Easy to use, I don't need to write extensive code and built-in components helps to develop tools
What is our primary use case?
I've built Retool applications for clients who collect feedback from users. Some clients use Retool internally for their established companies with millions of users. They need specific data from their databases, so I create custom tools to retrieve and sometimes update or modify that data.
My company has its own product: an application and website for employers and job seekers. We are providing tier one to tier two sitting on the app. We use Retool to track the data of our job seekers, employers, and others. We also use Retool to modify and add data for companies and employers.
How has it helped my organization?
The integration capabilities have enhanced the existing tech stack. Retool has provided a lot of services, like their own cloud and database handling. They have also provided other databases besides MongoDB, like SQL.
And if we want to integrate other platforms, like email, and other services, we can reconfigure each one and use it.
Retool recently licensed the AI part about one to two months ago. So we can use AI for databases as well as for the support site.
What is most valuable?
The best thing about Retool is its ease of use. You don't need to write extensive code. It's easy to establish and enable functionalities without coding the front end. Retool's built-in components help you develop tools quickly for your team.
Modifications are also easy, and your team can use all the functionalities with ease. Overall, Retool provides us with the opportunity to save time and be more efficient.
What needs improvement?
Retool provides multiple tools and functionalities that we can use. However, there are restrictions on the front-end side. From the back-end side, we can use anything, but on the front-end, we have limited tools. This limits our ability to enhance functionality.
For example, if I'm creating a tool for you to collect feedback from your clients or users, we have limited resources on the front-end. For the back-end, we have unlimited resources, but for the front-end, we are restricted to creating dashboards and similar tools.
If you want to enable other functionalities, we can add them, but this is a limitation on the front-end side.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is totally stable. It's not written on, like, ten, but it is just stable. I've been using it for the last two years, and I haven't found any bugs. So, according to me, it is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We are able to perform everything. Even if we add more users, it still performs the same.
We have taken the $10 per month solution for one team member with admin access. Five to six members are using that admin access. But if you have five members and want to give each a specific login ID and password to track their activity, then you can take five-member access. For that, they will charge $10 per user, so $50 per month.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted them earlier. I was getting some info with my link. At that time, Retool had updated their whole platform. They had sent a mail, but I didn't check it, so I contacted the support team, and they replied over email and their support site. So that is a pretty soft end of frequent.
It's not bad, but it's not good. They have to support totally over emails. They could implement a support site or chat system, so that would be an added benefit. But, they have replied very frequently over email.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Retool is very easy and efficient for creating both the client-side (front-end) and back-end. To save time, we have created multiple internal tools using Retool.
If we were using React, for example, we would have to hire another person to work on it and create the whole internal site, which would be time-consuming. But with Retool, we already have a certified front-end part.
We have created what we need and then enabled the back-end. So it is time-saving and easy to use.
How was the initial setup?
It's very easy to install and use. Retool is basically a website. If your organization wants to use it, you create an account, and they will provide a specific link for your organization. For example, if your organization's name is ABC, then Retool will provide you with a link. You use this link for all your work.
Inside, you log in, create tools, and use everything. You can also share different tools with different team members, and they provide that feature. You can track everything your team does. This is a recent benefit that makes Retool easy to use.
Deployment Model:
The deployment model depends on the requirements. Retool offers cloud hosting for $10. If you use it for feedback collection, you can use Retool's cloud. You do not need another cloud.
However, if you need to use personal internal tools and data from your database, you'll need to integrate your database with Retool.
What was our ROI?
It's worth the money. Retool also provides free tools for limited use, so I don't have to pay any money.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Retool is cheap compared to other platforms. For me, I'm in India right now, and Retool's subscription for one team member for $10 per month. I think that is very cheap. Other platforms charge more, like $80 or $100. So that is the key for us.
What other advice do I have?
My recommendation is based on the use case. For example, I would want to know for what purpose you want to use Retool.
For building custom internal tools with drag-and-drop UI and prebuilt components, it is the best tool. It is easy to build and can be customized at any time. It will also be the best practice for any internal team. You can track everything, like editing specifications and the working scenario of each team member.
