Noloco vs Glide: Which one to pick in 2026?

Ops teams today need more than spreadsheets: they need connected tools that automate and scale real workflows. Noloco and Glide are two no-code app builders that promise fast setup and modern interfaces.

But their approaches to data integrations, permissions, and app customization differ in key ways that are important to know before picking a solution.

In this comparison guide, we’ll unpack each tool’s features, limitations, and pricing. We’ll also point to a better option when you need more flexibility, scalability, and control in your business apps.

Noloco vs Glide comparison

What is Noloco?

Noloco is a no-code platform for building internal tools, portals, and apps without relying on engineers. On paid plans, it syncs to data sources like Airtable, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Xano. Or you can store data directly in Noloco Tables, its built-in database.

How it works and who it’s for

Builders can create secure apps where teammates or clients log in to view and edit data. Most customization is limited to layout and styling, but setup is fast once your data is organized.

Pricing in Noloco is based on Team seats (internal builders and admins) and Client seats (external users), along with your data volume and whether you’re building with external data sources. That structure makes it a stronger fit for smaller teams or limited client-facing projects rather than large internal or external operations, where user limits could get confusing.

Compared to Glide, Noloco offers more granular access control and higher row limits on its top tiers — up to 200,000 rows on Noloco Business vs. 100,000 rows total on Glide’s Business plan.

What is Glide?

Glide is a no-code platform that lets teams turn data from spreadsheets or their internal Glide Tables into polished web or mobile apps. Glide’s front-end is primarily built to accommodate users of its own database, so it doesn’t have the in-depth native data integrations that other builders do.

How it works and who it’s for

Glide is built for speed and simplicity. You can design apps quickly using templates or directly from your data. However, customization is limited, and more advanced workflows or permissions can become difficult to maintain at scale.

Pricing starts at $199 per month (billed yearly) for the Business plan, which includes 30 app users, with each additional user costing $5. Glide doesn’t offer a lower business-tier plan for smaller teams (and you can’t publish an app on the free plan), which makes it harder to start affordably.

Compared to Noloco, Glide offers a cleaner design out of the box, but less control over complex data relationships, user roles, and long-term scalability: key factors for builders creating tools that need to grow with their operations.

Noloco vs Glide: 8 features compared

Both Noloco and Glide help teams move beyond spreadsheets into real applications. But how they handle setup, data, pricing, and user experience can have a big impact on what you can build and how far you can scale.

Here’s how they compare across the areas that matter most for builders and ops teams.

1. Which is easier to use and set up?

Glide makes it quick to get started: you can connect a Google Sheet, Airtable base, or Excel file, or start from a simple template or blank canvas.

Noloco launches with its AI builder, Nola. It’s useful for setting up internal tools with clear permissions, but it can be confusing to get started when you land in the builder.

Bottom line: Glide gets you building faster; Noloco takes longer upfront but gives you more structure from the start.

2. Which one lets you build more complex apps?

Noloco supports multi-table relationships, custom roles, and workflow logic that make it better suited for internal tools and client portals. Builders can create record- and field-level permissions, automate actions, and handle data relationships across multiple tables.

Glide emphasizes simplicity and visual design. It supports logic, workflows, and role-based access, but its structure revolves around Glide Tables, which can be limiting. Glide’s visual workflow editor is easier to use, but less flexible for building deeply customized business logic.

Verdict: Noloco offers more power for complex, data-heavy apps; Glide is better for fast, polished tools with straightforward logic.

3. Which integrates with more tools?

Noloco connects to Airtable, Google Sheets, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SmartSuite, or you can use Noloco Tables as your internal database. Live sync is available on paid plans, allowing data to stay up-to-date automatically.

Glide integrates with Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable, BigQuery, and SQL, but integrations feel like “add-ons” rather than deep data connections. Glide’s front-end is primarily built for its own Glide Tables, where performance and reliability are strongest. External data syncs are not real-time and can lag on larger datasets.

Verdict: Noloco offers more integrations with external databases (though it’s still limited compared to other no-code tools like Softr); Glide performs best when using its own native tables.

4. Which one costs more in the long run?

Noloco’s pricing is tiered based on Team seats, Client seats, and limits for rows, workflow runs, and file storage. It includes a Free plan for testing and small projects, but scaling requires a paid tier. While Noloco can be cost-efficient for client-heavy portals, the mix of seat types, “active user” definitions, and synced row limits for external data sources can make pricing confusing to forecast.

