Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs Retool comparison

Oracle Application Express ...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

Oracle Application Express and Retool are competitive solutions in the business applications domain. Oracle APEX tends to have an edge in integration with Oracle ecosystems, while Retool excels in flexibility and customization.

Features: Oracle APEX seamlessly integrates with Oracle databases, making it highly suitable for data-centric applications with SQL-based development. It offers robust security features and is known for its capability to build efficient, data-driven UIs. Retool supports rapid deployment with component-driven building, offering a broad range of pre-built components and complete API support, enhancing scalability and flexibility.

Room for Improvement: Oracle APEX could enhance its support for non-Oracle database environments and expand beyond its heavily SQL-focused development process. Greater flexibility in UI design and customization options would also benefit users. Retool may improve by offering a more affordable pricing structure for small businesses, enhancing its enterprise-level security features, and providing deeper integration capabilities for a wider array of databases.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Oracle APEX benefits from easy deployment within Oracle ecosystems through Oracle Cloud, enjoying comprehensive customer support for Oracle users. Retool offers flexible deployment options, either on-premises or cloud-based, ensuring accessibility with extensive support documentation, catering to diverse customer setups.

Pricing and ROI: Oracle APEX offers a cost-effective solution with a low entry cost, particularly appealing for businesses within Oracle's ecosystem aiming for immediate ROI. Retool, although potentially incurring higher initial costs, provides justifiable expenses through its extensive customization features, appealing to businesses in need of tailored solutions and promising long-term benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. Retool Report (Updated: March 2026).

Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. Retool

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Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

6.2

Oracle APEX accelerates app development, meeting ROI targets quickly, despite challenges in assessing ROI from brief usage periods.

Sentiment score

6.0

Reducing developer needs and using affordable tools led to significant cost savings and justified user fees.

A project that might take several months in another language can be completed in just two months using Oracle Application Express (APEX).

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

We had fewer front-end resources, and while developing with Retool, we did not need many front-end team members, which saved on salaries.

software engineer at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

I think we can see time saved to start the proof of concept and maybe money saved because I was able to develop the mobile app alone without needing additional resources.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.6

Oracle APEX support is robust with ample resources and a vibrant community, though some face slow resolution times and regional constraints.

Sentiment score

5.0

Retool's support is responsive and helpful, with users suggesting chat for improvement amid varied experiences with assistance resources.

There are lots of people readily available to help with any doubts or questions.

Rodrigo-Mesquita

Senior Software developer at QV Systems

Whenever I encounter an issue and raise an SR to Oracle, I receive a fast response from their side.

Shubham Mandavkar

Trainee Technical Consultant at simplelogic

There are many forums where I can gather answers and a very well-prepared documentation that Oracle provides.

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

The customer support is amazing; overall, AWS customer support is very professional and fast.

software engineer at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Technical support team is available, but I haven't needed to contact them.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

Full Stack PHP/Python AWS Developer at Binary Port

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

6.7

Oracle APEX is scalable for small to medium applications, handling high user counts well with proper hardware and configuration.

Sentiment score

6.6

Retool is scalable and efficient, supporting large user bases and datasets with customizable security and effective performance management.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) exhibits excellent scalability as it can handle growing workloads and user numbers very well.

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

It's scalable and doesn't experience any slowdown when handling increasing data volumes.

Full Stack PHP/Python AWS Developer at Binary Port

Retool is more suited for startups, but it can get messy at scale.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

software engineer at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.8

Oracle APEX is widely regarded as stable, with high satisfaction ratings despite minor issues during version transitions.

Sentiment score

8.3

Retool is generally stable and reliable, with occasional issues, garnering mostly positive ratings from users.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is stable in my experience.

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

Retool is stable in my experience.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

Room For Improvement

Oracle APEX requires improvements in offline functionality, database integration, performance, mobile support, UI customization, and comprehensive documentation.

Retool struggles with customization, integration, support, and documentation, requiring better tools, language support, and user resources.

