Collections Database Reviews

by Nox Perpetuo

CollectionsDatabase seemed to work well when I tested it out. Except. Then there was a major issue with the search function that was pretty much a deal-breaker. This issue didn’t pop up until I played with CollectionsDatabase for a few hours, entering some data and building a simple database. (40 entries total) See, when you use the search feature, the on-screen keyboard is LOCKED in the extended position, which means you can’t push it out of the way to actually view or manipulate the search results or controls that are layered beneath it. So, that makes this database building app pretty much useless to me until they fix this issue. (What’s the point of a database app if you can’t do a simple search, sort, or otherwise look at the data you’ve entered?) And yes, I did check to see if my on-screen keyboard worked normally in every other app. It does. It’s just CollectionsDatabase that won’t let me move my on-screen keyboard. Better fix this broken thing. Not gonna keep using, definitely not gonna pay now that I know I can’t actually search the data and view the list of results. I’m glad I tested it first!

by SBCpp

There is a lot to like about CollectionsDatabase, but despite several updates we still have some issues:
When I launch CollectionsDatabase on my mac, I get a literally blank page: The "Collectios" Items are listed in the left column but the next column shows only blank placeholders and the third (main window) also blank place holders (gray). CollectionsDatabase should either default to displaying something or the user should be given the choice of what to show at launch (last item opened?).
2. When you edit a file and drag and drop a PDF on a field that is meant to hold multiple documents and you already have two documents, the new PDF actually replaces one of the PDFs already thers. I mean, seriously? You have apparently first click add then add the next PDF without deleteing anything. Why then enable drag and drop if you have first to manually click add?
3. Still cannot draag and drop images to the field that is supposed to hold multiple images (also have to manually cloick add).

by Lydian1627

With Notion and Airtable being all the rage, the lack of native options is very surprising. Craft notes is a step forward (and pairs nicely with Collections), but there is no database sorting. Kudos to the developer for addressing this void in the ecosystem and doing so properly with modern design language. My main gripe is the amount of tapping and menu diving. With all of the robust configuration options, it can be easy to get lost in the weeds. Multi-select would help too. The new Mac sidebar is a step in the right direction. The features are there, I think the workflow just needs a little attention. It won’t take much to reach five stars. Fantastic app, and I look forward to future updates!

by Cacofonix1

Have been looking for a database app for years. Most apps use the subscription model and for my infrequent use, not worth it. Have considered Ninox, MobiDb, memento etc. Have not used CollectionsDatabase yet but have plunged in by purchasing pro. Am excited to explore it. I do not see an option to import a csv file directly from pc over wifi. Inability to import data into an existing collection prevents one from doing bulk of the data entry on the desktop and tweaking it within CollectionsDatabase . Lack of ability to move a document to another collection prevents one from sharing a widget. Have to keep reinventing the wheel.

Although the developer is busy adding features and fixing bugs, I would urge the team to show case the apps capabilities by sharing video snippets of creating an intermediate complexity collection and letting users download it to learn at their own pace.

by Dougc84

my doctor told me to keep a log of how different “herbal supplements” affect me after getting my state certification. while there’s a growing collection of apps dedicated to this kind of thing, the programmer in me wanted something that i could set up just the way i wanted. and CollectionsDatabase came in clutch. it’s really nice to work with, whether on my phone, ipad, or mac. some of the advanced features could be better laid out or documented, and i’d love some more customization of the collection items (it would be nice for this, and dividers, to be on a separate screen), but for 99% of it, it does what i need.

the only problem i have is i find it crashes often. i’ve seen this happen when trying to create a new entry multiple times. i often have to skip some entries. i’ll force quit it and reopen only for it to crash again. i’ll do the same thing the next day without issue. it’s strange. but i’m going to stick with it.

by Vintagenarian

Love CollectionsDatabase. Beautifully designed and well integrated with the Apple ecosystem. My only concern, reflecting that of another reviewer's, is the price. I would happily pay much more on an annual subscription basis for this kind of feature set, just to ensure the devs will be around to support it in future. There isn't anyone who can't use a database like this! Keep up fine work like this, team. (And raise the price...)

