Glide is a no-code platform that allows users to create web apps without writing any code. It helps non-programmers build functional and responsive apps by leveraging data from Google Sheets, Airtable, and several other data sources.

In this review, we will examine Glide’s core features, user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and its competitive landscape.

Glide: Features

Glide allows you to build apps directly from your existing data. The platforms can connect to your data from various sources, including spreadsheets like Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Airtable, data warehouses like BigQuery, relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and cloud databases like Google Cloud SQL.

If you’re starting from scratch, you can also use the platform’s own Glide Tables, or Glide Big Tables if you need an enterprise-scale database.

Best of all, you can use the platform to visually create relationships, and look up values across all your tables. And whenever your data changes in Glide, it instantly syncs directly back to your original data source.

To keep your data safe, Glide lets you control who can manage, view, and edit your apps with granular permissions. You can also restrict who can access or download specific rows of data based on an email address.

Another advantage with Glide is that you don’t have to rely on external automation tools. You can instead use Glide Workflows to automate tasks, which comes in handy when you need to manage processes such as sending emails, and data updates.

You can start these workflows from app interactions, schedules, emails, and more. There’s also a Webhook workflow that kicks in when it receives data from external services, such as Stripe, or TypeForm.

The platform also keeps a track of all the workflow runs to help you review their execution, and rectify any errors. That said, you can still use external workflow builders like Zapier and Make, with Glide.

In addition to starting with existing data, you can also create an app from an AI prompt, or from its existing collection of templates. Glide has templates for common business apps including CRMs, customer portals, inventory management systems, sales dashboard, and more.

Glide also lets you roll AI capabilities like natural language processing, and computer vision into your apps. The platform, very helpfully, also has a set of AI templates that you can customize as per your requirements. The platform is also beta testing a new feature that will help you build custom components that don’t exist in Glide by prompting AI.

Glide: Interface and Ease of Use

When you first sign into Glide, it’ll ask you to create an app using an AI prompt. The platform will then build the app, and suggest ways to improve your app.

As we mentioned earlier, in addition to using the AI prompt, you can also create an app from existing data. In this case, you’ll have to point Glide to your data wherever it resides. It’ll then look through the data, and automatically create an app for you.

In either case, you’ll end up in the Layout editor that’ll help you refine, and fine tune your apps.

Here, use the left sidebar to add, and manage screens to your apps, and also add components to the screens. The platform has several different kinds of screens, and each one relates to your data in a different way. There’s a Data tab on the bottom of the sidebar that you can use to quickly view the data for the currently selected screen.

In the middle of the screen you can preview, and interact with your app. You can switch between the mobile, and desktop views, and also view the screen as it would appear to different users.

On the right side of the interface, you can configure each screen and its components, tweak their appearance, and bind them to your data.

From the top of the interface, you can switch out from the Layout editor to tweak other aspects of your app. The Data tab takes you to the Data editor where you can view and edit the data. On the left, it’ll list all the imported and synced tables. From here you can modify your data, add new tables, sync external data sources, and more.

The Workflows tab brings up the Workflow editor, where you can create different types of custom Workflows. You can either create a workflow from scratch, or customize one of the six existing ones. For instance, there’s one that will intercept emails, and use AI to extract data and add them to your tables. Another will automatically respond to an email with AI.

Then there’s the Settings tab from where you can adjust your apps’ name, appearance, and other settings. When you’re done, use the Publish button in the top right corner to make your app public. All apps created with Glide are responsive, which means they look good on both desktops, and smartphones.

Glide: Integration and Extensibility

Glide not only allows you to connect to various data sources, but you can connect multiple data sources to a single Glide app. For instance, you could combine data from a PostgreSQL database with business data stored in Google Sheets.

You can also use Glide to connect your apps to all over 50 useful third-party business tools. For instance, you can get your app to interact with Asana to create, and delete tasks, and projects, or with DocuSign to sign a document, generate content with Google Gemini, and OpenAI, and a lot more.

Integrations in Glide can provide different features that can be used in various ways. Depending on the integration, you may need to grant permissions or enter secrets such as an API key. The project has detailed documentation on how to add and configure each of the supported integrations.

Glide: Deployment and Maintenance

Once you’ve created an app, use the Publish button to make it live. As it is with most no-code platforms, by default, all apps are published to a Glide subdomain.

The platform will also generate a QR code that you can scan to access the app from your smartphone. All Glide apps are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which means your device will give you the option to install, and use it like a native app.

Once an app is published, you can move it to a custom domain, or unpublish it. By default, all apps will be available to a restricted set of users. However, you can easily make the app accessible to anyone.

