Airtable vs. Trello vs. SmartSuite: Which One Is Better? [2026]

I know from experience how hard it can be to choose the project management board to put all of your tasks and workflows on, and with Trello and Airtable leading the market, making the right choice in 2026 has never been more difficult.

In this comprehensive comparison, I’ll go over the key features, pricing, and user feedback for each platform to help you make an informed decision.

➡️ I’ll also introduce you to a third project management solution that covers both tools’ weaknesses with its all-in-one project management capabilities: SmartSuite (that’s us).

How do Airtable, Trello, and SmartSuite compare on features?

Key takeaways

• Airtable has strong workflow automation, AI and task management capabilities. However, the tool lacks advanced reporting and collaboration features.
• Trello offers the fundamental project management features a small team would need but has less functionality than both Airtable and SmartSuite. The tool lacks built-in collaboration and reporting capabilities, making it a less favorable option for larger teams.
• SmartSuite offers an all-in-one work management platform that integrates project management, task tracking, and collaboration tools into a single, customizable workspace.

Let’s go over the 3 tools’ features, starting with SmartSuite: 👇

SmartSuite Features

SmartSuite offers a complete project management tool that helps you manage all your projects in one centralized platform with built-in automation and a communication center.

But we are not trying to add to the noise of other project management tools. 

Our solution aims to create one unified no-code platform that runs the entire operation, from project management to process automation to real-time collaboration.

That means you wouldn’t need to be spending hard-earned money on various productivity tools when you can run your entire operations inside SmartSuite.

Comprehensive Project Management

SmartSuite’s project management feature lets you plan, track, and manage simple to complex projects.

To simplify the process, you’ll get numerous built-in intuitive features to execute your tasks perfectly.

Here’s what SmartSuite has in store for you.

• Smart task management: You can turn any item field into a task—a checklist item, comments, or sub-item. With this flexibility, you can easily build a solid task list and assign it to the right person with a due date and priority status.

• Project phases and milestones: Having milestones ensures your project stays on track and moves toward the objective. With SmartSuite, you can set them, monitor them through your reporting dashboard, and flag issues.

• Files and project deliverables: With SmartSuite, you can manage and organize all your documents. 

It is also possible to attach project-related files, share feedback with your team, and manage version history, all within your work context.

Our platform supports formats like PDF, GIF, CSV, PNG, and MP4. SmartSuite integrates with Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and Microsoft OneDrive, making adding files to your workflows easy.

Also, you can add images directly in SmartSuite by connecting your social media and Unsplash accounts.

• Native time tracking: You and your team can monitor and evaluate task and project completion times. Built-in tracking helps group time entries see estimates and segment billable and non-billable entries.

💡 Interested in how other team managers are using SmartSuite? You can check out our video walkthrough:

Native Team Collaboration

SmartSuite outperforms Trello and Airtable with its built-in communication and collaboration features. 

It is possible to connect with peers in group chats or 1:1 conversations for quick feedback and to keep stakeholders updated.

The platform’s members’ directory provides a combined view of the project team by examining each teammate’s details, such as availability status, job profile, and other relevant information.

Like the other two platforms, you can use comments and @mentions to share updates, nudge teammates, or add new people to the conversation.

Comprehensive Project Reporting

Unlike Airtable and Trello, the platform offers a dynamic project analytics tool with configurable charts and graphs.

The reporting dashboard lets you track project performance, understand resource allocation, and identify slow-moving projects. 

Based on these insights, you can quickly develop plans to overcome roadblocks and get the project back on track.

You can visualize reporting in Grid, Card, Kanban, Timeline, Map, Calendar, or Dashboard views. Add as many as needed to build a visual storyboard for your project’s progress.

To share reports with stakeholders or clients, you can make the report public and share the necessary access. The platform also supports printing or exporting PDF, Excel, Google Sheets, or CSV format.

Advanced Workflow Automation

The platform's no-code automation builder is one of the most intuitive, giving a neck-to-neck competition in automation to Airtable.

