What is the best project management software between Airtable vs. Asana?
An increasing number of businesses now rely on project management software solutions to facilitate collaboration and gain insights into project performance. Owing to their growing popularity, there’s now an abundance of project management solutions available in the market.
However, Airtable and Asana have continued to retain their dominance. But what should you select between the two? While both tools are used by hundreds and thousands of businesses across the world, is one better than the other? Let’s find out in this detailed Airtable vs. Asana comparison.
Overview of Airtable
Airtable is a database-spreadsheet hybrid project management tool that combines and stores data in a spreadsheet format, allowing businesses to structure and organize their data workload. In other words, it takes the familiarity of spreadsheets a significant step further and unifies it with the flexibility and power of a database.
With the help of Airtable and its customizable views and fields, the data can be organized in a way that everything makes sense to the team members. From contact management and creating task lists to automation and advanced project management, Airtable can do all of it and a lot more.
Thanks to its resource management, budgeting, and billing features, teams across departments can collaborate and operate within larger organizations, and at the same time, smaller businesses can work with external clients. As per recent statistics, over 300,000 global businesses, including the likes of Shopify, Netflix, and Expedia, use Airtable.
Overview of Asana
Asana project management tool is an easy-to-use web based solution to manage and track projects, tasks, and communications. From larger business objectives to granular-level projects and tasks, Asana is a one-stop solution for teams to always stay on top of their priorities and responsibilities.
With features like creating tasks, assigning dependencies, setting priorities, and defining project timelines, Asana makes collaboration a breeze for remote and hybrid teams. Asana also comes with customization features where you can customize dashboards and views to never miss out on anything important.
However, one of the biggest differences between Asana and Airtable is that the former does not come with extensive reporting, billing, and invoicing features. As a result, Asana is more suitable for teams involved in internal projects. The popularity of the tool can be gauged from the fact that it has 100,000+ paid customers, including the likes of Airbnb, Pinterest, and Uber.
Airtable vs. Asana: The Clash of Project Management Titans
Let us compare Airtable vs. Asana based on features vital for efficient project management to choose the best between the two-
Airtable vs. Asana: Project Management
As these both are primarily project management solutions, it makes sense to first compare the features of Airtable and Asana based on their project and task management capabilities. Take a look-
Airtable
Airtable’s USP is its customization abilities. Organizations can use the tool to set up projects and track them in the most convenient and transparent manner. It uses a spreadsheet-style interface and offers similar techniques for data entry. However, it also adds a graphical element to the traditional spreadsheet design to make everything more visual and convenient.
Here are some of the top project management features of Airtable-
Views
Every project has different requirements. To ensure Airtable can be used for every type of project, it comes with an extensive range of project views. For instance, deadline-based projects can use the calendar view and if you’d like to track project progress, you can use the Kanboard board view.
Reporting
The tool offers various reporting functions with the help of which data can be directly pulled from the software for creating spreadsheet reports, graphs, etc. These automated reports offer an instant snapshot of project progress.
Collaboration
With Airtable, all the team members can add comments for the projects and tasks. Users can also upload files and even make changes to them as and when required. The on-the-go collaboration makes Airtable an efficient project management software for every team.
Financials
As mentioned above, the financial capabilities of Airtable are unavailable with Asana. It allows you to set project budgets and generate invoices directly from the software.
Top Project Management Features of Airtable
- The user interface is highly appealing
- Task-tracking features with utmost flexibility
- Task prioritization and scheduling
- Various collaboration features
- Time tracking and premade templates
- Budgeting and invoice features
Now, let’s talk about Asana-
Asana
Asana is a powerful project management tool with its features and interface entirely focused on organizing projects. It has a neat and user-friendly interface which ensures even people new to the tool won’t find it extremely challenging to use.
Admins can create task cards, assign those tasks to individuals/teams, set deadlines, and even track their progress in real-time. Moreover, you can also prioritize tasks and add images, description text, files, etc., to the cards.
Here are some of the features of Asana with regard to project management-
Views
Asana also offers multiple view options to fulfill the needs of different project types. There’s a calendar view, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and even customizable views to choose from. However, the customization capabilities of Asana are not as flexible as Airtable.
