Best Retool Alternatives For Building Scalable Dashboards

Is Retool starting to feel like a mismatch for your team?

As teams build more internal tools, many hit roadblocks with pricing, flexibility, or control. Many are now turning to platforms that better fit their budget, tech stack, and hosting preferences. From open-source options to low-code builders, the shift is clear—teams want more choice.

This article looks at top Retool alternatives, including UI Bakery, Superblocks, Budibase, and ToolJet. Each one offers different features, customization, and hosting.

Which one suits you?

Let’s look at what sets them apart and which suits your needs best.

UI Bakery: Enterprise-Ready and User-Friendly

UI Bakery offers a seamless drag-and-drop interface for developers and non-tech users alike. Its 80+ pre-built components, smooth UI rendering, and AI development assistant help users quickly create custom internal tools with minimal effort.

Key Features

• drag-and-drop canvas with absolute positioning

• AI assistant to speed up building processes

• Integrations with 18 databases and 20 APIs

• Git sync (not full version control yet)

• self-hosted version with audit logging, access control, and custom roles

Why Choose UI Bakery?

Ideal for SMBs and enterprises, UI Bakery supports self-hosting, offers robust enterprise tier features, and helps teams deliver performant apps quickly. Its focus on user-friendly design makes it a strong choice even for teams without full-time developers.

Superblocks: Powerhouse for Large Enterprises

Superblocks enables developers to manage complex business logic, external databases, and custom internal applications with deep code-level extensibility.

Key Features

• Infinite extensibility using Node.js, Python, React

• Supports workflows, jobs, and internal web apps

• Built-in observability tools like Datadog and Splunk

• Lightweight self-hosting with secure on-premise agents

• Elastic back-end scaling for large data sources

Strengths

If you're dealing with complex backend APIs, stringent data security requirements, or vast business processes, Superblocks is built for you. However, native mobile apps are missing, and full air-gapped deployments aren't supported.

Budibase: Transparent and Open-Source

As one of the top open-source retool alternatives, Budibase is ideal for teams wanting control and flexibility while building custom internal tools.

Key Features

• Full drag-and-drop interface with reusable components

• Connects to SQL, NoSQL, Google Sheets, and REST APIs

• Free SSO and RBAC for secure access control

• Automated CRUD logic and audit logging

• Flexible self-hosted version (including Kubernetes and air-gapped support)

Pros and Cons

Budibase is suitable for building custom internal applications. It supports custom widgets and external AI models if needed. While it's user-friendly, advanced customization might require moderate technical knowledge.

ToolJet: Open-Source and Community-Powered

ToolJet’s strength lies in community-driven improvements and a highly extensible framework. It’s particularly good for small teams looking to create internal tools with existing tech stacks.

Features to Note

• Visual drag-and-drop interface (UI builder has some bugs)

• Native PostgreSQL database, plus support for cloud services and APIs

• Version control, SSO, IP whitelisting, and audit logging

• Live collaboration and real-time editing

• Strong self-hosting options

Considerations

Despite its rich feature set, ToolJet suffers from UI quality issues like element overlaps. Still, its extensibility, active GitHub repo, and enterprise tier readiness make it a compelling option for teams looking for alternatives to Retool.

Ply: Extend Existing Business Applications

Ply is unique—it doesn’t aim to replace Retool for internal apps, but rather to extend functionality in platforms like Gmail, Salesforce, or Airtable using a no-code approach.

Notable Aspects

• Focuses on browser-based add-ons

• Ideal for customizing business applications without writing full apps

• Great for operations teams working inside existing tools

• No self-hosted version or support for native mobile apps

When to Choose Ply

Use Ply if your goal is enhancing workflows, not building standalone CRUD apps. It’s great for integrating custom actions inside familiar tools, making it more of a low-code platform extension tool than a full development platform.

Comparing Top Retool Alternatives

Making the Right Choice for Your Internal Tooling Needs

Choosing the right low-code development platform depends on:

1. Team Size & Technical Skill

   • For non-technical users: UI Bakery or Ply

   • For technical teams: Budibase or Superblocks

2. Hosting & Security Requirements

   • Need for self-hosted version or fine-grained access control? Pick Budibase, ToolJet, or UI Bakery

   • For air-gapped deployments: Budibase is your go-to

3. Functionality Overlaps with Retool

   • All platforms offer drag-and-drop interfaces, version control, and custom components

   • Some outperform Retool in areas like audit logging, access control, and open-source flexibility

4. Budget & Scalability

   • If per-user pricing is a concern, open-source tools like Budibase and ToolJet offer unlimited users

   • Enterprises needing enterprise support and robust security measures may lean toward Superblocks or UI Bakery

Visualizing Internal Tool Workflow

Final Thoughts

Retool alternatives give teams more control, offering custom data connections, granular access controls, and tailored internal workflows without sacrificing usability or security.

Platforms like UI Bakery, Superblocks, Budibase, and ToolJet support many needs while fitting within most budgets and compliance requirements.

When comparing tools, consider how well each platform fits your team’s logic, user roles, app complexity, and long-term development plans.

The best choice doesn’t just support app building—it helps your team move faster and build smarter, without being boxed in by rigid tools.