Retool vs Zite (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Retool grades higher than Zite: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 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.
Retool
Platform for building internal apps, workflows and AI agents
Zite
AI builder for business apps, workflows and databases
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 Zite if
- Fits if you need a small internal app with a database and forms
- Works for a team that wants unlimited users on a free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 10 messages a day, 5,000 records and Zite branding
- Watch out: custom domains start at Pro, and unlimited ones need Business at $75
- Watch out: roles, Salesforce and priority support are on Team, with no price shown
- Watch out: only annual prices are shown
How we grade them
| 2.8GPARetoolGood | 2.4GPAZiteFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C$20 a month billed yearly for Pro, the category's middle. Business is $75 and the monthly price isn't shown. |
| 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. | BFree: unlimited users and apps, 5,000 records and 1,000 workflow runs a month. 10 messages a day limits building, but one person can live on it. |
| Features | BAI app builder, workflows, agents, import from Lovable and Replit, and self-hosting. The listing shows no gap in the core job. | CApps, a database with 27 field types, workflows, webhooks, 30+ integrations and an API. Roles and Salesforce are on Team. |
| 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. A web builder where you define the database and workflows yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb app with GitHub, import from other builders and a self-hosting option, on a long integration list. | BWeb app with 30+ native integrations, Zapier, n8n and a REST API. |
| Best for | internal tools, workflows and agents | business apps, forms and workflows with a built-in database |
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 Zite. 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. Zite starts at $20 a month and scores 2.3.
Retool scores higher and starts $10 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 1 scores higher than Retool for less, and 14 score higher than Zite 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.
- Zite also covers databases and forms.
At a glance
| Retool | Zite | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user) | $20 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | Up to 5 users, 250 AI credits a month and 500 workflow runs a month, production environment only. | Unlimited users and apps, 1 workspace, 5,000 records, 1,000 workflow runs a month and 50 credits. |
| Free trial | Free trial on Team and Business; length not stated | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Retool | Restly, Inc. |
| Price read from | retool.com | zite.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
Zite
- Free plan caps messages at 10 a day and has Zite branding.
- Custom domains start on Pro; unlimited custom domains need Business.
- Salesforce, roles and priority support are listed for the Team plan.
- Prices shown are for annual billing; the monthly price is not shown directly.
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.
Zite
- Apps, forms and databases
- Builds apps and forms on a built-in database with 27 field types, views, filters and CSV import and export.
- Workflows
- Scheduled workflows, webhooks and run history, with monthly workflow runs capped by plan.
- Unlimited users
- All plans, including Free, allow unlimited users and unlimited apps.
- Native integrations
- The comparison table lists 30+ native integrations on every plan.
- API and developer access
- A REST API and SDK, secrets and Zapier and n8n access are listed in the plan comparison.
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.
Zite
Free$0
1 workspace, 5,000 records, 1,000 workflow runs a month, 10 messages a day.
Pro$20
per month, billed annually
100+ credits, 3 workspaces, 100,000 records, 5,000 workflow runs, 1 custom domain, no Zite branding.
Business$75
per month, billed annually
400+ credits, 5 workspaces, 250,000 records, 50,000 runs, advanced AI models and fast mode.
TeamCustom
Higher limits and bundled access, priority support and advanced security; pricing not shown.
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.
Zite
- Annual discount
Annual billing discount shown on Pro and Business
Pro shows $300 crossed out and $240 billed annually; Business shows $1,068 crossed out and $900 billed annually.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Retool or Zite?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Retool is cheaper to start with: $10 a month, against $20 a month for Zite. Retool starts at $10 per builder / month, billed annually (plus $5 per internal user), and Zite starts at $20 per month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Retool or Zite?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Retool and Zite 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.