The Budibase Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Budibase in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Budibase
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI app builders, read from Budibase’s own pages.
Made by Budibase, Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Budibase’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Budibase’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade
Budibase is an open-source platform for building internal apps, automations and AI agents around business processes. It can be self-hosted for free or run on Budibase Cloud, where the price follows monthly action allowances and the number of creators and end users rather than a per-seat rate alone.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Budibase, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A web builder where the work is building the apps themselves.
- 1
Best for internal apps and automations, self-hosted
Budibase is an open-source platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents, free to self-host with unlimited users.
- 2
Paid plans start at $299 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $299 per month and up (Budibase Cloud, billing basis not shown).
- 3
There is a free plan
Community edition: free to self-host, with unlimited users, apps, agents and automations.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
App builder
A drag-and-drop designer for end-user web apps that work with workspace data and automations.
- 6
Automation builder
Backend workflows are chained from triggers and action steps, with 20+ triggers and actions and synchronous webhooks on the Enterprise edition.
- 7
Agent builder
AI agents are set up with instructions, tools, models and knowledge sources, with tool calling and evals. The Community edition uses your own AI key.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 23 of 89
That is against the other AI app builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Budibase you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Budibase at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $299 per month and up (Budibase Cloud, billing basis not shown)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of Budibase Cloud
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Budibase, Inc.
- Category
- AI App Builders
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for internal apps and automations, self-hosted
Budibase is an open-source platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents, free to self-host with unlimited users. But free means running a server, the hosted Cloud plan starts at $299 a month with a hard monthly action limit, and the free edition has one workspace.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Cloud starts at $299 a month, about fifteen times the category's middle of $20, for 2 creators and 20 end users. Self-hosting is free, but that needs a server of your own. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The Community edition is free to self-host with unlimited users, apps and automations, plus a 14-day Cloud trial. You need a server for it, and it has one workspace. |
| Features | B | App, automation and agent builders, data sources, a service portal and self-hosting. No gap shows in the job, only limits on the free edition. |
| Ease of use | C | A web builder where the work is building the apps themselves. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, and the listing names no integrations beyond its data sources. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Budibase is for
- Fits if you can run your own server and want internal tools with no per-seat fee
- Works for teams that want the data to stay on infrastructure they control
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you want it hosted: Cloud is $299 a month and up, billing basis not shown
- Skip it if you have no one to run a server, as the free edition is self-managed
- Tight if you rely on Cloud actions: they are a hard monthly limit with no overage, and more means sales
- Watch out: extra creators are $50 to $60 a month and extra end users $5 to $6
- Watch out: the Community edition keeps a 1-day automation log and has no Budibase AI
Good to know
Good for
- Teams that want to host their internal tools on their own infrastructure
- Organizations building approval, case and data-collection workflows
- Developers who want an open-source base they can inspect
Worth knowing
- Budibase Cloud starts at $299 a month; the page does not say whether that figure assumes annual billing.
- Cloud actions are a hard monthly limit with no overage billing, and a larger allowance means contacting sales.
- Extra creators cost $50 a month with annual billing or $60 monthly, and extra end users $5 or $6.
- The free Community edition has one workspace, a 1-day automation log and no synchronous webhooks or Budibase AI.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$299
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Budibase has a free plan. Paid plans start at $299 per month and up (Budibase Cloud, billing basis not shown).
Self-hosting is free, but that needs a server of your own.
Community (self-managed)
$0
Open-source edition you host yourself: unlimited users, apps, agents and automations, standard SSO and 1 workspace. No Budibase AI, but you can bring your own AI key.
Cloud
From $299
per month and up
Hosted by Budibase with 2 creators, 20 end users, 250K monthly actions and 50K monthly AI credits. Actions are a hard monthly limit; larger allowances are priced through sales.
Enterprise (self-managed)
Custom
Custom package with unlimited users, creators and workspaces, audit logs, enterprise identity controls, air-gapped deployment options and dedicated support.
The free plan
Community edition: free to self-host, with unlimited users, apps, agents and automations.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of Budibase Cloud
Read from budibase.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Lower add-on prices with annual billing
Creator and end-user add-ons cost 20% more with monthly billing than with annual billing.
