About Knack
Knack is a commercial no-code platform for building online database applications. Users define their data tables, design pages and forms with a visual editor, and set permissions, producing apps such as customer portals, work order trackers, custom CRMs or inventory systems.
The vendor now offers an AI app builder and an MCP server that connects AI tools to its backend. Its site lists solutions for work orders, project and financial management, event and volunteer management, and supplier portals, across industries such as construction, healthcare and government. Knack is a hosted service with a free trial available, aimed at small and mid-sized organizations that want custom data apps without developers.
Key features
- Online database with visual table design
- Portal and form builder
- User roles and access permissions
- AI app builder
- MCP server for connecting AI tools
- Templates for CRMs and work orders
Good fit for
- →Customer or vendor portals
- →Work order and inventory tracking
- →Volunteer and event management
- Tags
- no-code
- database-apps
- portals
- crm
- internal-tools
- ai
- forms
Knack: questions and answers
- What is Knack used for?
- Knack is a no-code database app builder used to create portals, custom CRMs and internal tools, now with an AI builder and an MCP server. It is a good fit for customer or vendor portals, work order and inventory tracking, and volunteer and event management.
- How much does Knack cost?
- Paid plans for Knack start at $59 per month, and there is no free plan. A free trial is available.
- Is Knack open source?
- No. Knack is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Knack include NocoBase, Budibase and REI3.
- What are some alternatives to Knack?
- Knack competes with Airtable, Quickbase and Caspio. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Knack alternatives.
Open-source alternatives to Knack
See all
NocoBase
Low-code & Internal Tools
Open-source AI no-code platform for building reliable business systems. Use AI coding agen
OSSvs Microsoft Power Apps★ 24k
Budibase
Low-code & Internal Tools
AI agents, automations and apps that run your operations. Model agnostic.
OSSvs Retool★ 28k
REI3
Low-code & Internal Tools
REI3 - Free and open low code
OSSvs Quickbase★ 581
Totum
Low-code & Internal Tools
Small-code database for non-programmers. Universal UI, simple-code logic, automatic action
MITvs Airtable★ 980
ToolJet
Low-code & Internal Tools
ToolJet is the open-source, AI-native low-code platform for internal tools. Build with AI,
AGPL-3.0vs Retool★ 41k
Corteza
Low-code & Internal Tools
Low-code platform
Apache-2.0vs Salesforce★ 2.2k
SaaS alternatives to Knack
See all
Airtable
Database Tools
Airtable is an app-building platform that combines a relational database with interfaces, automations and AI agents so teams can build their own business apps.
SaaS
Quickbase
Low-code & Internal Tools
Low-code platform for database-backed business apps and dashboards
SaaS
Caspio
Low-code & Internal Tools
Low-code platform for cloud database applications and web forms
SaaSTadabase
Low-code & Internal Tools
No-code builder for database-driven web apps and portals
SaaS
Softr
Low-code & Internal Tools
Builds client portals and internal tools on top of Airtable and other data sources
SaaS
Noloco
Low-code & Internal Tools
No-code app builder for portals and internal tools on top of existing data
SaaS