Glide’s pricing for business users starts at $199/month (billed yearly). Costs also depend on how many rows, updates, and data syncs your app consumes,  especially if you’re using external data sources like Google Sheets or Airtable. That makes Glide’s model similarly unpredictable as your data and user activity grow, even though it looks simpler at first glance.

Verdict: Both platforms can get expensive as usage scales. Glide’s pricing model is more unpredictable, especially for apps connected to external data sources like Airtable. Meanwhile, Noloco’s pricing is delineated by user type (team seats vs client seats), which can also make it harder to scale.

5. How do their workflow automations compare?

Glide includes a visual workflow builder with several trigger types, such as App Interaction, Scheduled, Email, and Webhook workflows, that make it easy to automate actions without code. It’s straightforward and approachable for non-technical builders.

Noloco offers Workflows with record-based triggers and actions (e.g., send emails, update records, or run syncs), but its rule-based setup isn’t as visual.

Verdict: Glide’s visual workflow builder is easier to use; Noloco offers more flexibility but a less intuitive interface.

6. Can I control who sees what?

Glide offers two layers of access control: Roles, which hide screens or components based on a user’s assigned role, and Row Owners, which ensure that only the designated user can download and access specific rows of data.

Row Owners are Glide’s only true data security feature — everything else (roles, visibility conditions, and filtered views) runs client-side, meaning hidden data may still be delivered to the device even if the UI doesn’t display it. Role assignment also isn’t automated: when new users sign up, someone on your team must manually assign their role in the data source.

Noloco provides a more robust data-permission system with record- and field-level permissions, plus the ability to create custom roles on Pro plans and higher. These permissions are evaluated server-side and define what each role can read, edit, or delete at the table or field level.

However, Noloco also uses visibility rules (UI-level filters) that run on the client side—so if permissions aren’t configured correctly, sensitive data may still be sent to the browser even if it’s hidden from view. More advanced permission features also require higher-tier plans.

Verdict: Noloco offers stronger data-level permissions and more control for multi-role internal tools. Glide works best when each user should only see their own data and Row Owners can handle the restriction. But because both platforms still rely on some client-side visibility logic, neither is ideal for highly sensitive or compliance-heavy use cases.

7. How do their apps look and perform?

Glide delivers a more professional, mobile-first design out of the box, with smooth UI components, animations, and native actions like recording audio or capturing device location. Apps look modern and feel native without custom code.

Noloco is optimized for web apps and portals, with a responsive interface that adapts to mobile, but not with Glide’s level of polish or native mobile functionality. Design customization is limited to layout, colors, and branding.

Verdict: Glide offers stronger mobile performance and a cleaner UI; Noloco focuses on functional but less customizable layouts.

8. Will it work as my team grows?

Noloco scales better for relational data, multiple user roles, and larger client bases. You can manage thousands of records and connect multiple data sources, though performance can vary depending on sync frequency and workflow load.

Glide handles moderate data and user counts well but can slow down with frequent updates or large external data syncs.

Verdict: Noloco supports more complex scaling needs; Glide scales smoothly within its native ecosystem but becomes expensive if using external data sources.

Summary

• Noloco is good for teams that need structure and control. It’s strong for portals, approval flows, and data-heavy tools, but setup takes time, and scaling can get expensive.
• Glide is great for teams that want speed and simplicity, and are willing to invest more upfront. It’s quick for prototypes or basic internal tools, but permissions and data sources are limited.

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Popular use cases for Noloco vs Glide

Both Noloco and Glide help small and mid-sized teams build business apps without code, but they fit different scenarios depending on your team’s structure, data, and workflow needs.

Noloco

Noloco fits best for structured internal tools and client or vendor portals where you need more control over roles, data relationships, and permissions. Teams often use it to create approval workflows, CRMs, or client dashboards that rely on relational data and fine-grained visibility.

It’s great when your priority is structure over design flexibility.

Glide

Glide works best for mobile-first internal tools, dashboards, and field apps that need to be quick, visual, and easy to maintain.

Teams use it for checklists, inspections, inventory tracking, or performance dashboards connected to Google Sheets or Airtable. It’s a strong fit when you want speed, simplicity, and built-in device features like GPS, camera, or audio capture, rather than deep data modeling.

Noloco vs Glide: What do Reddit commenters and other reviews say?

Across Reddit discussions, users often compare these tools based on speed, flexibility, and how much setup each one needs.

