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Updated Feb 22, 2023

UI Bakery
vs. Retool

vs.

Full comparison comparison of UI Bakery and one of the most well-known low-code tools in this domain - Retool.

Low code platforms are transforming the way applications are built, and UI Bakery and Retool are two of the most promising options in this field. Both platforms offer unique features, advantages, and limitations. This article will compare UI Bakery and Retool, exploring their capabilities and highlighting the strengths of each. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting out, this comparison will provide valuable insights into which platform is best suited for your needs. It is important to note that while Retool is widely recognized as a strong player in the market, UI Bakery is also a very capable solution and should not be overlooked.

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UI library and component design

Both applications provide a wide range of components necessary for users to create a user interface for internal applications. In this case, users can choose based on the appearance of the application, preferring the more modern and trendy UI design of UI Bakery or the simpler, unpretentious, and office-style design of Retool.

UI Bakery

Component library

Currently, Retool has more components than UI Bakery. However, UI Bakery still provides all the necessary components for building an interface, and users can also use custom JavaScript components to add their own components.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    57 components available.

  • Adding of component can be by two ways: by clicking and by drag-n-dropping on a working area.

  • Efficiently search for and organize components by their purpose.

  • Custom JS component is available.

  • Retool

    106 components available.

  • Adding of component can be only by drag-n-dropping on a working area.

  • Efficiently search for and organize components by their purpose.

  • Custom React component is available.

UI Bakery

UI component design

Users have provided consistent feedback indicating that they consider UI Bakery's UI design to be the most fashionable and contemporary among other low-code applications currently available. Nonetheless, it's important to remember that design is a matter of personal preference, and both apps offer visually appealing end-user interfaces with high-quality UX components that provide a great user experience.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool

UI building experience

Both tools employ a similar approach for designing interfaces, using drag-and-drop functionality to assemble components within a layout system based on columns.

UI Bakery

Working area and canvas

UI Bakery boasts a more fine-tuned control over dimensions due to its more frequent layout on working area and in cards. 

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery uses 24-column layout for working area and cards.

  • Retool

    Retool uses 12-column layout for working area and cards.

UI Bakery

Adding a component to a card

The methods of working with grids in both applications differ somewhat. UI Bakery utilizes a visual approach, allowing users to see what's happening in the workspace when adding a component. A blue skeleton is drawn where the component can be added, while other components turn red where it can't be located, and components shift in real-time. Retool presents a bar indicating where the new component will be located between existing components and the direction in which interface elements will move. If space permits, the component skeleton is also displayed. Retool's grid operates smoothly and minimizes interface distractions, but UI Bakery's visual approach provides a clear and useful framework for users to work with.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    A more visual way of adding a component to the interface.

  • Retool

    Less visual noise when adding components to the workspace.

UI Bakery

Development mode

Overall, the interfaces are quite comparable. However, certain nuances exist, such as variations in the ease of use and accessibility of panels, as well as the level of customization available for interface panels.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Dark theme.
    UI Bakery implements a dark theme that is more conventional for developers to write code, and the dark theme also aids in distinguishing the developer interface from the user interface. This feature is beneficial for frequent use as it is more comfortable for the eyes.

  • Retool

    Standard light theme.
    Retool employs a typical light theme, which can at times visually obstruct both the end-user interface and the developer interface.

UI Bakery

Templates

Retool has more starter templates available, but it's important to mention that many of these templates won't work with test datasources, which can make it difficult to judge how helpful they are.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery provides 20+ templates.

  • Retool

    Retool provides 40+ templates.

Datasources

Both apps let you connect to different types of data, which is really important for creating applications quickly and easily. Both have a lot of the same popular data sources and integrations available.

UI Bakery

Number of datasources and integrations

While it is true that Retool is ahead in this aspect, it is noteworthy that UI Bakery offers a comprehensive selection of the most commonly-used and highly-requested data sources, third-party services, and APIs.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    12 - databases
    8 - third-party services and APIs

  • Retool

    22 - databases
    24 - third-party services and APIs

Developer experience (Actions & logic)

The tools has similar development experience.

