Spreadsheet & Data · head to head
Budibase vs NocoDB
NocoDB
Spreadsheet & Data
Open-source no-code database platform with REST and GraphQL APIs
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Budibase cloud plans are metered on automation actions, from 5,000 a month on Pro to 250,000 on Business; NocoDB the free cloud tier is capped at 3 editor seats, 1,000 records and 1 GB of storage
- They diverge on capability: Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder, NocoDB covers GraphQL API.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Budibase and NocoDB actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Spreadsheet & Data).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Budibase
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Database design
- User management
- Custom code
- Workflows
- Responsive design
- 100+ integrations
- Databases
Only in NocoDB
- GraphQL API
- No-code database
- Multiple SQL databases
- Automation
- Cloud support
- Docker support
Both cover
- REST API
- REST API
- Webhooks
- Self-hosted support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Budibase
- Building internal tools over existing databasesnot NocoDB
- Self-hosting an open source low-code platformnot NocoDB
- Admin panels and CRUD apps for operations teamsnot NocoDB
- Automations triggered by data changesnot NocoDB
NocoDB
- Self-hosting an open source alternative to a spreadsheet databasenot Budibase
- Putting a spreadsheet interface over an existing Postgres or MySQL databasenot Budibase
- Building internal tools on structured data with an APInot Budibase
- Team bases with per-field and per-table permissions on the paid tiersnot Budibase
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Budibase
- Cloud plans are metered on automation actions, from 5,000 a month on Pro to 250,000 on Business
- Creator seats are limited and cost $50 each beyond the included count
- End users are $5 per user per month on top of the plan
- Custom branding needs Premium, SSO enforcement and environment variables need Business, and audit logs are Enterprise only
- Log retention is tiered from 1 day on Pro to 365 days on Enterprise
- Monthly billing costs 20 percent more than annual
NocoDB
- The free cloud tier is capped at 3 editor seats, 1,000 records and 1 GB of storage
- Records are the metering unit on cloud, so Plus covers 50K and Business 300K rather than scaling by seat alone
- Row-level security, audit log retention and team hierarchy require the Scale tier
- SCIM provisioning and air-gapped deployment are Enterprise only
- The self-hosted Community edition is unlimited on records and seats but does without workflows, scripts and dashboards, which start at the paid self-hosted tiers
Pricing, plan by plan
Budibase
Free- Open SourceFree
- Self-hosted
- Community support
- FreeFree
- Cloud hosted
- Limited features
- Premium$50/month
- Advanced features
- Email support
NocoDB
Free- CommunityFree
- Self-hosted NocoDB
- Community support
- Starter$5/monthly
- Cloud hosting
- Basic features
Which should you pick?
Choose Budibase if
- You need drag-and-drop builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted.
- You also want database design.
Choose NocoDB if
- You need graphql api.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
- You also want no-code database.
Questions people ask
- Is Budibase or NocoDB better?
- Neither clearly leads. Budibase starts at Free and NocoDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Budibase or NocoDB?
- Budibase starts at Free and NocoDB at Free.
- Does Budibase or NocoDB run on more platforms?
- Budibase runs on Web, Self-hosted. NocoDB runs on Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
- Can I use Budibase for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Budibase best used for?
- Budibase is most often used for building internal tools over existing databases, self-hosting an open source low-code platform, admin panels and crud apps for operations teams, automations triggered by data changes. Of those, building internal tools over existing databases and self-hosting an open source low-code platform are not what NocoDB is typically brought in for.
- What can Budibase do that NocoDB cannot?
- Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database design, User management, Custom code. NocoDB covers GraphQL API, No-code database, Multiple SQL databases, Automation. Both handle REST API, REST API, Webhooks, Self-hosted support.