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Marketing · head to head

Onclusive vs Retool

Onclusive logo

Onclusive

Marketing

Media monitoring, journalist database and PR measurement assembled from six acquired companies

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Retool logo

Retool

Surveys

The rapid internal tool platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Retool has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Onclusive onclusive was assembled from at least six acquired companies inside about a year, and users still encounter different interfaces, inconsistent data definitions and separate support paths depending on which module they are in, so training and internal reporting are harder than a single-product vendor.; Retool builders and internal users are billed as separate seat types, so the true cost depends on the mix rather than the headcount
  • They diverge on capability: Onclusive covers Global media monitoring, Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Onclusive and Retool actually diverge.

Attributes where Onclusive and Retool differ
AttributeOnclusiveRetool
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryMarketingSurveys
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Onclusive

  • Global media monitoring
  • Broadcast monitoring
  • Social listening
  • Media contacts database
  • Newsroom and press office
  • Sentiment and tone analysis
  • Share of voice reporting
  • Crisis detection

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.

Onclusive

  • A multinational communications team that needs print, broadcast and online coverage across twenty markets reported in one dashboard rather than through three regional vendorsnot Retool
  • A public affairs team that must evidence share of voice against named competitors for a quarterly board reportnot Retool
  • A PR agency running press office and media enquiry workflow for several client brands from one systemnot Retool
  • A corporate affairs function that needs early warning on a coverage spike outside its own time zone, with broadcast clips retrievable for legal reviewnot Retool

Retool

  • Building internal admin tools and dashboards over existing databases and APIsnot Onclusive
  • Giving operations teams a UI for data they would otherwise query by handnot Onclusive

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Onclusive

  • Onclusive was assembled from at least six acquired companies inside about a year, and users still encounter different interfaces, inconsistent data definitions and separate support paths depending on which module they are in, so training and internal reporting are harder than a single-product vendor.
  • Pricing is not published and is scoped by market coverage, source count and user seats, which makes competitive benchmarking difficult and means renewal increases are hard to challenge without a parallel quote from Cision or Meltwater.
  • Broadcast monitoring coverage is uneven by country, so a global contract can look complete on paper while a specific market you care about has thin local radio or regional television coverage; verify your priority markets by name before signing.
  • The company carries private-equity ownership and acquisition-related debt financing, which historically in this category has meant pressure on support headcount and above-inflation renewal pricing rather than product investment.
  • Automated sentiment classification on news copy remains error-prone, especially for irony, quoted criticism and industry jargon, so teams reporting sentiment to executives generally need a human review step that erodes the labour saving the tool was bought for.

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

Onclusive

On request
  • Onclusive$undefined/year
    • Global media monitoring
    • Broadcast and print coverage
    • Onclusive Social listening

Retool

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited web and mobile apps
    • 500 workflow runs monthly
    • 5GB database capacity
  • Team$10/month
    • Builders: $10/month (annual) or $12/month (monthly)
    • Internal users: $5/month (annual) or $7/month (monthly)
    • 5,000 workflow runs monthly
  • Business$50/month
    • Builders: $50/month (annual) or $65/month (monthly)
    • Internal users: $15/month (annual) or $18/month (monthly)
    • Audit logging
  • Enterprise$null/contact sales
    • Custom pricing
    • SSO integration
    • Unlimited users

Which should you pick?

Choose Onclusive if

  • You need global media monitoring.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want broadcast monitoring.
Onclusive review

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.
Retool review

Questions people ask

Is Onclusive or Retool better?
Neither clearly leads. Onclusive 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, Onclusive or Retool?
Retool has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Onclusive and Free for Retool.
Does Onclusive or Retool run on more platforms?
Onclusive runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. 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. Onclusive starts at On request.
What is Onclusive best used for?
Onclusive is most often used for a multinational communications team that needs print, broadcast and online coverage across twenty markets reported in one dashboard rather than through three regional vendors, a public affairs team that must evidence share of voice against named competitors for a quarterly board report, a pr agency running press office and media enquiry workflow for several client brands from one system, a corporate affairs function that needs early warning on a coverage spike outside its own time zone, with broadcast clips retrievable for legal review. Of those, a multinational communications team that needs print, broadcast and online coverage across twenty markets reported in one dashboard rather than through three regional vendors and a public affairs team that must evidence share of voice against named competitors for a quarterly board report are not what Retool is typically brought in for.
What can Onclusive do that Retool cannot?
Onclusive covers Global media monitoring, Broadcast monitoring, Social listening, Media contacts database. Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Real-time data binding.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Onclusive: Is Onclusive one product or several?

Several. It was formed from Kantar Reputation Intelligence, PRgloo and the original Onclusive in January 2022, then absorbed Critical Mention and Digimind later that year, and the modules retain distinguishable lineages.

Retool: How much does Retool cost?

Retool offers a free tier. Paid cloud plans start at $10/month (Team - builders) or $5/month (Team - internal users), $50/month (Business - builders) or $15/month (Business - internal users). Enterprise pricing is custom. Annual billing provides 20% savings.

Source
Onclusive: Who owns it?

Symphony Technology Group, a US private equity firm, with debt financing on the Critical Mention acquisition from Stellus Capital Management.

Retool: What is the difference between builders and internal users?

Builders are users who create applications in Retool, while internal users are those who only access and use the applications. Internal users cost significantly less than builders on all paid tiers.

Source
Onclusive: What happened to Digimind?

Digimind was acquired in July 2022 and rebranded as Onclusive Social in October 2022. If social listening is your main requirement, that is the platform you are evaluating.

Retool: Can I self-host Retool?

Yes, Free, Team, and Business tiers support self-hosting with comparable features to cloud versions. Enterprise is required for unlimited users, SSO, and advanced self-host features.

Source
Onclusive: Does it publish pricing?

No. Contracts are annual and quoted according to markets monitored, sources covered and seat count.

Retool: What are AI credits and how do they work?

AI credits are used for app building and AI actions. Free tier includes 250 monthly credits, Team includes 1,000, and Business includes 3,000. Credits renew monthly without carryover and are pooled at the organization level.

Source
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