Comparison · Self-hosted vs Self-hosted

Smelter vs Retool

Retool is $10/user/mo (Team). Smelter is a self-hosted alternative at $0.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.

At a glance

	Smelter	Retool
Hosting	Self-hosted, your infra	Self-hosted available but requires Docker and Postgres
Data location	Your server, your disk	Your server (if self-hosted)
Free tier	100 transforms/mo	Paid only
Pro pricing	$0.99/mo	$10/user/mo (Team)
Dependencies	None (single binary + SQLite)	Docker, Postgres, etc.
Setup time	~30 seconds	15-30 minutes (self-host)
Dashboard	Built-in at /ui	Web UI
License	BSL 1.1	Open source

When to use Smelter

Pick Smelter when you want simplicity and ownership.

$0.99/mo flat vs $10/user/mo
Single binary — no Docker or Postgres
Focused on data transformation only
No per-user pricing

Smelter is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.

curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/smelter/install.sh | sh

Install Smelter Smelter docs

When Retool fits better

Retool makes sense when you need more.

Full internal tool builder (UI + data)
Drag-and-drop interface builder
200+ database and API connectors
Workflows and automation

Retool is a full internal tool builder — it does far more than data transformation. If you need to build internal dashboards and admin panels, Retool is the platform. Smelter specifically transforms data between formats on your server.

The trade-off

Choosing between Smelter and Retool is less about which tool is better and more about what kind of infrastructure you want to maintain. Retool at $10/user/mo (Team) handles hosting, backups, and uptime for you. Smelter at $0.99/mo shifts that responsibility to you — but also shifts the control. If you already run servers, Smelter adds negligible operational burden. If you do not, Retool removes it entirely.

How they differ under the hood

The operational difference is significant. Retool requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Smelter requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.

Retool can be self-hosted, but the experience differs significantly from Smelter. Self-hosted available but requires Docker and Postgres With Smelter, self-hosting means downloading one file and running it. The gap in operational complexity matters most for small teams without dedicated DevOps staff.

Moving to Smelter

Switching from Retool to Smelter is straightforward for most teams. Export your data from Retool (most services offer CSV or JSON export), then POST each record to Smelter's API. A migration script that reads the export and writes to /api/ endpoints typically takes less than 50 lines of code. The reverse migration is equally simple — Smelter's SQLite database is a standard file you can query with any SQLite client.

FAQ

Is Smelter a Retool alternative?

Retool builds internal tools with UIs and databases. Smelter transforms data between formats. Very different products despite both handling data.

Does Smelter have a visual builder?

Smelter uses JQ-like queries for transformations. For visual drag-and-drop tool building, Retool is more appropriate.

Get started

Self-hosted data transformer in 30 seconds.

Single binary. Free to start. $0.99/mo for Pro.

Install Smelter All 150 tools for $29/mo →