Appsmith has been a popular open-source low-code framework in low code platform space. However, as teams look for more enterprise-grade capabilities, better automation, or deeper customization, many start exploring leading Appsmith alternatives like ToolJet, Retool and more that can deliver stronger performance, governance, AI integration breadth, and AI-native features.

This guide dives deep into the best Appsmith alternatives for custom internal apps, workflow automation, and AI agents, comparing best internal tool platforms based on ease of use, code extensibility, scalability, AI capabilities, security, and enterprise readiness.

Quick Takeaway: ToolJet is the best low code platforms with its AI-native architecture, code flexibility, proactive agent capabilities, and dual JavaScript/Python support, features that competitors are still racing to implement in 2026.

• ToolJet is the best Appsmith alternative for low code AI-powered internal apps and workflows.
• Appsmith lacks AI agents, Python support, and proactive automation.
• Retool offers strong integrations but is very expensive at scale.
• Budibase suits simple, self-hosted CRUD apps without AI.
• Superblocks is best for developer-heavy API orchestration.
• ToolJet delivers the lowest 5-year TCO with AI-native capabilities and no per-user fees.

Verdict: Choose ToolJet for enterprises where scalable, AI-native internal tools are needed!

Appsmith established itself as a strong open-source contender for building internal tools, but several limitations have become apparent as enterprise needs evolve:

• Limited AI Integration: No native AI agent capabilities for autonomous workflows
• Python Support Gaps: JavaScript-only for browser-side logic, limiting data science workflows
• Workflow Rigidity: Traditional linear workflows without intelligent reasoning
• Manual Database Setup: Requires external database configuration before building
• Reactive Architecture: Primarily button-triggered actions rather than event-driven automation

Here’s a list of Top 5 Appsmith Alternatives (2026 Rankings)…

Best For: Mid–large Enterprises building AI-powered internal tools with autonomous workflows and complex data operations.

ToolJet is a low code platform that has fundamentally redefined what ‘low-code’ means by making AI the starting point rather than an afterthought. Also, ToolJet is the only one under Appsmith open source alternatives. The February 2025 platform update introduced AI capabilities like AI agents, Automated workflows and AI Internal tools that competitors are still trying to replicate.

Unlike competitors like Retool, PowerApps, and more that offer code suggestions, ToolJet generates complete applications from natural language descriptions, including PRD generation, simultaneous UI/database/logic creation, and automatic CRUD wiring.

While competitors offer ‘Workflows’ (linear A→B logic), ToolJet Agents bring reasoning to internal apps with autonomous decision making, multi-step execution, and context-aware debugging. AI extracts information from existing solutions to generate business requirements and user stories.

Most low-code tools operate reactively (user clicks → action). ToolJet enables proactive automation through webhook triggers, cron scheduling, and event-driven architecture.

Strong monitoring capabilities with distributed tracing, performance analytics, and real-time debugging, excellent for troubleshooting complex workflows.

Every application includes built-in agents for key tasks with minimal friction. ToolJet Agents can request human input when needed.

Use Case	Agent Logic	Business Value
Smart Inventory	Monitors stock levels → checks supplier API lead times → drafts purchase orders	Prevents stockouts without manual monitoring
Lead Scoring	Takes new signup → scrapes LinkedIn/website → updates CRM with fit score	Saves sales teams hours of research per lead
Auto-Support	Reads IT tickets → searches knowledge base → solves or assigns to team	Reduces help desk volume by 40%+

ToolJet is the only platform in this comparison offering true first-class Python support via Pyodide, enabling data science workflows, pandas/numpy operations, and ML inference directly in browser-side logic.

• Most advanced AI integration with prompt-to-app and agentic reasoning
• Unique dual JavaScript AND Python support
• Proactive automation with event-driven, cron-based, and webhook triggers
• Native PostgreSQL database with AI-generated schemas
• Open source + cloud options without vendor lock-in
• Cost transparency with no per-end-user fees
• Context-aware debugging with agents that suggest fixes

• Python performance via Pyodide can be slower (mitigated by pre-warming)
• Agent features require prompt engineering knowledge
• Some AI features still rolling out
• AI-powered features require more compute than traditional tools

• Open Source: Free self-hosting
• Cloud Free Tier: Generous limits for small teams
• Business Plan: $40/user/month (flat rate, no end-user fees)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing with dedicated support
• AI Credits: Pay-as-you-go, typical agent execution costs $0.01-0.05

Want to Compare Appsmith vs ToolJet in Depth to See Which Platform Actually Fits Your Team? Then dive here!

Best For: Mid-Large Enterprises with large budgets needing extensive third-party integrations.

Retool is one of the offerings under the internal tools category and it maintains strong market presence. However, its 2025 positioning reveals a platform caught between legacy architecture and AI-native competitors.

