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Retool vs ServiceNow Now Platform 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

Retool
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
18th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ServiceNow Now Platform
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
12th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
47
Ranking in other categories
Low-Code Development Platforms (8th), No-Code Development Platforms (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Retool is 0.5%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow Now Platform is 1.9%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rapid Application Development Software
 

Featured Reviews

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.
SiddharthZunjarrao - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables us to have significant improvements in operational efficiency
ServiceNow is highly scalable from a customization point of view, allowing for the building of portals, adding and configuring widgets, and designing workflows as preferred. The text-to-code feature is particularly useful for turning natural language instructions into recognizable code on the ServiceNow platform, aiding both implementation teams and customers. The case summarization feature is also great, as it summarizes user comments and agent notes into a resolution code without needing to review the entire activity history.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."
"The stability is okay."
"Retool's most valuable features are its drag-and-drop components and the ability to customize them extensively."
"We can create the dashboards quickly."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is connectivity with APIs and other databases."
"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."
"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."
"ServiceNow provides immense options for customization and scalability, allowing users to build and modify the platform according to their needs."
"The level of automation within the platform is great."
"The workflow feature really has a lot of value because you can create complex workflows in a simple, intuitive way with only a few clicks."
"In ServiceNow, the best features are the reports. We have more options there."
"ServiceNow offers a lot of features when it comes to IT service management and IT operations management. What interested me in ServiceNow was that a lot of service management."
"The most valuable feature of the ServiceNow Now Platform is the workspaces feature, which allows you to create customized workspaces."
"Scalability-wise, it is a very good solution."
 

Cons

"One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries."
"Retool should add more resource integration."
"The solution lacks inbuilt customization to customize bar charts."
"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 part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."
"The components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."
"There are restrictions on the front-end side."
"ServiceNow Now Platform wants AI embedded in the product to make it more powerful. Generative AI that will be a part of ServiceNow Now Platform is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"Simplifying the user interface for both users and administrators is key. It is not very intuitive."
"This platform is used more by large companies because it is a little bit expensive."
"The user experience could be improved. The current design of forms lacks intuitiveness, as there seems to be only one form available for all types of operations."
"The product should be integrated with Power BI."
"The UI is not intuitive."
"The solution is very expensive."
"ServiceNow is not open source, so there is a license you must pay. As for how much it costs, what I have observed is that it often depends on your subscriptions. Suppose that you go with some subscriptions such as IDSM or any type of package like it, then the license cost will be impacted accordingly. Similarly, the cost is also adjusted based on your headcount of how many users will be using it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is very expensive. It costs for each user, for automated users, open-end users, et cetera."
"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."
"For me, I'm in India right now, and we have Retool's subscription for one team member for $10 per month."
"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"I don't know Retool's current pricing, but it cost around $12 per month earlier."
"The price of the product falls on the higher side of the spectrum."
"The solution is expensive, and I rate it a ten for pricing."
"Pricing is based on the number of users and user licenses, but the product is 20% to 30% more than the competition."
"In my opinion, it is expensive. However, they do offer favorable licensing for charities, for example."
"Price-wise, I would describe the product's cost to be more than the average, but it compensates for that with the functionalities that it provides."
"I don't have much exposure to the costs attached to the solution. I rate the product's price a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is the lowest price, and ten is the highest price since it is a costly tool."
"From what I heard, the license for the ServiceNow Now Platform is paid monthly, and on a scale of one to five, I'm rating it a three in terms of pricing, so it's on the cheaper side. I don't know of any additional costs associated with the ServiceNow Now Platform, apart from the standard licensing fees."
"It is expensive only."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
19%
Comms Service Provider
15%
University
10%
Outsourcing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Government
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What do you like most about ServiceNow Now Platform?
The integration with other tools is pretty good.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ServiceNow Now Platform?
From what I have heard only from our sales team, ServiceNow Now Platform falls within the more expensive tier of a product, but I can't really judge it.
What needs improvement with ServiceNow Now Platform?
The user interface could be modernized and made more attractive for users.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
experian, beachbody, health partners
Find out what your peers are saying about Retool vs. ServiceNow Now Platform and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.