Checked 2026-11-15 · Primary sourcesappsmithorg/appsmith · 41,253 ★ Apache-2.0

Appsmith vs Retool

Q: How much RAM does self-hosted Appsmith really need?

Appsmith’s official Docker installation documentation states at least 8 GB of host RAM for the default all-in-one container because it bundles MongoDB, Redis and PostgreSQL inside the container.

Q: Is Appsmith completely Apache-2.0 open source?

Not automatically unless you check the image tag. The Docker install docs pull appsmith-ee (the free Commercial image) by default; replace appsmith-ee with appsmith-ce in docker-compose.yml for pure Apache-2.0 code.

Q: When does Appsmith cost less than Retool?

Whenever you have 15+ daily internal viewers and standard auth (no SAML SSO) suffices: self-hosted Appsmith CE charges $0 per user, whereas Retool Team/Business charges $5 to $15 per internal user every month.

Q: Does Retool Business include Git source control or SAML SSO?

No. Retool’s November 2026 pricing matrix explicitly marks both Git source control and SSO/SCIM/2FA as “Not included” on Team and Business; both require Retool Enterprise.

Self-hosted Appsmith CE eliminates per-end-user SaaS taxes on an 8 GB RAM server — just watch Appsmith’s $2,500/mo SAML SSO cliff vs Retool’s $5–$15/user pricing.

Appsmith

Apache-2.0 CE + Docker EE commercial image

Winner: Zero per-user tax

CE Self-Host $0 unlimitedBusiness $15/userEnt SSO $2,500/mo

Choose Appsmith if...

You have 15–100+ internal staff viewing ops panels and refuse $5–$15/end-user monthly fees.

You want OSI-approved Apache-2.0 code via the appsmith-ce Docker image.

Google OAuth / standard 3-role access control is enough on your 8 GB RAM host.

Watch out for...

All-in-one Docker requires 8 GB RAM; SAML / OIDC SSO & SCIM jump straight to $2,500/month (100 users).

Try Appsmith Pricing Docker Install Docs

Partner link (rel="sponsored") · Checked against appsmith.com/pricing (2026-11-15).

Retool

Closed-source market leader (per-builder + per-user)

Winner: Rapid Dev SaaS <15 users

Team $10 builder + $5 userBiz $50 + $15Ent SSO Custom

Choose Retool if...

You have a small team (<15 total staff) willing to pay $5–$15/user for Retool’s polished component suite.

You need Retool Workflows, Mobile, external portals & Audit Logs without managing MongoDB/Redis.

You already have an Enterprise budget for air-gapped self-hosting with SAML SSO + Git sync.

Watch out for...

Audit logs & Git control require $50/$15 Business or Enterprise; internal viewer seats scale bills fast.

View Retool Official Pricing BuilderStack Appsmith Audit

Standard reference link · Checked against retool.com/pricing (2026-11-15).

Two Pricing Cliffs Most Teams Miss: Appsmith $2,500 SSO & Retool End-User Billing

Appsmith vs Retool Pricing

Retool bills separately for Builders ($10 Team / $50 Business) AND daily Internal Users ($5 Team / $15 Business), which quietly turns a 40-person ops tool into a hefty SaaS bill — AND omits Git + SAML SSO below Enterprise. Appsmith CE self-hosts for $0 unlimited users on 8 GB RAM, but SAML/OIDC SSO sits in Appsmith’s $2,500/mo Enterprise plan.

Internal Tooling TCO Estimator (~20% builders / 80% end-users)

Test how Appsmith CE self-hosting compares to Retool Team/Business as internal headcount and compliance grow.

Total internal staff (builders + daily viewers)25 staff (5 builders / 20 users)

5 Free cap255075100 Ent

Require Audit Logs & Granular Custom Roles

Moves to Appsmith Business ($15/u) & Retool Business ($50+$15)

Require SAML / OIDC SSO & SCIM

Appsmith requires $2,500/mo Enterprise; Retool Enterprise custom quote

Self-host Appsmith CE ($40/mo 8 GB VM)

Applies 8 GB RAM single-VM baseline when CE features suffice

AppsmithCE Self-Host ($40 8 GB VM)

$40/mo

Apache-2.0 appsmith-ce self-hosting removes seat fees on an 8 GB RAM host.

Retool (Annual)Team ($10×5b + $5×20u)

$150/mo

Bills both builders ($10/$50) and daily internal end-users ($5/$15).

Save $110/mo ($1,320/yr) with Appsmith

6-Dimension Audit Matrix

Hover any source pill to inspect exact primary quotes & verification URLs.

Dimension	Appsmith	Retool
Open Source License Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0 (appsmith-ce image) Permissive OSI open source with zero copyleft obligations when you run appsmith-ce.	100% Proprietary / Closed-Source Closed-source product; self-hosting is strictly a commercial enterprise/team license.
Self-Host Infrastructure & RAM Appsmith Docker	Single Docker Compose (8 GB RAM min) Easy to boot, but embeds MongoDB, Redis and PostgreSQL together — plan 8 GB+ RAM unless externalizing DBs.	Multi-container licensed Enterprise only Team & Business run on Retool Cloud; self-hosted / air-gapped containers unlock on Enterprise.
Seat & User Billing Model Retool Pricing	Free unlimited CE / $15 uniform Business One flat per-user tier on Business ($15/u, up to 99 users) — no separate builder vs viewer penalties.	Two-part: Builders ($10–$50) + Users ($5–$15) Every employee who opens an app monthly adds $5 (Team) or $15 (Business) on top of builder seats.
Git Version Control & Audit Logs Appsmith Pricing	3 Git repos Free · Audit logs $15/u Biz Even Free gives Git sync (up to 3 repos); Business ($15/u) unlocks audit logs, workflows & custom RBAC.	Audit logs at $50/$15 Biz · Git is Enterprise Team has neither audit logs nor Git; Business adds audit logs ($15/end-user), while Git moves to Enterprise.
SAML / OIDC SSO & SCIM Enterprise SSO Gate	Locked in $2,500/mo Enterprise (100u) Free offers Google OAuth only; SAML/OIDC & group sync jump straight from $15/u Business to $2,500/mo.	Locked in Custom Enterprise quote Both Team and Business explicitly exclude SSO, SCIM and 2FA enforcement; requires Enterprise deal.
AI Credits & Workflow Engine Retool AI Credits	Workflows in Business · Self-managed integrations Connect any LLM API endpoint via REST datasource directly without rigid credit-pack throttling.	Polished Retool Workflows + 1k–3k AI credits Tightly integrated JS/SQL workflows and UI components; BYO AI provider keys require Enterprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified against primary license texts, docs, and current pricing tables.

How much RAM does self-hosted Appsmith really need?

Appsmith’s official Docker installation documentation states at least 8 GB of host RAM for the default all-in-one container because it bundles MongoDB, Redis and PostgreSQL inside the container.

Is Appsmith completely Apache-2.0 open source?

Not automatically unless you check the image tag. The Docker install docs pull appsmith-ee (the free Commercial image) by default; replace appsmith-ee with appsmith-ce in docker-compose.yml for pure Apache-2.0 code.

When does Appsmith cost less than Retool?

Whenever you have 15+ daily internal viewers and standard auth (no SAML SSO) suffices: self-hosted Appsmith CE charges $0 per user, whereas Retool Team/Business charges $5 to $15 per internal user every month.

Does Retool Business include Git source control or SAML SSO?

No. Retool’s November 2026 pricing matrix explicitly marks both Git source control and SSO/SCIM/2FA as “Not included” on Team and Business; both require Retool Enterprise.

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