Software · head to head
Gravity Forms vs Retool
The short version
- Only Retool has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Gravity Forms basic license covers only 1 site and renews at $59/year after a discounted $44 first year; 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 Gravity Forms and Retool actually diverge.
| Attribute | Gravity Forms | Retool |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Self-hosted |
| Founded | Unknown | 2017 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Gravity 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.
Gravity Forms
No use cases recorded yet. See the Gravity Forms review.
Retool
- Building internal admin tools and dashboards over existing databases and APIsnot Gravity Forms
- Giving operations teams a UI for data they would otherwise query by handnot Gravity Forms
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Gravity Forms
- Basic license covers only 1 site and renews at $59/year after a discounted $44 first year
- Pro license is capped at 3 sites; using it on more requires the Elite tier at $259/year renewal
- Marketing integrations like HubSpot and Mailchimp are Basic-tier only, while payment and workflow add-ons (Stripe, Zapier, Trello) require Pro or above
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
Gravity Forms
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Gravity 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 Gravity Forms if
Nothing in the data separates Gravity Forms from Retool on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
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 Gravity Forms or Retool better?
- Neither clearly leads. Gravity Forms starts at On request and Retool at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Gravity Forms or Retool?
- Retool has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Gravity Forms and Free for Retool.
- Does Gravity Forms or Retool run on more platforms?
- Gravity Forms runs on Web. Retool runs on Web, Self-hosted.
- Can I use Retool for free?
- Yes. Retool has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Gravity Forms starts at On request.
- What can Gravity Forms do that Retool cannot?
- Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Real-time data binding.