Budibase
Internal apps, forms, automations, and portals in one box; much closer to Knack than its developer branding suggests.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- Installation
- Docker image or Docker Compose; Kubernetes is also supported
- Operational Setup
- Requires Docker and persistent storage; production use also means owning upgrades, TLS, backups, and database/network access
- Where Your Data Lives
- Built-in app data and app definitions are stored in CouchDB, files in MinIO/S3-compatible object storage, and connected external data remains in its source system
- The Catch / Trade-off
- It is built mainly for responsive internal web apps, not AppSheet's installable mobile apps with offline field use and spreadsheet-driven rules.
Replaces 11 paid apps
up to $563/mo ($6,756/yr) in subscriptions
Budibase FAQ
Common questions
Is Budibase free and open source?+
Budibase is an open-source tool licensed under GPL-3.0 that runs on self-host. Internal apps, forms, automations, and portals in one box; much closer to Knack than its developer branding suggests.
What paid software does Budibase replace?+
Budibase serves as a free replacement for 11 paid SaaS applications: AppSheet, Appsmith Cloud, Bubble, Caspio, Glide, Knack, Microsoft Power Apps, Quickbase, Retool, Softr, ToolJet Cloud, saving up to $563/month ($6,756/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Budibase?+
Installation: Docker image or Docker Compose; Kubernetes is also supported. Setup notes: Requires Docker and persistent storage; production use also means owning upgrades, TLS, backups, and database/network access
What is the catch or trade-off with Budibase?+
It is built mainly for responsive internal web apps, not AppSheet's installable mobile apps with offline field use and spreadsheet-driven rules.