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Spreadsheets · head to head

Budibase vs Xano

Budibase logo

Budibase

Spreadsheets

Build business apps in minutes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xano logo

Xano

Automation Integration

The low-code backend platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Xano limited real-time capabilities; websocket support underdeveloped and not suitable for real-time applications
  • They diverge on capability: Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder, Xano covers API builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Budibase and Xano actually diverge.

Attributes where Budibase and Xano differ
AttributeBudibaseXano
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, Cloud, BYOC
CategorySpreadsheetsAutomation Integration
Founded20192014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Xano

  • API builder
  • Database management
  • Data transformation
  • Real-time sync
  • Scheduling
  • Zapier
  • Make
  • OAuth

Both cover

  • REST API
  • REST API
  • Webhooks
  • Authentication
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • JavaScript language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Budibase

  • Building internal tools over existing databasesnot Xano
  • Self-hosting an open source low-code platformnot Xano
  • Admin panels and CRUD apps for operations teamsnot Xano
  • Automations triggered by data changesnot Xano

Xano

  • Workflow Automationnot Budibase
  • Data Integrationnot Budibase
  • Process Automationnot Budibase
  • App Integrationnot Budibase
  • API Connectivitynot 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

Xano

  • Limited real-time capabilities; websocket support underdeveloped and not suitable for real-time applications
  • Performance concerns at scale; users report crashes, dropped queries, and no RAM visibility on any plan
  • Interface designed for mouse input only, does not work well with touch-screen tablets
  • Limited version control, data backup and restore features, and data management logging capabilities
  • Requires pairing with a frontend builder, adding cost, complexity, and integration overhead

Pricing, plan by plan

Budibase

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • FreeFree
    • Cloud hosted
    • Limited features
  • Premium$50/month
    • Advanced features
    • Email support

Xano

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited requests
    • Basic features
  • Professional$99/month
    • 100K requests
    • Advanced features
  • Business$299/month
    • 500K requests
    • Premium support

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.
Budibase review

Choose Xano if

  • You need api builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, BYOC.
  • You also want database management.
Xano review

Questions people ask

Is Budibase or Xano better?
Neither clearly leads. Budibase starts at Free and Xano at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Budibase or Xano?
Budibase starts at Free and Xano at Free.
Does Budibase or Xano run on more platforms?
Budibase runs on Web, Self-hosted. Xano runs on Web, Cloud, BYOC.
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 Xano is typically brought in for.
What can Budibase do that Xano cannot?
Budibase covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database design, User management, Custom code. Xano covers API builder, Database management, Data transformation, Real-time sync. Both handle REST API, REST API, Webhooks, Authentication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Budibase: What happens if I exceed the monthly action limit on my plan?

Actions are hard monthly limits. Once you reach the limit on your plan (5K for Pro, 20K for Premium, 250K for Business), you must upgrade to a higher tier to continue using the service.

Source
Xano: Does Xano offer a free plan?

Yes. Xano offers a free plan with unlimited APIs and a rate limit. The free plan includes watermarked stored images. Paid plans start at $85 per month.

Source
Budibase: Is there a charge for additional users beyond what is included in my plan?

Yes. Each plan includes a limited number of creators (1 for Pro, expandable for Premium, 3 for Business), but end users are charged at $5 per user per month as an add-on.

Source
Xano: What databases does Xano use?

Xano provides managed PostgreSQL database with no migrations or DevOps overhead required. It includes automatic backups, scaling, and full ACID transaction support.

Source
Budibase: How much extra do I pay if I choose monthly billing instead of yearly?

Monthly billing costs 20% more than the yearly equivalent. For example, paying monthly for Pro at $19/month equals $228 per year, versus $190 per year on a yearly subscription.

Source
Xano: Does Xano require coding knowledge?

Xano is a no-code platform but requires foundational understanding of backend concepts like database structure, APIs, authentication, and logic flow. The learning curve is steep, requiring weeks or months to become proficient.

Source
Budibase: Can I try Budibase before committing to a paid plan?

Yes. All paid cloud plans include a 14-day free trial. The open source version is also available free with unlimited actions and unlimited users, though with community support only.

Source
Xano: What integrations does Xano support?

Xano integrates with Snowflake, Datadog, AWS, GCP, Azure, Stripe, Segment, and works with frontend platforms like Bubble, Webflow, FlutterFlow, and Lovable.

Source
Budibase: Does the free open source plan include the same features as paid plans?

The open source plan includes unlimited actions, unlimited apps, automations, agents, and users, but support is community-only rather than through Budibase directly. Paid plans add features like AI credits, custom branding, backups, and email or priority support.

Source
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