Retool Review: Pros, Cons, & Alternatives for 2025

Building internal tools helps teams automate workflows and reduce busywork. Retool makes that easier with pre-built components, database integrations, and custom scripting. 

While it supports self-hosting, the added complexity can be a burden, especially for teams without dedicated DevOps resources.

Read on to learn more about: 

• Retool’s core features and use cases
• User feedback on its pros and cons
• Top alternative for developers who want more flexibility

Let’s start at the beginning.

What is Retool?

Retool is a low-code platform designed for teams that need to quickly build internal business tools like admin dashboards, data reporting panels, customer support tools, and workflow automation apps. While it simplifies UI development with pre-built components and database integrations, it still requires some technical knowledge to customize logic and connect APIs.

Tech leads and engineering teams often opt for it because it's a Silicon Valley darling. While it dramatically accelerates app development, its popularity gives it significant visibility and adoption even though it may not be the best solution for every situation.

Retool’s key features

Retool’s features are designed to simplify the development process. Here’s a closer look at its core features:

Pre-built UI components

Retool comes with a library of UI elements like tables, charts, forms, and buttons. Developers can drag and drop components, tweak them as needed, and link everything to their data sources, whether it’s a database, an internal API, or a third-party tool.

Like most low-code tools, Retool lets you customize these components using JavaScript.

API & database integrations

Retool integrates with the most popular databases, internal APIs, and REST and GraphQL APIs for external data access. It also offers built-in connectors for platforms like Stripe, Slack, and Google Sheets. Developers can use these integrations to populate their UI components and provide write access to end users.

Custom scripting

Retool allows developers to write JavaScript within components to modify UI behavior, transform and filter data before displaying it, and run server-side queries directly within the platform.

Version control

Retool allows you to sync all your applications to Git. When you make changes to your app, you can push your modifications to Git, open a PR for review, and only merge it once it’s approved.

While it doesn’t have full Git-style branching, it allows teams to duplicate apps, test changes, and merge updates carefully before pushing to production. Developers can also deploy different versions to staging and production.

User permissions

Retool supports role-based access controls (RBAC). You can define user roles and permissions to control data access.

Self-hosting & on-prem deployment

For teams with strict security requirements, Retool offers an on-premise version that can be deployed on private infrastructure. With this option, you get full control over the infrastructure that runs your Retool instance and data security.

Who uses Retool?

Retool is used by startups, mid-sized companies, and Fortune 500 enterprises across industries like financial services, B2B SaaS, logistics, healthcare, and insurance.

After reviewing their customer page, it’s clear that teams typically rely on Retool to build internal tools faster and streamline their operations. 

Here are a few real-world examples:

• DoorDash used Retool to cut down development time for operational tools.
• Snowflake built a user management dashboard to control employee access rights.
• Ramp developed a risk management tool to help support agents handle fraud detection.

Retool reviews: What users like & dislike

The above use cases show how much Retool can be a great addition to any organization’s stack. But no tool is without drawbacks.
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To get a well-rounded perspective, we analyzed user reviews from sources like G2, Capterra, and Reddit to see what developers and teams actually think. 
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Here’s what we found:

What users like about Retool

• Fast frontend development

Many users highlight its drag-and-drop UI builder, which speeds up development for teams that don’t want to spend time designing interfaces from scratch.

It makes it easy even for semi-technical users to build internal tools without dev support.

• Large integration library

Users appreciate that Retool connects with a wide range of data sources. It has native connectors for PostgreSQL, MySQL, Google Sheets, REST APIs, and GraphQL endpoints.

This flexibility allows teams to pull in data, modify it, and push updates without writing extensive backend logic.

• Customization with JavaScript and SQL

Retool allows developers to inject JavaScript within UI components and write custom SQL queries to manipulate data before displaying it. Users like that this gives them more control over their apps compared to purely drag-and-drop tools.