Many Reddit users say Glide feels fast and intuitive for internal apps built from spreadsheets. It’s praised for simplicity and a smooth UI, though some users admit it hits limits when apps need complex logic or scale.

Noloco, on the other hand, gets credit for structure and automation. Redditors mention its AI builder and deeper database control, but note that it can feel more technical and less flexible than they’d like.

How pricing compares between Noloco and Glide

Pricing can be tricky when choosing a no-code platform. Both Noloco and Glide promote accessibility for small teams, but how they charge for users, records, and updates can change the real cost fast.

Here’s a quick look.

Meet Softr: The best alternative to Noloco and Glide for business apps that scale

Softr is an AI-powered no-code platform for building internal tools, client portals, and business apps that connect to your data without writing code. Like Glide and Noloco, it brings together your database, interface (app), and workflows (automations) in one secure, highly customizable platform. That means fewer tools to manage, more predictable costs, and apps that grow with your business.

Here’s what makes it the best alternative to Noloco and Glide:

1. Softr is easier to learn and faster to build with

Softr strikes the right balance of speed and customization. It’s powerful yet intuitive, with drag-and-drop blocks, visual layouts, and pre-built templates that connect to your data instantly.

Apps look great out of the box, but you can still customize layouts by adding tabs, columns, and custom navs to match your workflow and brand.

Result: Launch internal tools or client portals in hours, not weeks, and easily evolve them as your operations grow.

2. Softr lets you connect and manage all your data in one place

Noloco and Glide both support external data connections, but their integrations are limited or rely on syncing and data copies.

Softr takes a native integration approach. You can connect to Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Notion, monday.com, SmartSuite, PostgreSQL, and more, or use Softr Databases as a secure built-in backend when needed.

You can even combine multiple data sources in a single app (for example, Airtable + HubSpot + Google Sheets) and map each Softr block to a different source. Your data stays live: no syncing, duplication, or lag.

Result: A single source of truth that connects directly to your workflows, not a copy of your data.

3. Softr has more predictable, affordable pricing that scales

Noloco charges by internal vs. client seats, workflow runs, and data volume, making pricing hard to forecast as your team grows. Glide offers only one standard paid business plan starting at $199/month (billed yearly) and doesn’t allow published apps on its free plan.

Softr, by contrast, offers flat, transparent pricing with higher user and record limits, and a generous free plan.

Pricing overview:

• Free: 1 published app, up to 10 users, 500 Softr Workflow actions, and 5,000 records.
• Basic ($49/month): 3 apps, 20 users, 2,500 workflow actions, payments, custom code, and branding.
• Professional ($139/month): 100 users, 10,000 Softr Workflow actions, advanced forms, API access, and e-signatures.
• Business ($269/month): 500 users, 25,000 workflow actions, 1M records, and advanced data sources.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, SSO, dedicated success manager, and tailored onboarding.

Result: No surprise overages and a clear path to scale with your business.

4. Softr lets you set more granular permissions, and it’s more secure.

Softr defines user groups and permissions in a flexible, logic-based way. You can create custom visibility rules using AND/OR conditions and reference any combination of database fields or user attributes. With Global Data Restrictions, you can also enforce app-level data protection, ensuring restricted records or fields can’t be viewed, updated, or deleted.

All visibility rules in Softr are server-side, meaning hidden data is never sent to the browser. By contrast, Glide and Noloco implement visibility client-side, where technically skilled users can still expose hidden data.

Result: Stronger access control and enterprise-grade security baked into every app.

5. Softr works well for both internal and external applications.

While Glide and Noloco primarily target internal tools, Softr is built for both internal operations and external-facing apps. You can use the same platform to power client portals, vendor hubs, partner dashboards, or even public directories or learning systems.

Example: A real estate company can give clients access to their property portfolios while internal agents manage listings and deals: all in the same Softr app with different visibility levels.

Bonus: Run automations directly from your apps

With Softr Workflows, you can trigger automations directly from action buttons in your apps and run them in the background with optional wait screens or next steps. You can even add AI Agents to summarize, enrich, or route data automatically, keeping your workflows fast and intelligent.

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In short: Softr gives you both speed and scale. It combines powerful native data source connections, flexible design, granular permissions, and predictable pricing in one platform built for real operational teams.

See more about how Softr compares to Glide and Noloco: 

👉Glide vs. Softr

👉Noloco vs. Softr

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How Softr pricing compares to Noloco and Glide

Softr vs Noloco

Softr vs Glide

Noloco vs Glide vs Softr: Which one should you choose?

Both Glide and Noloco make it possible to turn spreadsheets into functioning apps. Glide is great for when you need polished, mobile-first tools for teams in the field, while Noloco offers structure for internal workflows that depend on relational data and user roles.

But each has its limits — Glide around flexibility, external data integrations, and cost as you scale; Noloco around design customization, data syncs, and pricing complexity.

Choose Softr if you want one platform to build, run, and automate your business apps. Softr combines Glide’s simplicity with Noloco’s structure, and adds deeper data source integrations, more useful AI features, stronger security, and more predictable pricing.

👉Try Softr for free and see how easy it is to build tools that match your business operations.

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Noloco provides a more comprehensive permission model with record- and field-level permissions, custom roles, and advanced patterns for multi-tenant apps. You can define what each role can read, edit, or delete on a per-table or per-field basis, and you can control which records appear for which users. However, Noloco also blends visibility rules (UI-level) with permissions (data-level), and unless permissions are configured properly, hidden data can still be accessible via API or browser tools. More advanced permission features also require higher-tier plans.

Verdict: Noloco offers stronger, more granular data-level permissions, while Glide works best for simple apps where each user only needs access to their own data. But because both platforms rely on client-side logic for parts of their access control, neither is ideal for highly sensitive or compliance-heavy use cases.

7. How do their apps look and perform?

Glide delivers a more professional, mobile-first design out of the box, with smooth UI components, animations, and native actions like recording audio or capturing device location. Apps look modern and feel native without custom code.

Noloco is optimized for web apps and portals, with a responsive interface that adapts to mobile, but not with Glide’s level of polish or native mobile functionality. Design customization is limited to layout, colors, and branding.

Verdict: Glide offers stronger mobile performance and a cleaner UI; Noloco focuses on functional but less customizable layouts.

8. Will it work as my team grows?

Noloco scales better for relational data, multiple user roles, and larger client bases. You can manage thousands of records and connect multiple data sources, though performance can vary depending on sync frequency and workflow load.

Glide handles moderate data and user counts well but can slow down with frequent updates or large external data syncs.

Verdict: Noloco supports more complex scaling needs; Glide scales smoothly within its native ecosystem but becomes expensive if using external data sources.

Summary

• Noloco is good for teams that need structure and control. It’s strong for portals, approval flows, and data-heavy tools, but setup takes time, and scaling can get expensive.
• Glide is great for teams that want speed and simplicity, and are willing to invest more upfront. It’s quick for prototypes or basic internal tools, but features and permissions are limited and require more upfront investment.

{{cta-1}}

Popular use cases for Noloco vs Glide

Both Noloco and Glide help small and mid-sized teams build business apps without code, but they fit different scenarios depending on your team’s structure, data, and workflow needs.

Noloco

Noloco fits best for structured internal tools and client or vendor portals where you need more control over roles, data relationships, and permissions. Teams often use it to create approval workflows, CRMs, or client dashboards that rely on relational data and fine-grained visibility.

It’s great when your priority is structure over design flexibility.

Glide

Glide works best for mobile-first internal tools, dashboards, and field apps that need to be quick, visual, and easy to maintain.

Teams use it for checklists, inspections, inventory tracking, or performance dashboards connected to Google Sheets or Airtable. It’s a strong fit when you want speed, simplicity, and built-in device features like GPS, camera, or audio capture, rather than deep data modeling.

Noloco vs Glide: What do Reddit commenters and other reviews say?

Across Reddit discussions, users often compare these tools based on speed, flexibility, and how much setup each one needs.

Many Reddit users say Glide feels fast and intuitive for internal apps built from spreadsheets. It’s praised for simplicity and a smooth UI, though some users admit it hits limits when apps need complex logic or scale.

Noloco, on the other hand, gets credit for structure and automation. Redditors mention its AI builder and deeper database control, but note that it can feel more technical and less flexible than they’d like.

How pricing compares between Noloco and Glide

Pricing can be tricky when choosing a no-code platform. Both Noloco and Glide promote accessibility for small teams, but how they charge for users, records, and updates can change the real cost fast.

Here’s a quick look.

Meet Softr: The best alternative to Noloco and Glide for business apps that scale

Softr is an AI-powered no-code platform for building internal tools, client portals, and business apps that connect to your data without writing code. Like Glide and Noloco, it brings together your database, interface (app), and workflows (automations) in one secure, highly customizable platform. That means fewer tools to manage, more predictable costs, and apps that grow with your business.

