NocoDB

Your database, now a spreadsheet everyone can use

Most businesses already own the data they keep re-entering into Airtable. It sits in Postgres and MySQL databases behind their applications, readable only by developers. NocoDB changes that: it layers a smart spreadsheet interface over real databases, so the whole team gets grid views, kanban boards, forms and APIs on data you already hold, with no per-seat fees and no row caps. Node deploys, manages and supports NocoDB as a production service hosted in the UK.

What NocoDB is

NocoDB is an open source platform that presents databases as a collaborative smart spreadsheet. Create tables from scratch as you would in Airtable, or connect NocoDB to a database you already run, and either way your team gets a familiar grid interface with typed fields, linked records, filters, sorting and permissions, plus kanban, gallery, calendar and form views over the same data.

Every table is exposed automatically as a REST API, with webhooks that fire when records change, so NocoDB doubles as an instant backend for internal tools and automations. Non-technical staff get a spreadsheet; developers get an API; the business gets one source of truth instead of exported copies drifting out of date.

Because NocoDB is open source and self-hostable, all of this runs on infrastructure you control. Your data lives in a real database you own, in a format you can query, back up and take with you.

Why self-hosted NocoDB instead of Airtable

No per-seat fees: Airtable charges for every collaborator, at the time of writing around 20 US dollars per seat per month on its team tier. Self-hosted NocoDB has no per-user licence, so adoption spreading across the company does not spread the bill with it.

No row limits: Airtable caps rows per base by pricing tier. NocoDB tables are backed by real databases and grow with your deployment, not your subscription plan.

Your data was never theirs: with Airtable, your operational data lives in a US vendor's cloud in a proprietary format. With NocoDB, it sits in Postgres or MySQL on UK infrastructure under an Article 28 data processing agreement, queryable with standard tools.

No lock-in: because the storage layer is an ordinary database, leaving NocoDB would mean simply keeping your database. There is no export project and no proprietary format to escape.

A real database underneath: Airtable is a closed platform pretending to be a database. NocoDB is the reverse: a genuine database wearing a friendly interface, so it holds up when workloads get serious.

The spreadsheet interface for data you already run

This is the angle that makes NocoDB different from every other Airtable alternative. Point it at an existing Postgres or MySQL database, and the tables behind your line-of-business systems become browsable, filterable and editable through a spreadsheet UI, with permissions controlling who can see and change what. Operations teams stop raising tickets for developers to run queries. Support staff look up and correct records directly. Managers build their own views instead of asking for reports. The data never moves; the interface comes to it.

Views, forms, APIs and automation

Grid, kanban, gallery and calendar views turn one dataset into the working surface each team needs, and form views collect structured submissions straight into a table. The automatic REST APIs and webhooks make NocoDB a natural partner for n8n workflow automation: a record changing state can trigger notifications, create tasks or update other systems, all without custom code.

NocoDB or Baserow?

We run both of the leading open source Airtable alternatives. NocoDB is the better fit when the data already lives in databases you run and you want a collaborative interface over it. Baserow is the better fit when you are building new databases from scratch and want the friendliest possible experience for non-technical teams. If you are not sure which suits, we will advise honestly, and both run on the same managed platform.

Keycloak and single sign-on

Every application in a Node tenant joins your own Keycloak realm, so staff sign in once with corporate credentials and use NocoDB alongside every other app we run for you. Admins grant and revoke access centrally, MFA and session policies apply consistently, and leavers lose access the moment they are removed from your identity system. It is one of the ways the Node platform turns a collection of apps into a coherent workspace.

How Node runs NocoDB for you

We operate NocoDB as a fully managed service, not a server you have to babysit.

Deployment: we deploy NocoDB in a production configuration with a proper database backend, TLS on your own domain, and secure connectivity to any existing databases it needs to reach.

Upgrades and maintenance: we test and apply updates, manage migrations and keep your instance current and secure without disrupting your team's work.

Monitoring and support: we monitor availability and performance, take regular backups, and our team is on hand when you need new connections, views or help.

Your infrastructure or ours: hosted on Node's UK infrastructure or deployed into your own environment, on-premises or in your cloud accounts, with the same managed service either way.