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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
11th
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 (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Retool is 0.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow Now Platform is 1.8%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rapid Application Development Software
 

Featured Reviews

Saurabh Tiwari - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use, I don't need to write extensive code and built-in components helps to develop tools
Retool provides multiple tools and functionalities that we can use. However, there are restrictions on the front-end side. From the back-end side, we can use anything, but on the front-end, we have limited tools. This limits our ability to enhance functionality. For example, if I'm creating a tool for you to collect feedback from your clients or users, we have limited resources on the front-end. For the back-end, we have unlimited resources, but for the front-end, we are restricted to creating dashboards and similar tools. If you want to enable other functionalities, we can add them, but this is a limitation on the front-end side.
Fabio QUINTANILHA - PeerSpot reviewer
Allows for seamless integration and sharing of common features
The initial setup is straightforward. There are limited access. If you choose not to use scripts, you can still configure the majority of the settings on the platform. The technical aspect of implementing changes is governed by change management processes. Even simple features require careful consideration of communication, documentation, and governance. Despite the setup being relatively straightforward and typically taking one to two weeks to complete once the desired outcome is identified, the implementation phase can often extend for a month or two due to various factors. I rate the initial setup a nine out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."
"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."
"The stability is okay."
"Retool provides us with the opportunity to save time and be more efficient."
"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 solution provides a single platform for multiple systems and software to operate from. We have found the solution to be stable The initial setup and deployment of the solution was very easy. The technical support team are very helpful, we contact them whenever we are unable to fix an issue."
"This is a development platform that provides us with a strong database and a low code environment."
"The solution is in Gartner's Magic Quadrant."
"Scalability-wise, it is a very good solution."
"It's very intuitive and easy to use. The flexibility and user-friendliness of ServiceNow are key reasons it's such a popular cloud solution."
"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."
"ServiceNow Now Platform is quite useful, scalable, and flexible. The user interface is very good."
"The main reason that people use ServiceNow is that performance is very good."
 

Cons

"Retool should add more resource integration."
"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."
"There are restrictions on the front-end side."
"One area for improvement in Retool is expanding its library support to include a broader range of third-party JavaScript libraries."
"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 components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."
"The Robotic Process Automation features are not mature enough. ServiceNow could work toward that because we can leverage RP only from this platform."
"ServiceNow Now Platform's technical support needs to improve."
"The number of API calls processed by the tool, specifically when the API calls increase, will cause a lot of load on the platform, and it tends to not work very efficiently."
"The Playbooks feature is useful for visualizing steps in a process, however, it lacks support for rollbacks in case of complex customer processes."
"The programming language is currently limited to JavaScript. So I would like to see more programming languages available, especially since they have come up with the machine-learning features. Some more languages would be an additional improvement."
"There are a few areas of concern when it comes to the product's support team where improvements are required."
"The integration towards other ERP systems could be improved."
"I feel that the solution's user interface is an area with certain shortcomings, where improvements are required."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't know Retool's current pricing, but it cost around $12 per month earlier."
"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"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 pricing is very expensive. It costs for each user, for automated users, open-end users, et cetera."
"Most of the features are included in the licensing cost. However, if we need extra plugins that are not available at the ServiceNow Hub or store, then we have to pay extra for those."
"It's expensive and if you need some analytical views of your activity, there is an additional cost."
"The price of the product falls on the higher side of the spectrum."
"In my opinion, it is expensive. However, they do offer favorable licensing for charities, for example."
"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."
"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."
"The pricing of this solution is done annually and it is very expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

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: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.