Bolt.new vs Retool
Bolt.new and Retool are both developer tools tools. Bolt.new is aimed at developers and freelancers, while Retool is aimed at developers and enterprise. Retool costs less, from $12/mo versus $25/mo for Bolt.new. Both have a free plan.
Browser-based AI builder that writes, runs and hosts full-stack apps
Internal tools built fast
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Freemium · $12 |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Freelancers, Small businesses, Creators | Developers, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2017 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Bolt.new if
Founders, designers and developers who want a working full-stack prototype or MVP with real, exportable code in hours.
- From prompt to running, deployable app in minutes
- Real code you can export, unlike closed visual builders
- Generous free plan for trying ideas
Look elsewhere if: Teams maintaining large production codebases or needing pure visual no-code (Bubble, FlutterFlow, Adalo).
Choose Retool if
Engineering and operations teams at startups and enterprises who need internal tools fast.
- Fastest way to build internal tools
- Rich component library and connectors
- Free for 5 users
Look elsewhere if: Customer-facing apps or non-technical builders without SQL/JS basics.
Bolt.new vs Retool pricing
Bolt.new
- Free$01M tokens/mo, 300K daily cap, Bolt branding, no custom domain
- Pro$25/mo$18/mo billed annually; 10M tokens with rollover, custom domain
- Teams$30/user/mo$27 billed annually; admin controls, private NPM registry
- EnterpriseCustomAnnual contract, usage-based tokens, SSO and support
Retool
- Free$0Up to 5 users, 500 workflow runs/mo
- Team$12/builder/mo$10 billed annually; internal users $7 ($5); 5,000 runs/mo
- Business$65/builder/mo$50 billed annually; internal users $18 ($15); audit logs
- EnterpriseCustomSSO, SCIM, Git, up to 6 instances
Bolt.new · Key features
- Chat-based generation of full-stack web apps, sites and slides
- Code runs live in the browser on StackBlitz WebContainers
- Bolt Cloud hosting with databases, auth and custom domains
- Start from Figma designs, GitHub repositories or templates
- Mobile app building through Expo integration
- Stripe payments and Supabase backend integrations
Cons
- Token consumption rises sharply as projects grow
- AI fix loops can waste tokens on stubborn bugs
- Still needs coding knowledge for production-grade apps
Retool · Key features
- 100+ components with drag-and-drop layout
- Native connectors to databases and APIs; SQL and JS everywhere
- Retool Workflows for automation and cron
- Retool Mobile for native internal apps
- AI components and Retool Agents
- Permissions, audit logs, source control and self-hosting (Enterprise)
Cons
- Per-user pricing adds up for large orgs
- Complex apps hit the limits of the model
- JavaScript knowledge needed for real logic
Bolt.new vs Retool: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bolt.new or Retool?
Retool starts at $12/mo and Bolt.new at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Bolt.new and Retool have a free plan?
Yes, both Bolt.new and Retool have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Bolt.new or Retool?
Bolt.new lists small businesses as a core audience, while Retool is aimed more at developers and enterprise.