When comparing UI Bakery and Retool for operating in-house data and creating dashboards with charts, both platforms offer strong capabilities but have some key differences. Let’s examine how they compare in these specific areas:
Data Handling and Integration
Retool
Retool excels in data handling and integration, making it a strong choice for operating in-house data[1][4]. It offers:
- Powerful integration with external data sources, including APIs, databases, and cloud services
- Support for SQL/NoSQL databases and services like Firebase, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL
- Real-time data syncing between the UI and data sources
UI Bakery
While not as extensive as Retool, UI Bakery also provides solid data handling capabilities[1][2]:
- Connects UI to data sources and APIs for real-time syncing
- Supports integration with databases, cloud services, and APIs
- Offers custom JavaScript options for more complex data operations
For operating in-house data, Retool has a slight edge due to its more extensive integration options and powerful data-handling features.
Dashboard Creation with Charts
Retool
Retool offers robust features for creating dashboards with charts[3][4]:
- Wide range of pre-built components, including various chart types
- Drag-and-drop interface for easy dashboard assembly
- Custom JavaScript support for advanced chart customization
UI Bakery
UI Bakery also provides strong capabilities for dashboard creation[1][2]:
- Modern and trendy UI design, which may be preferable for some users
- Drag-and-drop interface with a variety of components, including charts
- Custom React components for additional flexibility
Both platforms are capable of creating impressive dashboards with charts. UI Bakery may have a slight advantage in terms of visual appeal, while Retool offers more customization options through JavaScript.
Ease of Use vs. Customization
Retool
- More suitable for users with some technical experience
- Offers greater customization options, especially with JavaScript knowledge
- May have a steeper learning curve for non-technical users[4]
UI Bakery
- Generally easier to use, especially for beginners
- Provides a good balance between ease of use and customization
- More accessible to non-technical users[2]
Conclusion
For operating in-house data, Retool has a slight advantage due to its powerful data-handling capabilities and extensive integration options. However, this comes with a steeper learning curve.
For creating dashboards with charts, both platforms are strong contenders. Retool offers more customization options, while UI Bakery provides a more user-friendly experience with visually appealing designs.
The best choice depends on your specific needs:
- Choose Retool if you prioritize powerful data handling, have some technical expertise, and need extensive customization options.
- Choose UI Bakery if you value ease of use, modern design, and a balance between simplicity and customization, especially if your team includes non-technical users.
I’m going to use UI Bakery for my project because I prefer its user-friendly interface and modern design. And also, it is more useful to share the dashboard with not only my team members but also with other stakeholders.
UI Bakery Review
UI Bakery is a great experience. I used Supabase as the underlying project and connected it to the PostgreSQL database created in Supabase, allowing me to perform admin visualization tasks. It took me two days to create a service and deploy it to the admin. I created CRUD operations for each service component in the admin and even added business metrics. I accomplished all of this using Supabase and UI Bakery.
Here are my thoughts on using UI Bakery:
UI Bakery makes it easy to create, update, and delete rows and columns related to each table. This makes it easy to implement CRUD operations, which is a significant advantage for admin use cases. I believe this feature covers all the drawbacks.
UI Bakery has some limitations when it comes to using it for free. However, by upgrading to the pro mode, you gain more freedom to create your admin. You can create pages with public URLs and easily control user access for each screen. However, I had some reservations about this aspect. I questioned whether it was necessary to be locked into a paid plan to access these features. If the project becomes more complex or has specific requirements, it might be more beneficial to build a separate admin or utilize open-source admin solutions.
UI Bakery offers a range of components, but it may require additional effort to ensure visibility of metrics and dynamically create charts. To visualize the desired data, separate queries and integrations may be necessary. However, creating charts that fully meet specific needs, such as grouping by a single column in a stacked bar chart, may require customization using ECharts functionality. While achievable, this level of customization may cause some challenges when using UI Bakery.
But overall, I am satisfied with the results. I was able to create a service and deploy it to the admin in two days. I was able to create CRUD operations for each service component in the admin and even add business metrics. I accomplished all of this using Supabase and UI Bakery.