Businesses always seek ways to save time and money without sacrificing quality. Open-source low-code development platforms are a perfect solution. They tackle a major challenge by allowing businesses to create applications with minimal coding, helping them stay on top of rapid market changes while managing limited resources.

The numbers speak for themselves—by 2025, the low-code development market is projected to reach a staggering $45.5 billion. This surge is driven by the growing need for businesses to embrace digital transformation at a faster pace. With open-source low-code development platforms, companies gain the transparency, flexibility, and control needed to scale their applications, all while benefiting from a supportive developer community.

So, how can your business tap into this trend and stay ahead? Let’s get into the blog and explore the top open-source low-code development platforms for your needs.

A low-code platform allows users to create applications using minimal manual coding. These platforms utilize visual interfaces, such as drag-and-drop tools, to simplify development. They enable non-developers, known as “citizen developers,” to build apps while allowing professional developers to customize and enhance these applications.

Below are the key features that make low-code platforms a valuable asset for developers and enterprises alike:

Low-code platforms feature intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces that make building user interfaces (UI) easy and efficient. Instead of writing complex code, users can visually construct their layouts by dragging UI components onto a canvas, allowing them to create sophisticated applications quickly. 

These platforms provide visual development tools that allow users to build application logic through graphical editors. Developers can easily connect backend services, manage workflows, and integrate APIs, all through a visual interface. And to support these expanding development needs, nearshore IT staff augmentation can help teams scale efficiently by providing skilled talent that works in aligned time zones and accelerates project delivery.

Low-code platforms come with pre-built templates for common application types, such as CRM systems, e-commerce sites, and project management tools. These templates serve as a starting point for development, significantly reducing the time needed to build applications from scratch.

One of the standout features of low-code platforms is their ability to support cross-platform deployment. Whether it’s a web, mobile, or desktop application, these platforms allow developers to build once and deploy across multiple platforms, saving time and effort. 

Low-code platforms offer robust integration capabilities, allowing users to connect their applications to third-party services and APIs seamlessly. This extends the functionality of the applications, enabling users to incorporate tools like CRM systems, payment gateways, and analytics platforms without the need for complex coding.

Automation is a key component of low-code platforms. These platforms enable the automation of repetitive tasks, such as data processing, workflow management, and reporting. 

Low-code platforms are designed with team collaboration in mind. They often include features like real-time editing, version control, and role-based access, allowing multiple team members to work on a project simultaneously. 

With these features, low-code platforms empower businesses to quickly develop applications while ensuring flexibility for advanced customizations. Next let us understand, what makes what makes open-source platforms more appealing.

Open-source software refers to code that is freely available for anyone to access, modify, and share. This transparency fosters collaboration and innovation within developer communities. Unlike proprietary software, open-source platforms give users full control over the code, offering increased customization and independence from specific vendors.

While proprietary software is owned and controlled by a single company, open-source solutions provide greater flexibility but often rely on community-based support rather than official customer service. To better understand the differences between open-source and proprietary software, it’s helpful to compare their key features.

The following table outlines these distinctions, highlighting how each type of software handles ownership, cost, customization, and more. 

Feature	Open source software	Proprietary software
Ownership	Community or organization	Single company
Cost	Free or low-cost	Usually requires a license fee
Source Code Access	Accessible to anyone	Closed and controlled by the company
Customization	Highly customizable	Limited to vendor’s options
Support	Community-based and dedicated support	Dedicated customer support
Updates	Regular updates from the community	Managed by the company with scheduled releases
Flexibility	High flexibility in features	Fixed features as per the company’s development
Security	Peer-reviewed, can be more transparent	Controlled updates; depend on the vendor’s practices

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An open source low code platform combines the rapid development capabilities of visual programming with the transparency and flexibility of open source software. Unlike proprietary solutions, these platforms allow developers to inspect, modify, and distribute the underlying code while building applications with minimal hand-coding.

In the next section, we’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of open-source low-code platforms.

Open-source low-code platforms are praised for their high level of flexibility, extensive customization options, and strong support from active community contributors. However, they may also pose some challenges, such as the need for more hands-on management and variability in support quality.

Let us understand the benefits and potential drawbacks of using open-source low-code development platforms. 

