Top Airtable Page Designer Alternatives for Document Generation

Airtable launched Airtable Page Designer, but never really took care of it. It leaves thousands of users searching for a way to generate documents from their bases. If you relied on it for invoices, certificates, or reports, you've probably noticed the gap it left behind.

Many companies decided to launch alternatives that are available today and that are more capable than Page Designer ever was. In this guide, I'll walk you through the best replacement options, explain what makes each one unique, and show you how to set up automated document generation from Airtable.

What is Airtable Page Designer

Airtable Page Designer is a built-in extension that allows you to create printable layouts directly from your Airtable records. You can drag and drop fields onto a canvas to design certificates, invoices, reports, or any document that pulled data from your base.

The extension works well for simple use cases. You select a record, open Page Designer, and print or export a PDF. For teams generating a few documents per week, it does the job.

Why do you need a Page Designer alternative

While Page Designer is easy to use and to build templates, it has several limitations.

No automation support

• No native automation: you still cannot trigger Page Designer from Airtable Automations or the API to generate PDFs, attach them to records, or email them; everything remains manual through the UI.​
• One record per page and manual stepping: the extension continues to show one record at a time, with navigation via Previous/Next/Go to, and no batch print/export for a whole set of records in one go.

Limited template customization

Fixed layout: the design is usually WYSIWYG with absolute positioning, so responsive behavior or complex conditional layouts are not supported.

Blank pages problem: if you design for several “pages” of content on a tall canvas but only have enough data for fewer, you end up with empty space or effectively blank pages at the end.

Better for simple, static docs: because of these constraints, it tends to work best for simple labels, cards, or one‑page summaries rather than long, data‑heavy documents.

Modern alternatives take a different approach. Tools like TypeFlow let you design templates in Google Docs or Template Builder, where you have full control over formatting. You add placeholder variables like {{client_name}} or {{total_amount}}, and the tool replaces them with your Airtable data. Your existing documents become templates with minimal changes.

No automation support

With Page Designer, generating a document was a manual process. You opened a record, clicked into the extension, and exported the PDF. For one certificate, that's fine. For 50 invoices at the end of the month, it becomes tedious.

There was no way to trigger document generation automatically. You couldn't say "when a form is submitted, create a PDF and email it to the client." Every document required your attention.

Current document generators connect to Airtable automations. When a record meets certain conditions - a status changes, a checkbox is ticked, a form comes in - your document is generated. You set it up once, then it runs without you.

Restricted output and sharing options

Page Designer was built for printing. You could export a PDF, but that was about it. There was no option to automatically attach the document to the Airtable record, email it to someone, or save it to Google Drive.

If you wanted to send an invoice to a client, you'd export the PDF, open your email, attach the file, and send it manually. Multiply that by your client list, and you're spending hours on a task that could take seconds.

Alternatives now handle the full workflow:

• Generate the document from your Airtable data.
• Save it to the record as an attachment.
• Email it to the recipient with a custom message.
• Store it in Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud service.

All of this happens automatically, triggered by your Airtable automations.

Best Airtable Page Designer alternatives

Several tools now offer solid alternative to Page Designer. Each takes a slightly different approach to templates, integration, and pricing. Here's how the main options compare.

TypeFlow

I built TypeFlow to make document generation as simple as possible for Airtable users. The core idea: you create your template in Google Docs, a tool you already know, then connect it to your Airtable base. The tool is simple to use, but you can implement complex documents. Indeed, you can set up conditional sections, linked records, nested line items, line items, product cards, dynamic images, multiple-grouping and more.

TypeFlow also has its form builder, so it's possible to generate documents whenever a submission happens. And this form can handle signatures too.

To do so, you add placeholders to your Google Doc using double curly brackets - {{client_name}}, {{invoice_date}} {{line_items}}. Then you map those placeholders to your Airtable fields. When the automation runs, TypeFlow pulls your data and generates a PDF.

The setup takes about 10 minutes (from 2000+ TypeFlow users, internal data). TypeFlow works with Airtable automations, so you can trigger document generation when a record is created, when a status changes, or when someone submits a form. Your PDFs can be saved as Airtable attachments, emailed directly, or stored in Google Drive.

It's also possible to bulk generate documents by using the Airtable TypeFlow Extension.

And if you prefer, you can generate documents directly from a button in your database or Airtable Interface

Best for: Teams who want a simple setup using familiar tools. But simple setup doesn't mean simple documents. It's indeed possible to generate documents with unlimited pages and complex layouts. If you're comfortable with Google Docs, you won't have to learn anything new. If you don't want to use Google tools, you can use our template builder.

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Documint

Documint provides its own web-based template editor designed specifically for document generation. You build your layout in their interface, with options for tables, images, conditional sections, and more.

