How to Build a Student Portal in Softr (+ Free Template)
Published by SoftrWatch on YouTube
Updated Oct 5, 2026
No-Code App Builders
Softr
No-code builder for client portals and internal tools on your data
From $19/mofree trial
Softr at a glance
from our research
No-code builder for client portals and internal tools on Airtable, SQL databases or Softr Databases
User groups decide which pages, blocks and records each logged-in user can see
Basic caps apps at 5 team and 5 client users; buying extra users starts on Pro
Pro: $119 a month, or $99 a month billed yearly, with 2 builders, 10 team users and 50 client users
Overview
What is Softr?
Softr is a no-code builder for business apps such as client portals and internal tools, made by Softr GmbH, a German company founded in 2019. Every app starts from a data source. That can be Softr Databases, the built-in option Softr recommends for new builds, with one-click migration from Airtable and CSV import, or a connected source such as Airtable, Google Sheets, Supabase, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server or MariaDB. Connected sources are queried where they are rather than copied.
Pages are built from blocks in Softr Studio, by hand or with an AI builder. Each app sets its own sign-up and login rules, and user groups decide which pages, blocks and records each person sees; blocks can also be shown or hidden per device. Workflows start from an app button, a new user, a changed database record, a webhook or a schedule, and can branch on conditions. Changes go first to a staging version only the builder can see, then to the live app, and App History keeps snapshots. Softr's own pages point to client portals, intranets, inventory management, CRM and dashboards.
Apps run in the browser on a softr.app subdomain or a custom domain, and the Business plan adds an installable web app with push notifications. Buttons can call outside APIs, Stripe Checkout takes one-time and recurring payments, and the Softr API and an MCP server come with every plan. Pricing is set by builders, the people who work in Softr Studio, and by app users, the people who log in to published apps.
Our verdict on Softr
Updated Oct 5, 2026Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026
Softr fits a business that already keeps its data in Airtable, Google Sheets or a SQL database and needs a logged-in front end on top of it: a portal where each client sees only their own records, or an internal tool for staff. Connected sources are queried rather than copied, so the data stays where it is, and user groups control which pages, blocks and records each person sees. Teams starting from nothing can use Softr Databases instead.
It's a browser product. Phone users get an installable web app with push notifications, and only on Business; Softr documents no App Store or Google Play publishing and no way to export an app as code. The lower plans are tightly capped. Free allows 5 app users in total, and Basic allows 5 team users and 5 client users with no way to buy more. Workflows pause when the month's action allowance runs out, at 500, 2,500, 10,000 or 25,000 actions depending on the plan, and resume only at the next cycle or after an upgrade. Removing Softr branding, Google sign-in, granular permissions and custom code all start on Pro.
Most client portals will need Pro: $119 a month, or $99 a month billed yearly, with 2 builders, 10 team users and 50 client users. Team users share a business email domain with a workspace member, and everyone else who logs in is a client user. Extra users are billed monthly on top, at $3 per team user up to 50 and $1 per client user up to 250, after a 7-day grace period. A third builder costs $12 a month, or $10 billed yearly. Business, at $395 a month or $329 billed yearly, raises the allowance to 30 team users and 100 client users and adds two-factor authentication.
Softr is the right call for a portal or internal tool on data you already have, used in a browser. If the product is a marketplace or SaaS tool that needs its own database and native mobile apps alongside the web app, Bubble covers both, though its plans are metered in workload units. If the app must be listed in the App Store and Google Play, Adalo publishes there from its Starter plan.
Written by Lokesh Kapoor
Pros & cons
Softr pros and cons
What it does well
- Connects to Airtable, Google Sheets, Supabase, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server and MariaDB
- Changes go to a staging version visible to the builder before going live
- Workflows start from buttons, new users, record changes, webhooks or schedules
- Full refund within 14 days of a monthly plan's start, or 30 days on yearly billing
Where it falls short
- No App Store or Google Play publishing; the installable web app needs Business
- Workflows pause until the next cycle once the monthly action allowance runs out
- Removing Softr branding and granular permissions requires Pro, at $119 a month
Editor's assessment from vendor documentation and published pricing
Pricing
Softr pricing
Softr's paid plans start at $19/month, below the $29 median across the 5 tools in our No-Code App Builders ranking. A free plan is available, and you can test it on a 7-day free trial.
Free
$0
Free plan
Up to 3 users
- Up to 3 builders
- 5 app users in total
- 5K database records
- 500 workflow actions a month
- 5 AI credits a month
Usage: Capped at the included allowance: Free has no app-user add-on and no custom domain, and workflows pause when the monthly action limit is reached.
Basic
$19/mo
per month, 1 builder included
or $25/mo billed monthly
- 1 builder included
- 5 team and 5 client app users
- 50K database records
- 2,500 workflow actions a month
- Custom domain
Usage: Capped at 5 team users and 5 client users, with no app-user add-on; workflows pause at 2,500 actions a month. Extra builders cost $5 a month each on yearly billing ($6 monthly).
