Retool vs Zoho Creator
Retool and Zoho Creator are both no-code & low-code tools. Retool is aimed at developers and enterprise, while Zoho Creator is aimed at small businesses and enterprise. Both have a free plan.
Internal tools built fast
Low-code platform for custom business apps, portals and workflows
| Pricing | Freemium · $12 | Freemium · $12 |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 15 days |
| Built for | Developers, Enterprise | Small businesses, Enterprise, Developers |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2017 | IN |
| Rating | — | — |
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.
Choose Zoho Creator if
SMBs and mid-market teams, especially Zoho users, that want custom business apps and portals at a low per-user cost.
- Low per-user price for a full low-code platform
- Tight integration with Zoho CRM, Books and the wider Zoho suite
- Mobile apps come built in with no extra work
Look elsewhere if: Developers building on existing databases or public consumer web apps (Retool, Appsmith, Bubble).
Retool vs Zoho Creator pricing
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
Zoho Creator
- Free$01 app, 5,000 records, 250 MB storage
- Standard$12/user/mo$8 billed annually; 1 application
- Professional$30/user/mo$20 billed annually; unlimited apps
- Enterprise$37/user/mo$25 billed annually; advanced integrations and analytics
- FlexCustomPick features and limits, contact sales
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
Zoho Creator · Key features
- Drag-and-drop forms, reports, pages and workflow builder
- Native iOS and Android apps generated for every application
- Deluge scripting and VS Code support for custom logic
- Zia AI agents that plan, build and test apps from prompts
- Customer, vendor and partner portals with permission sets
- 1,000+ connectors including SAP, Oracle and Zoho apps
Cons
- Deluge is a proprietary language with a learning curve
- Standard plan limits you to a single application
- Portal users, custom domains and SSO can cost extra
Retool vs Zoho Creator: FAQ
Do Retool and Zoho Creator have a free plan?
Yes, both Retool and Zoho Creator have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Retool or Zoho Creator?
Zoho Creator lists small businesses as a core audience, while Retool is aimed more at developers and enterprise.