Exploring the Top Alternatives to Stacker for App Building

Stacker has made it easy for teams to turn Airtable or Google Sheets data into functional client portals or internal dashboards. But as businesses scale, many find Stacker’s flexibility and automation capabilities too limited. Whether you're building internal tools, CRMs, or data-rich portals, this guide explores top Stacker alternatives that offer more scalability, data control, and customization.

Why Move On from Stacker?

Stacker offers an accessible way to launch client portals and internal views on top of spreadsheet data. But many teams quickly encounter limitations that make it difficult to scale or build more advanced applications:

• Limited design and layout flexibility
  
• No support for complex data relationships or native databases
  
• Minimal control over workflows or user roles
  
• Airtable dependency makes scaling slow and less secure

To address some of these concerns, Stacker introduced a new direction in Spring 2024, Stacker Astra, aimed at offering a built-in database and expanded capabilities. However, Astra remains in beta, which leaves many teams stuck between an aging legacy version and an unfinished new one. Moreover, Stacker Astra does not support external data connections as of yet.

If your operations are growing and you're feeling boxed in by templates or performance bottlenecks, it’s worth exploring Stacker alternatives like Noloco, which already provides a stable, scalable no-code platform with built-in databases, secure permissions, and workflow logic.

Choosing a Better Alternative to Stacker

Choosing a Stacker alternative means looking for a platform that grows with your business, not one you’ll need to replace again soon. The right alternative should provide the ability to:

• Manage internal workflows alongside external-facing apps
  
• Support structured data with multi-table relationships
  
• Offer secure, dynamic permission control for different user roles
  
• Automate workflows and reduce repetitive tasks
  
• Move beyond Airtable when needed

The best tools don’t just replicate Airtable views; they combine frontend design, backend control, and automation into one platform that supports long-term scalability. Astra, the new version of Stacker, promises built-in database functionality and more control over data, but it’s still in beta, leaving teams in limbo between two versions of the product.

If you're looking to move beyond Airtable dependencies or rigid templates, consider Stacker alternatives like Noloco, which offers production-ready tools you can use today.

Data Control and Built-In Tables

One of the original limitations of Stacker’s classic product was its heavy reliance on Airtable as the sole backend. While this made it easy to get started, it introduced long-term constraints around data complexity, scalability, and performance.

As we previously mentioned, to address this, Stacker launched Astra, a beta version that introduces native tables and aims to reduce Airtable dependency. However, Astra currently lacks support for connecting to Airtable or other external data sources, a shift that solves one problem but creates another. Teams who previously relied on external integrations now face limited flexibility when adopting the new version.

In short, Stacker’s evolution presents a tradeoff:

• The classic version supports external data (e.g., Airtable), but lacks native control
  
• Astra introduces native tables, but currently doesn’t support external data sources
  
• The result: businesses are stuck between two versions, neither of which fully supports hybrid use cases today

For teams evaluating alternatives, it’s worth prioritizing platforms that support both internal and external data from the start, without locking you into one direction.

Scalability and long-term flexibility

As your organization evolves, so do your software requirements. While Stacker is great for launching simple portals quickly, many teams outgrow its capabilities. Stacker’s legacy product excels at spinning up quick views, but often lacks the flexibility to support evolving logic, multiple user roles, and data workflows across departments.

While Astra may address some of these gaps in the future, its roadmap remains unclear, and its current beta status means you can't yet rely on it for mission-critical use. The best Stacker alternatives support more complex app logic, growing user bases, and integrations with diverse data sources, ensuring your solution can keep up with future needs without constant platform switching.

Leading Stacker Alternatives

Noloco – Flexible, Secure, and Internal Tool-Ready

Noloco gives operations and IT teams the power to build scalable, custom-branded apps with ease. Whether it’s a secure internal dashboard, a back-office app, or a client portal, Noloco offers deep customization with no code required.

