AppBreakup

Microsoft Power Apps alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Microsoft Power Apps: licensing is complicated and premium features cost extra, and canvas apps can be slow with large data. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Microsoft Power Apps, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Retool currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Retool logoRetoolFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 462.6
2OutSystems logoOutSystemsPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 359.6
3Mendix logoMendixFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 357.2
4Zoho Creator logoZoho CreatorFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 455.3
5AppSheet logoAppSheetPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 454.5
6Microsoft Lists logoMicrosoft ListsPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 346.8
  1. Retool logo

    1. RetoolTop pick

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

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

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    More flexible for developers working with any database or API.

    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
    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 Retool a good Microsoft Power Apps 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)
  2. OutSystems logo

    2. OutSystems

    Best for: Large enterprises building and maintaining many business-critical apps with in-house developers

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    Enterprise low-code platform for larger, more complex applications.

    Pros

    • Scales to large, business-critical applications
    • Flexible deployment, including on-premises and sovereign cloud
    • Free Personal Edition for learning

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing that is expensive for small teams
    • Requires trained developers
    • Significant platform lock-in
    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 OutSystems a good Microsoft Power Apps alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Personal Edition
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026outsystems.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End users
    Starts with 100 internal users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026outsystems.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    Cloud, on-premises, private or sovereign cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026outsystems.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Mendix logo

    3. Mendix

    Best for: Enterprises, especially in manufacturing, building governed apps across business and IT

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    Enterprise low-code with strong model-driven development and deployment options.

    Pros

    • Mature enterprise platform with many deployment options
    • Free tier to learn and prototype
    • Strong business-IT collaboration features

    Cons

    • Paid tiers start at a high monthly cost
    • Pricing beyond the starting points needs a sales quote
    • Needs trained developers for complex apps
    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 Mendix a good Microsoft Power Apps alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free tier
    $0/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mendix.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Standard tier
    From $1,090/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mendix.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium tier
    Quote on request
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mendix.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Zoho Creator logo

    4. Zoho Creator

    Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses building custom apps, especially those already using Zoho

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    Cheaper low-code apps with auto-generated native mobile apps.

    Pros

    • Native mobile apps generated automatically
    • Low per-user pricing with a free edition
    • Integrates with the wider Zoho suite

    Cons

    • Logic relies on the proprietary Deluge language
    • Interface design is less flexible than developer tools
    • Plan limits and add-ons take time to understand
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 Zoho Creator a good Microsoft Power Apps alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    15 days, no credit card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    One custom app
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    Native iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Analyst recognition
    Gartner Magic Quadrant Challenger 2024
    Checked Oct 25, 2026zoho.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. AppSheet logo

    5. AppSheet

    Best for: Google Workspace teams who want internal field and process apps without writing code

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    54.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    Google Workspace's equivalent, cheaper and simpler for spreadsheet-based apps.

    Pros

    • Included in most paid Google Workspace plans
    • Works offline on phones for field teams
    • Connects to Sheets, Excel, SQL and more

    Cons

    • Interfaces look functional rather than polished
    • Per-user pricing gets costly for large external audiences
    • Complex logic means learning its expression language
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.360
    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 AppSheet a good Microsoft Power Apps alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $5 per user/month (Starter)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.appsheet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Core plan
    $10 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.appsheet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Google Workspace
    Core included in most paid plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.appsheet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise Plus
    $20 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026about.appsheet.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Microsoft Lists logo

    6. Microsoft Lists

    Best for: Microsoft 365 organisations wanting simple shared trackers without buying another tool

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    46.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Microsoft Power Apps

    Enough on its own for simple trackers already inside Microsoft 365.

    Pros

    • Included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions
    • Inherits SharePoint security, compliance and retention
    • Works inside Teams and connects to Power Automate

    Cons

    • Limited relational features compared with Airtable
    • Large lists run into view thresholds
    • Only useful inside the Microsoft ecosystem
    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 Microsoft Lists a good Microsoft Power Apps alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Pricing
    Included in Microsoft 365
    Checked Oct 25, 2026adoption.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Where it works
    Lists app, SharePoint, Teams
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Data types
    Text, dates, files and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026support.microsoft.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for…

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

Retool logo

Best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for most people

Retool

More flexible for developers working with any database or API.

Mendix logo

Best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Mendix

Enterprise low-code with strong model-driven development and deployment options.

Retool logo

Best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for self-hosting

Retool

More flexible for developers working with any database or API.

OutSystems logo

Best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for iPhone and Android

OutSystems

Enterprise low-code platform for larger, more complex applications.

Zoho Creator logo

Best Microsoft Power Apps alternative for working in the browser

Zoho Creator

Cheaper low-code apps with auto-generated native mobile apps.

Microsoft Power Apps alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Power Apps?

Retool ranks first right now. More flexible for developers working with any database or API. OutSystems and Mendix follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Microsoft Power Apps?

Yes. Retool (free plan + paid), Mendix (free plan + paid) and Zoho Creator (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Microsoft Power Apps?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Microsoft Power Apps?

The complaints we hear most: licensing is complicated and premium features cost extra; canvas apps can be slow with large data; little appeal outside the Microsoft ecosystem.

How is this list ranked?

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