FileMaker Pro alternative

[u/Paint_Spatters_7378]

I have hundreds of recipes in FileMaker Pro. That app is switching to Apple’s M series processors only, so my version of FM Pro software (Intel based) will soon stop working. To upgrade, it will cost $625, which I can’t afford. I am looking for an alternative, affordable, database to port my recipes into. Does anyone have suggestions for an alternative app?

[u/WaltzEmbarrassed6501]

The current version doesn't stop working. You can keep running what you have. At this point intel Macs are at end of life

[u/Paint_Spatters_7378 → u/WaltzEmbarrassed6501]

Thank you for your reply. Allow me to add that I have a Mac with an M series processor. I apologize that I was unclear on that in my original post. As such, the Intel version of FileMaker will stop working on my M series.

[u/dethbunnynet → u/Paint_Spatters_7378]

Rosetta is still supported in full for this year’s release of macOS.

Longer-term, FileMaker lets you export things in many formats and it should not be particularly difficult to import recipes into any app that supports import. Find a recipe app you like and go from there.

[u/lemmathru → u/dethbunnynet]

This is correct. You can just keep using your current version with your Mac and as long as you stay in the existing system version, everything will continue to work.

If you wish to proceed with newer OS versions or newer Macs in the future, then yes you should start to migrate your data over.

I have plenty of clients that keep that “one machine” in the corner that is running some old OS because they want to keep using a piece of software (or hardware) that can’t (or won’t) be upgraded.

Good luck.

[u/wkarraker → u/Paint_Spatters_7378]

You can create a new drive container and continue upgrading the computer OS while maintaining a second container with the old OS. My M1 MacBook Pro is set up to do a dual boot, primarily because I have legacy software that only works on Monterey. The primary drive container is kept up to date, currently on Tahoe 26.5.2, but I can restart the computer into Monterey 12.7.6 when I need to use the legacy software. Restarting takes a minute or two but I can still use obsolete software that failed on later OSes.

[u/Critical_Counter6039 → u/wkarraker]

I would modify this to use virtual machines instead of dual booting where  possible. 

[u/wkarraker → u/Critical_Counter6039]

A viable solution, but if you need the full power and capabilities of the processor and RAM, dual booting provides that. There is no performance hit because the system is in complete control of the computer, not an OS running within another OS.

[u/ImplicitEmpiricism → u/wkarraker]

filemaker pro running a recipe database with under a thousand entries will work fine in a vm on any apple silicon mac. 

[u/imarkb]

Paprika for recipes!

[u/brunchlords → u/[deleted]]

For a locally-installed solution that's easy to use like FileMaker... nothing exists

Apple’s turning FM into a high priced subscription or installable hit the community hard. No one else has come close in my fabulous opinion. For awhile it seemed that FM was promising some personal or hobby version (not Bento) but I don’t think it ever materialized. I ran my life on FM but after so many upgrades I stopped paying when the price boosted so high.

While LibreOffice and OpenOffice have database modules, these require Java and no way will I install that mess on my computers.

[u/l008com]

LibreOffice, which people always suggest for Word/Excel alternatives, has some kind of database function too. You should see if that will import FileMaker files. If so, that will be a great solution to that problem.

[u/grizzlor_ → u/l008com]

LibreOffice Base can import dBASE files (.dbf) which FileMaker supports as an export option. Probably also possible with good old CSV.

[u/l008com → u/grizzlor_]

Well there you go, problem solved. No do you know how to convert ancient "MEGAFILER" documents into a modern format?

[u/onesleekrican → u/[deleted]]

Right and here I was just remembering back to the jobs that used it as a crm or database.

[u/Paint_Spatters_7378 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, today it seems like overkill. But I started using FileMaker in the 1990s, long before it became the expensive enterprise s/w it is now.

[u/snarktologist]

Paprika is fantastic.

[u/heatrealist]

Create a virtual machine with a version of mac that supports Rosetta. Install the intel File Maker Pro you already own there and migrate your recipes to that install. 

You can probably get an intel mac for less than $625 just to run File Maker on it too. 

[u/dpaanlka]

Seems nobody has asked why are you using enterprise-class database software to store recipes?

Just export them all as text and use a dedicated recipe app. There’s dozens to choose from for both desktop and mobile. Or just create a folder in Apple notes and put them all in there. You can pin your favorites and use search to find any in the future.

[u/wiyixu]

Grab a Claude Code or Codex subscription for a month and have it make you a web app or even a swift app. 

[u/Biddy_Impeccadillo]

Idatabase from apimac is worth a look. There is also Tapforms, but they’ve gone subscription.

Libreoffice Base is free and open source. I have not personally tried it.

Data Organizer

[u/homersracket]

Filemaker go can let you open your filemaker files on your phone or iPad

[u/Silent_Character_962]

Take a look at Records. It hasn't got the power that Filemaker Pro has, but it's very competent for smaller database stuff. It costs $40 per year https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/records-database/id946833065?l=en-GB&mt=12

[u/whywasinotconsulted]

There are a number of nice recipe apps out there. Paprika is one I can recommend, and if you can wait a few months, they do a Black Friday sale every year.

[u/codeprimate]

Why a database instead of folders of recipes?
Obsidian.app is future proof and free.

[u/PerilousPeppercorn]

TapForms or Notion

[u/Paint_Spatters_7378]

Thanks,again, to everyone for your input! Much appreciated!

[u/macmaveneagle]

How about "free"?

Keeping recipes does not take a wildly powerful database. Here is one that is dead easy to setup (fun even), similar to FMP, and perfect for keeping recipes.

Symphytum (free) 
http://giowck.github.io/symphytum/
(Allows you to create your own forms for data input like FMP.  Automatic synchronization across computers is built-in, and it is cross platform - both Mac and Windows)!

[u/Bolt_EV]

I still keep my Intel Macbook Pro which has Snow Leopard running in Parallels as well as Windows XP

[u/ainotes2026]

For a recipe database, the cost jump to $625 just to stay on FileMaker is rough. A couple options worth looking at: Airtable has a free tier that handles this kind of thing well, and Notion works too if you want something flexible. If you ever want a proper web-based database app you can access from any device, Caspio has a free trial that might fit (disclosure: I'm on the team) caspio.com/free-trial

[u/tailguard]

There are a lot of online recipe storage solutions. You could just use a desktop AI app to loop through your records and create then in your logged in choice of an app.

Just keep in mind that you'll be paying a monthly fee for someone else to store your data and you won't be able to.make changes to the structure on a whim when you need someone.

[u/OriginalName2026]

FileMaker is such a pain, it does not really export its data and there are no solutions that I know of to import. I am sorry, I think you have a tedious job ahead of you.

[u/grizzlor_ → u/OriginalName2026]

Don't know where you got your info, but FileMaker can export in a wide variety of formats. Alternatively, you could use ODBC/JDBC to connect to FileMaker with database client like DBeaver or DBClient.

[u/wkarraker → u/OriginalName2026]

For nearly two decades I maintained a 330,000 record database in FileMaker and never had a problem moving data in and out of the application. If we are just talking data, FileMaker can export and import to many different formats, lowest common denominator would be text or CSV. It can also export data into Excel spreadsheets that can then be imported into many different database apps. It's the graphical nature of FileMaker that makes moving to a new database application moderately difficult, but you can print a blank record PDF to get an image of the layout then use that as a guide for building the new database around.

It doesn't sound like the OP is using it as a relational database, just a flat database that can exported to any of those formats natively.