SeaTable
German no-code database and spreadsheet hybrid, hosted in Frankfurt and Munich
Quick Overview
| Company | SeaTable GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | No-Code Database Tools |
| Headquarters | Mainz, Germany |
| Founded | 2020 |
| EU Presence | EU (Germany) |
| Data Location | Frankfurt & Munich, Germany |
| Open Source | Partial (some components Apache/AGPL, core engine proprietary) |
| Compliance | Data never leaves Europe, per vendor security page |
| Pricing | Free tier, then €7-€14/user/month |
| Free Option | Free plan: 25 users, 10,000 rows, 2GB |
| Replaces | Airtable, Google Sheets |
Detailed Review
SeaTable GmbH was incorporated in Mainz in July 2020 by brothers Ralf and Christoph Dyllick-Brenzinger, who had previously built Seafile, the file-sync tool. The company describes itself as bootstrapped and profitable, with no institutional venture round disclosed for SeaTable itself.
The product sits in the same no-code database category as Baserow and Airtable: rows and columns that behave like a relational table, with kanban, Gantt and gallery views, an automation engine, and forms for outside collaborators to submit data without a login.
SeaTable's own security page states that cloud customer data — except billing details — is stored and processed in the DE-FRA-1 and DE-MUC-1 data centres in Frankfurt and Munich, run by Exoscale, a Swiss-headquartered hosting provider, with the explicit line: "your user data never leaves Europe."
The one caveat worth flagging is licensing: unlike Baserow's fully MIT-licensed core, SeaTable's own core database engine is proprietary, even though supporting components (the web frontend, thumbnail service) are Apache or AGPL licensed. "Self-hostable" is accurate; "fully open source" is not, and a free self-hosted instance is capped at three users.
What SeaTable does well
- German GmbH (Mainz, HRB 49723), founder-owned and bootstrapped, no PE or VC in the structure
- Cloud data verifiably hosted in Frankfurt and Munich with an explicit "never leaves Europe" commitment
- Pricing published in euros with a genuine free tier up to 25 users
- Kanban, Gantt and calendar views on top of the base grid, useful for project tracking
Where SeaTable falls short
- Core database engine is proprietary, not fully open source despite being self-hostable
- Free self-hosted edition is capped at three users
- Smaller ecosystem and third-party integration library than Airtable or Baserow
Standout feature. A named hosting chain rather than a vague EU claim: the security page states the exact data centres (DE-FRA-1, DE-MUC-1) and the exact provider (Exoscale) that customer data runs on.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- German GmbH with a Handelsregister entry, founder-owned and bootstrapped
- Named data centres in Frankfurt and Munich on Exoscale
- Free plan for up to 25 users
- Prices published in euros
- Kanban, Gantt and calendar views on the base grid
Cons
- Core database engine is proprietary, not open source
- Free self-hosted edition is capped at three users
- Smaller integration library than Airtable
- Rows are limited to 10,000 on the free plan
Alternatives to SeaTable
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SeaTable?
SeaTable is a no-code database and spreadsheet hybrid from SeaTable GmbH in Mainz, Germany, offering grid, kanban and Gantt views over structured data with an automation engine, self-hostable and with EU-only cloud hosting.
Where is SeaTable based?
SeaTable GmbH is registered in Mainz, Germany (Amtsgericht Mainz, HRB 49723), incorporated July 2020, which places it under EU (Germany). Cloud data is stored in Frankfurt and Munich data centres.
What does SeaTable cost?
Free (up to 25 users, 10,000 rows, 2GB); Plus €7/user/month billed yearly; Enterprise €14/user/month billed yearly
Who is SeaTable best for?
German-speaking teams and privacy-conscious organisations who want an Airtable-style tool with a documented, EU-only hosting chain and a founder-owned vendor rather than a VC-backed one.
What are the drawbacks of SeaTable?
Core database engine is proprietary, not fully open source despite being self-hostable Free self-hosted edition is capped at three users Smaller ecosystem and third-party integration library than Airtable or Baserow
Is SeaTable a good alternative to Airtable?
SeaTable is built as a European alternative to Airtable: German no-code database and spreadsheet hybrid, hosted in Frankfurt and Munich. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does SeaTable compare to other No-Code Database Tools?
SeaTable is one of several European No-Code Database Tools we cover. It is most often compared with Airtable, Google Sheets.