Frequently asked questions

Yes! Whalesync offers true two-way sync. Unlike most apps that offer one-way syncs in two directions, Whalesync actually keeps your data in sync bi-directionally. Update data in one app and see it instantly to sync to the other (or vice-versa).

A sync is a connection between two apps, like Airtable and Webflow. One sync covers as many tables and fields as you like. You map the tables, map the fields, choose a direction for each, and turn it on; from then on Whalesync keeps both sides current until you pause it.

Live means changes sync as soon as Whalesync hears about them. Where an app supports webhooks, that is moments after the change; where it does not, Whalesync scans on a schedule and picks changes up on the next pass. Every plan syncs at the same speed. Each connection defaults to the fastest frequency its app supports, and you can slow a connection down to save API quota but not push it past its default. The sync frequency docs cover each app.

Yes. When you activate a sync, Whalesync runs an initial sync over the data already in both apps, using your record-matching settings to line up records that exist on both sides. Sync Preview shows what will change before anything runs. The same happens when you add a table mapping or change a filter.

During the first sync you tell Whalesync which field to match on, such as an email address or an ID. Records with the same value are merged instead of duplicated, and where their fields conflict you choose which app wins. Match on a unique field wherever possible; if your matching field has duplicate values, Whalesync alerts you and lets you add a second matching column. Record matching runs only during the initial sync. The record matching docs have the details.

Yes. Each table mapping takes filters, so only records that match them sync. You can change filters on a sync that is already running; Whalesync pauses it, previews how many records will start and stop syncing, and re-runs the initial sync with the new rules. Narrowing a filter never deletes anything. Records that stop matching simply stop syncing.

Whalesync can sync deletes like any other change, and for new syncs delete approvals are on by default. A record that disappears from one app is held as a pending delete instead of being removed from the other; you review it on the sync's Pending deletes tab and approve or ignore it, and nothing is removed until you approve. If the record reappears in the source, Whalesync clears it from the queue automatically. You can also block deletes entirely for a table with delete protection.

If data can't be synced (e.g. a required field is missing), Whalesync will alert you on the Issues page. This alert provides the exact error from your destination app and any other info that will help you fix the issue. In the meantime, Whalesync will continue to sync all data that doesn't have errors.

Yes. Direction is chosen per field when you map them, so a sync can be two-way, one-way, or a mix of both. For a read-only copy of your data, Live Export is the purpose-built one-way option.

Live Export keeps a read-only copy of your data in another app. It is one-way by design, so the source stays the system of record and edits made to the copy are overwritten on the next run. It runs on demand or on a schedule from every 10 minutes up to daily, creates the destination tables for you, and copies from any app Whalesync connects to into Airtable, Notion, Supabase, or Google Sheets. Exported records count toward your plan's record limit like any other sync. The Live Export docs compare it with two-way sync.

Pausing stops changes from flowing but keeps your tables, mappings, and settings, and resuming is one click. A sync that stays paused for a full calendar month stops counting toward your record limit the following month.

Field names do not have to match between apps, but field types need to be compatible, so text maps to text, numbers to numbers or currency, dates to dates, and relations to relations. Every connector's docs page carries a full table of its supported fields, and the field compatibility matrix shows what maps to what across apps.

You bet! We've simplified all the annoying parts of setting up a sync with Zapier. We support multi-reference fields, rich text, and images. For a full list, see our supported fields docs.

Read-only field types, like formulas, lookups, rollups, autonumber, and created or last-modified time, cannot be written to, so they sync one-way out of the app that computes them. Map one into a two-way sync and that field syncs one-way while the rest of your fields stay two-way.

Yes. Whalesync hosts synced files itself so links keep working even when the source app's URLs expire, which Airtable's do. Hosted files are capped at 20 MB, and Webflow rejects images over 4 MB on its side. Whalesync transfers files as they are, without converting formats or resizing images.

Changes Whalesync writes to the Webflow CMS go live when you publish the site in Webflow. The Webflow Status field lets you set each item to Draft, Active, or Archived from the other app. Localized sites work too; each locale appears as its own table, and creating a record in the primary locale creates it in every other locale. The Webflow connector docs cover the details.

When a record syncs for the first time it becomes a record in sync. For example, if you sync 10 rows from Airtable to Webflow, you will have 10 records in sync. We do not "double-count" records across the two different apps.

Unlike other automation tools that count updates or tasks, Whalesync allows unlimited updates: those records can change as many times as you'd like.

Whalesync emails you and gives you time to get back under the limit before anything changes. If you stay over after a series of reminders, your syncs pause. Sync configurations are never deleted, and you can free up room by pausing or deleting syncs, or upgrade to a higher limit.

Yes. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial, and plans start at $40 a month after that.

Starter includes 10 users. Plus and Pro include unlimited users.

Syncing stops, but Whalesync keeps all of your sync configurations. When you reactivate, you can resume your syncs and pending changes sync over.

Absolutely! We love supporting organizations that are making the world a better place, so we're happy to offer a 20% discount to all nonprofits. To apply, just send us a note with proof of your nonprofit status (e.g. your 501(c)(3) determination letter) to support@whalesync.com and we'll get the discount applied to your account.

Yes. Whalesync is SOC 2 Type II certified and GDPR compliant, on every plan, and data is encrypted at rest. More detail lives in the trust center at security.whalesync.com.

To run your syncs, Whalesync stores your records, database and table identifiers, and API keys. Storage is encrypted, and API keys and private URLs are additionally encrypted at rest with AES-256. Synced files are hosted temporarily for transfer, capped at 20 MB per file.

Yes. Single sign-on via OAuth is available on every plan, and accounts support two-factor authentication. Pro plans add a security assessment, available under NDA.

Yes. The REST API at api.whalesync.com/v1 creates and manages syncs end to end, from connecting apps and discovering schemas to mapping tables, activating, and monitoring operations and issues. Create keys under Settings > API keys; each key is scoped read or readwrite, shows its secret once, and can be revoked at any time. The OpenAPI spec is at /v1/openapi.json, and the API reference has the full surface.

Yes, at api.whalesync.com/mcp. It works with Claude, Cursor, VS Code, and other MCP clients, uses the same read and readwrite scopes as API keys, and is limited to 120 requests per minute per user. Connecting apps and starting a sync still happen in the browser, by a person. Setup lives in the MCP docs.

Yes. Sync webhooks send an HTTP POST for every create, update, and delete a sync performs, batched up to 100 events and signed with HMAC-SHA256 so you can verify the sender. Payloads carry record IDs rather than field values, so you fetch the data you need from your own apps. Failed deliveries retry with increasing delays, you get a warning email after 24 hours of failures, and the webhook is disabled after 72. The webhook docs cover the contract.

Yes. Whalesync connects to databases and sends webhooks from the static IP address 34.66.3.22, so your firewall needs to open exactly one address.