9 Best Free Low-Code Platforms (Open Source + SaaS)

There are plenty of free low-code platforms out there, but not all of them give you the same freedom to build. Some are open-source and self-hostable, others are limited SaaS tiers with just enough functionality to get started. 

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In this article, we’ll cover: 

• The 9 best free low-code platforms, including both open-source and SaaS options
• A detailed breakdown of features, pros, cons, and pricing for each
• How to decide when to go free vs. paid

Let’s get started with an overview. 

The 9 best free low-code platforms

In case you’re short on time, here’s a quick rundown of the 9 best free low-code platforms:

1. Budibase: Self-hostable open-source platform with a built-in database
2. Appsmith: Open-source low-code tool for teams who want JavaScript customization
3. Retool: Dev-first platform known for its rich component library and integrations
4. ToolJet: Open-source platform with strong AI integration
5. UI Bakery: Low-code with a focus on design consistency and user experience
6. Mendix: Full-stack development platform with support for both no-code and low-code
7. TeleportHQ: front-end builder that turns visual designs into clean code
8. Joget: Java-based and workflow-centric development platform
9. Windmill: Open-source platform for building and automating internal tools with real code

1. Budibase

What it is: Budibase is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools like admin panels, forms, dashboards, and approval workflows. It lets you visually create CRUD apps with a built-in database or by connecting to external data sources. You can host it yourself or use Budibase Cloud for a managed experience. 

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Who it’s for: Budibase is built for small to mid-sized teams that prefer an open-source platform with a built-in database and flexible deployment options.

Features (Free open source)

• Drag-and-drop UI builder: Build internal tools using 40+ components like tables, forms, charts, and modals.
• Built-in database: Use Budibase’s internal DB (2,000 record limit on Cloud Free) or connect to external sources like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, etc.
• Automation: Includes a workflow automation engine with triggers and actions.
• SSO authentication: Offers SSO (OIDC, Google, Microsoft) in free tiers.
• Unlimited apps and automations: Create as many apps as you want, even on the free plan.
• Self-hosting: The Community Edition lets you self-host for free with up to 20 users/creators
• Public and private apps: Apps can be shared publicly or gated via auth.

Pros

• Open-source: The Community Edition is free to use and extend, with no license fees or vendor lock-in.
• Generous feature set: Includes SSO, data connectors, and automation on the free plan.
• Self-hosting freedom: Run Budibase on your own infrastructure with full control and no data or record limits.
• Unlimited apps: No cap on how many tools you can build, even if you’re just using the free version.

Cons

• Free cloud user cap: Budibase Cloud Free limits you to 5 users; the Community Edition (self-hosted) allows up to 20 internal users for free.
• Advanced features gated: Audit logs, user groups, and script injection are only offered in the enterprise tier.

Pricing

Budibase Cloud is free for teams of up to 5 users. If you choose to self-host the Community Edition, you can support up to 20 internal users.

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The Premium plan starts at $50 per month per creator and $5 per month per app user, whether you’re using the cloud or self-hosting. It removes user limits and unlocks features like creator access control, Budibase AI, and reusable code snippets.

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The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing and supports enforceable SSO, audit logs, and user group management.

2. Appsmith

What it does: Appsmith is also an open-source internal tool builder. However, unlike Budibase, which is more accessible to power users, Appsmith is geared towards developers and technical teams.

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Who it’s for: It’s a great fit for small teams, startups, or any company that needs custom internal tools but wants to avoid the high costs of platforms like Retool.

Features (Free tier & community edition)

• Unlimited apps and users (self-hosted): You can build as many apps as you want, and invite unlimited users.
• Drag-and-drop UI builder: A library of widgets (tables, forms, charts, buttons, inputs, etc.) to build responsive apps.
• Custom logic with JavaScript: Add dynamic behavior almost anywhere using JavaScript.
• Basic Git version control: Commit and sync app code via Git repos (limited to 3 repos on free cloud).
• Public apps: You can make apps publicly accessible without requiring a login.
• Basic RBAC: The free cloud plan includes three built-in roles (Admin, Developer, User).
• Self-hosting: Gives you a free community edition you can self-host.