• Built-in access controls for security

Many teams use Retool for internal dashboards that interact with sensitive data, so built-in user permissions and role-based access control (RBAC) are a major plus. Instead of building a separate access management system, developers can restrict access directly within Retool.

• Git integration

Retool syncs with Git, allowing teams to track changes, review updates, and roll back versions when needed. It also supports deployment to staging and production environments, which is useful for teams working on collaborative app development.

• Workflow automations

Some users highlight Retool Workflows as a major benefit. They allow teams to automate business processes without relying on one-off scripts or cron jobs. Workflows can be triggered by webhooks or scheduled tasks, making them useful for data processing, notifications, and background operations.

What users dislike about Retool

While Retool is widely praised for its speed, integrations, and ease of use, some common complaints include limited extensibility, performance issues, and security concerns. Let’s break those down next:

• Limited extensibility for custom code

While Retool allows for JavaScript customization within UI components, it doesn’t support full backend scripting in languages like Python or Node.js. Some users find this limiting when they need more advanced data processing or complex automation workflows. 

Additionally, Retool’s custom component support is restricted. Developers can’t always extend functionality the way they would in a fully custom-built app.

• Performance issues with large apps

Users report that Retool can struggle with performance, especially when handling large datasets or complex queries. Because it runs in the browser, some users experience slow UI rendering, laggy interactions, and inefficient query execution.

• Self-hosting is resource-intensive

For enterprises needing self-hosted deployments, Retool’s on-premise setup is complex and resource-intensive. It requires managing multiple services and databases, making it more difficult to maintain without significant DevOps overhead.

• Slow feature rollouts for self-hosted users

Retool prioritizes cloud-based updates, meaning new features can take months to reach self-hosted deployments. Some enterprise users find this frustrating, especially when they need security patches or feature upgrades that are available in the cloud version but delayed in the self-hosted release.

• Security concerns from past breaches

In August 2023, a Retool customer suffered a breach that resulted in $15 million in crypto losses. While the breach was due to compromised AWS keys on their side and not a failure of Retool’s systems, it raised concerns about the security risks of integrating third-party platforms with critical business operations. 

Retool pricing: How much does it cost?

Retool offers a tiered pricing model based on per-user fees, with paid plans ranging from $5 to $65 per user per month. The total cost depends on these key factors:

1. User type

Retool differentiates between:

• Standard users: Those who build and manage apps (full-featured seats)
• End users: Those who only use the apps (lower-cost seats)

End-user seats are cheaper, but companies with multiple builders may see costs add up quickly.

2. Product tier

Retool offers four pricing tiers, each with increasing features:

• Free: Up to 5 users, basic integrations, and limited functionality.
• Team: Adds API/database integrations, permissions, and collaboration tools.
• Business: Includes advanced security, granular access controls, and audit logs.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing with self-hosting, SSO, and compliance options.

Higher tiers offer better security, compliance, and scalability, but at a higher cost. Plus, you get discounts for annual billing.

3. Cloud vs self-hosting

If you self-host, you’ll be responsible for hosting, DevOps, and downtime costs. For a better understanding of Retool’s pricing, check out this full breakdown of Retool’s pricing model and the total cost of ownership.

Is Retool worth the price?

Retool is definitely cheaper than traditional development. That said, how much value you get depends on your team size and security requirements:

• For small teams (<5 members), Retool’s free plan is great for prototyping without major upfront costs.
• The Team plan makes sense for teams that need collaboration tools but only if they don’t need to control access for unauthenticated users
• Need access control? You’re forced into the Business plan, even if you don’t need the other enterprise features.

This is one of Retool’s biggest pricing drawbacks. Some key features are locked behind higher-tier plans, forcing teams to pay more just to access one essential function like RBAC (role-based access control).

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If you absolutely need to keep data on-prem, Retool’s self-hosted option is not cost-effective. You’re on the hook for infrastructure, maintenance, scaling, and downtime costs which add up fast. Mr Yum ran into this problem firsthand. They had to manage six RDS databases across three VPCs, which got expensive and made scaling their apps more complicated than it needed to be.