You can assemble automation at the task and project and automate repetitive tasks based on triggers like changing dates, sending notification emails, or updating statuses. 

There are six pre-defined triggers and 15+ actions, with options to build custom ones.

SmartSuite is the right choice if you:

✅ Need a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop customization.

✅ Need a platform that can adapt to various business processes.

✅ Want to centralize team communication and collaboration.

✅ Want affordable and feature-packed software.

SmartSuite isn’t the best option if you:

❌ Are looking for a well-established platform with a long track record, as SmartSuite is relatively new.

❌ Need extensive third-party integrations, as SmartSuite offers fewer native integrations than Airtable and Trello.

💡 If you’re interested in how SmartSuite compares to Airtable in more detail, you can check out our Airtable review.

Airtable’s Features

Task Properties With A Side Comment View

Airtable lets team leaders add subtasks, attach files, and function fields to automate input in various fields.

Each task then opens up in a two-column window, enabling you to see comments from your co-workers.

Automated Workflows

You and your team can create triggers on every field level, such as sending emails when a status changes. 

You can then integrate it with Microsoft & Google Suite, Jira, Salesforce, and Twilio. 

💡 Along with no-code workflows, Airtable supports JavaScript to extend logic capabilities.

Interface Designer

Airtable helps you to build a custom interface without coding knowledge, similar to other platforms on the market.

From designing the layout to deciding the key elements, your team will get full control over how the interface looks and feels. 

Your admin team can adjust the permission access (editor, commenter, or read-only) depending on the guests’ involvement in the project.

➡️ It is possible to build custom views for different departments in your organization, which is something I found to be ideal for larger companies.

Different departments of your organization can access customized lists, Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and calendar views.

Airtable AI

Airtable has launched their AI-powered capabilities on their project management solution that lets you:

• Generate AI content, including launching briefs and creating blog posts, FAQs, and supportive articles.
• Automatically categorize information, such as tagging tasks.
• Routing work in progress to the best person in your organization.
• Translating content for better internal and external communication.

Airtable is the ideal choice if you:

✅ Need a highly flexible and customizable platform for diverse project management needs.

✅ Are looking for AI-powered capabilities for automatic translation and information categorization.

✅ Would benefit from centralized data management to keep all project information in one place.

Airtable isn't the best option if you:

❌ Need advanced project management features like budgeting and critical path analysis.

❌ Are working with a tight budget and can't afford premium features, which is why some customers have been searching for Airtable alternatives.

❌ Rely heavily on mobile functionality for project management on the go.

➡️ You can check out our detailed Airtable review, where I dived deeper into the software’s capabilities, pros, and cons.

Trello’s Features

Drag-&-Drop Task Management

Trello lets you access its intuitive drag-and-drop functionality that lets you move tasks (represented as cards) between different stages of completion (represented as lists) effortlessly.

You and your team can move one card from the “To Do" to the "In Progress" to the "Completed" lists, ensuring timely updates and tracking of each task’s status.

Advanced Task Checklists

Checklists help you build up a series of sub-tasks within each task card, breaking down complex tasks into manageable subtasks – making it ideal to be used as an IT project management tool.

It is possible to assign specific deadlines to individual checklist items; add files, documents, or multimedia relevant to the checklist items; and use labels for visual organization.

Workflow Automation

Trello offers a built-in automation tool, Butler, which allows you to create multi-step automation without coding knowledge.

You can set up if-then rules to automate repetitive tasks, such as moving cards from To-do to in-progress when certain conditions are met (e.g., creation of a new list).

Trello is the ideal choice if you:

✅ Operate within a team that works well using a visual project management approach and is familiar with Kanban boards.

✅ Are looking for an intuitive, easy-to-use, flexible dashboard to move tasks around.

✅ Want affordable task management software to plan and manage routine projects.

Trello isn't the best option if you:

❌ Work on large-scale, complex projects that demand advanced features like Gantt charts or resource allocation tools.

❌ Require native team communication and collaboration tools so you don’t switch between tools.

