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Budibase alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Budibase: less layout flexibility than Retool or Appsmith, and enterprise features such as enforced SSO need a licence. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Budibase, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Appsmith currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Appsmith logoAppsmithOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 466.5
2ToolJet logoToolJetOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
3Retool logoRetoolFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 459.6
4NocoBase logoNocoBaseOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 457.2
5Softr logoSoftrFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 447.8
6Baserow logoBaserowOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 446.8
  1. Appsmith logo

    1. AppsmithTop pick

    Best for: Developer teams that want a Retool-style builder they can self-host for free

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    Open source with more freedom over layout and JavaScript logic.

    Pros

    • Apache-licensed and free to self-host
    • Git-based version control for apps
    • Connects to common databases and any REST or GraphQL API

    Cons

    • Fewer and less polished components than Retool
    • SSO and audit features need paid plans
    • Large apps can feel sluggish
    Visit Appsmith Compare with BudibaseDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Appsmith a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 5 users on cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $15 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Community edition
    Free, open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. ToolJet logo

    2. ToolJet

    Best for: Teams that want an open-source Retool alternative with AI-assisted app building

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    Open-source builder with AI generation and a large connector list.

    Pros

    • AI builder can generate apps from a prompt
    • Open-source edition is self-hostable
    • Built-in database and workflows

    Cons

    • Paid plans cap end users and apps
    • Per-builder price rises steeply on higher tiers
    • AGPL licence may concern some companies
    Visit ToolJet Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ToolJet a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    $0 per builder/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $79 per builder/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Docker, Kubernetes, VPC or on-premise
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Retool logo

    3. Retool

    Best for: Engineering-led teams building many internal tools on top of production databases and APIs

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    More mature and flexible for complex developer-built tools.

    Pros

    • Connects to almost any database or API
    • Large component library with SQL and JavaScript everywhere
    • Cloud, self-hosted and air-gapped deployment options

    Cons

    • Per-user pricing gets expensive as usage spreads
    • Needs developers comfortable with SQL and JavaScript
    • Closed source, so you depend on Retool's roadmap
    Visit Retool Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Retool a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    $0 per builder
    Checked Oct 25, 2026retool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Builder pricing
    $10 (Team) / $50 (Business) per builder/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026retool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Internal user pricing
    $5 (Team) / $15 (Business) per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026retool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Self-hosted or air-gapped
    Checked Oct 25, 2026retool.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. NocoBase logo

    4. NocoBase

    Best for: Teams building self-hosted business systems that need workflows, permissions and extensibility

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    Open-source, plugin-based platform for larger business systems.

    Pros

    • One-time commercial licences instead of subscriptions
    • Plugin architecture makes it highly extensible
    • Approval workflows and fine-grained permissions built in

    Cons

    • Steeper learning curve than no-code databases
    • Self-hosting is the main way to run it
    • Some important features are in paid editions
    Visit NocoBase Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is NocoBase a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Standard edition
    $800 one-time
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nocobase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional edition
    $8,000 one-time
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nocobase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Licence type
    One-time payment, lifetime use
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nocobase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nocobase.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Softr logo

    5. Softr

    Best for: Small businesses building client portals or internal tools on Airtable or Sheets data

    Free plan + paidWeb

    47.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    Hosted, no-code portal builder for less technical teams.

    Pros

    • Quick to build portals with logins and permissions
    • Connects to many data sources, plus its own database
    • Free plan for small projects

    Cons

    • Block-based layouts limit custom design
    • App-user limits push you up the plans
    • Not suited to consumer apps at scale
    Visit Softr Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Softr a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026softr.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $19/month (Basic)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026softr.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $99/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026softr.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $329/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026softr.io(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Baserow logo

    6. Baserow

    Best for: Teams that want Airtable's workflow with the option to host their data themselves

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    46.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Budibase

    Better if what you mainly need is a shared Airtable-style database.

    Pros

    • Familiar Airtable-style interface with an import path for existing bases
    • Self-hosted edition avoids per-base row caps
    • Includes an application builder and automations, not just tables
    • Paid plans are cheaper per user than Airtable's

    Cons

    • Some views and admin features need a paid licence even when self-hosted
    • Smaller integration ecosystem than Airtable
    • Running your own instance means handling upgrades and backups
    Visit Baserow Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.334
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Baserow a good Budibase alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026baserow.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $10 per user/month billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026baserow.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Advanced plan
    $18 per user/month billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026baserow.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026baserow.io(opens source in a new tab)

The best Budibase alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Appsmith logo

Best Budibase alternative for most people

Appsmith

Open source with more freedom over layout and JavaScript logic.

ToolJet logo

Best Budibase alternative for a free option

ToolJet

Open-source builder with AI generation and a large connector list.

Retool logo

Best Budibase alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Retool

More mature and flexible for complex developer-built tools.

NocoBase logo

Best Budibase alternative for open source

NocoBase

Open-source, plugin-based platform for larger business systems.

Baserow logo

Best Budibase alternative for self-hosting

Baserow

Better if what you mainly need is a shared Airtable-style database.

Retool logo

Best Budibase alternative for iPhone and Android

Retool

More mature and flexible for complex developer-built tools.

Softr logo

Best Budibase alternative for working in the browser

Softr

Hosted, no-code portal builder for less technical teams.

Budibase alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Budibase?

Appsmith ranks first right now. Open source with more freedom over layout and JavaScript logic. ToolJet and Retool follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Budibase?

Yes. Appsmith (open source), ToolJet (open source), Retool (free plan + paid) and NocoBase (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Budibase?

Yes: Appsmith, ToolJet, NocoBase and Baserow. Appsmith, ToolJet and NocoBase can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Budibase?

The complaints we hear most: less layout flexibility than Retool or Appsmith; enterprise features such as enforced SSO need a licence; cloud pricing by actions can be hard to predict.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Budibase, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.