Clear Retro vs RetroStack
Clear Retro
clearretro.comRetroStack
retrostack.appSide by side
| Figure | Clear Retro | RetroStack |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Retrospective Software | 7.9 (#11) | 8.5 (#5) |
| Exports | Users can export PDF and Excel reports with AI-generated summaries and sentiment analysis. | Boards can be exported as PDF or JSON files. |
| Integrations | The maker identifies Gemini AI and Google Cloud Platform (Firebase) for storage, but lists no other integrations on the pages reviewed. | The documented external services are Google and Apple authentication, Firebase/Google Cloud infrastructure and OpenAI analysis. |
| Purpose | Clear Retro is a real-time agile retrospective tool designed for developers and remote engineering teams. | RetroStack provides collaborative boards for agile retrospectives, brainstorming and team decisions in real time. |
| Security | The maker says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and retrospective data is not used to train Google’s public AI models. | RetroStack says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, with access controls, authentication requirements, and monitoring for security incidents. |
| Support | The Community Edition includes priority community support. | Technical support and bug reports are handled by email, with a stated response time within 24 hours. |
| Templates | Templates include Start, Stop, Continue; Mad, Sad, Glad; 4Ls; Lean Coffee; and Sailboat. | The service offers six ready-made board formats, including Classic Retrospective, Star Fish, Six Thinking Hats, Pros and Cons, and Mad, Sad, Glad. |
| Voting | Teams can use a numerical 0–5 point voting system to prioritize issues. | Voting limits can be set per section to 1, 2, 3, 5, 10 or unlimited votes. |
Plans
In their own words
Clear Retro
Clear Retro is a free web tool for live Agile retrospectives, designed by developers for developers and remote engineering teams. WebSocket synchronization updates teammates’ boards without refreshes, while guest access lets participants join without logging in. Focus Mode blurs cards during writing to reduce groupthink and social bias. Teams can prioritize issues with numerical votes from 0 to 5, then use Gemini AI to categorize and semantically group cards. Templates include Start, Stop, Continue; Mad, Sad, Glad; 4Ls; Lean Coffee; and Sailboat. The tool supports action tracking and exports PDF and Excel reports with AI-generated summaries and sentiment analysis. Its Community Edition costs nothing and includes unlimited boards, members, and history, plus all current features. Clear Retro identifies Gemini AI and Google Cloud Platform (Firebase) for storage, says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and says retrospective data is not used to train Google’s public AI models.
RetroStack
RetroStack is a collaborative board app for agile retrospectives, brainstorming, planning, and group decision-making. Participants edit the same board live across phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, using six ready-made formats or custom boards. Voting limits can be set per section to 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10 votes, or left unlimited. Users can join anonymously with the full feature set, and no account is required to start a board. AI analysis can provide team sentiment insights and key themes, and generate action items and meeting recaps. Boards can be shared through private links or exported as PDF or JSON. The free plan is free and lists web, iOS, Android, and Mac access without sign-up. RetroStack says data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and user content is not used to train AI models; requested analysis is processed through OpenAI. The service may limit board creation, notes per section, votes per session, and AI analysis requests per day. Email support has a stated response time within 24 hours.