Quick Comparison
| Feature | Snowball | Airtable |
|---|---|---|
| Business card scanning | 2-second AI scan | Manual entry |
| Setup required | None—works immediately | Build your own |
| Voice notes | ||
| Mobile capture | Native app | Mobile app (basic) |
| Follow-up reminders | Built-in | Automations (setup required) |
| Offline mode | Limited | |
| Flexibility | Contact-focused | Unlimited |
| Views | List, tags | Grid, kanban, calendar, gallery |
The Airtable CRM Trap
Airtable is powerful. You can build anything—including a personal CRM. But "can" doesn't mean "should." Building an Airtable CRM takes hours. Maintaining it takes more. And you still can't scan business cards.
- Hours spent designing the perfect base structure
- No business card scanning—manual entry only
- Mobile app isn't optimized for quick capture
- No voice notes
- Reminders require complex automations
- Ongoing maintenance as requirements change
Key Differences
Zero Setup
Download Snowball, start scanning. No bases to design, no fields to configure, no automations to set up.
Built-in Scanning
Point, tap, done. Airtable has no card scanning. Every contact is manual entry.
Voice Notes
Record context while the conversation is fresh. Airtable has no voice feature.
Mobile-Optimized
Snowball is built for your phone. Airtable mobile works, but isn't optimized for fast contact capture.
When Airtable Makes Sense
- You need highly custom fields and relations
- You want multiple views (kanban, calendar, gallery)
- Contacts are part of a larger Airtable workflow
- You enjoy building systems
- You primarily work from desktop
When to Choose Snowball
- You want to manage contacts today, not next week
- You attend events and need to scan cards fast
- You need voice notes for context
- You prefer mobile-first tools
- You don't want to maintain a custom system
Export from Airtable
Export your Airtable contacts base as CSV
Download Snowball from the App Store
Import CSV in Settings > Import
Your contacts now have scanning, voice notes, and reminders
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Snowball sync with Airtable?
Use Zapier or Make to sync Snowball contacts to Airtable. Or export/import via CSV for manual sync.
Is Airtable more flexible?
Yes—Airtable can be anything. But that flexibility means setup and maintenance. Snowball is purpose-built and works immediately.
Can I use both?
Yes. Capture with Snowball, sync to Airtable if you need it for broader workflows or reporting.
Does Airtable have card scanning?
No. You can use a third-party scanner and paste data, but there's no built-in scanning.