You
Decision report · Workflow software
Four tools.
One honest shortlist.
Plainly is the best fit for teams that value fast setup, predictable pricing, and clear ownership. It is not the winner on every line. This report shows the trade-offs.
The evidence board
Feature-by-feature
“Best” means strongest published offer for this criterion—not a universal verdict. Pricing shown before tax.
strongest offer where Plainly losesSwipe table →
| Buying criterion | YouPlainly$39per workspace / month | Competitor 01Orbit$29per seat / month | Competitor 02Stackform$49per workspace / month | Competitor 03Metricly$24per seat / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Unlimited collaboratorsCost control · No per-seat penalty as the team grows. | Strongest offer: Included | Per-seat | Up to 15 | Per-seat |
| 02Guided setupOnboarding · A usable first workflow without paid consulting. | Strongest offer: 45 minutes | 1–2 days | 3–5 days | 2 hours |
| 03Native integrationsEcosystem · Direct connections maintained by each vendor.Where we lose | 38 | Strongest offer: 120+ | 64 | 27 |
| 04Reusable workflow templatesWorkflow · Save and share repeatable team processes. | Strongest offer: Unlimited | 10 on base plan | Unlimited | 5 on base plan |
| 05Approval stagesGovernance · Control review and sign-off before work moves. | Strongest offer: All plans | Business plan | All plans | Not available |
| 06Audit historyGovernance · A searchable record of changes and decisions. | 24 months | 12 months | Strongest offer: Unlimited | 6 months |
| 07Custom dashboardsReporting · Build role-specific views without code. | Included | Included | Included | Strongest offer: Advanced |
| 08Data exportOwnership · Leave with complete, usable copies of team data. | Strongest offer: CSV + JSON | CSV | CSV + API | CSV + PDF |
| 09Human supportService · Talk to a person without buying an enterprise plan. | Strongest offer: All plans | Business plan | Email only | All plans |
| 10Annual price increase capCost control · Contractual limit on renewal price changes. | Strongest offer: 5% | Not published | Not published | 8% |
Competitor 01
Orbit
Broad integrations for teams that can absorb setup time.Competitor 02
Stackform
Deep automation with a steeper learning curve.Competitor 03
Metricly
Reporting-first toolkit for analytics-heavy teams.Questions before commitment
The fine print,
made readable.
Procurement likes details. So do we.
01Who is Plainly best for?
Plainly is built for teams of 5–100 people that want repeatable workflows without per-seat pricing or a long implementation project.
02Is this comparison independent?
No. Plainly publishes this page. We show the criteria, mark areas where competitors lead, and recommend verifying current pricing and features before buying.
03Can we migrate our existing data?
Yes. Plainly accepts CSV and JSON imports. The team provides a field-mapping review on every paid plan.
04Why does Orbit win on integrations?
Orbit lists more maintained native integrations than Plainly. If a specific native connector is essential, Orbit may be the better fit.
05Can we try Plainly before committing?
Yes. Email the team for a guided 14-day workspace with your own workflow and no credit card.
Decision made?
Put Plainly against
your real workflow.
Bring one process, five teammates, and fourteen days. We will help with setup. No credit card. No sales maze.
Start by email Replies from humans · usually within one workday