Also read: “Forrester Wave on low-code development platforms 2025“, and “Gartner forecast on low code development technologies in 2025“.

• Transparency: Users can inspect, modify, and verify the code, ensuring high levels of security and accountability.
• Control: Businesses have full access to the codebase, allowing them to customize apps to fit their exact needs, without restrictions from third-party vendors.
• Reliability: Since the code is peer-reviewed by the open-source community, bugs and vulnerabilities are often addressed more quickly, enhancing the platform’s stability.
• Flexibility: These platforms can be adapted to suit unique business needs, workflows, and use cases, providing significant versatility.
• No vendor lock-in: Open-source platforms free users from dependency on a single vendor, giving them the freedom to switch tools or modify solutions as their needs evolve.
• Community support: Open-source communities actively contribute to platform development, offering resources, troubleshooting, and continual improvements, often faster than proprietary platforms.

Next, let’s review some potential challenges of using open-source low-code platforms.

• Self-hosting complexity: Requires infrastructure and DevOps expertise
• Community support limitations: May need to rely on the community for urgent issues
• Integration complexity: Some platforms may require custom development for specific integrations
• Governance requirements: Establishing standards for low-code development
• Security policies: Ensuring open source tools meet organizational security standards

Now that we’ve reviewed the pros and cons, let’s explore the top open-source low-code platforms available today.

Open-source low-code platforms provide flexibility and scalability for businesses aiming to build apps without extensive coding. Below, we’ll explore some of the best open-source low-code platforms available today, each offering unique capabilities. Depending on user location and performance needs, teams may deploy these platforms on region-specific infrastructure, such as VPS Hosting India, to improve responsiveness and control.

ToolJet is an AI-powered, open-source low-code platform designed specifically for building internal business applications with enterprise-grade security and flexibility. It combines the speed of visual development with the power of custom code, allowing teams to create complex applications in minutes rather than months.

Key features:

• 50+ built-in responsive components, including Tables, Charts, Lists, Forms, and Progress Bars. 
• Built-in no-code database powered by PostgreSQL. 
• Integration with 70+ data sources, including databases, APIs, SaaS tools like Slack, Google Sheets, and Airtable. 
• AI-powered features to accelerate low-code software creation with natural language prompts. 
• Enterprise-grade security with SSO, RBAC, SOC 2, GDPR, and ISO compliance. 
• Multiplayer editing and custom JavaScript/Python code execution.

Best for: Teams requiring customization and control over their data, especially businesses with specific compliance needs due to its self-hosting capabilities.

Pricing: Free Community Edition with unlimited access; paid plans start at $19 per builder/month with enterprise pricing available for advanced features and support.

NocoDB is an open-source platform that transforms any MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, or SQL Server database into a smart, spreadsheet-like interface with REST APIs. It bridges the gap between databases and spreadsheets, making database management accessible to non-technical users.

Key features:

• Multiple view types: Grid, Gallery, Form, and Calendar views 
• Variant cell types, including ID, Links, Lookup, Rollup, SingleLineText, Attachment, Currency, and Formula
• Fine-grained access control with roles at different levels 
• Automatic REST and GraphQL API generation for your data
• Automations and workflows with custom triggers 
• Self-hosted deployment with complete data sovereignty

Best for: Small-scale data management and simple database applications where users need quick database management without complex integration features. 

Pricing: Completely free for personal usage. For teams, it starts at $12/seat/month, billed annually.

n8n is a free and open-source workflow automation tool that enables users to build complex automation workflows through a visual drag-and-drop interface. It’s designed to be simple enough to ship in hours, yet sophisticated enough to scale for enterprise use.

Key features:

• 400+ pre-configured integrations with popular services and APIs 
• Visual editor with instant feedback loops for rapid iteration 
• Built-in AI nodes for creating conversational agents and multi-step workflows 
• Self-hosted or cloud deployment options with enterprise features like SSO, LDAP, and audit logs 
• Handles up to 220 workflow executions per second on a single instance 
• Support for custom JavaScript code and HTTP request nodes for unlimited extensibility 

Best for: Businesses looking to automate complex workflows without extensive coding knowledge, particularly those needing AI-native capabilities. 

Pricing: The n8n Pro Cloud starts at $58.88/month for the starter plan with usage-based pricing for executions.

