ReTool Alternatives: Rayven.
The ultimate developers' low-code app platform showdown.
If you’re looking at ReTool alternatives, but still want a toolkit that's aimed at developers, architects + programmers, this comparison is for you.
If you’re here, you already know ReTool. It’s fast, popular, and great for building internal tools. But it’s not the only game in town - and if your apps need to scale, automate, integrate messy systems, or include real-time data and AI, then you’ll hit its limits fast.
This guide compares ReTool vs Rayven - two low-code platforms built for developers. We’ll break down features, flexibility, scalability, and where each platform excels (or fails). Whether you’re building internal apps, real-time dashboards, or full-stack operational platforms, here’s everything you need to know to choose the right tool - and why Rayven’s a better fit for more than you think.
Let’s dive into the details.
Article by:
Paul Berkovic
Quick-Links: What's covered below?
To start, here’s a quick battlecard-style overview of how Rayven and ReTool stack-up on critical features:
| Feature / Criterion | Rayven | ReTool |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Focus | All-in-one low-code/full-stack platform – integrates IoT, ETL, data, AI and apps in one toolkit. Designed for developers and less-technical users, with drag-drop UI builders plus scripting. | Low-code platform focused on internal tools and dashboards. Combines drag-drop UI and code (JS/SQL) for building CRUD apps and workflows quickly. Targets developer teams solving business problems with code. |
| Use Cases / Apps | Wide range: custom web/mobile apps, dashboards, IoT solutions, real-time analytics, AI tools and automations. Suited for integrating legacy systems and complex data flows as well as new apps. | Primarily internal tools (admin panels, support apps, inventory dashboards). Strong at replacing spreadsheets and glue code with quick admin UIs. Less focus on IoT or heavy ETL. |
| Development Model | True low-code + no-code platform. Drag-&-drop UI builder and optional code for custom logic. Supports HTML/JavaScript injection and full scripting. Emphasises rapid prototyping with templates and AI prompts, yet allows deep customisation. | Low-code with strong developer orientation. Drag-&-drop component library combined with embedded code editing (JavaScript everywhere. New features add AI/agents and natural language prompts, but core still JS/SQL. |
| Data Integration | Built-in iPaaS: hundreds of pre-built connectors, real-time data ingestion (IoT, APIs, files, Postgres,REST, Google Sheets, MySQL, MQTT, AMQP, SNMP + more). Strong ETL/workflow engine for unifying data and automating processes. Real-time data orchestration powered by hybrid database capabilities (SQL/Cassandra). | Connects to most common databases and APIs (Postgres, MySQL, REST, GraphQL, Google Sheets, Stripe, Firebase, etc.). Good for live DB queries and linking cloud services, but less emphasis on complex ETL. |
| AI and Automation | AI/ML built in: machine learning and LLM training, predictive analytics and AI Agents can be added to any app. Supports chatbots/conversational analytics and smart workflows natively. | New “Agents” and AI primitives let you call LLMs or build AI assistants within tools. Designed to automate tasks (e.g. auto-populate fields) and adds AI generation features, though primarily as plugins atop the UI builder. |
| Deployment / Hosting | Cloud or on-premises. Offers white-labelled SaaS hosting or self-hosted installs. Scales to enterprise; includes user management, multi-tenant support and QR-code features. | Cloud-hosted (SaaS) with option for private cloud or on-premises (Enterprise plan). Focus on easy setup: CI/CD, version control integration, staging environments. |
| Security & Compliance | Enterprise-grade security: role-based access, encryption, audit logs, SSO integration, multi-factor auth (details per plan). Designed for real-time and IoT apps, so has strong data governance. | Enterprise-grade security: SOC 2 Type II certified, GDPR/ISO27001 compliance. Granular permissions and single sign-on. Deployed “in your cloud” for data control. |
| Pricing & Licensing | Free tier and low-cost plans available. “Free-forever” developer plan lets you build and test apps with many features. Paid plans scale by app/workflow count, not per-user, making it cost-effective for teams. | Free version available (with limitations) and tiered per-user pricing (starts ~$10/user/mo). Enterprise plans add on-premises options and premium support. Can get expensive at scale. |
| Typical Users | Developers, IT teams and citizen-developers in SMBs up to large enterprises. Good for teams needing both code and visual dev. | Software developers, product teams or technical ops at mid-to-large companies. Ideal for engineering-led orgs building internal tools quickly. |
| Strengths | ✓ End-to-end platform (iPaaS + apps + AI) ✓ Real-time and IoT data support ✓ Affordable with free tier ✓ Designed for both coders and “citizen” devs. |
✓ Fast UI building (drag-drop) for internal apps ✓ Rich component library (tables, forms, charts) ✓ Strong version-control & team features ✓ Mature user base and ecosystem |
| Weaknesses |
✗ Smaller community than ReTool |
✗ Primarily for internal tooling; not aimed at heavy data ETL. ✗ Pricing grows with users; can be costly for large teams. ✗ Less built-in AI/automation compared to a full data-platform. |
Both Rayven and ReTool let developers avoid “magic” marketing by actually solving technical needs. ReTool is well-established for internal apps and has a polished drag-drop builder. Rayven, by contrast, bills itself as an all-in-one low-code platform - effectively a “complete toolkit” that unites integration, data orchestration, workflows, AI and UI building into one platform.
