Airtable Alternative: Loocey DB
Looking for an Airtable alternative with a real relational database underneath and users included in the price? Here is an honest comparison, including where Airtable is still ahead.
- Last Updated October 8, 2026
- Category No-Code Database Software
- Approach Facts with sources, no made-up claims
Airtable made the spreadsheet-database hybrid mainstream. Bases with linked records, lookups and rollups, a long list of views, built-in automations and an official MCP server explain why it has 3,298 reviews on G2 at 4.6 out of 5.
Teams usually start looking for an Airtable alternative for two reasons: cost and ownership. Airtable charges $20 per editor per month on Team (billed annually), so 10 editors cost $200/month.
And in 2026 Bending Spoons agreed to acquire Airtable for $1.285 billion, with the deal expected to close before the end of 2026. This page compares Airtable and Loocey DB fact by fact.
Key Differences at a Glance
- Airtable at 10 Users
- $200/month (Team, $20/seat)
- Loocey DB at 10 Users
- $49/month (Pro, 10 users included)
Why Teams Look Elsewhere
- Per-editor pricing adds up
- Record limits per base
- A change of ownership
- A database you cannot reach directly
What Loocey DB Offers
- A dedicated PostgreSQL database
- Relationships with real foreign keys
- Lower cost for most team sizes
- SQL when you want it
- An MCP server for AI assistants
- Bring your data with you
Why Teams Look for an Airtable Alternative
Per-editor pricing adds up
Team is $20 per editor per month billed annually ($24 monthly), and every user with edit permissions on at least one base is billable. At 20 editors that is $400/month.
Record limits per base
The Free plan allows 1,000 records per base and Team allows 50,000; larger bases need Business or Enterprise Scale.
A change of ownership
Bending Spoons agreed to acquire Airtable in an all-cash deal valued at $1.285 billion, expected to close before the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval. Some teams prefer to review their options during a change of ownership.
A database you cannot reach directly
Airtable does not advertise a dedicated PostgreSQL database or direct database access. Teams that want real tables, foreign keys and SQL tools look elsewhere.
Where Airtable Is Strong
To be fair: Airtable is ahead of Loocey DB in several areas today.
It has Gallery, Timeline and Gantt views, built-in automations (25,000 runs/month on Team), AI features such as Field Agents and Omni, field and table editing permissions on Team+, public forms, and a large template gallery.
If those are must-haves now, Airtable is the stronger fit.
Airtable vs Loocey DB: Head-to-Head
| Feature | Airtable | Loocey DB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | No-code relational database / AI app platform | No-code relational database & app builder |
| Real PostgreSQL / Dedicated Database | ✗ Not advertised | ✓ A dedicated PostgreSQL database instance for every account |
| Relational Links / Foreign Keys | ✓ Linked records, lookups and rollups | ✓ Relationship columns create real foreign keys (Cascade, Restrict, Set Null, No Action) |
| Column (Field) Types | Linked record, lookup, rollup, formula and more | ✓ 50+ column types, stored as typed database columns |
| Views | Grid, Kanban, List, Gallery, Calendar, Form; Timeline and Gantt on Team+ | Table, Kanban/Pipeline and Calendar, saved as view tabs |
| Field-Level Permissions | Partial Field and table editing permissions on Team+ (controls editing, not viewing) | Coming Soon Granular Access Controls (App, table, field and record level). Today: company-wide roles |
| Automations | ✓ 25,000 runs/month on Team | Coming Soon Workflows & Automations |
| MCP Server for AI Assistants | ✓ Official hosted MCP server, all plans | ✓ Tables, columns, records, views/filters, imports and search |
| API | ✓ REST API; 100,000 calls/month on Team | ✓ API keys, Main API included on every plan |
| Self-Hosting | ✗ Not advertised | ✗ Cloud only |
| Price at 10 Users (Annual Billing) | $200/month (Team, $20/seat) | $49/month (Pro, 10 users included) |
| Free Plan / Trial | ✓ Free plan (1,000 records per base) | See the pricing page for current offers |
| Public Reviews | ★ 4.6 / 5 on G2 (3,298 reviews) | Customer reviews published on loocey.com |
A ✗ means the capability was not advertised in the vendor’s published materials (pricing page, help center and developer docs) when we checked (October 8, 2026).
Vendors change their products, so always verify current capabilities.
Airtable vs Loocey DB: Price by Team Size
| Monthly Cost, Billed Annually | 5 Users | 10 Users | 20 Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable (Team) | $100 | $200 | $400 |
| Loocey DB | $29 Standard | $49 Pro | $198 Enterprise |
Airtable: $20/seat; read-only users are free.
Prices as listed on each vendor’s pricing page on October 8, 2026, in USD per month with annual billing. Per-seat plans assume every user is billable (many vendors do not charge for viewers).
