Appsmith vs ToolJet vs Budibase
All three build internal tools, but on different foundations. Appsmith pairs a React builder with a reactive Java (Spring WebFlux) server and MongoDB; ToolJet is React + NestJS on PostgreSQL with a built-in PostgREST database; Budibase is Svelte + Koa on CouchDB and now positions itself around AI agents and automations.
- Appsmith
- TypeScript · Apache-2.0
- ToolJet
- JavaScript · AGPL-3.0
- Budibase
- TypeScript · NOASSERTION
- Updated
- 2026-09-25
Which one should you pick?
- You want one container that runs the whole stack
- You want Git-native versioning of apps
- Your team can extend datasources as Java (PF4J) plugins
- You want PostgreSQL as the system of record and a built-in database via PostgREST
- You want realtime multiplayer editing (Yjs)
- AGPL-3.0 fits your deployment
- You are building automations and AI agents as much as CRUD apps
- You want a Svelte-based builder and a CouchDB system database
- You want automation code run inside isolated-vm
Side by side
| Attribute | Appsmith | ToolJet | Budibase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written in | TypeScriptJava | JavaScriptTypeScriptSCSS | TypeScriptSvelteJavaScript |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 | NOASSERTION |
| Frontend | ReactTypeScriptStorybook | ReactTailwind CSSTypeScript | SvelteViteCodeMirror |
| Backend & APIs | JavaSpring BootPF4JNode.jsJGit | JavaScriptNestJS | KoaNode.jsisolated-vmBull |
| Data & persistence | MongoDBRedis | PostgreSQLRedis | CouchDBRedis |
| Infrastructure & deploy | DockerKubernetesCaddyAnsible | Docker | DockerKubernetes |
| Key decisions |
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| Audited | 09a7581 · 2026-09-17 | 7f406ab · 2026-09-17 | c024aad · 2026-09-17 |
How they differ
Server architecture
Appsmith runs a reactive Java server on Spring WebFlux with datasource integrations as PF4J plugins, plus a Node.js component, all packaged into one container. ToolJet is a NestJS backend with a pluggable marketplace connector architecture. Budibase separates server, worker and builder into deployable packages that share typed core libraries on Koa, with Bull for queues.
Storage
The three pick different system databases: MongoDB (Appsmith), PostgreSQL (ToolJet, which also exposes a built-in “ToolJet DB” through PostgREST) and CouchDB (Budibase). Each uses Redis alongside.
Direction
Budibase has pivoted from “low-code apps” toward “AI agents, automations and apps”. ToolJet adds realtime canvas collaboration with Yjs. Appsmith leans on Git-native app versioning.
Architecture diagrams
Frequently asked questions
What database do Appsmith, ToolJet and Budibase use internally?
Appsmith uses MongoDB as its system of record with Redis, ToolJet uses PostgreSQL with Redis, and Budibase uses CouchDB with Redis. All three connect to your external databases and APIs separately.
How do they run user JavaScript safely?
ToolJet and Budibase both execute user code inside isolated-vm. Appsmith bakes security hardening into its image and runs datasource integrations as PF4J plugins in the Java server.
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