It is easy to learn. A beginner only has to take a demo once. After that, it is very easy to use. Everything is in one format, and the user can search, track, and use it at a time. So, it is very easy to use for any internal team.
Overall, I will give it a nine out of ten. For internal users and operation teams, Retool has helped a lot. We have a lot of components/configurations and other things to create the whole database and tools. There is a lot of configuration, but Retool makes it easy to configure and create a proper host. So, I will give it nine out of ten.
It's a faster way to automate a business process
What do you like best about the product?
It's a faster way to automate a business process. You can basically have a working application within 24hours
What do you dislike about the product?
None I can think of at the moment. Maybe per end user pricing and it is still on the bearable level to the business compared to other similar tools.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Retool helps build simple applications to automate specific business processes in hours to days.
Retool is our perfect backend for our app
What do you like best about the product?
We have a great overview on the events we're running in our app. Also the difrent tabs you can make and the analyses are really good
What do you dislike about the product?
Sometimes when there is to many data in the tabels there occures a bug.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The backend of our app is running in Retool we can see all our users and events we're running.
The no-code tool that goes beyond internal apps
What do you like best about the product?
They have a vision that goes beyond just building internal apps, and that proves to be very useful. You also want to be able to quickly pull together some marketing or sales tool, or want to collaborate with partners. That's where most no-code tools fail and retool does not. Next to that, the functionality covered by ready-made scripts or no code features is larger than most tools offer.
What do you dislike about the product?
Their starting point that 1 tool = 1 page can be circumvented, but it's better if that design concept would be a bit more flexible.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
To build a finished tool without help of developers and in fast iterations.
Retool made our workflow short and easy
What do you like best about the product?
Retool eliminated a lot of steps in our workflow. It shortened our process and it helped us increase our productivity rate!
What do you dislike about the product?
Its a bit slow when clicking from one tab to another.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Tracking and transitioning a case from one status to another. It helped us to not manually record everything that we did. It transformed our records from a file to a fully automated engine, to track and transition the status of each case we handle/
Very intuitive and very valuable
What do you like best about the product?
Easy integrations wherever required. Easy workflow building across all integrations! Love it
What do you dislike about the product?
Um, it's tough but I'd say it can improve on the UI. While the UX is already great. UI could add to the feel good factor.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Tech integrations made easier with retool. Benefits me with improving operational efficiency.
Surreal experience, hassle free integration, very intuitive, easy to implement SQL and Elasticsearch
What do you like best about the product?
It is very easy to use, debugging is easy, multiple components support, easy to implement SQL and Elasticsearch
What do you dislike about the product?
Sometimes changes made are not saved immediately, and no multiple simultaneous collaboration supported
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
No need to write Front end code, easy to integrate SQL, Elastisearch and MongoDB
great tool for modifications and organization of same data
What do you like best about the product?
it is a good sorting software of some data and data that is duplicate. it is built in a way that it is linked to different catalogs and this makes it easy to find data and it has a large storage capacity.
What do you dislike about the product?
it is slow and fequently times out the session and this makes it boring. for a first time user, it is not easy to use as it it is a bit complicated, so I can say flexibility and functionality is kinda a problem.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
issues of finding POS codes, UUID of products we are selling and knowing thei status are being addresses by retool. issues of intergartion have been adresses by retool as such also serving time in data capturing and organization.
Helpful all in one
What do you like best about the product?
Retool combines a lot of backend areas into one resource to easily get to the information I need while clicking through sections of a single website as opposed to going between a bunch of tabs.
What do you dislike about the product?
I wish it included more features but that may be something that is actually due to my company not having built certain things out to sync up.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Combined multiple sections into one dashboard
Retool helps us speeding up building internal tools and demos
What do you like best about the product?
Easy to get started, rich set of widgets to start. Support a variety of databases. (Postgres, MySQL, TiDB, etc)
What do you dislike about the product?
I like it in general. Not too many complaints.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Time to build the tool.