If I want to create an application for mobile or offline use, Oracle Application Express (APEX) might not be the first choice since it requires a constant connection to the database.

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

The user interface needs to be improved.

Ashraf Hamza

Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS

Using AI to analyze data without needing much code would be better.

Rodrigo-Mesquita

Senior Software developer at QV Systems

Retool needs more customization options, as it should not be limited to a few customization features; it should be broader, with more features available for users to utilize.

software engineer at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees

AI tools, features, and machine learning capabilities should be added as they would be helpful in the future.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

Full Stack PHP/Python AWS Developer at Binary Port

There should be better documentation or support for non-technical users, providing a platform to learn and implement Retool effectively.

reviewer2775993

Construction Data Analyst at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Setup Cost

Oracle APEX is free with Oracle Database but can be costly due to database licensing fees, offering trial options.

Retool offers competitive pricing, appealing to small teams with free plans and larger deployments facing affordable user costs.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

The pricing, setup cost, and licensing experience were good as the free plan was enough for us.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

Valuable Features

APEX enables fast app development with low-code ease, strong integration, user-friendly interfaces, and efficient web-based solutions.

Retool simplifies UI dashboard creation with easy API integration, supports complex logic, and enhances efficiency for teams and startups.

Oracle Application Express (APEX) has positively impacted my organization by being very fast compared to other languages and products.

For more quotes and insights, download the Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

Oracle APEX is very easy to use and comes with a lot of ready-made components that speed up the process of creating reports and dashboards.

Ashraf Hamza

Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS

The ability to quickly develop applications without needing to code a lot is very valuable.

Rodrigo-Mesquita

Senior Software developer at QV Systems

Retool positively impacts our organization by saving costs compared to using other data repositories, and teams prefer Retool for daily tasks that perform customizations to showcase web pages or link their data backend, making it more efficient and cost-effective than other software available in the market.

reviewer2775993

Construction Data Analyst at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Retool provides built-in features with all processing happening within the platform, which is a significant advantage.

Full Stack PHP/Python AWS Developer at Binary Port

The best features Retool offers include the ability to quickly create a mobile app and use this mobile app in a native mobile app for Android.

For more quotes and insights, download the Retool report

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Application Express ...

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Development Platforms (2nd), Low-Code Development Platforms (4th)

Retool

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

15th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

AI Software Development (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 5.9%, down from 8.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Retool is 1.3%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rapid Application Development Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Oracle Application Express (APEX)	5.9%
Retool	1.3%
Other	92.8%

Rapid Application Development Software

Featured Reviews

Fast low-code web development has transformed how I build complex data-driven business apps

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a very great tool that is easy to learn but hard to master. The level of entry is very low, but the longer I work with this platform, the more I understand how it works and the great things I can create. For example, I can create report graphs and handle a lot of data across many levels. It's a great application to start with, and when I have experience in Oracle databases, I can utilize Oracle Application Express (APEX) as a front-end tool for the Oracle database. Oracle Application Express (APEX) helps me create reports and graphs by providing a plethora of out-of-the-box solutions that I can use. For example, I can upload data to and from the database, upload photos, create maps, and create various report types such as Interactive Report and Interactive Grid where I can manage, edit, and delete data. I have many solutions that are very helpful and ready to use right away from Oracle Application Express (APEX). My favorite feature of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is the Interactive Report because it's a straightforward report that I can create using a simple query or by selecting a particular table from the database. In the action button behind it, I have many great features that I can use out of the box, including graphs and download options for Excel files. There are many sorting functionalities and accounting features. The Interactive Report is a very great tool for quickly displaying interesting data to clients. Oracle Application Express (APEX) has positively impacted my organization by being very fast compared to other languages and products. For example, I don't have to build a site from the ground up, nor do I have to create tons of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because Oracle Application Express (APEX) offers many built-in solutions. When I want to create a button, in another language, I would need to create it from scratch. In Oracle Application Express (APEX), I can simply use what's available out of the box. It's a very fast platform with many built-in components that I can utilize right away.