Retool vs. Superblocks: A developer-first alternative

While Retool is great for assembling internal tools quickly, it has limitations in flexibility, customization, and pricing. Superblocks offers a developer-first approach with low-code elements that simplify development.

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Here's a head-to-head comparison of the two:

Application builder:
• Superblocks: Drag-and-drop interface with full code export for customization.
• Retool: Drag-and-drop interface without code export.

Full code flexibility:
• Superblocks: Supports frontend JavaScript and React, as well as backend Node.js and Python, allowing for extensive customization.
• Retool: Primarily supports client-side JavaScript, limiting backend extensibility.

API integrations:
• Superblocks: Connects to any API or database, including real-time streaming platforms like Kafka and Kinesis.
• Retool: Supports integration with various databases and APIs but is only beginning to offer streaming integrations (Kafka integration is in beta).

Version control:
• Superblocks: Supports Git integration with full branching and code reviews.
• Retool: Offers Git sync but lacks full branching capabilities.

Self-hosting options:
• Superblocks: Offers a stateless On-Premise Agent that’s easy to deploy across multiple environments and doesn’t require downtime for upgrades.
• Retool: Self-hosting requires managing multiple services and databases, leading to increased complexity.

AI integration:
• Superblocks: Includes an AI co-engineer for natural language-based app editing.
• Retool: Does not offer native AI-assisted development tools.

Faster releases:
• Superblocks: New features and bug fixes are delivered on demand from the Cloud.
• Retool: Requires waiting for quarterly stable releases and scheduling downtime for upgrades.

Free tier:
‍• Superblocks: Free tier includes staging and production integration profiles plus version control with commits and previews.
• Retool: Limited free tier. Version control is only in the enterprise plan, and staging/production environments are in the team plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Retool free?

Retool offers a free plan for up to five users. If you are a team of more than 5 users and need access control or enterprise security features like SSO, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan.

How does Retool compare to Power Automate?

Retool and Power Automate serve different purposes. Retool is focused on building internal applications with a UI, while Power Automate is a workflow automation tool designed for automating business processes

Can Retool be self-hosted?

Yes, but self-hosting Retool requires managing multiple services and databases, making it more complex and expensive.

What programming languages does Retool support?

Retool primarily supports JavaScript for writing custom logic within components. It also allows SQL queries to interact with databases. However, it does not support backend languages like Python or Node.js.

Why choose Superblocks over Retool?

We’re obviously a little biased but hear us out. If you’re looking for more flexibility with your apps or a self-hosting option that won’t drain your budget, Superblocks is a strong alternative.

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We built it for developers who want the speed of low code without sacrificing full control. With Superblocks, you get drag-and-drop simplicity where it makes sense and full-code flexibility where you need it. It’s just like building in an IDE, but faster.

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That balance comes from a comprehensive set of features:

• Greater code extensibility: Superblocks supports both frontend and backend development with JavaScript, React, Node.js, and Python. You’re never locked into a rigid low-code framework. 
• Full portability: You can export your code and run it anywhere.
• Stress-free self-hosting: Keep your data in your network while still using Superblocks Cloud to manage apps and users, without the headache or costs of full infrastructure maintenance.
• Visual builders with full code control: Drag-and-drop UI components from a selection of 100 pre-built components. Have a super specific design in mind? Import your custom components into Superblocks 
• Fits into your existing dev workflows: Integrates with Git and CI/CD pipelines and supports automated testing. You can deploy and iterate just like you would in your dev environment.
• Real-time streaming support: Native integration with streaming tools like Kafka and Kinesis. You don’t have to build your own streaming integrations.
• Best-in-class support: Connect directly with a Superblocks engineer through the chatbot on the Superblocks website or within the platform.

To learn how it would work for your business, check out the Quickstart guide or try it out for free.