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It's a split decision.
Choose Claris FileMaker for custom business apps and on-premise hosting; choose Gadget for JavaScript teams that want a hosted full-stack platform and a free starting tier. FileMaker’s listed entry price is $17.50 per user monthly, billed annually, with a five-user minimum; Gadget’s Hobby plan is free for up to two seats, while Pro starts at $35 monthly for up to 10. Gadget’s usage caps and paid add-ons matter. Learning-curve data is not published.
01Side by side
| Claris FileMaker | Gadget | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $17.50/user/month, billed annually | Free Hobby; paid Pro starts at $35/month |
| Free plan | No free plan; trials vary by product | Yes; Hobby includes two seats |
| Best for | Custom business apps and on-premise teams | JavaScript teams building hosted full-stack apps |
| Core strength | Tailored workflows, CRM, and Claris Connect automation | Integrated backend, database, React, and hosted deployment |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | Third-party integrations and Claris Connect workflows | Postgres, API actions, webhooks, and dataset sync |
| Team/seat costs | Five-user minimum; $17.50/user/month, billed annually | Hobby: 2 seats; Pro: 10 seats at $35/month |
| Support | Review support score: 5 | Review support score: 5 |
Claris FileMaker Choose Claris FileMaker if
- Choose Claris FileMaker if you need custom business workflows.
- Choose Claris FileMaker if your team wants on-premise hosting.
- Choose Claris FileMaker if you need built-in CRM workflows.
Gadget Choose Gadget if
- Choose Gadget if you want to start with a free plan.
- Choose Gadget if your team builds apps in JavaScript and React.
- Choose Gadget if you want backend, database, and hosting together.
02Pricing compared
Claris’s lowest listed subscription price is $17.50 per user per month for FileMaker Server Starter, billed annually. Plans start at five users, and monthly subscription billing is unavailable. Cloud Starter costs $22 per user per month billed annually; it includes up to three hosted apps and five active Claris Connect flows. FileMaker Pro is also listed as a $625 one-time license for one user, with no server hosting.
Gadget has a free Hobby plan for up to two seats, with 10 CPU hours and 0.5 GB of data storage. Pro costs $35 per month for up to 10 seats, 30 CPU hours and 3 GB of storage. Gadget lists monthly prices but no annual rates. Usage-based add-ons can raise the bill, including $1.50/GB for extra data storage and $0.30 per additional CPU hour.
03Features and depth
These products take different routes to custom apps. FileMaker is aimed at business workflows such as CRM, project management, invoicing and automation. It supports custom apps and integrations, with Claris Connect for workflow automation. Cloud plans include hosted apps; Server plans are for on-premise hosting. The listed Cloud tiers cap hosted apps at three on Starter and 256 on Max, while active Connect flows range from five to 50 depending on plan.
Gadget bundles a JavaScript app stack: a Postgres database with a spreadsheet-style record interface, Node.js serverless actions, API connections and a React frontend. It also includes hosted deployment and an AI assistant. Its limits are tied to plan usage: Pro includes 30 CPU hours, 3 GB of data storage and 1 million platform credits per month; Premium raises those figures to 150 hours, 15 GB and 5 million credits. Both list seven-day backups with point-in-time recovery. Choose based on your stack and hosting needs, not feature-count alone.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product’s published information publishes learning-curve data, so we can’t responsibly call one easier overall. The build approach is the clearest clue: FileMaker is for creating business apps around team workflows, while Gadget is explicitly a JavaScript platform built around React, Node.js and APIs. Gadget’s AI assistant and spreadsheet-style database interface may help with parts of app building and record management, but they don’t remove its JavaScript orientation.
FileMaker offers Pro, Go, WebDirect and Claris Connect with its Server plans, but the published material doesn’t describe setup effort or required technical skills. Before switching, map your app, hosting and integration needs to the plan limits. Trial availability differs: FileMaker lists 14 days for Cloud and 45 days for Server and Pro; Gadget lists a free Hobby tier instead of a trial.
Questions people ask
Does FileMaker Pro still exist?
Yes. Claris’s published pricing information lists FileMaker Pro as a $625 one-time perpetual license for one individual user who does not share data. It also says FileMaker Server plans include Pro. The pricing details do not identify a current software version.
Will FileMaker Pro work on Windows 11?
The published Claris product and pricing information does not state whether FileMaker Pro supports Windows 11. We can’t confirm compatibility from these sources. Check Claris’s current system requirements for the specific FileMaker Pro version before buying or upgrading a Windows device.
What is the most recent version of FileMaker Server?
The published Claris information does not name the most recent FileMaker Server version. It describes Server plans, hosting limits and included products, but not release numbers. Check Claris’s current product documentation or download page for the latest version and its system requirements.
Is FileMaker Pro secure?
The published information does not describe FileMaker Pro’s security controls, so it isn’t enough to assess security. It does list on-premise Server plans and a paid remote-backup add-on, but those details alone don’t establish how a deployment is protected. Review Claris’s security documentation and your own configuration.