Loam

Loam is a web workspace that lets selected AI assistants query uploaded files and connected business data. It is aimed at founders and sales or marketing teams that need dependable answers from operational data without hiring a data team. The key appeal is permission-aware access to live rows; the main trade-off is that it is designed for ordinary business data and modest file sizes.

Overview

Loam turns CSV, TSV, JSON, Excel, Parquet and SQLite files, plus supported connected sources, into data an authorized AI can query in natural language. ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor connect through an MCP-compatible setup. Instead of treating an upload as an isolated prompt attachment, Loam keeps the data in a workspace that those tools can consult.

Access follows the connected Loam account. Table permissions are checked when each request runs, and administrators can expose only a chosen slice—for example, revenue without payroll. That makes the product a sensible option for internal reporting where different people or assistants should see different tables. It is less suitable as a catch-all repository: the terms prohibit protected health information, primary cardholder information and other sensitive data.

Key features

• Practical file coverage: CSV, TSV, JSON, XLS, XLSX, Excel, Parquet and SQLite accommodate common exports, spreadsheets and analytical files.
• Natural-language analysis: Users can ask questions in ordinary language and have supported AI tools ground responses in actual table rows. Loam does not provide SQL connections, so teams that require direct database querying need another approach.
• MCP AI connections: ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor are named integrations, with other supported tools possible through the same connection model.
• Controlled data scope: Current account access and per-request table checks reduce the risk of an assistant seeing data outside its authorization. User-defined permissions can separate commercially useful figures from payroll or other restricted tables.
• Source imports: Windsor connections are documented, but imports work only for supported source profiles. This is useful when a team already uses one of those profiles, not a guarantee of arbitrary connector coverage.
• Privacy controls: Loam says uploaded and connected data is not used to train AI models and can be deleted by the user. It also says Google, OpenAI and Anthropic process data to produce results rather than train their models.
• Guided support: The help center supplies walkthroughs for uploading, querying, connecting AI tools and managing accounts, which should help teams without dedicated data specialists.

Pricing

Loam uses a freemium structure. Individual Free costs nothing with no paid subscription required. It allows one person to upload files, ask grounded questions and connect supported AI tools. It is a useful way to validate the workflow, but it is a single-user setup without the shared workspace and administration features of the team tier.

Individual Pro costs $399 a year, or $39/month when billed monthly. It is for one person and includes one personal workspace. Solo operators who need a continuing private workspace get a straightforward upgrade, but there is no collaboration layer.

Team costs $499 a year, with $49/seat/month also available. A two-seat minimum makes the annual commitment $998 before tax. It adds a shared workspace and data, roles, permissions and team administration. Those controls justify the higher spend for a small group sharing governed data; a single user pays for capacity they may not need.

Platforms

Loam is delivered through the web. AI access occurs through connected tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor rather than through a separate native desktop or mobile application. The web upload interface accepts files up to 100 MB; larger files are not supported through that interface.

Who it's for

Loam fits founders and sales or marketing teams that work from spreadsheets, exports or a supported business source and want conversational answers without building a data stack. Team is the appropriate plan when several people need a common workspace with differentiated permissions. Individual plans suit one analyst or operator.

Look elsewhere if your workload depends on SQL connections, files above 100 MB through the web interface, or regulated records such as protected health or cardholder data. The stated restriction also rules out using Loam as a repository for sensitive information.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Permission-aware AI queries: Access is evaluated at request time, and selected tables can be granted without exposing the rest.
• Useful import range: Common spreadsheet, export and analytical formats are covered, including Parquet and SQLite.
• Clear privacy position: Loam says customer data is not used to train models and can be deleted.
• Team governance: Shared data, roles and administration are included in the Team plan.

Cons

• 100 MB web upload ceiling: Larger files cannot be sent through the interface.
• No SQL connections: Database-first teams cannot connect through a direct SQL integration.
• Sensitive-data prohibition: Protected health, cardholder and other sensitive information should not be stored.
• Team cost floor: Two seats are required, creating a $998 annual minimum before tax.

Alternatives

AI Data Analysis Tools is the broader directory for comparing products in this category.

• Quadratic is a freemium, multi-platform option with a Personal plan that has limited AI usage, sharing, files, connections and support.
• Julius AI suits users wanting Android, iOS or web access; its free tier includes daily credits and a Google Drive connector, while Plus costs $20 per month.
• Byaan is a free, web-capable choice with a free macOS app and an MIT license; its Team Version is self-hosted with multi-user authentication.
• Kiln is better for users seeking an open-source Python library, a source-available desktop app and local datasets with git sync.
• Chartt is a web alternative whose free plan allows 100 credits monthly, files under 100 MB and one data source.
• ExcelGPT focuses on spreadsheet analysis through web and API access, with a $19.90 monthly Pro plan.
• MySheetAI offers a free web plan with five questions per month and 3 MB uploads, making it more limited for file-based work.
• PerSight is a macOS and Windows option with a free tier capped at 15 questions monthly, one database connection and one device.

Verdict

Choose Loam if you want ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor to answer from business rows while permissions limit what each request can reach. Its broad file support and Team governance are strongest for small, non-regulated organizations. Choose another tool if you need SQL connectivity, large web uploads, sensitive-record storage or a lower-cost multi-seat commitment.