Appsmith is an open-source low-code platform specifically designed for developers to build internal business applications like dashboards, admin panels, and database GUIs with unmatched flexibility and transparency.

Key features:

• 45+ drag-and-drop widgets and 18+ native integrations with databases and APIs 
• Built-in JavaScript editor with auto-complete, multi-line editing, debugging, and linting. 
• Git-based version control for collaborative development and deployment.
• No vendor lock-in with 100% compatibility between cloud and self-hosted versions. 
• Usage-based pricing at $0.4 per hour of usage. 
• 256-bit encryption and secure authentication protocols. 

Best for: Developers who want flexibility and power without sacrificing the convenience of low-code development, especially those requiring self-hosting capabilities. 

Pricing: Free Community Edition; Business plan at $15 per user/month with a unique usage-based pricing option at $0.4 per hour of usage.

Budibase is an open-source low-code platform that enables users to build, automate, and ship internal tools in minutes. It combines app building, workflow automation, and data management in a single, comprehensive platform.

Key features:

• 40+ pre-built components and auto-generation of UIs based on connected data. 
• Built-in database plus support for external data sources, including REST APIs and various databases. 
• Docker and Kubernetes support for scalable deployment. 
• Plugin-based architecture for creating custom data sources. 
• Modular design allowing easy modification and expansion of features
• Built-in automations powered by webhooks and customizable scripts

Best for: Organizations needing to create business apps easily using low-code/no-code tools with strong collaboration features and customization options. 

Pricing: Free open-source version; Budibase Cloud starts at $50 per app creator/month plus $5 per user/month with premium features and hosting included.

Refine is an open-source React meta-framework designed for building CRUD-heavy web applications like admin panels, dashboards, and B2B apps with unmatched flexibility through its headless architecture. 

Key features:

• Headless architecture allowing integration with any UI framework, including TailwindCSS, Ant Design, Material UI, and Chakra UI. 
• 15+ backend service connectors including REST API, GraphQL, Strapi, Supabase, and Firebase. 
• SSR support with Next.js & Remix and advanced routing capabilities. 
• Auto-generation of CRUD UIs based on API data structure. 
• Perfect state management with React Query integration. 
• Codemod support for major version transitions. 

Best for: Developers who want the flexibility of traditional development with the speed of low-code, particularly those building data-intensive applications. 

Pricing: Completely free and open-source under MIT license; no commercial plans or usage restrictions.

Flowise is an open-source, low-code platform for building AI agents and LLM workflows through a visual drag-and-drop interface. It’s designed to make building conversational AI applications accessible to users of all technical backgrounds. 

Key features:

• Visual drag-and-drop interface for building AI chatbots and agents. 
• Three main components: Assistant (beginner-friendly), Chatflow (flexible single-agent systems), and Agentflow (complex multi-agent workflows). 
• Integration with multiple LLM providers and vector stores. 
• Support for multi-agent systems with workflow orchestration. 
• Local deployment options with tools like Ollama for complete privacy. 
• Real-time interaction capabilities through various platforms

Best for: Organizations looking to build intelligent conversational agents and AI-powered applications without extensive AI development expertise. 

Pricing: Free open-source version for self-hosting; Flowise Cloud offers managed hosting with free tier and paid plans starting around $35/month.

AppFlowy is an AI-collaborative workspace and open-source alternative to Notion that prioritizes data privacy and offline functionality. It allows users to bring projects, wikis, and teams together while maintaining complete control over their data. 

Key features:

• 100% offline mode with optional cloud synchronization 
• Self-hosting capabilities with no vendor lock-in. 
• AI model selection, including running Mistral 7B and Llama 3 locally. 
• Multiple database views: grid, board, and calendar with sorting and filtering. 
• Support for Markdown, code blocks, and math equations. 
• Cross-platform availability with native mobile and desktop apps 

Best for: Users who want an open-source Notion replacement with strong privacy controls and offline capabilities.

Pricing: Free and open-source under AGPL license; AppFlowy Cloud offers free tier with paid plans of $10/month for additional storage and AI features.

Node-RED is a low-code visual programming environment built on Node.js, designed for event-driven applications that connect hardware devices, APIs, and online services. Originally created by IBM for IoT applications, it has evolved into a powerful tool for various automation scenarios. 