Pros

• Fully open-source: Use it however you want, wherever you want, with unlimited apps and users on self-hosted deployments.
• Developer-friendly: You get the flexibility to customize UIs and logic with JavaScript.
• Active community: The GitHub community is active with 35+ stars and recent activity, so you’ll have good support.

Cons

• Learning curve for non-devs: While technically low-code, you’ll get the most out of Appsmith if you can write JavaScript.
• Free cloud has user limits: Only 5 users are allowed on the free hosted plan. For more, you’ll need to upgrade or self-host.
• Limited RBAC on free: You’re stuck with the three preset roles; custom roles and fine-grained access control are paid features.
• Branding: You’ll see “Powered by Appsmith” on apps unless you’re on a paid plan.

Pricing

Appsmith Cloud offers a free plan for up to 5 users. It includes basic role-based access control and support for three repositories.

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The Business plan starts at $15 per user per month and adds support for custom roles, audit logs, multiple environments, JavaScript packages, and removes Appsmith branding.

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For larger teams, the Enterprise plan starts at $2,500 per month for 100 users and includes SSO, SCIM, CI/CD integration, private app embedding, and service-level agreements.

3. ToolJet

What it does: ToolJet is an AI-native, open-source low-code platform designed for building internal tools, dashboards, and business applications. It combines a visual drag-and-drop builder with AI-powered development, allowing users to generate applications by describing their requirements in natural language.

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Who it’s for: ToolJet is ideal for developers and technical teams seeking a customizable, self-hostable solution for internal tool development.

Features (Free tier)

• AI-powered app generation: Describe your application (limited to 2) needs in plain English, and ToolJet's AI generates the UI, database schema, and initial logic. You get 30 AI credits per month for free.
• Visual builder: Customize applications using a drag-and-drop interface with over 50 pre-built components, including tables, charts, and forms.
• Custom components: Enhance functionality with custom React components
• Integrations: Connect to over 60 data sources, including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, REST/GraphQL APIs, and cloud services.
• Built-in database: Use ToolJet’s built-in PostgreSQL database with support for up to 5 tables and unlimited users.
• Pre-defined user roles: Manage permissions with built-in role-based access control on the free plan.
• Deployment options: Either self-host using Docker or Kubernetes, or run your apps on ToolJet’s managed cloud platform.

Pros

• AI-native development: Accelerates app creation by generating functional applications from natural language descriptions.
• Open-source flexibility: Fully open-source under the AGPL license, allowing for extensive customization and self-hosting.
• Extensive integrations: Supports a wide range of data sources and services.

Cons

• Free cloud plan limitations: The free cloud tier supports only 2 builders and 50 end users.
• No support for custom styles: You get access to custom styles only on the high tiers.
• Community support: Free users primarily rely on community support (Slack), with premium support available in paid plans.

Pricing

ToolJet offers a free plan for both cloud and self-hosted deployments. The Pro plan starts at $79 per builder per month and includes support for up to 5 apps, 100 end-users, custom styling, and version control.

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The Team plan is priced at $199 per builder per month and unlocks unlimited apps and end-users, 500 AI credits per builder each month, and enterprise-ready features like SSO, custom user groups, audit logs, and Git Sync.

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The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing and includes customizable AI credit limits, air-gapped deployment, and premium SLAs.

4. Retool

What it does: Retool is a developer-focused low-code platform for rapidly building internal tools. It’s known for its comprehensive integration library and pre-built components.

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Who it’s for: Retool is ideal for startups and engineering teams that need to ship internal tools fast and value speed and integration support over deep UI customization.

Features (Free tier)

• Drag-and-drop UI builder: A large set of production-ready components with the option to build custom React components.
• Connect to anything: Full access to databases (Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, etc.), REST/GraphQL APIs, gRPC, and more.
• Built-in JavaScript support: You can write logic pretty much anywhere including inside queries, button handlers, or in data transforms.
• Unlimited apps: Create as many tools as you like, even on the free plan.
• Workflows: 500 workflow runs/month are included in the free plan.
• Mobile apps: Build and test mobile UIs using Retool Mobile.
• Free database & storage: Includes 5GB of data storage via Retool’s built-in resources.

Pros

• Great out-of-the-box UI: Components look clean and professional with zero styling effort.
• Mobile support included: Prototype or ship mobile-first tools without paying.
• Reusable components: Create and reuse components across apps to speed up development and maintain consistency.

Cons

• 5-user cap on free: That’s total users, including creators and end-users.
• No granular permissions: All users are admins on the free plan and can edit and access everything.
• No environments: Can’t separate dev/staging/prod unless you upgrade.
• No SSO, audit logs, or fine access control: All are gated behind the business plan.

Pricing

Retool’s free plan supports up to 5 users total (including both builders and end-users). It includes unlimited apps, 500 workflow runs per month, and 5GB of storage.

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The Team plan starts at $10 per standard user per month, or $5 per end-user, and adds features like staging environments and version control to support more structured development.

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The Business plan is priced at $50 per standard user per month and $15 per end-user. It supports enterprise-grade capabilities such as audit logs, fine-grained access control, app embedding, and external user support.

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The Enterprise plan offers custom pricing and includes SSO and source control.

5. UI Bakery

What it does: UI Bakery is a low-code internal tool builder that focuses heavily on data-driven applications.

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Who it’s for: UI Bakery is great for developers, product engineers, and technical teams who want to build and iterate on business apps quickly.

Features

• Visual UI builder: Design interfaces with a drag-and-drop editor and grid-based layout. Choose from 75+ prebuilt components.
• Unlimited apps and data sources: Build and deploy as many apps as you like, with support for connecting to any data source.
• Custom logic: Add JavaScript or Python code for dynamic behavior.
• Scheduled jobs and webhooks: Automate workflows with cron-like jobs or trigger logic via webhooks (limited to 1000 executions per month on free).
• Built-in database: Get a PostgreSQL database hosted by UI Bakery, complete with a visual schema designer and data editor. Includes 5GB of storage on the free plan.
• AI-assisted development: Generate functional apps from data using prompts.

Pros

• Unlimited apps for free: Build and deploy as many tools as you want without restrictions on the number of projects.
• Custom logic: Full support for JavaScript and Python makes it easy to implement complex functionality without needing a separate backend.
• Reusable logic: The actions library lets you define and reuse business logic across multiple apps.

Cons

• Free plan is for 5 users only: The free tier supports up to 5 end-users, with no team collaboration unless you upgrade.
• Gated security features: Advanced functionality like SSO, audit logs, SCIM, external analytics integration, and fine-grained access control is only available on paid plans.
• Workflow limits: Scheduled jobs and workflows are capped at 1,000 executions per month on the free plan.

Pricing

UI Bakery’s free plan supports unlimited apps with full access to the visual builder and integrations.

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The Standard plan starts at $5 per end-user and $10 per developer per month, adding role-based access and release history. The Business plan (unlimited) costs $250 per end-user and $40 per developer per month, with unlimited seats, public apps, custom themes, and audit logs.

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The Enterprise plan is custom-priced and includes Git version control, custom SSO, and deployment to a dedicated VM.

6. TeleportHQ

What it does: TeleportHQ is a low-code front-end development platform designed for building static websites and user interfaces.

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Who it’s for: It is ideal for developers, designers, and teams seeking a collaborative environment to build and deploy static websites quickly. It's particularly useful for those who want to transition from design to code easily.

Features

• Visual builder: Drag-and-drop interface to design responsive layouts without manual coding.
• Figma Integration: Import designs directly from Figma and convert them into code.
• Code export: Generate and export clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code.
• Real-time collaboration: Work simultaneously with team members on the same project.
• Hosting: Basic hosting under the teleporthq.io domain with 10 MB of assets per project.
• Templates: Access to a library of ready-made templates to kickstart projects.
• Community support: Engage with the community for assistance and best practices.

