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Glide vs Retool: Which One is Better in 2025?

Choosing between Glide and Retool? Dive into our detailed analysis to make an informed decision for your design and frontend needs.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of no-code and low-code platforms, Glide and Retool have emerged as two prominent contenders. This article delves into a comprehensive comparison of their features, pricing, and limitations.

Whether you're a startup looking to build an MVP or an enterprise aiming to streamline internal tools, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Glide and Retool is crucial. Let's explore how these platforms stack up against each other.

Overview of Glide and Retool

What is Glide?

Glide

Glide helps businesses create custom tools for a faster, more efficient way to work without requiring any coding. It allows users to build applications that manage customers, track inventory, and visualize key performance indicators (KPIs) tailored to their specific business needs.

Key features of Glide include custom portals, intuitive dashboards, and flexible CRM systems. Additionally, it offers AI-powered functionality and supports integration with various data sources like Google Sheets and Airtable.

What is Retool?

Retool

Retool is a platform that allows developers to build custom internal software by seamlessly connecting databases, using elegant components, and customizing with code. It aims to accelerate mundane tasks, freeing up time for more critical work.

Key features of Retool include over 70 integrations with databases, APIs, and SaaS applications, as well as a comprehensive library of React components. Additionally, it offers options for self-hosting, detailed API documentation, and robust security features like SOC 2 Type II compliance and Single Sign-On integration.

Features of Glide & Retool

Similarities

Both Glide and Retool offer robust platforms for building custom applications without extensive coding knowledge.

  • Integration Capabilities: Both platforms support a wide range of data sources, including Google Sheets, Airtable, MySQL, and PostgreSQL.
  • Customizable Dashboards: Users can create real-time dashboards to visualize key metrics and performance indicators.
  • AI-Powered Features: Both offer AI functionalities to enhance the user experience and streamline workflows.
  • Developer Resources: Comprehensive documentation, community support, and educational resources are available to help users get the most out of the platforms.
  • Security and Compliance: Both platforms emphasize robust security features, including SOC 2 Type II compliance and Single Sign-On (SSO) integration.

Differences

Here are the biggest differences in features between Glide and Retool:

  • Custom Portals: Glide offers custom portals for centralized information, which Retool does not provide.
  • Inventory Management: Glide includes tools specifically for tracking and managing inventory, a feature not available in Retool.
  • Self-Hosting: Retool allows for self-hosting, giving users more control over their deployment environment, a feature Glide lacks.
  • Extensible React Components: Retool provides a library of over 100 extensible React components for customization, which Glide does not offer.
  • Source Control Integration: Retool integrates with source control systems like Git for version control and collaboration, a feature not found in Glide.

Pricing of Glide & Retool

Glide Pricing

Glide offers a range of pricing plans tailored to meet the needs of different businesses and project requirements.

  • Glide Solutions: Starting at $10,000 per project
    • Work with Glide and an Agency Partner
    • Import data from 100+ sources
    • Glide Priority Support
  • Hire an Expert: Starting at $2,000 per project
    • Hire hourly or by project
    • Work with a Certified Expert
    • Glide Support

For more detailed pricing information, users are encouraged to contact Glide's support team.

Retool Pricing

Retool offers a variety of pricing plans designed to cater to different business needs and project scales.

  • Free Plan: $0/month
    • Unlimited web & mobile apps
    • 500 workflow runs/month
    • 5GB of data storage
    • Up to 5 users
  • Team Plan: $10/month per standard user, $5/month per end user
    • Everything in Free, plus...
    • 5,000 workflow runs/month
    • Staging environment
    • App release versions
    • More than 5 users
  • Business Plan: $50/month per standard user, $15/month per end user
    • Everything in Team, plus...
    • Audit logging
    • Rich permission controls
    • Portals and embedded apps
    • Unlimited environments
    • Unlimited modules
    • Access to external user pricing
    • Custom Branding
  • Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing
    • Everything in Business, plus...
    • SAML / OpenID Connect SSO
    • Source control
    • Error monitoring and observability
    • Full white-labeling
    • Independent workspaces
    • Platform APIs and workflow triggers
    • Volume-based discounts
    • Dedicated support

For the Enterprise Plan, users need to contact Retool's support team for specific pricing details.

Reviews of Glide & Retool

Glide Reviews

Overall, users have mixed feelings about Glide, with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5. While some appreciate its ease of use, others find the platform's limitations frustrating.

