The Kintone Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kintone 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.
Kintone
The Insider’s Guide
No-code database apps with workflows and team discussion
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among spreadsheet and database tools, read from Kintone’s own pages.
Made by Cybozu, Inc. · checked Nov 12, 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 Kintone’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kintone’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 17 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade
Kintone is a no-code workplace platform for building database apps with drag-and-drop forms. Records sit next to comments, approval workflows and dashboards, and existing spreadsheets can be converted into apps. It has web, iOS and Android access and a built-in AI assistant.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kintone, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is a web app where the work is building the apps, so there is a learning curve.
- 1
Best for teams building database apps with approvals and comments
Kintone is a no-code builder for database apps with forms, workflows, comments next to records and dashboards, on web, iPhone and Android.
- 2
Paid plans start at $24 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $24 per user / month, 5-user minimum ($16 for first-time buyers).
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial with access to all features
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Drag-and-drop app builder
Build database apps from forms without code, or start from the app template library.
- 6
Spreadsheet conversion
Upload Excel files and turn them into database apps.
- 7
Process management
Custom approval processes with branch criteria, all-or-any approvals and status history.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 17 of 63
That is against the other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Kintone you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Kintone at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $24 per user / month, 5-user minimum ($16 for first-time buyers)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial with access to all features
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Cybozu, Inc.
- Category
- Spreadsheets & Databases
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for teams building database apps with approvals and comments
Kintone is a no-code builder for database apps with forms, workflows, comments next to records and dashboards, on web, iPhone and Android. It starts at $24 a user a month with a 5-user minimum, and anything beyond basic customisation needs the $28 plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Professional is $24 per user a month from 5 users, which is $120 a month at the floor. Spreadsheet tools sit around $12 in the middle, and the $16 first-time price on the page is a sale. |
| Free plan and trial | D | A 30-day trial with every feature, but the page doesn't say whether it needs a card. There is no free plan. |
| Features | B | Drag-and-drop apps, spreadsheet import, process management, discussion beside records, permissions, audit logs and an API. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. It is a web app where the work is building the apps, so there is a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, plus an API. No desktop app is listed. |
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 Kintone is for
- Fits if a team wants approvals and discussion kept next to its records
- Makes sense if you are moving spreadsheets into proper apps for five or more people
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you are alone or a pair, as you pay for at least 5 users, $120 a month
- Tight if you need advanced customisation, which is only on the $28 Custom plan
- Watch out: the page doesn't say how monthly or annual contracts change the price
- Watch out: the page shows a first-time-buyer sale, and $24 and $28 are the prices without it
- Watch out: payment on the page is by credit card only
Good to know
Good for
- Teams replacing shared Excel files with simple business apps
- Departments that want approvals and discussion kept with their records
- Small teams starting at 5 users
Worth knowing
- Plans are sold from 5 users; the page does not say how a monthly or annual contract changes the per-user price.
- The regional site shows a first-time-buyer sale; the $24 and $28 figures are the prices without it.
- Advanced customization options are limited to the Custom plan.
- Payment is by credit card only on the page; other methods go through a local sales partner.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$24
A month to start, for each person
Kintone is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $24 per user / month, 5-user minimum ($16 for first-time buyers).
Professional
$24
per user / month, from 5 users
All basic features. First-time subscribers see a $16 price on the page. Monthly or annual contract.
Custom
$28
per user / month, from 5 users
Professional plus advanced customization options. First-time subscribers see a $20 price on the page.
Trying it first
30-day free trial with access to all features
Read from kintone.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
First-time buyer sale
The pricing page shows $16 (Professional) and $20 (Custom) per user per month for first-time subscribers; how long it lasts is not stated.
Stated on kintone.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
No-code database apps with workflows and team discussion. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, databases, workflow automation, app builder, no-code.
Drag-and-drop apps, spreadsheet import, process management, discussion beside records, permissions, audit logs and an API.