by Omniasoft

CollectionsDatabase is great and keeps getting better. I say that because I made a suggestion for an improvement and the developer responded saying they'd roll it into the next update and they did. And a feature I hadn't even mentioned yet that I was going to request was also updated in a recent update. CollectionsDatabase is robust and flexible and allows me to organize a ton of things in my life. I use it for tracking returns I need to make, home inventory with bins containing items, keeping a list of all tech devices I have including MAC addresses, and more. They have a good integration with Shortcuts too which only adds to the usefullness. After a day or two you pick up on exactly how to use it best. I've tried a ton of other "personal database" apps out there. This is, without question, the best one. And having developer engagement and support behind it only adds to its 5★ rating. Highly recommend.

by KRickard2020

I like to overthink and over analyze things, so my expectations for CollectionsDatabase were pretty high. I tried several before settling on this one, and I’ve been very happy with it. It has handled everything I’ve thrown at it, but many of the more powerful features are hard to get the hang of if you rely solely on the included instructions. But the developer(s?) are extremely responsive and were able to answer my questions quickly and effectively.

I enjoy using CollectionsDatabase and would recommend it to others who want to build their own databases.

by Computist

I was looking for a collection management tool that didn't cost an arm and a leg or wallpaper over your collection with ads if you didn't pay the premium to get the "pro" version and this looked like a nice option. Boy, was i right. Very impressed with how easy it is to set up a collection of whatever I want and customize it to my heart's content.

In fact, I'm having almost as much fun playing with all the options to create collections, as cataloging the collections themselves! Great job!

by Deenich84

CollectionsDatabase works fantastic for my diecast collection. I bought the Pro version and have no regrets. There's only a couple small tweaks that would make CollectionsDatabase perfect in my eyes. My suggestions: When adding a new item to a collection, the cursor should default to the first field so I can immediately start typing without having to click on the field first. Also, when using the search field within a collection, it would be useful to see the number of results that are shown. Thank you!

by Ragush

Based on how comprehensive and easy to learn CollectionsDatabase is, it is my favorite database app. Works and syncs across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. I use it to track gigs for my band and show the songs we play at each gig and, at the same time, track songs and show the gigs at which we played each song. I track my subscriptions and use the date/time functions to calculate the next renewal date based on the start date and today’s date. I keep track of the last occurrence of certain events for example battery replacement for many devices around the house. I highly recommend CollectionsDatabase.

by  Halloween

Loving CollectionsDatabase so far, very easy to keep track of my items!

Is there a way to move an individual document to be next to a different one? Sometimes i like to organize by color, while in the same collection. And if i get a new item, i want to be able to add it in the order that i want it. Right now I see the only way to sort them is by creation date, modified date, and short ID.

If there currently isnt a way to manually move one item at a time, could this be developed? Please and thank you!

by __adishy__

CollectionsDatabase works great and is very intuitive if you are aware of database fundamentals and has a great user interface. I found the advanced/pro features such as formulas and lists really useful as well! In a way, CollectionsDatabase is like Shortcuts, but for personal automation.

One feature request: please include a "switch-case" type logic operator when building a formula: it will make building a complex conditional field much easier.

Great work on this!

by Jlw2387

I've been looking for a "personal" database app like this on the Mac for years. Most are old and abandoned, or are simple wrappers for some web service. This thing is fantastic! It syncs to all your devices through iCloud!

There are some features that it needs, like saved filters, but you can look at the update history and see that the developer has been working on this and adding new features pretty regularly.

$2.99 for the "Pro" version is a steal, I used CollectionsDatabase for a few minutes and instantly upgraded. $4.99 would still be a great price, and $9.99 would probably be more appropriate in the future.

by DaneJB

I have been looking for CollectionsDatabase for awhile! Basically like Airtable (ie easily make a personal database) but local and native with syncing between devices rather than cloud-based which is faster and better for personal databases in my opinion.

