project management tool · head to head
Airtable vs Wrike
Comparison Summary
Airtable scored 6.8 and Wrike scored 5.8 on our project management tool test script.
Airtable: Airtable is a database that makes a capable project tracker: our 40 tasks pasted in one go, CSV import and export kept every value, imports took seconds, automations fired quickly and its AI got everything right and asked before adding records. The trade-offs: no recurring tasks or real subtasks, dependencies that only flag conflicts, Gantt and timeline on paid plans, a free plan capped at 1,000 records per base, and a desktop app that greeted us with a firewall prompt and a bot check.
Wrike: Wrike is a deep, enterprise-style tool: five user types, real recurrence, dependencies, a Gantt chart and a fast importer for hundreds of tasks. But everyday work takes more effort than in the other apps we tested: no multi-line paste, weekend due dates moved to Monday by default, and an importer that only takes its own Excel template. Its AI got the task count wrong and could not create subtasks, and the free plan is limited to a board and a table.
Editor's Verdict
Choose Airtable if…
Best for: Teams who want a flexible database behind their projects, with automations and reliable CSV in and out.
- Paste a spreadsheet and the project is built, with select options created from the data
- CSV import and export kept all 200 rows identical, and 500 rows imported in about a second
- Automations fired in a few seconds, with schedules, conditions and many actions
Choose Wrike if…
Best for: Larger teams that need strict roles, Gantt planning and reporting, and will pay for Business or above.
- Fast import: 200 rows in under a minute and 500 in under 20 seconds, with dates and descriptions
- Five user types, from Admin to view-only Viewer, plus custom roles
- Proper recurrence settings and a working status automation
Head to Head
Task by task
The same prompts, pasted word for word into each app on a clean Windows 11 PC. On the 8 tasks both apps were graded on, Airtable completed 4 and Wrike completed 1.
| Task | Airtable | Wrike |
|---|---|---|
| P1 · Build a project | Pass≈ 5 min | Partial≈ 20 min |
| P2 · Views | Partial≈ 8 min | Partial≈ 3 min |
| P3 · Rules | Partial≈ 15 min | Partial≈ 10 min |
| P4 · 200-row import | Pass≈ 2 min | Partial≈ 10 min |
| P5 · Scale | Pass≈ 2 min | Pass≈ 2 min |
| P6 · Permissions | Partial≈ 3 min | Partial≈ 4 min |
| P7 · AI | Pass≈ 4 min | Partial≈ 4 min |
| P8 · Leave | Partial≈ 4 min | Partial≈ 4 min |
Measured on the same PC
| Measurement | Airtable | Wrike |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | 151 MB | 175 MB |
| Admin rights | No | Optional |
| On disk | 552 MB | 403 MB |
| Starts with Windows | No | No |
| 40-task project | ≈ 5 min | ≈ 20 min |
| Views on the free plan | 3 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| 200-row import | 200 / 200 | 200 / 200 |
| 500-row import | 500 / 500 | 500 / 500 |
| Cold start | ≈ 8 s | ≈ 9 s |
| Memory | 1.1 – 1.6 GB | 1.3 – 1.8 GB |
| Automation rule | ≈ 3–6 s | ≈ 2–3 s |
| Left after uninstall | ≈ 63 MB | ≈ 112 MB |
Pros and cons
Airtable
+ What works
- Paste a spreadsheet and the project is built, with select options created from the data
- CSV import and export kept all 200 rows identical, and 500 rows imported in about a second
- Automations fired in a few seconds, with schedules, conditions and many actions
- Omni, the AI assistant, answered correctly and asked before creating records
- Per-user install with no prompts and no startup entries
− What falls short
- Gantt and timeline views need the paid Team plan
- No recurring tasks or subtasks; we used a scheduled automation and a link field instead
- Dependencies only flag conflicts; nothing moved when a predecessor slipped
- Free plan: 1,000 records per base and 100 automation runs a month
- New invites default to Creator, and an editor invite link is on by default
- First launch raised a Windows Firewall prompt and a bot check
Wrike
+ What works
- Fast import: 200 rows in under a minute and 500 in under 20 seconds, with dates and descriptions
- Five user types, from Admin to view-only Viewer, plus custom roles
- Proper recurrence settings and a working status automation
- Instant, complete Excel export of every task, folder and field
- Valid code signature and an optional install without admin rights
− What falls short
- The importer only accepts Wrike's own Excel template: no CSV, and your status names must match
- Pasting a list creates one task, not one per line
- “Working Days Only” is on by default, so weekend due dates silently move to Monday
- Dependencies did not reschedule our tasks; the Gantt chart only showed a conflict
- Copilot miscounted completed tasks and cannot create subtasks
- Free plan: board and table only, no Gantt, no automation, no AI
Privacy and security
What we saw on our own test PC. Each review also lists what the vendor states about data handling, training and certifications.
