Seats
A seat is a license for one person with editing rights in a Space.
The basic rule
The owner can purchase additional seats for users with editing rights. Read-only access is free.
Specifically:
| Role | Occupies a seat |
|---|---|
| Read only | no |
| Edit entries | yes |
| Manage | yes |
| Owner | yes |
Unlimited readers
You can add as many people with the Read only role to a Space as you like, without using up seats. For stakeholders, customers, or adjacent departments who only need to follow along, this is the right approach.
Checking available seats
Open Space settings → General. There it says:
Available seats for users with editing rights:
Via Adjust seats, the owner changes the number.
Seats apply per Space
The count is tied to the individual Space, not the account. If you work with several Spaces, each has its own seats.
When seats aren't enough
If you invite more people with editing rights than there are seats available, ApptiveGrid reports:
Exceeded the licensed seats in your plan
It looks like you've invited more users than you have licensed seats for.
You need {number} more seats.
Change users' permissions to "Read only" or book additional seats.
Two ways out of this:
1. Downgrade roles. Go through the Shared with list and set everyone who doesn't really need to edit to Read only. This is free and takes effect immediately.
2. Book more seats. Via Adjust seats in the Space settings. Only the owner can do this.
Clean up first, then book
Experience shows that in Spaces that have grown over time, more people have editing rights than they actually need — often because it wasn't considered at invitation time. Reviewing the roles list is usually cheaper than buying extra seats.
Also think about people who've left: anyone who no longer needs the Space should be removed entirely.
Who doesn't need a seat
A common misunderstanding: not everyone who works with your data needs a seat.
| This person … | Needs a seat? |
|---|---|
| fills in a public form | no — no account needed |
| fills in a form restricted to the Space | no — the Read only role is enough |
| views a shared view via a link | no |
| uses a published portal | no |
| reads data in the Space | no — Read only role |
| changes entries in the Space | yes |
| builds forms, views, or Flows | yes |
Data collection without seats
If many people need to regularly submit data without working in the Space itself, a form is almost always the right solution — not an invitation. Forms don't cost seats, no matter how many people fill them in.
Trial period
New Spaces start with a trial period. The Space settings show:
Trial period days remaining:
During the trial period, extended features are available. After that, the limits of the booked plan apply.
Settings can disappear after the trial period
When the trial period ends, or the Space moves to a lower plan, settings that aren't included there are no longer available — particularly for forms.
Before switching, note down which paid features you're using, so you don't discover the loss only while working live.
Next
- Roles
- Inviting people
- Space settings — adjust seats