Softr Review 2026: The Portal Builder That Went AI-Native — and Rewrote Its User Limits
Softr is a no-code builder for client portals, internal tools and business apps. In 2026 it relaunched around an AI Co-Builder that creates the database, pages and permissions from a prompt, added Softr Agents and two MCP servers, and, on August 5, rebuilt its pricing around team users and client users. Plans are $0, $19, $99 and $329 a month billed yearly. This review checks all of that against Softr’s own pricing page and docs, and sets it beside Trustpilot, Capterra and what builders say on Softr’s community forum.
| Free plan | Yes -- 5 app users, no custom domain |
| Paid | From $19/mo yearly ($25 monthly) |
| AI | Co-Builder, Agents, free MCP |
| Capterra | 4.7/5 (64 reviews) |
| Trustpilot | 4.3/5 (73 reviews) |
Softr is a good place to build a client portal or internal tool without a developer — but its August 2026 pricing change moved the goalposts for anyone with lots of end users.
“Softr used to be the friendly front end for your Airtable. In 2026 it relaunched as an AI-native builder with its own database, workflows, agents and an MCP server, and the product genuinely looks more complete. The catch is on the price list: on August 5, 2026 the plans were rebuilt around ‘team users’ and ‘client users’ with much tighter included allowances, and the people who build portals for hundreds or thousands of customers noticed first.”
This is a VERIFIED EDITORIAL REVIEW: Softr’s pricing page, its documentation, security page, blog and YouTube channel, Trustpilot, Capterra and Softr’s own community forum, all read on October 3, 2026. I did not build an app in Softr for this article, so I won’t pretend to have tested its speed, outages or support.
If you want a branded portal or back-office app for dozens of users, Softr’s mix of AI Co-Builder, native blocks and permissions is hard to beat on speed. If you plan a membership site with thousands of logins, price the user allowances before you start. If you want to own your code, this is a hosted platform, not a code generator.
Database, app, workflows and agents in one workspace, with your existing data sources still welcome.
Softr describes itself as “the AI app builder for business operations.” A workspace holds applications (pages made of blocks), Softr Databases (its own tables, fields and views), workflows (automations with branches, loops, API calls and AI steps) and integrations to outside data such as Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Notion, Salesforce and SQL. An AI Co-Builder generates the database, pages, user groups and permissions from a prompt; Softr Agents run inside apps or on a schedule; and an MCP server lets Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Cursor build in the workspace.
The line to remember is the last one: Softr has five meters, not one. Included AI credits, workflow actions, database records, app users and builders all change by plan, and I walk through each in the pricing section.
A 2020 startup with a $13.5M Series A, a claimed million-plus builders, and an Airtable-shaped market that just shifted.
Announced Jan 18, 2022, led by FirstMark Capital, per Softr’s own post. Four-plus years old, not a 2026 signal.
Softr’s Mar 31, 2026 post says builders; its pricing page says “businesses”; its homepage says “teams.” Three words, one unaudited number.
capterra.co.uk listing, 90% recommend. Self-selected reviews, not market share.
84% five-star, 12% one-star; several one-stars cite billing and user limits.
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Softr launches to let non-developers build business tools | Softr blog, Mar 31, 2026 |
| Jan 18, 2022 | $13.5M Series A led by FirstMark; 80,000+ businesses cited at the time | Softr blog |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Relaunch as an “AI-native platform” with the AI Co-Builder | Softr blog |
| Aug 5, 2026 | New pricing plans effective immediately; team and client users separated; pay-as-you-go extra users; existing customers grandfathered | Softr community announcement |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Softr Agents announced (app agents and schedule agents) | Softr blog |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Bending Spoons completes its acquisition of Airtable, a major Softr data source (deal announced early Aug at $1.285B enterprise value) | Bending Spoons release; Softr blog |
| Sep 8, 2026 | Softr MCP server launched, free on every plan and not billed in AI credits | Softr blog |
Fans praise speed and support. The sharpest complaints are about plan limits and credits.
