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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
19th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
75
Ranking in other categories
Low-Code Development Platforms (15th), Employee Time Tracking Software (7th)
Retool
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
17th
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 July 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of QuickBase is 1.4%, up from 1.2% 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.
Tabraiz Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Its focus lies in building dashboards for cloud operations and data management, as well as generating analytical reports
In some of my past projects, I collaborated with others, and we used GitHub for version control. It served as a repository where we pushed our code updates, facilitating seamless collaboration and version tracking among team members. One limitation of Retool currently is the lack of support for parallel editing, meaning that multiple users cannot collaborate on the same application simultaneously. This restriction aligns with the application's context, as it's typically more practical for only one person to edit an application at a time. They recently integrated AI models, such as Ahmed AI, and consistently incorporate new OpenAPI module releases into the cloud environment. This integration allows users to leverage the latest advancements, including AI assistance for error detection and resolution within queries, particularly in JavaScript and SQL, enhancing the development experience in Retool. If you are going to invest in Retool and you have a clear vision. Definitely, it is worth it. Some users say it is a bit pricey. There are a couple of other software like Ubiquiti, but even Microsoft also providing a low code platform, but it's more enterprise-level based applications, not for everyone. Retool is still leading and have a good price plan, which users are comfortable with. It will not be too difficult if you have some technical background. If you know how to write JavaScript queries, how SQL queries work, and understand how front-end development operates in real-time, then maybe one or two years of development experience will be sufficient for a user to develop a basic application in Retool. However, it does require some level of development experience. For example, a project manager without any development experience would not be able to work within Retool and develop a dashboard or define a workflow unless they first educate themselves and gain some proficiency with the tool. A normal business user cannot use it; you must have some development experience. When you mention a low-code platform, it implies that a user with a certain level of development knowledge can develop applications. That's where we may fall short. However, looking at the advantages, you can customize and control your application at a very detailed level within Retool. So, it excels in both positive and negative aspects. Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product is easy to use."
"It has superb ease of use and no code needed to create and build apps and databases."
"Allows users have anytime/anywhere access."
"Creating applications in Quickbase will take, literally, a fraction of the time it would take to create them in other database applications (which shall remain unnamed)."
"We have made good use of the ability in QuickBase to add multiple apps for various departments and purposes, while some apps are shared."
"The need for little to no code knowledge has been huge."
"It has helped streamline and simply track status and collection of data from suppliers and other internal departments."
"Technical support is really good, and I would rate it a nine out of ten."
"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."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is connectivity with APIs and other databases."
"Retool provides us with the opportunity to save time and be more efficient."
"The stability is okay."
"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."
 

Cons

"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."
"The product works constantly to modernize the platform and they have made quite a lot of strides in that. I would like them to add additional features that would help us make API calls."
"Unfortunately, there is still no new report formatting available natively, and would still require 3rd party developers to help with that. ."
"Access to more standard default layouts and sample builds would be useful, and access to more training on use and flexibility."
"There is room for improvement in terms of user-friendliness."
"It would be beneficial for the QuickBase team to focus on improving the integration of cloud-based storage platforms within their product. In use cases like ours, where QuickBase serves as a centralized source of truth for construction projects, having seamless integration with platforms like Dropbox or OneDrive would greatly enhance the product's capabilities."
"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."
"They could enhance the ability to link records between tables directly without the need for additional automation to increase space and time."
"One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries."
"The components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."
"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."
"The solution lacks inbuilt customization to customize bar charts."
"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."
"Retool should add more resource integration."
"There are restrictions on the front-end side."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing for the tier my company used included ten seats and the subcontractor, amounting to approximately $18,000 USD per year."
"The pricing for QuickBase is pretty straightforward, It is based on a per user/per month licensing fee."
"The solution is expensive and geared toward enterprise-level clients."
"It is probably about 300 per license per person. There is just the licensing cost. There are no additional costs."
"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."
"We felt the pricing and licensing for QuickBase were easy enough to understand, fair and competitive."
"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 product is cheap when compared to other products."
"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."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
53%
Financial Services Firm
5%
Computer Software Company
5%
Manufacturing Company
4%
Manufacturing Company
19%
Comms Service Provider
14%
University
9%
Outsourcing Company
9%
 

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: June 2025.
860,168 professionals have used our research since 2012.