Adalo
Retool
| Feature | Adalo | Retool |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $45/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | entrepreneurs, small-businesses, mvp-builders, non-technical-founders | engineering-teams, operations, data-teams, startups, enterprise |
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| Drag And Drop Builder | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| User Auth | ✓ | ✗ |
| Push Notifications | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Actions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Marketplace Components | ✓ | ✗ |
| Drag Drop Ui | ✗ | ✓ |
| Database Connectors | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rbac | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Adalo Pros
- Publish native iOS and Android apps from one codebase
- Intuitive drag-and-drop app builder
- Built-in database and user authentication
- Component marketplace for extended functionality
✗ Adalo Cons
- Performance can be slow for complex apps
- Limited customization compared to code-based solutions
- Scaling limitations for high-traffic apps
✓ Retool Pros
- Fastest way to build internal tools
- Connects to any database or API
- Self-hostable for security
- Pre-built components save hours
✗ Retool Cons
- Only for internal tools — not customer-facing
- Can get expensive for large teams
- Learning curve for complex queries
The Verdict
Adalo is built for entrepreneurs and small businesses, with a focus on drag-and-drop-builder and native-apps. Retool targets engineering teams and operations and leads with drag-drop-ui and database-connectors.
On pricing, Retool is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $45/mo for Adalo. That $35/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Retool edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Retool has a slight overall edge — but if publish native ios and android apps from one codebase matters most to you, Adalo may still be the right call.