UI Bakery vs Retool: Which One is Better in 2025?

When it comes to building internal tools, choosing the right platform can make all the difference. UI Bakery and Retool are two popular options, each offering unique features and capabilities.

This article delves into a detailed comparison of UI Bakery and Retool, examining their features, pricing, and limitations. By the end, you'll have a clearer understanding of which platform best suits your needs.

Overview of UI Bakery and Retool

What is UI Bakery?

UI Bakery is a low-code platform that enables developers to build custom web applications rapidly. It focuses on saving developers' time by providing tools for creating internal tools, customer portals, vendor apps, admin panels, and dashboards.

The platform offers a drag-and-drop UI builder, workflow automations, and the ability to embed applications. It also supports integrations with various databases and APIs, making it easier to connect and manage data.

What is Retool?

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

Key features include seamless integration with various databases, APIs, and SaaS applications, making it easier to create internal tools like admin panels, dashboards, and workflows. Retool also offers extensive customization options and supports deployment on both cloud and on-premises environments.

Features of UI Bakery & Retool

Similarities

Both UI Bakery and Retool offer robust platforms for building custom internal tools efficiently.

• Low-Code Development: Both platforms provide low-code environments, enabling rapid application development with minimal coding.
• Drag-and-Drop UI Builders: They feature intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, making it easier to design user interfaces without extensive coding knowledge.
• Extensive Integrations: Each platform supports numerous integrations with databases, APIs, and popular SaaS applications, facilitating seamless data connectivity.
• Customization Options: Both allow for significant customization, including the ability to write custom code and tailor applications to specific needs.
• Deployment Flexibility: They offer flexible deployment options, including cloud and on-premises solutions, catering to various security and compliance requirements.

Differences

Here are the biggest differences in features between UI Bakery and Retool:

• AI Integration: UI Bakery offers AI-driven application capabilities, while Retool focuses on traditional development tools without built-in AI features.
• Workflow Automations: UI Bakery includes workflow automation tools, allowing users to set up scheduled jobs and webhooks, a feature not present in Retool.
• Embedded Applications: UI Bakery allows embedding its applications into existing apps and vice versa, whereas Retool does not offer this functionality.
• Secrets Management: Retool provides a Secrets Manager for managing access and configurations, a feature not available in UI Bakery.
• Debugging Tools: Retool includes advanced debugging tools like stack traces and query visualization, which are not part of UI Bakery's feature set.

Pricing of UI Bakery & Retool

UI Bakery Pricing

UI Bakery offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs and budgets. Here is a summary of their pricing options:

• Free: $0 per month per user/developer. Includes unlimited apps, pages, client actions, data sources, up to 5 users, Modules & Actions Library, Mobile Responsive Apps, AI capabilities, 1000 scheduled job/webhook/server action executions per month, and community support.
• Standard: $5/month per user and $10/month per developer (annually) or $6/month per user and $12/month per developer (monthly). Includes everything in Free plus more than 5 users, User Roles, App and data source Environments, Release history, and Online chat/email support.
• Business: $10/month per user and $40/month per developer (annually) or $12/month per user and $50/month per developer (monthly). Includes everything in Standard plus Public apps, Custom themes, Custom User Roles, and Audit logs.
• Business UNLIM: $250/month per unlimited user group and $40/month per developer (annually) or $300/month per unlimited user group and $50/month per developer (monthly). Includes everything in Standard plus Unlimited seats, Public apps, Custom themes, and Audit logs.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing. Includes everything in Business plus Git version-control, Embedded Apps, Dedicated VM in the region of choice, Custom domain and white-labelling, Dedicated support, Custom SSO, and App Migration & Custom Development Services.

For the Enterprise plan and any custom pricing inquiries, users are encouraged to contact the company's support team.

Retool Pricing

Retool offers a variety of pricing plans designed to meet different needs and budgets. Here is a summary of their pricing options:

• Free: $0/month. Includes unlimited web & mobile apps, 500 workflow runs/month, 5GB of data storage, and up to 5 users.
• Team: $10/month per standard user, $5/month per end user. Includes everything in Free, plus 5,000 workflow runs/month, staging environment, app release versions, and support for more than 5 users.
• Business: $50/month per standard user, $15/month per end user. Includes everything in Team, plus audit logging, rich permission controls, portals and embedded apps, unlimited environments, unlimited modules, access to external user pricing, and custom branding.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing. Includes 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, and dedicated support.

