Budibase vs Appsmith: which should you choose?
Quick answer: Budibase is built for self-hosted, while Appsmith suits self-hosted. For most users Appsmith is the stronger default, but Budibase can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
If you're weighing Budibase against Appsmith, the right answer depends on your priorities. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| Budibase | Appsmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Internal Tool Builder | Internal Tool Builder |
| What it's known for | Open-source low-code platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents, with a fully free self-hosted option and per-creator (not per-app) cloud pricing. | Open-source (Apache 2.0) platform for building internal tools and admin panels you can self-host for free, connecting to databases and APIs with JS-extensible widgets. |
| Pricing | Free plan; Premium ~$50/mo per creator + ~$5/mo per app user; Enterprise custom; fully open-source self-hosted plan free indefinitely | Free plan (up to 5 users, cloud or self-hosted); Business ~$15/user/mo (self-hosted, up to 99 users); Enterprise ~$2,500/mo for 100 users; flat per-user rate since 2025/2026 (hourly meter removed) |
| Best audience | Teams with a few builders serving many app users who want a free self-hosted option. | Engineering teams wanting a free, self-hosted, no-lock-in internal tools platform. |
| Best for | self-hosted, internal-tools | self-hosted, internal-tools |
| Entry price | Free | Free |
| Biggest strength | Fully open-source self-hosted plan, free to use indefinitely. | True Apache 2.0 open source - fork, modify, self-host free with no license fee. |
| Main caveat | New self-hosted Free plan is now capped at 20 users (replacing uncapped Community). | Advanced features (SSO, audit logs, RBAC) require paid Business/Enterprise. |
Features compared
Where they really diverge is in the day-to-day feature set:
Budibase key features
- Open-source low-code platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents
- Fully free self-hosted option
- Per-creator (not per-app) pricing model
- Built-in database plus external data connectors
Appsmith key features
- Open-source (Apache 2.0) platform for internal tools and admin panels
- Self-hostable for free with no user cap (community edition)
- Drag-and-drop widgets extensible with JavaScript
- Connects to databases and APIs
Pricing tiers side by side
Budibase plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free (self-host) | $0 | Open-source, now limited to 20 users in the new Free plan |
| Premium | ~$50/creator/mo + ~$5/app user/mo | Cloud, AI, advanced features |
| Enterprise | Custom | SAML, backups, audit logs, public API |
Appsmith plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Community | $0 | Cloud up to 5 users; self-hosted has no user cap |
| Business | ~$15/user/mo | Up to 99 users, SSO, audit logs, custom roles, branding removal |
| Enterprise | ~$2,500/mo (100 users) | SAML SSO, SCIM, managed hosting |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where Budibase wins
Open-source internal-tool platform with a free self-host option and per-creator (not per-app) pricing.
- Fully open-source self-hosted plan, free to use indefinitely.
- Per-creator pricing is cost-effective for a small dev team serving many users.
That makes it the stronger pick for teams with a few builders serving many app users who want a free self-hosted option.
Where Appsmith wins
Apache-2.0 open source you can self-host for free with no user cap.
- True Apache 2.0 open source - fork, modify, self-host free with no license fee.
- No user cap on self-hosted community edition.
That makes it the stronger pick for engineering teams wanting a free, self-hosted, no-lock-in internal tools platform.
Verdict: choose by fit
Both are good at the job, so let your priorities decide.
- Choose Budibase if you fit its core audience — teams with a few builders serving many app users who want a free self-hosted option.
- Choose Appsmith if you fit its core audience — engineering teams wanting a free, self-hosted, no-lock-in internal tools platform.
FAQ
Is Budibase better than Appsmith?
Appsmith is the stronger default for most users, but Budibase can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between Budibase and Appsmith?
Budibase is open-source internal-tool platform with a free self-host option and per-creator (not per-app) pricing. Appsmith is apache-2.0 open source you can self-host for free with no user cap.
Which is cheaper, Budibase or Appsmith?
Both Budibase and Appsmith offer a free tier, so the real comparison is the paid plans above — pick based on the storage, features and limits you actually need.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for Budibase and Appsmith: