Switchboardby Shuttlewright

Software alternatives / With the tradeoffs left in

A different tool.
A clearer choice.

Before you switch, read the small print. Find software alternatives with the license, hosting and paid feature boundaries beside them.

Browse alternatives ↗

Source based starting points. Not a feature parity promise.
Source notes dated 13 October 2026.

Original sourcesVisible limitsNo paid rankings

01 / The directory

Start with your job.
Then check the fit.

Search by tool or category. Every entry leaves the source, the license and the unanswered questions in view.

6 alternatives

Database

Baserow

Turn spreadsheet shaped work into a database application.

License boundary

MIT core, separate paid modules

The license excludes premium and enterprise directories. A free source license does not pay for servers or support.

Read the limits
CRM

Twenty

An open CRM with an application toolkit.

License boundary

AGPL core with application exception

Enterprise marked files are commercially licensed. Selected SDK and UI packages are MIT. This is not a promise of Salesforce feature parity.

Read the limits
Projects

Plane

An open project management option for delivery teams.

License boundary

AGPLv3

Core licensing does not establish parity with Jira apps, integrations or governance controls. Check the current edition before relying on any feature.

Read the limits
Design

Penpot

Open design collaboration from Kaleidos and its community.

License boundary

MPL2.0

Source availability is not proof of lossless Figma migration. Check font rights, document fidelity and administration needs before switching.

Read the limits
Signing

DocuSeal

An open document signing application.

License boundary

AGPLv3 plus attribution terms

Interactive interfaces must preserve required attribution. Production API and embedding appear in paid offerings. This directory does not assess legal signature validity.

Read the limits
Database

NocoDB

A database interface with a source available license.

License boundary

Sustainable Use License

The current license permits internal self hosting but restricts hosted or managed resale. Do not treat it as an unrestricted MIT style product.

Read the limits

Choose with the limits in view

Keep the license in view.
Test before you move.

Cost should widen access, not erase the tradeoff. No vendor installation, migration result or measured savings is claimed here.

02 / Before the commitment

A switch is a decision.
Not a leaderboard.

Small team

Test one real workflow.

Choose a bounded task. Check the exact edition, the integrations you need, and who will operate the software.

Company review

Bring the right questions.

Add security, procurement, residency and business unit review. Open software does not remove those decisions.

03 / Future software notes

A quieter way
to keep up.

Register interest in future software notes. No newsletter is sending yet. This does not activate a subscription.

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04 / Before choosing

Open questions.
Honest answers.

Is open software always free to run?

No. Hosting, backups, operations and paid editions can still cost money.

Is every entry open source?

No. NocoDB is source available under its current Sustainable Use License. Each entry states its own boundary.

Does an alternative replace every feature?

No. Match your required workflows and integrations against the exact edition.

Were these products tested here?

No vendor installation or migration is claimed. These are source based starting points.

Does this work in Africa, the US and the UK?

The directory is available on the web. Vendor payments, hosting, residency and contracts must be checked for your country and needs.

Can a small team or a large company use this?

Both can research here. A small team should test one workflow; a large company should add business unit, security and procurement review.

More choice.
Less guesswork.

Browse alternatives ↗