Claris FileMaker vs Memento Database
We give Claris FileMaker a 2.8 GPA and Memento Database a 3.8, out of 4.0. Memento Database grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Claris FileMaker
Low-code platform for custom database apps on desktop, iOS and web
Memento Database
No-code database app for phones and desktops with offline use
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAClaris FileMakerGood | 3.8GPAMemento DatabaseExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFileMaker Server Starter is $17.50 a user a month billed annually, for 5 users or more, and you host it yourself. Let Claris host and it's $22, for 5 to 10 users and 3 apps only, then $45 for Cloud Max. Tools in this category typically start at $9.99, with no minimum. | APro is $6 a month billed annually, or $8 monthly. That's the cheap end of a category where plans typically start at $9.99, and it buys 5 GB, unlimited libraries and 2,000 AI credits a month. Teams pay $11 a user for Business, which is where user management and access control live. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. What you get is a 45-day trial with full access to the platform and no credit card, which is long enough to build something real. After that it's a paid licence or nothing. | BFree forever, with unlimited entries and unlimited local libraries on your phone. The cloud side is tight, though: 100 MB, 3 cloud libraries, and 1 automation rule, 1 script and 1 chart per library. You get 200 AI credits a month. |
| Features | ADrag-and-drop layouts, a Script Engine with triggers and server-side scripts, and add-ons that drop in charts, calendars and kanban boards. The Data API and OData let other services in, and live two-way connections reach MySQL, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. | AFields run from text and dates to barcodes, signatures and GPS locations, and linked entries give you one-to-many and many-to-many relationships. You can view entries as a list, table, cards, map or calendar. Add automation rules, JavaScript, web forms and pages you can publish, and it's a lot. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. And this isn't something you open and start typing into: you design the layouts and scripts first, then roll the app out to people. The cheapest plan also means running FileMaker Server on your own infrastructure. | A4.65 from 320 App Store ratings. There's no code to write: you pick the fields for a library, and the phone's camera, barcode scanner and GPS do some of the typing for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | ANative on Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad, and in Safari, Chrome or Edge through FileMaker WebDirect. There's the Data API, OData, ODBC and JDBC, plus Claris Connect for linking other services. No native Android app, so it's the browser there. | AApps for Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS and Linux, with Zapier, Google Drive and a cloud API. Not every platform is equal, mind. Google Sheets and Google Calendar sync, Google Docs export and encrypted libraries are listed as Android only. |
| Best for | building your own business app for Mac, Windows and iPhone | a custom database on your phone, offline |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Claris FileMaker and Memento Database. How we grade
Where they differ
- Claris FileMaker starts at $17.50 per user / month, billed annually (FileMaker Server Starter, 5+ users). Memento Database starts at $6 per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly).
- Memento Database has a free plan. Claris FileMaker does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Claris FileMaker lists a web app.
- Only Memento Database lists Android and Linux apps.
- Claris FileMaker is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Claris FileMaker also covers app builder and reports.
- Memento Database also covers no-code and forms.
At a glance
| Claris FileMaker | Memento Database | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $17.50 per user / month, billed annually (FileMaker Server Starter, 5+ users) | $6 per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Free forever: 100 MB of cloud storage, 3 cloud libraries, unlimited entries, unlimited local libraries on mobile and 200 AI credits a month, with 1 automation rule and 1 script per library. |
| Free trial | 45-day free trial with full access to the platform, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Claris International Inc. | MementoDB Inc. |
| Price read from | claris.com | mementodatabase.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Claris FileMaker
- Businesses that need custom apps shaped around their own workflows
- Teams split between Mac and Windows desktops and iPhones or iPads
- Organizations that want to host their apps on their own servers
Memento Database
- Collecting data in the field on a phone without a connection
- Cataloging collections, inventory and assets with barcode scanning
- Individuals and small teams that want a custom database without coding
Worth knowing
Claris FileMaker
- There is no free plan: after the 45-day trial, team licenses start at 5 users and are billed annually.
- FileMaker Cloud Starter is limited to 5 to 10 users, 3 apps and 2 GB of data storage per user per year, with no upgrades.
- Native clients cover Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad; other devices reach apps through a web browser with FileMaker WebDirect.
- Remote Backup and Standby Server are paid add-ons for FileMaker Server; Claris says Remote Backup is not available for FileMaker Cloud.