Task Creation
With Asana, you can effortlessly break down larger projects into various smaller tasks and manage them more efficiently. Compared to having the project view, the individual task view makes it easier for the users to track progress. There is also an option to create sub-tasks for larger projects and then divide them into individual smaller tasks.
Collaboration
Like Airtable allows users to add comments to tasks, Asana comes with messaging capabilities. All the messages users leave on the cards are recorded so that important information can be accessed by all the users.
Sprint Campaigns
One of the highlights of Asana is sprint campaigns, a handy feature for teams that want to efficiently and quickly complete smaller projects. Such campaigns come with features like, task creation, setting up deadlines, etc., to keep track of the progress.
Top Project Management Features of Asana
- Various task management options
- Workload tracking
- Easy-to-use interface
- Sprint campaigns for smaller projects
- Project storage and documentation
- Easy collaboration with messaging
Winner: Airtable
Between Airtable vs. Asana, Airtable wins this round. While both Airtable and Asana are two of the most dynamic project management tools, Airtable with its extensive customization capabilities makes it a better choice over Asana, especially for larger projects involving teams across departments.
Also, as compared to Asana, Airtable has a more pleasing user interface which makes it a joy to use. However, there is a steep learning curve when it comes to Airtable. Asana, on the other hand, is easier to begin with.
2. Airtable vs. Asana: Automation Capabilities
Many of the popular project management software come with automation capabilities to efficiently automate a variety of mundane tasks and save time. Both Airtable and Asana are equipped with excellent automation features. Find out more-
Airtable
Airtable comes with trigger-based automation capabilities. The triggers are activated when specific events take place. The triggers can be linked to various automated actions the software can run without human interference.
For instance, triggers can be set up for creating records, updating records, or even passing a certain date or time. When these triggers activate, they can lead to automated actions such as sending emails, messaging via tools such as Slack, or writing a tweet.
Asana
Asana rules and automation enable rule-based automation capabilities. So, you set up rules that trigger a certain action when specific requirements are met. For instance, you can set a rule to automatically create timelines whenever a user adds a new task to the project. The intuitive tool will analyze the current status of the project and the tasks added to it before setting up the timeline.
Moreover, you can also use Asana to automatically assign tasks to the team members based on their skills and the type of tasks included in the project. The tool measures the current workload of the team members before assigning new tasks and accordingly sets project timelines.
Winner: Asana
When it comes to Airtable vs. Asana automation, Asana has a slight edge over its competitor. Project management tools come with automation capabilities to help save time. And the rule-based automation capabilities of Asana where it can analyze project scope, workload of the team members, etc., can save loads of time.
3. 3rd Party Integration
Businesses now use various software solutions for many different tasks. Thus, it is essential for your project management software to seamlessly integrate with the other tools you use so that you don’t have to get involved with the cumbersome and time-consuming process of manually transferring all the data.
But while having a project management tool with many integrations is good, it is equally important to check the cost of such integrations as they often require expensive subscriptions. Most of the 3rd party plug-ins and apps used by businesses have monthly or one-time subscription fees.
So, you’ll be paying for all the tools you’re currently using, the new project management tool, and the 3rd party plugin. Keep this point in mind when choosing between Airtable vs. Asana.
Airtable
Airtable only offers a handful of built-in integrations, like Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, Typeform, Slack, JotForm, and Gmail. There are some 20+ additional integration options but they use Zapier for automating the connections. These other integrations include Jira, Salesforce, Zendesk, Instagram, Facebook, Basecamp, Twitter, WordPress, and others.
Alternatively, you also have the option to build your custom connections with Airtable with the help of 3rd party solutions like Zenaton, Automate.io, etc.
Asana
Many people choose Asana over Airtable for its extensive integration capabilities. The tool offers 150+ integration options in 9 categories, including Connectors, Communication, Importers, Time Tracking, Reporting, File Sharing, Development, Forms, and Google.
Some of the integration options are MailChimp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Box, Dropbox, Jira, HourStack, Unito, GitHub, and Hubstaff. Asana also has its API (Application Programming Interface) with the help of which you can also create custom integrations.
