Introduction
Airtable and Monday.com are two of the most widely used tools for organizing work, data, and workflows — but they approach these goals very differently.
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Airtable combines the power of databases with the familiarity of spreadsheets, making it great for teams managing structured data.
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Monday.com is a visual project management tool focused on collaboration, task tracking, and timelines.
This guide breaks down where each platform excels, where they fall short, and how Tadabase compares as a scalable internal tool builder for teams that outgrow either one.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Best For | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airtable | Data-first teams, internal tools | Free; $20/user/mo (Team) |
| Monday | Project management, collaboration workflows | Free; $12/user/mo (Basic) |
| Tadabase | Building custom internal tools & workflows | View Pricing |
What Airtable Does Best
Airtable is a spreadsheet database hybrid that supports relational data automations and multiple views
Pros:
Spreadsheet-like interface with database structure- Powerful filtering, grouping, and views
- Great API and integration support
- Airtable AI for simple automations
Cons:
Limited user permissions on lower tiers- No native automation engine (relies on extensions/Zapier)
- Gets expensive as teams and records scale
- Not ideal for external-facing apps
Learn More Airtable alternatives Pricing
Compare: Tadabase vs Airtable | Read Now: Top Airtable Alternatives
What Is Monday com
Monday com is a visual work operating system that supports task tracking dashboards integrations time tracking and collaboration
Pros:
- Visual dashboards, boards, timelines, and kanban views
- Built-in automations for workflows and alerts
- Strong project and task collaboration features
- Built-in time tracking, comments, and file sharing
Cons:
- Database functionality is limited
- Not optimized for complex internal tools or custom logic
- Automations can be restrictive at lower plan levels
- Less customizable at the data model level
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Airtable | Monday.com | Tadabase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Structure | |
Limited | |
| Visual Project Views | |
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| Task Management & Timelines | Basic | |
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| Custom Roles & Permissions | Limited | |
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| External App Access | Limited | Limited | |
| API & Integration Flexibility | |
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| HIPAA & Compliance Options | |
Enterprise Only | |
| Automation & Workflows | Add-ons | |
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| White Labeling | |
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| Record Limits | Capped | Capped | Uncapped |
User Ratings & Feedback
| Platform | G2 Rating | Common Praise | Common Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable | 4.6 / 5 | Intuitive UI, flexibility | Expensive at scale, permission limits |
| Monday | 4.7 / 5 | Project views, collaboration | Poor data control, rigid automations |
| Tadabase | 4.8 / 5 | Scalability, control, automation | Learning curve for advanced setups |
Sources:
Pricing Breakdown
Airtable Pricing
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Free – Up to 5 editors, 1,000 records per base, limited features
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Team – $20/user/month (billed annually) – 50,000 records per base, advanced views
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Business – $45/user/month (billed annually) – 125,000 records/base, advanced sync & admin features
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Enterprise – Custom pricing – Enterprise-grade security, unlimited workspaces, SSO
Monday.com Pricing
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Free – Up to 2 seats, 3 boards, limited views
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Basic – $9/seat/month (billed annually) – Unlimited items, 5GB storage
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Standard – $12/seat/month – Timeline, Gantt, automations
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Pro – $19/seat/month – Workload, private boards, 25,000 automations/month
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Enterprise – Custom pricing – Advanced reporting, security, audit logs
Pros and Cons
Airtable
- Flexible for structured data
- Powerful integrations automations
- No built in chat or docs
Monday com
- Visual project tracking and dashboards
- Collaboration chat and docs included
- Less scalable for relational data
Review Summary
| Platform | G2 Rating | Capterra Rating | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable | 4.6 | 4.6 | Versatile and powerful for data apps |
| Monday com | 4.7 | 4.7 | Visual and collaborative work platform |
In Our Experience
Airtable works great for structured data workflows but lacks built in chat and docs Monday com is ideal for project tracking dashboards and team collaboration but is limited in database scale Tadabase gives both in one platform at flat pricing
Recommended Alternatives
| Platform | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Tadabase | Unified internal tool platform | Tadabase |
| Smartsuite | Work management and data unified | SmartSuite |
| Notion | Docs with light database support | Notion |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airtable a project management tool like Monday?
Not exactly. Airtable is a flexible database that can mimic project management but lacks the native task-specific features of Monday.
Can you manage data in Monday.com like a database?
To an extent — but it’s not a true relational database. Airtable and Tadabase both offer structured relational databases.
Which is better for internal tools — Airtable or Monday?
Airtable is better suited for building internal tools, but it lacks backend logic and compliance. Monday is more for project workflows. Tadabase offers both — scalable internal apps with logic, automation, and access control.
Does Airtable support HIPAA compliance?
No — Airtable does not currently offer HIPAA-compliant plans or Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).
Can I build external-facing apps in Monday or Airtable?
Not effectively. Tadabase allows you to build fully custom apps with user portals, access controls, and integrations.
Why Teams Choose Tadabase
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Full relational database structure
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Custom front-end & user roles
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Internal and external app support
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HIPAA-ready + audit logs
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Drag-and-drop builder
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Flat pricing with unlimited users
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Custom domains, white labeling, PDF exports, automations, webhooks
