Need Urgent Help! Airbase not giving data?

[Ilko_Iliev]

Hello.
We need an urgent help. We got an Android App, using Airtable. Our app has registration system with Google. We made a base in airtable, called “Users” and each registered user inside application means 1 record in users base ( aka profile ). It shows basic info about each user, like name and email. Yesterday we reached 1119 records (users), and had to upgrade to Plus or Pro plan to increase our record… because you know max records per base are 1200 in free plan. Shortly after we upgraded to Pro Plan, nobody could register inside our app. Everyone was stuck at Loading… We found out that airtable was not giving more data, then 1119 records (because if we remove like 100 or more records from the current ones, we get access in the app. Just this base stops giving any data at this particular record. Now we have 50 000 for Pro Plan and we are stuck at 1119 records, each new minute losing many new users and revenue. We contacted support twice today, still no response. Can anyone tell us is there any solution, why is this happening? We need to fix it ASAP

[Bill_French]

Hi @Ilko_Iliev, and welcome to the community!

Ilko_Iliev:

each new minute losing many new users and revenue.

That’s really unfortunate and I have complete empathy for your situation. However, going to production on the free tier of a commercial - not open-source database platform - was a really bad idea. What were you folks thinking?

The Remedy

I have seen this issue before and I believe it is related to a cache in the Airtable server infrastructure that doesn’t clear the instant you upgrade an account. It’s possible it could be a while before support is able to release the jam so in the meantime, you would be well advised to switch your operations to new account that is created as a paid tier.

You could try creating a new base in the existing account to see if it will allow records in excess of 1200 and then cut over to a brand new base.

Lastly, you could try making a copy of the stalled base and see if it allows more records to be created now that the account has been upgraded.

[Ilko_Iliev]

We fixed the issue, it turns out on one record (user) a bug happened, and his email got deleted automatically, resulting in an empty cell. So simple, yet so difficult to find, on a base with thousands of records lol.
Anyway what exactly do you mean it was a bad idea ? to use Airtable for this kind of application?

[Bill_French]

Ilko_Iliev:

Anyway what exactly do you mean it was a bad idea ? to use Airtable for this kind of application?

No. Airtable is fine. Going to production without any tests of scale or without first being certain you could breach the free tier at a moments notice.

[Bill_French]

Ilko_Iliev:

We fixed the issue, it turns out on one record (user) a bug happened, and his email got deleted automatically, resulting in an empty cell

I thought the number it ceased functioning at was a subtle indicator this wasn’t the free tier limitations.