Notion Databases
SeaTable
| Feature | Notion Databases | SeaTable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | Free / from $7/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, small-teams, project-managers, content-teams | privacy-conscious-teams, european-companies, self-hosters, research-teams |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| Tables | ✓ | ✗ |
| Boards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Timelines | ✓ | ✗ |
| Galleries | ✓ | ✗ |
| Filters | ✓ | ✗ |
| Relations | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spreadsheet Interface | ✗ | ✓ |
| Python Scripting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Forms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Statistics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Notion Databases Pros
- Flexible views
- Relations
- Formulas
- Templates
✗ Notion Databases Cons
- Not a real database
- Slow at scale
- Limited querying
✓ 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
Notion Databases is built for startups and small teams, with a focus on tables and boards. SeaTable targets privacy conscious teams and european companies and leads with spreadsheet-interface and python-scripting.
Pricing is close: SeaTable starts at $7/mo versus $10/mo for Notion Databases — not a deciding factor on its own.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Bottom line: Notion Databases has a slight overall edge — but if self-hostable with docker matters most to you, SeaTable may still be the right call.