Pros

• Design-to-code workflow: Easily convert designs into functional code.
• Collaborative environment: Real-time collaboration enhances team productivity.
• Framework flexibility: Support for multiple JavaScript frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular.
• Free code export: Ability to export code without additional costs.

Cons

• Limited free hosting: Asset storage and bandwidth are restricted on the free plan.
• Static site focus: Primarily geared towards static websites and not dynamic functionalities.

Pricing

TeleportHQ’s free plan includes one project with up to 3 pages, 10 code exports or views, and basic hosting with 5MB of assets per project.

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The Professional plan costs $9 per editor per month and includes unlimited and private projects, video uploads, and expanded hosting with 1GB of assets per project.

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The Agency plan offers custom pricing and is designed for teams that need advanced features, additional storage, and support for custom domains.

7. Mendix

What it does: Mendix is a full-stack low-code platform for building web and mobile apps, aimed at both developers and business users. It supports visual modeling of UIs, data, and logic, and lets you extend with code when needed.

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Who it’s for: Primarily large companies with hybrid dev/business teams. But the free version is great for solo devs or small teams wanting to prototype real apps without a license.

Features

• Visual builder: Build apps using Mendix Studio and Studio Pro with drag-and-drop interfaces and visual logic.
• One-click deployment: Easily deploy applications to the Mendix Cloud with minimal setup.
• Two environments: Includes one local development environment and one production environment hosted on Mendix Cloud.
• Unlimited users: Invite an unlimited number of users to your applications
• Free training resources: Access a library of self-paced courses, tutorials, and learning paths to get started with Mendix development.

Pros

• Full dev experience: Studio Pro is the same tool used by paying customers, so you’re not missing core features.
• Generous user policy: You’re not billed per user, and even on free, you can support many external users, though the uptime of your app is not guaranteed.
• Tons of training material: Great free courses and certification paths if you’re learning low-code.

Cons

• App sleeps when idle: The free cloud shuts down apps after a few hours of inactivity, which is not great for production.
• Limited scalability options: Only suitable for demos, prototypes, or small applications.
• Limited operational insights: Limited access to operational metrics and monitoring tools.
• Costly plans: Paid plans are expensive compared to Superblocks or Appsmith. 

Pricing 

The Mendix Free tier supports two environments (development and production) and is hosted on the Mendix Cloud's shared infrastructure.

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The Standard plan starts at $998 per month for one app, plus additional per-user fees. For broader use, the Unlimited Apps plan starts at $2,495 per month.

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The Enterprise plan includes advanced support, infrastructure flexibility, and custom governance options. Pricing is available upon request.

8. Joget

What it does: Joget is a workflow-first, open-source, low-code platform for building internal business apps. It combines visual form builders, process flows, and data modeling.

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Who it’s for: Small to medium orgs looking to digitize internal operations, especially in gov, education, or process-heavy businesses. 

Features

• Form builder: Design web-based forms using a drag-and-drop interface. Supports validations, custom layouts, and extensible form elements through plugins. 
• Workflow designer: Visually map out multi-step processes and approvals with the Process Builder. Includes support for human tasks, system tools, and monitoring of running processes.
• Data modeling: Define data entities and relationships visually. Utilize data lists to create tabular views with sorting, paging, and filtering capabilities.
• App deployment: Run apps directly from the platform UI.
• Marketplace: Access the Joget Marketplace to download plugins, templates, and apps contributed by the community.

Pros

• Free and open-source: The Community Edition is licensed under GPLv3 and can be self-hosted.
• Active for years: Joget is mature, with decent documentation and a growing ecosystem.
• Extensible: Supports custom plugins (Java-based), scripting, and integrations.

Cons

• UI feels dated: While functional, the design and UX aren’t as modern or polished.
• Only free for 3 users: The free plan is limited to 3 users, restricting broader team adoption without upgrading.
• Not licensed for production: Free tier is only intended for development and testing.
• Java-based stack: While powerful, it may not be as approachable for teams used to JavaScript-based low-code tools.