Loocey DB uses the cheapest plan for each team size, plus $19/user/month above the plan’s included users. Verify current pricing before you buy.
Airtable at a Glance
Airtable is a cloud spreadsheet-database hybrid that applies database features to a spreadsheet interface, and now markets itself as an AI app platform.
Bases hold tables connected by linked record fields, with lookups, rollups and formulas, and Interfaces turn a base into an app.
In 2026 Bending Spoons agreed to acquire Airtable in an all-cash deal valued at $1.285 billion.
The deal needs regulatory approval and is expected to close before the end of 2026.
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California
- Pricing
- Free; Team $20/seat/month and Business $45/seat/month billed annually ($24 and $54 billed monthly); Enterprise Scale custom. You pay for every user with edit permissions.
- Free Plan / Trial
- Free plan: 1,000 records per base, 5 editors, 100 automation runs/month
- Public Reviews
- 4.6 / 5 on G2 (3,298 reviews)
Independent Sources
The Alternative
How Loocey DB Replaces Airtable
A dedicated PostgreSQL database
Every Loocey account gets its own dedicated PostgreSQL database instance. Tables are real PostgreSQL tables with typed columns, indexes and unique, regex and min/max constraints.
Relationships with real foreign keys
Relationship columns create foreign keys with On Delete rules (Cascade, Restrict, Set Null or No Action), work across Apps, and support Existing Relationship (join) columns and dependent dropdowns.
Lower cost for most team sizes
Ten users cost $49/month on Loocey DB Pro billed annually, compared with $200/month on Airtable Team. At 20 users it is $198/month on Loocey DB Enterprise, compared with $400/month.
SQL when you want it
Create tables from a PostgreSQL CREATE TABLE script, add or update columns with ALTER TABLE, and export your schema as PostgreSQL DDL.
An MCP server for AI assistants
A compatible AI assistant can create tables and columns, add and update records, search your data, build saved views and filters, and import spreadsheets, acting as a real Loocey user with that user’s role.
Bring your data with you
Export to CSV from your current tool, then import CSV, XLSX, XLS or TXT files up to 50 MB into Loocey DB, map each column, and choose whether duplicates are skipped or updated.
Not Built Yet, and Labeled That Way
- Coming Soon Workflows & Automations
- Coming Soon Granular Access Controls (App-, table-, field- and record-level permissions)
See every feature on the Loocey DB page and every plan on the Loocey DB pricing page.
Which Should You Pick?
Pick Airtable If…
Pick Airtable if you need Gallery, Timeline or Gantt views, built-in automations and AI fields today, and per-editor pricing works for your team size.
Pick Loocey DB If…
Pick Loocey DB if you want a real relational database (a dedicated PostgreSQL instance, typed columns, foreign keys, indexes and SQL tools) behind a no-code interface, with users included in every plan, an MCP server for AI assistants, and room to grow into other Loocey apps such as Loocey CRM and Loocey DLA.
Airtable Alternative FAQ
Is Loocey DB a good Airtable alternative?
For teams that want a relational database with real foreign keys, typed columns and users included in the price, yes. Loocey DB runs on a dedicated PostgreSQL database instance per account, has 50+ column types and costs $49/month for 10 users on Pro billed annually.
Airtable is still ahead on automations, AI fields and Gallery, Timeline and Gantt views.
How much does Airtable cost compared with Loocey DB?
As listed on October 8, 2026, Airtable Team is $20 per editor per month billed annually: $100/month for 5 editors, $200 for 10 and $400 for 20. Loocey DB is $29/month for 5 users (Standard), $49 for 10 (Pro) and $198 for 20 (Enterprise), billed annually.
Can I move my data from Airtable to Loocey DB?
Yes. Export each Airtable table to CSV, then import it into Loocey DB (CSV, XLSX, XLS or TXT up to 50 MB), map the columns and choose how duplicates are handled.
Recreate linked records as Loocey DB relationship columns, which create real foreign keys.
What does Airtable have that Loocey DB does not?
Loocey DB does not have automations yet (Workflows & Automations are coming soon), and field-, record- and App-level permissions are coming soon as Granular Access Controls; today, permissions are company-wide roles. Loocey DB has Table, Kanban/Pipeline and Calendar views, with no Gallery, Gantt or Timeline view, and it is cloud only.
Compare the head-to-head table on this page for the details.
How we compare: product facts on this page were checked against each vendor’s public pricing page, help center and developer documentation on October 8, 2026. A ✗ means the capability was not advertised in the vendor’s published materials at that time; “Partial” marks a related but not equivalent feature.
Vendors change their products and prices, so always confirm current details directly. We link to independent sources such as G2, Crunchbase and Wikipedia rather than to competitor websites.