UI Bakery

Development flow

In general, the development tools used for building applications share many similarities, and the underlying principles of the development process are often the same. To build an application, you will typically need to follow a few basic steps:
‍
- Connect your app to a data source (e.g., database, API).
Build your app with pre-built components and custom code.
- Use actions or queries to feed data into your app's components and create its logic.
- Publish your app and invite users to start using it by deploying it to a server, making it available through an app store or website, or sharing it directly.


While building your application, you may find that you need to extend its functionality beyond what is available through pre-built components. In this case, you can often use JavaScript to write custom code that integrates with your application and adds new capabilities. This can be a powerful way to create more flexible and customizable applications, without necessarily changing the underlying structure or framework that you are using.

Appsmith
UI Bakery
Retool
UI Bakery

Action steps variety

Both applications maintain a developer-friendly interface and terminology, making it easy for developers to understand and begin working with actions and queries. The language used within both UI Bakery and Retool is clear and concise, which simplifies the development process and allows for quicker implementation of actions and queries. UI Bakery offers a more advanced  workflow with an interface that allows users to create multiple action steps within a single action and a patient action sidebar behavior. Retool's query list is simple - one query - one action, but the sidebar constantly bounces, which can be bothersome and cause confusion.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Multiple action steps within a single action.

  • Action folders.

  • Action scope: global and page-specific.

  • Auto-triggers for actions.

  • Logs available.

  • Performance information.

  • Scheduling back-end jobs and creating webhooks using automations.

  • BUT: Action type list might be a little bit confusing because of the large number of actions.

  • Retool

    Action folders.

  • Auto-triggers for actions.

  • Logs available.

  • Performance information.

  • Scheduling back-end jobs and creating webhooks using automations.

  • BUT: No global and page-specific actions. It’s hard to understand all query possibility until you set all first query settings before.

UI Bakery

Multi-step actions

UI Bakery provides users with the capability to create multi-step actions, enabling users to have a more intricate and structured approach to actions.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Multi step actions are available.

  • Retool

    Multi-step actions are only possible through custom code.

UI Bakery

Scheduled CRON jobs and webhooks

Both UI Bakery and Retool offer the capability to create workflow automations on the server-side by utilizing a range of data sources, such as SQL databases and HTTP APIs. These automations can be activated through webhooks and scheduled using jobs similar to cron. This allows for the creation of more sophisticated and personalized business logic to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Through Automations feature.

  • Retool

    Through Workflow feature.

UI Bakery

Environments

Both tools provide ability to use multiple environments.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    With UI Bakery's environments feature, you can maintain multiple app versions within a single UI Bakery instance or by utilizing multiple self-hosted instances for separate environments.

  • Retool

    Retool essentially has two environments: production and stage, with the option for users to add their own environments. It also allows for multi-instance deployments.

UI Bakery

Performance

Both tools provide information about performance of published apps.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Great performance of the builder and published apps.

  • Retool

    Moderate performance of the builder and published apps.

UI Bakery

Custom Libraries

Both tools provide possibility to import custom JS libraries.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    There are several embedded libraries. Could be added through the App settings.

  • Retool

    Retool has the ability to support custom JavaScript code preloading, which can be added at either the application or organization level.

Workspace management and users

Currently, UI Bakery's user management is better organized and has more advanced features than Retool.

UI Bakery

Roles management

Currently, UI Bakery boasts a more advanced level of roles management.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery has three pre-defined roles (admin, editor, user) as standard options and the ability to create additional roles with fine-tuned access to data sources and applications. The option to create custom roles is only available in the Team plan.

  • Retool

    Retool has four pre-defined roles (admin, editor, viewer, all users) as standard options and ability to create additional roles with fine-tuned access to data sources and applications. The option to create custom roles is only available in the Business plan which is more expensive plan than UI Bakery offer.

UI Bakery

Audit logs

Both tools provide audit logs for enhanced administrative control.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Audit logs for more admin control. Available from Team plan.

  • Retool

    Audit logs for more admin control. Available from Business plan.

