Softwr

No-Code · head to head

Corteza vs shadcn/ui

Corteza logo

Corteza

No-Code

Apache-licensed open source low-code platform, formerly Crust, positioned against Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
shadcn/ui logo

shadcn/ui

Web Development

Copy-paste React components you own, not a dependency

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Corteza planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.; shadcn/ui no upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • They diverge on capability: Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corteza and shadcn/ui actually diverge.

Attributes where Corteza and shadcn/ui differ
AttributeCortezashadcn/ui
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, DockerWeb
CategoryNo-CodeWeb Development

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 Corteza

  • Corteza Low Code
  • Automation and workflow
  • Bundled CRM
  • Case management
  • Federation
  • Role-based access control
  • Corteza Messaging and integrations
  • Self-hosted deployment

Only in shadcn/ui

  • Copy, not install
  • Radix primitives
  • Tailwind styling
  • Themeable

What people use each for

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

Corteza

  • A European public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor feenot shadcn/ui
  • An NGO replacing a Salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring costnot shadcn/ui
  • An integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commerciallynot shadcn/ui
  • A mid-size European company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount growsnot shadcn/ui

shadcn/ui

  • Projects already using Tailwind that need accessible components without a theming fightnot Corteza
  • Design systems that will diverge from any library’s defaults anywaynot Corteza
  • Teams who have been burned by breaking changes in component library upgradesnot Corteza

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Corteza

  • Planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.
  • No pricing is published for Planet Crusts support, hosting or implementation services, so the true running cost of a supported deployment cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.
  • The connector ecosystem is small compared with commercial low-code platforms, so integrations with common SaaS tools usually mean writing against the REST API rather than installing something.
  • Hiring is hard: almost nobody has Corteza on a CV, so you are training internal developers on a niche platform and you cannot easily replace them.
  • The bundled CRM is a starting point rather than a mature product, and teams that expect Salesforce-equivalent sales functionality out of the box will spend months building the gap themselves.

shadcn/ui

  • No upgrade path: once copied, upstream fixes and improvements are yours to port by hand
  • Requires Tailwind and React, so it is not an option outside that stack
  • Component code lives in your repository, which grows it and puts maintenance on your team
  • Its popularity has made the default look recognisable, which undercuts the customisation argument

Pricing, plan by plan

Corteza

Free
  • Corteza communityFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed with no feature gating
    • Low-code builder, workflow engine, CRM and case management included
    • Self-hosted on your own infrastructure
  • Planet Crust support and services$undefined/year
    • Commercial support, hosting and implementation from Planet Crust
    • Custom application development
    • Training

shadcn/ui

Free
  • shadcn/uiFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Corteza if

  • You need corteza low code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want automation and workflow.
Corteza review

Choose shadcn/ui if

  • You need copy, not install.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want radix primitives.
shadcn/ui review

Questions people ask

Is Corteza or shadcn/ui better?
Neither clearly leads. Corteza starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corteza or shadcn/ui?
Corteza starts at Free and shadcn/ui at Free.
Does Corteza or shadcn/ui run on more platforms?
Corteza runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker. shadcn/ui runs on Web.
Can I use Corteza for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Corteza best used for?
Corteza is most often used for a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee, an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost, an integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commercially, a mid-size european company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount grows. Of those, a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee and an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost are not what shadcn/ui is typically brought in for.
What can Corteza do that shadcn/ui cannot?
Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Automation and workflow, Bundled CRM, Case management. shadcn/ui covers Copy, not install, Radix primitives, Tailwind styling, Themeable.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corteza: Is Corteza the same thing as Crust?

Yes. The project was branded Crust and renamed Corteza in 2019 when Crust Technology donated it to the Commons Conservancy.

shadcn/ui: Is shadcn/ui free?

Yes, open source and free for commercial use.

Corteza: Who owns the code?

The Commons Conservancy, a Dutch foundation. Planet Crust in Cork is the primary developer and sells commercial services around it.

shadcn/ui: Why is it not an npm package?

So you own the code. Components are copied into your project, which makes customisation trivial — at the cost of receiving no automatic updates.

Corteza: Is there a paid enterprise edition?

No. Corteza is Apache 2.0 with no feature gating. Planet Crust sells support, hosting and development instead of a restricted edition.

shadcn/ui: Do I need Tailwind?

Yes. Components are styled with Tailwind utility classes and built on Radix primitives, so both are required.

Corteza: Can it genuinely replace Salesforce?

For case management and a straightforward sales pipeline on a self-hosted footprint, yes. For a large sales organisation relying on AppExchange products and a mature ecosystem, no.

Share

Related pages

More on Corteza

More on shadcn/ui

Keep looking

Other head to heads