Looking for a SmartSuite alternative that better fits your workflow? Choosing the right platform depends on what you're actually trying to build and how you want to reach your users.
Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. SmartSuite is a work management platform that combines databases, project tracking, and workflow automation for team collaboration and operational processes.
When evaluating alternatives, what matters most is app success—launching quickly with an MVP and reaching the largest possible audience. That means considering whether a platform lets you publish to the Apple App Store and Google Play, where you can tap into massive user bases and leverage push notifications to drive engagement. The five alternatives below are compared based on how effectively they help you build, launch, and scale.
Many folks have started using SmartSuite and are amazed by how it can help organize internal data and manage business processes. Unfortunately, others are disappointed by its lack of flexibility.
If you're searching for a SmartSuite alternative but can't seem to nail down the right one for you, then you've come to the right place. Since 2014, I've paired freelancers, entrepreneurs, and businesses with app-building platforms that meet their needs the best.
In this article, I'll go over my 5 favorite SmartSuite alternatives.
Why Choose a SmartSuite Alternative?
While SmartSuite is an excellent workflow management and data organization tool, it doesn't provide the full range of features that many businesses need for smooth operations. Over the years, I've heard the following reasons for finding a SmartSuite alternative:
Very Little Customization
While you can create new data fields and enter several data types, SmartSuite limits how you can view your data on its user interface. If you want to view your data on a specialized map or through a unique filter, you'll be hard-pressed to do so with SmartSuite.
SmartSuite also allows you to change up the text and color schemes of your user interface and add widgets like charts and graphs to it, but you can't customize certain features. For instance, you can't divvy up different pieces of your project management tool into different screens for organization.
Solution: Get an app-building platform, like Adalo, Glide, or NoLoco that provides the design freedom to customize each part of your app to your needs and tastes, plus the ability to visualize your data the way you want to see it.
Can't Create Client-Facing Applications
SmartSuite is a tool that's made for business process and operations management. Unfortunately, you can't create apps that your clients can access from the internet, or download via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
If you want to create an app where your clients can track their orders or see how close their product is to completion, you'll have to look beyond SmartSuite.
Solution: Choose an app building platform, like Adalo, that lets your clients download your app directly from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, on the web as a private user from a sign in, or as a public anonymous user.
Can Get Expensive
Each of SmartSuite's pricing tiers are billed per user. For instance, if you go for SmartSuite's cheapest version, at $12/month (billed monthly), but have a team of 6, you'll actually pay $72 monthly. These pricing tiers can add up, possibly impacting your bottom line.
Solution: Pick an app-building platform or business software solution, like Adalo or Trello, that offers competitive pricing and doesn't charge a per-user rate.
The Top 5 SmartSuite Alternatives
- Adalo, the best overall SmartSuite alternative
- Airtable, the best SmartSuite alternative for building a database
- Glide, the best SmartSuite alternative for gorgeous apps
- Trello, the easiest SmartSuite alternative
- NoLoco, the best SmartSuite alternative for internal tools
#1 The Best Overall SmartSuite Alternative
Adalo
What is it?
Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. AI-assisted building and streamlined publishing enable launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can build any kind of app exactly to how you envision it.
What does it do better than SmartSuite?
Because Adalo is a no-code platform, it offers much more in terms of customization, flexibility, and design freedom. You'll be able to create an app that your clients can log into and see the status of their purchases.
Then, on the same app, you can build out a project management feature that combines all the data from each client, making it accessible to only you and your team.
But Adalo isn't just a solid app-building platform for those wanting to build internal apps. There's no limitation to the kind of apps you can build with Adalo: Create a social network, delivery app, property-management app, and much, much more.
Who is it best for?
I've recommended Adalo to freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses more than any other no-code app builder or SaaS platform. This is because Adalo is insanely powerful and super easy to use: You can start making your app right after signing up, without spending hours studying tutorials.
Pricing
Start using Adalo for only $36/month.
Final Verdict
With the ability to publish on the web and app stores, the flexibility and power to build any app imaginable, and a learning curve that even a 13th-century peasant could overcome, Adalo is the best overall SmartSuite alternative.
#2 The Best SmartSuite Alternative for Creating a Database
Airtable
What is it?
Airtable is a no-code database builder that lets you custom-create your own databases like you would a spreadsheet.
What does it do better than SmartSuite?
If you want to build a database quickly and without much of a learning curve, Airtable is your go-to. While Airtable's viewing is limited to data in charts, graphs, and Kanban boards, you can easily integrate your Airtable database with Adalo to make it into a proper app.
Airtable also provides a solid number of templates. You'll have more power to customize and configure these than you would with SmartSuite. Airtable also lets you structure your database and schema to just how you need it. Airtable goes further than SmartSuite, which is more geared toward accomplishing business processes.
Who is it best for?
Any professional who needs a high degree of freedom to customize and structure data should consider Airtable. It's also one of those rare platforms that both non-techies and techies will find useful.
Pricing
Learn how to use Airtable with its generous free version, allowing for an unlimited number of bases (tables), up to 1,000 records per base (rows of data in a spreadsheet), and 5 editors. For $24/month (billed monthly), you'll get 50,000 records per base and 20GB of attachments per base.
Final Verdict
Packing tons of customization for tailoring your database the way you want it, and the ability to integrate with Adalo to build out a sleek front end, Airtable is the best SmartSuite alternative for building a database.