UI Bakery

Integrations with external analytics and logging solutions

UI Bakery provides integration with different external analytical tools.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Can be integrated with Datadog, Google Analytics 4, etc.

  • Retool

    Not supported.

On-premises experience

Both apps have self-hosted versions.

UI Bakery

Installation

Both applications offer self-hosted versions, allowing users to host and manage the tools on their own servers. This provides users with increased security and control over their data and infrastructure.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    To try self-hosted version of UI Bakery, you can obtain a 14-day license key by copying and executing a CURL command. UI Bakery is delivered as a set of Docker containers that can be deployed using tools such as docker-compose or Kubernetes.

  • Retool

    Retool's self-hosted version can be set up in just three steps: deploy Retool locally as a Docker container using a one-line script, add your auto-generated license key to the .env file, and connect to any local databases or internal APIs. By following these simple steps, you can set up Retool on your own servers and have complete control over your data and infrastructure.

Releases & version control

Both apps have git version control in release.

UI Bakery

Git version control

UI Bakery and Retool both provide integration with Git control, enabling teams to manage versions and collaborate effectively. This integration allows developers to work together on the same project, keep track of changes made to the code, and roll back to previous versions if needed.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    By connecting to a Git repository, multiple users can develop apps in parallel. Changes can then be pushed to the Git repo and undergo code review before being merged into the default protected main branch.

  • Retool

    Retool offers similar experience with Git that allows to develop apps in parallel and have protected branches.

UI Bakery

Integrated version control option without Git

Both tools allow to use a more simple version control when Git is too much.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    The feature is available.

  • Retool

    The feature is available.

Internal database

The internal database is a powerful feature that can help you to streamline your development process and reduce the complexity of your application's architecture.

UI Bakery

Internal database

Retool offers an internal database that allows you to store and manage your data directly within the platform.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery does not have an internal database at the moment, though it is always possible to manually spin off an instance with database and connect yourself.

  • Retool

    Retool has an internal PostgreSQL database

Mobile support

Both tools support mobile responsiveness, but Retool also supports building native mobile apps.

UI Bakery

Responsive control

UI Bakery mobile responsiveness can have more granular settings.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery provides a way to granularly set up different component settings and component positioning for different screen resolutions. The platform allows to define it for different breakpoints.

  • Retool

    Responsiveness supported by creating different views for mobile/tablet/desktop from scratch which might not be very convenient.

UI Bakery

Native mobile app support

Retool has the ability to create versions of mobile apps.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    Does not support.

  • Retool

    Supports, but the feature is still at the early stage.

Onboarding process and studying materials

Both plamforms pay high attention for study and onboarding of users to their platforms.

UI Bakery

Onboarding

Retool and UI Bakery have distinct approaches to their onboarding process, each catering to the unique needs of their users. Retool's 5-step guide is concise and accompanied by illustrative GIFs, while UI Bakery's well-crafted sequence of screens is designed to provide a seamless and intuitive experience for users. Moreover, UI Bakery's approach is personalized to the needs of each user, making it easier for them to become familiar with the platform.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery's onboarding process uniqueness is in its' deviation from traditional methods, but it has been specifically designed to help users acclimate to the platform with ease and minimal discomfort. The process is carefully crafted with well-designed screens and a user-friendly first-time login flow, which is tailored to provide a smooth introduction to the platform. By taking this unconventional approach, UI Bakery aims to minimize any potential confusion or frustration that users might experience during the initial stages of using the app, allowing them to quickly become familiar with the platform and start utilizing its many features.

  • Retool

    Retool offers a standard onboarding process that consists of a step-by-step 5 min instructions, designed to help users quickly and easily familiarize themselves with the application's most essential features. By providing users with this guided onboarding experience, Retool ensures that they can hit the ground running and start using the app to its fullest potential right from the start.

UI Bakery

Studying materials

While both tools offer educational resources to help users learn how to use their respective applications, they take slightly different approaches to providing support. UI Bakery prides itself on offering a personalized approach to customer support, where users can receive dedicated assistance and guidance from their support team. This personalized approach ensures that users have access to the help and support they need to overcome any obstacles they may encounter while using the platform.