In practice, Rayven can do everything ReTool does (dashboards, workflows, custom apps) plus handle IoT data, machine learning, and complex real-time integrations on the back end, all without bolting on extra services.
Features/Capabilities comparison:
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Ease of use: Both tools offer drag-and-drop UIs. ReTool's canvas and component library are user-friendly and slick, especially for building CRUD pages. Rayven’s UI builder is similarly visual, with 40+ widgets and templates, and even AI-assisted app scaffolding. However, Rayven exposes more of the platform (data workflows, IoT settings), so there’s more to learn. Developers praise ReTool's simplicity for small tools, while Rayven emphasizes speed for end-to-end apps. (Tip: a free trial on Rayven lets you gauge it.)
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Integration and Data: Rayven shines at integrations. It’s essentially an iPaaS plus an app dev tool. Pre-built connectors, real-time streaming, IoT protocols and ETL flows are all built in. Rayven even offers built-in databases and real-time analytics for incoming data. ReTool integrates well with SQL databases, REST APIs and popular SaaS (Stripe, Firebase, Salesforce, etc.), making it great for “plumbing” existing services into an app. But Retool leaves heavy data transformation and IoT to external systems, whereas Rayven can do it all natively
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AI & Automation: Rayven has AI/ML deep in its core – you can train models, run predictive analytics and add generative/LLM chat features directly in your apps. Workflows can be automated end-to-end. ReTool has recently added AI Agents and primitives, letting you call LLMs or trigger smart assistants from your apps. This automates tasks like content generation or approvals within the UIr. Still, ReTool’s AI is more of an add-on layer (for example, natural-language to UI or data), while Rayven’s is a built-in platform capability.
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Security & Compliance: Both platforms are enterprise-ready. ReTool boasts SOC2, ISO and GDPR compliance, with granular RBAC and data encryption. You can self-host ReTool for extra control. Rayven also supports on-prem or private cloud deployment and includes enterprise security features (SSO, audit logs, multi-factor auth). Rayven’s all-in-one nature means security applies across integration, data, and app layers uniformly.
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Cost: Rayven offers a generous free-forever plan for developers and small teams. Paid plans scale by projects/features, not per-seat – often cheaper for a few power users. ReTool's free tier has limits (few users, few apps), and standard pricing is per-user per-month (e.g. ~$10–50/user). At enterprise scale this can add up, whereas Rayven’s model is more usage/feature based.
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Scalability: Rayven is built to scale from small to very large deployments – its microservices architecture and elastic data store mean adding users or processing streams doesn’t require re-architecting. ReTool also scales (it’s used at Fortune-500 companies), but large orgs pay attention to the per-user model. Both support SSO, single-tenancy or multi-tenancy as needed.
Overall: Rayven emerges as a broader “one-stop” platform, subtly edging out ReTool for teams that need more than just CRUD apps. Its strength is in handling complex integrations and AI-enabled workflows under one roof. ReTool remains excellent for fast internal apps with minimal fuss.
For developers seeking a true low-code platform – one that grows from hacky dashboards to mission-critical enterprise apps – Rayven is a top ReTool alternative.
Rayven Pros:
- Full-stack low-code + no-code + full-code environments.
- Built-in iPaaS for real-time data, IoT and legacy system integration.
- Strong AI/ML and automation features natively.
- Free tier and competitively priced, with no per-user fees.