❌ Are looking for advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, as Trello's native reporting features are relatively basic in comparison to its “big brother”, Jira.

Integrations: Airtable vs. Trello vs. SmartSuite

SmartSuite Integrations

It integrates with a good range of platforms, from communication to social media. 

Our solution offers five connectors, including Zapier, Ply, Integrately, Relay, and Make, to connect with 1,000s of apps to transfer data.

Some of the notable integrations include:

• Salesforce.
• Slack.
• Twilio.
• Jira Cloud.
• HubSpot.
• Intercom.

Airtable Integrations

Airtable offers numerous native and third-party integrations to expand its functionalities. Some of its major native integrations are Jira, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Zendesk, and Box. 

The software also supports third-party platforms like Notion, Slack, Shopify, and Hubspot. Like the other two tools, it also offers connectors such as Zapier. 

Some other popular integrations are:

• Gmail.
• Typeform.
• ChatGPT.
• Stripe.
• Mailchimp.

Trello’s Integrations

Trello offers over 500 integrations and “Power-Ups” encompassing different categories, including sales, social media, productivity, and communication.

Some of Trello's notable integrations for managing projects include:

• Slack.
• Jira Cloud.
• Microsoft.
• Github.
• Miro.
• Google Drive.
• Pipedrive.

The tool offers what they call “Power-Ups”, which are tools built for Trello to help you improve your productivity.

Some of these platforms were built by Trello themselves, while others have been created by third-party developers.

Winner: Trello.

Trello, as a product of Atlassian, offers a comprehensive range of 500+ integrations with various productivity apps and Power-Ups.

How do Airtable, Trello, and SmartSuite compare on pricing?

SmartSuite Pricing

Unlike Airtable and Trello, the platform has no free plan; instead every plan starts with a 14-day free trial of the Professional plan, no credit card required.

Every plan includes team collaboration tools, 7+ views (Dashboard, Grid, Kanban, Card, Timeline, Calendar, Map, and Chart), time tracking, and automations.

We offer three per-seat paid plans plus a per-solution Signature plan.

• Team: $15/user/month billed annually ($20 billed monthly, minimum 3 users), including 5,000 records per solution, 50GB of file storage, and 25,000 automation runs and API calls per month.
• Professional: $32/user/month billed annually ($36 billed monthly, minimum 5 users), adding 100,000 records per solution, 100GB of file storage, two-factor authentication, and Gmail & Outlook integrations.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing with no seat minimum, adding 400,000 records per solution, 500GB of file storage, audit logs, data loss prevention, SSO, and SCIM provisioning.
• Signature: Customized plan tailored to your organization’s needs and team size.

Airtable Pricing

Airtable offers a free plan with unlimited task creation, 5 spaces, and guest invites with full access.

You can start using Airtable with its free plan, which comes with a single workspace with all basic dashboard views and 100 automation runs/month. 

Airtable offers three pricing plans:

• Team: Starts at $20 per user/month with a 14-day free trial with access to 25,000 automation/month, custom branded forms, and Gantt charts.
• Business: Starts at $45 per user/month, including multi-source syncing and dynamic filtering.
• Enterprise Scale: Includes admin reports, enterprise-level integrations, and premium support. Contact sales for a quote.

➡️ You can learn more about Airtable’s pricing structure and figure out if it’s worth the cost with our in-depth Airtable pricing guide.

Trello Pricing

Trello offers a free plan with built-in automation and 10 workspace collaborators.

To get access to Trello’s advanced features and premium customer support and security features, your team will need to be on one of the tool’s 3 paid plans:

• Standard: $5/month/seat, which adds unlimited workspace collaborators and one card view.
• Premium: $10/month/seat, which adds unlimited card views, AI, and data export options.
• Enterprise: $17.50/month/seat for up to 50 users, which adds unlimited workspaces, multi-board guest access, and public board management.

Winner: SmartSuite

The platform wins with its lower entry point for business-grade paid plans and a 14-day Professional trial. The price-to-feature ratio is well distributed across tiers compared to the other two tools.

