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NocoDB

No-code spreadsheet interface for databases with grid, kanban and form views, a REST API and access roles.

Spreadsheet views over your database

NocoDB turns a database into a collaborative spreadsheet with views, roles and a REST API.

Free forever · source-available · Sustainable (some parts under a separate licence)
✓ Light setup✓ Browser-based✓ Real-time collaboration
8.3
ZEKAI
Source-available, not OSI
Free & open source · Pro Services
Ease of setup6
Usefulness8
Maintenance9.5
Community9.8
★ 65,517
GITHUB
Nov 2026
UPDATED
Sustainable (some parts under a separate licence)
LICENSE
🛠 Don't want to self-host? We can set it up →
⚡ Quick answer

NocoDB gives you a spreadsheet-style interface on top of a database, positioned as an Airtable alternative. It suits teams that want grid, kanban, gallery, calendar and form views with shareable bases. Check the licence first: it is source-available under the Sustainable Use License, not an OSI open-source licence.

Runs on
Web
Hosting
Cloud or self-host
Languages
TypeScript
License
Sustainable (some parts under a separate licence)

What it is

You run it from Docker with SQLite or PostgreSQL, then create tables and multiple view types, define roles and share bases or views publicly or with a password. It has link, lookup, rollup and formula fields, an app store for chat, email and storage integrations, and REST APIs plus an SDK.

Who it's for

It suits teams using it for their own internal business purposes who want a database front end they can run themselves. It does not suit anyone planning to resell it, offer it as a paid service or distribute it commercially, because the licence limits use to internal business or non-commercial purposes.

Key features

Multiple view types

Grid, gallery, form, kanban and calendar views over the same table.

Rich field types

Links, lookup, rollup, formula, attachment, currency and user fields.

Roles and sharing

Fine-grained access roles, locked views, and public or password-protected shared bases and views.

App store integrations

Connect chat (Slack, Discord, Mattermost), email (SES, SMTP) and storage (S3, Google Cloud Storage, Minio).

REST API and SDK

Call your data programmatically with tokens using REST APIs or the NocoDB SDK.

Auto-upstall installer

One command sets up Docker, PostgreSQL, Redis, Traefik gateway and SSL on a server.

How to start

Up and running in 3 steps

1
Run docker run -d --name noco -v "$(pwd)"/nocodb:/usr/app/data/ -p 8080:8080 nocodb/nocodb:latest for a SQLite trial.
2
For production, use the PostgreSQL command with NC_DB and NC_AUTH_JWT_SECRET, or run the auto-upstall script on a server with a domain.
3
Open http://localhost:8080/dashboard and create your first base.
Real talk

Our honest verdict

What's great

  • Docker with SQLite starts with one command, and Docker with PostgreSQL is documented for production.
  • The auto-upstall script installs prerequisites, NocoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Traefik and renewing SSL on a server for you.
  • Several view types and link, lookup and rollup fields give you relational structure beyond a plain spreadsheet.
  • Cloud pricing shows unlimited seats at a flat monthly cap on paid plans.

Where it falls short

  • The licence is the Sustainable Use License: use is limited to your own internal business purposes or non-commercial use, and you may distribute it only free of charge for non-commercial purposes. It is not OSI open source.
  • The pricing page says some premium features, such as advanced forms and AI, are only in the cloud and enterprise self-hosted versions, not the free fair-code edition.
  • Prebuilt binaries are no longer published, so self-hosting means Docker, and production use means you manage PostgreSQL, upgrades and SSL.
  • Only the master and develop branches are licensed; other branches are explicitly not licensed.
Cost

Pricing & license

Self-hosting is free under the Sustainable Use License for internal business or non-commercial use. NocoDB's cloud pricing page shows Free ($0), Plus ($12 per seat per month billed annually), Business ($24) and Scale ($45), with Enterprise on request: https://nocodb.com/pricing.

Paid work

Open remote AI-training roles

767 open remote AI-training roles, updated November 14, 2026; most pay $20–$175 an hour. Zekai lists them free; the application goes to the employer’s platform.

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Questions

FAQ

Is NocoDB open source?

Not under an OSI definition. Its LICENSE.md uses the Sustainable Use License, which allows internal business or non-commercial use and restricts commercial distribution. The pricing page calls the self-hosted version fair-code.

Can I use it inside my company?

Yes, the licence allows use for your own internal business purposes. Offering it to others as a paid product or service is outside that permission.

What does the cloud plan cost?

The pricing page shows Free at $0 for up to 3 users, Plus at $12 per seat per month billed annually or $108 per month for unlimited seats, Business at $24 per seat or $216 per month, and Scale at $45 per seat.

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