Airtable
The missing element to Webflow's CMS. Spreadsheets and databases taken to new heights.
Database integrations extend Webflow beyond its built-in CMS, connecting external databases like Airtable, Firebase, Supabase, or PostgreSQL for advanced data operations. These connections unlock capabilities Webflow CMS wasn't designed for: complex relationships, real-time updates, advanced querying, user-generated content workflows, and full-stack application functionality.
Tools like Wized provide visual interfaces for connecting Webflow frontends to backend databases, while API builders like Xano and Supabase offer complete backend-as-a-service solutions. This architecture enables building sophisticated web applications, custom user dashboards, real-time collaboration tools, and dynamic experiences that rival custom-coded solutions.
For SaaS companies, database integrations enable building entire products on Webflow's design platform. For marketplaces, they power listings, user profiles, and transaction systems. For data-heavy sites, they handle volumes and complexity far beyond CMS limits. While adding technical complexity, database integrations represent the frontier of what's possible with Webflow—transforming it from a website builder into a full application platform.
Use sync tools like Airtable + Flowmonk for visual databases, API builders like Xano or Supabase for custom databases, or Wized for direct database connections. Webflow CMS itself acts as a database, but external connections enable advanced data operations beyond CMS capabilities.
Use external databases for complex data relationships, user-generated content requiring validation, real-time data updates, large datasets exceeding Webflow CMS limits, custom user dashboards, or when you need advanced querying, filtering, and computational capabilities.
Webflow CMS is designed for content management with visual editing and easy publishing. Real databases offer complex relationships, advanced queries, triggers, stored procedures, better performance at scale, and programmatic access. For marketing sites, CMS suffices; for apps, databases excel.
Yes! Combine Webflow (frontend/design) + Wized or custom code (logic) + Xano/Supabase/Firebase (backend database). This stack enables full CRUD operations, user authentication, dashboards, and dynamic functionality while maintaining Webflow's design workflow.
Security depends on implementation. Use proper authentication, never expose API keys in frontend code, implement server-side validation, follow least-privilege access principles, use SSL/HTTPS, and choose reputable database providers with built-in security features.
Airtable (visual, no-code), Xano (backend-as-a-service), Supabase (open-source PostgreSQL), Firebase (Google's real-time DB), and PostgreSQL/MySQL via custom APIs. Choose based on technical skill, scale requirements, and whether you need real-time capabilities.
