NocoDB vs Rowy (2026): which should you pick?

Pick NocoDB if

• Fits if you already have a Postgres or MySQL database and want a spreadsheet view of it
• Works for teams of more than 9, since Plus and Business stop billing at 9 seats

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you're staying on the cloud Free plan, which stops at 1,000 records, 3 editors and 1,000 API calls a month
• Pricey if you want to connect your own database on the cloud, as that starts on Business at $24 a seat
• Not for you if you need an open-source licence, as the Community edition is under the Sustainable Use License
• Watch out: AI features, extensions and advanced forms are limited to the cloud and paid self-hosted versions
• Skip it if you want a phone or desktop app, as it's browser only; Scale also has a 3-seat minimum

Pick Rowy if

• Fits if your app runs on Firebase and you want a grid for the data
• Works for developers who want cloud functions attached to rows

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you don't use Firebase, as it only sits on Firestore
• Skip it if you want a maintained product, since the site shows a 2023 copyright and promotes BuildShip
• Tight if you export a lot, as Base exports up to 10K rows
• Watch out: Google Cloud charges apply outside Rowy's plans
• Watch out: Pro's billing basis isn't stated, only a 10% saving

NocoDB

• The cloud Free plan stops at 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage, 3 editors and 1,000 API calls a month.
• The self-hosted Community edition is released under the Sustainable Use License, which NocoDB describes as fair-code.
• External database connections are not supported on the cloud Plus plan; they start at Business, with 10 connections.
• NocoDB says AI features, extensions and advanced form options are limited to its cloud and paid self-hosted versions.

Rowy

• The page notes the Pro plan's $12 as the monthly price and mentions a 10% saving without giving the annual figure.
• Cloud functions run on your own Google Cloud project, so GCP charges apply outside Rowy's plans.
• The site promotes the newer BuildShip product and shows a 2023 copyright date, so check that Rowy is still maintained.
• Export on the Base plan is limited to 10K rows.

NocoDB

Spreadsheet interface for databases

Create an online database from scratch or connect an existing Postgres or MySQL database, then sort, filter and group records in a spreadsheet-like grid.

Multiple view types

The same data can be shown as a Grid, Form, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar or Map view, and the documentation also lists Timeline, Gantt and List views.

Workflows, scripts and webhooks

A visual workflow builder with triggers, actions, conditions and loops, JavaScript scripts with API access to a base, and webhooks that fire when records change.

Interfaces

Interfaces are focused apps built on the data in a base, with pages for dashboards, forms, tables and record detail. The cloud Free plan allows 1 interface of up to 3 pages.

Roles and access control

Five roles from Owner to Viewer, with access control at workspace, base, table, field and record level. Row-level security and audit logs are part of the Scale plan.

APIs and imports

Meta and Data APIs give programmatic access to bases, and data can be imported from Airtable, Excel, CSV and JSON files.

Rowy

Spreadsheet UI on your database

Shows Firestore data in a familiar grid with more than 30 field types.

Cloud functions

Write backend logic beside the table and use any npm package or API.

Derivative and action fields

Calculate values when fields change and run tasks from a button.

Webhooks and extensions

Receive data from outside sources and send changes to services such as SendGrid and Slack.

Your data stays yours

Data lives in your own Firebase project, so you pick the region.

NocoDB

• Community$0

  Self-hosted fair-code edition with unlimited records, storage and seats, 6 view types, record comments and webhooks, and up to 2 workflows per base.

• Free$0

  Cloud plan for up to 3 editors and 10 commenters: 1,000 records, 1 GB of storage, 100 automation runs, 1 extension and 1 interface.

• Plus$12

  per seat / month, billed annually ($15 billed monthly)

  50,000 records, 20 GB of storage and 30,000 automation runs. Billing stops at 9 seats ($108 a month); seats beyond that are free.

• Business$24

  per seat / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)

  300,000 records, 100 GB of storage, 10 external database connections, private bases and SAML single sign-on. Billing is capped at $216 a month.

• Scale$45

  per seat / month, billed annually ($54 billed monthly)

  1 million records, 150 GB of storage, 5 million API calls a month, row-level security and audit logs. Listed with a 3-seat minimum.

• EnterpriseCustom

  SCIM and SSO, team hierarchy, priority support and invoice-based payments, with a dedicated customer success manager.

Rowy

• Base$0

  1 project, 30+ column types, unlimited cloud functions, CSV, TSV and JSON import, community support.

• Pro$12

  per seat / month, billing basis not stated

  Unlimited projects, full-text search, large exports, email support, GCP billing hard cap; page mentions a 10% saving.

• BusinessCustom

  Adds custom domain, priority support, data version control and automated backups. Contact sales.

NocoDB

• Annual discount

  20% off with annual billing

  NocoDB's pricing FAQ gives a 20% discount for annual billing: Plus is $12 per seat a month against $15 billed monthly, and Business $24 against $30.

Rowy

No public discounts listed.