Airtable
Signed installer
Signed by Formagrid, Inc.; the certificate had expired but the signature was timestamped.
Firewall prompt
First launch asked to accept connections on public and private networks; declining did not affect the app.
Generous sharing defaults
Invites default to Creator and an editor invite link is on until you turn it off.
AI asks first
Omni showed new records and waited for Approve before creating them.
Wrike
Signed installer
The MSI is signed by Wrike, Inc. with a valid certificate.
No background services
The app added no startup entry, services or listening ports.
Detailed roles
Five user types, from Admin to view-only Viewer, plus custom roles and per-item access levels.
EU data centre
Our account ran on Wrike's EU servers (app-eu.wrike.com).
Features & Pricing
| Airtable | Wrike | |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | — | — |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Paid from | $20/mo | $10/mo |
Airtable plans
- Free$0
- Team$20/seat/mo
- Business$45/seat/mo
- Enterprise ScaleContact sales
From Airtable's pricing page, checked Oct 31, 2026.
Wrike plans
- Free$0
- Team$10/user/mo
- Business$25/user/mo
- PinnacleContact sales
- ApexContact sales
From Wrike's pricing page, checked Oct 30, 2026.
Who makes them
- Company
- Airtable:Formagrid, Inc. (Airtable)
- Wrike:Wrike, Inc.
- Headquarters
- Airtable:San Francisco, California, USA
- Wrike:San Diego, California, USA
- Founded
- Airtable:2012
- Wrike:2006
- Funding
- Airtable:Venture-backed private company.
- Wrike:Acquired by Citrix in 2021; part of Cloud Software Group since 2022.
Timelines, official links and sources are in each review: Airtable · Wrike.
Read the full reviews
This page compares the two side by side. Each full review has the complete test log, every screenshot, the scoring notes, pricing, security and company details.
Airtable reviewSituational 6.8 Airtable is a database that makes a capable project tracker: our 40 tasks pasted in one go, CSV import and export kept every value, imports took seconds, automations fired quickly and its AI got everything right and asked before adding records. The trade-offs: no recurring tasks or real subtasks, dependencies that only flag conflicts, Gantt and timeline on paid plans, a free plan capped at 1,000 records per base, and a desktop app that greeted us with a firewall prompt and a bot check. Read the full review → Wrike reviewSituational 5.8 Wrike is a deep, enterprise-style tool: five user types, real recurrence, dependencies, a Gantt chart and a fast importer for hundreds of tasks. But everyday work takes more effort than in the other apps we tested: no multi-line paste, weekend due dates moved to Monday by default, and an importer that only takes its own Excel template. Its AI got the task count wrong and could not create subtasks, and the free plan is limited to a board and a table. Read the full review → Project Management Alternatives
ClickUp Recommended Small teams that want lists, boards, Gantt charts, automations and AI in one free workspace and do not mind a busy, heavy app 7.4 Read reviewReview 
Notion Situational Individuals and small teams who want tasks living next to their docs and wiki, and who are happy to build their own setup 6.9 Read reviewReview 
Asana Situational Teams ready to pay for Starter or Advanced who want a polished, fast-to-learn project tool with strong import and export 6.7 Read reviewReview 
