Budibase
Belfast open-source internal tool builder that is free to self-host, with cloud plans from $19 a month
Quick Overview
| Company | Budibase Ltd |
|---|---|
| Category | Low-Code/No-Code Application Platforms |
| Headquarters | Belfast, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2019 |
| EU Presence | UK (Northern Ireland) |
| Open Source | Yes |
| Pricing | Self-hosted open source: free (1 workspace, unlimited apps and users). Cloud: Pro $19/month, Premium $49/month, Business $299/month, Enterprise on request. Add-ons: end users $5/user/month and creators $50/creator/month on yearly billing. |
| Free Option | 14-day free trial on paid cloud plans |
| Replaces | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps |
Detailed Review
Budibase is a Belfast builder for internal tools, portals and workflows, operated by Budibase Ltd (Companies House NI662141, incorporated in June 2019).
Its terms are governed by the laws of Northern Ireland and name the courts of Northern Ireland, so the contract sits in the United Kingdom, which is European but outside the EU and EEA. That keeps the vendor, the licence and the courts in one jurisdiction, which simplifies the legal review for buyers in the EU and the UK alike.
The distinguishing feature is that the core is open source. The README states a GPL v3 licence for the platform and MPL for the client and component libraries. The self-hosted plan is free with unlimited apps and users and one workspace, which makes it the cheapest route into this category if you can run Docker or Kubernetes yourself, and an air-gapped deployment is available.
Compared with the enterprise platforms listed above, Budibase is much lighter. It targets developers and small IT teams who want to wire up a database, an approval flow and a portal quickly.
Cloud plans are metered by actions and creators, which needs reading closely, prices are in US dollars, and there is no free cloud tier, only the self-hosted one. Sizing the paid plans means counting creators, end users and automation runs, so model your real usage against the pricing page before committing.
What Budibase does well
- Core platform is open source (GPL v3) and free to self-host
- Unlimited apps and users on the free self-hosted plan
- Cloud plans start at $19 a month with a 14-day trial
- Contract and courts in Northern Ireland, no US contracting entity
- Air-gapped self-hosted deployment is available
Where Budibase falls short
- No free cloud tier, only the self-hosted one
- Cloud pricing is capped by monthly actions and creator seats
- Priced in US dollars rather than euros
- Far lighter than the enterprise platforms for large process estates
Standout feature. The full platform can be run free on your own servers under a standard open-source licence.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Core platform is open source (GPL v3) and free to self-host
- Unlimited apps and users on the free self-hosted plan
- Cloud plans start at $19 a month with a 14-day trial
- Contract and courts in Northern Ireland, no US contracting entity
- Air-gapped self-hosted deployment is available
Cons
- No free cloud tier, only the self-hosted one
- Cloud pricing is capped by monthly actions and creator seats
- Priced in US dollars rather than euros
- Far lighter than the enterprise platforms for large process estates
Alternatives to Budibase
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Budibase?
Budibase is a Belfast builder for internal tools, portals and workflows, operated by Budibase Ltd (Companies House NI662141, incorporated in June 2019).
Its terms are governed by the laws of Northern Ireland and name the courts of Northern Ireland, so the contract sits in the United Kingdom, which is European but outside the EU and EEA. That keeps the vendor, the licence and the courts in one jurisdiction, which simplifies the legal review for buyers in the EU and the UK alike.
Where is Budibase based?
Budibase operates from Belfast, United Kingdom, which places it under UK (Northern Ireland).
What does Budibase cost?
Self-hosted open source: free (1 workspace, unlimited apps and users). Cloud: Pro $19/month, Premium $49/month, Business $299/month, Enterprise on request. Add-ons: end users $5/user/month and creators $50/creator/month on yearly billing.. 14-day free trial on paid cloud plans.
Who is Budibase best for?
Engineering teams wanting self-hostable internal tools. The full platform can be run free on your own servers under a standard open-source licence.
What are the drawbacks of Budibase?
No free cloud tier, only the self-hosted one. Cloud pricing is capped by monthly actions and creator seats. Priced in US dollars rather than euros. Far lighter than the enterprise platforms for large process estates.
Is Budibase a good alternative to Retool?
Budibase is built as a European alternative to Retool: Belfast open-source internal tool builder that is free to self-host, with cloud plans from $19 a month. It will not be a like-for-like feature match in every respect, so check the review above for where the two genuinely differ before switching.
How does Budibase compare to other Low-Code/No-Code Application Platforms?
Budibase is one of several European Low-Code/No-Code Application Platforms we cover. It is most often compared with Retool, Microsoft Power Apps.