We checked all information on Baserow and NocoDB on their pricing and documentation pages on October 5, 2026. The sources are listed at the end of the page.

About this comparison: We are the maker of SeaTable. Baserow, NocoDB and SeaTable come up again and again when people look for an Airtable alternative they can run themselves. We compare all three by the same criteria and say openly where the others are stronger.

  • NocoDB is the right choice if you want to make an existing SQL database usable for business users and you have a technical team.
  • Baserow fits if a true open-source license (MIT) is a must and you want to extend the software yourself.
  • SeaTable is the choice for business departments that want to build databases, apps and automations without programming skills, with Python and JavaScript directly in the base. The provider is based in Germany, and the cloud runs there as well.
  • All three can be self-hosted and import bases from Airtable.
SeaTable Baserow NocoDB
License proprietary, free to self-host for up to 3 users core under MIT license, additional features commercial Sustainable Use License (fair-code)
Headquarters Mainz, Germany Amsterdam, Netherlands Delaware, USA
Cloud hosting Germany (Exoscale, Frankfurt and Munich) Germany USA (AWS), no choice of location
Self-hosting Docker Compose; Kubernetes possible, no official Helm chart Docker, Kubernetes with official Helm chart Docker Compose, official Helm chart
Price self-hosted free for up to 3 users; 10 users €500/year, 25 users €1,250/year basic version free without limits; additional features with paid per-seat license Community free without limits; Business, Scale and Enterprise paid
Price cloud (per user/month, annual) Plus €7, Enterprise €14 Premium $10, Advanced $18 Plus $12, Business $24 (at most 9 users billed)
Billing per team, sharing between teams free per workspace per workspace
Free plan cloud 10,000 rows, 25 users 3,000 rows per workspace 1,000 records, 3 editors
Views table, gallery, Kanban, calendar, timeline, tree, form grid, form, gallery; from Premium also Kanban, calendar, timeline grid, Kanban, gallery, form, calendar, map
App builder on all plans Application Builder from Plus
Automations on all plans on all plans on all plans, Free with 2 workflows per base
Scripts Python and JavaScript on all plans no scripts in the base JavaScript from Plus, self-hosted only with Enterprise license
AI AI automations with its own language model in Germany; AI builds tables from version 7.0 assistant Kuma builds tables, fields and automations, from Premium NocoAI builds bases and workflows, from Plus
API REST, on all plans REST, on all plans REST, on all plans
Permissions table, view and column permissions from Plus roles from Advanced field permissions from Plus, row permissions from Scale
SSO / LDAP SAML from Enterprise; self-hosted also OAuth and LDAP SAML and OIDC on higher plans; LDAP not documented SAML from Business; LDAP not documented
German interface yes yes yes (beta, translated by the community)
German-language support yes not stated not stated

SeaTable is a no-code database from SeaTable GmbH, based in Mainz, Germany. Bases, tables and views work as in Airtable, plus an app builder, automations and scripts in Python and JavaScript. The cloud runs in Germany. Self-hosted, the Enterprise Edition is free for up to 3 users. Users include the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), Humboldt University of Berlin and the Max Planck Society.

Baserow comes from Baserow B.V., based in Amsterdam. The core is licensed under MIT and can be self-hosted without limits. Advanced features such as roles, more views and AI are available on paid plans. Baserow is aimed at teams that want open source and also extend the software themselves.

NocoDB comes from NocoDB Inc., based in the USA. Its approach differs from the other two: NocoDB puts a spreadsheet interface on top of an existing database such as PostgreSQL or MySQL. That makes it strong for developer teams. The license is not an open-source license in the strict sense, but the Sustainable Use License.

  • You already have a PostgreSQL or MySQL database and want to make it accessible to colleagues without SQL skills: NocoDB.
  • The software must be open source, or you want to develop your own extensions: Baserow.
  • Business departments should build databases, apps and automations themselves, without developers: SeaTable.
  • You need scripts in Python, for example for data imports or analyses: SeaTable.
  • You need Kubernetes with an official Helm chart: Baserow or NocoDB.
  • Your contractual partner and the cloud should be in Germany: SeaTable. Baserow’s cloud is also in Germany, but the provider is based in the Netherlands.
  • Python and JavaScript directly in the base, on all plans (scripts in SeaTable).
  • App builder even in the free plan, for input forms, dashboards and portals (app builder).
  • More generous free plan: 10,000 rows and 25 users, compared with 3,000 rows at Baserow and 1,000 records at NocoDB (pricing).
  • Billing per team instead of per workspace: Each user is only billed in their own team; sharing between teams costs nothing extra.
  • Permissions at table, view and column level from Plus (€7). Baserow only offers roles from Advanced ($18).
  • Contractual partner in Germany with a publicly available data processing agreement (security).
  • Single sign-on in the cloud from Enterprise, self-hosted also via LDAP (SeaTable Server).
  • License: Baserow’s core is true open source (MIT). SeaTable is not.
  • Kubernetes: Baserow and NocoDB offer official Helm charts, SeaTable does not.
  • AI for building: With Baserow and NocoDB, AI already creates tables and fields today; with SeaTable, only from version 7.0.
  • Existing databases: Only NocoDB works directly on top of your existing SQL database.
  • Self-hosting platforms: Baserow and NocoDB are available as one-click installations on platforms such as Cloudron or Coolify, SeaTable is not.

Is SeaTable open source?

No. SeaTable can be self-hosted for free: the Enterprise Edition is free for up to 3 users. However, the software is under a proprietary license. If you need an open-source license, Baserow (MIT) is the better fit.

Is NocoDB open source?

Not in the strict sense. NocoDB is under the Sustainable Use License. It allows use within your own company but restricts commercial redistribution.

Which tool is the cheapest?

Self-hosted, the basic versions of Baserow and NocoDB are free without a user limit. SeaTable is free for up to 3 users; 10 users cost €500 per year, with all Enterprise features included. In the cloud, SeaTable is the cheapest paid entry point at €7 per user per month.

Can I switch from Airtable?

Yes, all three import bases directly from Airtable. With all of them, you have to rework formulas, automations and interfaces. Learn more in our comparison of the 8 best Airtable alternatives and on our page SeaTable as an Airtable alternative.

Which tool is suitable for public authorities and companies with GDPR requirements?

Self-hosted, the data stays on your servers with all three. In the cloud, both the SeaTable provider and its data centers are in Germany. Baserow stores cloud data in Germany; the provider is based in the Netherlands. NocoDB Cloud runs on Amazon Web Services, in the USA according to its list of subprocessors. NocoDB does not offer a choice of location.

Retrieved on October 5, 2026.

  • October 5, 2026: First version.