Category scores: ease of use 4.8, customer support 4.8, value for money 4.6, features 4.4. Reviewers praise the short learning curve, value on smaller projects and fast support; they flag limited customization beyond standard cases, performance when querying some data sources, and theme editing constraints. One reviewer: “The main limitation for me is customization once you move beyond standard use cases.”
TrustScore 4.3 from 73 reviews (84% five-star, 12% one-star by its distribution; Trustpilot says Softr has not replied to negatives). A one-star on Jul 13, 2026 calls the credit system “extremely difficult to monitor or manage.” Another on Jan 6, 2026: “90% drop in user accounts per plan this is no longer a viable solution.” A five-star software engineer calls build speed “truly mind blowing.”
Under Softr’s own pricing announcement, a builder wrote the Business plan once “got you 2,500 users for just over $300 USD and now [you] get 130 users for almost $400.” Another: included users have been “reduced by 99%” and a 1,000-member portal “wouldn’t even be an option.” Softr staff replied that existing customers keep their plans.
Free to start, $19 to put it on your own domain, and users are now the meter to watch.
Verified on softr.io/pricing and Softr’s own Pricing and Plans doc on October 3, 2026. Per the doc, annual billing gives “roughly two months free”: Basic is $19 a month billed yearly or $25 monthly, Pro $99 or $119, Business $329 or $395. Note that the pricing page opens on the yearly toggle, so the headline prices are the lower, annual ones.
Free
Unlimited apps, databases, workflows, agents and forms; up to 3 builders, 5 app users total, 5K database records, 500 workflow actions a month, 5 AI credits. No custom domain.
Basic
Custom domain, conditional form logic, automated backups. 1 builder, 5 team + 5 client users (no add-on), 50K records, 2.5K workflow actions, 10 AI credits.
Pro
Adds branding removal, OTP and Google sign-in for app users, granular permissions, custom code and API connectors. 2 builders, 10 team + 50 client users, 500K records, 10K actions, 50 AI credits.
Business
Adds 2FA, domain-restricted signup, global data restrictions, installable mobile app (PWA), push notifications, priority support. 3 builders, 30 team + 100 client users, 1M records, 25K actions, 100 AI credits.
Enterprise
SSO (SAML, OpenID), SCIM, audit logs, advanced governance, custom agreements and SLAs, customer success manager, SOC 2 access. 50% discount for non-profits and education.
Extras
Extra users on Pro and Business: Team $3 / $5 and Client $1 / $2 per user per month, up to 50 / 100 team and 250 / 500 client users. Extra builders $5-$20. Extra custom domains $13 yearly / $15 monthly. AI credit add-ons on paid plans.
| If you are... | What verified pricing means | Cheapest sensible path |
|---|---|---|
| Exploring or building a demo | Free is real, but 5 app users total and no custom domain | Free ($0) |
| Building a tool for 2-3 colleagues | Basic caps at 5 team + 5 client users with no add-on | Basic, $19 yearly / $25 monthly |
| Building a branded client portal for ~50 clients | Pro includes 50 client users and branding removal | Pro, $99 yearly / $119 monthly |
| A portal for several hundred external users | Pro tops out at 250 client users; Business includes 100 and goes to 500 | Business, $329 yearly / $395 monthly, or Enterprise above 500 |
| A membership site with thousands of logins | Self-serve plans cap at 500 client users | Enterprise (custom) |
Pricing verified Oct 3, 2026. No affiliate link or discount is implied. Softr says existing paying customers keep their legacy plans; this article describes the plans new customers see.
Where Softr fits in 2026.
Softr Pro is built for this. Model the client-user cap first.
Softr has its own database and Airtable sync; Softr’s migration pitch is marketing, but the option is real.
The self-serve plans cap client users at 500. Compare Base44 or Lovable for code you can host yourself.
Compare Zapier, Make or n8n.
The Softr MCP server is free on all plans. See our Claude MCP & Connectors guide.
Describe a business, get a database, pages, roles and permissions, then keep editing visually.
