6 self-hosted options
Self-hosted alternatives to Airtable
The best open-source alternative to Airtable is Budibase (GPL-3.0, 28,353 GitHub stars, Docker image). Teable stands out for the newest codebase (created November 2022), and Grist stands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license.
NocoDB and Directus are also listed but are source-available, so they come after the open-source picks.
About Airtable: A spreadsheet-database hybrid for building lightweight business apps.
Updated · data from GitHub, refreshed daily
Top picks
- Rank 1:
Budibase
Budibase/budibase
Build and automate internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, CRUD apps, and more, in minutes (alternative to Outsystems, Retool, Mendix, Appian).
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Low-code & BackendTypeScriptDockerStands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (13,967).
- Rank 2:
Teable
teableio/teable
Next-gen Airtable alternative with a Postgres-backed spreadsheet UI.
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Database ManagementTypeScriptDockerStands out for the newest codebase (created November 2022).
- Rank 3:
Grist
gristlabs/grist-core
Next-generation spreadsheet with relational structure, formula-based access control, and a portable, self-contained format (alternative to Airtable).
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Office SuitesTypeScriptDockerStands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license.
At a glance
Airtable alternatives compared
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.
| App | Stands out for | License | GitHub stars | Commits (12 mo) | Last commit | Docker image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budibase | the most commits in the last 12 months (13,967) | GPL-3.0 | 28,353 | 13,967 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Teable | the newest codebase (created November 2022) | AGPL-3.0 | 21,929 | 661 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Grist | a permissive Apache-2.0 license | Apache-2.0 | 11,999 | 1,190 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Mathesar | its Svelte codebase | GPL-3.0 | 5,161 | 1,056 | Oct 25, 2026 | Yes |
| NocoDB | the most GitHub stars | source-available, Sustainable Use License 1.0 | 65,366 | 7,173 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Directus | – | source-available, Monospace Sustainable Core License 1.0 | 38,634 | 780 | Oct 23, 2026 | Yes |
Full list
All 6 Airtable alternatives
Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.
- 1
Budibase
Build and automate internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, CRUD apps, and more, in minutes (alternative to Outsystems, Retool, Mendix, Appian).
Low-code & BackendDockerStands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (13,967). Budibase has 28,353 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 13,967 commits in the last year.
- 2
Teable
Next-gen Airtable alternative with a Postgres-backed spreadsheet UI.
Database ManagementDockerStands out for the newest codebase (created November 2022). Teable has 21,929 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 661 commits in the last year.
- 3
Grist
Next-generation spreadsheet with relational structure, formula-based access control, and a portable, self-contained format (alternative to Airtable).
Office SuitesDockerStands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license. Grist has 11,999 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 1,190 commits in the last year.
- 4
Mathesar
Intuitive UI to manage data collaboratively, for users of all technical skill levels. Built on Postgres – connect an existing DB or set up a new one.
Database ManagementDockerStands out for its Svelte codebase. Mathesar has 5,161 GitHub stars, uses the GPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 1,056 commits in the last year.
- 5
NocoDB
No-code platform that turns any database into a smart spreadsheet (alternative to Airtable and Smartsheet).
Source-availableDatabase ManagementDockerStands out for the most GitHub stars. NocoDB has 65,366 GitHub stars, is source-available under the Sustainable Use License 1.0 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 7,173 commits in the last year.
- 6
Directus
An Instant App & API for your SQL Database. Directus wraps your new or existing SQL database with a realtime GraphQL+REST API for developers, and an intuitive admin app for non-technical users.
Source-availableDatabase ManagementDockerDirectus has 38,634 GitHub stars, is source-available under the Monospace Sustainable Core License 1.0 (not an open-source license), ships a Docker image and had 780 commits in the last year.
Is there a free alternative to Airtable?
Yes. 4 of the 6 apps on this page are open source; 2 are source-available. The open-source ones are free to self-host without per-user fees; source-available licenses add conditions such as user caps or limits on hosted use, so read them before you commit.
Can I self-host an alternative to Airtable with Docker?
Yes. All 6 apps here publish a Docker image, including Budibase, Teable and Grist, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose.
Which Airtable alternative is the most actively developed?
Budibase (GPL-3.0), with 13,967 commits in the last 12 months. Activity is a good sign that bugs and security issues get fixed.
How is this list ranked?
Open-source apps come first, then source-available ones and apps whose license appsgit could not verify; within each group, projects with at least 12 commits in the last 12 months come before less active or archived ones, then by GitHub stars.