Ninox

Overview

Ninox is a low-code platform for building business apps around your own data and processes. It suits teams that need more tailored workflows than a fixed-purpose tool provides, but its free tier’s small storage and record caps make it better for proving out an app than running a growing operation.

Its scope spans CRM and sales, orders, inventory, projects, HR, patient records, and care. Teams can shape relational data, interfaces, business rules, and automations, then collaborate on and produce business documents. That breadth is useful when several processes need to live in one configurable system; it also means the team must be willing to design and maintain its own setup.

Ninox was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Berlin. The company says it serves individuals through large enterprises and has more than 5,000 customers and over 100 partner companies. It appears in the No-Code Database Software, No-Code Development Platforms, and No-code app builders categories.

Key features

• AI-assisted app building: Users can describe needs in plain language, then combine AI with low-code tools to structure data, define business logic, build interfaces, and automate processes. This is a practical starting point for teams that know their workflow but do not want to write an application from scratch; the amount of configuration still makes it less suitable for a team expecting a ready-made CRM or inventory product.
• Workflow automation: Event triggers, conditions, and scripting let teams encode business processes. The range of controls supports more tailored flows, but scripting and process design place responsibility on the people building the app.
• Documents and collaboration: Teams can work together in real time and generate, email, share, print, or export contracts, invoices, and reports. That connects recordkeeping to routine document work instead of treating records as the endpoint.
• Integrations and API: Ninox connects with Zapier, Make, and n8n and provides a public REST API, giving teams routes to link their apps with other services or build custom connections.
• Access and safeguards: Role and permission controls, data change history, and local database backups help teams govern access and preserve records. Ninox says it is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant, hosts on AWS servers in Germany, and encrypts data at rest and in transit; it also offers GDPR-compliant data processing agreements with hosting and technology partners.
• Support: Documentation, tutorial videos, a forum, Discord community, and contact form give users several self-service and community routes. Paid plans add individual email support, while Enterprise includes premium support and expert assistance.

Pricing

Ninox uses a freemium model. The free plan has no trial period or expiry and supports up to five users, making it a useful way for a small team to build and assess an app without a subscription. Its 100 MB storage, 5,000-record cap, 1,000 API calls per month, 100 generated documents per month, and seven-day history are restrictive for sustained business use.

Team is the step up for businesses that outgrow the free caps: its storage, records, API, and document allowances scale per user, and it adds individual email support. Business is better suited to heavier workloads or teams that need unlimited history, with substantially larger per-user quotas. Both paid prices are billed annually and exclude VAT, so the listed monthly rates are not month-to-month terms. Enterprise is aimed at organizations needing tailored solutions and dedicated assistance rather than a published standard allowance.

Platforms

Ninox is available on web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux, with self-hosted deployment and API access also supported. It runs in a modern browser on desktop, tablet, or mobile. Native iOS and Android apps are in development, so mobile browser access is the dependable option for now.

Who it's for

Ninox is a strong fit for organizations that need to adapt data structures and workflows across business functions, especially when document generation, permissions, and automation belong in the same system. The free plan can serve an individual or a small group exploring a workflow, but its 5,000-record ceiling and 100 MB storage are likely to push active teams toward paid plans. Businesses with high volumes should compare the per-user quotas carefully; teams seeking a finished, narrowly focused app rather than a configurable platform should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pro — broad workflow coverage: Relational data, interfaces, automation, and document handling can be combined for many business processes in one configurable platform.
• Pro — useful integration routes: Zapier, Make, n8n, and a public REST API provide both no-code and developer-facing connection options.
• Pro — meaningful access controls: Permissions, change history, backups, and stated encryption and compliance measures address governance needs alongside app building.
• Con — free capacity is tight: Five users, 100 MB, and 5,000 records suit evaluation better than a data-heavy team’s long-term operation.
• Con — paid plans require annual billing: Team and Business prices are billed annually and exclude VAT, which is less flexible for buyers who need a short commitment.
• Con — mobile apps are still in development: Although browser access works on mobile, users who require native iOS or Android apps should factor in that distinction.

Alternatives

Airtable is worth comparing if its Team plan’s 50,000 records per base, 100,000 API calls per workspace per month, and 20 GB of attachments better match a team’s needs; its listed price is $20 a month, billed annually, and it also offers a free plan and trial.

Grist is a plausible alternative for users who prioritize unlimited documents and up to 5,000 records per document on a free plan, along with 30-day snapshot history; it supports self-hosting as well as web, desktop, API, and Linux access.

Lark may suit teams comparing a collaboration-oriented option, with its Starter plan specifying 20 users, 100 GB storage, 18 months of message history, and 1,000 automations per month.

Ragic is another free-plan option, with three custom sheets, 1,000 records per sheet, unlimited users, and 10 GB upload storage. Its free trial may also help a team assess it before choosing.

Matrify is an alternative with a free plan and web, desktop, and mobile platform support.

Memento Database is another freemium option with web, desktop, and mobile platform support.

Saltcorn is an alternative for readers looking for software with a free pricing model and web, desktop, and mobile platform support.

Stackby is a freemium alternative with web, desktop, and mobile platform support.

Verdict

Choose Ninox if your organization needs a configurable business app platform that can connect relational data, custom workflows, and document production, with access controls and integration options alongside them. Its main appeal is the breadth of what teams can build in one system; its main drawback is that the free tier is sharply capped and paid plans commit buyers to annual billing. Teams that need generous free capacity, a ready-made tool, or native mobile apps now should compare alternatives before committing.