On the other hand, Retool encourages users to take an active role in their own learning and empowers them to find solutions to problems using video tutorials and community.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery offers comprehensive documentation and helpful videos available on YouTube. Enterprise customers can benefit from a shared Slack channel, where they can receive immediate engineering assistance in real-time. Additionally, paying users have access to exceptional one-to-one support, enabling them to ask questions and receive advice directly from the experienced developers and support team at UI Bakery.

  • Retool

    Retool's extensive collection of educational resources includes a variety of tutorials and guides, designed to help users of all levels get up to speed with the platform.

Security

Both of these tools implement various security measures to safeguard the sensitive data source credentials of their customers, thereby ensuring the utmost protection of their valuable information.

UI Bakery

Security and compliance

Both tools offer encryption of data source credentials to protect their clients' sensitive information.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery has implemented multiple security measures to protect their clients' data source credentials, including encryption. You can find the full list of security measures on their website at https://docs.uibakery.io/security.

  • Retool

    Retool is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, which means they have met strict security standards to protect their clients' data.

Pricing

Both of the products offer free plans with limited features and paid plans with advanced features.

Retool's pricing structure is advantageous for solopreneurs, startups, and small businesses. However, its lack of cost predictability may make it less suitable for growing businesses. As the number of app users grows, so does the cost, which can make budget planning more difficult.

UI Bakery's pricing model may be a better fit for those looking for predictable costs as their company grows and develops. While Retool charges based on the number of app users, UI Bakery allows for unlimited end-users with no time-based usage limits, which offers greater cost predictability.

UI Bakery

Self-hosted

Retool’s self-hosted Team plan can only work for up to 25 users. If you want more, you need to buy enterprise plan, which has a very high entry cost and user-based pricing on top of that.

UI Bakery Enterprise plan offers similar capabilities for a much more affordable cost. Besides, UI Bakery’s Enterprise plan still allows unlimited number of users to users to user the apps at no extra cost.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    The cost of the self-hosted version of UI Bakery is customized and determined based on the specific needs and requirements of the customer. It is only offered as part of an Enterprise subscription. The basic self-hosted subscription offers the ability to add an unlimited number of end-users without affecting the price, regardless of the time they spend in the app or the number of operations they perform.
    ‍
    To calculate the pricing for a particular use case, you need to schedule a call with UI Bakery tech expert.

  • retool

    Retool's self-hosted version offers three plan options, which are designed to cater to businesses of varying sizes. The completely free version is available, although it has limited features. The Team plan has a limit on the number of users, and the Enterprise subscription offers more features but is dependent on the needs of the customer, including the number of users in the company. The cost of the Enterprise subscription will vary depending on the customer's specific requirements.

UI Bakery

Cloud

In most cases, the per-user-per-month pricing model used by Retool makes it less cost-effective than UI Bakery, particularly for solo, small, and mid-sized businesses. The increased cost associated with each additional user can quickly become expensive and result in a less profitable model.

Retool
UI Bakery
Retool
  • UI Bakery

    UI Bakery offers both a free version with basic features and paid versions with more advanced features.

    The pricing for the paid versions ranges from $49 per month to $249 per month.

  • retool

    Retool offers both a free version with basic features for less than 5 users in team and paid versions with more advanced features.

    The pricing for the paid versions ranges from $10 per user per month to $50 per user per month.

UI library and component d...Component libraryUI component designUI building experienceWorking area and canvasAdding a component to a card...Development modeTemplatesDatasourcesDeveloper experienceDevelopment flowAction steps varietyMulti-step actionsScheduled CRON jobs and we...EnvironmentsPerformanceCustom LibrariesWorkspace management a...Roles managementAudit logsIntegrations with external and...On-premises experienceReleases & version controlGit version controlIntegrated version control opti...Internal databaseMobile supportResponsive controlNative mobile app supportOnboarding process and st...OnboardingStudying materialsSecurity and compliancePricingSelf-hostedCloud
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