What is NocoBase?
NocoBase is a self-hosted no-code platform for building internal business systems such as CRMs, approval flows and inventory tools. You define data models, pages, workflows and permissions in a WYSIWYG editor, and it runs on PostgreSQL, MySQL or MariaDB.
Its AI features come in two forms. AI employees, provided by a built-in plugin, are role-based agents inside the app that read the current page and data and act through skills, each skill set to ask or allow. From the outside, coding agents such as Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and OpenCode can build and change apps through the nb CLI, and external agents connect through MCP and HTTP APIs.
The company is based in Singapore, the project started in 2020, and v2.2.33 shipped on 25 October 2026. The licence is Apache 2.0 with added restrictions, so it is source-available rather than open source in the OSI sense.
Is NocoBase worth it?
NocoBase's useful idea is to let AI build on a fixed platform rather than generate an app from scratch. Data models, permissions and workflows already exist as tested modules; a coding agent or a person only configures them, which keeps AI-built CRMs and approval tools inside the same role and field-level permissions as the people using them.
The licence needs reading before the code. It incorporates Apache 2.0 but adds terms that win where they conflict: you may not remove NocoBase branding beyond the top-left logo, and you may not offer any no-code, low-code or AI platform as SaaS or PaaS to the public, even modified. Commercial use for internal systems is allowed. Dify and n8n carry their own restrictions, but NocoBase is the furthest from a permissive licence of the three.
The paid editions are one-time purchases, unusual in this market. Standard is $800 and removes branding and adds external MySQL and PostgreSQL sources; Professional at $8,000 adds SSO, version control, advanced AI employee abilities and the right to build apps for clients; Enterprise adds clustering and audit logs. Each includes a year of upgrades, after which you keep the version you have.
The free edition is real but bounded: Excel import and export stop at 2,000 rows, SSO is Professional-only, and the pricing page sets no published limits on AI usage because you bring your own model provider.
Where it earns its place
An operations lead at a 60-person car-rental firm
Replace spreadsheets with a booking, fleet and invoicing system
Self-host Community Edition on Docker with PostgreSQL and have Claude Code scaffold the data models through the nb CLI, then refine screens by hand. Free if the NocoBase logo can stay and imports stay under 2,000 rows.
An IT manager at a 400-person manufacturer
Add an AI assistant that answers inventory questions without exposing payroll data
Configure an AI employee with its own role and field-level permissions and set data-changing skills to ask first. SSO pushes this to Professional at $8,000 one-time.
A small software agency
Deliver custom ERP-style systems to clients
Building apps for clients needs the Professional licence; reselling NocoBase itself as a hosted no-code platform is prohibited at every tier.
Before you commit
- Setup
- npm install -g @nocobase/cli then nb init --ui, or Docker Compose with postgres:16, mysql:8 or mariadb:11 (SQLite is not supported); the app listens on port 13000. Set a random APP_KEY before first start.
- Integrations
- MCP, HTTP APIs and CLI for external agents; Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode and TRAE for building; Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack and Gmail channels; LLM providers configured as LLM Services.
- Data and privacy
- Self-hosted on your own database; prompts go to the model provider you configure. Licence is Apache 2.0 plus supplementary terms that restrict public SaaS or PaaS offerings and branding removal.
- Cost at scale
- Software cost is one-time: $800 Standard for internal use, $8,000 Professional for client work and SSO; upgrades and support last one year. Model usage is billed by your provider.
- Limits
- Community caps Excel import and export at 2,000 rows; SSO, version control and separate dev, test and production environments are Professional features; clustering and audit logs are Enterprise.
What's good
- AI works on top of tested data, permission and workflow modules
- AI employees respect the same role and field permissions as users
- nb CLI and MCP let coding agents build and modify apps
- One-time pricing rather than per-seat subscription
What's not
- Licence bars public SaaS or PaaS use and branding removal
- SSO only from the $8,000 Professional edition
- 2,000-row Excel import cap in Community
- Audit logs and clustering are Enterprise-only
Best for
Operations and IT teams that want to self-host internal business apps and let AI agents build and work inside them.
NocoBase alternatives
NocoBase: common questions
- Is NocoBase worth it?
- NocoBase is a capable self-hosted base for AI-assisted internal apps, wrapped in a licence that is less open than its marketing. We rate it 3.8 out of 5.
- How much does NocoBase cost?
- Community Edition free; Standard $800, Professional $8,000, one-time, each with a year of upgrades; Enterprise on request.
- What are the downsides of NocoBase?
- Licence bars public SaaS or PaaS use and branding removal; sSO only from the $8,000 Professional edition; 2,000-row Excel import cap in Community; audit logs and clustering are Enterprise-only.
- Who is NocoBase best for?
- Operations and IT teams that want to self-host internal business apps and let AI agents build and work inside them.
- How much does NocoBase cost for a team or in production?
- Software cost is one-time: $800 Standard for internal use, $8,000 Professional for client work and SSO; upgrades and support last one year. Model usage is billed by your provider.
- Is NocoBase safe for company data?
- Self-hosted on your own database; prompts go to the model provider you configure. Licence is Apache 2.0 plus supplementary terms that restrict public SaaS or PaaS offerings and branding removal.
- What are the best NocoBase alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are Dify, n8n and Langflow.
Answers checked Oct 26, 2026.