Claris FileMaker vs Microsoft Access
We give Claris FileMaker a 2.8 GPA and Microsoft Access a 2.6, out of 4.0. Claris FileMaker grades higher on platforms. Microsoft Access grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
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
Microsoft Access
Windows desktop database app sold with Microsoft 365
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAClaris FileMakerGood | 2.6GPAMicrosoft AccessGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | BIt comes with Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year, bang on what this category typically starts at, and Word, Excel, PowerPoint and 1 TB of storage come with it. On its own it's $179.99 once for 1 PC, about eighteen months of the subscription. |
| 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. | CNo free version. There's a 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 for individuals or of Business Standard, and whether it asks for a card isn't on record here. Don't look for Access in Business Basic, which has web and mobile apps only. |
| 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. | ATables, queries, forms, reports, macros and modules, built from templates or from scratch, with VBA to automate the dull bits. Data can live in SQL Server or Azure SQL, and Access supports up to 255 concurrent users. An Access file does stop at 2 GB. |
| 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. | BNo App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. You install it on a PC and can start from a template, and Microsoft pitches the design tools at people who aren't developers. It's still building an app, mind, not filling in a sheet. |
| 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. | DWindows PCs only. Microsoft lists no Mac, web or mobile version, so a database can't follow you to a phone or a browser. It does link to SQL Server, Azure SQL and SharePoint lists. |
| Best for | building your own business app for Mac, Windows and iPhone | building a database app on a Windows PC |
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 Microsoft Access. How we grade
Where they differ
- Claris FileMaker starts at $17.50 per user / month, billed annually (FileMaker Server Starter, 5+ users). Microsoft Access starts at $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal).
- Only Claris FileMaker lists a web app.
- Only Claris FileMaker lists macOS and iOS apps.
- Claris FileMaker is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Access can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Claris FileMaker also covers workflow automation.
- Microsoft Access also covers templates.
At a glance
| Claris FileMaker | Microsoft Access | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $17.50 per user / month, billed annually (FileMaker Server Starter, 5+ users) | $9.99 / month, or $99.99 / year (Microsoft 365 Personal) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 45-day free trial with full access to the platform, no credit card required | 1-month free trial of Microsoft 365 for individuals or of Microsoft 365 Business Standard |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Claris International Inc. | Microsoft |
| Price read from | claris.com | microsoft.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 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
Microsoft Access
- Small businesses building their own database apps on Windows PCs
- Teams sharing a database over a local network
- Organizations that already license the Microsoft 365 desktop apps
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.
Microsoft Access
- Access is available for PC only; Microsoft lists no Mac, web or mobile version.
- It is not part of Office Home 2024 or Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which has web and mobile apps only.
- An Access database file is limited to 2 GB, minus the space needed for system objects.
- Storing data in SQL Server or Azure SQL requires a separate subscription to that service.
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.
Microsoft Access
- Database apps from templates or scratch
- Business apps are built from templates or from scratch with Access's design tools, which Microsoft pitches at people who are not developers.
- Tables, queries, forms and reports
- A database is made of tables for the data plus queries, forms, reports, macros and modules that sit on top of them and form the app's interface and logic.
- Visual Basic for Applications
- VBA code automates business processes and is used to build more capable forms and reports.
- SQL Server and Azure SQL storage
- Data can be stored in SQL Server or Microsoft Azure SQL instead of the Access file. Each requires its own subscription to that service.
- Connectors to other data sources
- The Access connector library shares data between Access and line-of-business apps, so combined data can be queried and charted inside Access.
- Multi-user sharing
- A database can be shared from a network folder, split into a back-end data file with a front-end copy per user, or linked to SharePoint lists. Access supports up to 255 concurrent users.
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.
Microsoft Access
Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99
per month, or $99.99 per year
For 1 person on up to 5 devices: Access (PC only) alongside the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook desktop apps and 1 TB of cloud storage.
Microsoft 365 Apps for business$10.00
per user / month, paid yearly ($12.00 billed monthly)
Fully installed Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Access (PC only) for up to 300 employees, with 1 TB of cloud storage per user.
Microsoft 365 Family$12.99
per month, or $129.99 per year
Everything in Personal for 1 to 6 people, each able to sign in on up to 5 devices, with 1 TB of storage per person.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard$14.00
per user / month, paid yearly ($16.80 billed monthly)
Desktop, web and mobile apps including Access (PC only), plus business email, Microsoft Teams and 1 TB of cloud storage per user.
Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99
per month, or $199.99 per year
Everything in Family, plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features such as advanced research and analytics.
Access$179.99
one-time purchase for 1 PC
Standalone Access for one PC running Windows 11 or Windows 10, bought once rather than by subscription.
Ways to pay less
Claris FileMaker
No public discounts listed.
Microsoft Access
- Annual discount
Save up to 17% by paying yearly
Microsoft 365 Personal is $99.99 a year against $9.99 a month, Family $129.99 against $12.99 and Premium $199.99 against $19.99.
- Annual discount
Apps for business: $10 yearly, $12 monthly
Microsoft 365 Apps for business is $10.00 per user a month when paid yearly, or $12.00 per user a month on a monthly subscription.
- Education
Students save 50% on Microsoft 365 Personal
Verified college and university students get Microsoft 365 Personal, which includes Access, at half price. Student status has to be re-verified each year.
- Lifetime license
Standalone Access as a one-time purchase
$179.99 buys Access for 1 PC running Windows 11 or Windows 10, with no subscription.
