Appsmith vs Cup
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted automation & workflows options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Appsmith
Open-source low-code platform for building internal apps
VS
Cup
Fast checker for available Docker image updates
| Feature | Appsmith | Cup |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Automation & Workflows |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,605 | ★ 1,337 |
| First released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps | Watchtower |
Why pick each one
Choose Cup if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Appsmith or Cup better?
Neither is universally better. Appsmith has the larger community, while Cup is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Appsmith and Cup free and open-source?
Yes. Appsmith is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Cup under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Appsmith and Cup with Docker?
Appsmith: yes. Cup: yes.