In a world where data drives decisions, the power of database platforms is undeniable. As we head into 2024, the need for robust database-powered app builders is at an all-time high, offering more than just data storage—they enable the creation and development of applications that utilize this data effectively.
Read on to find out more about the best database app builders to look out for in 2024, including their unique features and how they stand out in the busy marketplace of database tools.
A database app builder is a tool that combines the simplicity of spreadsheets with the functionality of databases. It allows users to store and manipulate data in one place, create relationships between different sets of data, and build powerful database applications.
While spreadsheets have their uses, they are limited when it comes to handling large and complex datasets. This is where database app builders thrive. They provide advanced solutions by enabling specific queries, displaying related data, and creating sophisticated views and dashboards.
No-code database builders take things even further by simplifying the process of creating internal applications. From simple forms to complex automated business processes, these builders make it easy for teams to construct complex database systems quickly. With drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-coded elements, the risk of errors is reduced, and extensive coding knowledge is not necessary.
Baserow is a database app builder that allows users of all levels to create their own applications without needing to code. It combines the simplicity of spreadsheets with the power of databases, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly solution for businesses.
Baserow’s top-rated platform comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and an extensive suite of features like advanced filtering and sorting, real-time collaboration, and creating detailed relationships between tables. You can get started quickly with a variety of pre-built templates, and visualize your data in various views such as Calendar, Kanban, Form, and more.
One of the key advantages of Baserow is its API-first approach, which makes integration with existing tools seamless. Additionally, its open-source nature allows for greater customization and control, especially for businesses with specific security or compliance requirements. You have the option to either use Baserow’s hosted solutions or self-host the software on your own servers.
In terms of pricing, Baserow offers excellent value for money. With unlimited databases, rows, and storage, it provides powerful features at a fraction of the cost of other platforms. Furthermore, Baserow’s permissible MIT license allows you to extend its functionality with plugins or even build on top of it without any additional license fees.
This cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform is designed for building a range of database applications, including project management, content creation, customer relationship management (CRM), and more. It’s particularly appealing to those who are familiar with spreadsheets but require additional database capabilities.
Airtable offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features including real-time collaboration, diverse view options, and a range of extensions such as Chart and Page Designer. You can integrate it with popular work apps like Slack and Jira, and use Airtable’s ‘Zaps’ to trigger automation and streamline your workflow.
The platform doesn’t offer an open-source version and it can’t be self-hosted, which might be an issue if you need to customize the software or conform to specific data security requirements. Nonetheless, it’s an ideal app builder tool if you don’t require those capabilities.
Paid plans start from $12 per user/month, billed monthly. The popular Business plan starts at $54 per user/month, billed monthly. Here’s a helpful guide to understanding Airtable’s pricing.
Coda is an all-in-one collaborative workspace that combines the flexibility of documents, the familiarity of spreadsheets, and the power of applications into a single, unified workspace. It helps teams of all sizes organize, plan, and execute their work more efficiently, allowing you to create anything from simple documents to complex project management applications with ease.
Coda offers a rich set of features catering to a wide range of business needs. You can start with a blank canvas or use pre-built templates to jumpstart projects and collaborate in real-time, making it easy for teams to comment, share ideas, and make decisions. With Coda, documents come alive with interactive tables, dynamic charts, and customizable views, ensuring everyone is on the same page and able to access information in the format that works best for them.
Easily embed elements such as buttons, sliders, and checkboxes. You can manipulate data, calculate metrics, and create sophisticated logic, all without leaving your workspace. Coda integrates seamlessly with an array of work apps like Slack, Gmail, Jira, GitHub, and Zapier. Coda AI helps you delegate repetitive tasks, create content, and get insights faster.
Coda’s pricing is designed to maximize value for teams. Only Doc Makers—those who create new documents and pages—are charged, while Editors and Viewers are always free. Coda’s Free plan includes unlimited unshared documents, 1GB of attachment storage per document, and access to a range of integration Packs such as Spotify, Wikipedia, and Dropbox. The team plan starts at $30/month per Doc Maker, and Enterprise pricing is available on request.
Ninox is a low-code platform that allows you to build database applications tailored to your specific needs. With its user-friendly interface and low-code approach, it’s particularly useful for businesses looking to digitize and streamline various operations, such as task management and project planning, with minimal coding required.
