Retool vs Superblocks

by Gralio Feb 03, 2025

Retool and Superblocks help build internal tools, but Retool is better for complex apps needing custom code, while Superblocks suits simpler tools leveraging pre-built blocks. Both cater to mid-sized businesses but differ in customizability vs. speed.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 424 reviews and 60 websites, saving 2 hours, 51 minutes of reading.

Retool

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Superblocks

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About

Retool is a platform that helps businesses create custom internal software tools quickly and efficiently. It allows users to connect to various data sources, design interfaces with drag-and-drop components, and add custom code for more complex logic. This makes it easier for companies to build tools for tasks like managing customer data, tracking projects, or automating workflows, without needing a team of expert coders. Retool is trusted by large and small companies for its security and flexibility.

Superblocks is a platform that helps developers at organizations of all sizes build custom internal business applications quickly and efficiently using a drag-and-drop interface. It allows users to connect to various data sources, automate workflows, and deploy secure applications without needing extensive coding knowledge. Superblocks offers pre-built components and integrations to streamline development, making it faster to create tools for tasks like customer support, data analysis, or automating internal processes. It's designed to be scalable and secure for enterprise use.

Summary

Main difference

Retool offers greater flexibility for complex applications with custom code, while Superblocks excels in speed and simplicity for common internal tools using pre-built components. Retool's strength lies in its customizability, while Superblocks prioritizes ease of use and faster development.

Relative strengths of Retool (compared to Superblocks)

More customizable with Javascript support for complex logic
Stronger mobile features with dedicated mobile app
Wider industry adoption and recognition

Relative weaknesses of Retool (compared to Superblocks)

Can be more complex to learn and use
Pricing can be less transparent and potentially higher
Less focus on pre-built integrations

What companies are using Retool and Superblocks?

Who should use Retool VS. Superblocks

Retool empowers developers to rapidly build custom internal tools. Connecting to any data source, it offers drag-and-drop components and custom Javascript for complex logic. Users praise its extensive integrations and customization but note occasional slowness. Best for teams needing fast, flexible internal tool creation.

Superblocks is a no-code platform empowering technical teams to build custom internal tools rapidly. Its drag-and-drop interface and pre-built components enable quick development and integration with various data sources. Users praise its ease of use and seamless integrations, while some note occasional performance lags and limited advanced customization.

Best for small, mid-sized, and enterprise businesses seeking rapid internal tool development.
Ideal for industries like Healthcare, Finance, Retail, Education, Real Estate, Hospitality, Transportation, Media, Software, Marketing, and Professional Services.

Ideal for mid-size to large enterprises seeking rapid internal tool development.
A good fit across various industries for streamlining internal workflows and processes.

Retool and Superblocks features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Data Connectivity

Supported

Retool can connect to databases and APIs, including Postgres, REST, GraphQL.

Supported

Superblocks connects to Postgres, REST APIs, GraphQL, Google Sheets, and more.
Visual UI Builder

Supported

Retool offers a visual UI builder with drag-and-drop components for building UIs, including tables, lists, charts, and forms.

Supported

Superblocks offers a visual UI builder with drag-and-drop components.
Pre-built UI Components

Supported

Retool offers a library of over 90 pre-built UI components, including tables, charts, and forms.

Supported

Superblocks offers pre-built UI components and a drag-and-drop interface for rapid development.
API integration

Supported

Retool allows connecting to APIs and interacting with them.

Supported

Superblocks allows connecting to various third-party tools and APIs, including REST, GraphQL, and pre-built integrations for services like Slack, Salesforce, Snowflake, and Zendesk.
Pre-built connectors

Supported

Retool offers a wide range of pre-built connectors for popular applications, as evidenced by their website and external sources. They provide integrations for databases, APIs, and SaaS products, simplifying the integration process.

Supported

Superblocks offers pre-built connectors for popular applications, including Slack, Salesforce, Snowflake, Zendesk, and Box.
Mobile approvals

Supported

Retool offers mobile approvals through its mobile app, which allows users to access and use approval tools on their mobile devices. This is confirmed by the Retool documentation and falls under employee connectivity.

Supported

Superblocks supports approvals on mobile devices thanks to its responsive design that adapts to various screen sizes.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-0.13

Neutral sentiment

+0.3

Rather positive sentiment
Customer Service

+0.45

Rather positive sentiment

+1

Strongly positive sentiment
Ease of Use

+0.94

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.9

Strongly positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

-0.18

Neutral sentiment

+0.44

Rather positive sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0.85

Strongly positive sentiment

+0.84

Strongly positive sentiment
Scalability

+0

Neutral sentiment

+0.2

Neutral sentiment

Retool and Superblocks Pricing

Retool offers flexible pricing plans for building internal tools, with options for cloud or self-hosting. They provide a free plan for up to 5 users and offer annual billing for cost savings. Retool differentiates pricing for standard users (who build or edit apps) and end users (who only use apps). External user pricing is available for the Business tier, allowing businesses to provide access to external users at a reduced cost.

Plans

User sentiment

Neutral

-0.13

See full Pricing page

Superblocks offers a tiered pricing structure with a free plan, a Startup plan billed at $49 per month per Creator and $15 per month per End User, and an Enterprise plan with custom pricing. The Startup plan requires a minimum of 1 Creator. All plans include unlimited apps, workflows, and scheduled jobs. The platform caters to developers building internal tools and integrates with various APIs and databases.

