Claris FileMaker

What is Claris FileMaker?

Claris FileMaker is a low-code database and custom business application platform built by Claris International Inc. — an Apple subsidiary — that lets you build, host and deliver the same app to desktop, browser and mobile devices. The architecture brings four clients under one license: FileMaker Pro builds and runs the solution on the desktop, FileMaker Server hosts the files and centralizes access, FileMaker Go runs the same interface on iPhone and iPad, and FileMaker WebDirect publishes the app in the browser with no second code layer. According to Claris, the current release is FileMaker 2026 — numeric version 26, available since June 2026 — which added Google Gemini support to the existing AI integrations with OpenAI, Anthropic and Cohere and introduced the Standby Server and Remote Backup services. FileMaker sits between the shared spreadsheet that no longer scales and the bespoke system that would require a development team: operations teams, laboratories and manufacturers use the platform to turn Excel controls and legacy Access databases into apps with account-level access, change history and field use.

Key Claris FileMaker features

FileMaker brings the relational database engine, the visual layout editor and the scripting engine into one environment: modeling, interface and automation are built without switching tools.

• Visual schema and layout editor — builds tables, relationships and screens by dragging; FileMaker 2026 added annotations exposed through the BaseTableComment and FieldAnnotation functions.
• FileMaker Server — hosts the files, runs scheduled routines through the script engine and publishes the solution via the Web Publishing Engine on your own or third-party infrastructure.
• FileMaker WebDirect — delivers the same interface in the browser, with no layout rewrite and no parallel web application to maintain.
• FileMaker Go — runs the solution on iPhone and iPad with camera, barcode scanning, geolocation and on-screen signature capture.
• FileMaker Data API and OData — expose data over REST to external systems, authenticating through the app's own accounts.
• ODBC/JDBC and external SQL sources — connect MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL for direct read and write, with no data replication.
• Built-in AI capabilities — the AI Model Server and the AI script steps connect models OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere and Google Gemini for semantic search over the solution's data.
• Claris Connect — automates flows between the app and external services by trigger and schedule, included in the platform license.

Claris FileMaker benefits

Faster delivery comes the single-client architecture: the layout designed in FileMaker Pro is the same one FileMaker Go opens on the iPad and FileMaker WebDirect publishes in the browser, so there is no second implementation to maintain when a business rule changes.

Governance improves because access control is by named account and privilege set defined inside the file: each profile sees only the layouts, fields and scripts it is granted, and FileMaker Server logs activity — the opposite of the shared spreadsheet, where anyone edits any cell without a trace.

Integration stops depending on manual exports: through the Data API, OData and ODBC/JDBC the app reads and writes to ERP systems and corporate SQL databases via authenticated calls, and Claris Connect triggers flows events in the database itself.

Continuity was addressed in the 2026 release by two FileMaker Server services: Remote Backup copies files to managed cloud storage, removing the need for homegrown backup scripts, and Standby Server keeps a secondary server ready to take over if the primary fails.

Who Claris FileMaker is for

The typical buyer is the IT manager or the process owner in a department that needs a system the ERP does not cover and that does not justify development scratch. End users are usually in operations, quality, laboratory, engineering or contract administration.

Three recurring scenarios: the manufacturer tracking work orders and production reporting in department-level spreadsheets that need consolidating with profile-based access; the laboratory recording samples, reports and traceability that needs iPad capture through FileMaker Go; and the field team running inspections with photos and signatures whose data must reach the office the same day, through FileMaker Server.

What sets Claris FileMaker apart

The first differentiator is the single platform license: building, hosting, publishing to the web and running on mobile are all in one contract, with no separately charged server module and no extra license for the mobile client. In departmental database tools, publishing to the browser usually requires a separate application layer; in FileMaker, WebDirect serves the existing layout.

The second is hosting freedom: the same solution runs on FileMaker Cloud, managed by Claris on AWS, on FileMaker Server inside your own infrastructure, or with third-party hosting, and moving between those modes does not require rewriting the app. For operations that require data on an isolated network, on-premise remains available with no feature loss.

