Head to head
Airtable vs ContentCal
Last updated 4 June 2026
Airtable isn't a social media scheduler. It's a flexible database that a lot of social teams use as their content calendar and planning hub, mapping campaigns, drafting copy, and routing approvals, then hand off to a real scheduler to actually publish.
- From
- $20 per editor / mo
- Free plan
ContentCal was a well-liked UK content calendar built around planning and approvals. Adobe bought it in December 2021, closed the standalone product on 31 March 2023, and rolled its features into Adobe Express, so it's here for the record rather than as a tool you can buy.
- From
- Custom
- Free plan
Bottom line
Airtable is the pick for teams that want a custom content calendar and planning hub, and it's the only one of the two with a free plan. ContentCal fits most setups better, and it reaches Facebook and Instagram among others, which Airtable doesn't.
Airtable publishes a price, from $20 per editor / mo; ContentCal is quote-only. ContentCal adds social inbox that Airtable leaves out.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Airtable has a free plan; ContentCal doesn't.
- Airtable starts at $20 per editor / mo; ContentCal is quote-only.
- Airtable posts to 0 networks, ContentCal to 7.
- Only ContentCal reaches Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, and Google Business.
- ContentCal has social inbox; Airtable doesn't.
- ContentCal has basic analytics; Airtable doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Airtable | ContentCal |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Partial | Not assessed |
| Basic analytics | No | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Not assessed | Not assessed |
| Bulk upload | Not assessed | Not assessed |
| Evergreen recycling | Not assessed | Not assessed |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Partial | Yes |
| Link in bio | Not assessed | Not assessed |
Platforms compared
| Network | Airtable | ContentCal |
|---|---|---|
| No | Auto | |
| No | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | No | Auto |
| No | Auto | |
| TikTok | No | Reminder |
| No | Auto | |
| Google Business | No | Auto |
Pricing
Headline prices are for a single unit. Here is the real monthly cost as each tool scales, costed on its own unit so the two stay honest.
Free plan available.
- 1 seat
- $24/mo~$20/mo annual
- 3 seatsTypical
- $72/mo~$60/mo annual
Cheapest plan: Team.
Airtable
Free
- Seats
- 5
- Up to 5 editors, 1,000 records per base
- 100 automation runs a month, Interface Designer
- Enough to build a basic content calendar
Team
$20/mo billed annually
- $24 per editor/mo, $20 on annual
- 50,000 records per base, 25,000 automation runs a month
- Custom workflows and richer permissions
Business
Popular$45/mo billed annually
- $54 per editor/mo, $45 on annual
- 125,000 records per base, 100,000 automation runs a month
- Unlimited API calls, advanced admin
Enterprise Scale
- Custom pricing, 500,000+ records per base
- Enterprise admin, security, and support
- Airtable is a flexible database and spreadsheet platform priced per editor (seat), not a social media scheduler. Teams use it to build content calendars, plan and approve posts, and track campaigns.
- It does not publish to social networks on its own. To actually post, you connect it to a scheduler or wire up automations through Make, Zapier, or scripts.
- Per-editor billing is the main cost: Team is $20 and Business $45 per editor a month on annual billing; viewers, commenters, and form submitters are free. The Free plan allows up to 5 editors.
- Add-ons include client portals (priced per guest) and extra AI credits.
- Prices are USD, read off Airtable's pricing page. It's included here because many social teams plan in Airtable, not because it publishes.
What it really costs
Airtable charges per seat, so the headline price is for one. Here is the monthly cost as you connect more, with the 3-seat row marked as a realistic setup.
| seats | Team | Business |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $24/mo | $54/mo |
| 3Typical | $72/mo | $162/mo |
| 5 | $120/mo | $270/mo |
| 10 | $240/mo | $540/mo |
| 25 | $600/mo | $1350/mo |
| 50 | $1200/mo | $2700/mo |
Monthly billing.
ContentCal
- ContentCal was acquired by Adobe in December 2021 and the standalone product closed on 31 March 2023. You can no longer buy it.
- Its content calendar and scheduling features were folded into Adobe Express as the Content Scheduler, which is reviewed separately.
- When it ran, ContentCal sold flat monthly plans (a Pro tier and a larger Company tier); those plans no longer exist, so no current pricing applies.
Pros and cons
Airtable
- Endlessly flexible content calendar and planning database
- Strong collaboration, statuses, and approval-style workflows
- Free for up to 5 editors, with free viewers and commenters
- Full API and automations to connect to publishing tools
- Not a scheduler: no native publishing to any network
- Posting requires Make, Zapier, or custom builds
- No social analytics, inbox, or listening
- Per-editor pricing climbs for larger teams
ContentCal
- Clean, approachable content calendar and content hub
- Strong, simple approval workflows
- Good team and client collaboration
- Discontinued on 31 March 2023; no longer sold
- Folded into Adobe Express, with a different shape and focus
- Existing comparisons that still list it are out of date
Airtable vs ContentCal: FAQ
- Is Airtable or ContentCal cheaper?
- Airtable starts at $20 per editor / mo, while ContentCal is quoted custom, so Airtable is the one with a public entry price.
- Does Airtable or ContentCal have a free plan?
- Airtable has a free plan; ContentCal does not.
- Which is better, Airtable or ContentCal?
- Airtable is the stronger pick for teams that want a custom content calendar and planning hub, while ContentCal is the better fit for a different setup. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.