Retool AI focuses on enhancing existing workflows with code suggestions, component generation, and query optimization, but lacks autonomous agent capabilities. Workflows remain fundamentally linear without intelligent reasoning.

High-fidelity generation that builds functional apps using actual database schemas and Salesforce objects rather than dummy data.

Retrofitted AI-assisted development (code generation and debugging) is now available for VPC-hosted environments.

A fundamental shift in architecture where large tools are split into pages, resulting in 27% faster load times as only current-page code is evaluated.

Workflows can now “pause” for up to 60 days, enabling complex human-in-the-loop patterns like “grant access now, revoke in 48 hours.”

• Build functional tools in minutes with 100+ components
• Connect instantly to 100+ native databases and APIs
• Use custom SQL and JavaScript for complex logic
• Launch native iOS and Android apps with ease
• Scale securely with enterprise RBAC and SSO
• Manage apps via Git and staging environments
• Generate UI and queries quickly with AI prompts

• Expensive pricing that charges per active end-user
• Browser performance lag when handling large data
• Rigid UI that is difficult to brand or customize
• High technical barrier requiring SQL/JS knowledge
• Heavy vendor lock-in with no code export options
• Lacks autonomous AI agents found in new rivals
• High DevOps effort for self-hosted maintenance

Retool charges per active end user ($5-15/user/month), making it exponentially more expensive at scale. A 10-developer team with 500 internal users costs $2,500-7,500/month, which is 10-25x more than ToolJet.

• Free: 5 users, limited features
• Team: $10/user/month + $5/active end user/month
• Business: $50/user/month + $15/active end user/month
• Enterprise: Custom (typically $100K+ annual minimum)

Best For: Teams prioritizing data sovereignty, offline capability, and simple CRUD applications.

Budibase focuses on simplicity and self-hosting flexibility. It’s designed for teams that need straightforward internal tools without the complexity of advanced AI features.

Budibase’s 2025 update emphasizes edge computing with progressive web apps, edge database support (SQLite), and automatic conflict resolution when devices reconnect.

Improved step-based workflows similar to Zapier-style automations with webhook triggers, though these remain rule-based rather than AI-driven.

• True open source with full self-hosting capability (AGPLv3)
• Unique offline/edge computing support
• Simplest learning curve for non-developers
• Fast setup and deployment
• Low resource requirements
• Built-in database option

• No AI agent capabilities
• Basic rule-based automation only
• JavaScript-only (no Python support)
• Fewer pre-built integrations than competitors
• More basic UI components
• No RAG or vector database support

• Free: Unlimited apps, 5 users
• Premium: $50/user/month
• Business: $90/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best For: Engineering teams comfortable with code who need sophisticated API orchestration.

Superblocks positions itself as ‘the programmable platform for developers,’ offering more code flexibility than traditional low-code tools. It appeals to teams that want velocity without sacrificing control.

Developer-focused AI tooling with code generation for API integrations, debugging assistance, and automated test generation. However, these are development aids rather than autonomous agents.

More sophisticated than Retool with parallel execution and robust error handling, but still deterministic, requires pre-programmed paths without dynamic reasoning.

• Code-first flexibility with Git-based workflows
• Best-in-class API orchestration
• Excellent observability and debugging tools
• Custom code support (JavaScript/Python server-side)
• Performance-optimized workflow engine
• Native GraphQL support

• No autonomous agent capabilities
• Workflows remain deterministic, not reasoning-based
• Closed source with no self-hosting option
• Steeper learning curve
• Python only server-side (no browser-side data science)
• Requires external database setup

• Starter: $49/user/month
• Team: $99/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom (typically $50K+ annual)

Best For: Organizations already locked into Microsoft’s ecosystem who need basic form-based apps.

Microsoft Power Apps has been around since 2016. It’s deeply integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and uses a formula language similar to Excel, for better or worse.

Describe a business problem and a team of AI agents builds complete Power Platform solutions including apps, flows, copilots, and custom agents

New experience at vibe.powerapps.com that combines speed of low-code with enterprise scalability

Copilot extends fully into Power Apps with context flowing from Microsoft 365 into business applications

Agents equipped with app capabilities can operate autonomously. Agent Feed provides shared space for human-agent collaboration

• Already included if you’re paying for Office 365
• Familiar to business users who know Excel
• Extensive Microsoft ecosystem integration
• Low learning curve for simple forms

• Legacy 2016 architecture showing its age
• No AI agent capabilities
• JavaScript-only with limited code extensibility
• Restrictive licensing that gets expensive fast
• Premium connectors cost extra on top of base price
• Really only makes sense if you’re all-in on Microsoft
• Mobile experience is poor compared to modern platforms
• UI customization extremely limited

