I’m working on a big project using Airtable and Fillout forms for client management. We’re about to start handling lots of client data and I’m worried about how well it’ll work as we grow.
Our setup:
Using Airtable Interfaces and Fillout Forms for all interactions
Not touching the raw data tables directly
Main table has 480 fields (we’re at the limit)
Expecting 70-90 new clients monthly
My questions:
Has anyone managed large amounts of data this way? How did it go?
Will performance be an issue as we scale up?
If Airtable can’t handle it, what other platforms work well with Fillout Forms?
We’ve looked at Baserow as an alternative, but it doesn’t connect with Fillout. Any other ideas?
I’ve worked with Airtable for client management, and while it’s great for smaller operations, scaling can be challenging. With 480 fields and 70-90 new clients monthly, you’re likely to hit performance bottlenecks soon.
One approach we took was implementing a data archiving strategy. We kept only active clients in the main Airtable base and moved older, less frequently accessed data to separate bases. This helped maintain performance without losing historical data.
Have you considered a hybrid approach? You could use Airtable for client-facing interfaces and initial data collection, then sync critical data to a more robust backend like PostgreSQL or MySQL. This way, you maintain the user-friendly Airtable front-end while leveraging a scalable database for heavy lifting.
For alternatives, look into Knack or Caspio. They offer better scalability and can integrate with Fillout Forms through Zapier or custom API connections. They might require more setup initially, but could save you migration headaches later on.
ive used airtable for client mgmt too, but not at that scale. 480 fields is intense! have u considered breaking it into smaller, linked tables? might help performance.
for alternatives, check out nocodb. it plays nice with fillout and can handle bigger datasets. just my 2 cents, good luck with ur project!
I’ve been in a similar situation with Airtable, and I can tell you it gets tricky as you scale. We hit performance issues around 50,000 records, especially with complex views and automations. The 480 fields are a red flag - that’s a lot to process.
One workaround we found was splitting data across multiple bases and using the Airtable API to connect them. It helped, but it’s not ideal. We eventually migrated to a custom solution built on top of PostgreSQL for better scalability.
If you’re set on staying with Fillout Forms, you might want to look into Directus or NocoDB. They’re more robust for large datasets and offer API flexibility similar to Airtable. Just be prepared for a steeper learning curve.
Ultimately, your setup sounds like it might outgrow Airtable soon. Start planning for alternatives now before you hit critical mass. It’ll save you headaches down the road.