Airtable
No-code database recruiters turn into a custom candidate tracker or client CRM, with an AI agent and official MCP server.
From $20/user/mo Free tier 14-day free trial MCP server API
Bottom line
A no-code database that many small agencies and in-house teams turn into their own candidate tracker or client CRM, using Airtable's applicant tracking templates. The Free plan covers 1,000 records per base, Team is $20 a user a month billed yearly ($24 monthly), and there is a 14-day Team trial. It is general purpose, so you build the recruiting workflow yourself.
Stands out for: You design the tracker around your own desk: linked tables for candidates, jobs and clients, kanban and calendar views, forms that feed applications straight in, and automations on top. The Fall 2026 release made Omni, its built-in AI agent, available on every plan, and its official MCP server lets Claude or ChatGPT read and update your bases.
Watch out for: It is not an ATS: there is no built-in job board posting, resume parsing or candidate email sequencing, so those come from other tools. Record caps (1,000 per base on Free, 50,000 on Team) fill up fast with a candidate database, and pricing is per editor.
Overview
Airtable is a cloud database with a spreadsheet-style interface. Each base holds linked tables, so a recruiting base can tie candidates to jobs, jobs to clients and interviews to interviewers, then show the same records as a grid, a kanban pipeline, a calendar of interviews or a form candidates fill in.
Recruiters use it as a lightweight applicant tracker or recruiting CRM. Airtable publishes free applicant tracking and job recruiting templates, and tools such as Softr build candidate and client portals on top of Airtable data. Automations can send emails, post to Slack or update records when a candidate changes stage.
The Fall 2026 release, shown at Airspace London, made Omni 2.0 generally available on all plans. Omni can import files, build the data model, set up Field Agents that classify or enrich records, configure automations from plain language and write scripts. Canvas, in open beta, builds apps and dashboards on a live base from a description, and new agent audit logs record whether a person or an agent made each change.
Airtable runs an official MCP server at mcp.airtable.com/mcp with OAuth sign-in, so Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Cursor can search, create and update records with the same permissions as the person who connected them. Admins can switch it off or limit each AI tool to specific bases. There is also a REST API.
Who it's for
Best for
- Small agencies and solo recruiters who want a custom candidate tracker without ATS pricing
- In-house teams tracking a handful of roles alongside other operations work
- Recruiting ops teams building client portals, scorecards or intake forms
- Teams that want their AI assistant to read and update hiring data over MCP
Not ideal for
- Agencies that need resume parsing, job posting and compliance reporting built in
- Teams with candidate databases in the hundreds of thousands
- Recruiters who want a ready-made workflow with no setup
Key features
Linked tables and views. Tie candidates, jobs, clients and interviews together, then view them as a grid, kanban pipeline, calendar or gallery.
Forms and automations. Application and intake forms write straight into a base, and automations send emails, post to Slack or update records when a stage changes.
Recruiting templates. Free applicant tracking and job recruiting templates to start from.
Omni AI agent. Builds tables, Field Agents, automations and scripts from plain language, on every plan.
Official MCP server. Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Cursor can search and update your bases with your own permissions.
AI features
| What the AI does | Plan |
|---|---|
| Omni 2.0 agent builds tables, automations and scripts from plain language | All plans |
| Field Agents classify, summarize or enrich records in a field | All plans (AI credits) |
| Canvas builds apps, dashboards and presentations on a live base | Open beta |
| Agent audit logs show whether a person or an agent made each change | Account admins |
Only features named in the vendor's own documentation. Anything sold separately is marked as an add-on.
MCP server
https://mcp.airtable.com/mcp
First-party MCP at mcp.airtable.com/mcp. Official vendor-hosted server with OAuth sign-in. Connect Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Cursor with your own Airtable login; admins can limit each AI tool to specific bases.
Setup steps and live status MCP Directory Check your stack in the MCP readiness checker
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1,000 records per base, up to 5 editors, 100 automation runs a month |
| Team | $20/user/mo | Billed yearly, $24 monthly, 50,000 records per base |
| Business | $45/user/mo | Billed yearly, $54 monthly, 125,000 records per base |
| Enterprise Scale | Contact sales | Custom pricing |
The Free plan covers 1,000 records per base, up to 5 editors and 100 automation runs a month. Team is $20 a user a month billed yearly or $24 monthly, with 50,000 records per base. Business is $45 a user a month billed yearly or $54 monthly, with 125,000 records per base. Enterprise Scale is quoted. Paid plans charge for each person who can edit, and a new workspace gets a 14-day Team trial. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 10 Nov 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Airtable expensive?
Airtable starts at $20/user/mo. We list 29 workflow automation tools in total. 16 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $29 a month.
- 5 quote-based
- 16 free tier
- 23 public price
Worked out automatically from every workflow automation listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Builds a candidate tracker or client CRM shaped to your own process
- Free plan, 14-day Team trial and published per-user prices
- Official MCP server and Omni AI agent on every plan
Cons
- Not a full ATS: no resume parsing, job posting or sequencing
- Record limits per base fill quickly with candidate data
- Paid per editor, which adds up for larger teams
Integrations
Slack Gmail Google Calendar Outlook Calendar Salesforce LinkedIn Jotform Claude
What's new at Airtable
No product updates logged yet. Recent news about Airtable:
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How Airtable compares
See all Airtable alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | ✓ | $20/user/mo | ✓ | ✓ | |
| | – | $15/user/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | ✓ | $35/user/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | ✓ | $25/user/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | ✓ | $19.99/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
$15/user/mo MCP API
A real ATS from $15 a user a month with resume parsing and job posting built in, for teams that would rather not build their own tracker.
$35/user/mo Free tier MCP API
A flexible CRM with a free plan that suits agency client and candidate relationships, with email and calendar sync built in.
$25/user/mo Free tier MCP API
Free plan plus a staffing-agency edition with sourcing, parsing and client submittals, a ready-made path for agencies outgrowing a spreadsheet.
$19.99/mo Free tier MCP API
Automation glue rather than a database: connects your ATS, inbox and job boards, and often pairs with Airtable instead of replacing it.
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