Top 10 Alternatives to Retool in 2025

As digital transformation accelerates and businesses seek more efficient tools to manage internal processes, 2025 brings a variety of powerful alternatives to Retool. Here, we explore the top 10 options, comparing them on key data points such as pricing, features, and overall capabilities to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

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1. UI Bakery

Headquarters: European Union (EU)
Product Suite: Apps, Workflows, Scheduled Jobs
AI Capabilities: AI Development Assistant, OpenAI API Connection
Pricing: Offers tiered pricing plans, including a free plan with limited features, with paid plans based on usage and features required. They emphasize a more affordable model compared to Retool for SMBs and SMEs.
Key Features: Drag-and-drop interface, pre-built components, custom code integration, user-friendly for smaller teams, focus on speed and efficiency. Learn more about UI Bakery

2. Appsmith

Headquarters: India
Product Suite: Apps
AI Capabilities: None (as of the provided data)
Pricing: Open-source, with a free community edition and enterprise versions available.
Key Features: Open-source, pre-built UI widgets, connects to various APIs and databases, suitable for organizations preferring open-source solutions, strong community support. Explore Appsmith

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3. Superblocks

Headquarters: USA
Product Suite: Apps, Workflows, Scheduled Jobs
AI Capabilities: OpenAI API Connection
Funding: $37M (August 2022)
Key Features: Enterprise-grade solution, robust feature set, generative AI capabilities, self-hosted agent architecture, focuses on security and scalability for mission-critical applications. Discover Superblocks

4. Budibase

Headquarters: UK
Product Suite: Apps
AI Capabilities: OpenAI API Connection
Pricing: Open-source with a free self-hosted option and paid cloud plans.
Key Features: Open-source, no-code platform, suitable for smaller businesses and startups, focused on speed and ease of use, strong community support. Learn more about Budibase

5. DronaHQ

Headquarters: India
Product Suite: Apps, Workflows, Scheduled Jobs
AI Capabilities: None (as of the provided data)
Pricing: Offers usage-based and developer-based pricing plans, generally more affordable than Retool, particularly for teams with more developers than end-users.
Key Features: Low-code platform, custom app building, supports automated workflows, scheduled jobs, cost-effective for budget-conscious organizations, flexible pricing options. Explore DronaHQ

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6. OutSystems

Headquarters: USA
Product Suite: Full application development platform.
AI Capabilities: Leverages AI in its development process.
Pricing: Tiered pricing with options for unlimited users in some plans.
Key Features: Robust for large-scale enterprise applications, focuses on speed and stability, strong community, ideal for complex projects and legacy modernization. Discover OutSystems

7. Microsoft Power Apps

Headquarters: USA
Product Suite: Part of the Microsoft Power Platform, focusing on apps
AI Capabilities: AI-driven features in development
Pricing: Subscription-based pricing as part of the Microsoft suite.
Key Features: Integrates well within the Microsoft ecosystem, drag-and-drop interface, suitable for businesses already using Microsoft products, good for mobile app development. Learn more about Microsoft Power Apps

8. Mendix

Headquarters: USA
Product Suite: Full application development platform
AI Capabilities: AI-assisted development features
Pricing: Tiered pricing including a free version.
Key Features: Suited for rapid prototyping and deployment, DevOps-friendly, strong for agile development teams, excellent for custom workflows and integrations. Explore Mendix

9. Zoho Creator

Headquarters: India
Product Suite: App development and automation
AI Capabilities: Integrates with Zoho's AI tools
Pricing: Affordable pricing for SMBs.
Key Features: Cost-effective, good for SMBs, excels in connectivity and customizability, suitable for those needing a wide range of integrations. Discover Zoho Creator

10. ToolJet

Headquarters: USA
Product Suite: Internal tool building platform.
AI Capabilities: None mentioned in data.
Pricing: Open-source with a free self-hosted option.
Key Features: Open-source, full-stack platform, allows for building dashboards and internal applications, customizable, good for those who want control over the code. Learn more about ToolJet

Disclaimer: Pricing and features can change. Always check the official websites for the most current information. Some tools offer free plans or trials that can be used for testing.

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FAQ

1. Which platform is best for small businesses and startups?

UI Bakery is an excellent choice for smaller teams and startups due to its drag-and-drop interface and affordability. Learn more about UI Bakery

2. What is the best open-source alternative to Retool?

Appsmith and Budibase are both strong open-source alternatives. Appsmith provides a free community edition with robust pre-built UI widgets. Discover Appsmith | Explore Budibase

3. Which alternative focuses on security and scalability for enterprise applications?

Superblocks offers enterprise-grade solutions with a focus on security and scalability, making it suitable for mission-critical applications. Learn more about Superblocks

4. Are there affordable options for SMBs on this list?

Zoho Creator and DronaHQ provide cost-effective solutions tailored for SMBs, featuring customizable integrations and budget-friendly pricing. Discover Zoho Creator | Explore DronaHQ

5. What is the best alternative for organizations preferring open-source solutions?

Both Appsmith and ToolJet offer strong open-source platforms with community support and customizable options. Learn about ToolJet

6. Which alternative integrates well with the Microsoft ecosystem?

Microsoft Power Apps is designed to integrate seamlessly with the Microsoft suite, making it the best choice for businesses using Microsoft products. Discover Microsoft Power Apps

7. What platform is robust for large-scale enterprise application development?

OutSystems is known for its stability and robust features, suitable for complex projects and legacy modernization. Learn more about OutSystems

8. Which platform is ideal for rapid prototyping and deployment?

Mendix is well-suited for agile development teams, providing tools for rapid prototyping and deployment. Explore Mendix

9. Are there any tools focused on custom app building and automation?

DronaHQ provides a low-code platform that supports custom app building, automated workflows, and scheduled jobs. Learn about DronaHQ

10. What is the best platform for rapid internal tool building with full control over the code?

ToolJet offers a customizable, full-stack platform that allows users to build dashboards and internal applications with control over the code. Discover ToolJet

References

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.