"The platform is easy to use but lacks advanced customization options, which can be limiting for more complex projects." - John D., 3/5

"Glide is good for simple applications, but the performance can be sluggish, especially with larger datasets." - Sarah K., 2.5/5

Retool Reviews

Retool has received mixed reviews from users, with an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5. While some users appreciate its functionality, others find it challenging to use and lacking in certain areas.

"Retool is powerful but has a steep learning curve, making it difficult for non-developers to get started." - Alex P., 3/5

"The platform is versatile, but the user interface can be confusing and overwhelming for new users." - Jamie L., 3.5/5

Subframe, a Better Alternative to Glide and Retool

Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently. With features like a drag-and-drop visual editor, real-time collaboration, and pixel-perfect code generation using React and Tailwind CSS, Subframe is designed to streamline the UI development process for designers and developers alike.

Pros of Subframe

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently.

  • Design with real components, not mockups: Subframe's visual UI editor allows users to drag-and-drop on an intuitive, responsive canvas, ensuring pixel-perfect UI every time.
  • Stunning UI templates, personalized to you: With hundreds of templates inspired by world-class products and hand-crafted by designers, Subframe ensures you never start from scratch.
  • Skip handoff, get high-quality code: Users can copy and paste front-end code directly into their codebase, allowing more time for building and less time on pixel-pushing CSS.
  • Start building UI visually for free: Subframe offers a free plan with no credit card required, making it accessible for anyone to start designing immediately.
  • Real-time collaboration: Subframe supports real-time collaboration, enabling teams to work together seamlessly on UI projects.

Subframe's Pricing

At Subframe, we offer a range of pricing plans to suit different needs:

  • Free Plan: $0 per user/month
    • 1 project
    • Up to 3 page designs
    • Up to 3 team members
    • 200+ UI templates & snippets
  • Pro Plan: $29 per user/month
    • Up to 3 projects
    • Unlimited page designs
    • Unlimited team members
    • Custom components
    • 200+ UI templates & snippets
  • Custom Plan: "Let's talk"
    • Unlimited projects
    • Unlimited page designs
    • Custom fonts
    • Integrate your own components
    • Dedicated Slack support
    • Figma plugin

For more details, visit our Subframe Pricing page. Ready to see Subframe in action? Book a demo with us today!

What Are Others Saying?

Users have given Subframe an overall rating of 5 out of 5. They particularly appreciate its ease of use, time-saving features, and high-quality code generation.

  • "Highly recommend this custom design & component library that just ✨works✨" - Arvind Subramanian
  • "Subframe saved us a lot of time by letting me ship frontend code and control the product experience." - Alex Lee
  • "Subframe is like chipotle. Even if you have no taste (me) you can put things together and it still comes out pretty good." - Andrew Wang

Why Choose Glide, Retool or Subframe?

If you're looking for a no-code platform to create custom, AI-powered applications tailored to your business needs without requiring coding skills, Glide is an excellent choice. It's ideal for small to medium-sized enterprises, startups, and larger companies that need to streamline operations and improve workflows without extensive technical expertise.

On the other hand, if you are a professional developer or part of a large organization that requires robust security features, extensive customization, and integration capabilities, Retool is the better option. It offers a full-featured development environment with advanced coding, debugging, and deployment capabilities, making it suitable for enterprises and tech-savvy businesses.

As part of Subframe, we believe our platform is perfect for developers and teams who prefer working with high-quality, pixel-perfect code. Subframe is ideal for those who need to ship quality UI quickly, offering a visual UI editor, real-time collaboration, and seamless integration with existing codebases.

Glide, Retool, or Subframe: Which is The Best Tool For You?

Choosing between Glide, Retool, and Subframe ultimately depends on your specific needs and technical expertise. Glide is perfect for those who want to build custom applications without coding, while Retool is ideal for developers seeking extensive customization and robust security features.

However, if you're looking for a tool that combines ease of use with high-quality, pixel-perfect code, Subframe stands out as the best option. With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, real-time collaboration, and seamless integration with existing codebases, Subframe is designed to make UI development faster and more efficient. We highly recommend giving Subframe a try to experience the difference for yourself.

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Subframe lets you build stunning UI with beautifully crafted components and a drag-and-drop visual editor.