# Baserow vs NocoDB (2026)

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified October 23, 2026.

> **Verdict:** Choose Baserow if you want an MIT-licensed core, seven view types plus an app builder, and cheaper cloud seats, with Premium from $10/user/month and audit logs from $18/user/month. Choose NocoDB if you want a spreadsheet interface on an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database, or a free self-hosted edition with unlimited records, storage, and seats. The deciding factor is the self-hosted trade-off: NocoDB's free Community edition has no caps but uses the non-OSI Sustainable Use License, while Baserow's free MIT core withholds AI, advanced permissions, and audit logs.

**Choose Baserow if:** You want a permissive MIT-licensed core rather than NocoDB's fair-source Sustainable Use License; You need Timeline or Survey views, or an app builder for lightweight internal tools, on top of the database; You want audit logs and role-based permissions for less: $18/user/month on Baserow Advanced vs $45/user/month with a 3-seat minimum on NocoDB Scale; You need GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2 compliance on a managed cloud; You want the Kuma AI assistant to build databases from natural-language descriptions, from $10/user/month billed yearly

**Choose NocoDB if:** You already run MySQL or PostgreSQL and want a spreadsheet interface on that data without migrating it; You want to self-host for free with unlimited records, storage, and seats plus all 5 user roles; You need SAML SSO on a published plan: NocoDB Business at $24/user/month, billed annually; You want desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux alongside the web app; You have 11 or more cloud users and want the unlimited-seat Plus option at $108/month on annual billing

## At a glance

|  | Baserow | NocoDB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing | Free tier · paid from $10/mo | Free tier · paid from $12/mo |
| License | Open core | Open core |
| Best for | teams that want an Airtable-like no-code database with the option to self-host for free under MIT, avoiding per-user fees at scale | teams wanting an Airtable-style spreadsheet interface over a real MySQL/Postgres database, self-hosted for free with no record caps |
| Ratings | Capterra 4.7/5 (69 reviews) · Product Hunt 5/5 (6 reviews) | Product Hunt 5/5 (2 reviews) |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Baserow | NocoDB |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free cloud plan | Yes (3,000 rows/workspace, 2GB storage) | Yes (1,000 records, 1 GB storage, 3 editor seats) |
| Cheapest paid tier | Yes (from $10/user/mo, billed yearly (Premium; $12 billed monthly)) | Yes (from $12/user/mo, billed annually (Plus; $15 billed monthly)) |
| Free self-hosted edition | Partial (MIT core free; AI, advanced permissions, and audit logs need a paid license) | Yes (Community edition with unlimited records, storage, seats, all 5 user roles) |
| License | Yes (open-core, MIT-licensed core) | Partial (open-core under the Sustainable Use License (fair-source, not OSI-approved)) |
| Platforms | Partial (web only) | Yes (web, Windows, macOS, Linux) |
| Connect an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database | Unknown | Yes (10 external database connections from $24/user/mo (Business)) |
| View types | Yes (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline, Form, Gallery, Survey (all views from Premium)) | Partial (Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Form, Calendar) |
| App builder | Yes (included for lightweight internal tools) | Unknown |
| Automations | Yes (2,000 credits free, 100,000 on Premium) | Yes (100 runs free, 10,000 on Plus) |
| AI database builder | Yes (Kuma assistant from $10/user/mo (Premium)) | Unknown |
| SSO | Unknown | Yes (SAML SSO from $24/user/mo (Business)) |
| Audit logs | Yes (from $18/user/mo (Advanced)) | Yes (from $45/user/mo, 3-seat minimum (Scale)) |
| Permissions | Yes (role-based permissions from $18/user/mo (Advanced)) | Yes (all 5 user roles in self-hosted Community; row-level security from $45/user/mo (Scale)) |
| Compliance | Yes (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2 on the managed cloud) | Unknown |
| Community size (GitHub stars) | Yes (5.6k stars) | Yes (63,000+ stars) |
| Learning curve | Partial (moderate) | Partial (moderate) |
| Capterra rating | Yes (4.7/5 from 69 reviews (Capterra)) | Unknown |

## Baserow vs NocoDB pricing: which costs less?

Baserow costs less per cloud seat, starting at $10/user/month billed yearly against NocoDB's $12/user/month billed annually, but NocoDB's free self-hosted Community edition includes unlimited records, storage, and seats.

Baserow Premium is $10/user/month billed yearly ($12 monthly) and NocoDB Plus is $12/user/month billed annually ($15 monthly), so a 5-person team pays $50 vs $60 a month. NocoDB's unlimited-seat Plus option at $108/month undercuts Baserow Premium from 11 seats, where Baserow reaches $110/month. Governance features favor Baserow: audit logs arrive at $18/user/month on Baserow Advanced versus $45/user/month with a 3-seat minimum on NocoDB Scale. Both free cloud plans are small, but Baserow's 3,000 rows and 2GB beat NocoDB's 1,000 records and 1 GB.

## Is Baserow more open source than NocoDB?

Yes, Baserow's core is MIT-licensed, while NocoDB's Sustainable Use License is fair-source and not OSI-approved open source.

The trade-off is what each free self-hosted edition includes. Baserow's MIT core is free with no per-user fees, but its Kuma AI assistant, advanced permissions, and audit logs need a paid plan or a commercial license. NocoDB's Community edition carries the more restrictive license yet includes unlimited records, storage, seats, and all five user roles. With either product, your team runs the deployment: NocoDB self-hosts via Docker with updates and backups left to you, and Baserow self-hosts via Docker, Cloudron, AWS, or Helm.