Pricing

Joget’s Community Edition is free and open-source. It is intended for development and testing and supports up to 3 users. The Professional and Enterprise editions are also free for up to 3 users on a single-server deployment. 

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For cloud hosting, the Starter Plan supports up to 25 users on shared multi-tenant infrastructure, while the Dedicated Plan starts at a minimum of 100 users with private cloud deployment. For actual pricing information, you’ll need to contact sales.

9. Windmill

What it does: Windmill is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools, automations, and workflows using Python, TypeScript, or YAML. It helps developers quickly create backend jobs, API endpoints, and even lightweight form-based apps. 

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Who it’s for: Windmill is built for developers and technical teams who need programmable automations and background jobs.

Features (Free tier)

• Script-based development: Write workflows in Python, TypeScript, or Bash with full editor support.
• Form-based UI generation: Automatically creates forms from function signatures—so you can expose a script as a UI in seconds.
• Workflow automation: Schedule tasks, run event-based jobs, and connect to external systems. Get unlimited executions for self-hosted and 1000 free executions on the cloud.
• Unlimited executions if self-hosted: Run workflows and scripts without any hard execution caps.
• Unlimited users and workspaces: Supports unlimited workspaces and users unless abused.
• SSO for 10 users: Supports Google / Microsoft / GitHub / GitLab SSO.
• RBAC and group access: Supports unlimited groups, folders, and granular permissions.
• Full version control: Integrates with GitHub for CI/CD-style workflows, including deploying to staging and production environments.
• Observability built-in: Comes with audit logs and job run details with a 60-day retention period.

Pros

• Truly developer-first: Built around scripting, not visual drag-and-drop, so it feels natural for engineers.
• Free to self-host: Fully open-source under a permissive license, with no artificial limitations.
• Fast UI generation: Expose scripts as forms instantly without writing any frontend code.
• Workflow-ready: Cron jobs, API calls, and automations are all native use cases.

Cons

• Limited UI styling: The form-based UIs are functional but not highly customizable.
• Free cloud tier is limited: Supports only 1000 executions per month and community support (Discord).

Pricing

Windmill offers a free cloud plan with support for 1,000 executions per month, 10 SSO users, and unlimited flows, apps, resources, and scripts. You can also self-host Windmill for free with no limits on executions.

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The Team plan starts at $10 per user per month, capped at 10 seats, and includes 10,000 executions per month.

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The Enterprise plan starts at $840 per month and adds unlimited audit log retention, isolated and dedicated workers and databases, plus priority support.

Summary: The 9 best free low-code platforms

We’ve walked through the details, now here’s a quick recap of the best free low-code platforms so you can compare them side by side:

How we chose the best free low-code platforms

For this guide, we focused on platforms that offer meaningful free tiers either via open-source licenses or generous cloud plans.

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Here’s what we looked for:

Genuinely usable free plans

Every platform listed here either:

• Has a permanent free tier with clear usage limits (like user caps or automation quotas).
• Offers a fully open-source version you can self-host with no artificial feature gating.

Breadth of use cases

We prioritized platforms that cover a wide range of use cases, including internal tools, workflows, dashboards, mobile apps, and even websites.

Developer and business user accessibility

We included platforms aimed at both technical and semi-technical users. Some are more developer-focused (like Appsmith), while others strike a better balance for devs and non-devs.

Self-hosting and deployment flexibility

For teams that care about data control, we gave extra credit to tools that support self-hosting or hybrid deployment.

Sensible upgrade paths

Free is great, but sooner or later, you’ll hit limits. We favored platforms that offer reasonable pricing when you’re ready to grow, whether that means scaling to more users, unlocking SSO, or adding audit logs.

What is a free low-code platform?

A free low-code platform lets you build, test, and even deploy real applications without paying. That can mean:

• A free tier on a cloud-hosted platform like Retool’s.
• Or a self-hosted, open-source version you can run on your own server like Appsmith or Budibase.

