Capability · 8 solutions compared
Store structured data in a shared database or spreadsheet
A shared, structured table (spreadsheet or relational-lite database) with views, filters, forms and permissions.
People ask: “keep a shared tracker for my team”
Buy nothing: Airtable, Notion do this well on a free plan.
Every way to do it
Scored on what matters most for this job: team, ease, reliability.
| Tool | Fit | Team | Ease | Reliability | Skill | Cheapest plan with it | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airtable | Core feature | basic | Free$0/seat/mo | Free plan limited to 1,000 records per base · Record caps per base on every plan | |||
| Notion | Strong | basic | Free$0/seat/mo | Not a full spreadsheet: weak for heavy calculations or large datasets · Granular database permissions need Business | |||
| Google Workspace | Strong | basic | Business Starter$7/seat/mo | Not a relational database; linked records and per-record permissions need workarounds | |||
| Microsoft 365 | Strong | basic | Business Basic$7/seat/mo | Lists is simpler than Airtable for relational data | |||
| Clay | Partial | — | — | basic | Free$0/mo | Row caps per table (200 on Free, 50,000 on Launch) · Built for enrichment, not as a general team database | |
| Confluence | Partial | basic | Free$0/seat/mo | Far less mature than Airtable or Notion databases | |||
| Zapier | Partial | — | — | none | Free$0/mo | Not a full database or spreadsheet replacement | |
| Make | Workaround | — | — | basic | Free$0/mo | Storage is small (10 MB per 10,000 credits); not a team database |
Fit and scores are editorial judgements; prices show their verification status. Methodology
Workflows for this
- Research ~500 target accounts a month with an AI assistant and Google SheetsReplace the account-research columns you'd build in Clay with batched, cited web research in Claude or ChatGPT, a strict JSON output schema, a scoring rubric and a 10% hallucination spot-check. It does not replace verified contact data — you still need Apollo, ZoomInfo or similar for emails and phones.moderate2–3 hours$0 extrauses Google Workspace
- Run a small-business CRM in Google Sheets with AI-written Apps ScriptFor a 1–5 person services business: a structured Google Sheet plus a short Apps Script (written and debugged with Claude or ChatGPT) gives you a pipeline, follow-up reminders and a daily email digest without a paid CRM seat. Try HubSpot's free CRM first if you don't want to maintain anything.moderate3–5 hours$0 extrauses Google Workspace