## Which has more features, Baserow or NocoDB?

Baserow has the broader built-in feature set, with seven view types, an app builder, and an AI database assistant, while NocoDB's distinctive feature is connecting directly to an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database.

Baserow offers Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline, Form, Gallery, and Survey views, though its free cloud plan unlocks only Grid, Form, and Gallery. Baserow's visual automations support triggers, conditions, and loops, and its app builder handles lightweight internal tools. NocoDB offers Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Form, and Calendar views, and its Business tier adds 10 external database connections, private bases, and SAML SSO. Teams whose data already lives in MySQL or PostgreSQL can skip a migration into a proprietary format with NocoDB.

## Which is easier to use, Baserow or NocoDB?

Baserow and NocoDB are equally approachable, both carrying a moderate learning curve rating for their Airtable-style spreadsheet interfaces.

## Strengths and weaknesses

### Baserow

- Pro: MIT-licensed core is genuinely free to self-host with no per-user fees.
- Pro: Multiple view types (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline, Form, Gallery, Survey) cover most no-code database use cases.
- Pro: Automations and an app builder are included alongside the core database, reducing the need for separate tools.
- Pro: GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliance available on the managed cloud offering.
- Con: Premium features like the Kuma AI assistant, advanced permissions, and audit logs are withheld from the free self-hosted edition.
- Con: Row and storage limits on the Free and Premium cloud tiers (3,000 and 50,000 rows respectively) can be restrictive for larger datasets.
- Con: Enterprise pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation.
- Con: Smaller third-party integration and template ecosystem than Airtable's much larger, longer-established marketplace.

### NocoDB

- Pro: Self-hosted Community edition is free forever with unlimited records, storage, and seats.
- Pro: Connects directly to an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database instead of requiring data migration into a proprietary format.
- Pro: Multiple views (Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Form, Calendar) over the same underlying data.
- Pro: Over 63,000 GitHub stars and an active open-source community driving development.
- Con: Sustainable Use License is fair-source, not OSI-approved open source, unlike fully permissively-licensed alternatives.
- Con: Free cloud tier is capped at 1,000 records and 1 GB storage, far below the unlimited self-hosted Community edition.
- Con: Self-hosting requires managing your own Docker infrastructure, updates, and backups.
- Con: Higher paid tiers (Scale at $45/user/month) get expensive quickly for teams needing SSO or row-level security at scale.

## Which fits your use case?

| Use case | Pick | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Team whose data already lives in a MySQL or PostgreSQL database | NocoDB | NocoDB puts a spreadsheet interface directly on an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database, so the data does not have to be migrated. |
| Small team starting on a free cloud plan | Baserow | Baserow's free cloud plan allows 3,000 rows and 2GB of storage per workspace, against NocoDB's 1,000 records and 1 GB. |
| Organization self-hosting for a large staff on a zero software budget | NocoDB | NocoDB's Community edition is free with unlimited records, storage, and seats plus all 5 user roles, while Baserow's free MIT core withholds advanced permissions and audit logs. |
| Mid-size team that needs audit logs and role-based permissions on cloud | Baserow | Baserow Advanced includes both at $18/user/month billed yearly; NocoDB's audit logs start at Scale, $45/user/month with a 3-seat minimum. |
| Company that requires SAML SSO on a published plan | NocoDB | NocoDB Business includes SAML SSO at a published price of $24/user/month billed annually, with 300,000 records and 100 GB of storage. |
| Healthcare or regulated team that wants a managed cloud with HIPAA or SOC 2 | Baserow | Baserow offers GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliance on its managed cloud. |

## Migration FAQ

### Should I use Baserow or NocoDB?

Use Baserow if you want an MIT-licensed core, Timeline and Survey views, an app builder, and cheaper cloud seats from $10/user/month; use NocoDB if you want a spreadsheet view over an existing MySQL or PostgreSQL database or a free self-hosted edition with no record, storage, or seat caps. Both carry a moderate learning curve.

### Is Baserow cheaper than NocoDB?

Yes per cloud seat: Baserow Premium starts at $10/user/month billed yearly, while NocoDB Plus starts at $12/user/month billed annually. NocoDB's unlimited-seat Plus option at $108/month is cheaper for teams of 11 or more, and its self-hosted Community edition is free without record or seat caps.

### Can NocoDB replace Baserow?

Yes for spreadsheet-style databases, since NocoDB covers Grid, Kanban, Gallery, Form, and Calendar views and adds direct MySQL and PostgreSQL connections. Teams that rely on Baserow's Timeline or Survey views, app builder, or Kuma AI assistant should confirm NocoDB has an equivalent before switching.

### Is NocoDB open source?

Not by the OSI definition: NocoDB's Community edition is source-available under the Sustainable Use License, a fair-source license. Baserow's core, by contrast, is MIT-licensed.

### Can Baserow be self-hosted for free?

Yes, Baserow's MIT-licensed core can be self-hosted for free via Docker, Cloudron, AWS, or Helm with no per-user fees. Premium features such as the Kuma AI assistant, advanced permissions, and audit logs still need a paid plan or a commercial license.

## Neither a match?

- 5 alternatives to Baserow: https://findalternative.to/baserow
- 5 alternatives to NocoDB: https://findalternative.to/nocodb

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