Looking for the best
Airtable alternative?
Airtable’s project management works well for internal teams — but their client portals are clunky, costly, and complicated.
Why do users prefer Motion.io?
40+
hours saved
per week with reusable workflows and templates.
83%
faster onboarding
with automated contract, forms, and file collection.
2x
new client capacity
by streamlining onboarding, updates, and communication.
72%
fewer follow-ups
with automated client reminders and real-time project tracking.
Trusted by thousands of agencies and consultants
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“Motion.io has been one of the smartest investments we’ve made in our business. It’s now a critical part of our onboarding process—helping us build trust with clients from day one, streamline collaboration, and dramatically reduce the friction of getting started. We’ve lowered the barrier of entry into our solution, which means happier clients and faster adoption.”
What Airtable customers are saying — and why they’re switching to Motion.io's client portals
Per-portal pricing adds up fast
With Airtable’s Team plan, you get 15 guests and one client portal included — but creating extra portals comes with additional charges.
Too complex to scale
Airtable users say even simple templates and automations can be hard to set up. Syncing portals with views often leads to duplicated work.
Portals lack important features
Airtable allows basic customization in their portals, but it isn't possible to entirely remove Airtable branding. Portals also lack features like a project progress tracker and automated reminders for client tasks.
Subpar onboarding experience
To access an Airtable portal, clients must create an account and log in. Confusing permission settings often prevent them from seeing the information they need — creating frustration and support headaches.
Sourced from verified G2 & Capterra reviews
Scale faster with white-labeled client portals your clients will actually use
Roll out frictionless onboarding
Create custom onboarding workflows, assign client tasks automatically, and track progress in one centralized portal — no logins or chasing clients required.
Deliver a premium client experience
Motion.io replaces messy spreadsheets, endless follow-ups, and manual checklists with fully white-labeled, loginless client portals.
Manage all client work in one platform
Intake forms, implementation files, and contracts - all organized in one place. Motion.io's white-labeled portals collect everything your team needs to launch faster, with zero back-and-forth.
Automate follow-ups and task tracking
Track each client’s progress in a single, shared workspace. No more digging through inboxes or spreadsheets to see what’s done, what’s missing, and what’s holding up the project.
4 areas where Motion.io dominates Airtable
Fully white-labeled portals designed for seamless onboarding and client collaboration
Give clients a fully branded, login-free portal to complete onboarding tasks, upload files, fill out forms, and track progress — all without reminders, friction, or back-and-forth emails.
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Clients must create an Airtable account and log in just to access shared portals. Branding is limited, and confusing permission settings often block clients from seeing what they need — leading to missed steps and support requests.
One place to manage client work from signed contract to final deliverable
Consolidate intake forms, files, messages, and deadlines into one streamlined workspace. Motion.io gives your team and clients a clear, shared view of every step — from kickoff to completion.
Managing client work in Airtable means jumping between tables, shared links, and email threads. There’s no centralized view — so deadlines get missed, updates are scattered, and your team spends more time coordinating than executing.
Track project progress simply, flexibly, and without the follow-up fatigue
Motion.io’s visual progress tracker keeps clients updated in real time — no emails, no spreadsheets, no manual nudging. Clients know where things stand, and your team stays focused on delivery.
Airtable doesn’t offer built-in progress tracking for clients. Teams must manually update fields and send follow-ups through email or Slack, making it hard for clients to see what's done, what's next, or what's holding things up.
Client tasks, approvals, and requests—managed in one centralized inbox
Centralize all client communication — from task submissions to file approvals — in one clean, loginless inbox. No digging through threads. No missed requests. Just a smoother, faster workflow.
There’s no true inbox in Airtable. Tasks, approvals, and client requests live across forms, comments, and email chains — forcing your team to dig through multiple tools to stay on top of each project.
"Motion.io has helped us automate our onboarding process, simplify our deal-closing process, and keep our client projects more organized. My team also loves Motion.io, as it allows them to do more in fewer hours by eliminating client follow-ups and tedious project management tasks."
Airtable vs. Motion.io
Spend less time chasing clients and more time delighting them by automating the collection of files, feedback, signatures and forms
Unlimited Client Portals
No
Airtable Portals are priced per portal and limited to 15 guests.
Yes
All plans include unlimited clients and unlimited portals.
White-labeling & Custom Domains
No
Airtable branding cannot be fully removed from portals.
Yes
Fully remove Motion.io branding and use your domain and email.
Loginless Client Portal Access
No
Airtable Portals require clients to create an account and log in.
Yes
Clients access their portal instantly via secure magic links.
Digital Contract Signing
No
No native e-signature support, requires 3rd party tool.
Yes
Collect legally binding e-signatures directly in portals.
Client Directory (CRM)
Yes, BUT...
You’ll need to build a CRM manually using templates or custom Airtable setups.
Yes
Motion.io includes an integrated, ready-to-use client directory (CRM).
Project & Workflow Management
Yes
Project and workflow tools have additional functionality, but designed for internal teams.
Yes
Project and workflow tools are designed specifically for client-facing workflows.
Progress Tracker for Clients
No
Airtable client portals don’t include a built-in project progress tracker.
Yes
Visual “pizza tracker”-style progress view keeps clients in the loop automatically.
File Feedback & Approvals
Yes, but...
Only available on Business and Enterprise plans — not accessible to most users.
Yes
Clients can approve files, give feedback, and complete reviews directly with portals.
Client Service Requests
Yes, BUT...
Form views in Interfaces, cannot be added to portals directly
Yes
Embed forms directly inside Motion.io portals to collect and manage client requests.
Client Messaging
no
Airtable client portals do not have native messaging or commenting features.
Yes
Unified Message Center with chat, comments, and real-time updates — all in one place.
Custom App & Website Embeds
Yes, BUT...
Embeds are limited to Airtable views/forms only — no true support for third-party tools.
YeS
Embed any third-party app, form, video, or website directly into tasks and portal pages.
Zapier integration
Yes
Supports Zapier and other integrations via Airtable Automations.
Yes
Easily automate workflows with Zapier using trigger-based connections across apps.
Automated Task Reminders
Yes, BUT...
Requires manual setup via Airtable Automations — adds complexity and setup time.
YES
Task reminders are built-in — clients get automatic nudges with no setup required.
Recurring Tasks
Yes, BUT...
Requires manual configuration — no native support.
Yes
Built-in support for recurring onboarding and task templates.
Try Motion.io
Learn the platform in less than an hour. Start eliminating
client chaos in less than a day.
"Our team was initially attracted to Motion.io’s file approvals because we were having trouble collecting client feedback in a timely and clear manner, but soon realized it could streamline our process even further."
Discover how we stand out from the competition
