# Page 3 | Claris FileMaker Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 3 - Is Claris FileMaker the right Database solution for you? Explore 206 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/162784/FileMaker/reviews --- Claris FileMaker 4.3 (206) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/162784/FileMaker/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 3 - Reviews of Claris FileMaker ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 51-75 of 206 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use MP Michael P. Attorney Law Practice Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My Most Valuable Tool" December 5, 2020 5.0 Excellent customer support and a vast library of online k knowledge and solutions. Pros I have been using FileMaker since probably 1988. That would be 32 years. It is the most valuable tool in my office. I can easily create a database to manage specific information. I have databases I set up early on that I still use. I created a time and billing program when Macs still ran on system 9, and it has worked ever since with no modifications. I have been using FileMaker in court to win cases since the first Apple laptop computer. Kf you want command of your information, FileMaker is the tool to help you do it. Cons 1\. It does not work well with Adobe Acrobat. When I import pdf's I am unable to annotate them or even highlight passages. 2. FileMaker server requires ports used for web hosting. I had to set up my website host computer at a separate location. I am sure I could have found a workaround, but that is beyond my ability. Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker Ease of use. Review Source Gary F. Database Magi Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Build your own... everything!" November 6, 2019 5.0 We use FileMaker for everything. We recently installed an SMS system (as an API tagged to SendHub). We can now send messages, track messages, view threads, and analyze usage - all from within our CRM which was built entirely in-house in FileMaker. Pros FileMaker allows anyone to create anything. Ok , that's a bit of an exaggeration. The truth is, with a little work, you can build most every kind of database you would need - Payroll, CRM, Time Management, Mass Market Email, Inventory, etc. And what you can't build, you can find skilled developers to build for you. Plus there are add-ons galore, and FileMaker is compatible with any system that allows for an API interface. Cons There are only three things wrong with FileMaker. They are 1) the price, 2) the price, 3) the price. It's not that the price tag is not necessarily hefty, but the pricing structure makes entry difficult for a small business. Yet, FileMaker is IDEAL for small businesses in every other way! Review Source JCG José Carlos G. Administración Wholesale Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Facilidad para trabajo diario " September 23, 2022 5.0 La operación esta concentrada en este sistema Pros Amigable Personalizable Compatible Facilidad para crear nuevos módulos y acceso desde la web e incluso Ios Cons Las actualizaciones interfieren con sistema operativo u ocasionan deje de funcionar mientras se actualiza Hace falta acceso más fácil a ayuda para usuarios Review Source Tony C. Director Web Technology Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "FileMaker: The Only Easy-To-Use Solution for SOHO" February 26, 2021 5.0 FileMaker currently runs my event business, and for 20 years ran my publishing business. I have FMP scripts that export structured data like white pages listings and vendor listings. These scripts have run, with little modification for decades—that says a lot. Pros FileMaker works right out of the box as a relational database that can run the back end of your business. Doctors, shopkeepers and consultants can all benefit from using FileMaker. It's powerful yet, simple to use. Cons Over the years, the licensing of FMP has progressively gotten worse. If I could find another solution, I would. Believe me, I have looked. I return to FMP because I can develop sophisticated solutions myself, or with the help of a seasoned developer. Review Source Darrel R. Director Sports Used the software for: 2+ years ### "FileMaker Rocks!" June 11, 2020 5.0 Pros I had previously setup a student database in Microsoft Access and it was just way too difficult to understand for someone with very little programming experience. FileMaker was very easy to setup and was easy to import all my data from Access and setting things up was basically drag and drop things onto new layouts. Cons The help / manual included with the software leaves a lot to be desired, but the great thing about FileMaker is that the community both official and unofficial is extremely helpful plus lots of great resources on YouTube...many of the big developers for FileMaker offer FREE tutorials on YouTube for people who are complete beginners like I was Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Filemaker Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best solution to do application." September 18, 2019 5.0 Filemaker helps the developer to create applications more easily, in addition, for the client it is cheaper if the application is developed in less time. The Filemaker interface makes designing and organizing easier and we can create designs more quickly. Pros Easy do applications and understand the application. Easy interface to work. Share a database between different users. Strong security. Multiplatform, you can develop in Windows, Mac, Web and smartphone. Very customizable layouts, scripts and database. Cons Limited on some occasions. If your solution is very simple, is possible that Filemaker is not a platform for you. Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker Because of its ease of use and rapid learning, it helps not to spend so much time on some tasks that should be simple and create solutions that customers are happy with. Review Source aC allison C. consultant Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The only database you will EVER need" February 10, 2020 5.0 We use Filemaker for all of our database and customer relation needs. It is extremely easy to set up and teach users how to navigate. Much different software integrate very easily with Filemaker. Filemaker is a dream to work with. If you can imagine it you can create it with a FileMaker layout. You can even use it to set up your website. Users can also access your databases via a web interface with no need for a license. Another great feature is the mobile apps which run very smoothly. Pros Ease of Use Features Stability Updates Integrations Cons Licensing prices . Fees to obtain newer and better versions. Alternatives considered [AdvancedMD for Mental Health](https://www.capterra.com/p/183961/AdvancedMD-for-Mental-Health/) Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker Filemaker was more flexible, affordable, and easier to use. Switched from [Microsoft Excel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176574/Excel/) advanced MD was very expensive and you had to pay them to make any customizations. Filemaker you can customize every part of it yourself. Review Source SS Sara S. coordinatrice nationale Civic & Social Organization Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Un outil de gestion de base de données facile à utiliser et accessible" September 21, 2022 5.0 Ce logiciel nous permet de gérer toutes les personnes qui contactent ou participent aux activités de l'association, les versements des adhésions et des dons, les participations aux formations, universités d'été, sessions, de faire des statistiques sur les participants, les adhérents, de générer les reçus fiscaux, de gérer les abonnements à la revue éditée par l'association, d'effectuer les relances en fin d'abonnements etc... Pros On peut l'utiliser de façon basique même sans avoir de formation spécifique. Il est accessible en terme d'utilisation (recherche, actions de base) même pour quelqu'un qui ne s'y connait pas en base de données, car relativement intuitif et convivial. Quand on maitrise vraiment l'outil, il offre une panoplie de possibilités et remplace à lui seul plusieurs autres logiciels (mailing, factures, statistiques...) Cons La fonctionnalité de mailing à une liste de personnes peut présenter des bug parfois Alternatives considered [Microsoft Access](https://www.capterra.com/p/233275/Microsoft-Access/) Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker plus simple d'utilisation et plus convivial Review Source Jisselle B. Managing Director Staffing and Recruiting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "It's a robust tool but the UI makes it challenging to use " November 21, 2023 3.0 I have used Filemaker with a client for a while now, and I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, it's a robust tool, the search functionality is impressive, and I really appreciate it. However, I find the UI to be very dated, clunky, and challenging to use. It stalls frequently, and it's not the most user-friendly product out there. I also think that it requires some training to really grasp its full potential. Pros I like the search functionality. I can create custom searches and get all the information I want at my fingertips with a couple prompts. Cons The UI is very dated. It's clunky, it stalls, it's difficult to use. You need training to really grasp it; it's not the most user-friendly product. It's robust but clunky. Review Source JB Julia B. Exec. Director, IT & Eng Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Claris FileMaker SaaS" April 28, 2021 5.0 Used FileMaker for decades for two departments. Conservative users didn't want to convert to a more advanced system. Transition to the hosted solution is a time, money, management saver. Pros Serves well the client that are used to it and non-technical. If you use FileMaker go for SaaS - reasonably priced, easy to transition, easy to manage. Cons Limited functionality, but serves well for what it is used by specific departments. Would prefer to use the same DB system as the rest of the college. Review Source DN Doug N. IT Manager;;;;;;;;;;; Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "FIleMaker - Tasty - Great" December 2, 2020 5.0 I cannot learn this product fast enough. The ability for FileMaker to talk to anything else on the internet is just amazing. It has help our business grow quickly without the overhead and everyone just loves what it can do. Pros How easy it was to go mobile within minutes of deployment. Data that was traditionally tied to PC and servers was suddnely in the hands of our team out in the field. With no training we had mobile apps overnight. Cons The WIndows platform is a bit behind vs. the Mac. You can detect that support for WIndows is certainly there but always behind. It is slowly gaining ground though. Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker Speed of development. Cost. Flexibility Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Still great after all these years" February 7, 2024 4.0 Pros When you need something more than off-the-shelf software, FileMaker allows you to build a custom app quickly. Cons It can be slightly expensive for smaller businesses. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Director of Education Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Obsolete Database Software - Stay Away!" February 9, 2022 2.0 Pros We were sold on how customizable it would be... Cons Everything. First, this system is obsolete and no one uses it. Second, it is extremely difficult to make any changes or adjustments to our custom database. It’s not intuitive, it’s not “pretty” and it’s clunky and gives errors often. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer HelpDesk Real Estate Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Claris FileMaker for Business" July 15, 2022 4.0 FileMaker can do the job. It is flexible and adaptable. There are other easier to learn, cleaner, and modern database solutions out there that don't require specific certification courses to learn the nuances of. Pros This software gets the job done. You can create databases and stores and more with this software; it's very flexible. Cons This database solution was by far the hardest software I've had to learn how to use. Frequently our company had to hire consulting companies to manage our legacy databases after our lead designer left the team. Review Source Reinaldo O. Principal DBA Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Its a very good software. You can easily developper other programs and have access to your BDD" July 27, 2018 4.0 Its very easy to develop with and I've created many applications for the enterprise that I work for. Pros You can easily developper other programs and have access to your BDD Make links between tables and between files its easy It is posible to create the scripts in order to simplify further jobs Cons The script must be done in the langue of your OS. I work in France, so mines are in french, that dificults the job when i have to search for help in forums cause the scripts that I've found are allways in english and then i have to translate the syntax. NO ALLWAYS EASY Review Source JM Jenn M. Owner/music promoter Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Just-right database management software" March 24, 2019 5.0 I've been using FileMaker Pro as my database management software for over ten years. I'm dug in enough now with it that I don't expect to change, but I also don't want to. Pros I came in as a total novice, not a coder or any kind of database professional, and was able to build the forms and pages I needed to keep the info on my contacts organized and clear. It's a lightweight program that doesn't use much memory even for a database with thousands of pages, so it can move quickly and sort easily. I'm still discovering functionality years later that I didn't know existed, but happy with what I have already figured out. Cons I found it annoying that when I recently got a new computer and had to get a new copy of Filemaker, it couldn't read my .fp7 file, so it had to update the file, which then makes it unreadable on the old software on my old computer. Why couldn't they have just made one universal Filemaker file extension type? But that's a minor complaint. Review Source SR Stephanie R. Event Manager Events Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "It Works, but is it the best?" December 18, 2018 4.0 If you're looking for an all in one platform, this isn't my first choice. Honestly, it's probably not in the top five for me. If you're looking for a database management software for tracking customers, sending invoices and proposals, and software you can update as your company grows, this is great. You'll probably need something better in the long run, but it's a good start. Pros The ease of creating forms and spreadsheets for data tracking with this software was pretty great. We used this mainly in our event planning business and I didn't really have a complaint. You can tell the program what information you need and it will track it and input what ever you've indicated you need it to input. It definitely depends on user input and you have to take the time to ensure your databases are updated. If you do that, you won't have a problem. Cons The only real aspect I didn't like was that there was no workflow type tracking. As our business grew, this is something we desperately needed, but it was never marketed to us as such, so I can't really complain about this. If you're looking for an all in one platform, this wouldn't be my first choice. Review Source Cleto Luca C. Industrial Designer Design Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Claris FileMaker è davvero chiaro " March 5, 2023 5.0 Un esperienza entusiasmante, è bastato poco tempo per comprenderne il funzionamento e è possibile lavorare a 4 mani su un progetto. Pros Di solito imparare a utilizzare un nuovo software può richiedere grandi sforzi, per Claris FileMaker non è affatto così. L' interfaccia è intuitiva, in pochissimo tempo si comprende il funzionamento e si è già operativi. Cons Il programma potrebbe essere implementato con librerie di script opensource rendendo più accessibile la proggettazione dell'user experience legata al design di App. Review Source David H. Software Engineer Semiconductors Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Create applications with speed and versatility" April 