Amplitude for Startups vs Retool for Startups (2026): Which Is Better for Startups?
Both are developer tool perks. Here is how Amplitude for Startups and Retool for Startups compare on what a startup gets, who qualifies and how to apply, and which one we would pick.
Amplitude for Startups
First year of Amplitude Growth free (up to 100M events a month, about $60,000 value), then 40% off year two.
8.0 /10
Pricing: Up to $60k in credits & perks
Pros
- Full Growth plan free for a year, no card needed
- 40% off year two or a free fallback plan
- No partner needed
Cons
- Capped at 20 employees
- Full eligibility terms are not spelled out
Retool for Startups
100% off Retool Team or Business for a year (value up to $60,000), then 25% off the following year.
7.5 /10
Pricing: Up to $60k in credits & perks
Pros
- Free year worth up to $60,000, no partner needed
- 25% off the second year
- Open to bootstrapped founders
Cons
- Must upgrade to a paid monthly plan before applying
Amplitude for Startups vs Retool for Startups at a glance
| Amplitude for Startups | Retool for Startups | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 8.0 / 10 | 7.5 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| What you get | Up to $60k in credits & perks | Up to $60k in credits & perks |
| Who qualifies | Raised $10M or less and 20 employees or fewer (per Amplitude's comparison table); other conditions not stated. | Bootstrapped to Series A, under $10M raised, founded within the last 10 years, new customer on a monthly Team or Business plan. |
| Partner code needed | No | No |
| Steps it helps with | claim startup credits, set up analytics, build your mvp, validate your idea | claim startup credits, build your mvp, set up analytics |
| Who it is for | Any stage, Bootstrapped, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, VC-backed only, SaaS | Any stage, Bootstrapped, Pre-seed, Seed stage, Series A+, VC-backed only, SaaS |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | amplitude, product analytics, session replay | retool, internal tools, low-code |
Our pick
Amplitude for Startups edges it with a score of 8.0 versus 7.5. Amplitude for Startups is the better fit if you value: full growth plan free for a year, no card needed, 40% off year two or a free fallback plan. Choose Retool for Startups instead if you need: free year worth up to $60,000, no partner needed, 25% off the second year. Many startups can claim both: see credits by value.
Other developer tool perks to consider
Full ranking →PostHog for Startups 🎁 ProgramFree
$50,000 in PostHog credits for 12 months, plus merch and partner perks, for startups under two years old.
🔥 $50,000 in PostHog credits for 12 monthsMixpanel for Startups 🎁 ProgramFree
Your first year of Mixpanel free on the Startup Plan: up to 1B events, Session Replay and all add-ons.
🔥 First year of Mixpanel free on the Startup Plan (Mixpanel values it at $145,000)Atlassian for Startups 🎁 ProgramFree
Jira, Confluence, Loom, Bitbucket and Rovo Premium free for 12 months for up to 50 users.
🔥 Atlassian Premium products free for 12 months for up to 50 usersAuth0 for Startups 🎁 ProgramFree
One year of Auth0 B2B Professional free with 100,000 MAUs for young, venture-backed startups.
🔥 One year of Auth0 B2B Professional free with 100,000 MAUs