Kilvin vs Retool
Retool is the most established platform for building internal tools, and it’s a good one if you have developers to build in it. Kilvin is for teams that don’t — or that would rather not spend engineering time on dashboards and admin panels. Here is how the two differ.
Who does the building
Retool is designed around developers. Building an app means writing queries, binding data to components, and often some JavaScript. That’s a reasonable design for an engineering team, and it’s why most Retool apps are built and maintained by engineers.
Kilvin takes a different starting point. The person who understands the workflow describes it, an AI agent builds it, and they review the result as it takes shape. The intent is that an operations lead, an office manager, or a controller can build and change their own tools without a ticket to engineering. Where you’d rather not build at all, Managed Build puts a Kilvin developer on your workspace.
Where apps and data live
In Retool, each app is a project that connects to data sources you configure. If you build ten apps, you configure and manage ten sets of connections.
In Kilvin, apps live in a shared workspace with built-in databases. A table created for one app can be made available to others, so a job tracker and a reporting dashboard read from the same data without integration work. Files uploaded to the workspace are indexed and available to both your team and the agent. The workspace is also the deployment environment: publishing is one click, and hosting, storage, and databases are handled.
How pricing scales
Retool prices by user type — builders and end users are billed differently — and features like granular permissions and SSO are on higher tiers. For a team where many people use apps and a few build them, the bill is manageable; as more people build, or as you need governance features, it steps up.
Kilvin has a per-user Build plan and a flat Scale plan at $800/month for unlimited users. User groups and permission controls are included on both. SSO/SAML and a HIPAA BAA are on Enterprise.
How Kilvin and Retool compare
Kilvin | Retool | |
|---|---|---|
Starting price |
|
|
Best for | Non-technical teams running several internal tools | Engineering teams building internal tools |
Collaboration | One shared workspace; everyone sees the apps, files, and data they’re permitted to | Apps are separate projects shared with users; collaboration is per app |
Deployment | One-click publish; hosting, storage, and databases handled | Cloud hosting on all plans; self-hosting on Enterprise |
AI-powered development | Agent builds from a description with the whole workspace as context | AI assistance for generating apps and queries, metered by credits; building still assumes technical skill |
Prototyping | Live preview while the agent builds; iterate in plain English | Drag-and-drop editor with live preview; fast for developers |
Security & access controls | Per-app and per-dataset permissions and user groups on all paid plans; HIPAA BAA on Enterprise | Granular permissions, audit logs, and SSO on Business and Enterprise |
Form factor | Desktop-style workspace, private to your team | Web-based app editor and published app links |
Databases | Built in; shared across every app in the workspace | Connects to your external databases; Retool Database available per workspace |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kilvin a Retool alternative?
For teams without developers, yes. Both are used to build internal tools such as dashboards, admin panels, and workflows. Retool is designed for engineers writing queries and code. Kilvin is designed so the people who run the workflow can build the tool, with an AI agent doing the technical work.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. You describe what you want and review what the agent builds. Technical staff can use Kilvin too, but it isn't required.
How does pricing compare?
Retool bills separately for builders and end users, with governance features on higher tiers. Kilvin is $50/user/month on Build or a flat $800/month for unlimited users on Scale, with permissions and user groups included.