# Airtable vs Native data

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/airtable-vs-native-data/68737>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Created:** [December 15, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/airtable-vs-native-data/68737 "2023-12-15T13:28:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sumgii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sumgii](https://community.glideapps.com/u/sumgii)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/airtable-vs-native-data/68737/1 "2023-12-15T13:28:10Z")

</div>

I’m building my first glide app at the moment to replace a few internal tools built on softr, php and many google sheets.

Because it is essentially replacing the Softr element, I starte out using the existing airtable data. Long term though there is no specific need for this. I am now wondering whether it would make more sense to just copy the data over and run native in Glide.

Does anyone have experience of both and any views on the pros/cons of the different approaches?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Darren\_Murphy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/darren_murphy/32/47326_2.png) [@Darren\_Murphy](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Darren_Murphy)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/airtable-vs-native-data/68737/2 "2023-12-15T13:35:49Z")

</div>

> [@sumgii](#):
>
> Because it is essentially replacing the Softr element, I starte out using the existing airtable data. Long term though there is no specific need for this. I am now wondering whether it would make more sense to just copy the data over and run native in Glide.

I’ve never used Airtable, but I’ve seen enough here in the Community to form the impression that it doesn’t play particularly well with Glide.

Personally, I _always_ build using native Glide tables as a first choice. There can be times when an external data source becomes necessary - for various reasons - but they can always be added later if and when required.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sumgii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sumgii](https://community.glideapps.com/u/sumgii)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/airtable-vs-native-data/68737/3 "2023-12-15T13:52:56Z")

</div>

Useful, thanks. That is what I am thinking. The short-term pain of migration feels like an investment worth making. I’m just going to wish I made that decision 2 days ago!