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It's a split decision.
Baserow is the better fit for teams that want an open-source platform they can run on their own infrastructure, with app building, dashboards, workflow automation and views beyond a spreadsheet. NocoDB fits teams that want a spreadsheet-style database over Postgres or MySQL, SQL access, and a clear API-call allowance on paid plans. Compare workspace row limits against record limits, and validate API volume, self-hosting requirements and export paths before you commit; the products meter different things.
01Side by side
| Baserow | NocoDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-user plans; annual or monthly billing | Per-seat cloud plans; annual or monthly billing |
| Free tier | 3,000 rows; 2GB; 2,000 automation credits | 1,000 records; 1GB; 1,000 API calls/month |
| Open source and licence | Open source; licence name not published | Open-source status and licence not published |
| Self-hosting | Cloudron, Docker, AWS, or Helm | Self-hosted Community; Enterprise air-gapped installation |
| API and SDKs | API and OpenAPI specification | Versioned APIs; v2 deprecation announced |
| Integrations | HTTP, email, webhooks, third-party connectors | Postgres, MySQL, Airtable, CSV, Excel |
| Deployment model | Cloud or self-hosted | Cloud, Community self-hosting, or connected database |
| Limits and scaling | Up to 1 million rows per workspace | Up to 1 million records; 5 million API calls/month |
Baserow Choose Baserow if
- Choose Baserow if you want an open-source platform to self-host.
- Choose Baserow if you need app building, dashboards and workflows.
- Choose Baserow if Docker, AWS, Helm or Cloudron fit your deployment.
NocoDB Choose NocoDB if
- Choose NocoDB if you want a spreadsheet interface for Postgres or MySQL.
- Choose NocoDB if SQL access and API-call caps matter.
- Choose NocoDB if you need Airtable, CSV or Excel imports.
02Pricing at real usage
Both have free options, but their quotas differ. Baserow Free includes 3,000 rows and 2GB per workspace, 2,000 automation credits, and 500 external app users. NocoDB Free is capped at three users, 1,000 records, 1GB, 100 automation runs, and 1,000 API calls per month.
Baserow Premium costs $10 per user/month billed annually or $12 monthly, for 50,000 rows and 100,000 automation credits. Advanced is $18 annually or $22 monthly, with 250,000 rows. NocoDB Plus is $12 per seat/month annually or $15 monthly, with 50,000 records and 100,000 API calls/month. Business costs $24/$30 and Scale $45/$54 per seat/month; Scale requires three seats. NocoDB raises API and automation caps by tier, while Baserow adds rows, storage, and credits. NocoDB Enterprise is custom; Baserow lists no Enterprise price.
03API, SDKs and integration
Baserow exposes an API and links to an OpenAPI specification, alongside developer pages for getting started, plugin creation, and Docker installation. Its workflow builder can call native HTTP, email, and webhook actions, plus third-party connectors. NocoDB offers Meta APIs and Data APIs; its homepage lists v3 and labels v2 as “will deprecate soon.” It also provides SQL access, connects to Postgres and MySQL, and supports webhooks. Listed import paths include Airtable, CSV, and Excel.
Neither vendor lists language-specific SDKs or a CLI, so plan around the APIs and confirm client-library requirements before choosing. Baserow's workflow actions suit teams automating work inside the platform; NocoDB's database connections and SQL suit teams connecting an existing relational database. Check API limits against expected volume: NocoDB lists monthly call caps by cloud plan.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Baserow is explicitly open source and self-hostable; its site names Cloudron, Docker, AWS, and Helm as deployment options. The licence name is not published on the product pages, so confirm the exact licence and any feature restrictions before embedding it in a commercial stack. NocoDB offers a self-hosted Community plan with unlimited records, storage, and seats, and Enterprise lists air-gapped installation. Its page does not state open-source status or a licence.
For migration, Baserow advertises free migration support for Airtable users; its homepage lists CSV, XML, and JSON data sources. NocoDB lists imports from Airtable, CSV, and Excel, and can connect to Postgres or MySQL. Import support is not a data-export guarantee. Ask both vendors how to export schema, attachments, automation definitions, and records if you need a clean exit.
Questions people ask
Is Baserow better than NocoDB?
It depends on the stack. Baserow is the stronger fit if you want an open-source platform with application building, dashboards, workflow automation, and named self-hosting options. NocoDB suits teams that want a spreadsheet-style interface for Postgres or MySQL, plus API and SQL access. Compare their different record and row limits.
Can NocoDB connect to PostgreSQL?
Yes. NocoDB says teams can connect Postgres or MySQL databases, or use its hosted database. It also provides API and SQL access. Check the plan before choosing: NocoDB Plus does not support external database connections, while Business lists 10 external database connections.
Which product is cheaper?
Both offer free plans. Baserow Premium starts at $10 per user/month with annual billing, compared with NocoDB Plus at $12 per seat/month annually. Their quotas differ, and NocoDB's free plan includes API-call and automation-run caps. Compare the plan limits you need, not just the starting price.
Can I self-host Baserow or NocoDB?
Baserow supports self-hosting and names Cloudron, Docker, AWS, and Helm as options. NocoDB lists a self-hosted Community plan with unlimited records, storage, and seats; Enterprise includes air-gapped installation. Confirm deployment requirements and plan features with each vendor before rollout.