The editor offers more design control than Page Designer did. You can create complex layouts with dynamic content that shows or hides based on your data. Documint connects to Airtable through an extension or automations.

The tradeoff is the learning curve. If you're used to Google Docs or Word, Documint's editor will feel unfamiliar at first. Plan for some time to get comfortable with the interface.

Best for: Users who want an all-in-one document builder and don't mind learning a new tool.

Formstack Documents

Formstack Documents, previously called WebMerge, targets larger organizations with complex document workflows. Beyond basic generation, it handles routing, approvals, and e-signatures.

The platform integrates with Airtable through Zapier or Make rather than a direct connection. This adds flexibility but also adds steps to your setup. Pricing reflects the enterprise focus - Formstack is one of the most expensive options in this space.

Best for: Organizations that require document workflows with approvals, routing, and electronic signatures.

Plumsail Documents

Plumsail Documents connects to Airtable through Airtable Extension, Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat). You create templates in Microsoft Word or HTML, then configure your automation flow in your integration platform.

The tool works well if you're already using Power Automate or have complex workflows spanning multiple apps. Setup requires more technical configuration than simpler alternatives, but the flexibility can be worth it for advanced use cases.

Best for: Teams already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem or experienced Zapier users.

Docupilot

Docupilot offers a web-based template editor with direct Airtable integration. You can build templates in their visual editor or upload existing Word documents.

The platform handles high-volume generation well. If you're creating hundreds or thousands of documents per month, Docupilot's batch processing and performance optimizations become relevant. Pricing scales with document volume.

Best for: Teams generating large numbers of similar documents each month.

How to choose the right Airtable document generator

With several solid options available, the right choice depends on your situation. Here are the factors that matter most.

Template editor familiarity

Some tools require you to learn a new interface. Others let you work in software you already use.

If your team creates documents in Google Docs, a tool like TypeFlow means zero learning curve for template creation. You design your invoice or certificate exactly as you want it, add placeholders for your Airtable data, and you're done. The template looks like any other Google Doc.

If you prefer Microsoft Word, Plumsail Documents might be a better fit. If you want a purpose-built editor with advanced features, Documint or Docupilot could work well. TypeFlow also offers its own editor.

Automation and integration needs

Think about how you want documents to generate. Some common triggers:

• Form submission: A client fills out a request form, and a confirmation document generates immediately.
• Status change: When a project moves to "Complete," a final report is created.
• Button click: A team member reviews a record and clicks a button to generate the document on demand.
• Scheduled: Documents generate at a set time, like invoices on the first of each month.

Most modern tools support Airtable automations, but the trigger options and flexibility vary. If you have complex workflows involving multiple apps, check whether the tool integrates with Zapier or Make.

Depending on the tools, implementing the automation can also be complex. Make sure you have the skills in your team if you opt for a software that requires technical implementation.

Pricing and document volume

Pricing typically scales with how many documents you generate per month. A tool that costs $20/month for 100 documents might cost $100/month for 1,000.

Before comparing prices, estimate your monthly volume. How many invoices, certificates, contracts, or reports do you create? Include both current volume and where you expect to be in a year.

Many tools offer free trial with limited documents - enough to test the workflow before committing. I recommend starting with a free plan to validate that the tool fits your process.

Ease of use matters more than feature lists

A tool with powerful features doesn't help if your team can't figure out how to use it. The best document generators make simple tasks effortless and complex workflows achievable without a developer.

Look for tools where you can set up a basic document in minutes, not hours. If the interface feels intuitive from the start, you'll be able to tackle more advanced use cases - like conditional sections, nested line items, or multi-page reports - without hitting a wall.

An easy-to-use tool doesn't limit what you can build. It just removes the friction between your idea and the finished document.

How to set up automated PDF generation from Airtable

The general process is similar across most tools. Here's what to expect:

1. Prepare your Airtable base with the fields you want in your document. This includes client names, amounts, dates, line items, and any other data that will appear in your output.
2. Create a template with placeholders that correspond to your Airtable field names. In Google Docs, this looks like {{field_name}}. In Word, the syntax varies by tool.
3. Connect your document tool to Airtable. Depending on the tool, this happens through an extension, an automation action, or an integration platform like Zapier.
4. Map your fields so the tool knows which Airtable data goes where in your template. Most tools provide a visual interface for this step.
5. Set up an automation trigger to generate documents when records are created, updated, or meet conditions you define.

With TypeFlow, this entire setup takes about 10 minutes. I've written a step-by-step guide for generating invoices from Airtable that walks through each step in detail.

Start generating documents from Airtable today

If you're looking for a straightforward Page Designer replacement, TypeFlow offers a simple path forward. You use Google Docs for templates, connect to Airtable automations, and generate professional PDFs without learning new software.

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