FileMaker alternatives: Airtable, Ninox or your own web app?
Anyone who lands on this page has usually just seen the licence invoice from Claris, or heard that the FileMaker version that has been running for years is no longer supported. The question then is invariably: what is the alternative?
The honest answer: it depends on what your FileMaker system does. We built FileMaker applications ourselves for years, so we know both sides.
Airtable
Airtable is the best-known alternative and, for simple databases, also the best. Lists, relationships between them, a form, sharing with colleagues. It works straight away and is cheap to get started with.
Where it stops: Airtable is an American cloud service (give some thought to where your customer data is stored), and as soon as you want to recreate scripts, calculations or integrations from FileMaker, you get stuck or end up on expensive subscriptions.
Ninox
In terms of feel, Ninox comes closest to FileMaker: tables, forms, scripting, and you can genuinely build applications in it. It costs considerably less than FileMaker. If you are handy yourself and your system is fairly straightforward, this is a serious option.
The caveat is the same as with Airtable: there is no "import my FileMaker app" button. You rebuild everything, and the question is who is going to do that and what their time costs.
Your own web application
The third route: having your existing FileMaker system rebuilt as a web application. No new package to learn, no compromises on the ten per cent of custom work that it always comes down to. Your screens and data come along, and the result runs in the browser.
Traditionally this was the expensive route, but it no longer has to be: a conversion that is not overly complex already fits within €395, including analysis. After that you pay from €19.50 per user per month for hosting, backups and management. And after one year you can take over the complete source code and your database for an administration fee of €100. So you are not swapping one lock-in for another. You can read how such a project works in from FileMaker to web application.
Which one suits you?
Put simply: if your FileMaker system is a glorified list, go for Airtable. If you like building things yourself, look at Ninox. If your business runs on the system and you want to move away from it without losing everything, have it rebuilt. And if you are unsure what your system actually "is": let us assess it without obligation, and you will know afterwards. We will also work out what FileMaker currently costs you, free of charge; see also what FileMaker costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to FileMaker?
That depends on what your system does. If it is a glorified list, Airtable is fine. If you like building things yourself and want to keep the feel of FileMaker, look at Ninox. If your business runs on the system and you want to move away from it without losing anything, have it rebuilt as your own web application.
Can I import my FileMaker database into Airtable or Ninox?
Only the raw data, in other words the tables. Scripts, layouts, calculations and integrations do not come along; you rebuild them in the new tool. There is no "import my FileMaker app" button.
Is Airtable suitable for business-critical applications?
For simple databases, yes. Bear in mind that Airtable is an American cloud service, so pay attention to where your customer data is stored. As soon as you want to recreate scripts, calculations or integrations from FileMaker, you get stuck or end up on expensive subscriptions.
With my own web application, am I not just swapping one lock-in for another?
No. After one year you can take over the complete source code and your database for an administration fee of €100. The application is also built with standard web technology, so any web developer can continue working on it.
Free and without obligation: have your FileMaker file assessed
Send us your FileMaker file via the secure upload, or schedule an introduction. We will tell you what is in your application, what converting it costs and what it saves you. Only then do you decide. We work for businesses throughout the Netherlands and Flanders; everything can be done remotely.