databasepros.com

What It Is

Database Pros is a FileMaker professional services and resource site run by John Mark Osborne. Its focus is not a general-purpose database SaaS, but custom development, consulting, training, and free templates around Claris FileMaker / FileMaker Pro. According to the site, John Mark Osborne has more than 30 years of FileMaker experience, previously worked on the front line of Claris technical support, and has long been involved in FileMaker education, conferences, and resource creation.

Core Capabilities

Its services cover multi-user and single-user FileMaker solutions, scripting, calculations, relationship design, reporting, and iOS/FileMaker Go. One notable offering is meta-consulting: for amateur developers who already have some foundation, it helps review and organize their solutions, add features beyond their current skill level, and explain how the implementation works so they can maintain it themselves later. The site also provides free Contact Manager CRM and Invoicing solutions; users can download demos and request full-access passwords by email.

Pricing and Support

Pricing is not transparent. The text only makes it clear that the templates are free. If you need new features, custom development, or technical assistance, this is handled through consulting or meta-consulting, but hourly rates, project pricing, payment methods, and SLAs are not disclosed. The free solutions also explicitly come with “no technical support,” which enterprise users should evaluate in advance.

Pros and Cons

The main advantage is very deep vertical expertise. The client list includes organizations such as Adobe, Apple, Boeing, Oracle, Sony, and Stanford, and the site features multiple client testimonials. It is especially suitable for FileMaker scripting, relational modeling, reporting, and training scenarios. The downside is that the service depends heavily on a single expert, which creates uncertainty around scalable delivery, scheduling, and ongoing support. The website also feels traditional, with few of the elements common in modern developer tools, such as online documentation, APIs, SDKs, plan/pricing pages, or self-service purchasing.

Who It’s For and Access from China

It is suitable for companies, schools, government agencies, and teams already using FileMaker, especially those that need expert review or modernization of legacy FileMaker systems. It is also a good fit for individual FileMaker developers who want to learn while building. It is not suitable for teams looking for an open-source database platform, cloud-native backend service, or multi-language SDKs. The text does not mention access conditions from mainland China, and payment methods are not disclosed. If access or communication is inconvenient, alternatives include official Claris partners, other FileMaker consultants, or tools such as Airtable, NocoDB, Baserow, and domestic low-code platforms in China.