Asana and Airtable are two very popular project management systems solutions that help teams and businesses plan projects, coordinate tasks and hit deadlines. While each offers a free plan as well as premium plans for around $10 per user per month, Asana is more user-friendly, whereas Airtable is much more comprehensive in terms of features. Learn more about Asana vs. Airtable to see how the two stack up and to decide which is right for you.
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Airtable vs. Asana: At a Glance
Asana and Airtable are both popular project management software tools. Though there are many similarities, there are a few key differences. In this Asana vs. Airtable comparison, Forbes Advisor provides insights into both tools so you can decide which is the best project management software for your team and business.
Airtable
Starting price
Free; $20 per user per month (billed annually)
Standout features
Robust collaborative application
with invoicing and billing, time tracking and custom reports
Integrations available
Seven built-in integrations
(with the ability to add on more)
Free; $20 per user per month (billed annually)
Robust collaborative application
with invoicing and billing, time tracking and custom reports
Seven built-in integrations
(with the ability to add on more)
As with Asana, Airtable also offers a free version, which includes unlimited bases and 2 G of file space. To increase storage to 5 G, Airtable Plus is available for $10 per user per month with annual billing or $12 per user per month with monthly billing. Airtable Pro is $24 per month per user and increases storage to 20 G, as well as offering advanced features. The Enterprise option is negotiated with customers on a case-by-case basis.
In many ways, Airtable functions as a supercharged and multifaceted spreadsheet, though its functionality expands beyond that. Airtable uses six components to manage projects: workspaces, bases, tables, fields, records and views. You can also create boards to organize components applicable to your specific team or project.
Airtable’s strength lies in its breadth of features, which include a task scheduler, shared team calendars, team dashboards, time-tracking systems and file sharing, among others. Additionally, Airtable has a custom reports feature that can show items grouped together based on their designation (such as completed tasks, leads, etc.).
- More affordable than Asana
- Comprehensive features such as invoicing, budgeting and time tracking
- Custom reports
- Web-based application available (unlike Asana)
- Steeper learning curve
- No telephone support with Free, Plus or Pro versions
- Fewer views than Asana
Asana
Starting price
Free; $10.99 per user per month for premium plans
Standout features
Very easy to use and many views available
Integrations available
260-plus integrations,
including Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Office
Free; $10.99 per user per month for premium plans
Very easy to use and many views available
260-plus integrations,
including Google Drive, Slack, Microsoft Office
Asana offers a free version that allows users to view tasks as lists, boards or calendars and to assign tasks and due dates. The free version is available for teams of up to 15 users, which makes it a great option for small teams.
Asana’s Premium version is $10.99 per user per month with annual billing or $13.49 per month per user with monthly billing and increases the features to include a timeline view and advanced search/reporting, among other features. The Business version is $30.49 per month per user and adds workload tracking, approvals and advanced integrations. The Enterprise version is negotiated with customers on a case-by-case basis.
Asana was devised with collaboration in mind. It has several project management formats available, including task lists, Gantt charts and Kanban boards. Asana’s calendar feature makes it easy to see what is due when, and its notifications can help keep team members on schedule. Asana’s My Tasks feature sorts information so users can see their tasks and deadlines easily. Asana also has features such as a shared team calendar, file sharing, time tracking and milestones that make it ideal for internal teams.
- More user-friendly than Airtable
- Excellent for collaboration
- Offers more views than Airtable
- Integrations are vast and can be separated into specific categories
- Lacks invoicing capabilities
- Does not offer custom reports
- More expensive than Airtable
How Asana and Airtable Stack Up
| Asana | Airtable | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rating
|
3.9 out of 5-stars
|
4.6 out of 5-stars
|
|
Free Plan
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Starting Price For Premium Plans (Billed Annually)
|
$10.99 per user per month
|
$20 per user per month
|
|
Integrations
|
150-plus integrations, including Slack, Microsoft Office and Teams, Google Drive, Gmail
|
Seven built-in integrations with more available if extensions are used
|
|
Ease of Use
|
Little to no learning curve
|
Takes some time to learn and get used to
|
|
Available Views
|
Kanban boards, lists, Gantt charts, timelines and calendars
|
Kanban boards, grid, calendar and gallery
|
|
Custom Reports
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Invoicing and Budgeting
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Time Tracking
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Desktop Application
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
With a user-friendly design and interface, Asana gets you and your team up and running fast. For users who want more complexity to functionality and reporting, Airtable will give you that—just make sure you build in some time to learn and familiarize your team with the platform before you really get rolling. Asana and Airtable are comparable when it comes to pricing and customer support (which doesn’t include phone support unless you purchase the Enterprise option).
Bottom Line
Asana and Airtable are similarly priced, with a few key differences. Due to its advanced reporting and features, Airtable takes a little more time to learn. But many users find the training time worth it for the advanced functionality and reporting options. Asana has fewer features but is incredibly easy to use right out of the gate. Teams that want to use the project management software to work and communicate with large external groups of people may prefer Airtable. On the other hand, if you are looking for internal team collaboration or have a smaller team, Asana might be just what you need.
Still looking for a great project management solution? Here are more solutions like Asana and more solutions like Airtable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which project management software is better: Airtable or Asana?
The better option depends on the needs and budget of each business. Many small businesses would value the advanced reporting and functionality of Airtable, while smaller teams might appreciate Asana’s ease of use. Other highly ranked project management tools are included in this list of the Best Project Management Software.
Are there different types of project management methods?
Yes, there are many different kinds of project management methodologies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the specific types of businesses and projects.
Are there any free project management solutions?
Both Asana and Airtable offer free versions of their software, however, the features for the plans are limited. By upgrading to a paid plan, you can increase storage and users, along with more advanced features.
Is Airtable a good tool?
Airtable is a highly rated tool that has received positive reviews from users and experts alike. It has been praised for its ease of use, flexibility and versatility. Airtable is used by individuals, teams and organizations across various industries, from startups and SMBs to Fortune 500 companies.