Key features:

• Visual flow-based programming with drag-and-drop node connections. 
• Integration with industrial protocols like OPC-UA, Modbus, and Siemens S7. 
• 5,000+ community-contributed nodes and flows. 
• Web browser-based flow editor with JavaScript function creation
• Edge computing capabilities for IoT gateways and PLCs. 
• Asynchronous message passing model with completion API. 

Best for: Industrial automation, IoT applications, and edge computing scenarios where visual programming accelerates development. 

Pricing: Node-RED itself is a free and open-source tool.

Huginn is an open-source system for building autonomous agents that monitor online activities and perform automated tasks. It’s designed as a self-hosted, hackable alternative to IFTTT or Zapier, giving users complete control over their data and automation processes. 

Key features:

• Agent-based architecture with directed graph event propagation. 
• 70+ built-in agent types, including RSS, email, Twitter, webhook, and file processing agents. 
• Scenario-based automation for orchestrating multi-step processes. 
• Web-based interface for configuring agents, schedules, and workflows. 
• Extensibility through custom Ruby code, Docker, or plugins. 
• Direct API interaction capabilities with HTTP request/response handling. 

Best for: Developers and power users who need flexible, self-hosted automation with complete data privacy and extensive customization capabilities.

Pricing: Completely free and open-source under MIT license; requires self-hosting with no commercial restrictions or user limits.

Also, for a quick visual understanding, check out this informative video:

When evaluating open source low code platforms for your organization, consider these critical selection criteria:

• GitHub stars and fork count indicate popularity
• Recent commits show active development
• Contributor diversity ensures project sustainability
• Response time to issues and pull requests

• Programming language support: JavaScript, Python, custom code capabilities
• Database compatibility: SQL, NoSQL, API integrations
• Deployment options: Cloud, on-premise, hybrid hosting
• Scalability: Performance under high user loads

• Security features: RBAC, SSO, audit logging
• Compliance support: SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA certifications
• Support options: Community vs commercial support
• Documentation quality: Developer and user guides

• Visual builder capabilities: Drag-and-drop interface quality
• Component library: Pre-built UI components and widgets
• Integration ecosystem: Third-party app connections
• Learning curve: Time to productivity for developers

Also read: “Best low code application platforms for 2025“.

Platform	GitHub Stars	License	Primary use case	Enterprise features
ToolJet	36.4k+	AGPL-3.0	Internal tools, dashboards	SSO, RBAC, AI-powered
NocoDB	43.9k	AGPL-3.0	Database interfaces	Collaboration, API generation
n8n	42.7k	Sustainable Use	Workflow automation	400+ integrations
Appsmith	32.5k	Apache 2.0	Admin panels, CRUD apps	Git sync, API management
Budibase	23k+	GPL v3	Business apps, automation	Multi-environment, audit logs
Refine	26.3k	MIT	React-based internal tools	Enterprise security
Flowise	35.8k	Apache 2.0	LLM orchestration	AI agent building
AppFlowy	61k+	AGPL-3.0	Collaboration, project mgmt	End-to-end encryption
Node-RED	19.1k	Apache 2.0	IoT, event-driven apps	Edge computing support
Huginn	44k+	MIT	Process automation	Self-hosted workflows

• Internal tool development: HR portals, admin dashboards, reporting tools
• Legacy system modernization: Replace outdated applications with modern interfaces
• API integration platforms: Connect disparate systems and data sources
• Workflow automation: Streamline business processes and approvals

• Healthcare: Patient management systems, compliance reporting
• Finance: Risk assessment tools, regulatory reporting dashboards
• Manufacturing: Production tracking, quality control interfaces
• Education: Student portals, learning management extensions

Open source low code platforms empower businesses to innovate faster while maintaining full ownership of their applications. By balancing flexibility with cost efficiency, they help reduce technical debt and foster long-term scalability. While evaluating options, it’s important to weigh features, integrations, and community support to ensure the right fit.

If you’re looking for an open-source low-code platform that combines speed, transparency, and enterprise-ready capabilities, ToolJet is built for you. Start building smarter, scalable solutions today.

Try ToolJet now!