Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Retool VS React Admin

Compare Retool VS React Admin and see what are their differences

Retool logo Retool

Build custom internal tools in minutes.

React Admin logo React Admin

A frontend Framework for building B2B applications running in the browser on top of REST/GraphQL APIs, using ES6, React and Material Design
  • Retool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-04
  • React Admin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-20

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

React Admin

$ Details
freemium €135.0 / Monthly
Release Date
2017 January

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.

React Admin features and specs

  • Component-Based Architecture
    React Admin utilizes a component-based architecture that promotes reusability and modularity, allowing developers to build complex interfaces with less effort.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    Being a React-based framework, React Admin benefits from a vast ecosystem of libraries and tools which can be easily integrated, providing enhanced functionality and scalability.
  • Customizable and Extensible
    Developers can customize and extend React Admin to fit specific needs, thanks to its high degree of flexibility and comprehensive support for custom components.
  • Built-in Data Providers
    React Admin comes with built-in data providers, making it easy to connect with a variety of REST, GraphQL, or other APIs out of the box.
  • Active Community and Maintenance
    Maintained by Marmelab, React Admin has an active community and is well-maintained, ensuring regular updates and improvements.

Possible disadvantages of React Admin

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Beginners might find React Admin challenging at first, especially if they are not familiar with React or the paradigm of component-based architecture.
  • Limited Server-Side Rendering
    React Admin is primarily designed for client-side rendering, which can be limiting for applications that require robust server-side rendering features for SEO purposes.
  • Opinionated Framework
    While being opinionated can be advantageous for some, it might restrict developers who are looking for more freedom in how they architect their applications.
  • Performance Overhead
    The abstraction and number of features included might introduce some performance overhead, especially in large-scale applications with complex data interactions.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Libraries
    React Admin's reliance on third-party libraries can sometimes lead to issues with compatibility or require additional learning for integration and use.

Retool videos

Retool - Logic Review

More videos:

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

React Admin videos

10 Best React Admin Templates in 2022 | ReactJS Admin Templates

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Retool and React Admin)
No Code
100 100%
0% 0
Developer Tools
82 82%
18% 18
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

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...

React Admin Reviews

We have no reviews of React Admin yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Retool should be more popular than React Admin. It has been mentiond 98 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.

Retool mentions (98)

  • Code or No Code? The AI Revolution in Web Development
    Retool – Low-code platform for business applications. - Source: dev.to / about 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 / 4 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 / 5 months ago
  • Visual Basic 6 rebuilt in C# – complete with form designer and IDE in browser
    >The No-Code world is fascinating, and the best I've seen in this space is https://retool.com/, but it's expensive and locks you into their ecosystem. >Even today, small businesses need to build out simple apps that were simple to do back in the Visual Basic days—a stock control system, a basic support system, sales tools, etc. Today, it's a minefield of options that can quickly get expensive. A RAD tool like... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
View more

React Admin mentions (26)

  • Top 20 Modern React Libraries To Supercharge Your Next Big Project
    Resource: React Admin Documentation. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • How to build a CMS with Supabase and React-admin
    I've been working with react-admin on various projects, some of which required basic CMS features in addition to the core application. We've used headless CMS like Strapi, Directus, or Prismic for these features. However, react-admin is so powerful that it can be used to build the CMS part, too. That's why I worked on a CMS proof-of-concept using react-admin for the admin UI and Supabase (which provides a REST... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • A Year of Transformation: Reflecting on 2024's Journey in Tech and Beyond
    I was learning React JS front end and in this journey of self learning, I have achieved many milestone like utilizing react-admin framework. I also implemented two-factor authentication using Authenticator tools with react-admin framework. It was a very challenging job to include two-factor alongside react-admin authentication as there is no tutorial available for it. But this is very much required in the era of... - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Building a Complete React CRM App with Atomic CRM 🛠️
    With a simple relational data model, developers can easily modify the system to store additional data. Its component-based architecture allows for replacing or customizing any part of the application, giving developers full control over the user experience. Built using React and react-admin, two widely supported frameworks, it comes with a rich library of pre-built components ready for use. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Major updates from the open source community: Release Radar · June 2024
    Whenever I see the word "framework", I can't help but think of the Linebreakers' song "We're Gonna Build a Framework". That aside, React-admin has over 25,000 users around the world. It's a single-page application framework, allowing you to build web apps running on top of REST/GraphQL APIs, using TypeScript, React and Material Design. React-admin's latest update brings refined lists and forms, dependency update,... - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Retool and React Admin, you can also consider the following products

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

Refine - A React Framework for building internal tools, admin panels, dashboards & B2B apps with unmatched flexibilty.

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

Next.js - A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps

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

Ant Design - An enterprise-class UI design language and React implementation with a set of high-quality React components, one of best React UI library for enterprises