- Drag-and-drop app builder
- Build database apps from forms without code, or start from the app template library.
- Spreadsheet conversion
- Upload Excel files and turn them into database apps.
- Process management
- Custom approval processes with branch criteria, all-or-any approvals and status history.
- Discussion beside records
- Comments, user profiles, private messages and tagging sit with the data they refer to.
- Permissions and audit logs
- Access can be set by department, space, app, record and field, with audit logs of app changes and record actions.
- API and customization
- REST API, webhooks and JavaScript and CSS customization, plus native iOS and Android apps.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Kintone is made by Cybozu, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
17/63
Other spreadsheet and database tools it is graded above
Kintone's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 17 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on features (B, above 40 of 63) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $24 a month for each person, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 34 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kintone’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 63
- DFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 63
- BFeaturesAbove 40 of 63
- CEase of useAbove 9 of 63
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 21 of 63
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 59 spreadsheet and database tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kintone 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 Kintone you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code. 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: 36 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools grade higher. It costs $288 a year.
What you could not
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A tool that builds and hosts other apps.
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: audit logs and roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Kintone’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
Quickbase, Knack, Ragic, Caspio and Ninox
The 5 tools Kintone is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Quickbase
Free trial · from $35/mo
Low-code platform for custom work apps and workflows.
- Only Kintone lists iOS and Android apps.
- Quickbase also covers reports.
- 2.4GPA
Knack
Free trial · from $49/mo
No-code online database and web app builder.
- Only Kintone lists iOS and Android apps.
- Knack also covers forms.
- 2.8GPA
Ragic
Free plan · from $5/mo
No-code database builder with a spreadsheet-style interface.
- Ragic has a free plan. Kintone does not, though it has a free trial.
- Kintone also covers app builder.
- Ragic also covers forms, spreadsheets and reports.
- 2.0GPA
Caspio
Free trial · from $270/mo
Low-code platform for database-driven web apps.
- Only Kintone lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kintone also covers workflow automation.
- Caspio also covers forms.
- 2.2GPA
Ninox
Free plan · from $31/mo
AI-assisted low-code platform for custom business software.
- Ninox has a free plan. Kintone does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Kintone lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kintone also covers no-code.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Kintone free?
No, Kintone is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial with access to all features.
How much does Kintone cost?
Kintone lists 2 plans. Professional: $24 per user / month, from 5 users.
What platforms does Kintone work on?
Kintone is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Kintone offer any discounts?
Kintone publicly lists the following: First-time buyer sale.
Does Kintone have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kintone is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Kintone have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kintone is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Kintone open source?
Kintone is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Kintone have an API?
Yes. Kintone offers a public API, according to its own site.
Who makes Kintone?
Kintone is made by Cybozu, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Kintone?
The closest alternatives to Kintone in our directory are Quickbase, Knack, Ragic, Caspio and Ninox.
How does Kintone compare with other spreadsheet and database tools?
Kintone's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 17 of the 63 other spreadsheet and database tools we grade, and level with 10.
Is Kintone good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kintone C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $24 a month for each person, against a middle price of $12 for the category: 34 of the 47 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Kintone?
To replace Kintone you would be making a builder that other people can use without writing code.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kintone’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kintone's own pages on 12 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 Cybozu, Inc. Prices change, so check kintone.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
- Kintone, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kintone
- 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, "Kintone: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kintone
Know someone choosing between spreadsheet and database tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kintone/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded spreadsheet and database tools after Kintone, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Spreadsheets & Databases Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 spreadsheet and database tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Sheet Insider's GuideCollaborative online spreadsheet with a free version3.6 GPA
- Google Sheets Insider's GuideBrowser-based spreadsheet, free with a Google Account3.4 GPA
- Microsoft Excel Insider's GuideSpreadsheet app sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 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 Kintone’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. Kintone is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Cybozu, Inc. Prices and plans change: check kintone.com before you buy.