#3 The Best SmartSuite Alternative for Gorgeous Apps
Glide
What is it?
Glide is a no-code web app builder that lets you create aesthetically pleasing web apps right out of the box.
What does it do better than SmartSuite?
While Glide provides the tools and building interface to make sleek and professional looking apps, it also lets you build out your database with ease. Every one of Glide's enormous premade templates comes packed with a ready-to-go database.
You'll also find that Glide has several premade templates specifically designed for optimizing business processes and operations. When you build with Glide, you can create unique, customized apps that execute your operational tasks.
Who is it best for?
While you can build any type of web app, which are apps that users access with their phones' browsers, Glide specializes in creating internal tools for businesses of all sizes because of its special template selection and operational-specific functionality.
Pricing
Glide has a free version that lets you try out its templates and app-building interface. Unleash the full power of Glide for $60/month, which lets you integrate with Google and Zapier and gives you the ability to add cutting-edge AI features like a tool that describes pictures.
Final Verdict
With a large stable of operational-specific templates and an app-building interface that lets you make your app look like it could hang from the walls of the Louvre, Glide is the SmartSuite alternative for creating gorgeous apps.
#4 The Easiest SmartSuite Alternative
Trello
What is it?
Trello is a customizable, easy-to-use project management program that lets you organize your tasks into a "t."
What does it do better than SmartSuite?
Because it has an easy learning curve, you can begin building your project management board soon after signing up for Trello. You won't need to spend hours upon hours reading guides to figure out how to get set up.
Trello's user interface is much more simple to understand than SmartSuite's. It lets you organize all your operational projects as "Boards." When you select a Board, you can add cards to it that denote parts of the project that need to be finished. View each board as a timeline or a calendar.
Who is it best for?
Trello is great for small- and medium-sized teams that need a tool to organize their project management and operations.
Pricing
Get Trello's Standard Version, at $6/month (billed monthly), which gives you unlimited storage (of files up to 250MB) and boards. If you want to view your tasks on a calendar and get unlimited file storage, just upgrade to the Premium Version at $12.50/month (billed monthly).
Final Verdict
Trello is the easiest SmartSuite alternative if you want to create a simple project management board to better organize your business processes and operations.
#5 The Best SmartSuite Alternative for Internal Tools
Noloco
What is it?
Noloco is a no-code app-building platform that lets businesses create apps for executing their internal processes from existing databases.
What does it do better than SmartSuite?
If you already have a database and don't want to take the time to learn how to use your database with SmartSuite, Noloco might be the tool for you. It's specifically crafted to transform your data into an app. Edit and customize your app's features as you like.
Need to build several different apps — like a CRM, Sales, Project Management, and Accounting app — all from one set of data? Noloco lets you do so. When you choose Noloco, you can build an unlimited number of apps, which can help you cover an unlimited number of use cases.
Who is it best for?
Noloco appeals to all businesses that need more than a database and must express their data with apps.
Pricing
Unfortunately, Noloco doesn't offer a free version. For $49/month (billed monthly), get Noloco's Starter Version, allowing up to 10 users and 5,000 rows of data per app. If you need more power, check out their Pro Version for $149/month (billed monthly), allowing up to 50 users and 50,000 rows of data per app.
Final Verdict
Because it's built to create apps directly from your database and allows you to build an unlimited number of apps, Noloco is the best SmartSuite alternative for building internal business tools.
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I easily build a customizable app as a SmartSuite alternative? | Yes, with Adalo's No Code App Builder, you can easily build a fully customizable app as a SmartSuite alternative. Unlike SmartSuite's limited customization options, Adalo provides complete design freedom with its drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to create client-facing applications, internal tools, and project management features all in one app. |
| Why choose Adalo over other App Builder solutions? | Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. AI-assisted building and streamlined publishing enable launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months. This ability to publish directly to app stores is crucial for marketing and distribution, which is often the hardest part of launching a new app or business—Adalo removes this barrier entirely, giving you a major competitive advantage. |
| What's the fastest way to build and publish a SmartSuite alternative app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store? | Adalo is the fastest way to build and publish a SmartSuite alternative app to the Apple App Store and Google Play. With No Code App Builder's drag-and-drop interface and AI-assisted building, you can go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process, so you can focus on your app's features and user experience instead of wrestling with certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines. |
| What are the main limitations of SmartSuite that make people look for alternatives? | The main limitations include very little customization for viewing and organizing data, the inability to create client-facing applications that customers can download or access online, and per-user pricing that can get expensive for larger teams. Many businesses need more flexibility to build apps their clients can interact with directly. |
| Can I create both internal tools and client-facing apps with a SmartSuite alternative? | Yes, with Adalo you can build both internal project management features accessible only to your team and client-facing applications where customers can track orders or view product status. This dual functionality in one platform eliminates the need for multiple separate tools and keeps all your data connected. |
| How does Adalo's pricing compare to SmartSuite? | Unlike SmartSuite which charges per user (potentially costing $72/month for a team of 6 on the cheapest plan), Adalo offers competitive pricing starting at $36/month without per-user charges. This makes Adalo more cost-effective for growing teams and small to medium businesses looking to manage their bottom line. |
| Do I need technical skills to build apps with Adalo as a SmartSuite alternative? | No technical skills are required. Adalo features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows you to start building your app immediately after signing up, without spending hours studying tutorials. The platform is designed so that anyone can create powerful, database-driven applications regardless of their coding experience. |