Stated on budibase.comNonprofit
Charity pricing
A flexible pricing package for nonprofit teams, arranged through the contact form.
Stated on budibase.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source platform for internal apps, automations and AI agents. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation, AI agents, app builder, no-code.
App, automation and agent builders, data sources, a service portal and self-hosting.
- App builder
- A drag-and-drop designer for end-user web apps that work with workspace data and automations.
- Automation builder
- Backend workflows are chained from triggers and action steps, with 20+ triggers and actions and synchronous webhooks on the Enterprise edition.
- Agent builder
- AI agents are set up with instructions, tools, models and knowledge sources, with tool calling and evals. The Community edition uses your own AI key.
- Data sources
- Budibase's own database can be used beside external data sources, which the pricing page lists as unlimited on both self-hosted editions.
- Self-hosting
- Runs on private cloud, on-premise and air-gapped setups, according to the homepage.
- Service portal
- Apps, requests and approvals can be gathered into one portal for internal users.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Budibase is made by Budibase, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
23/89
Other AI app builders it is graded above
Budibase's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 72 of 89) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $299 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 81 of the 82 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 29 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 90 AI app builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Budibase’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 89
- BFree plan and trialAbove 72 of 89
- BFeaturesAbove 64 of 89
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 89
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 89
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 85 AI app builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Budibase is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Budibase you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 39 of the 89 other AI app builders grade higher. It costs $3,588 a year. Budibase is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- A tool that builds and hosts other apps.
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Budibase’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Appsmith, Retool, Superblocks, UI Bakery and ToolJet
The 5 tools Budibase is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Appsmith
Free plan · from $15/mo
Open-source low-code platform for internal apps.
- Budibase also covers workflow automation, AI agents and no-code.
- 2.8GPA
Retool
Free plan · from $10/mo
Platform for building internal apps, workflows and AI agents.
- Budibase is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Superblocks
Free trial · from $100/mo
Governed platform for AI-built internal apps and agents.
- Budibase has a free plan. Superblocks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Budibase is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Budibase also covers workflow automation and no-code.
- 2.6GPA
UI Bakery
Free plan · from $20/mo
Low-code and AI builder for internal tools.
- Budibase is open source, according to its own site.
- Budibase also covers AI agents and no-code.
- 2.6GPA
ToolJet
Free plan · from $23/mo
Low-code platform for internal tools, workflows and AI agents.
- ToolJet also covers databases.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Budibase free?
Budibase has a free plan. Community edition: free to self-host, with unlimited users, apps, agents and automations.
How much does Budibase cost?
Budibase lists 3 plans. Community (self-managed): $0.
What platforms does Budibase work on?
Budibase is available on Web.
Does Budibase offer any discounts?
Budibase publicly lists the following: Lower add-on prices with annual billing; Charity pricing.
Does Budibase have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Budibase is listed for Web.
Does Budibase have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Budibase is listed for Web.
Is Budibase open source?
Yes. Budibase is open source, according to its own site.
Does Budibase have an API?
Yes. Budibase offers a public API, according to its own site.
Does Budibase have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of Budibase Cloud.
Who makes Budibase?
Budibase is made by Budibase, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Budibase?
The closest alternatives to Budibase in our directory are Appsmith, Retool, Superblocks, UI Bakery and ToolJet.
How does Budibase compare with other AI app builders?
Budibase's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 27.
Is Budibase good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Budibase D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $299 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 81 of the 82 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Budibase?
To replace Budibase you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Budibase’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Budibase's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Budibase, Inc. Prices change, so check budibase.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Budibase, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/budibase
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Budibase: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/budibase
Know someone choosing between AI app builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/budibase/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI app builders after Budibase, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI App Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 90 AI app builders we grade, compared
- Taskade Insider's GuideWorkspace that builds apps, AI agents and automations from prompts3.2 GPA
- Google AI Studio Insider's GuideGoogle's workspace for building apps and prototypes with Gemini3.0 GPA
- Replit Insider's GuideCloud platform where an AI agent builds, hosts and publishes apps3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Budibase’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Budibase is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Budibase, Inc. Prices and plans change: check budibase.com before you buy.