Lastly, our platform offers flexible per-user pricing, not locking you in unused seats.

What are Customers Saying about Trello, Airtable, and SmartSuite?

Key takeaways:

• Trello users like its simplistic interface with its Kanban boards and budget-friendly pricing structure but is criticized for its limited reporting capabilities and lack of clarity in user permission and roles.
• Airtable users recommend it for its customization options and adaptability but are not satisfied with the platform’s pricing model and steep learning curve.
• SmartSuite users are happy with its intuitive interface, built-in communication features, customization options, and value for money when compared to alternatives. Despite this, some users are not happy with the platform’s range of integrations.

SmartSuite Reviews

G2 Rating: 4.8/5.

What users love:

• The platform offers an intuitive interface and quick setup.
• The platform’s built-in communication features.
• The customization options are flexible.
• Value for money compared to alternatives on the market.

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Common complaints:

• Limited integration options compared to established competitors like Teamwork.
• Some advanced features are still in development.
• Newer platform with a smaller user community.

Airtable Reviews

G2 Rating: 4.6/5.

What users love:

• Flexibility tool to build and manage databases.
• Advanced automated workflows.
• Low-cost project management tools with essential features.

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Common complaints:

• Steep learning curve.
• Flexibility can increase adoption time.
• Limited customization for interface designer features.

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Trello Reviews

G2 rating: 4.4/5.

What users love:

• The software has an intuitive interface with a focus on Kanban boards.
• The platform is described as a budget-friendly task management tool.
• Free power-ups that extend the tool’s functionality, such as adding charts and other visuals.
• Ease of dragging and dropping cards across different lists.

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Common complaints:

• Lack of clarity in user permission and roles.
• There are limited reporting capabilities, making users rely on paid integrations.
• The platform lacks a clear separation between private items and shared team boards.

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Airtable, Trello or SmartSuite: Summary

Get Started with SmartSuite For Free Today

➡️ If you’re looking for an affordable solution with a comprehensive range of integrations for your engineering team, Trello might be a good option for you.

➡️ On the other hand, if you’re looking for more customization options and database capabilities to handle your remote team, Airtable might be the better choice with its superior features to Trello.

But with such flexibility comes a higher learning curve and a hefty price tag. 

Both Trello and Airtable also lack critical project management features, such as reporting, detailed analytics, a dedicated admin UI and advanced automation features for larger teams.

SmartSuite’s platform helps you tackle this by offering just the right customization, native collaboration capabilities and a library of 200+ project management templates to get your projects up and running. 

Here’s what's in it for your team when you try SmartSuite:

• Kanban, Chart, Map, Timeline, Card, and Calendar views on every plan, with 25,000 automation runs per month on Team and 100,000 on Professional.
• No-code automation builder to set up to 500,000 trigger/action workflows.
• Built-in productivity tools, including time tracking, status tracking, and checklists.
• Team collaboration and planning tools such as whiteboards and SmartSuite docs.
• Resource management across projects and teams.
• 40+ field types, including the option to add your custom fields.

Start a 14-day free trial to explore all its features.

Or, if you’d like to talk to our team of experts, schedule a demo.

Read More

• Airtable vs. Monday: Check out our in-depth comparison guide between Airtable and Monday.
• Trello vs. Asana: Find out if Trello or Asana are the ideal project management solution for your team with our detailed guide.
• Trello vs. Monday: Learn more about Monday.com and how it compares to Trello.
• The 10 Best Project Management Software For Engineers: We break down the top 10 project management solutions built with engineers in mind in 2026. 
• Top 10 Teamwork Alternatives and Competitors In 2026: Learn why some companies are looking to switch from Teamwork and its best alternatives on the market.
• 10 Best Healthcare Project Management Tools in 2026: Learn about the best healthcare project management solutions on the market.
• 10 Best Project Management Software for Construction in 2026: A guide if you operate within the construction industry and you’re looking for a project management app.