Memento Database
- The Free plan is limited to 100 MB of cloud storage and 3 cloud libraries, with 1 automation rule, 1 script and 1 chart per library.
- Desktop apps need an internet connection to open cloud libraries; only the Android and iOS apps work offline.
- Google Sheets and Google Calendar sync, Google Docs export and encrypted libraries are listed as Android-specific features.
- Centralized user management, user groups and advanced access control require the Business plan.
Key features
Claris FileMaker
- Drag-and-drop app design
- Layouts are built with design tools and built-in templates, and prebuilt add-ons drop in charts, calendars, kanban boards and activity timelines.
- Script Engine
- Predefined script steps, script triggers and calculation functions automate workflows and data processing without a traditional programming language, including scripts that run on the server.
- Cross-platform clients
- Apps open in FileMaker Pro on Mac and Windows, in FileMaker Go on iPhone and iPad, and in Safari, Chrome or Microsoft Edge through FileMaker WebDirect.
- Cloud or self-hosted
- FileMaker Cloud runs on AWS and backs up data changes every 20 minutes, keeping backups for 30 days. FileMaker Server hosts the same apps on an organization's own infrastructure.
- APIs and external data
- The FileMaker Data API and OData expose app data to other services, ODBC and JDBC are supported, and live two-way connections reach MySQL, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server.
- AI integration
- Scripts and APIs connect apps to AI services to automate tasks, analyze data and generate content. FileMaker 2026 added Google Gemini as a provider and semantic search enhancements.
Memento Database
- Custom libraries with linked entries
- Each library is built from field types that include text, numbers, dates, files, barcodes, signatures and GPS locations. Link-to-entry fields create one-to-many and many-to-many relationships.
- List, table, card, map and calendar views
- Entries can be shown as a list, a spreadsheet-like table, cards, a map for location data or a calendar, then filtered, sorted, grouped and aggregated.
- Offline mobile apps
- The Android and iOS apps work fully offline with local or cloud libraries and sync once reconnected. They use the camera, barcode scanner and GPS for data entry.
- Automation rules and JavaScript
- No-code automation rules and JavaScript scripts add triggers, calculations and custom actions. The Free plan allows 1 rule and 1 script per library; paid plans are unlimited.
- Web forms and published pages
- Web forms collect entries from people who do not have the app. Data views can be published as web pages that are public, password-protected or restricted to specific users.
- AI credits and charts
- AI features draw on monthly credits: 200 on Free, 2,000 on Pro and 3,000 per user on Business, with no rollover. Charts are limited to 1 per library on the Free plan.
Plans
Claris FileMaker
FileMaker Server Starter$17.50
per user / month, billed annually; 5 to 99 users
Self-hosted: FileMaker Pro, Go and WebDirect for every user, up to 3 on-premise servers and 5 active Claris Connect flows.
FileMaker Cloud Starter$22
per user / month, billed annually; 5 to 10 users only
Hosted by Claris: 3 apps, 2 GB of data storage per user per year with no upgrades, and 5 active Claris Connect flows.
FileMaker Server Max$22
per user / month, billed annually; 5 to 99 users
Self-hosted and bought through sales: the same client access on up to 3 on-premise servers, with 50 active Claris Connect flows.
FileMaker Cloud Max$45
per user / month, billed annually; 5 to 99 users
Hosted by Claris: 256 apps, 6 GB of data storage per user per year with upgrades available, and 50 active Claris Connect flows.
FileMaker Pro single license$625
per license; no billing period is shown in the Claris Store
A single FileMaker Pro license for an individual who does not need to share data with others. An Upgrade option exists for owners of FileMaker Pro 2024 or later.
Memento Database
Free$0
100 MB of cloud storage, 3 cloud libraries, unlimited entries, 200 AI credits a month and limited functionality on mobile and desktop.
Pro$6
per month, billed annually ($8 billed monthly)
5 GB of cloud storage, unlimited libraries, 2,000 AI credits a month, full features on every platform, and 1 web site with 5 pages.
Business$11
per user / month, billed annually ($14 billed monthly)
20 GB of storage and 3,000 AI credits per user, unlimited web sites and pages, centralized user management and advanced access control.
Ways to pay less
Claris FileMaker
No public discounts listed.
Memento Database
- Annual discount
Lower monthly rate on annual billing
Pro is $6 a month on annual billing against $8 billed monthly, and Business is $11 per user against $14, a saving of roughly 21% to 25%.