Here’s what makes it the best alternative to Noloco and Glide:

1. Softr is easier to learn and faster to build with

Softr strikes the right balance of speed and customization. It’s powerful yet intuitive, with drag-and-drop blocks, visual layouts, and pre-built templates that connect to your data instantly.

Apps look great out of the box, but you can still customize layouts by adding tabs, columns, and custom navs to match your workflow and brand.

Result: Launch internal tools or client portals in hours, not weeks, and easily evolve them as your operations grow.

2. Softr lets you connect and manage all your data in one place

Noloco and Glide both support external data connections, but their integrations are limited or rely on syncing and data copies.

Softr takes a native integration approach. You can connect to Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Notion, monday.com, SmartSuite, PostgreSQL, and more, or use Softr Databases as a secure built-in backend when needed.

You can even combine multiple data sources in a single app (for example, Airtable + HubSpot + Google Sheets) and map each Softr block to a different source. Your data stays live: no syncing, duplication, or lag.

Result: A single source of truth that connects directly to your workflows, not a copy of your data.

3. Softr has more predictable, affordable pricing that scales

Noloco charges by internal vs. client seats, workflow runs, and data volume, making pricing hard to forecast as your team grows. Glide offers only one standard paid business plan starting at $199/month (billed yearly) and doesn’t allow published apps on its free plan.

Softr, by contrast, offers flat, transparent pricing with higher user and record limits, and a generous free plan.

Pricing overview:

• Free: 1 published app, up to 10 users, 500 Softr Workflow actions, and 5,000 records.
• Basic ($49/month): 3 apps, 20 users, 2,500 workflow actions, payments, custom code, and branding.
• Professional ($139/month): 100 users, 10,000 Softr Workflow actions, advanced forms, API access, and e-signatures.
• Business ($269/month): 500 users, 25,000 workflow actions, 1M records, and advanced data sources.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, SSO, dedicated success manager, and tailored onboarding.

Result: No surprise overages and a clear path to scale with your business.

4. Softr lets you set more granular permissions, and it’s more secure.

Softr defines user groups and permissions in a flexible, logic-based way. You can create custom visibility rules using AND/OR conditions and reference any combination of database fields or user attributes. With Global Data Restrictions, you can also enforce app-level data protection, ensuring restricted records or fields can’t be viewed, updated, or deleted.

All visibility rules in Softr are server-side, meaning hidden data is never sent to the browser. By contrast, Glide and Noloco implement visibility client-side, where technically skilled users can still expose hidden data.

Result: Stronger access control and enterprise-grade security baked into every app.

5. Softr works well for both internal and external applications.

While Glide and Noloco primarily target internal tools, Softr is built for both internal operations and external-facing apps. You can use the same platform to power client portals, vendor hubs, partner dashboards, or even public directories or learning systems.

Example: A real estate company can give clients access to their property portfolios while internal agents manage listings and deals: all in the same Softr app with different visibility levels.

Bonus: Run automations directly from your apps

With Softr Workflows, you can trigger automations directly from action buttons in your apps and run them in the background with optional wait screens or next steps. You can even add AI Agents to summarize, enrich, or route data automatically, keeping your workflows fast and intelligent.

[.blog-callout]

In short: Softr gives you both speed and scale. It combines powerful native data source connections, flexible design, granular permissions, and predictable pricing in one platform built for real operational teams.

See more about how Softr compares to Glide and Noloco: 

👉Glide vs. Softr

👉Noloco vs. Softr

[.blog-callout]

How Softr pricing compares to Noloco and Glide

Softr vs Noloco

Softr vs Glide

Noloco vs Glide vs Softr: Which one should you choose?

Both Glide and Noloco make it possible to turn spreadsheets into functioning apps. Glide is great for when you need polished, mobile-first tools for teams in the field, while Noloco offers structure for internal workflows that depend on relational data and user roles.

But each has its limits — Glide around flexibility, external data integrations, and cost as you scale; Noloco around design customization, data syncs, and pricing complexity.

Choose Softr if you want one platform to build, run, and automate your business apps. Softr combines Glide’s simplicity with Noloco’s structure, and adds deeper data source integrations, more useful AI features, stronger security, and more predictable pricing.

👉Try Softr for free and see how easy it is to build tools that match your business operations.