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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
17th
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
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
46
Ranking in other categories
Low-Code Development Platforms (8th), No-Code Development Platforms (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 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 1.7%, 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."
"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."
"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."
"Retool's most valuable features are its drag-and-drop components and the ability to customize them extensively."
"The product's most advantageous feature is platform innovation."
"The ServiceNow Now Platform is powerful because it allows for seamless integration and sharing of common features. I can access various features from a single point, enhancing efficiency and usability. Its capability to integrate different user features while maintaining full integration is a significant strength of the platform."
"In ServiceNow, the best features are the reports. We have more options there."
"Assignment Group history is really important to me."
"The tool helps to automate IT service management processes. It's the market-leading technology. It can provide the company with chatbots and a unique process or workflow orchestration. It can be customized to the customer's specific needs, enabling semi-automatic or full automation processes. It integrates fully with SAP and offers a wide range of advantages for both us and our clients."
"We work on it directly to send out tickets. It enables us to work seamlessly, we don't need to send them out manually. We can create a ticket and assign it in the system."
"The most valuable features are the ease of use, stability, and the ability to change or upgrade seamlessly."
"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."
 

Cons

"The solution lacks inbuilt customization to customize bar charts."
"There are restrictions on the front-end side."
"Retool should add more resource integration."
"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."
"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 components are changed frequently, which is very irritating."
"There's always room for improvement, but I think the biggest challenge with ServiceNow is the licensing model. It's not very clear and changes frequently."
"From an improvement perspective, the product's complicated initial setup phase can be made a bit easier."
"The licensing for this solution, with respect to the user, needs to be improved."
"The pricing model is complex and needs to be both lowered and simplified."
"ServiceNow Now Platform's technical support needs to improve."
"It would be great if the ServiceNow Now Platform supported satellite technologies in its telecom models and integrated with tools like OpenAI, LLaMA, or any Google AI platforms such as Vertex AI or Bard."
"ServiceNow Now Platform's automation process needs improvement."
"If AI were better integrated into ServiceNow, it would lower the RPA costs and make the platform more accessible."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"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."
"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."
"The price of the product falls on the higher side of the spectrum."
"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."
"The solution is expensive."
"I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being very expensive solution."
"It's expensive and if you need some analytical views of your activity, there is an additional cost."
"The pricing of this solution is done annually and it is very expensive."
"There are extra expenses for maintaining the product apart from the licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Financial Services Firm
19%
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 needs improvement with ServiceNow Now Platform?
The analytics should be more readily available on the base product. Historical data isn't as easily available as expected and it requires buying additional licenses for more features.
 

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: January 2025.
839,515 professionals have used our research since 2012.