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Retool alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Retool: per-user pricing gets expensive as usage spreads, and needs developers comfortable with SQL and JavaScript. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Retool, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Appsmith currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Appsmith logoAppsmithOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 466.5
2ToolJet logoToolJetOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
3Budibase logoBudibaseOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 559.6
4Windmill logoWindmillOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
  1. Appsmith logo

    1. AppsmithTop pick

    Best for: Developer teams that want a Retool-style builder they can self-host for free

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Retool

    Open-source and self-hostable, with a similar canvas-plus-JavaScript model.

    Pros

    • Apache-licensed and free to self-host
    • Git-based version control for apps
    • Connects to common databases and any REST or GraphQL API

    Cons

    • Fewer and less polished components than Retool
    • SSO and audit features need paid plans
    • Large apps can feel sluggish
    Visit Appsmith Compare with RetoolDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Appsmith a good Retool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 5 users on cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $15 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Community edition
    Free, open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appsmith.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. ToolJet logo

    2. ToolJet

    Best for: Teams that want an open-source Retool alternative with AI-assisted app building

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Retool

    Open-source alternative with AI app generation and a free self-hosted edition.

    Pros

    • AI builder can generate apps from a prompt
    • Open-source edition is self-hostable
    • Built-in database and workflows

    Cons

    • Paid plans cap end users and apps
    • Per-builder price rises steeply on higher tiers
    • AGPL licence may concern some companies
    Visit ToolJet Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ToolJet a good Retool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    $0 per builder/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $79 per builder/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Docker, Kubernetes, VPC or on-premise
    Checked Oct 25, 2026tooljet.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Budibase logo

    3. Budibase

    Best for: IT and ops teams building form-heavy internal apps they can self-host

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Retool

    Open-source, quicker for form-heavy CRUD apps and less code-centric.

    Pros

    • Auto-generated CRUD screens from a data source
    • Built-in database plus external SQL, NoSQL and API connectors
    • Self-hosted edition has unlimited users

    Cons

    • Less layout flexibility than Retool or Appsmith
    • Enterprise features such as enforced SSO need a licence
    • Cloud pricing by actions can be hard to predict
    Visit Budibase Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Budibase a good Retool alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Pro plan
    $19/month (cloud)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026budibase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026budibase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosted edition
    Free, unlimited actions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026budibase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End users add-on
    $5 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026budibase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026budibase.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Windmill logo

    4. Windmill

    Best for: Engineering teams that want scripts, workflows and internal UIs in one self-hosted platform

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Retool

    Open-source platform that combines scripts, workflows and UIs for developers.

    Pros

    • Scripts, workflows and apps in one place
    • Supports many languages including Python and TypeScript
    • Free self-hosted edition with unlimited executions

    Cons

    • Built for developers, not business users
    • App builder is less polished than Retool's
    • Enterprise features need a paid licence
    Visit Windmill Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Windmill a good Retool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Community edition
    Free, unlimited executions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Script languages
    Python, TypeScript, Go, PHP, Bash, SQL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Free guests
    100 per 30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026windmill.dev(opens source in a new tab)

The best Retool alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Appsmith logo

Best Retool alternative for most people

Appsmith

Open-source and self-hostable, with a similar canvas-plus-JavaScript model.

ToolJet logo

Best Retool alternative for a free option

ToolJet

Open-source alternative with AI app generation and a free self-hosted edition.

UI Bakery logo

Best Retool alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

UI Bakery

Cheaper per-developer pricing with self-hosting on every plan.

Budibase logo

Best Retool alternative for open source

Budibase

Open-source, quicker for form-heavy CRUD apps and less code-centric.

Windmill logo

Best Retool alternative for self-hosting

Windmill

Open-source platform that combines scripts, workflows and UIs for developers.

Microsoft Power Apps logo

Best Retool alternative for Windows

Microsoft Power Apps

Fits companies standardised on Microsoft 365 and Dataverse.

Microsoft Power Apps logo

Best Retool alternative for iPhone and Android

Microsoft Power Apps

Fits companies standardised on Microsoft 365 and Dataverse.

Superblocks logo

Best Retool alternative for working in the browser

Superblocks

Enterprise-focused rival with strong governance and AI app generation.

Retool alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Retool?

Appsmith ranks first right now. Open-source and self-hostable, with a similar canvas-plus-JavaScript model. ToolJet and Budibase follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Retool?

Yes. Appsmith (open source), ToolJet (open source), Budibase (open source) and Windmill (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Retool?

Yes: Appsmith, ToolJet, Budibase and Windmill. Appsmith, ToolJet and Budibase can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Retool?

The complaints we hear most: per-user pricing gets expensive as usage spreads; needs developers comfortable with SQL and JavaScript; closed source, so you depend on Retool's roadmap.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Retool, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.