Retool vs ServiceNow Now Platform comparison

Retool and ServiceNow are both solutions in the Rapid Application Development Software category. Retool is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.1, while ServiceNow is ranked #14 with an average rating of 7.9. Retool holds a 1.2% mindshare in RADS, compared to ServiceNow’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Retool users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 97% of ServiceNow users who would recommend it.

Retool

Read 10 Retool reviews

790 Views
679 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

ServiceNow Now Platform

Read 49 ServiceNow Now Platform reviews

1,925 Views
1,425 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Retool

ServiceNow Now Platform

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

ServiceNow Now Platform and Retool compete in the enterprise software solutions category. ServiceNow has an upper hand due to its advantage in pricing and support, while Retool is considered superior in terms of features.

Features: ServiceNow Now Platform is notable for workflow automation, IT service management, and robust IT operations management. Retool stands out with its flexibility to create custom internal tools quickly, extensive API integrations, and ease of use for developers.

Room for Improvement: ServiceNow could improve in user interface customization, integration complexity, and deployment simplicity. Retool might enhance scalability for larger teams, improve real-time support options, and expand its built-in components for diverse use cases.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Retool offers a straightforward deployment process, emphasizing quick implementation and efficient customer service. ServiceNow's deployment is more complex, fitting larger enterprises with sophisticated IT setups, and it has a robust customer service framework.

Pricing and ROI: ServiceNow requires a higher initial setup cost which aligns with its comprehensive solutions, offering a strong long-term ROI for large enterprises. Retool presents a more cost-effective initial investment with quick returns due to its rapid deployment capabilities and flexibility in building custom solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed Retool vs. ServiceNow Now Platform Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Retool vs. ServiceNow Now Platform

December 2025

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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

15th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

AI Software Development (12th)

ServiceNow Now Platform

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

14th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Low-Code Development Platforms (9th), No-Code Development Platforms (4th), Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (14th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Retool is 1.2%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow Now Platform is 1.9%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rapid Application Development Software Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
ServiceNow Now Platform	1.9%
Retool	1.2%
Other	96.9%

Rapid Application Development Software

Featured Reviews

Yannick LE GAL

IT consultant for healthcare sector at Freelancer

Has provided a quick way to build mobile apps and could improve usability for non-technical users

The best features Retool offers include the ability to quickly create a mobile app and use this mobile app in a native mobile app for Android. I found the process of creating and deploying those mobile apps for Android with Retool to be smooth as the documentation is very good, and I found answers and examples to create a mobile app. I can access a debug mode in the mobile app which was really convenient to make tests and find what can be improved, where I have a problem, and how to correct it. Retool positively impacted my organization as the proof of concept we built gave us a way to convince power users and key users before developing the real software. It was a way to maintain the launch date of the project, which helped speed up the project timeline and save resources.

Read full review

Mayur Patil

Assistant Manager at Wipro Limited

Has supported day-to-day operations through reporting, ticketing, and automation features

I am still using ServiceNow Now Platform. I have worked with Qualys in one of my customers, but not much. I wanted to know whether there is any module of Rubrik in ServiceNow Now Platform. I am an end user and do not work with the solution provided for ServiceNow Now Platform separately. I work with ServiceNow Now Platform. I have not worked with app development capabilities. Regarding the integration capability of ServiceNow Now Platform, I can say it is compatible with most of the technologies for my connectivity with other systems. I cannot comment on analytics insights, as I have not worked on it, so I cannot say it improved my service efficiency. I do not remember if I have worked with something different for the same purpose. My overall rating for this review is eight out of ten.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Retool positively impacted my organization as the proof of concept we built gave us a way to convince power users and key users before developing the real software."

"Retool positively impacts our organization by saving costs compared to using other data repositories, and teams prefer Retool for daily tasks that perform customizations to showcase web pages or link their data backend, making it more efficient and cost-effective than other software available in the market."

"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."

"The stability is okay."

"Retool provides us with the opportunity to save time and be more efficient."

"Retool positively impacted my organization as the proof of concept we built gave us a way to convince power users and key users before developing the real software."

"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."

"Retool provides built-in features with all processing happening within the platform, which is a significant advantage."

More Retool pros

"The CMDB is robust, with a strong data model and well-structured data."

"What I like most about the ServiceNow Now Platform is the flexibility of using JavaScript. I also like that the platform allows custom scripting, server-side scripting, and client-side scripting. Another valuable feature in the ServiceNow Now Platform is the Flow Designer which allows dragging and dropping code, and low code activities."

"ITOM Discovery is a great feature."

"The initial setup is very straightforward."

"The level of automation within the platform is great."

"ServiceNow Now Platform is very powerful in terms of data management."

"The integration with other tools is pretty good."

"The tool is generally easy to use, making it a very user-friendly product."

More ServiceNow Now Platform pros

Cons

"The UI of Retool could be improved, as I am not fond of the current design, and there should be a platform for learning how to use Retool efficiently, especially since our software team customizes it for their needs, leaving the operational team with limited knowledge on how to customize it."

