Retool
4.58
0
Retool lets developers quickly build and share web and mobile apps securely, integrating various data sources and APIs.
What is Retool?
Retool is a platform designed for developers to build web apps, mobile apps, and workflows quickly and easily. It allows users to connect to various data sources and APIs, build apps and business logic on top of that data, and securely share the created tools with users in one place. Retool is trusted by developers, startups, and Fortune 500 companies for its ability to expedite the development of internal tools by up to 10 times faster than building from scratch. The platform is typically used by engineers but can be learned by non-technical users familiar with SQL. Thousands of teams across different departments utilize Retool apps for operational purposes, and the platform offers different user types and permission controls to manage access efficiently. Additionally, Retool AI is a feature that enables users to integrate AI functionalities into their applications and workflows easily and securely, offering pre-built blocks and support for various AI actions. The platform emphasizes data security, provides self-hosted deployments, audit trails, and version control features to ensure data protection and control. Overall, Retool empowers users to integrate AI effectively, save time, and enhance business processes.
Who created Retool?
Retool was founded by David Hsu and turned into a company on September 7, 2023. It is a platform designed for fast app development with automation and alerting features. Retool caters to various teams, from startups to Fortune 500 companies, helping them build internal tools rapidly. The platform offers capabilities for user management, scale, and security, making it popular among developers, startups, and large enterprises.
What is Retool used for?
- Speed up manual operations like Ramp saving $8M in operational costs
- Reduce one-off tasks like DoorDash shipping 2 years of roadmap in 3 months
- Launch new products faster like Greenly shipping internal tools and user portal 3x faster
- Mitigate compliance issues as Snowflake reduced hours spent on security compliance by 65%
- Speed up manual operations. Ramp saved $8M in operational costs across the company.
- Reduce one-off tasks. Doordash shipped 2 years of their roadmap in 3 months.
- Launch new products faster. Greenly shipped internal tools and user portal 3x faster.
- Mitigate compliance issues. Snowflake reduced hours spent on security compliance by 65%.
- Speed up manual operations. Ramp saved $8M in operational costs across the company
- Reduce one-off tasks. Doordash shipped 2 years of their roadmap in 3 months
- Launch new products faster. Greenly shipped internal tools and user portal 3x faster
- Mitigate compliance issues. Snowflake reduced hours spent on security compliance by 65%
- Automate and alerting tasks
- Mobile apps for rapid shipping
- Developing internal tools efficiently
- Accelerate business operations
- Enhanced security controls for enterprise usage
- Integration with analytics vendors and other services
Who is Retool for?
- Engineers
- Customer support teams
- Marketing teams
- Operations teams
- Security teams
- Executive teams
- Customer support
- Marketing
- Operations
- Security
How to use Retool?
To use Retool effectively, follow these steps:
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Building Applications:
- Connect any database or API easily.
- Build web apps, mobile apps, and workflows.
- Create apps for various teams like customer support, marketing, and operations.
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User Types and Permissions:
- Engineers are typically the primary users.
- Non-technical users can learn quickly with SQL knowledge.
- End users can be restricted from making edits based on activity and permissions.
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Deployment Options:
- Choose between cloud-hosted or self-hosted versions.
- Self-hosting is possible in your own VPC, setup via Docker, and self-hosting doesn't require external data connectivity.
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Retool AI:
- Incorporate artificial intelligence into applications and workflows quickly.
- Utilize pre-built blocks for AI functionalities and connect business data securely.
- Build AI-powered search capabilities, contextual AI bots, and custom AI workflows.
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Security and Access Controls:
- Maintain security, reliability, and access controls suitable for regulated enterprises.
- Features include self-hosted deployments, permissions, audit trails, single sign-on (SSO), and version control.
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Additional Features:
- Custom app themes, offline mode, push notifications, white-label apps, biometric authentication, workflows, and more.
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Developer Tools:
- Utilize Retool's IDE for queries, manage data and schema with a database editor UI, version control with Git, and connect to all databases and APIs.
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Enterprise Scale and Support:
- Designed for enterprise scale with features like self-hosting, custom SSO, audit logs, SOC 2 Type II compliance, and professional services.
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Customer Success Stories:
- Retool has helped companies accelerate operations, reduce costs, launch products faster, and ensure compliance effectively.