When to use free vs. paid low-code tools

Use a free low-code tool when:

• You’re prototyping or experimenting: Want to build something quick for internal use? Free tiers are perfect for spinning up proof-of-concept apps or MVPs without waiting for budget approval.
• You’re a small team with basic needs: If you’ve got fewer than 5 users and don’t need SSO, audit logs, or fancy permissions, most free plans are more than enough.
• You want to self-host and control costs: Open-source platforms like Appsmith or Budibase, let you scale without worrying about per-user fees. Just bring your own infrastructure.
• You’re learning the platform: Free tiers are ideal for getting hands-on experience before committing. Most tools let you explore the core features with no time limit.

Upgrade to a paid plan when:

• You need to scale: Hit the user limit? Need more workflow runs or larger datasets? That’s usually where free plans start to crack.
• Security and compliance matter: If your company requires SSO, role-based access, audit logs, or SOC 2 compliance, you’ll almost always need a paid plan.
• You want support or SLAs: Free plans rely on forums and docs. If you’re running a mission-critical app, you’ll want guaranteed support and uptime.
• You’re building for external users: Some platforms (like Retool) require a higher-tier plan if you’re building public-facing or client apps.
• You want full control from the start: Platforms like Superblocks are built for teams that want complete control, from full customization to hosting apps independently when needed. It’s not free, but it’s often the smarter long-term move once scale, security, and ownership matter.

Why teams choose Superblocks to scale

Free low-code platforms are a great way to build and ship working apps without upfront cost. However, once you’re managing more data, integrations, users, or security needs, you’ll quickly run into free-tier limits. You’ll start running into issues like capped workflow runs, restricted user roles, missing SSO, or limited audit trails. Some tools also feel sluggish under load.

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If you’re building tooling that will scale with you, Superblocks is worth considering. It’s AI-native, supports both visual and full-code development, and operates within a centrally governed, enterprise-grade environment. While it's not free, pricing is fully customized to your org's needs.

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Here’s what makes it worth paying for:

• Multiple ways to build: Framework and set up your application with AI, tweak visually with the app builder or with code, and fully customize in semantic React.
• Full code extensibility: Use JavaScript, SQL, and Python for fine-grained control over execution logic. Customize your UIs by bringing over your own React components.
• Exportable code: Own your applications fully. Superblocks lets you export all your apps as standard React apps so you can host and maintain them independently.
• Hybrid deployment option: Deploy OPA within your VPC to keep all your data and code executions within your network. Keep managing your app, workflows, and permissions through Superblocks Cloud.
• Integrations with systems you rely on: Provides 60+ native integrations for databases, AI tools, cloud storage, and SaaS apps. Connect to your data sources where they are. No need to migrate data into Superblocks.
• Integrates with common DevOps tools: Supports Git-based workflows and integration with CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, CircleCI, and Jenkins so that you can manage changes just like any other codebase.
• Enterprise-grade governance: Supports granular RBAC, SSO, and comes with built-in audit logs for app security.

If you’re ready to see these features in action, check out our Quickstart guide or try Superblocks for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free low-code platform for developers?

If you’re a developer and want flexibility, Appsmith is a good option. Appsmith is fully open source, lets you self-host, and supports unlimited users for free.

Are there fully open-source low-code tools?

Yes, Appsmith, Budibase, and Joget all offer open-source versions. You can download the source code and run it locally or on a server.

Can you self-host a free low-code platform?

Absolutely. That’s one of the biggest perks of open-source tools. You get full control over your data and user management.

What are the limitations of free low-code tools?

Free plans usually come with trade-offs. Common limits include:

• User caps (e.g., 5 users on Retool or Superblocks cloud)
• Automation quotas (e.g., 100–500 runs/month)
• Missing enterprise features like SSO, audit logs, or advanced RBAC
• Self-hosting setup required for full access (in open-source tools)
• Sleep timers or lower performance on hosted free tiers (like Mendix)

That said, most are still fully usable for small teams and prototypes.

What’s the difference between low-code and open source?

Low-code refers to how you build apps — using visual tools, drag-and-drop interfaces, and minimal code. Open-source refers to how the platform is licensed, meaning the source code is publicly available, and you can modify or self-host it.