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Free alternatives to Glide

Glide costs $25/mo on the GlideOS Solo plan, or $300 a year. Here are 4 free and open-source options, what each one does, and what you give up compared with paying.

Prices checked Aug 14, 2026Can AI replace it? Half-bot

01At a glance

AlternativeTypeWhere it runsWorks on
Baserow FreeFreeHosted for youWeb
BudibaseOpen sourceYou host itWeb, Your server
NocoBaseOpen sourceYou host itWeb, Your server
Softr FreeFreeHosted for youWeb

02Each alternative, in detail

Baserow FreeFree

A table workspace plus an app builder for portals and mobile-style screens; visual polish is lower, data ownership is better.

Versus paying: Its app builder lacks Glide's mobile-first polish, touch-friendly components, action system, and near-native app feel.

Setup: Hosted signup

baserow.io →
BudibaseOpen source

Internal apps, forms, automations, and portals in one box; much closer to Knack than its developer branding suggests.

Versus paying: Budibase is a responsive web internal-tool builder, not a mobile-first app platform, so Glide's polished phone experience is the main sacrifice.

Setup: Docker image or Docker Compose; Kubernetes is also supported

Watch for: Requires Docker and persistent storage; production use also means owning upgrades, TLS, backups, and database/network access

27,902 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

budibase.com →
NocoBaseOpen source

A database-backed app builder with pages, forms, roles, workflows, and enough plugins to become your next maintenance hobby.

Versus paying: NocoBase builds browser-based database apps but does not provide Glide's refined mobile navigation, components, and installable-app experience.

Setup: NocoBase CLI or Docker deployment with MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL

Watch for: Requires a database, secrets, and deployment administration; the community license also preserves NocoBase branding and restricts some uses

23,600 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

nocobase.com →
Softr FreeFree

A friendlier portal and dashboard builder with real users, forms, record actions, workflows, and a free published app.

Versus paying: Softr is stronger at portals and websites than mobile-style operational apps, so Glide's touch interactions and phone-first workflow are noticeably weaker.

Setup: Hosted signup in Softr Studio

Watch for: No software install; the first hurdle is choosing and authenticating a data source, then mapping its fields and permissions

softr.io →

03Glide's own free plan

The same builder works indefinitely for one simple Glide-table app and ten personal users; integrations wait behind payment.

04What you give up by leaving Glide

  • visual builder
  • templates
  • data sync
  • permissions
  • mobile-like UI
  • publishing
  • integrations

They pay because building one app is easier than becoming the developer for every future app change.

05Questions

Is there a free alternative to Glide?

Yes. This page compares 4: Baserow Free, Budibase, NocoBase and Softr Free. 2 of them are open source, so you can run them yourself.

How much does Glide cost?

$25/mo on the GlideOS Solo plan (monthly), which is $300 a year. Prices checked Aug 14, 2026.

What do you give up with a free alternative to Glide?

Most often: visual builder, templates, data sync and permissions. Each alternative on this page lists its own gap under “Versus paying.”

Can AI build me my own version of Glide?

Half-bot. You can build one specific Glide app; you are not rebuilding the no-code app builder, data editor, permissions, and deployment platform in one sitting.

Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.