Retool vs Appsmith
Retool charges separately for builders, internal users and workflow runs, while Appsmith charges one flat price per workspace member, builders included. Appsmith also publishes its source and a self-hosted Free tier, and Retool reserves self-hosting for Enterprise. Choose on how many people only use apps and how much automation you plan to run.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Retool ifyou have many staff who only open apps, you want AI app generation and a large pool of workflow runs, and you can negotiate an Enterprise contract if you need self-hosting.
Choose Appsmith ifyou want one per-member price with no extra fee for builders, Git-based versioning on every plan, and a self-hosted install you can start without a sales call.
Retool and Appsmith side by side
| Retool | Appsmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Our low-code platform rank | #8 of 17 | #5 of 17 |
| Established in | United States | India |
| List price, 4 November 2026 | Team 9 EUR per builder and 5 EUR per internal user per month; Business 46 EUR and 14 EUR (EU pricing page); Free up to 5 users; Enterprise custom | Free up to 5 users; Business 15 USD per user per month (up to 99 users); 2,500 USD per month for 100 users; billed monthly by card |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Built for | Engineering teams building internal tools across many data sources | Developer teams that want low-code speed with Git discipline |
| Not for | Organisations that need a predictable single-line bill | Business users building without technical support |
Both are reviewed in full in our low-code platform ranking: Retool and Appsmith.
Where they differ
Retool 1 · Appsmith 3 · open 1- 01
How the bill is counted
Retool's EU pricing page lists Team at 9 EUR per builder and 5 EUR per internal user per month, with Business at 46 EUR and 14 EUR. A builder is anyone who created or edited an app or workflow in the billing cycle. Appsmith counts every workspace member once and bills builders at the same rate as everyone else. Appsmith is simpler to forecast.
Edge: Appsmith
- 02
Entry price and free tier
Appsmith Business costs 15 USD per user per month, and its Free plan covers up to 5 users with Git versioning and Google SSO. Retool's Free plan also stops at 5 users, but Retool's lowest paid tier is cheaper for people who never build: 5 EUR for an internal user. Currencies differ between the two pages, so compare in your own billing currency.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Automation volume
Retool counts each successful workflow execution as a run. Team includes 500 runs a month, Business includes 5,000, and extra packs are 60 EUR per 5,000 runs. The Appsmith pricing page we read has no run meter at all. If scheduled jobs and triggers are central to your plan, Retool adds a second cost line.
Edge: Appsmith
- 04
Where it can run
Appsmith offers its open-source edition for free self-hosting and sells a self-hosted trial of Business. Retool says it runs in the cloud or in your own VPC through Docker, but states that Enterprise plans support both options. A regulated team can start on Appsmith alone. Retool needs a contract first.
Edge: Appsmith
- 05
Larger teams and outside users
Appsmith Business covers up to 99 users, and 100 users move to a 2,500 USD monthly plan with SAML or OIDC SSO and SCIM. Retool prices external users from 51 to 250 at 7.33 EUR each and offers portals for partners and clients, though external pricing needs a custom annual plan. Retool is the stronger fit for customer-facing portals.
Edge: Retool
When neither fits
If you want spreadsheet-style databases rather than coded internal tools, look at Baserow or Budibase.
Retool or Appsmith: questions
3 answersCan I self-host Retool without Enterprise?
Retool's pricing page says Enterprise plans support both cloud and self-hosting. Smaller plans are listed for the cloud.
Does Appsmith charge more for developers?
No. Appsmith says anyone who builds or edits applications counts as a standard user, with no extra charge for developers.
Which one has a free plan?
Both. Retool Free and Appsmith Free each cover up to 5 users.
Sources
Checked 4 November 2026- Retool pricing (EU): Builder and internal user prices, free tier of 5 users, workflow run allowances, 60 EUR per 5,000 extra runs, external user tiers, Enterprise self-hosting.
- Appsmith pricing: 15 USD Business price, 5 free users, 99-user cap, 2,500 USD for 100 users, user counting, self-hosted trial, open-source edition.