Gadget vs Retool (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Retool grades higher than Gadget: 2.8 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Retool grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Gadget
Full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant and hosting
Retool
Platform for building internal apps, workflows and AI agents
Which one is for you
Pick Gadget if
- Fits if you write JavaScript and want hosting and an API generated for you
- Works for Shopify app developers starting on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a no-code builder, as the stack is JavaScript and TypeScript
- Pricey if you outgrow Hobby, as Pro is $35 a month and extra production environments are $10 each
- Watch out: CPU time is billed at $0.30 an hour and extra storage at $1.50 per GB on Pro
- Watch out: extra AI assistant credits are $25 per 100 on paid plans
Pick Retool if
- Fits if you build internal dashboards over company databases
- Works for small teams that start free and add builders later
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you grow: every internal user adds $5 or $15 on top of builders
- Watch out: external users and embedded apps need Business at $50 a builder
- Watch out: SSO, SCIM and Git source control are Enterprise only
- Watch out: extra workflow runs cost $75 per 5,000 a month
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAGadgetFair | 2.8GPARetoolGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DPro is $35 a month, above the category's dearest-tenth line of $32 and against a middle of $20. Premium is $350. | BTeam is $10 a builder plus $5 an internal user on yearly billing, in the cheaper quarter, though Business jumps to $50 and $15. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe Hobby plan is free with 2 seats, 1 production environment and 10 hours of CPU time. One developer can live on it. | BFree: up to 5 users, 250 AI credits and 500 workflow runs a month, production only. One person could live on that. |
| Features | CAI assistant, hosting, generated API and store connections. It is code first, in JavaScript and TypeScript, and does not replace a no-code builder. | BAI app builder, workflows, agents, import from Lovable and Replit, and self-hosting. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | CA web editor, but you write and read code. No store rating is on record. | CNo store rating on record. It's a web builder where you connect data and build the app yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with Shopify and BigCommerce connections, 5 integrations and a generated API. | BWeb app with GitHub, import from other builders and a self-hosting option, on a long integration list. |
| Best for | a full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant | internal tools, workflows and agents |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Gadget and Retool. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gadget starts at $35 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Retool starts at $10 a month and scores 2.7.
Retool scores higher and starts $25 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 28 score higher than Gadget for less, and 1 scores higher than Retool for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Retool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Retool also covers workflow automation, AI agents and no-code.
At a glance
| Gadget | Retool | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $35 per month | $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user) |
| Free plan | Hobby plan: free, 2 seats, unlimited dev environments, 1 production environment and 100 AI credits once on sign-up. | Up to 5 users, 250 AI credits a month and 500 workflow runs a month, production environment only. |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial on Team and Business; length not stated |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Gadget Software, Inc. | Retool |
| Price read from | gadget.dev | retool.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gadget
- Usage beyond included amounts is billed, for example CPU time at $0.30 per hour and extra data storage at $1.50 per GB on Pro.
- Extra AI assistant credits cost $25 per 100 credits on paid plans.
- The Hobby plan allows 5 Shopify and BigCommerce app installs.
- It is code-first: the stack is JavaScript and TypeScript rather than a no-code editor.
Retool
- Seats are split into builders and internal users, and each is billed separately.
- External users and embedded apps need Business at $50 per builder / month.
- Extra workflow runs cost $75 per 5,000 runs a month.
- SSO, SCIM and Git source control are Enterprise only.
Key features
Gadget
- AI assistant
- An assistant applies changes to your app; each assistant change uses AI credits, while questions and answers do not.
- Hosted JS stack
- Server, database and frontend are hosted together, with a spreadsheet-style record editor and serverless actions.
- Auto-generated API
- CRUD API routes are generated for every database table.
- Shopify and BigCommerce connections
- Built-in webhooks, OAuth and data sync for apps on those platforms.
- Code tooling
- A CLI lets you work in your own editor and manage the project with Git.
Retool
- AI app builder
- Describe an app in a prompt and it is generated against connected data, then refined by hand.
- Import from other builders
- The homepage says apps built in Lovable, Replit and similar tools can be imported by ZIP or GitHub sync.
- Workflows and agents
- Workflow runs are capped per month by plan, and agents are billed hourly outside the credit pool.
- Governance
- Business adds audit logs and permissions; Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and Git source control.
- Self-hosting
- The FAQ says Retool can run in a company's own VPC, with Enterprise supporting both cloud and self-hosted.
Plans
Gadget
Hobby$0
2 seats, 1 prod environment, 10 hours CPU time, 0.5 GB data storage and 100 one-time AI credits.
Pro$35
per month
10 seats, 30 hours CPU time, 3 GB data storage, 1M platform credits and 10 AI credits a month; extra production environments $10 each.
Premium$350
per month
25 seats, 150 hours CPU time, 15 GB data storage, 5M platform credits and 50 AI credits a month.
EnterpriseCustom
Bring your own cloud (GCP or AWS), unlimited projects and hosting, with performance and support SLAs.
Retool
Free$0
Up to 5 users, 250 AI credits a month, Retool Cloud, production only.
Team$10
per builder / month, billed annually
Plus $5 per internal user. Unlimited users, 1,000 AI credits, staging and production.
Business$50
per builder / month, billed annually
Plus $15 per internal user. 3,000 AI credits, external users, embedded apps, audit logs.
EnterpriseCustom
10,000 AI credits, SSO and SCIM, Git source control, self-hosted or air-gapped options.
Ways to pay less
Gadget
No public discounts listed.
Retool
- Annual discount
20% off with annual billing
The Team and Business plans are billed annually and state a 20% saving versus monthly.
- Education
Free Business account for students and educators
The pricing FAQ says students and educators can apply for a free Business account.
- Nonprofit
25 free seats for nonprofits
The pricing FAQ says nonprofits can apply for 25 free seats on cloud or self-hosted plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gadget or Retool?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Retool is cheaper to start with: $10 a month, against $35 a month for Gadget. Gadget starts at $35 per month, and Retool starts at $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user).
Which has a free plan, Gadget or Retool?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Gadget and Retool have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.