Quick answer
restdb.io - restdb.io wins for most builders because its free tier is more usable for a solo or small team prototype, with higher record limits, much better API throughput, and fewer hard stops before you have to pay.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve different problems. NocoDB Cloud is closer to a spreadsheet-first relational workspace, with editor and commenter seats, REST APIs, SQL access, and multiple views. Its free tier is tight on records, storage, webhook runs, and API calls, so it works best when you are testing a small internal base or a simple CRUD app. restdb.io is a NoSQL backend with an auto-generated REST API, codehooks, media storage, and a more generous free development plan. It gives you more records, more daily API room, and practical backend features, but it is narrower if you want a relational, spreadsheet-style database UI. If your builder goal is quick prototyping with collaborators, restdb.io usually stretches further. If you care more about a relational interface and external database options later, NocoDB is the better fit.
NocoDB Cloud vs restdb.io free tier, side by side
| NocoDB CloudFTV 41 | restdb.ioFTV 56 | |
|---|---|---|
| Users / seatsNocoDB separates editors and commenters; restdb.io lists a single user cap. | Up to 3 users; 3 editor seats, 10 commenter seats | Up to 3 devs/editors/users |
| Records | 1,000 records | 2,500 records |
| API callsrestdb.io frames the free tier with both a daily cap and a rate limit. | 1,000 API calls per month | About 500 per day and up to 1 API call per second |
| StorageThese are not directly equivalent because restdb.io specifies media storage. | 1 GB storage | 100MB media storage |
| Automation / hooksrestdb.io does not provide a numeric free-tier hook quota in the input. | 100 webhook runs per month | Codehooks and jobs included |
| File size | Not stated | Up to 1MB file size |
| Custom domain | Not stated | 1 custom secure domain, limited |
| Backup | Not stated | No automatic backup; manual snapshots only |
After you outgrow the free tier
NocoDB Cloud uses per-seat pricing on its first paid tiers, starting with Plus at $15 per seat per month billed monthly, or $12 annually. restdb.io uses flat plan pricing, with Standard at $19/month and Premium at $79/month, plus higher monthly prices if billed monthly. NocoDB gets expensive as seats grow because every editor costs more, while restdb.io stays predictable until you need a bigger plan. For small teams, restdb.io is usually cheaper once you need more than a toy workload, while NocoDB is cheaper only if you stay very small and value the UI.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | NocoDB Cloud | restdb.io |
|---|---|---|
| 1 seat, small team prototypeNocoDB is cheaper at one paid seat, but restdb.io includes a larger backend-style plan. | $15/mo | $19/mo |
| 3 seats, small internal appNocoDB scales with seats; restdb.io Standard stays flat as long as its limits are enough. | $45/mo | $19/mo |
| 5 seats, growing teamNocoDB Business would be $30 per seat on the monthly plan, but the input does not give an equivalent paid seat count limit for restdb.io beyond the flat plan quotas. | $75/mo | $19/mo |
| Need more than free-tier limitsBoth products jump at different thresholds; NocoDB is seat-driven, restdb.io is plan-driven. | Plus at $15/seat/mo or Business at $30/seat/mo | Standard at $19/mo or Premium at $79/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick NocoDB Cloud when…
- You want a spreadsheet-style database UI for a small internal tool or ops workflow.
- You need relational data views like grid, kanban, gallery, form, calendar, map, timeline, or list.
- You expect to connect to external PostgreSQL or MySQL later, even if the free tier is mainly for a small proof of concept.
- You only need a tiny free workload: up to 1,000 records, 1 GB storage, and 1,000 API calls per month.
Pick restdb.io when…
- You are building a backend-first prototype and want an automatic REST API out of the box.
- You need more breathing room on the free tier, especially 2,500 records and a much higher daily API allowance.
- You want codehooks, jobs, media storage, and hosted pages in the same free development plan.
- You are okay with NoSQL and do not need a spreadsheet-like relational workspace.
- You want to test a small app before paying, without hitting the ceiling as quickly as you would on NocoDB Cloud.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, restdb.io is the better free-tier pick because it gives you a more forgiving development backend before payment is required. If you want a relational workspace with spreadsheet-style editing and views, NocoDB Cloud is the more natural product, but you will hit its smaller free limits sooner. Once you outgrow free, NocoDB charges by seat and restdb.io uses flat plans, so the cheaper option depends on whether your bottleneck is people or usage.
Read the full listings: NocoDB Cloud and restdb.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.