3 Best NocoDB Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 10 min read
NocoDB is a popular tool for developers wanting an open-source airtable. While it offers a free tier (Free (self-hosted)), its paid plans start at Free. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 3 best NocoDB alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 3
- Free alternatives: 3 (Airtable, Baserow, Smartsheet)
- Open-source options: Baserow
- Best overall: Airtable
- Best free: Airtable
Why Look for NocoDB Alternatives?
People commonly look for NocoDB alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: While NocoDB has a free tier, its paid plans starting at Free can add up quickly for growing teams.
- Feature gaps: Less polished than Airtable and fewer templates are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find NocoDB overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NocoDB | ✓ Free (self-hosted) | Free | ⭐ 4.1 | ✓ Yes | Developers wanting an open-source Airtable |
| Airtable | ✓ 1,000 records per base | $20/user/mo | ⭐ 4.5 | No | Teams needing flexible database-style project tracking |
| Baserow | ✓ Free (self-hosted/cloud) | $5/user/mo | ⭐ 4 | ✓ Yes | Teams wanting open-source no-code database |
| Smartsheet | ✓ 1 user, 2 sheets | $9/user/mo | ⭐ 4.1 | No | Teams comfortable with spreadsheets |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
Airtable
Low-code platform for building collaborative apps with spreadsheet and database features.
Airtable combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the power of a database. It allows teams to organize anything — from project management to content calendars to CRM — using customizable views, automations, and interfaces. Its flexibility has made it popular across marketing, operations, and product teams.
Pros
- ✓ Extremely flexible
- ✓ Easy to start
- ✓ Powerful automations
- ✓ Great templates
Cons
- ✗ Expensive at scale
- ✗ Limited free records
- ✗ Can be slow
- ✗ Complex relationships
Baserow
Open-source no-code database platform.
Baserow is an open-source no-code database platform that provides a user-friendly interface for creating and managing databases. Like Airtable, it allows non-technical users to create custom databases while offering the flexibility of self-hosting.
Pros
- ✓ Open source
- ✓ Self-hostable
- ✓ Good free plan
- ✓ Active development
Cons
- ✗ Fewer features
- ✗ Limited templates
- ✗ Smaller ecosystem
- ✗ Performance issues
Smartsheet
Platform for managing work through a spreadsheet-like interface.
Smartsheet brings spreadsheet-like familiarity to project management, making it popular with teams transitioning from Excel. It offers powerful automation, reporting, and resource management features while maintaining an interface that feels comfortable to spreadsheet users.
Pros
- ✓ Familiar spreadsheet UI
- ✓ Powerful automation
- ✓ Great for data-heavy projects
- ✓ Strong integrations
Cons
- ✗ Expensive for full features
- ✗ Can be slow
- ✗ Complex formula syntax
- ✗ Limited mobile app
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to NocoDB?
The best free alternative to NocoDB is Airtable, which offers 1,000 records per base.
Is there an open-source alternative to NocoDB?
Yes! Baserow is open-source alternative to NocoDB that you can self-host for free.
What is the cheapest alternative to NocoDB?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: Airtable, Baserow, Smartsheet. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $5/mo.
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