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Surveys · head to head

Gravity Forms vs Retool

Gravity Forms logo

Gravity Forms

Surveys

The most trusted WordPress forms plugin

From
$59/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Retool logo

Retool

Surveys

The rapid internal tool platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gravity Forms and Retool actually diverge.

Attributes where Gravity Forms and Retool differ
AttributeGravity FormsRetool
Starting price$59/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Surveys).

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

  • WordPress form building and lead capturenot Retool
  • E-commerce payment form processingnot Retool
  • Multi-site form managementnot Retool

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

$59/year
  • Basic$59/year
    • 1 site license
    • 20+ integrations including HubSpot, Mailchimp, Active Campaign
  • Pro$159/year
    • 3 site licenses
    • Payment processing with Stripe, Square, PayPal
    • 15+ Pro-level add-ons
  • Elite$259/year
    • Unlimited site licenses
    • All add-ons included
    • Advanced features: User Registration, Conversational Forms, Signature, Survey

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 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.

Gravity Forms 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 Gravity Forms or Retool better?
Neither clearly leads. Gravity Forms starts at $59/year 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 $59/year 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 $59/year.
What is Gravity Forms best used for?
Gravity Forms is most often used for wordpress form building and lead capture, e-commerce payment form processing, multi-site form management. Of those, wordpress form building and lead capture and e-commerce payment form processing are not what Retool is typically brought in for.
What can Gravity Forms do that Retool cannot?
Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Real-time data binding.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gravity Forms: What is the cheapest Gravity Forms plan?

The Basic plan is $59/year and includes 1 site license with 20+ integrations. The Elite plan at $259/year offers unlimited sites and all add-ons.

Source
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
Gravity Forms: Can I process payments with Gravity Forms?

Yes. Payment processing with Stripe, Square, and PayPal is included in the Pro ($159/year) and Elite ($259/year) plans, but not in the Basic plan.

Source
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
Gravity Forms: How many sites can I use Gravity Forms on?

The Basic plan covers 1 site, Pro covers 3 sites, and Elite covers unlimited sites. All pricing is annual subscription.

Source
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
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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