Budibase vs Retool

Retool offers a commercial low-code platform for internal tools with strong data integration but is not open-source.

BudibaseOpen-source low-code platform for internal tools

RetoolBuild internal tools on top of your data

Which to pick

Pick Budibase if you want…

Low-code internal tools with AI agents
Open-source code (Budibase/budibase on GitHub)
Integrations with Slack, Microsoft Teams or Discord (on Budibase's list, not Retool's)

Pick Retool if you want…

Low-code internal tool builder with governance
Commercial internal tool builder
Integrations with PostgreSQL, Stripe or Okta (on Retool's list, not Budibase's)

Side by side

What it is: Budibase:Budibase is an open-source low-code platform to build internal apps, AI agents and automations that connect to your data and APIs.; Retool:Retool lets you build, deploy, and manage internal tools that connect directly to databases, APIs, and LLMs.
Best for: Budibase:Low-code internal tools with AI agents; Retool:Low-code internal tool builder with governance
Who it’s for: Budibase:Product teams and ops engineers building internal tools and workflow automations; Retool:Product teams, engineers, and analysts building internal apps quickly
Pricing: Budibase:Freemium; Retool:Freemium
Plans: Budibase:Free $0 · Pro $19 per month · Premium $49 per month · Business $299 per month; Retool:Free $0 · Team $10 per builder/month · Business $50 per builder/month
Open source: Budibase:Yes, 28,327 GitHub stars; Retool:—
Works with: Budibase:Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Jira, Salesforce, GitHub, Notion, Figma; Retool:PostgreSQL, Stripe, Okta, Active Directory, GitHub, Segment, Google Analytics

Budibase features

AI Agents. Create chat agents that answer questions, handle requests and trigger workflows across systems.
App Builder. Design web apps with a drag-and-drop interface and connect them to tables, APIs and automations.
Automation Builder. Build backend workflows using triggers, actions and synchronous webhooks.
Data Connectors. Link databases, spreadsheets and SaaS apps as internal or external data sources.
Self-hosting & Cloud. Deploy on your own infrastructure or use Budibase Cloud with managed hosting.
Enterprise Security. Provides ISO 27001 compliance, SSO, RBAC, audit logs and backups.

Retool features

Unified app builder. Create production-ready internal apps via a visual UI or AI-generated prompts.
AI agents integration. Use MCP server or CLI to build apps with AI agents and deploy within Retool.
Direct data connections. Connect securely to any database, API, or LLM with existing permissions.
Governance & security. Built-in auth, RBAC, audit logs, and SSO for enterprise compliance.
Workflow automation. Design and run automated workflows with triggers, steps, and scheduling.
Mobile & offline support. Deploy native iOS/Android/PWA apps with offline mode and push notifications.
Reusable modules & themes. Share components, queries, and visual themes across apps.
Versioning & source control. Track releases, revert changes, and integrate with Git.

Budibase vs Retool FAQ

Is Budibase or Retool free?+

Budibase has a free plan; paid plans start at $19/month (Pro). Retool has a free plan and paid plans.

Is Budibase or Retool open source?+

Budibase is open source (Budibase/budibase on GitHub). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for Retool.

Do Budibase and Retool integrate with the same tools?+

Partly. Both list GitHub. Budibase also lists Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Jira and 5 more; Retool also lists PostgreSQL, Stripe, Okta, Active Directory and 2 more.

On DevHunt

Budibase

Listed by DevHunt

Budibase on DevHunt →Budibase alternatives

Retool