Stackby : The Spreadsheet That Thinks Like a Database

What Is Stackby?

Stackby is a no code database platform built by Relytree Technologies. Founder Rachit Khator started the company in 2018 after running into the limits of spreadsheets for operational work, and the product launched publicly through AppSumo in January 2020. The core idea has not changed much since. Keep the grid people already know, then add relational links, multiple views, and automation on top.

Today Stackby markets itself as the spreadsheet that thinks like a database. That line sums up the pitch well. It sits somewhere between a plain spreadsheet and a full internal tool builder, aimed at marketing, sales, ops, and HR teams that want custom workflows without hiring a developer.

The foundation is a relational database with more than 30 column types. Tables link to each other, so a record updated in one place flows through to linked records elsewhere. Views cover Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Form, and more, which lets the same data serve different teams without duplication.

The feature that stands out most is API columns. Instead of routing external data through a third party tool like Zapier, you can connect a column directly to an external service and pull live data into a cell. For marketing and reporting work, that removes a lot of manual entry.

User Experience and Onboarding

Public reviews suggest Stackby is quick to pick up for anyone who has used a spreadsheet or a tool like Airtable. Basic lists, templates, and forms get teams moving fast, and one Capterra reviewer described importing from Airtable as straightforward with little cleanup.

The friction shows up later. Reviewers on G2 and Capterra note that advanced formulas, custom filter logic, and multi step automations carry a real learning curve. That is typical for a database first tool, but it is worth knowing before you promise a non technical teammate that they can run it on day one.

Mobile is the weaker area. Some G2 reviewers criticize the mobile experience, and interface polish gets mixed feedback compared with competitors such as SmartSuite. On desktop, most users describe the layout as functional rather than modern.

Support gets steady praise in reviews, which matters for a product with a learning curve. The template library also shortens setup, since common use cases like CRM, content calendars, and project trackers come prebuilt.

Onboarding is helped by the free plan, which supports up to five users, so a small team can test real workflows before paying. The 14 day Business trial adds room to explore paid features without a credit card.

The overall picture is a tool that rewards patience. Teams that invest time in setup tend to describe it as flexible and worth the effort, while those expecting instant results run into the same learning curve and performance complaints that show up across review sites.

Stackby's pricing runs on a tiered subscription model with a free forever plan and four paid tiers. The free plan supports up to five users and covers basic database work, which makes it usable for small teams rather than just a trial window.

Paid plans scale by data volume and feature access rather than seat count alone. Economy starts at $10 per user monthly on monthly billing, while annual billing drops the effective rate to $8.3 per user monthly. Business sits at $18 monthly or $16.6 per user monthly billed annually. Pro runs $30 monthly or $24.9 per user monthly billed annually, and Enterprise is custom pricing through sales.

The key limits that separate tiers are rows per stack, automation runs, API connectors, and attachment storage. Economy allows 25 stacks and 7,000 rows per stack, with 1,000 internal automation runs and 500 automatic API runs per month. Business moves to 50 stacks, 50,000 rows per stack, 25,000 automation runs, and 1,000 API runs. Pro pushes further to 100 stacks, 100,000 rows per stack, 100,000 automation runs, and 5,000 API runs.

Attachment storage and history also scale by tier. The free plan gives 2GB per stack and two weeks of activity history, while Economy allows 6GB and six months. Business and Pro both offer 12 months of activity history and database snapshots, with 20GB and 50GB of attachment storage respectively. Stackby does not charge for read-only guests or shared view links, which makes it cheaper than some competitors when external collaborators need visibility without editing rights.