Bubble.io vs Retool: Which One Should You Choose?

Bubble and Retool are two popular tools that often come up for no-code app builders. Choosing between them can be a bit tricky, especially if you're not sure about their strengths and weaknesses. Bubble is famous for its flexibility in creating fully custom web apps, while Retool is great for quickly building internal tools.

Both tools have different purposes but do overlap in some areas, which might leave you wondering which one is the best fit for your project. In this guide, I'll break down their key features, use cases, and differences to help you make the right choice.

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Quick Takeaways

Choose Retool: If you need to quickly build internal tools, dashboards, or admin panels that connect with databases and APIs.

Choose Bubble: If you want to create a customer-facing, fully customizable web app with advanced workflows.

What is Bubble?

Bubble is a no-code platform that helps users create functional web applications without writing any code. It provides a drag-and-drop editor, advanced workflows, and database management to build scalable, web-first applications.

It's perfect for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses looking to build SaaS platforms, marketplaces, or other web-based apps.

Also read - Bubble vs Wix

What is Retool?

Retool is a low-code platform specifically designed for building internal tools. It offers pre-built components like tables, charts, and forms that can connect to your existing databases and APIs. This allows teams to quickly create admin panels, dashboards, and workflows.

Retool is ideal for engineering teams and businesses that need tools to manage operations, customer support, and data analysis.

Read our detailed review of Retool

Common Features of Bubble and Retool

Drag-and-Drop Builder: Both platforms let you design apps visually, so you don’t need advanced coding skills to get started.

API Integrations: Easily link your app to third-party services or databases for added functionality.

Multi-Platform Support: Bubble is ideal for building web apps, while Retool is perfect for internal tools that work seamlessly across different platforms.

Workflow Automation: Automate tasks and processes to make your app smarter and more efficient.

Collaboration Tools: Both platforms make it easy for teams to work together during app development, keeping everything on track.

Unique Features of Bubble

Advanced Customization: Designed for creating web-first apps with customer-facing features and tailored workflows.

Scalability: Well-suited for apps that need to handle growing user bases and evolving functionality, such as SaaS platforms.

Plugins and Ecosystem: Offers access to a wide range of third-party plugins to expand and enhance your app’s capabilities.

Web Application Focus: Optimized for building responsive web applications and progressive web apps (PWAs).

Also read - Bubble vs Webflow Comparison Guide

Unique Features of Retool

Pre-Built Components: Provides ready-made elements like tables, charts, forms, and buttons to accelerate the development of internal tools.

Database and API Integration: Enables seamless connections to databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB, along with APIs for extended functionality.

Internal Tool Optimization: Specifically designed for building admin panels, dashboards, and workflows tailored to internal business needs.

Enterprise Features: Offers advanced options like audit logs, detailed permission controls, and external user system integrations for large teams and organizations.

Ease of Use

Bubble: I found Bubble very user-friendly when I first started with no coding experience. It's designed for beginners, but I needed to spend some time learning its advanced workflows and database tools to fully utilize its potential.

Retool: For me, Retool was easier to learn because I was already familiar with working with APIs and databases. Its pre-built components saved me a lot of time when building internal tools, making the whole process feel smooth.

Also read - Bubble vs Flutterflow Comparison Guide

Performance and Scalability

Bubble is designed to handle various projects, from small prototypes to large, complex web applications. Its scalability makes it perfect for public-facing apps like marketplaces or SaaS platforms, especially as your user base grows. With proper optimization, it can support thousands of users while maintaining performance, making it a great choice for customer-focused solutions.

Retool is specifically made for internal business tools, like admin panels and dashboards. It is excellent at managing large datasets and workflows, making it ideal for operations teams or back-office processes. However, it is not meant for customer-facing apps, so its strength is in boosting internal efficiency rather than external engagement.

Design and Customization

Bubble excels in design flexibility, letting you create fully responsive and visually appealing apps. It's ideal for projects that require unique branding, custom user interfaces, or a polished, professional look for customer-facing solutions.