30, 2022 5.0 Claris FileMaker is a powerful solution for building custom applications and simplifying processes with workflows that are fully tailored to our business. Pros It has a visually pleasing and easy to use user interface. It is highly customizable and quite easy to set up. It has the drag and drop tool that makes it easy to create presentations. It has a significant number of templates ready to use. The ability to combine plugins streamlines the process for creating applications. Cons They can give you greater dynamics Incorporating integrations of applications commonly used in the office and its cost is significantly high. Review Source JM Jeff M. Senior Consultant Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Powerful database system with easy to learn/use interface, but also powerful development back-end." June 8, 2017 5.0 The feature I enjoy most is the capability to use the product cross platform. I have a Windows 10 PC running at my desk, I use an Apple MacBook Pro on the road, along with my iPad where ever, and FileMaker gives me the ability to use my database applications on all those platforms. Pros Import your Excel spreadsheet, place a few fields on a form, within minutes you have created a user interface as a starting point for what can become a very powerful business application. Using the database manager, you can create links between data tables quickly and visually. Cross platform capable! Run the application on a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or use a web interface (requires the server product). Once you start using this product, and it becomes an integral part of your business operation, you can either teach yourself the advanced features, or hire a consultant to help you out as there is a very strong developer community. The development language is a easy to learn scripting language. Cons FileMaker still struggles to gain acceptance in IT departments, and yet it is a legitimate application development environment with very powerful capabilities. Review Source Deanna B. owner Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great database software for client management" April 6, 2018 5.0 Pros I found this software super easy to learn on the job. It gave me instant access to millions of customers, searches, custom finds, everything I could imagine I needed right there. Cons We had so many customers and pets in our system it would often crash on us leading to a whole skew of problems at the office and more work when it came back online to catch up all the changes we needed to make to each client file that called. Review Source SS Sandra S. Hotelier Hospitality Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Software that has turned into ransomware." October 30, 2020 5.0 You are offering an upgrade price so it shouldn't matter what version you are using, you should be able to upgrade if your software stops working because is no longer supported with the operating system you are currently using. Pros Excellent software and easy to use. Have been using this software for the last 25 years. Cons The software has suddenly turned into ransomware. Windows 10 is no longer supported by Filemaker, I now find myself in the position of being forced to buy completely new software in order to access my files. It wouldn't be so bad if I could upgrade but no apparently I can't upgrade from my version to Filemaker Pro 19. Review Source ravi R. Associate Software Developer Computer Software Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Makes the development rapid" August 23, 2018 4.0 We use the dashboard screen of Filemaker for tracking of projects, orders and management of inventory. Filemaker combines our cloud services into one unit. It helps us analsying the project needs through scientific data. It has enhanced visions for our techniques. Pros It has a complex structure which makes it robust yet it is very easy to use and learn. It makes the planning very easy for our projects. Commands and scripts can be easily combined. It has many custom solutions for different needs and you can get it working in no time. It is very flexible and customisable. Cons It lacks some of the visualisation techniques for the representation just same as excel sheets. It should also have more licensing options for the small scale to medium scale companies. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Finance Manager Used the software for: 2+ years ### "It is so flexible and easy to customise." December 12, 2017 4.0 We use it to track over 10,000 clients. We have previously tried customised software but this has been the most reliable. Pros It is so easy to add new fields and reports. It's reliable, fast to load and works on both PC and Mac. Cons As with all software these days, it's hard to get a direct answer from customer support. New versions don't support all the features we are using. New versions don't support our current setup. Review Source 一野 一子 野. 経営者 Internet Used the software for: 2+ years ### "ユーザレベルに応じた選択バージョンを可能に" July 4, 2023 3.0 弊社では創業以前から２０年以上継続して使用している。販売管理、経理、給与計算、顧客管理など連動して使用している。 Pros データベースのプログラミング知識がなくても言語感覚でスクリプトを作成することができること。Macユーザ、Windowsユーザが共有して利用できること。 Cons ２０年以上のユーザだが、年々機能が増強されて複雑になりすぎて、作業時間ロスとなることが多い。頭の回転が年々鈍いせいもあるかもしれないが、初級レベルと、プロレベルで分けて販売すべきかと。集計後のグラフ作成も行えるようにしてほしい。　また、最低５ライセンスは必要ないので、１ライセンスから購入できるようにしてほしい。年間契約ではなく、月額のサブスク契約を希望している。 Reason for choosing Claris FileMaker MacでもWindowsでも利用できるソフトだったから。弊社ではMacユーザ、Windowsユーザが混在しているので。 Review Source Similar Products Featured