Make
Retool
| Feature | Make | Retool |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10.59/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | power-users, agencies, developers, small-businesses | engineering-teams, operations, data-teams, startups, enterprise |
| Founded | 2012 | 2017 |
| Scenarios | ✓ | ✗ |
| Modules | ✓ | ✗ |
| Routers | ✓ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Stores | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Drag Drop Ui | ✗ | ✓ |
| Database Connectors | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Rbac | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Make Pros
- Visual workflow builder
- Affordable pricing
- 1,000+ app integrations
- Complex branching logic
✗ Make Cons
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier
- Smaller app library
- Can be slow with large scenarios
✓ 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
Make is built for power users and agencies, with a focus on scenarios and modules. Retool targets engineering teams and operations and leads with drag-drop-ui and database-connectors.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($10.59/mo for Make, $10/mo for Retool), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Retool offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Make takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