System requirements

FileMaker Pro 2026 requires macOS 26 or macOS 15, or Windows 11 Enterprise and Pro editions on 64-bit. FileMaker Go runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS and iPadOS versions supported by Claris. FileMaker Server 2026 is certified on macOS 26 and macOS 15, Windows Server 2025 and Windows Server 2022 Standard and Datacenter editions, and Ubuntu Linux on AMD64 and ARM64. FileMaker Cloud requires no local server and is operated by Claris on AWS infrastructure. Per the FileMaker Server license agreement, the installed components are the database server, Web Publishing Engine, web server module, script engine, FileMaker Admin API, FileMaker Data API, OData and ODBC/JDBC drivers, with the option of placing the Web Publishing Engine or the AI Model Server on a separate machine. Running more than one server instance the same operating system, including through virtualization, is not permitted.

Editions and modules

The platform is sold in two tiers, Starter and Max, available on both FileMaker Cloud and FileMaker Server. Both grant access to FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Go, FileMaker WebDirect and Claris Connect; what changes is the volume of included resources — Starter covers five Claris Connect integration flows and Max covers fifty. On FileMaker Cloud, the tier also defines storage per user and compute sizing. In self-hosted deployments, the contract includes the right to run up to three FileMaker Server instances, allowing production, staging and development to be kept apart. Two optional services are contracted separately for FileMaker Server: Remote Backup, for managed off-site copies, and Standby Server, for a secondary server on standby. There is also an education option, restricted to accredited institutions, and the Developer Subscription, which Claris limits to development and testing and prohibits in production.

How much does Claris FileMaker cost?

Claris FileMaker is licensed per named user, on an annual subscription, with a perpetual option on request. A named user, under the Claris agreement, is each unique individual who accesses the solution — and that same individual can use FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Go and FileMaker WebDirect, plus the Data API, OData and ODBC/JDBC, without consuming an extra license per client. There is no single list price because the investment depends on sizing: number of users, Starter or Max tier, hosting on FileMaker Cloud or FileMaker Server, Remote Backup and Standby Server add-ons, contract term, and whether it is a new purchase or a renewal.

Three counting rules change the quote. First: the per-user contract includes the right to run three FileMaker Server instances, so production, backup and development servers are not charged separately. Second: counting is per person, not per device or per session — an analyst using the app on both desktop and iPad counts once. Third: standalone FileMaker Pro licenses purchased as a Single License are not added to the others and, per the FileMaker Server agreement, access made through them is not deducted your other license types. Minimum contract size and volume tiers are set by Claris and confirmed at quotation.

If your need is occasional or anonymous access — customer portal, public form, kiosk — the right program is usually concurrent connections, covered in Claris FileMaker concurrent connections. To buy Claris FileMaker in Brazil, OSB Software scopes this with you, sends the commercial proposal, issues the Brazilian invoice and delivers the licenses — request a quote to get the exact figure for your scenario.

Frequently asked questions

Does Claris FileMaker work on Windows and Mac at the same time? Yes. FileMaker Pro 2026 ships for macOS and Windows and the same solution file opens on both with no conversion. FileMaker Server can run on macOS, Windows Server or Ubuntu Linux regardless of the clients' operating system.

Do I need to know how to code to use FileMaker? Not to get started: schema, layouts and scripts are built in visual editors. Capabilities such as the Data API, OData and AI model integration do assume some technical familiarity.

Can I add users after signing the contract? Yes. The per-user contract allows adding users during the term while keeping the same license key; the increase is sized with the sales team at the time of the order.

Does FileMaker connect to the ERP or database we already use? Yes. Beyond the Data API and OData, FileMaker reaches external SQL sources such as MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL over ODBC/JDBC, without duplicating the data.

Why buy Claris FileMaker OSB Software?

OSB Software is an official Claris International Inc. partner in Brazil and supplies 100% genuine Claris FileMaker licenses to companies, with Brazilian invoicing, local contracting in Portuguese and full legal compliance — the safe way to buy imported software under a Brazilian corporate entity, with no risk of irregular licensing.

When you buy Claris FileMaker OSB Software, you get:

• Consultative, specialist support — specialists who size your named user licensing to your actual operation, avoiding over- or under-buying.
• Fast, secure processes — purchase order to delivery of genuine licenses, traceable at every step.
• Dedicated commercial follow-up — quote to delivery and renewal, with advance notice before your license expires.
• Invoicing that fits your company — Brazilian invoicing and terms adapted to your corporate procurement process.
• Proven track record — thousands of customers served across Brazil.

If you are looking for where to buy Claris FileMaker in Brazil with legal certainty and properly licensed imported software, request a quote: OSB Software delivers reliable technology, qualified support and a simple, transparent purchase.