Anvil App Server vs Budibase
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Anvil App Server
Self-hosted runtime for apps built with Anvil
VS
Budibase
Low-code platform to build internal tools and automations
| Feature | Anvil App Server | Budibase |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Automation & Workflows |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,023 | ★ 28,190 |
| First released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Anvil Cloud, Retool | Microsoft Power Apps, Retool, Airtable |
Why pick each one
Choose Anvil App Server if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Anvil App Server or Budibase better?
Neither is universally better. Budibase has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Anvil App Server and Budibase free and open-source?
Yes. Anvil App Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Budibase under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anvil App Server and Budibase with Docker?
Anvil App Server: check the project docs for container support. Budibase: yes.