What FileMaker does

FileMaker, operating corporate identity Claris International Inc., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Inc. that delivers a low-code custom application development platform. The company, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with 501-1000 employees, traces its origins to the 1980s as Nutshell, was acquired by Apple in 1987, and was renamed FileMaker Inc. before being rebranded to Claris International in 2019 and subsequently reverting to the FileMaker brand. The platform serves more than 100,000 developers and a cumulative base of over 1 million custom-built applications across customers spanning healthcare, manufacturing, education, nonprofit, services, entertainment, and general business verticals. Named customers include ESPN Netherlands, OceanX, and Odakyu.

The core product portfolio comprises Claris FileMaker (the flagship low-code application platform), Claris Studio (a no-code workspace), Claris Connect (an integration and workflow orchestration layer for third-party APIs), FileMaker Cloud, and FileMaker Server. The platform architecture allows non-programmers to build database-driven applications with custom schemas, layouts, and scripting, while developers can extend functionality through APIs, plug-ins, and JavaScript-based web viewers. Revenue is generated via a subscription model with some perpetual licensing retained, distributed through direct sales, an Apple-affiliated channel, and a partner ecosystem including ISVs and consultants.

Recent strategic activity has focused on AI integration: Agentic Development, AI Script Steps, AI Functions, semantic image search, and LLM integration are positioned as native platform capabilities. The business is privately held under Apple, with Ryan McCann serving as CEO. No public funding rounds, revenue figures, or valuation disclosures are available, as the unit is reported within Apple's broader segment reporting rather than standalone.

Name

FileMaker

Legal name

Claris International Inc.

Website

https://filemaker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

FileMaker (Claris International) is a subsidiary of Apple that operates a low-code custom application development platform. It serves over 100,000 developers across healthcare, manufacturing, education, nonprofit, and entertainment sectors, with a customer base exceeding 1 million applications built.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. FileMaker Licenses and Subscriptions: Subscription-based licensing for FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Server, and FileMaker Cloud. Perpetual licenses available for FileMaker Pro with annual maintenance fees. Cloud hosting subscriptions provide additional recurring revenue.
2. Claris Platform Subscriptions: Subscription revenue from Claris FileMaker, Claris Studio, and Claris Connect products with tiered pricing based on features and deployment scale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FileMaker, operating under the Claris brand as an Apple subsidiary, provides a low-code platform for building, deploying, and integrating custom business applications across Mac, Windows, iOS, and the web. Its core offering is Claris FileMaker, complemented by Claris Studio for web-based data collection, Claris Connect for third-party integrations, and FileMaker Cloud/Server for hosting.

Product overview

Claris (formerly FileMaker, Inc.) offers a platform-plus-modules architecture built around Claris FileMaker as the core product. The platform includes Claris Studio for web-based data collection and sharing, and Claris Connect for integration with third-party applications. Infrastructure options include FileMaker Cloud for managed hosting and FileMaker Server for self-hosted deployments. The company is transitioning toward agentic development, incorporating AI capabilities into its product suite. The platform targets businesses across industries including healthcare, manufacturing, education, nonprofit, entertainment, and services, enabling custom application development without requiring extensive programming knowledge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Claris FileMaker: Platform for building powerful custom apps
• Claris Studio
• Claris Connect
• FileMaker Cloud
• FileMaker Server

Products and services

• Claris FileMaker Claris FileMaker is the core platform for building powerful custom business applications. It enables users to create apps that streamline operations, manage data, and automate workflows across organizations, deploying across Mac, Windows, iOS, and web from a single codebase.
• Claris Studio Claris Studio enables users to collect and share data and insights on the web through web-based forms, allowing effortless data aggregation and turning input into strategic action across the organization. Included with FileMaker license.
• Claris Connect Claris Connect expands the platform's capabilities by integrating the entire tech stack, including FileMaker, Claris Studio, third-party apps, software, and tools, tailored to specific business needs. Included with FileMaker license.
• FileMaker Cloud FileMaker Cloud provides cloud-hosted deployment, eliminating hosting hassles by managing infrastructure and availability for FileMaker solutions.
• FileMaker Server FileMaker Server enables organizations to host FileMaker solutions using their own infrastructure, providing control and customization for enterprise deployments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% of all applications could be developed using Low Code/No Code tools by 2024

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ApplecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFileMaker is a subsidiary of Apple under the Claris brand. Apple provides security backing, distribution through its ecosystem, and strategic direction. The platform is deeply integrated with Apple platforms including macOS and iOS.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/filemaker
• YouTubeyoutube.com/claris
• Facebookfacebook.com/Claris
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/163801
• Instagraminstagram.com/claris

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FileMaker