GitLab vs Retool comparison

GitLab and Retool are both solutions in the Rapid Application Development Software category. GitLab is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.6, while Retool is ranked #16 with an average rating of 8.3. GitLab holds a 3.6% mindshare in RADS, compared to Retool’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of GitLab users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Retool users who would recommend it.

GitLab

Read 85 GitLab reviews

19,768 Views
1,581 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Retool

Read 7 Retool reviews

420 Views
420 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

GitLab

Retool

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

GitLab and Retool are competitive products in the business development sector. GitLab has a competitive edge with robust collaboration tools, while Retool is notable for its intuitive app building capabilities.

Features: GitLab provides comprehensive DevOps lifecycle tools such as version control, CI/CD pipelines, and issue tracking, which integrate with diverse third-party tools to enhance workflow management. Retool excels in rapid application development with drag-and-drop functionality, allowing for quick prototyping, targeting teams aiming to swiftly build internal tools.

Room for Improvement: GitLab could improve by simplifying its interface for new users, enhancing its code review tools, and expanding automated testing capabilities. Retool might benefit from improved support for complex integrations, expanded customization options, and better versioning capabilities for collaborative projects.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: GitLab offers both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options to meet diverse security requirements and is recognized for its resources that facilitate deployment. Retool provides a straightforward cloud-hosted solution, reducing setup complexity, while being praised for fast, responsive customer support that ensures high satisfaction.

Pricing and ROI: GitLab's pricing models are scalable, maximizing value for large-scale implementations, and its extensive functionality ensures favorable ROI by reducing operational complexity. Retool offers a cost-effective entry point, focusing on rapid development and time savings, providing a low upfront investment advantage and efficiency in delivering quick solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed GitLab vs. Retool Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

GitLab vs. Retool

July 2025

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Helped 865,384 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GitLab

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (11th), Build Automation (1st), Release Automation (2nd), Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (7th), Software Composition Analysis (SCA) (5th), Enterprise Agile Planning Tools (2nd), Fuzz Testing Tools (2nd), DevSecOps (1st)

Retool

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

16th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of GitLab is 3.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Retool is 0.7%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rapid Application Development Software

Featured Reviews

Rohit Kesharwani

Manager, Engineering at 7-Eleven

Improved agility and time to market with CI/CD enhancements

The CI/CD pipelines in GitLab are highly valuable. Another important feature is the single source of repository, allowing efficient repository management and source code management. GitLab provides manageability by allowing us to manage source code effectively through separate repositories. Additionally, GitLab enables the creation of individual CI/CD pipelines for each repository, making software more agile. By integrating GitLab as a DevOps platform, we have enhanced agility, improved our time to market, and different teams can work collaboratively on various projects.

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PriyankJain

Full-stack Developer at Dashy Dash

Has notably streamlined the creation and management of admin panels in my organization

One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries. This would enhance the tool's versatility and allow more complex functionalities to integrate seamlessly into the admin panels. Retool should include enhanced graphical customization tools in its next release, particularly for creating more dynamic visual representations within the admin panels.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It is user-friendly, easy to use, and easy to administer."

"The solution has an established roadmap that lays out its plans for upgrades over the next two to three years."

"It speeds up our development, it's faster, safer, and more convenient."

"Of all available products, it was the easiest to use and easy to install."

"In our software development lifecycle, GitLab is used as a component for code repository management. We use GitLab for several projects to handle code repositories. For other software projects, we use Bitbucket, but the use case for both is very similar."

"I like that you can use GitLab as a double-sided solution for both DevOps and version management. It's a good product for working in these two areas, and the user interface makes it easy to understand."

"The scalability is good."

"The merging feature makes it easy later on for the deployment."

More GitLab pros

"We can create the dashboards quickly."

"Retool provides us with the opportunity to save time and be more efficient."

"The most valuable feature of Retool is the workflow because I can integrate multiple features, such as RESTful API, JavaScript API, or different databases on the same dashboard."

"Retool's most valuable features are its drag-and-drop components and the ability to customize them extensively."

"There are several key aspects to Retool that make it stand out. Firstly, its extensive range of components makes integration straightforward. Secondly, its support for SQL and JavaScript allows for the implementation of complex logic, which is particularly beneficial for developers like yourself with experience in .NET development."

"The stability is okay."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is connectivity with APIs and other databases."

Cons

"GitLab could add a plugin to integrate with Kubernetes stuff."

"The solution does not have many built-in functions or variables so scripting is required."

"GitLab can improve by integrating with more tools, such as servers with Docker."

"GitLab can improve its user interface to make conflict resolution more user-friendly."

"GitLab's Windows version is yet not available and having this would be an improvement."

"As GitLab is not perfect, what needs improvement in the solution is the Wiki feature of the groups or the repertories because currently, it's not searchable by default. You'll need an indexing service such as Elasticsearch to make it searchable, and that requires too much work, so for me, it's the main feature that should be improved in GitLab. In the next version of the solution, from the top of my head, the documentation could be improved. Besides the Wiki, it would be good if there's documentation that would be automatically generated based on the code repository. In other words, there should be some tutorials from GitLab for developers in the next release."