I am using this to organize PDFs of research papers with a note and tags for each PDF.

The developer is fantastic. I emailed them to ask if they had plans to add a file preview in Mac OS similar to what they had in iOS and they added it within a day!

by Dfdogfood

Update, I have been using CollectionsDatabase for over 2 yrs and if I could keep only one app, this would be it. I use it daily. As I said previously, this ia a GREAT app. Thanks for the continual support.

This is a great, easy database to work in. As does most everyone, I have a couple of suggestions, 1) make a sharing option so family members can access the database, and 2) add a print function so you can print out documents if need be. I hope these items are already in the program and I just missed them. Thank you.

PS - I downloaded this on my phone, ipad and Mac. Love it.

by Jcabrer

I have used another ios database for a long time, but i was having syncing issues with only recourse was to recover saved database and inputing the unsynced data again. This database sync's beautifully between devices and is fairly easy to work with. I was used to writing out the formula in my old database, however with CollectionsDatabase you will need to select fields. The index function provides lots of ways to view the data...it is awesome. I do have several suggestions to make CollectionsDatabase even better.

1. Create a real world example for each field. For example, datediff and time interval...there are a lot of fields that need this for users.
2. It would be great if users could submit and post their templates....this would provide a great resource to the users
3. Maybe post what future updates you are working on

This developer is extremely responsive to questions and has updated CollectionsDatabase consistently, highly recommend!

by MarkP213

I had been searching for a long time to replace my current database app that always had unreliable syncing issues between my Mac and iOS devices, causing me headaches and inconsistent data along the way. I took a chance with Collections, and I’ll never look back!

Since I use and update my database in the field, I love the fact that the data cells are locked until you select “edit” which saves me a lot of frustration when accidentally touching the screen while it’s open. Super easy to use and customize. Import of my old data went perfectly. I’m also giving five stars for awesome customer support as well. I had a quick question and it was answered back to me in a very timely manner.

It’s worth every penny!

by DavieMustard

I’ve been using CollectionsDatabase for the past year or so and it is one of my favorites. Combined everything useful that i used to do in spreadsheets apps with some of my personal knowledge management. It is very fast and easy to use. Loads quickly. Recent updates have been thoughtful and helpful: the sorting and searching features are particularly useful for me. Importing from csv is easy. Sync between devices works perfectly. It feels very native and intuitive to use, yet has so many sophisticated and nuanced features for dialing in your data

Today’s update supporting custom url schemes is hugely helpful for me. Thanks again for making this incredible app, it is truly one of the best.

by JohnF9

CollectionsDatabase is outstanding. It has easy to use features not found in similar apps, that are very useful. You can link documents together just by choosing other ones which is very good for related notes. You can set up categories to group similar notes together also. It has the unusual ability to show your notes in full page view or in column lists down the screen that show more than one note too. You can even put links right in your notes as you write them so there is a link right in the text you were writing the subject about. The Developers is also very responsive to productive, suggestions and implement them asap.

by Rosencrantz9902

This is just the type of database I've been looking for. Intuitive, easy-to-use, flexible. I like the templates and the fact that it syncs to the cloud and can be seamlessly used on the Mac, iPad and iPhone. I've already upgraded because I intend to use it for over 100 records. I do have a question/request -- if we cannot already copy records from one collection to another, I'd like that ability. (And if we can, I'd like to know how.) OR, I'd like to be able to import a .csv file into an existing collection. I'd be willing to match the fields and lists, if it would make it possible. Thank you!

by Ryzarch

Somehow my review disappeared but essentially CollectionsDatabase is the best in it’s category and offers a lot of flexibility others lack allowing you to really cater to your needs. CollectionsDatabase also has a very beautiful design.

I’ve exchanged a few emails with the developer, partially minor bug reports and just general questions, and they were always responsive and helpful.

