Google Drive
SeaTable
| Feature | Google Drive | SeaTable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $1.99/mo | Free / from $7/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | individuals, students, small-teams, google-workspace-users | privacy-conscious-teams, european-companies, self-hosters, research-teams |
| Founded | 2012 | 2020 |
| Cloud Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Docs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sheets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collaboration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spreadsheet Interface | ✗ | ✓ |
| Python Scripting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Forms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Statistics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Google Drive Pros
- 15GB free storage
- Deep integration with Google apps
- Real-time collaboration
- Powerful search across all files
✗ Google Drive Cons
- Privacy concerns with Google scanning
- Desktop app can be confusing
- File organization gets messy at scale
✓ SeaTable Pros
- Self-hostable with Docker
- Python scripting for automation
- GDPR-compliant European hosting
- Flexible column types including files
✗ SeaTable Cons
- Smaller community than Airtable
- Plugin ecosystem still growing
- Mobile experience is basic
The Verdict
Google Drive is built for individuals and students, with a focus on cloud-storage and file-sharing. SeaTable targets privacy conscious teams and european companies and leads with spreadsheet-interface and python-scripting.
On pricing, Google Drive is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $1.99/mo compared to $7/mo for SeaTable. That $5.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Google Drive offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while SeaTable takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Google Drive has a slight overall edge — but if self-hostable with docker matters most to you, SeaTable may still be the right call.