Nocodb Has a Free Open-Source Airtable Alternative

NocoDB is a free, open-source platform that turns any database into a smart spreadsheet. It's the self-hosted alternative to Airtable.

What Is NocoDB?

NocoDB connects to your existing database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, etc.) and gives you a spreadsheet-like interface to manage data. No coding required.

Key features:

• Spreadsheet UI for any SQL database
• Multiple views: Grid, Gallery, Form, Kanban, Calendar
• REST API auto-generated for every table
• Collaboration with roles and permissions
• Automations and webhooks
• Formulas and computed fields
• File attachments
• Import from Airtable, CSV, Excel
• Self-hostable

Quick Start

Docker

docker run -d \
  --name nocodb \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  nocodb/nocodb:latest

Open http://localhost:8080. Your spreadsheet database is ready.

Connect to Existing Database

docker run -d \
  --name nocodb \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  -e NC_DB="pg://host:5432?u=user&p=pass&d=mydb" \
  nocodb/nocodb:latest

NocoDB instantly creates a spreadsheet view of your existing tables.

Views

Grid View

Classic spreadsheet — rows, columns, sorting, filtering.

Gallery View

Card-based layout — perfect for products, contacts, portfolios.

Form View

Auto-generated forms for data entry — share with anyone.

Kanban View

Drag-and-drop boards — ideal for project management.

Calendar View

Visualize date-based data on a calendar.

API Access

NocoDB auto-generates REST APIs for every table:

# List records
curl http://localhost:8080/api/v2/tables/TABLE_ID/records \
  -H "xc-token: YOUR_API_TOKEN"

# Create record
curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/v2/tables/TABLE_ID/records \
  -H "xc-token: YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"Name": "New Item", "Status": "Active"}'

NocoDB vs Airtable

Feature	Airtable Free	NocoDB
Records	1,000	Unlimited
Tables per base	Unlimited	Unlimited
Attachments	1GB	Unlimited
API calls	5/sec	Unlimited
Automations	100/mo	Unlimited
Self-host	No	Yes
External DB	No	Yes
Cost	$0-20+/user/mo	$0

Automations

Build workflows without code:

• When record created → Send webhook
• When field updated → Send email notification
• When condition met → Create record in another table

Import From Airtable

1. Go to NocoDB import wizard
2. Paste your Airtable API key and base ID
3. Click Import

All tables, views, and data transferred.

Who Uses NocoDB?

With 50K+ GitHub stars:

• Teams replacing expensive Airtable plans
• Companies needing spreadsheet UI for existing databases
• Non-technical users managing data
• Developers building internal tools

Get Started

1. Run Docker container
2. Connect to existing DB or start fresh
3. Create views, forms, automations

Your data, your server, unlimited everything.

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