Survey & Forms · head to head
Retool vs Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms
Survey & Forms
The most trusted WordPress forms plugin
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Retool has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Retool builders and internal users are billed as separate seat types, so the true cost depends on the mix rather than the headcount; Gravity Forms basic license covers only 1 site and renews at $59/year after a discounted $44 first year
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Retool and Gravity Forms actually diverge.
| Attribute | Retool | Gravity Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Self-hosted | Web |
| Founded | 2017 | Unknown |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Retool
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Database integration
- REST API
- Real-time data binding
- Workflow automation
- Custom code
- Version control
- 200+ integrations
Only in Gravity Forms
Nothing recorded that Retool does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
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
Gravity Forms
No use cases recorded yet. See the Gravity Forms review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Retool
Free- FreeFree
- Limited deployment
- Community support
- Professional$100/month
- Unlimited apps
- Email support
- Business$500/month
- Advanced features
- Priority support
Gravity Forms
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Gravity Forms review.
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.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Retool or Gravity Forms better?
- Neither clearly leads. Retool starts at Free and Gravity Forms at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Retool or Gravity Forms?
- Retool has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Retool and On request for Gravity Forms.
- Does Retool or Gravity Forms run on more platforms?
- Retool runs on Web, Self-hosted. Gravity Forms runs on Web.
- 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 is Retool best used for?
- Retool is most often used for building internal admin tools and dashboards over existing databases and apis, giving operations teams a ui for data they would otherwise query by hand. Of those, building internal admin tools and dashboards over existing databases and apis and giving operations teams a ui for data they would otherwise query by hand are not what Gravity Forms is typically brought in for.
- What can Retool do that Gravity Forms cannot?
- Retool covers Drag-and-drop builder, Database integration, REST API, Real-time data binding.