Plans

User sentiment

Rather positive

+0.3

See full Pricing page

Retool and Superblocks review insights

424 reviews analysed from and

Users love

Extensive integrations
Highly customizable
Great for team collaboration
Rapid app development
Seamless integration with various databases and APIs

User-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality
Seamless integration with various tools and data sources
Extensive library of pre-built components
Excellent customer support

Users dislike

Retool can be slow or buggy at times
Limited design flexibility
Expensive for large teams
The database feature hasn’t worked great for us

Limited customization for advanced features
Occasional performance lags, especially when handling larger or more complex workflows
Confusing pricing model
Maintenance of deployed apps can be a challenge sometimes

Retool and Superblocks Ratings

G2

4.6/5

(251)
Capterra

4.5/5

(24)
Glassdoor

4.1/5

(55)

G2

4.7/5

(189)

Company health

Employee growth

24% increase in the last year

38% increase in the last year

Web traffic

2% decrease in the last quarter

12% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

April 2022 - $141M

May 2022 - $37M

How do Retool's customization options compare to Superblocks' pre-built components?

Retool emphasizes customization, allowing users to connect to any data source and build complex applications with custom Javascript code. Superblocks focuses on speed and ease of use, offering pre-built components and integrations to accelerate development, but this may limit customization options for highly specific or complex use cases.

Which platform, Retool or Superblocks, better suits a team with limited coding experience?

Superblocks is better suited for a team with limited coding experience. While both platforms offer drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built components, Superblocks emphasizes its no-code/low-code approach more strongly and highlights its extensive library of pre-built connectors and components, suggesting a steeper learning curve for Retool which allows custom Javascript. User reviews for Superblocks also praise its user-friendly interface and ease of use.

What are the advantages of Retool?

Retool's advantage lies in its greater flexibility for customization through custom Javascript code, enabling more complex and tailored internal tools. User reviews highlight Retool's extensive integrations and seamless connectivity with various databases and APIs. While both platforms offer drag-and-drop interfaces, Retool's focus on custom code allows developers to build more intricate and specialized applications.

What are the disadvantages of Retool?

Retool's pricing can be expensive for larger teams, and some users have reported occasional slow performance or bugs. While it offers extensive customization options through Javascript, some users find the design flexibility somewhat limited compared to other low-code platforms. Additionally, some users have found the database features to be less effective than desired.

Is Retool cheaper than Superblocks?

Retool's pricing starts with a free plan for up to 5 users, then offers paid plans starting at $10/month. Superblocks also has a free plan, but its paid plans begin at $49/month. Therefore, Retool is cheaper than Superblocks for smaller teams or those just starting, but the comparison becomes more complex with larger teams as pricing scales and depends on the number of "Creators" vs. "End Users". At the enterprise level, both offer custom pricing, so a direct cost comparison isn't possible without specific quotes.

Alternatives to Retool and Superblocks

Webflow

Webflow is a website design platform that allows both technical and non-technical users to build professional, custom websites without needing to write code. It provides a visual interface to design page layouts, add content, and create animations and interactions. Webflow also offers hosting, content management, and marketing tools, making it a comprehensive solution for businesses to create and manage their online presence. It's used by companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.

Salesforce Platform

Salesforce Platform is a cloud-based platform that lets you build and customize business applications. It offers tools for coding, automation, data management, and app integration, regardless of your coding experience. Salesforce Platform helps businesses connect different data sources to get a complete view of their customers and build custom solutions to serve them better. It's part of the larger Salesforce ecosystem, known for its focus on customer relationship management.

Appian

Appian is a leading software platform designed to help businesses improve their operations. It provides tools for automating tasks, connecting different systems, and analyzing data to identify areas for improvement. Appian's low-code approach allows even non-technical users to build and adapt business applications. This helps companies streamline their processes, reduce manual work, and gain better insights into their performance. Appian is particularly valuable for mid-sized to large companies in sectors like finance, insurance, and the public sector, seeking to simplify and modernize their complex workflows.

Budibase

Budibase is a platform for building custom business applications without needing extensive coding knowledge. It uses a drag-and-drop interface and pre-built components to simplify app creation. With Budibase, you can connect to various data sources, automate workflows, design user-friendly interfaces, and deploy securely. It's suitable for building tools like management dashboards, portals, approval systems, and forms. Budibase offers both cloud-based and self-hosting options and is committed to robust security and scalability for growing businesses.

Airtable

Airtable is a flexible work platform used by teams to organize projects and streamline workflows. It's like a spreadsheet, but with added features for project management, task tracking, and automation. It allows you to build custom applications without coding, making it adaptable to various departments and use cases like marketing, sales, and product development. Airtable aims to improve team collaboration and efficiency by centralizing information and automating tasks.

SAS Viya

SAS Viya is a cloud-based data analytics platform designed to help businesses of all sizes make better decisions through data insights. It offers a wide range of tools for data management, analysis, and modeling, including machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. SAS Viya allows users to access and analyze data from various sources, build and deploy predictive models, and share insights through interactive dashboards and reports. Its focus is to provide a comprehensive platform for data professionals and business users to collaborate and extract value from their data, enabling faster and more informed decision-making.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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