Retool
Retool builds internal tools from pre-built UI components on your databases and APIs: Admin panels in hours, not weeks.
Retool is the established platform for internal tools. Instead of coding admin panels from scratch, you drag and drop tables, forms, and buttons onto an interface and connect them to your data via SQL or API. Clients like Amazon and Volvo rely on it.
Typical applications include order management on the production database, support consoles, approval workflows, and dashboards. Its strength: Developers save themselves the hassle of frontend development and deliver in hours what would otherwise take weeks — up to ten times faster, according to Retool. Self-hosting keeps sensitive data entirely within your own network if desired.
Without basic knowledge of SQL and JavaScript, you won't get far; Softr or Glide are more accessible options for simple portals. Additionally, Retool charges per user, which can get expensive with many occasional users.
Excellent for companies with a development team that needs to deliver internal interfaces quickly. Without technical resources or for customer-facing apps, you're better off with Softr, Glide, or Bubble.io.
Functions
- Specializing in internal tools: admin panels, dashboards, approval interfaces
- Company claims up to ten times faster development than building from scratch
- Used by teams from Amazon to Volvo
- AI features for generating apps and queries
- Free plan for small teams
Core Functions
- Drag-and-drop interfaces built from tables, forms, and buttons
- Integration with PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, REST, and GraphQL APIs
- SQL queries and JavaScript logic directly within components
- Workflows for scheduled jobs and background automation
- Permissions, audit logs, and self-hosting for sensitive environments
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