Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

Retool is a spreadsheet tool that combines familiar Excel-like functionality with advanced programming primitives. Launched in 2017, it's designed for users who need spreadsheet capabilities but want access to more… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Retool: Excel-like, with higher order primitives launched in 2017; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Retool – build internal tools faster▲592

   Build, deploy, and manage internal tools with Retool's unified engine. Connect to any database, API, or LLM. Leverage AI throughout your business.

   2018 · tryretool.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Retool, Self-Hosted▲562

   A low code platform to build internal tools

   2021 · retool.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Developer Utilities by Retool▲232

   Import CSV to PostgreSQL, generate a mock API, and 20+ more

   2021 · retool.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Retool▲640

   Hi all, founder @ Retool here. We initially launched Retool on HN five years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14515494. The feedback was extraordinarily helpful then (e.g. we launched source control, on-prem, etc. based on HN comments), and we’re grateful for all of it. Today, we’re excited to get HN’s thoughts on one of our new products: Retool Mobile. It lets you build and deploy mobile apps in minutes, not days. The idea is there is a large class of line-of-business mobile apps, and the process of getting a simple form + button on a mobile device, in a native app,…

   2018 · retool.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Retool▲8

   Excel-like, with higher order primitives | Build tools in ⏲️

   2017 · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Retable▲756

   Airtable alternative - one tool to replace them all

   2024 · retable.io · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Retool Forms▲190

   Build custom forms on top of a SQL database 10x faster

   2024 · formtodb.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Open-source alternative to Retool▲420

   🔥 🔥 🔥 The Open Source Retool Alternative. Contribute to openblocks-dev/openblocks development by creating an account on GitHub.

   2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Clay▲792

   Create spreadsheets that fill themselves, without code

   2022 · clay.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    I built a tool to help you read Hacker News on Kindle▲393

    Hi HN, I'm Daniel Nguyen. In June, I quit my job to start indie hacking full-time. The idea of KTool first came to my mind when I was reading "Ask HN: I'm a software engineer going blind, how should I prepare?"[0] I've been wearing glasses since I was 5. My right eye is basically blind. Doctors said there is no chance to cure it. I was genuinely scared. Like holy shit, if my left eye stops working, my life is done. Since then I've been very conscious about time spent on computer screens. That's when I started using Kindle-related products: to offload as many reading materials as possible to…

    2022 · ktool.io · its alternatives →

11. 11
    X-spreadsheet – A JavaScript canvas spreadsheet for web▲347

    The project has been migrated to @wolf-table/table https://github.com/wolf-table/table - myliang/x-spreadsheet

    2019 · github.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    RetroTool▲72

    Remote retrospectives made easy, simple, fun and effective.

    2020 · retrotool.io · its alternatives →

13. 13SU
    Spreadsheets using Python - Have you seen this?▲97

    2010 · pyspread.sourceforge.net · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Extensible OSS Retool Alternative▲31

    Open-source foundation of ToolJet AI - the enterprise app generation platform for internal tools, dashboards, business applications, workflows and AI agents. Build visually, from a prompt, or from Claude Code, Codex and Cursor over MCP 🚀 - Release v1.21.0 · ToolJet/ToolJet

    2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Retool Portals and Retool Embed▲30

    Augment any software with Retool Embed and Retool Portals.

    2023 · retool.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    TheTool▲89

    App Store Optimization made simple and beautiful.

    2018 · appradar.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    DevTools-X – a cross platform alternative of devutils and devtoys▲136

    Collection of offline first developer utilities available as non-electron desktop application. all in one place, cross-platform, 10MB app! - fosslife/devtools-x

    2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    RevoGrid – Spreadsheet data table for all frameworks▲100

    Powerful virtual data table smartsheet with advanced customization. Best features from excel plus incredible performance 🔋 - revolist/revogrid

    2021 · github.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    DevTools▲74

    Making your everyday tasks a breeze

    2023 · ray.run · its alternatives →

20. 20
    WebTool▲101

    Most relevant and flexible code editor for web designers

    2021 · its alternatives →

21. 21
    Budibase – open-source Retool alternative – launch their Public API▲30

    AI agents, automations and apps that run your operations. Model agnostic. - Budibase/budibase

    2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

22. 22AW
    Alphasheets – Write Python, R, and SQL in your spreadsheets▲72

    2016 · alphasheets.com · its alternatives →

23. 23XS
    X-spreadsheet 1.0.28 – A JavaScript canvas spreadsheet for web▲43

    2020 · myliang.github.io · its alternatives →

24. 24
    XTools▲10

    a free, open-source, and data-secure toolbox.

    2025 · xtools.im · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →