Glide vs Knack

Glide uses per-user scaling, which significantly increases costs for large teams. Additional users on Glide cost $6/month after the initial 30 seats are used. Glide also uses usage-based pricing for 'updates,' adding complexity to budgeting. Knack uses standard subscription pricing with truly unlimited users on all paid plans. This structure dramatically increases the ROI for complex client portals. Knack’s pricing is famously predictable, even when scaling to hundreds of users. Knack avoids the burdensome per-seat fee structure entirely. Use Knack if you build portals for unlimited users who only need data access. Knack offers new customers promo pricing starting at $19/month, making it accessible initially. Glide’s variable update charges can cause unexpected costs.

Glide offers a very low barrier to entry for building polished apps quickly. You can instantly leverage existing Google Sheets or Excel data sources. Users consistently praise the speed from idea to launching a fully responsive Glide app. Knack is also intuitive, but it is built for deep data processing and stability. Building complex data-rich applications in Knack often takes days, not minutes. Knack focuses more on a powerful, reliable backend structure. Glide prioritizes lightning-fast visual design and quick app delivery. Knack prioritizes building foundational data integrity and custom logic for mission-critical apps. If you are a solo builder or small team prioritizing quick MVPs, Glide is generally the faster tool to start with.

Glide AI can generate custom apps or create task-handling AI Agents. AI powers enhanced automations, such as data extraction and content creation in Glide. This feature provides built-in decision support across your internal apps. Knack's development emphasis is on structured data structure and reliable flow creation. Knack does not explicitly advertise native AI generation or smart agent features. Knack’s robust automation relies on defined Knack Flows and API connections. If AI augmentation and smart content generation are critical features, Glide delivers a clear advantage. Knack provides strong process automation without requiring AI features. Teams looking to rapidly automate content drafting or data summarization should automatically lean toward Glide.

Glide’s Business plan forces you to manage per-user access and rising costs for growth. Large teams using Glide must carefully monitor both paid user counts and usage limits. Reliability concerns were noted regarding occasional bugs and support inconsistency. Knack is proven for long-term reliability and complex enterprise applications. The Knack Corporate plan includes essential features like App Restores and Advanced SSO. Knack has been stable for users utilizing it for five years or more. Knack is the safer, more reliable choice for mission-critical operations or complex systems. Glide shines in rapid deployment but has had reported reliability issues. Knack's predictable, unified system structure ensures operational consistency for large, complex deployments.

Glide supports connecting to Google Sheets, Airtable, Excel, and SQL natively. Glide is fundamentally designed to build apps on top of scattered, existing data. Real-time data synchronization helps keep external sources constantly updated in Glide. Knack uses a dedicated No-Code Online Database as its central source of truth. External connections often require integration via the Knack API or detailed Knack Flows. Knack focuses on data coherence within its closed system. If your primary data already lives in Sheets or Excel, Glide provides the much faster, seamless integration path. Knack demands more effort in migrating or integrating that external data. Glide is optimized for quickly unlocking existing organizational data across multiple formats.

Reviews of Glide indicate that support responsiveness can be uneven post-funding. Some Glide users cited delays and inconsistencies that negatively impacted their projects. Support quality is flagged as a frequent friction point for Glide. Knack customer support receives consistent, long-term praise for being helpful and smart. Users commend the Knack team for quick follow-up and ensuring successful outcomes. Knack has proven support stability over several years. Knack offers more reliable and responsive support, which is critical when building complex tools. Glide users must rely more heavily on community support and documentation. For business continuity and peace of mind, Knack provides clearly superior long-term support reliability.