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Windmill alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Windmill: built for developers, not business users, and app builder is less polished than Retool's. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Windmill, 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 466.5
2Appsmith logoAppsmithOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 457.2
3ToolJet logoToolJetOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
4n8n logon8nFree plan + paidNoWeb, Self-hosted5 of 552.2
  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

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Windmill

    More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs.

    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 ×0.3100
    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 Retool a good Windmill 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. Appsmith logo

    2. Appsmith

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

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Windmill

    Open-source app builder if UIs matter more than orchestration.

    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 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 Appsmith a good Windmill 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)
  3. ToolJet logo

    3. ToolJet

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

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Windmill

    Open-source builder that pairs apps with built-in workflows.

    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 ×0.363
    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 ToolJet a good Windmill 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)
  4. n8n logo

    4. n8n

    Best for: Technical teams that want self-hosted automations and AI agents without per-task fees

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    52.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Windmill

    Visual workflow automation with many integrations, also self-hostable.

    Pros

    • Free self-hosted Community edition
    • Priced per execution, not per step
    • Code nodes and strong AI agent tooling

    Cons

    • Fair-code licence restricts commercial resale
    • Less friendly for non-technical users
    • SSO and version control need paid editions
    Visit n8n Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    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 n8n a good Windmill alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Cloud starting price
    €20/month (annual), 2.5K executions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026n8n.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    €50/month (annual), 10K executions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026n8n.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, free Community edition
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.n8n.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    2,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026n8n.io(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Sustainable Use License (fair-code)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.n8n.io(opens source in a new tab)

Discontinued alternatives

The best Windmill alternative for…

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

Retool logo

Best Windmill alternative for most people

Retool

More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs.

Appsmith logo

Best Windmill alternative for a free option

Appsmith

Open-source app builder if UIs matter more than orchestration.

n8n logo

Best Windmill alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

n8n

Visual workflow automation with many integrations, also self-hostable.

ToolJet logo

Best Windmill alternative for open source

ToolJet

Open-source builder that pairs apps with built-in workflows.

Retool logo

Best Windmill alternative for self-hosting

Retool

More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs.

Retool logo

Best Windmill alternative for iPhone and Android

Retool

More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs.

Retool logo

Best Windmill alternative for working in the browser

Retool

More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs.

Windmill alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Windmill?

Retool ranks first right now. More polished UI builder, with Retool Workflows for scheduled jobs. Appsmith and ToolJet follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Windmill?

Yes. Retool (free plan + paid), Appsmith (open source), ToolJet (open source) and n8n (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Windmill?

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

Why do people switch from Windmill?

The complaints we hear most: built for developers, not business users; app builder is less polished than Retool's; enterprise features need a paid licence.

How is this list ranked?

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