Internal tools & data apps · Retool, Inc.

Retool

Drag-and-drop app builder for internal tools that read and write to databases and APIs, not an analytics product itself.

Visit Retool Alternatives

Retool is an app builder, not a BI tool: it lets engineers assemble internal tools, admin panels and customer-support consoles from pre-built UI components wired directly to databases, REST/GraphQL APIs and internal services. It earns a place in a data team's toolkit because it is commonly used to put a working interface on top of a warehouse or operational database — a CRUD console, an approval queue, an ops dashboard with write-back — faster than building a bespoke web app. It supports both a hosted cloud version and self-hosting, and Retool Workflows adds backend scripting/orchestration. Pricing is per-builder and per-end-user (internal users), separate from any analytics-specific licensing, with a free tier for small teams.

At a glance

Vendor Retool, Inc.
Pricing model Free tier + paid plans
Free tier Yes
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted
Open source No
Best for Engineering teams building internal CRUD tools and ops dashboards on top of a warehouse or operational database.

Pricing

Per-builder plus per-internal-user pricing across Free, Team, Business and Enterprise tiers, on cloud or self-hosted.

Plan Price Notes
Free $0 up to 5 users, 500 workflow runs/month, 5GB database & file storage
Team $10/builder/month (annual) + $5/internal user/month billed annually; 5,000 workflow runs/month
Business $50/builder/month (annual) + $15/internal user/month adds audit logging, rich permissions, portals and embedded apps
Enterprise custom unlimited users, SSO, custom deployment

Prices read from the vendor's own page on September 21, 2026. Vendors change prices; check the source before you budget.

Features

  • Drag-and-drop UI builder with 100+ prebuilt components
  • Direct connections to SQL/NoSQL databases and REST/GraphQL APIs
  • JavaScript and Python scripting inside the builder
  • Retool Workflows for backend automation
  • Role-based access control and audit logging
  • Self-hosted or cloud deployment
  • Mobile app builder

Integrations

Profile last reviewed September 21, 2026

Head to head

Alternatives

Appsmith Open-source, self-hostable app builder for internal tools and admin panels, free to run at any scale. Budibase Open-source low-code builder for internal apps and automations, self-hostable free with paid cloud tiers for teams. ToolJet AGPL-licensed open-source low-code builder for internal tools, dashboards and, increasingly, AI agent workflows. Superblocks Proprietary internal app builder positioned around an AI coding agent for building data-connected tools, no free tier.

Retool in the index now

Terms to know

Data warehouse A centralized, structured database optimized for fast historical reporting rather than day-to-day transactions. Dashboard A visual display of the metrics a team needs to monitor, usually updated on a schedule or in real time. Role-based access control (RBAC) Granting data or system permissions based on a user's assigned role rather than configuring access for each person individually.

Related guides

How to choose an internal tools platform Internal tool builders aren't analytics products — they're a UI on your warehouse. Choose by license, hosting, and who does the building.