Pro
$99/mo
per month, 2 builders included
or $119/mo billed monthly
- 2 builders included
- 10 team and 50 client app users
- 500K database records
- Remove branding, granular permissions
- Custom code and API connectors
Usage: Extra app users are billed on top each month: $3 per team user (up to 50) and $1 per client user (up to 250); workflows pause at 10,000 actions a month. Extra builders cost $10 a month each on yearly billing ($12 monthly).
Business
$329/mo
per month, 3 builders included
or $395/mo billed monthly
- 3 builders included
- 30 team and 100 client app users
- 1M database records
- Two-factor authentication and installable app
- Priority support and onboarding
Usage: Extra app users are billed on top each month: $5 per team user (up to 100) and $2 per client user (up to 500); workflows pause at 25,000 actions a month. Extra builders cost $20 a month each on yearly billing ($24 monthly).
Enterprise
Custom
Tailored pricing for larger teams
- Custom limits
- SSO (SAML, OpenID) and SCIM
- Audit logs and advanced governance
- Custom agreements and SLAs
- Customer success manager
Usage: Priced through Softr's sales team; invoice payment (PO, wire transfer, ACH) is offered on Enterprise only.
Checked against Softr GmbH's pricing page on October 5, 2026 · see the full breakdown
Capabilities
Softr features
Checked against the same feature list as every other tool in its category.
Building & Data
- Included:External data sourcesBuilds on Airtable, Google Sheets, Postgres or an existing database.
- Included:Relational data modelTables that relate to each other properly rather than flat lists.
- Included:Responsive layoutsOne build that adapts properly across desktop, tablet and mobile.
- Included:Visual drag-and-drop builderAssemble interfaces by dragging components rather than writing markup.
Logic & Integration
- Included:API connectionsCall external APIs and use the responses inside the app.API connectors on Pro and up
- Included:Custom code extensionDrop into JavaScript or Dart when the visual builder runs out.
- Included:Payments & subscriptionsTake one-off or recurring payments inside the application.
- Included:User accounts & permissionsSign-up, login and role-based access to data and screens.
- Included:Workflows & business logicMulti-step conditional actions triggered by events in the app.
Deployment
- Included:Custom domain hostingRuns the app on your own domain with SSL.
- Not included:Native iOS & Android appsPublishes real native apps to the App Store and Play Store.
- Not included:Source code exportTake the generated source and host or extend it independently.
- Included:Versioning & stagingDevelopment and live environments with a deploy step between them.
- Included:White-label & client appsRemove platform branding and hand an app to a client.Pro plan and up
Ecosystem
Softr integrations
Videos
Watch Softr in action
Product walkthroughs from Softr's own YouTube channel.
How to Build a Client Portal in Softr (Full Tutorial + Free Template)
Published by SoftrWatch on YouTube
Alternatives
Top Softr alternatives
Tools that do the same job, from the same category.
Fit check
Will Softr fit your team?
Support
- Email support
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
Training
- Webinars
- Documentation
- Video tutorials
Deployment
- Web
Typical users
- Freelancers
- Small businesses
- Mid-size companies
FAQs
Softr FAQs
Written by our editorial team.
Is Softr free?
Yes. The Free plan allows up to 3 builders, 5 app users in total, 5,000 database records, 500 workflow actions a month and 5 AI credits a month, on a softr.app address. It has no custom domain and no way to add app users. Paid plans start with Basic, at $25 a month or $19 a month billed yearly. Signing up for the first time starts a 7-day trial of Business features, extended by another 7 days if you add a card. See Softr pricing.
How does Softr count app users?
App users are the people who log in to your published apps, counted once per email address across all your apps; builders don't use up the allowance. On paid plans they split into team users, who share a business email domain with a workspace member, and client users, who don't. Basic caps both at 5. Pro includes 10 team and 50 client users, with extras at $3 and $1 a month; Business includes 30 and 100, with extras at $5 and $2. Going over starts a 7-day grace period, after which extra users are billed.
Which data sources does Softr connect to?
Softr connects to Airtable, Google Sheets, Supabase, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server and MariaDB, plus other services through a REST API connector. It queries connected sources directly instead of copying the data. Softr Databases, the built-in option, offers one-click migration from Airtable and CSV import, and each plan's record limit, from 5,000 on Free to 1 million on Business, applies only to Softr Databases.
Can Softr build a mobile app?
Only as an installable web app. On the Business plan, a Softr app can be installed on a phone as a progressive web app with push notifications; Softr doesn't document publishing to the App Store or Google Play. On every plan, blocks can be shown or hidden per device, so one app can lay out differently on desktop, tablet and mobile. For native store apps, see Softr alternatives.
Does Softr offer refunds?
Yes, within limits. Softr gives a full refund within 14 days of the first monthly payment or 30 days of the first yearly payment. If you cancel later, the plan stays active until the end of the billing cycle. Removing app users partway through a cycle doesn't earn a refund for that cycle. Non-profits and education organizations can apply for a 50% discount.
Sources & methodology
Product details come from Softr GmbH's public website and documentation (Germany). Every plan and price was checked against the vendor's pricing page on October 5, 2026. We haven't tested this product hands-on; the verdict is a desk assessment. How we research and rank tools
- Founded 2019
- 4 languages supported
- softr.io
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