Winner: Asana
Asana and Airtable integration options make Asana a clear winner in this department. Airtable offers limited built-in integrations and for the others, you have to rely on Zapier. But the best project management tool is one that can directly communicate with your existing tools. The wider range of integrations makes Asana a better choice.
4. Airtable vs. Asana: Customer Support
The project management tool you choose should offer excellent customer support, especially if you’re new to using one such software. If you’re stuck with something with no support from the tool provider, it can have a significant impact on your project.
Fortunately, both Airtable and Asana offer excellent customer support services. Take a look-
Airtable
Airtable offers all the basic support services, including online tutorials, community forum, training webinars and videos, knowledge base, and email support. Moreover, with its Enterprise Plan, you also get one-on-one training and telephonic support.
Another factor that works in Airtable’s favor is the Airtable Universe. It is a vast gallery of creatives and creators sharing hundreds of real-world projects which you can instantly copy and use. It has projects for several categories, ranging from Marketing and Sales to Product Design, Operations, Creative Production, and a lot more.
Asana
Asana also offers all the basic support options, including a knowledge base, online tutorials, training webinars and videos, community forum, and email support. If you go with the Asana Enterprise Plan, you get 24×7 priority support.
Compared to Airtable, Asana has a more extensive knowledge base. Moreover, its community forum is more active and vibrant. However, it lacks something similar to Airtable Universe. While it offers charts, tasks, and custom templates, these are just templates and not real-world projects like the ones available in Airtable Universe.
Winner: Airtable
When it comes to Airtable vs. Asana support, both tools offer all the basic support services. But Airtable with its extensive Universe wins the battle in this department. Asana does offer 24×7 support which can come in handy for international businesses with different time zones, the feature is only available with the more expensive Enterprise Plan.
5. Airtable vs. Asana Pricing
The next important consideration is Asana and Airtable cost comparison. Both software solutions offer free plans along with many different paid plans to suit the needs of different companies and teams. Take a look-
Airtable
Airtable offers 4 different plans-
Free
Airtable’s Free plan is ideal for small teams and even individuals who are just starting with project management.
It comes with unlimited bases, unlimited read-only and commenter users, 1 sync integration, and up to 5 editors or creators.
However, each base can only have 1,200 records, 1 extension, and 2GB of attachments.
Plus
The Plus plan is for teams wanting to manage their workflows with connected apps. The plan costs $10/month/seat if paid annually or $12/month/seat if paid monthly.
Along with everything included in the Free plan, the Plus plan includes 3 sync integrations, custom branded forms, and 6-month snapshot history and revision. Per base, the plan allows up to 5,000 records, 3 extensions, and 5GB of attachments.
Pro
Larger organizations with various departments and teams should consider purchasing the Pro plan of Airtable. It costs $20/month/seat (annually) or $24/month/seat (monthly).
Additional features of the Pro plan include Timeline and Gantt views, granular interface permissions, locked and personal views, 7 sync integrations, 1-year snapshot history and revision, and table and field editing permissions. For every base, there can be up to 50,000 records, 10 extensions, and 20GB of attachments.
Enterprise
Organizations and departments looking for a customizable, scalable, and secure platform for connected apps can purchase Airtable’s Enterprise plan. You’ll have to contact the Airtable team and discuss your requirements to know the pricing of this plan.
The plan comes with unlimited extensions, unlimited workspaces per organization, advanced interface controls, included and add-on professional services, all the available sync integrations, SAML-based single sign-on, enterprise-wide admin panel, and 3-year snapshot history and revision.
For every base, there can be up to 250,000 records, unlimited extensions, and 1,000GB of attachments.
Airtable Pricing Overview
| Airtable Plans | Monthly Per User | Annually Per User |
| Free | Free | Free |
| Plus | $12 | $10 (One-time payment of $120) |
| Pro | $24 | $20 (One-time payment of $240) |
| Enterprise | Contact Airtable Sales | Contact Airtable Sales |
Asana
Like Airtable, Asana also offers 4 different plans. They are-
Free
The Free plan is the perfect choice for smaller teams and individuals. The plan offers a wide range of basic features, including unlimited projects, tasks, activity logs, file storage (100MB per file), and messages.