"The part where we can add some custom logic or custom plugins could be better."

"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."

"In the mobile app development, you have to use JavaScript to interact with components, and for non-technical users, it's already too technical, so Retool has to add some integrated solutions."

"Retool, being a low-code/no-code platform, could improve by allowing users, particularly non-technical users, to use it more easily."

"AI tools, features, and machine learning capabilities should be added as they would be helpful in the future."

"In the mobile app development, you have to use JavaScript to interact with components, and for non-technical users, it's already too technical, so Retool has to add some integrated solutions."

"There are restrictions on the front-end side."

More Retool cons

"In ServiceNow Now Platform, UI is an area with certain shortcomings requiring improvements."

"The product's UI is ugly, making it an area where improvements are required."

"It's not quick or cheap."

"I think there may be some integration with AI and a smart way of reporting, reporting mechanisms, and automation mechanisms on the inputs from other tools that could be better."

"The solution’s AI and NLP features could be improved."

"The UI and mobile UI need to be improved."

"ServiceNow Now Platform's automation process needs improvement."

"When it comes to integration, it can be complex compared to other tools I'm currently using."

More ServiceNow Now Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't know Retool's current pricing, but it cost around $12 per month earlier."

"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."

"The pricing is very expensive. It costs for each user, for automated users, open-end users, et cetera."

"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."

"It's expensive and if you need some analytical views of your activity, there is an additional cost."

"The solution is expensive."

"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."

"In my opinion, it is expensive. However, they do offer favorable licensing for charities, for example."

"The product is very expensive."

"Most of the features are included in the licensing cost. However, if we need extra plugins that are not available at the ServiceNow Hub or store, then we have to pay extra for those."

"Pricing is based on the number of users and user licenses, but the product is 20% to 30% more than the competition."

More ServiceNow Now Platform pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

14%

University

10%

Outsourcing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	34

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Retool?

The pricing, setup cost, and licensing experience were good as the free plan was enough for us.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Retool?

Retool, being a low-code/no-code platform, could improve by allowing users, particularly non-technical users, to use it more easily. In the mobile app development, you have to use JavaScript to int...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Retool?

My main use case for Retool involves an inventory app project. I built a mobile app to make an inventory of chemistry products. Retool helped me with that project as it was a good way to show a qui...

See all answers

What do you like most about ServiceNow Now Platform?

The integration with other tools is pretty good.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ServiceNow Now Platform?

I find the tool to be quite affordable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with ServiceNow Now Platform?

I do see some negative sides and room for improvement. I think there may be some integration with AI and a smart way of reporting, reporting mechanisms, and automation mechanisms on the inputs from...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Retool

January 2026

Download Retool product report

Buyer's Guide

ServiceNow Now Platform

January 2026

Download ServiceNow Now Platform product report

Overview

Retool enables rapid construction of internal tools with minimal coding, streamlining workflows across HR, customer support, and compliance. Praised for its drag-and-drop interface, extensive component library, and SQL support, it boosts organizational efficiency by automating tasks and enhancing data management.

Retool

ServiceNow Now Platform enhances IT service management with request cataloging, incident handling, and knowledge management. Its low-code environment, integration capability, and flexible workflow automation offer a smooth user experience and scalable solutions for enterprises.

ServiceNow Now Platform is designed for seamless integration across IT service management, including incident, problem, and change management. Known for stable performance and a user-friendly interface, it supports flexible workflow automation, efficient report generation, and comprehensive data management. The platform's scalability and low-code customization create opportunities for innovative process automation, enriching user experience. While its licensing and pricing models could be more user-friendly, enhancements in mobile capabilities, AI integration, and modern UI are on demand. Additional improvements in ERP integration and technical support are also needed. The platform serves multiple sectors with configurations for enhanced process automation and service orchestration.

Which features stand out?

Request Cataloging: Streamlines service requests efficiently.
Knowledge Management: Enhances information sharing and resource access.
Incident Handling: Smooth and effective incident resolution.
Workflow Automation: Supports flexible and adaptive process flows.
Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly integrates with existing systems.
IT Service Management: Comprehensive management features for IT services.
Low-Code Environment: Allows for simple and rapid application development.
Custom Scripting: Offers tailored scripting for specific needs.

What benefits can be achieved?

Efficiency: Boosts operational efficiency with integrated workflows.
Scalability: Supports growth with scalable solutions.
User Experience: Provides a smooth and intuitive user experience.
Automation: Increases productivity with automation capabilities.
Data Management: Enhances data handling and report generation.

In diverse industries, ServiceNow Now Platform supports a variety of functions such as IT service management, customer support, workflow automation, and service delivery. Organizations employ it for HR processes, analytics, asset management, and compliance. Its strong integration capabilities allow it to be paired with existing tools, offering flexible configurations and end-user support on a global scale, making it suitable for companies across sectors.

ServiceNow

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

experian, beachbody, health partners

Buyer's Guide

Retool vs. ServiceNow Now Platform

December 2025

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