You can now build powerful and sharable databases online for free thanks to websites like Zoho. You don’t even need any special database development experience to create online databases that you can access any time from any browser. You can build it and store it online and even export the data to a spreadsheet if you want to work with the information in an Excel spreadsheet offline.
Zoho DB & Reports offers the best “Free” online database service, hands down. It is extremely easy to create your own database and the performance is impressive. The databases run rather quickly which was a pleasant surprise. There doesn’t appear to be any limits in place for the number of databases you can create for free nor how large they can grow so I do not know how many records a Zoho database can contain. You can share any database with anyone you want by simply adding their email address and sending them a link. They don’t even have to join zoho to view the database which is a nice change of pace from other services. Another excellent feature is the ability to embed any database or view on your website. Here is a example of a database called The Zone where I have every Twilight Zone episode along with other information. You can share databases with individuals, make them public or keep them private.
Here’s an excellent Zoho DB & Reports screencast
Zoho Creator is another database creation service they offer but don’t get them confused. While they describe it as a Database Application builder, it does a lot more than that. Zoho Creator is a lot more complex than Zoho DB so it will not be as easy to use straight out of the gate. It offers an excellent interface builder for creating customized forms for your database application. They now even offer the ability to build database applications for the mobile platform and have their own API for those interested in building more complex databases.
Final Thoughts
There are many online database solutions, but not that many free ones. Zoho is clearly the best of breed in this class. Now, some will ask “Why do I even need a database online when I can simply store or share a document or spreadsheet online? Well, there are many reasons, one of which is the ability to enter data one time and generate countless view of that data to present it in different views. Yes, there are many situations where a spreadsheet will be the best method of storing data online, but there are also many situations when data is best kept in an online database, especially if the information can be viewed in many different ways. Ultimately, the choice will be your’s. Thanks to companies like Zoho, we now have that option. 🙂
Thanks for the nice post on Zoho Creator and Zoho DB & Reports and thanks for your appreciation!
Thanks for the nice post on Zoho Creator and Zoho DB & Reports and thanks for your appreciation!
Without an API, all this looks like a “toy” for me, sorry. Give us an API please, I’m sure, you can 🙂
Without an API, all this looks like a “toy” for me, sorry. Give us an API please, I’m sure, you can 🙂
@Karim
lol…ok…fair enough… http://blogs.zoho.com/creator/apis-for-zoho-creator/
@Karim
lol…ok…fair enough… http://blogs.zoho.com/creator/apis-for-zoho-creator/
I’ve been meaning to check out Zoho for some time now. Your views are encouraging. I’m concerned with the rights to the data, however. Is there anything in the TOS that gives Zoho any rights to users’ data? Non-liability for misuse/loss of data and other issues make me think this is a fine idea for someone publishing data to the general public, but not for serious business use.
I’ve been meaning to check out Zoho for some time now. Your views are encouraging. I’m concerned with the rights to the data, however. Is there anything in the TOS that gives Zoho any rights to users’ data? Non-liability for misuse/loss of data and other issues make me think this is a fine idea for someone publishing data to the general public, but not for serious business use.
Tim : Thanks for your concern & alerting us on this. While we didn’t mention this in our TOS explicitly, the data of course belongs the user. We have modified our Terms of Service now, adding the topic ‘Data Ownership’.
Pai : Thanks for mailing us!
Tim : Thanks for your concern & alerting us on this. While we didn’t mention this in our TOS explicitly, the data of course belongs the user. We have modified our Terms of Service now, adding the topic ‘Data Ownership’.
Pai : Thanks for mailing us!
Tim : Thanks for your concern & alerting us on this. While we didn’t mention this in our TOS explicitly, the data of course belongs the user. We have modified our Terms of Service now, adding the topic ‘Data Ownership’.
Pai : Thanks for mailing us!
Tim : Thanks for your concern & alerting us on this. While we didn’t mention this in our TOS explicitly, the data of course belongs the user. We have modified our Terms of Service now, adding the topic ‘Data Ownership’.
Pai : Thanks for mailing us!
Thanks for the post. I’m a passionate Zoho user, though sometimes it works too slow 🙁
By the way, has anyone tried new Bitcut app (www.bitcut.com)? It seems somewhat between Creator and DB and Reports.
Thanks for the post. I’m a passionate Zoho user, though sometimes it works too slow 🙁
By the way, has anyone tried new Bitcut app (www.bitcut.com)? It seems somewhat between Creator and DB and Reports.
Hello, People,please, consider using MyTaskHelper.comJust want to let you know about new one Free Online Database Application, main benefits and features:- you can create complex web-forms- you can put this forms to your site, using Widget Builder menu- you can create file/image/video databases- again you can embed Widget-form for adding some records to your site, and another widget for integrating your collected data- you can add validations, to be sure your users add proper data, for example Email validation, uniqueness etcfor example – you can create form for bug-trucking, with task name/priority, attach screenshot, dates etc,put it into your site – and you have bug-trucking system for free!Please, see more on about page.- And it’s all for FREEPlease, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions/suggestions or just to talk about system ;)Have a good day ahead!
Hello, People,
please, consider using MyTaskHelper.com
Just want to let you know about new one Free Online Database Application, main benefits and features:
– you can create complex web-forms
– you can put this forms to your site, using Widget Builder menu
– you can create file/image/video databases
– again you can embed Widget-form for adding some records to your site, and another widget for integrating your collected data
– you can add validations, to be sure your users add proper data, for example Email validation, uniqueness etc
for example – you can create form for bug-trucking, with task name/priority, attach screenshot, dates etc,
put it into your site – and you have bug-trucking system for free!
Please, see more on about page.
– And it’s all for FREE
Please, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions/suggestions or just to talk about system 😉
Have a good day ahead!
Hello, People,please, consider using MyTaskHelper.comJust want to let you know about new one Free Online Database Application, main benefits and features:- you can create complex web-forms- you can put this forms to your site, using Widget Builder menu- you can create file/image/video databases- again you can embed Widget-form for adding some records to your site, and another widget for integrating your collected data- you can add validations, to be sure your users add proper data, for example Email validation, uniqueness etcfor example – you can create form for bug-trucking, with task name/priority, attach screenshot, dates etc,put it into your site – and you have bug-trucking system for free!Please, see more on about page.- And it’s all for FREEPlease, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions/suggestions or just to talk about system ;)Have a good day ahead!
Hello, People,
please, consider using MyTaskHelper.com
Just want to let you know about new one Free Online Database Application, main benefits and features:
– you can create complex web-forms
– you can put this forms to your site, using Widget Builder menu
– you can create file/image/video databases
– again you can embed Widget-form for adding some records to your site, and another widget for integrating your collected data
– you can add validations, to be sure your users add proper data, for example Email validation, uniqueness etc
for example – you can create form for bug-trucking, with task name/priority, attach screenshot, dates etc,
put it into your site – and you have bug-trucking system for free!
Please, see more on about page.
– And it’s all for FREE
Please, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions/suggestions or just to talk about system 😉
Have a good day ahead!