Ninox offers a rich set of features including tables, forms, fields, and formulas that can be customized to fit various business processes. Users can use pre-built templates, link different databases to each other, and collaborate in real-time, with multiple users able to work on the same database simultaneously.
The platform also offers a built-in scripting language for advanced users who wish to add custom behaviors and complex logic to their applications. This scripting capability allows for things like the automation of tasks, the creation of complex calculations, and the customization of user interfaces.
Ninox offers flexibility in terms of data hosting and accessibility, with options for cloud-based or on-premises deployment. It can also integrate with various external services and platforms making it a good tool if you’re looking for an efficient database app builder to help manage your data and workflows.
Kintone is a cloud-based database app builder, primarily designed for business use. It provides a no-code environment, allowing you to create, customize, and manage your own database apps without needing coding skills. This makes it appealing if you’re looking to digitize and streamline workflows without the overhead of traditional software development.
Users can create a wide range of applications, ranging from CRMs to project tracking tools, inventory management, and more. It provides a suite of advanced features, like advanced filtering and sorting, customizable views and interfaces, and various plugins and APIs to expand Kintone’s capabilities and integrate it with other business tools.
Teams can communicate and share data in real-time, with comments and notifications, automated reminders, approvals, and task handoffs. Granular permissions and revision history ensure data is appropriately managed and secure. While its compatibility with a variety of devices lets teams view, edit, and manage data from any location.
Kintone’s pricing structure is simple and transparent with a single plan that includes all features at $24 per user per month. It requires a minimum of five users, which amounts to a base cost of $120 per month. Clients have the flexibility to add more users as needed and can opt for either monthly or annual contracts. Kintone also offers a 30-day free trial, providing full access to all platform features.
Budibase is a low-code database app builder designed for rapid development and deployment of internal tools and applications. You can use it for designing, deploying, and scaling custom applications, such as client portals, custom CRMs, admin panels, forms, and more, all via its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
Aimed at businesses of all sizes, it’s versatile enough to serve a wide array of industries, including IT, software development, project management, and marketing. If you know how to use platforms like Airtable, you’ll likely find it a breeze, with more than 40 pre-built components and templates for building complex applications that can grow with your business needs.
The platform’s open-source nature combined with self-hosting capabilities offers users greater control and flexibility over their applications. You can freely access and modify the source code to tailor your apps precisely to your needs, and choose where your data is stored, whether deploying on private servers or using cloud services, allowing you to create and manage applications with confidence.
Retool makes it quick and easy to build custom business applications without extensive coding. It offers a vast library of pre-built components for creating highly customized applications that can interact with databases, APIs, and nearly all internal data sources. You can make all sorts of things with it, from managing inventory to tracking projects or even organizing customer support. It handles all of the programming, so you can focus on building something useful for your business.
The platform supports SQL, REST, GraphQL, and more, making it possible to connect to a wide array of data sources seamlessly. Once you’ve built what you need, you can instantly see how it app looks and functions, then share it with users for immediate feedback or deployment. Once you’re done, start using the app right away, on any device.
Retool takes care of security and can handle as many users as you need. Version control helps keep track of changes and updates to your applications, making it easy to manage and collaborate on projects. And you can choose from a number of deployment options, whether you want to run your applications in the cloud or on your own infrastructure.
Stackby combines the simplicity of spreadsheets with the power of databases and the functionality of business APIs, offering a unique platform for managing data and automating workflows. Aimed at non-technical users and developers alike, it allows anyone to create their own customized no-code solutions, such as CRM, project management tools, and campaign trackers—all within a single, user-friendly interface.
Getting started is as simple as signing up. From there, you can easily import existing data from Excel or Google Sheets, or start from scratch from a range of pre-built, no-code templates. With over 25+ unique column data types, 6 different data views, power-ups, and an ever-growing app marketplace, it provides the necessary tools and building blocks to meet a team’s evolving needs.
Connect columns to your favourite apps, pull data automatically in your table, and refresh data in real-time, all without any coding. Stackby also supports a range of views, including tables, kanban boards, calendars, galleries, and forms, so you can visualize and organize your data in the way that best suits your projects.
Zoho Creator is a low-code platform for building custom applications without needing extensive coding knowledge. Part of the extensive Zoho ecosystem, Creator is designed with flexibility and scalability in mind, enabling users to automate business processes, manage data, and create interactive applications tailored to their operational needs.
It features a drag-and-drop interface for form and dashboard creation, including over 30 field types with AI capabilities. It also boasts robust reporting and analytics capabilities, integration capabilities for over 600 apps, and a user-friendly IDE, allowing for the development of enterprise-grade applications.
