Retool vs ToolJet: Which Should You Use for Internal Tools?
ToolJet is the newer open-source challenger to Retool. Here is how it stacks up against the established player — and when both fall short.
ToolJet has emerged as a compelling open-source alternative to Retool, offering a similar drag-and-drop builder for internal tools, dashboards, and CRUD applications. Both platforms connect to databases and APIs, let you build interfaces with pre-built components, and support custom JavaScript. The key differences come down to maturity, pricing, and the trade-offs between a polished commercial product and a fast-growing open-source project.
We have tested both platforms in production environments with real data and real users. ToolJet is catching up fast and the value proposition is strong for cost-conscious teams. But there are important differences in stability, ecosystem depth, and long-term risk that should inform your decision.
Maturity and Ecosystem Depth
Retool has been around since 2017 and has a mature ecosystem with extensive documentation, a marketplace of custom components, and a large community of developers sharing solutions. When you hit an edge case or a tricky integration, chances are someone has solved it before. The component library is comprehensive and the platform behavior is predictable.
ToolJet launched in 2021 and is growing quickly with strong community momentum. The core builder is solid for standard use cases, but you may encounter rough edges with less common data sources, complex widget interactions, or advanced state management. The documentation has gaps, and you will occasionally need to dig through GitHub issues to solve problems. That said, the release cadence is fast and the team is responsive to community feedback.
Deployment Options and Real-World Costs
ToolJet can be self-hosted for free using Docker or Kubernetes, which makes it extremely attractive for startups, small teams, and organizations with data sovereignty requirements. You get unlimited users on the self-hosted version. The paid cloud version adds managed hosting and premium support but is still significantly cheaper than Retool.
Retool charges per user per month, which compounds fast for growing teams. Their free tier limits you to 5 users with restricted features. For a team of 20 on the Standard plan, you are looking at $200+ per month on Retool versus $0 for self-hosted ToolJet. Over a year, that difference funds a significant amount of custom development — which is worth considering as a third option.
Retool vs ToolJet vs Custom Software
| Feature | Retool | ToolJet | Custom Software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $10+/user/month, adds up fast | Free self-hosted, unlimited users | One-time development cost, predictable hosting |
| Platform Maturity | Established since 2017, battle-tested | Newer (2021), improving rapidly | Depends on your team and tech stack |
| Open Source | No — fully proprietary | Yes — AGPL v3 license | Full ownership of all source code |
| Plugin System | Marketplace + custom components | Plugin framework, growing ecosystem | Any library, framework, or package |
| Mobile Support | Retool Mobile (separate product) | Responsive widgets built in | Native mobile or responsive — your choice |
| Query Builder | Polished, 50+ integrations | Good, fewer connectors (~25+) | Direct database access, any API |
| Documentation | Comprehensive, well-maintained | Improving, some gaps remain | You document what you build |
The Verdict
ToolJet is the better value for cost-conscious teams who can self-host and tolerate occasional platform quirks. If your internal tools are relatively straightforward — CRUD interfaces, data dashboards, form-based workflows — ToolJet delivers 80% of the Retool experience at a fraction of the cost. Retool is worth the premium if you need rock-solid stability, a wider integration library, and dedicated enterprise support.
If your internal tools require custom business logic beyond basic CRUD operations, need pixel-perfect UI control, demand real-time features, or must integrate tightly with proprietary systems, custom development avoids the constraints and compounding costs of both platforms. A custom-built internal tool costs more upfront but eliminates per-user fees and gives you a tool optimized for exactly how your team works. Scale Labs helps Seattle teams evaluate these trade-offs honestly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ToolJet production-ready for business-critical tools?
Can I migrate existing Retool apps to ToolJet?
Which platform has better JavaScript support for custom logic?
Outgrowing Low-Code Internal Tools?
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