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Has provided a quick way to build mobile apps and could improve usability for non-technical users

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

The best features Retool offers include the ability to quickly create a mobile app and use this mobile app in a native mobile app for Android. I found the process of creating and deploying those mobile apps for Android with Retool to be smooth as the documentation is very good, and I found answers and examples to create a mobile app. I can access a debug mode in the mobile app which was really convenient to make tests and find what can be improved, where I have a problem, and how to correct it. Retool positively impacted my organization as the proof of concept we built gave us a way to convince power users and key users before developing the real software. It was a way to maintain the launch date of the project, which helped speed up the project timeline and save resources.

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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Rapid Application Development Software solutions are best for your needs.

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885,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	30
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	28

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

The product is fast.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

I don't have a straightforward answer regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Oracle Application Express (APEX) because the clients pay for this, not me. I'm the developer hired by one co...

What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

I chose to rate it a 9 out of 10 because no application is perfect for everything. For instance, if I want to create an application for mobile or offline use, Oracle Application Express (APEX) migh...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Retool?

The pricing, setup cost, and licensing experience were good as the free plan was enough for us.

What needs improvement with Retool?

Retool, being a low-code/no-code platform, could improve by allowing users, particularly non-technical users, to use it more easily. In the mobile app development, you have to use JavaScript to int...

What is your primary use case for Retool?

My main use case for Retool involves an inventory app project. I built a mobile app to make an inventory of chemistry products. Retool helped me with that project as it was a good way to show a qui...

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Product Reports

Oracle Application Express (APEX)

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Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

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Also Known As

Oracle APEX

No data available

Overview

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a low-code development platform that enables users to build enterprise apps securely and scalably. APEX, which offers world-class features, can be deployed anywhere. As part of the Oracle Database, developers can develop superior apps 20x more quickly by using all of the tools provided in a single, extensible platform.

Oracle APEX, a cloud platform that has been around for over 20 years, eliminates complexities associated with app building while delivering results faster and at a lower cost. The low-code aspect offers developers a visual approach to app development that accelerates the development process. Oracle APEX also provides a lively, global, and growing community of developers that can connect and share resources with each other.

Features of Oracle Application Express (APEX)

App building requires complexities and expert knowledge in vast web technologies. With Oracle APEX, these complexities involved with multi-faceted applications are reduced, and developers are provided with the rich features they need to fix business problems and create solutions. These features include:

Data: Oracle APEX offers revolutionary functionality to enable developers to turn data into information, no matter where that data is from. Under this functionality, you can display, chart, manipulate, and process data effortlessly and accurately.

Accessibility: Developers can build highly accessible and inclusive web apps for users with various abilities and requirements. Oracle APEX aims to provide a good user experience for everybody, with accessibility bug fixes and continuous improvements of their testing strategies.

Globalization: Oracle APEX provides the ability to create a framework to maintain well-performing applications in multiple languages and environments.

Smart Filters and Search: users can rapidly reduce searched data and remove clutter with search terms and filter suggestions for a more simplified user experience.

Security: Oracle APEX empowers web application builders to develop apps without compromising on security. Despite the constant increase of attacks and modification of web standards, developers can stay focused on their tasks without leaving applications exposed.

Monitoring: Monitoring and logging are built into Oracle APEX, which provides valuable insight into how users interact with your applications, as well as any hacking attempts, application errors, and performance issues.

User Interface: Developers can build modern web applications that are responsive, easily customizable, highly accessible, and simple to maintain with Universal Theme, a user interface for Application Express.

Reviews from Real Users

Oracle Application Express is a favorite among developers looking to create web applications quickly and securely for many reasons, which include its ease of use and the ability to quickly create public applications

A senior database developer at a tech services company notes, "This is a good application for quickly creating public applications."

Alvaro L., an intelligence coordinator at Grupo Orbis, writes, "Oracle Application Express is easy to use, people don't have to be developers to use it."

Oracle

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.

Sample Customers

Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne

Information Not Available

Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. Retool