Other features include collaboration with up to 15 team members, board and list view projects, project brief, project overview, calendar view, integration with time tracking apps, and other 100+ integrations.
Premium
The Premium plan is for teams wanting to confidently create project management plans. It costs $10/month/user if paid annually or $13.49/month/user if paid monthly.
The plan includes everything included in the Free plan with additional features such as workflow builder, timeline, advanced search, unlimited dashboards, custom fields, unlimited free guests, milestones, admin console, rules, and more.
Business
The Business plan is for companies and teams that want to work across departments and initiatives. The plan is priced at $24.99/month/user (annually) or $30.49/month/user (monthly).
The plan comes with everything included in the Premium plan along with features like goals, portfolios, custom rules builder, workload, proofing, approvals, advanced reporting, luck custom fields, forms customization and branching, and advanced integrations like Adobe Creative Cloud, Power BI, Tableau, Salesforce, and more.
Enterprise
Like Airtable, Asana has also not disclosed the price of its Enterprise plan. It comes with advanced security and admin features and 24×7 support along with innovative features such as Bundles for companies looking for fast, efficient, and flexible process across departments and teams.
Asana Pricing Overview
| Asana Plans | Monthly Per User | Annually Per User |
| Free | Free | Free |
| Premium | $13.49 | $10 (One-time payment of $120) |
| Business | $30.49 | $24.99 (One-time payment of $299.88) |
| Enterprise | Contact Asana Sales | Contact Asana Sales |
Winner: Airtable
When it comes to Airtable vs. Asana pricing, both tools are mostly similar. However, as you move towards higher plans, Asana is slightly more expensive. But unlike Airtable, it does not have stringent numerical limitations.
But if you’re looking for a free plan, Airtable can be a better option as it offers more customization options and features with its Free plan.
Conclusion: What Should You Choose Between Airtable and Asana?
As can be seen in this detailed Airtable vs. Asana post, Airtable wins when it comes to project management capabilities and customer support. But Asana is a better choice with regard to automation features and Asana 3rd party integrations and apps. As for pricing, both tools are priced almost similarly.
So, the selection between the two will depend on your needs and expectations from the project management tool. If your tasks generally have plenty of details, Airtable can be a better choice. But if you want to efficiently manage bigger projects or tasks by breaking them down into smaller tasks, Asana should be your preferred choice.
FAQs
1. What is Better, Airtable or Asana?
Both Airtable and Asana come with a host of features critical to the success of your projects. But Airtable is more suited for tasks that have a lot of details as it is a spreadsheet and database hybrid. Its invoicing and budgeting features also make it a great choice for small businesses that work with external clients.
Asana, on the other hand, is great at breaking down bigger projects or tasks into individual tasks and sub-tasks. It also offers more viewing options and its Kanban board interface is a breeze to use for project management. It also has better security and is available in various languages.
2. Can Airtable Replace Asana?
If you’ve been using Airtable and are happy with it, there is no reason for you to replace it with Asana. It is a great project management software with several strong features. But if for some reason you’re not completely satisfied with Airtable, you can definitely consider using Asana.
While Airtable has an attractive user interface, it has a steep learning curve. But Asana is simpler and offers all the features you might need to efficiently manage your projects.
3. Can Asana and Airtable Work Together?
Airtable and Asana are generally not used together. However, if you don’t want to miss out on the features of both tools and don’t mind the increased budget, you can use both Asana and Airtable.
But as there is no native integration available for these tools, you’ll have to use 3rd party solutions like Zapier to connect them.
4. Is Airtable Better Than Asana for Task Management?
Both Airtable and Asana can simplify task management for you. You can choose Airtable if you need a tool that comes with advanced grouping and filtering options for organizing various tasks or you generally work on tasks with a lot of details.
But if you want to break down bigger projects or tasks into smaller chunks or add the same tasks to various team boards, Asana is the way to go.
5. Can You Create a Better Workflow Than Asana in Airtable?
It is difficult to choose one over the other for creating workflows as both tools have their strengths. The best solution would be to try the free plan of both tools and see which one better suits your requirements.