• Per-app plan: $20/user/month (limited to 2 apps)
• Per-user plan: $20/user/month (unlimited apps)
• Premium connectors: Additional fees for many integrations

Feature	ToolJet	Retool	Budibase	Superblocks	Appsmith
Prompt-to-App Generation	Full	Limited	No	Limited	Limited
Autonomous AI Agents	Yes	No	No	No	No
Python Support	Full	No	No	Server only	No
RAG / Vector DB Support	Native	Manual	No	Custom	No
Proactive Automation	Yes	Limited	No	Partial	No

Scenario: 50-users in a company with 10 app creators and 200 internal tool users

Low- Code Platforms	Year 1	Year 3	Year 5	5-Year Total	vs ToolJet
ToolJet (Starter)	$2,280	$6,840	$11,400	$11,400	Baseline
Retool (Team)	$31,200	$93,600	$156,000	$156,000	+$144,600
Budibase (Premium)	$8,400	$25,200	$42,000	$42,000	+$30,600
Superblocks (Starter)	$29,400	$88,200	$147,000	$147,000	+$135,600
Appsmith (Business)	$9,000	$27,000	$45,000	$45,000	+$33,600

Key Finding: ToolJet saves $144,600 vs Retool over 5 years, a 92.7% reduction in total cost, while delivering stronger AI-native capabilities. While Appsmith costs $45,000 vs ToolJet’s $11,400, ToolJet provides significantly more value through autonomous agents, native Python and JavaScript execution, and proactive automation, without per-user pricing penalties.

After analyzing features, pricing, and real-world implementations across these five platforms, several clear patterns emerge. The right choice depends on your team’s specific needs, technical capabilities, and long-term architecture plans.

The fundamental divide in 2025 is between platforms built around AI (ToolJet) versus those adding AI features to existing architectures (others). If your roadmap includes autonomous workflows and intelligent automation, this distinction matters significantly.

For teams doing data transformations or statistical analysis in their internal tools, Python support isn’t optional. ToolJet’s browser-side Python via Pyodide eliminates the need for separate data pipelines. Other platforms require workarounds or separate services.

Retool’s per-end-user pricing creates a fundamentally different cost curve than flat-rate models. For companies with many internal tool users, this difference compounds significantly over time. Open-source options (ToolJet, Appsmith, Budibase) provide cost predictability through self-hosting.

Traditional platforms wait for user actions. Event-driven platforms monitor and act automatically. This architectural difference determines whether your tools are reactive dashboards or proactive operational systems.

Consider ToolJet when:

• Building AI-powered workflows with autonomous decision-making
• Your team works with Python for data operations
• You need proactive monitoring rather than reactive dashboards
• Cost predictability matters (no per-end-user fees)
• You want both cloud and self-hosting options

Consider Retool when:

• You need the broadest integration ecosystem (100+ connectors)
• Enterprise compliance is critical and immediate
• End-user count is low (<50 people)
• Budget flexibility allows for premium pricing

Consider Budibase when:

• Offline-first capability is essential
• Requirements are simple CRUD operations
• Ease of use for non-technical users is priority one

Consider Superblocks when:

• Your team consists of experienced developers
• Complex API orchestration is the primary use case
• Observability and debugging tools are critical

Consider Appsmith when:

• Zero software budget requires free self-hosting
• Traditional dashboards meet all requirements
• Community support is sufficient

The internal tools market is splitting into distinct categories based on architectural approach:

AI-native platforms where AI isn’t a feature but the foundation, enabling prompt-to-app development, autonomous agents, and intelligent automation.

Traditional platforms with AI features that add AI capabilities to existing architectures, helpful for development but not transformational for operations.

For teams building the next generation of internal operations, where tools don’t just display data but autonomously monitor, analyze, and act, the architectural approach matters more than feature checklists.

We’ve designed ToolJet to address the limitations we saw in existing platforms, with particular focus on AI-native development, dual-language support, and cost-effective scaling. Whether it’s the right fit depends on your specific requirements.

Why ToolJet is considered top-tier enterprise app builder?

ToolJet is the top-tier enterprise app builder because it has:

• AI-native capabilities: Built-in AI agents and automated workflows, not just add-ons.
• Dual language support: True JavaScript and Python execution for data-heavy use cases.
• Proactive automation: Event-driven triggers, cron jobs, and webhook-based actions.
• Flexible hosting: Self-host or cloud with transparent pricing and no per-end-user fees.
• Strong TCO: Much lower 5-year cost vs alternatives like Retool.

To know more about ToolJet please explore the below links:

• Try ToolJet Cloud (free tier available)
• Self-host open source
• Read documentation

Choose the platform that matches your team’s technical requirements and operational goals. Schedule a demo.!