Designed for scalability and security, the software supports both self-hosting and cloud options, including custom SSO, audit logs, and SOC 2 Type II compliance, making it ideal for enterprises. Choose from deployment options for web, Android, and iOS platforms, allowing you to bring powerful applications to market more quickly.
AppSheet offers a no-code development platform that lets you create mobile and web applications directly from data sources like Google Sheets and Excel. It’s designed for both technical and non-technical users, simplifying the creation of custom solutions, streamlining work processes, and enhancing productivity across various business operations.
With AppSheet, creating custom applications to manage everyday tasks, workflows, and data is simple. The platform automatically generates a user interface based on the data structure, which can then be customized to suit specific requirements. Real-time data synchronization ensures that your applications are always up to date, while its rich set of features supports everything from GPS and maps to image capture and signature collection.
The platform seamlessly connects with Google Workspace, enhancing collaboration and productivity with apps like Gmail, Sheets, and Spaces. Plus, it offers compatibility with a wide array of third-party apps and data sources, ensuring that your AppSheet applications can integrate smoothly into your existing digital ecosystem.
Explore the platform and test your apps with up to 10 users for free, using features from any plan. When you’re ready, sign up for a plan and deploy your apps to the rest of your team. The Starter plan costs $5 user/month.
SeaTable is a no-code database with an in-beta application builder that allows you to build, manage, and automate data-driven applications. Combining the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the power and flexibility of a database, it’s ideal for a variety of applications, including marketing, project management, HR, and sales.
At first glance, SeaTable looks similar to Excel or Google Sheets, but it offers more. Its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop capabilities allow you to quickly build new systems from scratch or customize one of the many ready-made templates available. As a relational database, it allows you to create relationships between tables, such as linking customer data to their respective orders.
It supports multiple views—Grid, Kanban, Gallery, and Calendar—allowing you to visualize and manage your data in the way that suits you best. Real-time collaboration features ensure that teams stay updated, with capabilities for instant sharing and editing. Robust API and integration options allow for seamless connections with other tools and services, while the integrated app builder lets you create custom applications to extend the platform’s functionality.
SeaTable offers a variety of pricing plans tailored to different needs. The Free Plan includes unlimited tables, 10,000 rows, and 2 GB of file storage, providing a decent starting point for small teams and individual users. The Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing, unlimited users, customizable row limits, and dedicated support. Additionally, the Dedicated Cloud option for 100+ users combines the simplicity of cloud-based solutions with the flexibility and control of a self-hosted system.
Softr is a popular no-code platform that lets you create dynamic web applications and portals without any coding skills. Rather than having a native database, Softr integrates with backend sources like Airtable and Google Sheets. Softr makes it easy to build functional, responsive websites, internal tools, client portals, community hubs, and more.
With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, it’s accessible to users of all technical levels. You can create applications by simply dragging and dropping pre-built blocks, such as lists, charts, forms, tables, calendars, and maps. It also comes with a wide array of ready-made templates for various use cases, including CRMs, project management systems, and content calendars, which can be customized to meet your specific needs.
Real-time collaboration features ensure that team members stay on the same page, with capabilities for sharing and editing, comments, and notifications. Granular permissions and access levels protect sensitive data, ensuring it’s accessible only to authorized users. Additionally, the platform supports extensive integrations with popular tools like Zapier, Google Analytics, Stripe, Hotjar, and Mailchimp, enhancing workflows and automating repetitive tasks.
Softr offers a Free plan that includes unlimited app visitors, 5 internal users, 100 external users, and 5 workspace collaborators, with 1 custom domain. The Business plan costs $25 per user per month, offering SMS login, 100 internal users, 10,000 external users, 15 workspace collaborators, and downloadable mobile apps. The Enterprise plan, with custom pricing, provides additional volume, security, and support, including SSO for app users, security audits, a dedicated success manager, team training, and custom invoicing.
Stacker is a great tool for creating custom CRMs, internal tools, customer portals, and other essential applications quickly, without needing to write any code. Simply drag and drop elements into place using its intuitive visual editor, and easily match your brand’s professional look by customizing layouts, adding logos, and adjusting color schemes.
With Stacker, teams can collaborate in real-time, keeping everyone on the same page. The platform’s role-based access controls let you set different access levels for various users. It also integrates with existing data sources like Airtable and Google Sheets, and supports a variety of third-party tools, making it easy to automate processes and connect your applications with the other services you use.