By following these steps, you can effectively use Retool to accelerate app development, integrate AI functionalities, and enhance operational efficiency.
Pros
- Engineers are generally the ones building in Retool.
- Ease of understanding for engineers and non-technical users
- Flexibility to build apps for different teams
- Support for native performance and mobile-specific features
- User types can be restricted from making edits
- Available as a cloud version or self-hosted
- Offering security, reliability, and access controls demanded by regulated enterprises
- Retool AI for quick integration of artificial intelligence functionalities
- Data security emphasized with self-hosted deployments and permissions
- Enhanced developer tools for building custom business software
- Retool helps you ship internal tools 10x faster than building from scratch.
- You can build web apps, mobile apps, and workflows in Retool.
- Securely share what you've built with users all in one place
- You can build Retool apps for any team to use.
- Retool offers the kinds of security, reliability and access controls demanded by regulated enterprises.
Cons
- No explicit cons of using Retool were found in the provided documents.
- Mobile apps only support mobile layouts and lack native performance features compared to native mobile apps
- Limited database storage capacity of 5 GB with Retool-hosted storage
- Additional workflow runs beyond 5,000 per month are available at $75 per 5000 runs, which can lead to extra costs
- No mention of advanced AI capabilities or pre-built AI models, which may limit options for AI integration compared to other AI tools
- Limited customization options for app themes and branding
- Missing features such as offline mode for reading and writing data without an internet connection
- External users may incur additional costs, and custom external user pricing information is not readily available
- Limited options for push notifications to native mobile apps
- Not clear if white-label apps come with extra costs or limitations
- Lack of information on biometric authentication support and its integration options
Retool Pricing and plans
Paid plans start at $12/month and include:
- Unlimited web & mobile apps
- 500 workflow runs/month
- 5GB of data storage
- Up to 5 users
- Staging environment
- App release versions
Retool FAQs
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Who typically builds in Retool?
- Engineers are generally the ones building in Retool. However, anyone who knows SQL can learn to build quickly.
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What is the difference between a standard user and an end user in Retool?
- A standard user is someone who edited an app or workflow during the billing cycle, while an end user did not make any edits.
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Can end users be restricted from making edits?
- Yes, end users can be restricted from making edits via the permission controls available on the Business and Enterprise plans.
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What types of apps can be built in Retool?
- Web apps, mobile apps, and workflows can be built in Retool.
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How can Retool apps be shared?
- Retool apps can be shared with any team, including customer support, marketing, operations, security, and executive teams.
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What are the options for deploying Retool?
- Retool is available as a cloud version hosted by Retool or self-hosted, including on-premises deployment.
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What is Retool AI?
- Retool AI allows users to integrate artificial intelligence into their applications and workflows, offering pre-built blocks for AI functionalities.
Get started with Retool
Retool reviews
Evelyn Kumar
January 9, 2025
What do you like most about using Retool?
I love how quickly I can build functional web apps without writing extensive code. The drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, making it easy to integrate various APIs and data sources.
What do you dislike most about using Retool?
Sometimes, the documentation can be a bit overwhelming for new users. It would be great if they had more beginner-friendly tutorials.
What problems does Retool help you solve, and how does this benefit you?
Retool has enabled us to automate many internal processes, which has saved my team a significant amount of time. We can now deliver tools to our users much faster, enhancing productivity.
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Hiroshi Tanaka
November 28, 2024
What do you like most about using Retool?
The ability to connect to multiple databases and APIs seamlessly is fantastic. It really streamlines the process of building applications.
What do you dislike most about using Retool?
The UI can feel cluttered at times, especially when managing multiple components. A cleaner design would enhance the user experience.
What problems does Retool help you solve, and how does this benefit you?
Retool has significantly cut down our app development time, allowing us to focus on more complex tasks. This has led to increased efficiency across our teams.
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Clara Martinez
December 2, 2024
What do you like most about using Retool?
I appreciate how user-friendly Retool is, especially for someone who isn't a hardcore developer. It allows me to create effective internal tools with ease.
What do you dislike most about using Retool?
It would be nice to have more pre-built templates to choose from. Sometimes starting from scratch can be daunting.
What problems does Retool help you solve, and how does this benefit you?
Retool helps us consolidate multiple data sources into one application, reducing the friction in accessing information. This has increased our team's response time significantly.
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