Moving your data into Softr Databases keeps your database and your app on one platform with no external API rate limits, all Studio collaborators included, and native features like inline editing, Ask AI, and Database AI Agents. The built-in Import data tool makes the copy itself straightforward. It’s non-destructive and leaves your original Airtable base untouched, but a smooth migration still takes a little planning.This page walks you through the full move like what to prepare, how to import your Airtable base step by step, and how to reconnect your app to the new database without breaking anything.
Importing copies your data into a new Softr database. Your Airtable base is never modified or deleted, so you can migrate at your own pace and keep Airtable running until you’re confident everything works.
A few minutes of prep here saves a lot of rework later.
1
Work on copies, not your live setup
Duplicate the app you want to migrate (or plan to create a version snapshot before you switch anything. See below). If you’d rather rehearse the whole thing first, test the import on a duplicate Airtable base with a small amount of data before doing it for real.
2
Take stock of computed and linked fields
Note where you rely on Lookups, Rollups, formulas, and linked records. Softr Databases supports all of these, but they’re the fields most worth verifying after the import. If you have many of them, grouping them into a dedicated Airtable view first makes them easy to spot-check afterward.
3
Know what needs a second look
Most fields (including linked records, attachments, and formulas) come across automatically. A handful of Airtable’s system and computed fields behave differently in Softr and are worth reviewing once imported. See What transfers, and what to double-check.
Migrating also future-proofs your app: because the data lives natively in Softr, you’re no longer dependent on a third-party API or subject to its rate limits and per-collaborator pricing.
This creates a new Softr database populated with a copy of your Airtable data.
1
Open the database creator
In Softr Studio, go to Databases in the left sidebar and start a new database (or choose Database from the Home screen). The Create new database dialog opens.
The Create new database dialog, with AI, Import data, Copy template, and Start blank options.
2
Choose Import data
Select Import data. Softr asks where your data is stored and offers CSV file, Airtable, and Google Sheets.
Choosing a data source to import from: CSV file, Airtable, or Google Sheets.
3
Select Airtable
Choose Airtable and click Continue.
Select Airtable and click Continue
4
Pick your Airtable account and base
Under Account, select an already-connected Airtable account, or choose Add another data source to connect one. Then, under Base, search for and select the base you want to import. The whole base will be imported.
Selecting the Airtable account and the base to import.
Don’t see your base? Make sure the base is shared with the connected Airtable token. When connecting a new account, authorizing all current and future bases avoids having to reconnect later.
5
Start the import
Click Start import. Softr copies your tables, records, linked records, and attachments into a new Softr database. Larger bases take longer, so give it a moment to finish.
Since Softr must use Airtable’s API to import the records, please note that the speed and effectiveness of the import will depend upon your Airtable plan’s API allowances.
6
Review the imported database
Open the new database from Databases and check your tables. Confirm record counts look right, spot-check linked records and attachments, and review any formula, Lookup, or Rollup fields (see the next section).
The import handles the vast majority of your data automatically. Use this as a post-import checklist for the fields worth a closer look.
Transfers automatically
Records and standard fields — text, numbers, dates, single/multi-select, checkboxes, and so on.
Linked records — relationships between tables are preserved.
Attachments and files — copied into the Softr database.
Formulas — Softr Databases use Airtable-compatible formula syntax, so most formulas come across with little or no change. See the Formula glossary for supported functions.
Review or re-create after importing
System fields — Airtable’s Created time, Last modified time, Created by, Last modified by, and Autonumber are computed by the source. Softr Databases has equivalent field types and Softr will attempt to retain the original system field values; confirm they read the way you expect and re-create any your app depends on.
Rich text — long text with formatting comes in as Markdown.
Complex or unsupported formula functions — most formulas migrate cleanly, but double-check any that use functions tied to Airtable’s internal system info. Update those to their Softr equivalents where needed.
Lookups and Rollups — supported in Softr (Lookup & Rollup fields); verify they resolve against the right linked table after import.
Before you re-point a live app at the new database, read Reconnect your app, block by block — switching a block’s data source resets some settings, so you’ll want a rollback point in place first.
Once your data is in Softr Databases, point your app’s blocks at it. The safest approach is to create a rollback point first using App History, then switch one block at a time, testing as you go.
1
Create a version snapshot for rollback
Before changing any data sources, save a restore point from App History. If a swap doesn’t go as planned, you can roll the whole app back in one step.
2
Open a block's data source
Select a block connected to Airtable, open the Sources tab in the block’s settings panel, and open its source (for example, Source 1).
A block's Sources tab, listing its data source.
3
Switch the account to Softr Databases
In the Account dropdown, change the source from your Airtable account to Softr Databases. Then choose the imported Database and the matching Table.
Switching a block's Account from Airtable to Softr Databases, then selecting the database and table.
Because the import keeps your original field names, the block usually re-maps its fields with little manual work. Still, review the mapping — Softr can’t always match every field automatically.
4
Re-check the block's settings
After swapping the source, review anything that references specific fields:
Tag / label colors, if set to “as defined in data source.”
Action buttons — these stay connected, but their field references can reset, so open and confirm each one.
5
Test, then move to the next block
Preview the block, confirm it shows the right data and that create/edit actions still work, then repeat for the next block. Working block-by-block keeps any issue small and easy to trace.
If you sync app users from a data source, re-point the user sync table to the corresponding Softr Databases table.
Toggle off “Send user notification email” while you set up or re-point the sync, so existing users aren’t emailed a new login prompt during the migration.
When Softr Databases is the source, the user table supports 2-way sync — changes flow in both directions. To keep users matched correctly, don’t edit a user’s email directly in the source table.
Re-map the conditional logic on your user groups so the conditions point at the new fields. User groups may not fully sync until you publish the app, so publish before you judge whether they’re working.
Global data restrictions are tied to a specific table in a specific data source, so they don’t carry over automatically. Re-create them from scratch against the new Softr Databases tables.
If you re-mapped your user groups correctly, your page and block visibility permissions should stay intact — but test them anyway. Sign in as a test user in each relevant group and confirm they see exactly what they should, and nothing they shouldn’t, before you consider the migration done.
Softr Databases are native to the platform, so there are no external API rate limits throttling your app as your data and traffic grow. Record and storage limits scale with your plan.
Workspace members
Workspace members are easy to add on and cheaper than Airtable seats. Members also get automatic access to any apps as app users if desired.
Smarter AI Agents
Database AI Agents can trigger on record creation, on specific field updates, and on custom conditions. This is a level of control that isn’t available with external sources.
Built for Softr apps
With data living natively in Softr, inline editing, Ask AI, and block rendering are faster, with no third-party middleware in between.
