Self-hosting Lowcoder the easy way
Yulei ChenLowcoder is an open-source low-code platform for building internal tools, dashboards, and CRUD apps. It started as a fork of OpenBlocks and has grown into a solid alternative for teams that need custom business apps without writing everything from scratch. The managed cloud version works fine, but self-hosting gives you full control over your data and removes any usage limits.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get Lowcoder up and running in minutes - no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.
Prerequisites
Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).
Quick start
Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.
Deploy Lowcoder >- Click the deploy button above
- Select a project
- Select a server (If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server)
- Click Deploy!
About the preset
The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's Lowcoder preset. The preset is built for a clean, stable default setup:
- Community Edition image (
lowcoderorg/lowcoder-ce) - the all-in-one package that includes the frontend, backend, and an embedded MongoDB and Redis - Specific version tag (
2.7.6) for stability - Persistent storage mounted to
/lowcoder-stacksto keep your apps, configs, and database data across restarts - Email signup enabled by default
- Encryption password and salt auto-generated for database encryption
Next steps
Once Lowcoder is running on Sliplane, access it using the domain Sliplane provided (e.g. lowcoder-xxxx.sliplane.app).
Initial setup
When you open Lowcoder for the first time, you'll see a registration page. Create your admin account by entering your email and a password. This first account automatically becomes the workspace administrator.
Environment variables
You can customize Lowcoder's behavior with these environment variables in your service settings:
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
LOWCODER_EMAIL_SIGNUP_ENABLED | Allow new users to register via email | true |
LOWCODER_DB_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD | Password used to encrypt sensitive data in MongoDB | Auto-generated |
LOWCODER_DB_ENCRYPTION_SALT | Salt used alongside the encryption password | Auto-generated |
LOWCODER_MAX_REQUEST_SIZE | Maximum request body size | 20m |
LOWCODER_MAX_QUERY_TIMEOUT | Maximum query execution timeout in seconds | 120 |
LOWCODER_CORS_DOMAINS | Allowed CORS domains | * |
Logging
Lowcoder logs to STDOUT by default, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. You can check container logs directly from your Sliplane dashboard. For general Docker log tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Troubleshooting
If the service takes a while to become healthy, that's normal. The community edition bundles MongoDB and Redis internally, so the initial startup can take 30-60 seconds. If you see health check failures during that window, just wait a bit longer.
If you can't reach the UI after deployment, make sure the service is marked as healthy in your Sliplane dashboard. The app listens on port 3000 by default, which Sliplane routes automatically.
Cost comparison
You can also self-host Lowcoder with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:
| Provider | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Monthly Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliplane | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | €9 (~$10.65) | Flat rate, 1 TB bandwidth, SSL included |
| Fly.io | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$18 | Disk and bandwidth billed separately |
| Render | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$35 | 100 GB bandwidth, Disk billed separately |
| Railway | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$67 + $20 plan | Pro plan floor, usage-based, bandwidth billed separately |
Click here to see how these numbers were calculated.
(Assuming an always-on instance running 730 hrs/month)
- Sliplane: flat €9/month for the Base server. Unlimited services on the same server, 1 TB egress and SSL included.
- Fly.io:
shared-cpu-2x2 GB = $11.83/mo + 40 GB volume × $0.15/GB = $6 -> ~$17.83/mo. Egress billed separately ($0.02/GB in EU). - Render: closest match is Standard ($25, 1 vCPU / 2 GB) plus 40 GB disk × $0.25/GB = $10 -> ~$35/mo. Stepping up to Pro (2 vCPU / 4 GB) costs $85/mo + disk.
- Railway (Pro plan): CPU 2 × $0.00000772/s × 2,628,000 s = $40.57; RAM 2 × $0.00000386/s × 2,628,000 s = $20.29; volume 40 × $0.00000006/s × 2,628,000 s = $6.31 -> ~$67/mo compute, plus the $20/mo Pro plan floor and $0.05/GB egress.
Bandwidth costs can add up fast on usage-based providers. Use our bandwidth cost comparison tool to see what your egress would cost on each platform.
FAQ
What can I build with Lowcoder?
Lowcoder is designed for internal tools - think admin panels, dashboards, data management apps, approval workflows, and CRUD interfaces. You drag and drop UI components, connect them to your databases or APIs, and build working apps in minutes. It supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, GraphQL, and many more data sources out of the box. It's similar to tools like NocoDB or Directus, but with a visual app builder instead of a spreadsheet-style interface.
Can I connect Lowcoder to external databases?
Yes. Lowcoder supports a wide range of data sources including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, REST APIs, GraphQL, Google Sheets, and more. You can add data sources in the workspace settings and use them across all your apps. If the database runs on the same Sliplane server, use the internal service name as the host.
How do I update Lowcoder?
Change the image tag in your service settings on Sliplane and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version. Your data is stored in the persistent volume at /lowcoder-stacks, so updates won't affect your apps or configurations.
Are there alternatives to Lowcoder?
Yes. Popular options include NocoDB (spreadsheet-style database interface), Directus (headless CMS with a data studio), Appsmith (another open-source low-code builder), and Budibase (low-code platform with built-in database). You can also automate workflows without code using tools like Activepieces or n8n.
Does the Community Edition include everything I need?
The Community Edition (lowcoder-ce) is an all-in-one image that bundles the frontend, backend API server, a Node.js service, and embedded MongoDB and Redis. This means you don't need to set up separate database services. It's perfect for small to medium teams. For larger deployments, Lowcoder also offers a multi-container setup where you run each component separately, but the CE image is the easiest way to get started.