✅ Visual app builder
✅ Secure, role-based permissions
✅ Native form builder for internal and external data collection
✅ Workflow automation built for non-technical teams
✅ Centralizes your data from Airtable, Google Sheets, SQL and more via convenient integrations

Noloco allows you to scale beyond Airtable while still supporting it, offering a smooth transition for teams who started with Stacker

Compare: Noloco vs Softr

Glide – Easy Spreadsheet-Based Apps

Glide is a simple way to build mobile and desktop apps from Google Sheets. It’s best for solo builders or small teams managing lists, directories, or field data.

• Fast app generation from spreadsheets
  
• Basic logic and access control
  
• Best for mobile-friendly tools and MVPs
  

Compare: Noloco vs Glide

Softr – Simple Web Apps for Client-Facing Teams

Softr is built to create websites and portals from Airtable, offering more polished templates for landing pages or member-only content.

• Block-based builder for fast setup
  
• Basic permissions and logic
  
• Airtable-only backend limits complexity

Compare: Noloco vs Softr

Caspio – Enterprise-Style Database Apps

Caspio focuses on database-heavy use cases, offering app development tools for non-technical teams that still need robust data models.

• Built-in SQL database
  
• Complex form logic and reporting
  
• Less modern UI, more enterprise-focused
  

Jet Admin – Modern UI with External User Focus

Jet Admin is a developer-friendly platform with modern UI tools and user roles. It’s best suited for companies managing external apps, admin panels, or back-office tools.

• Visual builder for frontend & backend
  
• Role-based permissions and workflow logic
  
• Requires more technical setup and backend experience

Comparing the 5 Leading Stacker Alternatives

To help you evaluate your options, here’s a side-by-side comparison of top Stacker alternatives, highlighting their core strengths, ideal use cases, and potential limitations.

Stacker vs. Noloco: Key Feature Breakdown

Both Noloco and Stacker offer ways to turn data into functional business apps without coding. But when comparing Noloco vs. Stacker, the key differences come down to data flexibility, automation, and permission depth.

Which Stacker Alternative Is Right for You?

Here’s how to decide:

• Choose Noloco if you want full control over permissions, automation, and structure without needing to code
  
• Choose Glide if you need a quick mobile app from a spreadsheet
  
• Use Softr for client portals and simple web apps powered by Airtable
  
• Go with Caspio if your use case revolves around complex data forms and enterprise reporting
  
• Consider Jet Admin if your team is technical and building admin interfaces for external-facing platforms
  
• Looking at Stacker Astra? It may eventually address some of Stacker’s legacy limitations, but with Astra still in beta, teams needing stability and flexibility now may prefer tools like Noloco that are already delivering.
  
  

Design Your Own Business App – The Noloco Way

Noloco lets you build internal CRMs, portals, and workflow apps that scale with your team. Use your existing data or start fresh with Noloco Tables. Customize permissions, automate tasks, and roll out business apps that your whole team will love.

Get started with Noloco’s app builder today!

FAQs about the Best Stacker Alternatives

What is the best alternative to Stacker for Airtable users?

If you're looking for a more flexible alternative while still using Airtable, Noloco is a top choice. It offers deeper permissions, workflow automation, and custom UI design while still supporting Airtable as a data source.

How does Noloco improve on Stacker for internal tools?

Noloco provides native data tables, advanced permissions, and built-in workflows, giving you more control and scalability when building internal apps.

Can you build more flexible CRMs with Noloco?

Yes. Noloco allows you to create fully customizable CRMs with dynamic relationships, dashboards, workflows, and user-level access, all without having to write code.

What is Stacker Astra, and how does it impact current users?

Stacker Astra is a new, in-beta version of the Stacker platform, aiming to add a built-in database solution and more flexibility. However, it’s not yet fully released, it does not yet support external data connections, and many teams are still relying on the legacy product. If you need a fully-featured no-code platform today, try Noloco.

What are some other resources related to Stacker alternatives?