Retool
ToolJet
| Feature | Retool | ToolJet |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | Free / from $20/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | engineering-teams, operations, data-teams, startups, enterprise | developers, startups, ops-teams, small-businesses |
| Founded | 2017 | 2021 |
| Drag Drop Ui | ✓ | ✗ |
| Database Connectors | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rbac | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai | ✓ | ✗ |
| Visual Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Sources | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Code | ✗ | ✓ |
| Version Control | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Tenancy | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ ToolJet Pros
- Open source
- Many data sources
- Drag-and-drop
- Self-hostable
✗ ToolJet Cons
- Documentation gaps
- Fewer widgets than competitors
- Community-dependent support
The Verdict
Retool is built for engineering teams and operations, with a focus on drag-drop-ui and database-connectors. ToolJet targets developers and startups and leads with visual-builder and data-sources.
On pricing, Retool is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $20/mo for ToolJet. That $10/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 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Retool offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while ToolJet takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for startups — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Retool has a slight overall edge — but if open source matters most to you, ToolJet may still be the right call.