Softr’s docs describe the AI Co-Builder as the way to create and modify apps in plain language. You choose Create new app, then Generate with AI, and describe the business (for example, a client portal for a design agency). The AI may ask two or three short multiple-choice questions, then builds what Softr calls a connected system: a database with tables, relationships and sample data, pages with navigation using native blocks, user groups (such as Admin and Client) with permissions per group, and a theme. In an existing app you can ask it to add a kanban board, a form page, charts or filters, and it reads the page and data sources you have open.
What I like is the hybrid design: Softr says that when AI credits run out you can “keep building even without AI” because the editor is still a no-code builder, unlike tools that stop at the credit limit. In my view that is the strongest argument for Softr against pure prompt-to-app tools.
| Capability | What Softr documents | What I could not verify |
|---|---|---|
| App generation | Database, pages, navigation, user groups, permissions, theme from one prompt | Output quality on complex apps |
| Editing existing apps | Add blocks, pages, charts, filters; reads current page and data sources | How it behaves on large apps |
| Credits | 5 / 10 / 50 / 100 AI credits a month; AI pauses when out, no overage charge; add-ons roll over one month | How many credits a typical app build consumes |
| Vibe coding blocks | Custom code blocks generated from prompts; Pro and up for custom code and API connectors | Quality and security of generated code |
| Database AI Agents | Auto-fill and generate field content inside Softr Databases on triggers | Accuracy of generated content |
- Hybrid AI plus no-code editor means you are not stuck when credits run out
- Permissions and user groups are part of what the AI sets up, not an afterthought
- MCP and agents extend the same workspace instead of a separate AI layer
- Credits are the most-complained meter on Trustpilot (Jul 2026)
- Generated apps still need you to review permissions before real users log in
- App customization beyond standard blocks is the top Capterra limitation
Prompt, review the structure, tune blocks and permissions, automate, publish.
Softr’s own walkthrough video (embedded below) shows the intended loop: a prompt produces a database, interface, permissions and workflows, then you customize. In the editor you work across Interface, Data, Users and Workflows tabs, add your custom domain on a paid plan, and invite clients or teammates. Workflows are triggers followed by actions, with branches, loops, filters, Call API, Run Custom Code and AI steps documented.
See it in Softr’s own words
Official video from Softr’s own YouTube channel (@Softr, channel UCPszqiedUFItlFb5J-M4NWA, channel name “Softr”), published Apr 21, 2026, about 8 minutes 30 seconds. It walks from a prompt to an app with a database, interface, permissions and workflows. It is a vendor tutorial, so treat it as a demo, not a test.
Three ways to make an app act on its own.
Workflows run on triggers and are metered in monthly workflow actions (500, 2.5K, 10K and 25K from Free to Business; triggers and flow controls do not count, and workflows pause when you hit the limit). Softr Agents, announced Aug 27, 2026, are AI assistants that either chat with app users or run on a schedule; an agent can read and write records, send email and Slack messages and call external services, but only as the signed-in user who is chatting with it. Vibe coding blocks generate custom UI blocks from a prompt, and Database AI Agents auto-fill fields inside a table.
Two MCP servers: one for builders, one for your app’s users.
The Softr MCP server (https://mcp.softr.io/mcp) lets an assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Cursor query and build databases, create apps and pages, manage app users, write vibe coding blocks and build and publish workflows. Everything happens as you with permissions you grant: Applications & Forms (full, read only, none), Databases (full, edit data, view only, none) and Workflows (full, read only, none). The separate App MCP server lets the users of a Softr app work with it through their own assistant, with the same permissions they have in the app, and it can only reach tables that a block exposes. Per Softr’s Sep 8, 2026 post, both are free on any plan and do not consume AI credits.
| Integration path | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Data sources | Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Notion, Salesforce, SQL databases and more | softr.io/pricing |
| Softr MCP | Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor and any MCP client; OAuth or personal access token | docs.softr.io/mcp |
| App MCP | Per-app server so end users can use their own assistant under their own permissions | docs.softr.io/app-mcp-server |
| Agents to outside tools | Softr Agents can call external MCP servers (for example Airtable, Notion, Linear, Supabase) with Allow, Ask or Deny per tool | Softr blog, Aug-Sep 2026 |
| API | Softr API and MCP on every plan; some endpoints limited to higher plans | softr.io/pricing |
For how MCP connectors work in practice, see our Claude MCP & Connectors guide, and for setting up the agent itself our Claude Code setup guide.
