Open Source Alternatives
Low-code platform for building internal tools.
Retool is a trademark of its respective owner.
Updated Apr 2026
Ranked by Discovery Score
Platform to build admin panels and internal tools
Appsmith builds internal dashboards fast: connect your database, let your ops team update records, show some charts, all through a drag-and-drop interface with pre-built widgets. It connects to basically any data source: Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, REST APIs, GraphQL, Google Sheets.
Open-source foundation for building internal tools
ToolJet gives you a drag-and-drop builder for internal tools (admin panels, dashboards, CRUD apps) that connects to your databases, APIs, and SaaS tools. Think Retool but open source and self-hostable.
Low-code platform for building internal apps
Budibase builds internal tools through a visual builder: connect your database, drag in components, set up automations, deploy. It's similar to Appsmith and ToolJet but with one key difference: it includes a built-in database, so you can start building without connecting external data sources.
React framework for internal tools and admin panels
Refine gives you a React framework that handles the CRUD, data tables, forms, and auth plumbing so you can focus on business logic for admin panels and internal tools. It's not a UI library.
Retool is a platform — it bundles multiple capabilities into one subscription. These tools each cover one piece. Teams often assemble 2–3 of them instead of paying for the full suite.
Including when one of these alternatives ships a major update. Free.