissions — built for teams, not just individual users.
Your data stays yours: EU hosting, GDPR and export anytime — no vendor lock-in.