Five meters: AI credits, workflow actions, records, users and builders.
Softr’s plan screen shows usage cards for apps, app users, AI credits, database records, file storage and workflow actions. That transparency is good; the cost of it is that you have to watch several limits. The August 2026 change is the big one: Softr said it wants pricing that “expands more gradually alongside your usage,” with lower costs for small businesses, and moved from buying user capacity in advance to pay-as-you-go extra users with a 7-day grace period.
| Meter | Free | Basic | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (yearly / monthly) | $0 | $19 / $25 | $99 / $119 | $329 / $395 |
| AI credits / month | 5 | 10 | 50 | 100 |
| Workflow actions / month | 500 | 2.5K | 10K | 25K |
| Database records | 5K | 50K | 500K | 1M |
| Team + client users included | 5 total | 5 + 5 | 10 + 50 | 30 + 100 |
| Builders included | up to 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Server-side permissions and SOC 2 claims, with a clear warning that your configuration is your risk.
Softr’s security page states SOC Type II compliance, GDPR compliance, EU or US data residency, encryption in transit and at rest, AWS infrastructure, 99.9% uptime, SSO via SAML or OpenID Connect and SCIM provisioning, audit logs, a bug bounty and penetration-test results on request through its Trust Center. The pricing page ties SSO, SCIM, audit logs and SOC 2 access to Enterprise. I did not see an audit report. HIPAA is not mentioned on the page I read.
Softr’s app-security doc is candid about where mistakes happen: visibility rules and filters are evaluated server side, but “apps could be missing configurations, partially configured, or with mistakes that could result in unintentional data exposure.” Its don’ts include using Airtable views, Sheets filters or the “items per page” setting as a security measure, and mixing public and member-only data in one table.
Operations teams and agencies building portals and internal tools.
| Your situation | Fit | Likely plan |
|---|---|---|
| Ops team building an internal tool for 5-30 people | Strong | Basic or Pro |
| Agency building client portals under ~250 clients each | Strong, but one workspace plan matters | Pro or Business |
| Airtable user looking for a front end or a way out | Strong; check migration effort yourself | Pro |
| Wants Claude or Codex to build the database and app | Good, MCP free on all plans | Any |
| Membership site with thousands of members | Weak on self-serve plans | Enterprise |
| Needs exportable code | Poor; hosted platform | Look at code-generating tools |
Seven real, current limitations.
Pro tops out at 50 team and 250 client users, Business at 100 and 500. Forum builders say the Aug 2026 change rules out large portals.
Trustpilot one-stars from Jan 2025 (“4800% price increase”) and Jan 2026 (“90% drop in user accounts per plan”) complain of earlier changes; the Aug 2026 plans are the latest rebuild.
A Jul 2026 Trustpilot one-star says the credit system is “extremely difficult to monitor or manage.”
A forum member says Basic limits user groups to visitors and logged-in users and blocks CSV and PDF export; I could not confirm this on the pricing page, so check before relying on it.
Capterra reviewers cite limited customization beyond standard blocks and theme-editing constraints.
Trustpilot lists both praise and complaints, including a review that says the platform “isn’t reliable enough for businesses that depend on it.”
I did not find an app code export; data stays in your connected source or Softr Database.
Map your reason for looking elsewhere to a tool.
| If you mostly need... | Compare with... |
|---|---|
| A prompt-to-app builder with code you can host | Lovable — Lovable review; Replit — Replit review |
| An all-in-one hosted AI builder with built-in backend | Base44 — Base44 review |
| Automation between existing SaaS apps | Zapier — Zapier review; Make — Make review |
| Self-hostable workflow automation | n8n — n8n review |
| A deeper visual web-app platform | Bubble — bubble.io (official site) |
| A native mobile app builder | FlutterFlow — flutterflow.io (official site) |
No affiliate relationship shapes this review.