- Designed for developers, but usable by technical persons in other areas – drag-drop for speed, code access for power.
Rayven Cons:
- Smaller ecosystem (fewer community plugins or templates than ReTool).
- More features to configure – not as instantly “empty canvas” simple as a focused tool.
- Documentation can be dense (but training and 24/7 support are available).
ReTool Pros:
- Very quick to build internal tools/dashboards with minimal setup.
- Mature UI component library and developer workflow (git, CI/CD) support.
- Strong security/compliance pedigree.
- Good for pure frontend work – clean forms, tables, graphs without back-end fuss.
ReTool Cons:
- Primarily solves internal tooling; lacks built-in IoT or big data processing.
- Costs can grow rapidly with many users.
- Less focus on built-in AI/ML – relies on external services for “smarts”.
- The “app” you build lives only in ReTool; limited if you need a public-facing or white-label product.
If you just need a slick way to build internal tools fast - ReTool’s solid. It’s great for CRUD apps, support dashboards, and admin panels that plug into your existing stack. It’s also developer-first, with solid documentation and a big community behind it.
But if your use cases go beyond internal tools - think real-time data, complex integrations, AI, automations, or full-blown apps that you want to use beyond your company (or sell to customers) - then Rayven gives you the full stack. It’s a proper low-code app development platform, not just a UI layer. With built-in data orchestration, machine learning, and multi-channel deployment, Rayven does more out-of-the-box and scales with you as things get serious.
Want to see if it fits your team? You can try Rayven for free and explore everything it can do - no credit card, no friction - on our free forever plan. Or if you want to dive deeper, book a demo and we’ll walk you through it.
Rayven is an all-in-one full-stack, low-code platform for building apps, AI tools and automations quickly. It bundles integration (iPaaS), data analytics, workflow automation and UI development into one tool. You can drag-and-drop dashboards and forms, train ML models, connect IoT devices and write custom code, all in Rayven’s environment.
ReTool is a low-code app builder designed to create custom internal tools, dashboards and admin panels rapidly. It provides a visual editor with tables, forms and charts that connect live to your databases or APIs. Developers can insert JavaScript anywhere to handle logic, and deploy instantly. ReTool excels at replacing complex spreadsheets or fragmented tooling with one unified app.
Both platforms let you build apps quickly, but Rayven is broader. Rayven includes full data integration, workflow automation (for logic), and built-in AI – essentially an entire application platform. ReTool focuses on the frontend UI layer: it connects to your data but relies on other services for heavy data processing. ReTool's strength is simplicity for internal tools, whereas Rayven handles more complex, end-to-end scenarios.
Yes. For teams searching “ReTool alternatives,” Rayven often tops the list. Rayven can do everything Retool does (drag-drop UI, workflow automation, database connections) plus more (real-time data, IoT, ML/GenAI). Rayven’s pricing model (free tier, no per-user fees) is also attractive. In effect, Rayven is a superset of ReTool's capabilities, making it a compelling alternative for developers needing wider functionality.
Absolutely: it's built for it, with all the bell's and whistles. Rayven’s core value is low-code app development – combining “no-code” ease with full-code flexibility. It was built for developers and IT professionals to rapidly build applications without hand-coding every feature. The platform includes drag-and-drop UI builders, templates and even AI-assisted app generation, all aimed at speeding up app development while still allowing customisation.
Rayven is aimed at developers, IT teams and even business users at SMBs up to enterprises with technical expertise, especially when you need to integrate diverse systems.
ReTool is primarily aimed at developers and engineering leads at tech-forward companies who need internal tools.
In short, if your project involves complex data or device integration, Rayven shines; if it’s an internal admin dashboard or form, ReTool might suffice.
Both platforms offer enterprise-grade security. Rayven provides secure hosting, SSO, role-based permissions and encryption across the board. ReTool is SOC2/ISO/GDPR compliant with fine-grained access controls. Crucially, Rayven’s single platform means one security model across apps and integrations, whereas ReTool secures the front-end and relies on your backend security for data.
Rayven has a free-forever plan with generous features, plus affordable paid tiers that scale by usage/features rather than per-seat.
ReTool offers a free tier (limited to a few apps and developers) and then charges by user: starting around $10–20 per user per month.
Enterprises on ReTool may pay more for on-premises or advanced options, whereas Rayven’s pricing can be more predictable for many users.