For the Enterprise plan and external user pricing in the Business plan, users need to contact Retool's support team for custom pricing details.

Reviews of UI Bakery & Retool

UI Bakery Reviews

Overall, users have given UI Bakery a mixed reception, with an average rating of 3.8 out of 5. Customers found the platform's learning curve and occasional bugs frustrating, while some appreciated its potential for rapid development.

"The interface is not very intuitive, and it took me a while to get used to it. Also, I encountered several bugs that slowed down my progress." - John D., 3.5/5

"While the platform has potential, the lack of comprehensive documentation made it difficult to fully utilize its features." - Sarah K., 3/5

Retool Reviews

Retool has received mixed reviews from users, with an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5. Customers found the platform's complexity and occasional performance issues frustrating, while some appreciated its potential for customization.

"The platform is powerful but can be overwhelming for new users. The learning curve is steep, and the documentation could be better." - Alex P., 3.5/5

"Retool is useful, but it can be slow at times, which affects productivity. The interface could be more intuitive." - Jamie L., 3/5

Subframe, a Better Alternative to UI Bakery and Retool

Subframe is a code-first design tool that enables users to build user interfaces quickly and efficiently. It offers a drag-and-drop visual editor, real-time collaboration, and pixel-perfect React + Tailwind CSS code, making it a favorite among designers and developers alike.

Pros of Subframe

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

• Design with real components: 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: The platform offers hundreds of beautiful, designer-approved templates, inspired by world-class products and built with reusable components, so you never start from scratch.
• High-quality code handoff: Users can export their designs to high-quality React and Tailwind CSS code, allowing them to add business logic directly in their codebase and spend more time building.
• Real-time collaboration: Subframe supports real-time collaboration, making it easier for teams to work together seamlessly on UI projects.
• Free to start: Subframe offers a free plan with no credit card required, allowing users to start building UI visually without any upfront cost.

Subframe's Pricing

At Subframe, we offer flexible pricing plans to suit your needs:

• Free: $0 per user/month. Includes 1 project, up to 3 page designs, up to 3 team members, and access to 200+ UI templates & snippets.
• Pro: $29 per user/month. Includes up to 3 projects, unlimited page designs, unlimited team members, custom components, and access to 200+ UI templates & snippets.
• Custom: "Let's talk". Includes unlimited projects, unlimited page designs, custom fonts, integration of your own components, dedicated Slack support, and a Figma plugin.

For more details, visit our 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 appreciate its ease of use, especially with templates, and its ability to turn ideas into code quickly. Here are some of the sentiments from our users:

• "I love how easy this is to get started, especially with templates." - Dakota
• "Turning ideas into code is one of the most critical tasks I've ever had. Subframe is super useful and user-friendly." - Germán Merlo
• "Now this I like. Congratulations. Finally something that's not just a mockup." - Aris Nakos

Why Choose UI Bakery, Retool or Subframe?

If you are a developer or a small to medium-sized business looking to save time and resources by using a low-code platform, UI Bakery might be the right choice for you. Its drag-and-drop UI builder and workflow automation tools make it ideal for quickly developing and deploying internal tools and customer portals.

On the other hand, if you are an enterprise or a team with complex workflows that require extensive customization and integration capabilities, Retool could be a better fit. Its robust developer tools, security features, and support for over 70 integrations make it highly versatile for building custom internal software.

As part of Subframe, we believe that if you are a founder, designer, or developer who needs to build UI quickly and efficiently, Subframe is your best option. Our code-first design tool offers real-time collaboration, stunning UI templates, and high-quality React + Tailwind CSS code, making it perfect for turning ideas into code seamlessly.

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

Choosing between UI Bakery, Retool, and Subframe ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Each platform offers unique features and capabilities that can significantly enhance your development process.

However, if you're looking for a tool that combines ease of use, real-time collaboration, and high-quality code generation, we recommend giving Subframe a try. With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and stunning UI templates, Subframe is designed to help you build user interfaces quickly and efficiently.