Appsmith vs Refine
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?
Appsmith
Open-source low-code platform for building internal apps
VS
Refine
React framework for building internal tools and admin panels
| Feature | Appsmith | Refine |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Automation & Workflows | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | source, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 40,605 | ★ 35,481 |
| First released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Retool, Microsoft Power Apps | Retool |
Why pick each one
Choose Refine if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 35.5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Appsmith or Refine better?
Neither is universally better. Appsmith has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Appsmith and Refine free and open-source?
Yes. Appsmith is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Refine under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Appsmith and Refine with Docker?
Appsmith: yes. Refine: yes.