Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Oracle APEX VS Retool

Compare Oracle APEX VS Retool and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Oracle APEX logo Oracle APEX

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a low-code development platform that enables you to build stunning, scalable, secure apps, with world-class features, that can be deployed anywhere.

Retool logo Retool

Build custom internal tools in minutes.
  • Oracle APEX Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30
  • Retool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-04

Retool

Website
retool.com
$ Details
freemium $10.0 / Monthly (Startup)
Release Date
2017 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
California
Founder(s)
David Hsu
Employees
10 - 19

Oracle APEX features and specs

  • Low Code Development
    Oracle APEX is designed as a low-code platform, allowing developers to quickly build web applications with minimal hand-coding and complex programming.
  • Robust Integration
    APEX integrates seamlessly with Oracle Database and other Oracle products, leveraging SQL and PL/SQL for powerful data manipulation and business logic execution.
  • Responsive Design
    APEX applications are automatically designed to be responsive, helping applications function well on various devices and screen sizes without extensive additional coding.
  • Security Features
    Oracle APEX provides strong security features, including authentication, authorization, and data protection, with built-in mechanisms to ensure application security.
  • Rapid Prototyping
    Developers can quickly prototype applications using APEX, which is beneficial for gathering feedback and iterating on design before full-scale development.

Possible disadvantages of Oracle APEX

  • Limited UI Capabilities
    The low-code nature of Oracle APEX can mean limitations in the customization of UI components, which may not meet the needs of highly complex or unique user interfaces.
  • Dependent on Oracle Ecosystem
    APEX is tightly coupled with Oracle Database, making it less suitable for environments using a variety of database systems, thus limiting flexibility for some businesses.
  • Scalability Concerns
    While APEX can handle many applications, large-scale or enterprise-level application requirements might expose its limitations in comparison with more dedicated, scalable platforms.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers unfamiliar with Oracle’s technologies, especially SQL and PL/SQL, might face a significant learning curve when starting with APEX.
  • Licensing Costs
    While APEX itself is a free feature of the Oracle Database, the overall costs associated with Oracle's licensing agreements for enterprise use can be high.

Retool features and specs

  • Speed of Development
    Retool allows developers to rapidly build internal tools with a drag-and-drop interface, reducing the time it takes to get functional applications up and running.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Retool supports integration with a wide range of databases, APIs, and other services, making it easier to connect different data sources and systems.
  • Customizability
    While Retool provides prebuilt components, it also allows for custom code and scripting, enabling developers to tailor applications to specific requirements.
  • Collaboration Features
    Retool supports collaborative features, such as sharing applications with team members and version control, making it easier to work in teams.
  • Security
    Retool provides robust security features, including access control and data encryption, to help protect sensitive information.

Possible disadvantages of Retool

  • Cost
    Retool can be relatively expensive compared to building internal tools from scratch or using some other platforms, potentially making it less accessible for smaller teams or startups.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, there can be a learning curve for new users who need to become familiar with its specific functionalities and scripting capabilities.
  • Customization Limitations
    Though Retool offers customizability, there might be certain limitations compared to fully bespoke solutions, impacting highly specific or complex use cases.
  • Dependency on Retool
    Relying heavily on Retool may create a dependency that could be problematic if the company changes its pricing, features, or discontinues services.
  • Performance
    For very large datasets or highly complex operations, performance can become an issue, as it is with many platform-based solutions.

