6 self-hosted options
Self-hosted alternatives to Retool
The best open-source alternative to Retool is ToolJet (AGPL-3.0, 41,127 GitHub stars, Docker image). Appsmith stands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license, and Budibase stands out for the most commits in the last 12 months (13,967).
NocoDB and Directus are also listed but are source-available, so they come after the open-source picks.
About Retool: A low-code platform for building internal tools and admin panels.
Updated · data from GitHub, refreshed daily
Top picks
- Rank 1:
ToolJet
ToolJet/ToolJet
Low-code framework to build & deploy internal tools with minimal engineering effort (alternative to Retool and Mendix).
Active · last commit Oct 26, 2026
Low-code & BackendHTMLDockerStands out for its HTML codebase.
- Rank 2:
Appsmith
appsmithorg/appsmith
Build admin panels, CRUD apps and workflows. Build everything you need, 10x faster.
Active · last commit Oct 25, 2026
Low-code & BackendTypeScriptDockerStands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license.
- Rank 3:
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).
At a glance
Retool 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ToolJet | its HTML codebase | AGPL-3.0 | 41,127 | 5,842 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Appsmith | a permissive Apache-2.0 license | Apache-2.0 | 41,120 | 467 | Oct 25, 2026 | Yes |
| Budibase | the most commits in the last 12 months (13,967) | GPL-3.0 | 28,353 | 13,967 | Oct 26, 2026 | Yes |
| Saltcorn | a permissive MIT license | MIT | 2,085 | 595 | Oct 21, 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 Retool alternatives
Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.
- 1
ToolJet
Low-code framework to build & deploy internal tools with minimal engineering effort (alternative to Retool and Mendix).
Low-code & BackendDockerStands out for its HTML codebase. ToolJet has 41,127 GitHub stars, uses the AGPL-3.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 5,842 commits in the last year.
- 2
Appsmith
Build admin panels, CRUD apps and workflows. Build everything you need, 10x faster.
Low-code & BackendDockerStands out for a permissive Apache-2.0 license. Appsmith has 41,120 GitHub stars, uses the Apache-2.0 license, ships a Docker image and had 467 commits in the last year.
- 3
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.
- 4
Saltcorn
No-code database application builder for web and mobile applications. One platform for user interface, data backend, durable workflows, email, PDF generation, and AI applications.
Low-code & BackendDockerAI-nativeStands out for a permissive MIT license. Saltcorn has 2,085 GitHub stars, uses the MIT license, ships a Docker image and had 595 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 Retool?
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 Retool with Docker?
Yes. All 6 apps here publish a Docker image, including ToolJet, Appsmith and Budibase, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose.
Which Retool 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.