Sometimes the structure needs to change slightly, but doing so unlocks so much additional functionality. We've done this because it provides way more structure (it being a proper database), while also having an incredibly powerful API (for integrating and automating).Īnd that's where it has some no-code builder functionality, which means with the right guidance, it can even replace more complicated apps lite Submittable (more of an application management software). When Not To Use ItĪs much as we don't recommend using Airtable as your CRM, we do believe it serves a place in just about every business. That said, we actually named Airtable as one of our 5 Best Copper App Integrations of 2023, so it still serves a purpose even when you're seeing how it might fit alongside your CRM needs.Īirtable is also not a project manager-please stop trying to use it as one □ For instance, Airtable can serve as a fantastic database extension of your lead and customer info. On that note, if you're super tempted to use Airtable as your CRM and don't want a more fully-fledged CRM like Copper, you might want to try out Folk instead.
It just does most everything you could want it to do, and it incredibly flexible and easy to work with. You can simply create a new view within an Airtable Base, add filtered logic to it, and set it up so when a new record enters that view, an automation can be triggered. This allows it to be incredibly flexible. With it ultimately just being a database at the end of the day and having such a powerful API, it is the most core tool in our stack. I don't think there's one customer we've taken on that we haven't used Airtable with for at least some aspect to their business.Įven if it's just more in the background as an intermediary database, doing data manipulation, allowing for us to more easily pass data between software. With all of that said, there's a fine line between what it is good for, and what it's not good for. So it brings with it the same issues we've seen arise with tools like Notion and Coda. Determining when you should and shouldn't be using it is probably the most important thing to nail down when determining if Airtable is the right fit for your needs. Zapier is the most popular integration and automation platform on the market. While they've had competitors arise over the years like Make, Tray, and Workato, they've managed to build one of the most user-friendly interfaces of them all, along with the largest number of deeply supported apps. If you're using a modern software (take any app listed on our site for the most part), and there's sure to be a Zapier connector. This is pretty baffling when you really think about it.
When comparing Zapier vs Make for example, Make may look more user-friendly and accessible, but we're here to tell you that isn't the case. Make is more powerful with some inline formulas and other logic power features, but that definitely does not make it easier to use.
If anything, it's easy to feel quite overwhelmed when first using Make. Time and time again, in trying Make, we have found ourselves coming back to Zapier. It really can be bent and molded into what it needs to be. In recent months, Zapier has gone incredibly deep into leveraging AI like OpenAI to rethink and evolve the integration space as a whole. This is something we applaud, and have been quite impressed by. We're seeing Zapier slowly outgrow even just the integration world, and actually evolve into one of the best no code tools on the market.