Oracle APEX videos

Oracle APEX and E-Business Suite Review (Consultant: Patrick Cimolini)

More videos:

  • Review - Oracle APEX & Progressive Web Apps

Retool videos

Retool - Logic Review

More videos:

  • Review - #Worth?! Ep.12 - Retool (Gameplay / Review)
  • Demo - February NY Enterprise Tech Meetup: Retool Demo

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Oracle APEX and Retool)
Project Management
100 100%
0% 0
No Code
0 0%
100% 100
Office Suites
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Oracle APEX and Retool

Oracle APEX Reviews

The 11 Best Low-Code Development Platforms
Oracle APEX receives excellent reviews in general, with an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars. It does not have nearly as many reviews as OutSystems, but the user satisfaction rate is around 90%.
Source: www.xplenty.com

Retool Reviews

Top 5 Dynobase alternatives you should know about - March 2025 Review
The choice ultimately depends on your environment and use case. Many teams use a combination of tools: for example, Dynomate for developers, and a Retool app for operations or support teams. By understanding the strengths of each alternative, you can select the tool (or combination of tools) that best integrates with your AWS workflow, making DynamoDB development smoother...
Source: www.dynomate.io
React UI Components Libraries: Our Top Picks for 2023
Retool offers extensive documentation and support. Its support is available on its Discourse forum, Slack (if you are a Retool power user), Intercom for live chat, and dedicated support for enterprise customers.
Source: kinsta.com
ILLA Cloud vs. Retool vs. Bubble - Unveiling the Best Low-Code Platforms
In the quest for the best low-code platform, Retool, Bubble, and ILLA Cloud all offer unique features and capabilities. While Retool shines with its self-hosted option and Bubble contributes to the open-source community, ILLA Cloud stands out as a powerful and flexible low-code platform. With its comprehensive feature set, affordable pricing models, and self-hosted...
Top 9 Low-Code Tools for 2023 for low-code development
Retool is a powerful low-code platform that enables developers to build internal tools and apps with ease. It offers a drag-and-drop interface and a wide range of pre-built components for seamless development. Retool integrates with various data sources and external services, allowing users to fetch data, perform calculations, and display results in real-time. Its...
Superblock vs Retool: A Comprehensive Comparison for Low-code development Platforms
Retool caters to a diverse audience, including developers, product managers, and business professionals. Developers benefit from Retool's low-code capabilities, allowing them to build applications quickly without sacrificing customization. Product managers can leverage Retool to streamline internal workflows and enable teams to be more productive. Business professionals can...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Retool seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 99 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Oracle APEX mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Oracle APEX yet. Tracking of Oracle APEX recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Retool mentions (99)

  • How Low-Code Platforms Are Changing the Future of App Development
    Retool has carved out a specific niche by excelling at internal tool creation. Companies use it to build dashboards, admin panels, and business process applications that would otherwise consume valuable engineering resources. - Source: dev.to / 8 days ago
  • Code or No Code? The AI Revolution in Web Development
    Retool – Low-code platform for business applications. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • I keep turning my Google Sheets into phone-friendly webapps, and I can't stop
    As mentioned by another poster, check out "Partner portals" section on https://retool.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • How to Build Internal Tools 100x Faster
    It is possible to speed up the development and delivery process for many internal applications by using no-code or low code tools. These vary in offerings from open source to SaaS, including popular ones like AirTable, BudiBase, Retool, NocoDB and others. These can all greatly help speed up delivery times. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Do you need a No Code tool for Firebase?
    There are some No Code tools for Firebase. Some of them are fully integrated, some of them use some limited functions of Firebase through their API. If a tool allows you to integrate with a REST API, you probably can use it. Some of them are: FlutterFlow, JetAdmin, Retool, Bubble, etc. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Oracle APEX and Retool, you can also consider the following products

Microsoft 365 - Boost your productivity with reliable access anywhere with services like email, calendar, file sharing, meetings, instant messaging, and Office Online

Appsmith - Appsmith is an open source web framework for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards, and workflows.

Zoho Docs - Zoho Docs is an online document management software that lets you manage and store all your files on the cloud. Share, collaborate and access all your files on multiple devices.

Airtable - Airtable works like a spreadsheet but gives you the power of a database to organize anything. Sign up for free.

Apache OpenOffice - Apache OpenOffice is an open source, office document productivity suite.

Bubble.io - Building tech is slow and expensive. Bubble is the most powerful no-code platform for creating digital products.