JAVIS has no affiliate arrangement with Softr, although Softr’s site lists an affiliate program. Every CTA points to softr.io or a live JAVIS review. This is a VERIFIED EDITORIAL REVIEW: I read official docs, pricing and community threads; I did not build an app or run a controlled test.
Start on the free plan; a 7-day Business-level trial starts on first sign-up per the docs.
Start free on SoftrSoftr’s own pricing page.
softr.io/pricingSoftr makes most sense next to the AI builders and automation tools it competes and combines with.
If you’re deciding how to build and automate a business app, these are the six reviews I’d read next.
Questions people are actually searching right now
Is Softr free?
Yes. The Free plan includes unlimited apps, databases, workflows, agents and forms with up to 3 builders, 5 app users, 5K records, 500 workflow actions and 5 AI credits a month. It has no custom domain.
How much does Softr cost?
Basic $19/month billed yearly ($25 monthly), Pro $99 ($119), Business $329 ($395). Enterprise is custom. Extra users, builders, domains and AI credits are add-ons.
Did Softr change its pricing?
Yes. New plans took effect on Aug 5, 2026, separating team and client users and billing extra users pay-as-you-go. Softr says existing paying customers keep their current plans.
Does Softr have an AI app builder?
Yes. The AI Co-Builder creates a database, pages, user groups and permissions from a prompt. Softr also offers vibe coding blocks, Database AI Agents and, since Aug 27, 2026, Softr Agents.
Does Softr support MCP?
Yes. The Softr MCP server (launched Sep 8, 2026) lets Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Cursor build in your workspace, and the App MCP server lets your app’s users use their own assistant. Softr says both are free and do not use AI credits.
Can I keep building if I run out of AI credits?
Yes, per Softr: AI features pause but the no-code editor keeps working, and you are not charged overage.
Is Softr secure?
Softr states SOC Type II and GDPR compliance, EU or US data residency and server-side permission checks. Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and audit logs. App-level safety depends on how you configure user groups and visibility.
Does Softr still work with Airtable?
Yes, Airtable is a listed data source. Airtable was acquired by Bending Spoons (completed Sep 4, 2026); Softr’s blog says Airtable’s published pricing had not changed yet as of Sep 29, 2026.
Where this came from, and when it was checked.
Pricing and plans: softr.io/pricing (yearly toggle default, Oct 3, 2026); docs.softr.io/workspace-and-billing/pricing-and-plans (annual vs monthly prices, user and builder add-ons, 7-day trial) and /ai-credits.
Product and AI: docs.softr.io (AI Co-Builder, MCP, App MCP, vibe coding, workflows, Database AI Agents, app security); Softr blog posts of Mar 31, Aug 27 and Sep 8, 2026.
Security: softr.io/security (SOC Type II, GDPR, residency, SSO, audit logs); pricing page for plan gating.
Funding and users: Softr blog, Jan 18, 2022 ($13.5M Series A, FirstMark); user claims from softr.io pages and blog (inconsistent wording).
Airtable: Bending Spoons release via finanznachrichten.de (completed Sep 4, 2026); deal value and migration framing from Softr’s own blog (interested party).
Community: trustpilot.com/review/softr.io (4.3, 73 reviews, read directly, including filtered one-stars); capterra.co.uk/software/179909/softr (4.7, 64 reviews, read directly); community.softr.io/t/16811 (pricing announcement thread, 13 posts, Aug 5-18, 2026). G2 could not be read and is not used.
Official video: Softr channel, video 9MjTcHl5yIs (Apr 21, 2026).
Fit score method: JAVIS editorial composite of five 20-point criteria — fit for portals and internal tools 18, AI building, agents and MCP 14, price and value after the Aug 2026 change 12, data ownership and portability 11, trust and support 13 = 68. It is an opinion, not a benchmark.