"The solution should again offer an on-premises deployment option."

"I would like to see security increased in the future. A secure environment is very important."

More GitLab cons

"The solution lacks inbuilt customization to customize bar charts."

"The components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."

"One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries."

"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."

"There are restrictions on the front-end side."

"Retool could enhance support, including efforts to establish support centers in Europe, which was lacking previously. However, the community is still in the growth phase, leading to potential delays in receiving responses to queries."

"Retool should add more resource integration."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"GitLab is an open-source solution."

"I'm not sure if they have some kind of discount. I've been negotiating with them on prices before, and I believe they weren't too happy to give discounts, but list prices are $19 per user, per month for Premium and $99 per user, per month for Ultimate. So, the difference between Premium and Ultimate is a bit bigger, and in most companies, you need to build some type of business case."

"Its price is fine. It is on the cheaper side and not expensive. You have to pay additionally for GitLab CI/CD minutes. Initially, we used the free version. When we ran out of GitLab minutes, we migrated to the paid version."

"GitLab is cheap."

"The solution is based on a licensing model that includes technical support and is paid annually."

"The price is okay."

"This is an open-source solution."

"The solution's pricing is acceptable."

More GitLab pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is very expensive. It costs for each user, for automated users, open-end users, et cetera."

"For me, I'm in India right now, and we have Retool's subscription for one team member for $10 per month."

"For new users, evaluate the scale of their administrative needs as Retool provides excellent free services for smaller setups, but larger deployments might require transitioning to a paid plan."

"The tool is a little bit expensive."

"I don't know Retool's current pricing, but it cost around $12 per month earlier."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

15%

Outsourcing Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitLab?

I find the features and version control history to be most valuable for our development workflow. These aspects provide us with a clear view of changes and help us manage requests efficiently.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitLab?

The pricing and cost are on par with other tools and are neither too expensive nor cheap.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GitLab?

Regarding improvements, making task management is something that GitLab can potentially make easier, similar to what DevOps or Jira does.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Retool?

For new users, evaluate the scale of their administrative needs as Retool provides excellent free services for smaller setups, but larger deployments might require transitioning to a paid plan.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Retool?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Retool?

I employ Retool primarily to build admin panels that effectively manage office and backend project staff. These panels facilitate the management of various organizational functions and streamline u...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GitLab

August 2025

Download GitLab product report

Buyer's Guide

Retool

August 2025

Download Retool product report

Also Known As

Fuzzit

No data available

Overview

GitLab offers a secure and user-friendly platform for CI/CD pipeline management, code repository control, and collaboration, enhancing development speed and efficiency. It facilitates automation with extensive customization and tool integration, ideal for DevOps processes.

GitLab supports source code management, version control, and collaborative development. It's frequently used in CI/CD processes to automate builds and deployments while integrating DevOps practices. GitLab allows companies to manage repositories, automate pipelines, conduct code reviews, and maintain development lifecycles. The platform supports infrastructure and configuration management, enabling efficient code collaboration, deployment automation, and comprehensive repository handling. Many organizations commit and deploy developed code using GitLab's capabilities.

What are GitLab's most valuable features?

CI/CD Pipeline Management: Streamlines development through automated testing and deployment.
User-Friendly Interface: Ensures ease of collaboration and task automation.
Code Merging and Branching: Facilitates smooth code integration and version control.
Security Platform: Provides strong security features for safe development.
Tool Integration: Enhances functionality with diverse tool integration.

What benefits should users evaluate?

Development Speed: Accelerates processes through automation.
Collaboration Ease: Simplifies team interactions and workflow.
Customization Options: Offers extensive personalization for specific needs.
Comprehensive Documentation: Provides detailed guidance for users.
Secure Platform: Maintains integrity with robust security features.

In specific industries, GitLab serves as a backbone for source code management and CI/CD implementation. Companies leverage its capabilities for infrastructure management and deployment automation, thus streamlining project delivery timelines. Its ability to handle configuration management and code repositories effectively aids in maintaining development lifecycles, making it a preferred choice for organizations committed to enhancing their DevOps practices.

GitLab

Retool enables rapid construction of internal tools with minimal coding, streamlining workflows across HR, customer support, and compliance. Praised for its drag-and-drop interface, extensive component library, and SQL support, it boosts organizational efficiency by automating tasks and enhancing data management.

Retool

Sample Customers

1. NASA 2. IBM 3. Sony 4. Alibaba 5. CERN 6. Siemens 7. Volkswagen 8. ING 9. Ticketmaster 10. SpaceX 11. Adobe 12. Intuit 13. Autodesk 14. Rakuten 15. Unity Technologies 16. Pandora 17. Electronic Arts 18. Nordstrom 19. Verizon 20. Comcast 21. Philips 22. Deutsche Telekom 23. Orange 24. Fujitsu 25. Ericsson 26. Nokia 27. General Electric 28. Cisco 29. Accenture 30. Deloitte 31. PwC 32. KPMG

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Buyer's Guide

GitLab vs. Retool

July 2025

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