What does Appsmith replace?

Appsmith is a free alternative to Retool ($120/yr).

Is Appsmith open source?

Yes. Appsmith is licensed under Apache-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Yes (self-hosted server; web UI).

Yes. Appsmith is a server app you run on your own server, and its repository includes Docker files.

A free, open-source alternative to Retool. Switching saves $120/yr at list price.

Checked Oct 17, 2026 · How we check

Self-hosted server

Replaces it Active Open source · Apache-2.0 Linux Self-hostable

appsmithorg/appsmith41.1k★last push Oct 16, 2026checked Oct 17, 2026

Self-host

Runs on your own Linux server, with Docker files in the repo. Setup docs are on appsmith.com.

What does Appsmith replace?: Appsmith is a free alternative to Retool ($120/yr).
Is Appsmith open source?: Yes. Appsmith is licensed under Apache-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.
Does Appsmith run on Linux?: Yes (self-hosted server; web UI).
Can you self-host Appsmith?: Yes. Appsmith is a server app you run on your own server, and its repository includes Docker files.