Airtable vs Asana
Airtable
A flexible relational database and no-code platform for building AI-powered editorial workflows
Publishers using it: 6 · incl. Hearst, Netflix, Time
Asana
AI-powered work management platform orchestrating complex editorial workflows and multi-channel content campaigns
Publishers using it: 7 · incl. USA Today, BOOM! Studios
Last verified Sep 20, 2026
At a glance
- Airtable scores 4.3/5 and Asana scores 4.0/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent editorial calendar software benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are performance tracking (Airtable 2.8, Asana 1.2) and cms & publishing integrations (Airtable 4.5, Asana 3.2); they are within 0.3 on 5 of 10 criteria.
- Both are built for small, mid-market and enterprise publishers.
- On total cost of ownership Airtable scores 3.9 and Asana 3.5 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 6 publishers use Airtable and 7 use Asana.
- Scores last verified 20 Sep 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Airtable is stronger on performance tracking (2.8 vs 1.2) and CMS & publishing integrations (4.5 vs 3.2).
Asana is stronger on collaboration (4.7 vs 4.3) and multi-channel planning (4.4 vs 4.0).
Which one fits
Choose Airtable if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight performance tracking, CMS & publishing integrations and custom fields & templates heavily — Airtable leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Asana if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight collaboration, multi-channel planning and planning & scheduling views heavily — Asana leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Airtable and Asana in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 4.1KordiamProfessional newsroom planning and editorial calendar platform for complex multi-channel workflowsRead review
- 3.5MultiCollabGoogle Docs-style real-time collaboration and editorial commenting directly within the WordPress block editorRead review
- 3.8PublishPressProfessional editorial, permission, and workflow management tools for WordPress content teams and digital publishers.Read review
- 3.1StoryChiefA centralized platform to plan, create, and distribute content across multiple channels with AI-driven optimization.Read review
All 12 scored tools are in Best Editorial Calendar Software.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Head to head
| Criterion | Airtable | Asana |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial workflow & approvals14% of capability | 4.4 | 4.5 |
| Planning & scheduling views14% of capability | 4.2 | 4.6 |
| CMS & publishing integrations12% of capability | 4.5 | 3.2 |
| Collaboration12% of capability | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Custom fields & templates10% of capability | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Multi-channel planning10% of capability | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| Performance tracking8% of capability | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| Usability8% of capability | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Implementation & support6% of capability | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Permissions & security6% of capability | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Capability45% of composite | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 3.9 | 3.5 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Airtable | Asana |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Entry cost | 4.8 | 4.0 |
| Implementation cost | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.2 | 2.9 |
Airtable pricing
Free tier available; Team plan at $20/seat/mo, Business plan at $45/seat/mo (billed annually), and custom Enterprise Scale pricing.
Asana pricing
Free Personal tier (up to 2 users); Starter from $10.99/user/month; Advanced from $24.99/user/month (annual billing). Enterprise and AI add-ons require custom quotes.
What users say
Airtable
15 positive · 31 neutral · 9 negative
Asana
21 positive · 10 neutral · 13 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Airtable scores 4.3 and Asana scores 4.0 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Editorial Calendar Software benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/airtable/asana, verified Sep 20, 2026)
Common questions
How do Airtable and Asana differ?
Airtable is stronger on performance tracking (2.8 vs 1.2) and CMS & publishing integrations (4.5 vs 3.2). Asana is stronger on collaboration (4.7 vs 4.3) and multi-channel planning (4.4 vs 4.0). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Asana?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Airtable scores 3.9/5 and Asana scores 3.5/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Editorial Calendar Software. See alternatives to Airtable or alternatives to Asana.
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Where to next
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Editorial Calendar Software.
