Self-hosted alternatives to Airtable

Baserow is a free, open-source Airtable alternative for spreadsheet-style databases with linked tables, forms and views. Airtable charges per editor and caps records on each plan; self-hosted Baserow has no row limit.

2 alternatives Free apps Our pick: Baserow

At a glance

App	Good for	Code	Import from Airtable	Ease of use
Baserow	Teams that outgrew spreadsheets and want Airtable-style databases on their own server	Code Open source	Import from Airtable Yes	Easy
NocoDB	Teams that want Airtable-style databases with free kanban and calendar views, or a spreadsheet view of a database they already run	Code Fair-code	Import from Airtable Partly	Easy

Why look for an alternative to Airtable?

Airtable is a spreadsheet-style database: tables with typed fields, records linked between tables, and views, forms, automations and interfaces on top. Teams use it for CRMs, content calendars, inventories and project trackers.

Teams look for an alternative because of limits and price. The free plan caps each base at 1,000 records and limits automation runs, and paid plans are charged per editor, so a growing team pays more each month. And all your business data sits on Airtable's servers. A self-hosted database such as Baserow or NocoDB has no price per editor and no record cap of its own; the size of your server is the limit.

The alternatives, compared

Baserow

Our pick

Open-source Airtable alternative, as easy to use as a spreadsheet.

The closest open-source match to Airtable. Tables look like a spreadsheet but work like a database, with field types, linked records, filters, forms, an API and webhooks. Board, calendar and timeline views are in Baserow's paid plans.

What you gain

No price per editor
No row or storage caps from Baserow; your server's size is the limit
Your data stays on your own server

What is different

Board, calendar and timeline views and row comments are in Baserow's paid plans
Fewer ready-made integrations and extensions than Airtable
There is no phone app; it works in the phone's web browser

Easy Open source · MIT

Deploy Baserow About Baserow

NocoDB

Self-hosted no-code database with grid, kanban and calendar views.

A spreadsheet-style database with kanban and calendar views included free, and it can also work on top of a PostgreSQL or MySQL database you already run. It is fair-code rather than open source, timeline and Gantt views are paid, and the free plan allows two automation workflows per base.

What you gain

No price per editor and no record or storage caps; your server's size is the limit
Kanban, gallery, calendar and form views are included in the free self-hosted plan
Your data stays on your own server

What is different

Timeline and Gantt views, single sign-on, audit logs and field-level permissions need a paid NocoDB licence
Automations are limited to two per base in the free plan, and Airtable automations do not carry over
Airtable formula fields are not imported, so you rebuild them

Easy Fair-code · SUL-1.0

Deploy NocoDB About NocoDB

Moving from Airtable

Both apps can import an Airtable base with its tables, fields and records. Baserow imports a whole base from its share link; NocoDB imports a base or a shared view, keeps links, lookups and rollups, but leaves out formula fields, so rewrite those after the import. Both also import CSV, Excel and JSON files. Airtable automations, interfaces and extensions do not carry over, so rebuild the automations you need with an automation app such as n8n, and check linked fields and formulas after the import.

Questions

What is the best self-hosted alternative to Airtable?

Start with Baserow. If you want something simpler, try NocoDB. Both are free to self-host. Baserow is open source; NocoDB (fair-code) publishes its code under a licence that limits reselling it as a service.

Should I choose Baserow or NocoDB?

Choose Baserow if you want open-source code and the simplest setup. Choose NocoDB if you want free kanban and calendar views, or a spreadsheet view of a PostgreSQL or MySQL database you already have. NocoDB is fair-code: free to self-host for your own organisation, but not open source since January 2026.

How many rows can a self-hosted Airtable alternative hold?

As many as your server can handle. Neither Baserow nor NocoDB sets a row limit on a self-hosted copy; very large tables need a bigger server.

Do Baserow and NocoDB have an API?

Yes. Both give every table a REST API, and webhooks tell other apps when rows change.

Is it really free?

Yes, the apps are free. To run them you need Cloudgate and a server. Use hosted Cloudgate, which can also provide the server, or install Cloudgate on a server of your own for free. Cloudgate's plans and prices are at cloudgate.octabyte.io/pricing. One server can run several apps.

Do I need a developer?

No. Cloudgate installs the app on your server and gives it a secure web address. You use it in your browser.