What Data Sources and Integrations Can Retool Apps Connect To?

Retool apps can connect directly to your production databases, APIs, and LLMs, and access to those sources is governed by the permissions you already have in place—no extra configuration required, according to Retool. In practice, that means you can point a Retool app at an existing system of record and let your current access rules decide who sees and does what. The site states that a full list of integrations is available on its integrations page, so the exact catalog should be checked there rather than assumed.

How the connection model works

Retool describes a single pattern across source types: every app you build connects directly to your production data sources, and access is governed by your existing permissions. The practical implication is that Retool does not ask you to duplicate your data into a separate store or rebuild your permission model before an app can read from a database or call an API.

For a concrete example: if a support team already has read access to a customer records database, a Retool app built on that database inherits the same governed access rather than opening a new, unmanaged path to the data. The same logic applies to API endpoints and to LLM integrations—the app calls the source, and your existing controls decide what is reachable.

Databases and APIs

The site's core claim is that apps connect to "any database, API, or LLM." Databases and APIs are the two foundational source types: databases supply the records an internal tool displays and edits, and APIs let the app reach systems that expose their functionality over HTTP rather than through direct database access. Because access follows existing permissions, the main prerequisite is that the identity running the app already has a legitimate path to the source.

LLM integrations

Retool lists LLMs alongside databases and APIs as connectable sources, and its app builder is positioned around generating production-ready AI applications. If your goal is an internal tool that calls a model—for summarization, classification, or an agent-style workflow—the model is treated as one more integration rather than a separate product.

Bringing in apps built elsewhere

Retool supports importing React code, including apps built on Lovable, Replit, and other platforms, by uploading a ZIP file or syncing with GitHub. This matters if your data connections already live inside an app built outside Retool: you can move the app into a governed Retool environment instead of rebuilding the integrations from scratch. The expected result is that the imported app runs inside the same permission and governance boundary as anything built natively.

What "governed by existing permissions" means for your decision

The claim to verify before committing is whether your specific source—a particular database engine, an internal API, a model provider—is on the supported integrations list and whether your current permission setup maps cleanly onto it. Two checks make this concrete:

• Confirm the source is listed. Use the integrations page as the authoritative catalog rather than inferring support from the general "any database, API, or LLM" statement.
• Confirm the permission path exists. Since access is governed by existing permissions, an app can only reach what the underlying identity is already allowed to reach. If a source is locked down to a narrow group, expect the app to inherit that narrowness.

Retool also states that apps ship with authentication, access controls, and audit logging already in place, which is relevant if the reason you are evaluating integrations is a security review. The site does not publish per-integration limits or configuration details in the material available here, so treat the integrations page and the linked documentation as the place to confirm specifics.

Where to go next

Start with the integrations list to confirm your database, API, or model is supported, then check that the identity your app will use already has a governed path to that source. If you are migrating an existing React app, the ZIP upload or GitHub sync route is the documented entry point. Pricing and plan-level limits are not covered in the source material; consult the pricing page directly if cost or tier restrictions affect your decision.