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Retool

Internal tools built fast

Retool is a no-code & low-code tool for Developers and Enterprise, offered as freemium ($12/mo). Based in United States, founded in 2017. Popular alternatives include Appsmith, Zoho Creator, Lovable.

About Retool

Retool is the leading platform for building internal tools, founded in 2017 in San Francisco by David Hsu and backed by Y Combinator. Developers drag components such as tables, forms, charts and modals onto a canvas, connect them to databases and APIs with SQL and JavaScript, and ship admin panels, dashboards and operations consoles in hours instead of weeks.

The product has grown beyond app building. Retool Workflows runs scheduled and event-driven automations, Retool Mobile builds native internal apps for field and warehouse staff, Retool Database provides a hosted Postgres, and AI components and Retool Agents bring LLMs into tools and processes. Connectors cover Postgres, MySQL, Snowflake, BigQuery, MongoDB, REST, GraphQL, Stripe, Salesforce and many more. The free plan supports up to five users. Paid plans distinguish standard users who build from end users who only use apps, which keeps costs reasonable for broad internal audiences, self-hosting is available on every plan, and Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and Git source control.

Retool fits engineering and operations teams at startups and enterprises that need many internal tools quickly. Per-user costs add up for large organizations, very complex apps hit the limits of the model, and real logic still requires SQL and JavaScript skills. Appsmith, Budibase and ToolJet are open-source alternatives that can be self-hosted cheaply, while Glide and Softr suit non-technical builders. Retool wins on polish, component depth and ecosystem.

Key features of Retool

  • 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)

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fastest way to build internal tools
  • Rich component library and connectors
  • Free for 5 users
  • Enterprise security and self-hosting options

Cons

  • Per-user pricing adds up for large orgs
  • Complex apps hit the limits of the model
  • JavaScript knowledge needed for real logic
  • Self-hosting only on Enterprise

Retool pricing

Retool uses a freemium model.

PlanPriceIncludes
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

Source: retool.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026

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Price changes for Retool

Verified changes to Retool's prices and plans, newest first.

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Free plan · Announced

Retool to end Retool Email for Free plan organizations from January 1, 2027

Retool announced on September 30, 2026 that from January 1, 2027 Free plan organizations can no longer send email through Retool Email from apps, workflows or automations; the change applies to cloud-hosted Free organizations. Team, Business and Enterprise plans keep access.

Sources:Retool changelog, Retool Email deprecation for the Free plan

Free plan · Announced

Retool Free plan app building moves to Retool-provided AI models

Retool's changelog entry of September 28, 2026 says organizations on the Free plan now use Retool-provided models (Retool Mini and Retool Power) for app building. Access to models from other providers is limited to paid plans.

Sources:Retool changelog, changes to AI models on the Free plan

How Retool compares in No-code & low-code

Rank by votes
#1 / 24

0 votes from members

Starting price
$12

52% below the category median ($25/mo)

Free alternatives
1

Free or open-source tools in No-code & low-code

Retool ranks #1 of 24 no-code & low-code tools by community votes and is priced below most tools in the category.

Common use cases

  1. 1Customer support admin panel over Postgres
  2. 2Operations dashboards combining several APIs
  3. 3Approval workflows with Retool Workflows
  4. 4Mobile inventory app for warehouse staff

Best for

Engineering and operations teams at startups and enterprises who need internal tools fast.

Not ideal for

Customer-facing apps or non-technical builders without SQL/JS basics.

Integrations

  • Postgres
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • Snowflake
  • BigQuery
  • REST and GraphQL APIs
  • Salesforce
  • Stripe
  • Slack
  • OpenAI

Our take

Retool is the gold standard for internal tools. Start free, and if seat costs grow, evaluate Appsmith for self-hosting.

FAQ

What is Retool?
Retool is a No-code & low-code tool: Internal tools built fast.
How much does Retool cost?
Retool uses a Freemium model; paid plans start at $12 per month.
What are the best alternatives to Retool?
Community-listed alternatives to Retool include Appsmith, Zoho Creator, Lovable, Bolt.new.
What does Retool integrate with?
Retool integrates with Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, BigQuery, REST and GraphQL APIs and more.
Which platforms does Retool support?
Retool is available on web.
Who is Retool for?
Engineering and operations teams at startups and enterprises who need internal tools fast.

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