Retool vs Stacker (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Retool grades higher than Stacker: 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, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Retool
Platform for building internal apps, workflows and AI agents
Stacker
No-code customer portals and internal tools built on Airtable data
Which one is for you
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
Pick Stacker if
- Fits if you want a client portal on top of a spreadsheet or database
- Works for small teams of up to 5 inside users and one app
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you grow: Starter is 1 app, 5 internal users, 50 external users
- Pricey if you want unlimited outside users and custom scripts, which need Plus at $149 a month
- Watch out: SQL and Salesforce connectors and SSO are Enterprise only
- Watch out: the AI agents are sold as a separate product
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as only a 30-day trial exists
How we grade them
| 2.8GPARetoolGood | 2.2GPAStackerFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BTeam is $10 a builder plus $5 an internal user on yearly billing, in the cheaper quarter, though Business jumps to $50 and $15. | CStarter is $29 a month, just over the category's $25 dearer-quarter line, but it is capped at 1 app and 5 internal users. Plus is $149. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree: up to 5 users, 250 AI credits and 500 workflow runs a month, production only. One person could live on that. | CA 30-day free trial with every feature unlocked and no card needed. After that, nothing is free. |
| Features | BAI app builder, workflows, agents, import from Lovable and Replit, and self-hosting. The listing shows no gap in the core job. | CPortals, internal tools, two-way data sync, permission rules and a custom domain. SQL and Salesforce connectors are Enterprise only, and AI agents are a separate product. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It's a web builder where you connect data and build the app yourself. | CNo store rating on record, and you build the app yourself and connect your data. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb app with GitHub, import from other builders and a self-hosting option, on a long integration list. | BWeb, with four data-source integrations listed. No phone or desktop app. |
| Best for | internal tools, workflows and agents | client portals and internal tools on top of your data |
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: Retool and Stacker. How we grade
Price against what you get
Retool starts at $10 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Stacker starts at $29 a month and scores 2.3.
Retool scores higher and starts $19 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 1 scores higher than Retool for less, and 24 score higher than Stacker 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.
- Retool also covers AI agents.
- Stacker also covers databases.
At a glance
| Retool | Stacker | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user) | $29 per month, billed monthly |
| Free plan | Up to 5 users, 250 AI credits a month and 500 workflow runs a month, production environment only. | None |
| Free trial | Free trial on Team and Business; length not stated | 30-day free trial with every feature unlocked, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Retool | Stacker Software Ltd |
| Price read from | retool.com | stackerhq.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Stacker
- Starter is capped at 1 app, 5 internal users and 50 external users.
- Unlimited external users, 100,000 records per app and custom CSS and scripts need Plus at $149 a month.
- SQL and Salesforce connectors and enterprise SSO are Enterprise-only.
- Stacker's AI agents are sold as a separate product and are not part of these plans.
Key features
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.
Stacker
- Customer portals
- Give customers, clients and partners a branded login where they see and edit only the records and columns you allow.
- Internal tools
- Build interfaces for your own team on top of an existing base or spreadsheet, without waiting on developers.
- Two-way data sync
- Stacker links to Airtable, Google Sheets and Stacker's own tables on every plan, and keeps the source and the app in sync both ways.
- Permission rules
- Row- and column-level access is set per role and enforced on the server; Plus allows 3 roles per app and Enterprise unlimited roles.
- Custom domain
- Starter includes one portal on a custom domain, and Plus adds custom CSS and scripts for finer control of the look.
Plans
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.
Stacker
Starter$29
per month, billed monthly
1 app, 50 external and 5 internal users, 10 tables, one portal with a custom domain.
Plus$149
per month, billed monthly
100,000 records per app, unlimited external users, 3 roles, 20 tables, custom CSS and scripts.
EnterpriseCustom
Enterprise SSO, SQL and Salesforce connectors, unlimited roles, tables and apps. Sold through sales.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stacker
- Nonprofit
Discounts for nonprofits and education
The pricing FAQ says non-profits and education organizations can get in touch to ask about discounts; no amount is published.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Retool or Stacker?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Retool is cheaper to start with: $10 a month, against $29 a month for Stacker. Retool starts at $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user), and Stacker starts at $29 per month, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Retool or Stacker?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Retool has a free plan. Stacker does not, though it has a free trial.
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.