Memberstack vs Glide: What Tools To Use For Building Apps

Building a two-sided marketplace can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling tools like Webflow, Airtable, and Memberstack. While these tools are powerful, their complexity can slow you down—especially as a beginner.

That’s where Glide comes in. Glide simplifies the process of building client portals by seamlessly integrating with Airtable. It replaces complex workflows, reduces the learning curve, and gets your marketplace up and running faster.

In this post, I’ll break down:

• How I moved from Memberstack to Glide.
• Why Glide is the perfect solution for client portals.
• How to handle payments, messaging, and profile updates without code.

Let’s dive in!

The Original Stack: How Unicorn Factory Started

When I started building Unicorn Factory, my stack was simple:

• Airtable to manage the database.
• Zapier for automations.
• Webflow to build public-facing pages like profiles and directories.

As the marketplace grew, I needed additional features—like payment processing and client account management. That’s when I turned to Memberstack. Memberstack allowed me to:

• Collect payments and manage subscriptions.
• Build custom client portals within Webflow.

While powerful, Memberstack came with a learning curve. As a beginner, you’d need to work with scripts, data attributes, and custom workflows. This complexity slowed down progress, and I realized there had to be an easier solution.

Enter Glide: The Game-Changer for Client Portals

Glide simplifies client portals by integrating directly with Airtable. Here’s how it works:

• Glide uses your Airtable data to generate a functional app interface.
• It allows users (freelancers or customers) to update their profiles and interact with the portal.
• Changes made in Glide automatically sync back to Airtable.

Key Benefits of Glide

1. Simplified Automations: No need for tools like Zapier or Make.com to push updates back and forth.
2. Real-Time Updates: When a freelancer updates their profile, it instantly reflects in Airtable.
3. Faster Setup: You don’t need scripts or complex workflows to get started.

Example Use Case:

A freelancer wants to update their availability and pricing:

1. They log in to their Glide portal.
2. They update their details.
3. The data syncs to Airtable and updates the public-facing Webflow page automatically.

For a deeper dive into building Glide portals, check out this guide: How To Build Customer Portals For Your Marketplace With Glide.

Replacing Automation Complexity with WhaleSync

While Glide simplifies client portals, you still need to connect Airtable to Webflow for your front-end pages. Traditionally, this required automation tools like Make.com or Zapier. But now, WhaleSync offers an even simpler solution.

What is WhaleSync?

WhaleSync creates a two-way sync between Airtable and Webflow. Any changes made in Airtable instantly reflect on Webflow—without setting up workflows for creating, updating, or deleting data.

Workflow Example:

• A freelancer updates their profile in Glide.
• WhaleSync pushes the changes to Airtable and updates Webflow automatically.

For more on automating workflows, read this guide: How to Automate Your Marketplace with Make.

Handling Payments Without Memberstack

One common concern is handling payments when not using Memberstack. While Glide doesn’t have a native Stripe integration, you can solve this with Stripe Payment Links and custom workflows.

One-Off Payments

• Create products or services in Stripe.
• Generate Stripe Payment Links.
• Add the links to your Glide portal.

Subscriptions

• Use Stripe’s billing features for recurring payments.
• Connect Stripe to Airtable using tools like Make.com to monitor subscription status.

Workflow Example:

1. A customer pays for a subscription via Stripe.
2. Stripe updates Airtable with the payment status.
3. Glide uses this status to hide or show certain portal features.

The Design Trade-Off: Glide vs. Memberstack

One concern I often hear is that Glide lacks design flexibility compared to Memberstack and Webflow. While Glide prioritizes functionality, it still allows you to:

• Customize fonts, colors, and layouts.
• Create branded client portals.

It’s also worth noting that many modern platforms have separate front-ends and back-ends. For example:

• Use Webflow for your public-facing, SEO-friendly site.
• Use Glide for functional client portals.

For most beginners, Glide’s design capabilities cover the 80/20 of what you need.

Why Glide is a Simple Yet Powerful Alternative

Glide is the perfect tool if you’re looking to simplify client portals for your two-sided marketplace. It integrates seamlessly with Airtable, reduces the need for complex workflows, and makes building portals more accessible for beginners.

Here’s What You Get With Glide:

• Seamless Airtable integration for managing client data.
• Simplified workflows—no need for advanced automations.
• Easy payment setup using Stripe Payment Links.
• Faster setup and reduced learning curve compared to Memberstack.

While Memberstack remains a great option for advanced users, Glide makes it easier to get started without sacrificing key features. If I were starting over today, Glide would be my go-to choice.

Next Steps

Ready to simplify your marketplace build? Here’s what to do:

1. Start building your first Glide client portal.
2. Need help automating workflows? Check out this guide on Make.com integrations.