Metro Retro is now Spreo — here’s how FocusRetro compares

If you searched for Metro Retro and landed on an unfamiliar site: the product rebranded — first to Ludi, and it is now called Spreo (metroretro.io redirects there). It remains a capable workshop and retro whiteboard, but two things changed that send teams looking for alternatives: per-seat licensing and, per its current pricing page, a 30-day trial instead of a permanent free plan.

FocusRetro takes the opposite approach: a free-forever Starter plan, and a Team plan at a flat $12/month billed annually with unlimited boards and unlimited members. A 10-person team on Spreo’s Starter plan pays around $40/month (10 seats × $4); on FocusRetro, the same team pays $12 — and the price does not change when you invite five more people.

Quick verdict

Choose FocusRetro

Choose FocusRetro if you want a dedicated retrospective tool with flat pricing, a real free plan, blind voting, and action items that get reviewed next sprint.

Choose Metro Retro

Choose Spreo (ex-Metro Retro) if you want a freeform visual whiteboard for workshops and planning sessions beyond retros, and per-seat pricing fits your org.

FocusRetro vs Metro Retro: side by side

Based on each product's public website and help center, verified July 2026. See spreo.io for their current details.

Pricing

Feature	FocusRetro	Metro Retro
Pricing model	Flat $12/mo per team, billed annually ($15 monthly)	Per seat — every team member needs a license (~$4/seat/mo annual on Starter)
Cost for a 10-person team	$12/month	~$40/month on Starter (10 licenses)
Free plan	Free forever — 3 personal boards per month	30-day trial; account becomes read-only after
Guests	Join from a link, no account needed	2 guest collaborators per board on Starter (20 on Business)

Product focus

Feature	FocusRetro	Metro Retro
Core focus	Retrospectives, start to follow-through	Planning, retros, and workshops on a freeform whiteboard
Templates	Went Well/To Improve, Start-Stop-Continue, 4Ls, Sailboat, Lean Coffee, blank	100+ templates
Private writing / hidden input	Yes	Yes
Blind voting (revealed only after everyone votes)	Yes	Voting included; blind reveal not advertised
Phase timers and locked phases	Yes	Facilitator controls

Follow-through & admin

Feature	FocusRetro	Metro Retro
Action items with owners, due dates, status	Yes	Action tracking
Action review before the next retro	Built-in dashboard	Not advertised on their site
Exports	PDF and CSV	CSV and PDF
Jira integration	No	Business plan and above
SAML SSO / admin controls	Business plan	Business and Enterprise plans

Why teams switch to FocusRetro

Per-seat pricing punishes whole-team rituals

Retros only work when the whole team participates — which under per-seat licensing means every participant costs money. Spreo’s model charges per member; FocusRetro’s flat $12/month covers 5 people or 50, so nobody gets left off the invite to save budget.

A real free plan, not a countdown

Spreo’s current pricing page offers a 30-day trial, after which accounts go read-only. FocusRetro’s Starter plan is free forever — 3 personal boards a month is enough for a team proving the retro habit before paying anything.

Purpose-built for retros, not a general canvas

Freeform whiteboards are great for workshops but add friction to a recurring ritual: someone has to arrange the canvas, corral the stickies, and copy actions out by hand. FocusRetro boards are structured for the retro loop — write, vote, discuss, assign — with no setup between sessions.

The rebrand trail is a risk signal for some teams

Metro Retro became Ludi, then Spreo, within a short window. Rebrands are normal, but teams that want a stable, boring vendor for a core team ritual often prefer a tool that does one thing and keeps doing it.

Where Metro Retro shines

An honest comparison cuts both ways. Metro Retro is a solid product, and it may be the better fit if these matter most to you:

Excellent freeform whiteboard — strong for workshops, sprint planning, and visual collaboration beyond retros
100+ templates and a playful, polished canvas experience
Jira integration and cross-team collaboration on higher tiers
Time machine board history

Frequently asked questions

What happened to Metro Retro?+

Metro Retro rebranded: it became Ludi and is now called Spreo (spreo.io). metroretro.io redirects to the new site. It is the same underlying product, now positioned around planning, retros, and workshops with per-seat licensing.

Is Metro Retro (Spreo) free?+

As of July 2026, Spreo’s pricing page offers a 30-day free trial rather than a permanent free plan; after the trial, accounts become read-only. FocusRetro offers a free-forever Starter plan with 3 personal boards per month.

How much does Spreo cost compared to FocusRetro?+

Spreo is licensed per seat — its own example prices a 10-person team at about $40/month on the Starter plan billed annually. FocusRetro’s Team plan is a flat $12/month billed annually ($15 monthly) with unlimited members, so the gap widens as your team grows.

Is FocusRetro a good Metro Retro alternative for workshops?+

For retrospectives, post-mortems, health checks, and similar structured sessions — yes, that is exactly what it is built for. If you primarily need a freeform infinite canvas for design workshops, a general whiteboard tool like Spreo may suit that job better.

Try the Metro Retro alternative teams actually stick with

Start on the free plan, invite your team with a link, and run your next retro in FocusRetro. Flat $12/mo when you upgrade — no per-seat math. focusretro.com

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