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QuickBase vs Retool comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

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

QuickBase
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
18th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
75
Ranking in other categories
Low-Code Development Platforms (14th), Employee Time Tracking Software (8th)
Retool
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
16th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
7
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 QuickBase is 1.5%, up from 1.3% 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

Bhavatha Ranjanni S - PeerSpot reviewer
Its extensive scope allows multiple users with diverse professional backgrounds to engage on a single platform
When learning QuickBase, I noticed a shift in its cost structure. It operated on a cost-efficient model tied to the number of users, with invoicing based on applicants. The recent changes have increased costs based on user activity, such as viewing reports or interacting with specific fields. This shift makes QuickBase more expensive to use as activity increases. Lowering these costs could potentially broaden QuickBase's user base, similar to how Microsoft PowerApps operates. The visualization in QuickBase could be enhanced. Due to cost and usage efficiency concerns, our utilization of QuickBase is limited within our company. A few individuals are currently utilizing QuickBase. We need to consider the cost-to-usage ratio and prioritize increasing adoption.
PriyankJain - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I run my own business and the solution allows me to invoice and pay for additional resources. It has helped me in terms of invoicing, quoting, and doing recruitment measures."
"Technical support is really good, and I would rate it a nine out of ten."
"The reporting tool: It helps in data analytics to provide the solution more efficiency."
"It provides a well-organized method for overseeing everything, especially considering the remote work aspect."
"It is low-code. We are able to go in and create apps quickly. It is very helpful for the size of our company. We're a mid-size company, and at this moment, we don't need anything externally. We don't have to go out and consult a consulting firm to build something from the ground up. So, the ease of that and being able to get development quickly up and running has been good for us."
"The need for little to no code knowledge has been huge."
"It has superb ease of use and no code needed to create and build apps and databases."
"The usability of QuickBase largely depends on how you design your workflows within the platform. If you keep them simple and straightforward, it can be a highly usable product."
"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."
"We can create the dashboards quickly."
"Retool's most valuable features are its drag-and-drop components and the ability to customize them extensively."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is connectivity with APIs and other databases."
"The stability is okay."
"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."
 

Cons

"I would like to see the reporting enhanced because some of them are not easy to generate."
"Its UI needs improvement. They should improve it and make it a little bit more modern. We should also be able to have more real-time information that connects with other software platforms. It has an open API, but it doesn't always connect with some of the other platforms that we would like to utilize. These are probably two of the biggest things for us, and hopefully, they will keep ensuring that in the future, they continually build QuickBase to be a little bit more efficient in that regard."
"I would like the product to add more working processes."
"Third-party integration -- they are working on it and I find their brand-new still-in-beta Webhooks very promising."
"Whenever we do onboarding, or we get new employees, there tends to be a delay of not just a week but a couple of weeks, and sometimes even a few weeks of being able to see certain new employees in the system."
"This rule: The Maximum is 60 rules. We need to provide more in order to improve.​"
"When learning QuickBase, I noticed a shift in its cost structure. It operated on a cost-efficient model tied to the number of users, with invoicing based on applicants."
"The dashboard is not organized."
"One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries."
"The solution lacks inbuilt customization to customize bar charts."
"The components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."
"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."
"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing for QuickBase is pretty straightforward, It is based on a per user/per month licensing fee."
"The product is cheap when compared to other products."
"You have to negotiate the price because it varies based on the number of users you have, as well as how much cloud storage space you need."
"The solution is expensive and geared toward enterprise-level clients."
"Quickbase is probably not the cheapest app out there. That said, it is worth its weight in gold. There is no other app that I know of in the market today that can do what Quickbase does."
"The pricing for the tier my company used included ten seats and the subcontractor, amounting to approximately $18,000 USD per year."
"It is probably about 300 per license per person. There is just the licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"We felt the pricing and licensing for QuickBase were easy enough to understand, fair and competitive."
"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."
"The pricing is very expensive. It costs for each user, for automated users, open-end users, et cetera."
"I don't know Retool's current pricing, but it cost around $12 per month earlier."
"For me, I'm in India right now, and we have Retool's subscription for one team member for $10 per month."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
University
6%
Manufacturing Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
15%
Outsourcing Company
9%
University
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about QuickBase?
The most valuable feature of QuickBase is its dynamic form capabilities. These forms allow backend automation, making tasks like updating data based on specific conditions much easier.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for QuickBase?
Pricing could be cheaper. I rate it around a seven out of ten. Mainly larger companies use it, which influences the pricing structure.
What needs improvement with QuickBase?
The user interface of Quick Base is complex. It can be difficult to navigate, and ideally, it should be simplified to facilitate use by anyone, not just certified individuals. There is room for imp...
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.
What needs improvement with Retool?
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 ...
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...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

Quick Base, TSheets
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Procter & Gamble, Tesla, Norwegian Cruise Line, Google, Metso, Agero, Kayak, PTC, Patra Corp, TomTom, Southwest Airlines, FedEx Office
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about QuickBase vs. Retool and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.