Should you build your own Stackby?
Build a small table-based operational tracker with views and API columns
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Stackby, build a small table-based operational tracker with views and API columns. The hard boundary is templates, integrations, api columns, collaboration, and hosted sync, plus data model flexibility, collaboration, and integrations.
ENOriginal research content in English. Original prompt preserved in English.
Build a personal replacement for Stackby in an empty repository.
Use Next.js 15, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM, and Docker Compose; do not offer alternative stacks.
The core loop is: build a small table-based operational tracker with structured records, provide grid, form, kanban, and filtered views, and expose a documented API.
Make the first run work locally with one documented command.
Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward.
Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials.
Create workspaces, bases, tables, fields, records, attachments, relations, and saved views.
Support text, number, currency, date, boolean, select, formula-lite, and relation field types.
Build grid, form, kanban, and record-detail views from one canonical schema.
Add role-based permissions, optimistic concurrency checks, audit history, and trash restore.
Provide CSV import or export and a token-authenticated REST API generated from the schema.
Ship migrations, seed data, backups, health checks, and a schema export format.
Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states.
Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs.
Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path.
Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps.
Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane.
Deliberately leave out full spreadsheet formula compatibility.
Deliberately leave out hundreds of automations and integrations.
Deliberately leave out large-enterprise governance and vendor-managed scale.
Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used.The prompt opens pre-filled in your agent. Review it before running. · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
What would building your own look like?
Build a small table-based operational tracker with structured records, provide grid, form, kanban, and filtered views, and expose a documented API.
What you will need
- Docker
- PostgreSQL
- self-hosted server
- optional object storage for attachments
People still pay for Stackby because teams pay when a flexible database becomes a shared operational system with integrations and years of accumulated business logic. The recurring cost buys schema changes, formulas, permissions, imports, attachments, views, APIs, concurrency, backups, and migrations, not just the visible interface.
xtemplates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync
xreal-time multiplayer
xautomation and integration breadth
xscale and formula depth
xenterprise permissions
Prefer something ready-made?
Stackby FreeThe same product's free plan does the actual job: 20 stacks, 1,500 rows each, two API columns, views, and 100 automations.Free↗License, setup, and limitations for each alternative.
How much does Stackby cost?
- Monthly billing
- $9/mo$9/mo · per person
- Per year
- $108/yr$108/yr
- Annual billing
- $50.40/yr53% cheaper than paying monthly
- On a Brazilian card, with 3.5% IOF
- R$47.03/moR$263/yr
Saved to My list. You will see a notice on this site when the price changes.
You complete the purchase on Stackby’s site. Vibe Radar does not handle payments.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| free | $0/workspace | $0/workspace | 5 editors plus 50 read-only guests; 20 stacks; 1,500 rows/stack; 2 GB attachments/stack; 100 internal automations; 2 MB uploads; 1 app/stack; 2-week history; 2 linked API columns. |
| economy | $9/user≈ $9 | $4.20/user≈ $4.20 | 25 stacks; 7,000 rows/stack; 6 GB attachments/stack; 1,000 internal automations; 500 automatic API runs; 5 MB uploads; 3 apps/stack; 6-month history. |
| business | $18/user≈ $18 | $8.30/user≈ $8.30 | 50 stacks; 50,000 rows/stack; 20 GB attachments/stack; 25,000 internal automations; 1,000 automatic API runs; 25 MB uploads; 10 apps/stack; 1-year history. |
| pro | $35/user≈ $35 | $12.50/user≈ $12.50 | 100 stacks; 100,000 rows/stack; 50 GB attachments/stack; 100,000 internal automations; 5,000 automatic API runs; 50 MB uploads; 20 apps/stack; 1-year history. |
| enterprise | custom | - | Unlimited stacks; 250,000 rows/stack; 250,000 internal automations; 10,000 automatic API runs; 3-year history. |
Free tier5 editors, 50 read-only guests, 20 stacks, 1,500 rows/stack, 2 GB attachments/stack, 100 internal automations, 2 MB uploads, 1 app/stack, 2-week history and 2 linked API columns
Billing termsmonthly + annual; annual plans are sold in fixed team-size increments beginning at 3 users and advertise savings up to 70%
Additional costsAnnual checkout requires 3, 6, 10, 15 or larger preset seat quantities; paid editor/creator seats added mid-cycle are prorated; portal add-ons start at $60, $100 or $150 per 10 portal guests/month depending on plan; exceeding automation/API limits stops further runs.
verified 2026-10-20 · source ↗
Is it cheaper to build or buy Stackby?
Adjust the numbers: hours to build, your hourly rate, running costs and the subscription price.
Over 24 months, subscribing is cheaper.
Starting hours estimated from the analysis (multi-day). Does not price what you give up (support, integrations, security).
Can I rebuild Stackby?
Kinda. The core of Stackby is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: templates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync, real-time multiplayer. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does Stackby cost?
Stackby costs about $9/mo (Economy, checked 10/20/2026), which is $50.40 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Stackby?
Honestly: templates, integrations, API columns, collaboration, and hosted sync; real-time multiplayer; automation and integration breadth; scale and formula depth; enterprise permissions. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Stackby?
Yes: Stackby Free (The same product's free plan does the actual job: 20 stacks, 1,500 rows each, two API columns, views, and 100 automations.) The prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.