Retool builds internal tools on top of existing databases and APIs. Luna Park builds complete applications, internal or customer-facing, with their own backend and database, and compiles them into code you own.
At a glance
Both build apps visually on a database. The main differences: audience, design, and pricing.
| Luna Park | Retool | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | SaaS, portals, internal tools | Internal tools on existing data |
| Interface | Your own components, CSS, design tokens | Grid of ready-made components |
| Logic | Visual scripting graphs, front and back | SQL and API queries, JavaScript, event handlers |
| Data | PostgreSQL, APIs through Fetch | Many connectors, or Retool Database |
| Code export | Vue + Node.js source (Pro) | Retool format only (source) |
| Hosting | Anywhere Managed hosting in late 2026 | Retool Cloud Self-hosted on Enterprise (source) |
| Pricing | Free, or Pro at €25/month or €300 once | Per builder and per user (source) |
Example: a waitlist form
Visitors enter their name, email, and favorite ride, and get a ticket number.
Luna Park
- Place the fields and a button, in the site's design.
- On click, a graph sends the fields to a backend route and shows the ticket.
- The route inserts a row in the
Waitlisttable and returns its id.
Visitors need no account.
Retool
- Connect a database resource.
- Drop a form component on the grid.
- Write an insert query, triggered on submit.
External users are billed on higher plans.
Code export
Retool exports JSON or Toolscript, to import into another Retool instance. Luna Park exports a Vue frontend and a Node.js backend, with no Luna Park runtime.
Other differences
- Costs. Retool bills per builder and per user. A Luna Park app costs what its server costs, at any number of users.
- Customer-facing apps. Portals, marketplaces, SaaS: your design, your authentication, your domain.
- Logic. Queries, conditions, and loops are nodes, front and back. TypeScript functions remain available.
- Plugins. Official plugins add users and sessions, files, mail, Nuxt UI, or Tailwind.
Which one to choose?
Luna Park
- Your app is, or will be, customer-facing.
- You want your own design.
- You want flat costs at any number of users.
- You want to keep the code.
Retool
- You need an admin panel on existing data, today.
- You rely on its connectors.
- Per-user pricing suits your team.
Before switching
- No connector catalog: call existing databases or APIs from a route with
Fetchor an npm client. - Until managed hosting launches in late 2026, you host the backend.
From Retool to Luna Park
| Retool | Luna Park |
|---|---|
| App | Project, with its pages |
| Component, module | Component |
| Variable | Variable, or Store |
| Transformer | Computed variable |
| Event handler | Logic graph |
| Resource query | Route |
| REST API resource | Fetch node |
| Retool Database table | Database table |
| Workflow | Route or Cron |
Based on Retool as of October 2026. See retool.com for current features and prices.