I can strongly recommend CollectionsDatabase.

by NateLW

Great airtable-escque database with excellent support for iOS shortcuts to build and query your tables. A bit of a learning curve especially with data-types , and lacks integration with custom backends, however this does not detract from the functionality. iCloud sync forms the basis of the "backend" and works seamlessly across devices with access to icloud. I love seeing feature-rich apps like this that make life easy for the end-user.

by Antititus

It’s day #1 with CollectionsDatabase for me. Normally I’d hold off on writing a review, but CollectionsDatabase is too amazing. Within 5 minutes I had a fully functioning kitchen inventory tracker, to help me fight food waste (I’ve used dedicated apps for this before, but they’ve always been janky). I bought the Pro plan, and within another 5 minutes I had an automation running that will remind me each day about expiring food (using Shortcuts and a formula-based View). This is just my first use case. I will update this review if things turn south, but right now CollectionsDatabase seems incredibly promising.

by Gibby.z

I like to catalog my stuff, I also prefer to have an inventory of things in my home to prevent rebuying something I already have. I wanted a no fuss option (didn’t want to have to create my own database), something not primarily directed towards business, and one time purchase/low cost. This checks all the boxes, my reason for doing this over something like Notion or Airtable is that those do so much more and at the end of the day I just want a database. Tapform looked good but $50 for the mac app and $17 for the ios app is a bit more than I want to spend. This ended up being a great option and I would highly recommend it for individuals and familys.

by Nonamedl

I had long been in need of a way to categorize a high number of voice memos and recordings. I didn't have the programming knowledge to make a slick solution, and I didn't want to fuss with how it looked. I wanted a solution that was simple, easy, had a good UI, looked cool, and had a lot of power if I wanted to explore what's underneath the hood. Collections database has delivered all of this, and more. I went from an unorganized mess to a deeper clarity about my ideas. I found myself generating more ideas once the old ones were added to my datatbasd, and categorizing them quicker. CollectionsDatabase has already had a huge impact.

I don't write reviews often (it's such a waste of time to write anything online!). CollectionsDatabase deserves and gets only the highest praise from me. I wasn't prompted to write this review by the developer, either. This just needed to get written... CollectionsDatabase is seriously that good and everyone interested in cataloging their ideas should know about it.

by Northern652002

I never write reviews for apps but had to make an exception for this one. Such an amazing app! I was looking for a way to keep track of my growing collection of items I’ve purchased from my favorite movies and TV shows, and CollectionsDatabase has proven to be the perfect solution. Other available apps are limited to a finite number of items in their database or are only focused on books, comics, etc. The Collections app allows me to track all different kinds of items of whatever I want, and fully customize the information I want to store. Some of the more advanced filtering and summarization features take a little time to master, but once you figure them out they make a great app even better. Cannot recommend CollectionsDatabase enough!

by StuKoss123

What a fantastic database app!!!! Currently using it to organize my pipe tobaccos using photos, web page clippings, reviews, as well as the usual inventory data!!! CollectionsDatabase is intuitive, friendly, and fun to use!!! For example, to enter reviews based on star rating, all I do is enter the decimal rating and the result is showed in stars and fraction of a star!!!
WAY TO GO!!!
I don’t need the Pro version but I’m purchasing it as a way to show my appreciation!!!!!

by CreativeGamerGirl1523

I Really Like CollectionsDatabase! I Even got the pro version the day i got it!
I have some Ideas for CollectionsDatabase that i think would make it More AWSOME!!

I think it would be cool to add a button inside each of the collections that will randomly pick one of the thngs you have stored in it. In case someone cant deside on a book to read or a recipie to make or somthing like that!

It would be awsome if you could make your own templates!! Then use them for reagular and subcollections!

It would be cool if you could choose the size of how your pictures were shown! And be able to choose if it has side scrolling insted of just scrolling up and down!

Hope These Things Can Be Added!!

by SMsentinel

I LOVE the Collections app. It’s well-designed, performs well, and there’s no subscription fee! The developer listens to requests and regularly adds new features and updates. I call contra dances and use CollectionsDatabase to store, search, and organize the dances that I call. It works great! I definitely recommend Collections.