Stacker is designed to support rapid iteration, allowing your applications to grow and evolve alongside your business. Whether you need basic tools or enterprise-scale solutions, it can handle large amounts of data and users while ensuring your information remains secure and compliant with industry-leading standards.
Stacker offers three main pricing plans to suit different business needs, each with a 30-day free trial. The Business plan is ideal for growing companies managing mission-critical processes, offering custom scripts, custom CSS, custom domains, priority support, and a dedicated success manager. For large companies with complex data needs, the Enterprise plan provides additional features such as enterprise SSO, custom data connectors, a dedicated account manager, custom SLAs, and comprehensive enterprise support.
This all-in-one platform lets you design, develop, and launch production-grade web applications without writing a single line of code. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a team member, or part of an enterprise, it gives you the tools needed to build complex applications quickly and efficiently.
Its visual programming interface allows you to create highly interactive and dynamic user experiences, making it possible to build applications that rival those developed through traditional coding methods. Plus, its built-in database ensures your application can scale seamlessly as your data grows.
You can collaborate in real-time and choose from over 6,500 plugins and integrations to extend your app’s capabilities. If you need more customization, you can also incorporate custom code, providing limitless possibilities.
For enterprise users, the platform is SOC 2 Type II compliant, supports single sign-on (SSO), allows you to choose your hosting region, and ensures data encryption at rest, making it a reliable choice for building secure and scalable business applications.
Bubble offers a free plan that lets you start building your applications at no initial cost. You can design and develop your app, upgrading only when you’re ready to launch.
DronaHQ is an ideal solution for businesses needing to quickly build and deploy custom applications using low-code technology. It provides a wide range of tools for app development, whether you need internal tools, dashboards, mobile apps, or web applications, DronaHQ has you covered. It’s suitable for a variety of industries, including finance, healthcare, retail, and logistics.
Its drag-and-drop interface makes it ideal for building custom applications, drastically reducing the time required compared to traditional development methods. It includes over 150 UI components like input controls, buttons, charts, and navigations, so you can build even the most sophisticated user interfaces.
The platfrom integrates with popular services such as Salesforce, SAP, Google Sheets, and various REST APIs, enabling seamless data flow and synchronization across platforms. It also provides low-code options for users who need more advanced customization like adding custom scripts and creating complex logic to extend functionality.
You can build both mobile and web applications, with responsive design capabilities ensuring that applications look and function well on smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Make the most of features for real-time collaboration, along with workflow automation tools that make it easy to streamline processes and reduce manual tasks.
The Starter plan costs $10 per user/month and is ideal for individuals and startups, offering unlimited web and mobile app builds, Google sign-in, case-based support, version release history, and over 100 pre-built UI components. The Enterprise plan has custom pricing and includes custom connectors, granular permissions, audit logs, 100 engineering support hours, enterprise support, and multiple SSO support. Additional services such as PDF generation, automation tasks, BPM workflows, and public or embeddable apps are available as add-ons.
When it comes to selecting the best database app builder, the choice largely depends on your specific needs and preferences.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective and flexible solution for building database applications tailored to large and complex datasets, then Baserow is the best option. Its open-source nature and self-hosting capabilities offer a high degree of customization and control, making it particularly suitable for businesses with unique or advanced operational demands. It offers advanced features and unlimited rows, databases, and storage, along with a permissive MIT license which lets you extend Baserow’s functionality with plugins or build upon it without incurring additional license fees.
For those who do not require an open-source, self-hosted solution, Airtable is an ideal choice. Its user-friendly interface and rich feature set make it a strong contender for businesses seeking a managed solution. However, it’s important to note that Airtable can be expensive, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious businesses.
Ultimately, the decision between Baserow, Airtable, or any other database app builders, should be based on a careful assessment of your business’s specific needs, budget constraints, and the level of customization and control required.
Baserow makes it easy for anyone to create a database that fits their specific needs. Whether you’re managing a project, tracking inventory, or organizing customer data, it offers a user-friendly platform that lets you easily store, organize, and manipulate your information.
Build a database from scratch or add a database from a pre-built template for a quick start.
With Baserow, what you see is what you get—there are no hidden costs! It’s designed for performance, handling even vast amounts of data effortlessly. For a scalable, flexible solution at a competitive price, contact us today!
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