Survey & Forms · head to head
Cognito Forms vs Retool
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Cognito Forms individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user; Retool builders and internal users are billed as separate seat types, so the true cost depends on the mix rather than the headcount
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cognito Forms and Retool actually diverge.
| Attribute | Cognito Forms | Retool |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Self-hosted |
| Founded | Unknown | 2017 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Survey & Forms).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Cognito Forms
Nothing recorded that Retool does not also cover.
Only in Retool
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Database integration
- REST API
- Real-time data binding
- Workflow automation
- Custom code
- Version control
- 200+ integrations
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Cognito Forms
No use cases recorded yet. See the Cognito Forms review.
Retool
- Building internal admin tools and dashboards over existing databases and APIsnot Cognito Forms
- Giving operations teams a UI for data they would otherwise query by handnot Cognito Forms
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Cognito Forms
- Individual free plan caps at 100 entries per month and 1 user
- Pro plan ($24/mo monthly, $19/mo billed annually) still limits to 2 users and 2,000 entries per month
- HIPAA compliance and single sign-on are restricted to the Enterprise tier ($174/mo monthly, $129/mo annual)
Retool
- Builders and internal users are billed as separate seat types, so the true cost depends on the mix rather than the headcount
- The free plan is capped at 5 users, 500 workflow runs a month and 5 GB of database capacity
- Audit logging, permission controls, portals and custom branding all require the Business plan at $50 per builder per month billed annually
- External user access is Business only, and is charged in bands above 50 users
- Self hosted deployments mirror the cloud tiers but need Enterprise for unlimited users and SSO
Pricing, plan by plan
Cognito Forms
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Cognito Forms review.
Retool
Free- FreeFree
- Limited deployment
- Community support
- Professional$100/month
- Unlimited apps
- Email support
- Business$500/month
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Retool if
- You need drag-and-drop builder.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Self-hosted.
- You also want database integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Cognito Forms or Retool better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cognito Forms starts at Free and Retool at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cognito Forms or Retool?
- Cognito Forms starts at Free and Retool at Free.
- Does Cognito Forms or Retool run on more platforms?
- Cognito Forms runs on Web. Retool runs on Web, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Cognito Forms for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What can Cognito Forms do that Retool cannot?
- Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Real-time data binding.