Retool focuses on functionality, aiming to complete tasks efficiently. While it provides some basic customization options, it is mainly designed for internal tools and dashboards, where usability and performance are more important than aesthetics.

Also read - Bubble vs Zoho Creator

Pricing for Bubble

Plan	Monthly Price	Key Features
Free	$0	Basic features for prototyping, API connector, 1 app editor
Starter	$32	Custom domain, live app, basic version control, recurring workflows
Growth	$134	Premium version control, two-factor authentication, 2 app editors
Team	$399	Advanced workflows, sub-apps, 5 app editors, 25 custom branches
Enterprise	Custom Pricing	Dedicated server, enhanced security, priority support

Plan Recommendations for Bubble

Free Plan: Best for learning and testing small prototypes.

Starter Plan: Great for launching simple web apps or MVPs.

Growth Plan: Ideal for scaling apps with complex workflows and growing user bases.

Team Plan: Perfect for collaborative projects or companies working on multiple apps.

Enterprise Plan: Designed for large-scale, high-security projects.

Also read - How much does it cost to build an app on Bubble?

Pricing for Retool

Plan	Monthly Price	Key Features
Free	$0	Unlimited web & mobile apps, 500 workflow runs/month, 5GB data storage, up to 5 users
Team	$12 per user (+$7 per end user)	5,000 workflow runs/month, staging environment, app release versions, unlimited users
Business	$65 per user (+$18 per end user)	Audit logging, rich permissions, unlimited environments, portals, embedded apps, custom branding
Enterprise	Custom Pricing	SAML/SSO, source control, error monitoring, white-labeling, dedicated support, platform APIs

Plan Recommendations for Retool

Free Plan: Perfect for small teams or developers who want to explore the platform and build basic internal tools.

Team Plan: Ideal for growing teams that need staging environments and collaborative app development.

Business Plan: Best for companies that require advanced permissions, audit logging, and portals for external users.

Enterprise Plan: Suitable for large organizations with high-security needs and a demand for advanced integrations and white-labeling.

Feature Comparison: Bubble vs Retool

Feature	Bubble	Retool
Platform Focus	Web-first applications with responsive PWA support.	Internal tools, dashboards, and admin panels for businesses.
Backend & Database	Built-in backend with advanced database management and workflows.	Direct database and API integration with tools like PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MongoDB.
Publishing	Optimized for web app deployment; mobile requires wrappers. (Native Mobile Editor is in the beta)	Designed for internal use, accessible across teams.
Learning Curve	Steeper due to advanced workflows and database management, but highly customizable.	Easier for developers with database and API knowledge; fast for internal tool creation.
Community Support	Large community with third-party plugins and resources.	Growing community with extensive support for engineering teams.
Scalability	Scales well for public-facing apps and large SaaS projects.	Scales efficiently for internal tools, but not suited for customer-facing applications.
Templates & Design	Extensive templates with high customization for branding and unique workflows.	Pre-built components for rapid development but limited design flexibility.
Customization	High flexibility with plugins, JavaScript, and advanced workflows.	Limited to internal tools with a focus on functionality over aesthetics.
API Integrations	Custom API integrations supported through plugins or manual configuration.	Seamless integration with databases and APIs out-of-the-box.

That’s a Wrap

That wraps up our comparison of Bubble and Retool. The best way to decide which platform suits your needs is to try building a small app on each. Experimenting hands-on will give you a clearer idea of which tool aligns better with your goals and workflows.

Still unsure where to start? At Zeroqode, we specialize in building high-quality apps with Bubble and have completed over 500 successful projects. Whether you need a customer-facing app or something more complex, we can help turn your vision into reality efficiently.

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Pratik M

Pratik is a technical writer passionate about AI, no-code tools, and the SaaS ecosystem. He enjoys building creative side projects using No-code platforms and sharing his insights to help others explore the limitless possibilities of no-code and AI.