Also, since Glide apps are basically web-based, any changes you make to the app, or to the data in the connected data source, will automatically be reflected in the app without any manual intervention. This makes maintenance incredibly easy, and ensures that all users have access to the latest version of the app.

Glide: Pricing and Documentation

Glide has a tiered pricing model, starting with a feature-restricted Free tier. For instance, Free users can browse through the list of Free templates, but will need to upgrade to a paid plan to use them.

Paid plans start with the $60/month ($49/month billed annually) Maker plan. You can use this plan to connect your app with Google Sheets, import data from Excel, or CSV files, or use Glide’s own data sources.

The $249/month ($199/month billed annually) Business plan lets you use Airtable, and Excel as additional data sources over the Maker plan. To unlock all of the supported data sources, you’ll have to switch to the Enterprise plan, which is priced according to usage.

Also, remember that each plan also restricts the number of rows you can have in your app, and the list of available features. Furthermore, with the Maker plan you can only make your app available to users who sign in using a public email service, such as Gmail, or an education domain (.edu).

To complicate matters further, each plan has a limited number of updates. These are like credits that you consume to change, and sync data from external sources like Google Sheets, and Airtable. However, these don’t apply if you use Glide’s own data sources.

In terms of documentation, Glide has enough text and video resources to help you get started with the platform. It’ll teach you how to use the platform’s essential functions such as automations, and workflows. You can take your questions with the platform to Glide’s forum boards, though users on the paid tiers get priority support as well.

Glide: The Competition

There are lots of other no-code platforms, but Glide mainly competes with Softr, which also allows you to build apps from your existing business data.

While it originally started as an interface on top of Airtable, Softr too can now work with popular third-party databases, ranging from simple options like Google Sheets, to relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and more. Glide however offers its own in-house data sources.

When compared to Softr, Glide offers a more robust platform with built-in workflow capabilities, and very handy AI-powered features. But that also gives it a stepper learning curve as compared to Softr.

Then there’s Bubble. Unlike Glide, which helps create data-driven apps for internal use, Bubble is more versatile, and can help create all kinds of SaaS platforms. Also, while Glide can create PWAs, if you want to create native mobile apps, there’s Adalo, which like Bubble can be used to spin up all kinds of business apps.

Glide: Final Verdict

Glide is a good option if you’re looking to quickly build data-driven apps without much effort. The platform combines ease of use with powerful features, which help make it appealing to both beginners and experienced users.

However, Glide has a complex pricing plan, and might turn out to be a little more expensive than its peers, depending on your exact use case.

That said, it has a lot going for it in terms of its seamless integration with popular data sources, intuitive interface, visual editors, and built-in automations, and customization options. These features make Glide a must try option for anyone looking to convert their existing business data into visually appealing PWAs.

These are the best IT Automation software.

Thunkable is a popular cloud-based no-code platform that helps users build mobile apps even without having any prior coding experience. It has gained considerable attention due to its intuitive interface, powerful features, and support for both Android and iOS app development.

In this review, we’ll analyze various aspects of Thunkable, including its features, interface and ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and competition.

Thunkable: Features

Thunkable offers a wide range of features that cater to the needs of different users, from beginners to more advanced builders.

One of Thunkable's biggest strengths is its ability to build apps for both Android phones and iOS devices, and tablets, at the same time. Users can create apps that work across both platforms without needing to write platform-specific code.

Thunkable's core strength lies in its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. The platform also offers a large collection of pre-built components to cover a wide range of functionalities. Users can easily add essential user interface components like buttons, sliders, as well as media components, sensors, and more, to their apps, with a simple drag-and-drop.

This visual approach helps make the platform highly intuitive, particularly for those with little or no coding experience. While it doesn’t offer templates as many of its peers, there are also sample apps that you can remix and customize to meet your requirements.

Another wonderful feature is Thunkable’s Scratch-inspired block-based programming system, that you can use to define your app’s logic. You create logic by dragging and connecting blocks to create event handlers, control flow, and perform actions. This makes programming easier and more accessible.

Another interesting feature is Thunkable’s ability to let you infuse Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your apps for things like image and voice recognition. The platform can also integrate with OpenAI for adding generative AI functionality to your apps.

Thunkable: Interface and Ease of Use

Thunkable's interface is clean and intuitive, which makes it fairly user-friendly and accessible to beginners. As we’ve said before, the platform's drag-and-drop system makes it easy to design and build apps without any coding knowledge.

Thunkable’s interface is broadly divided into two tabs, namely Design, and Blocks.

You use the Design tab to create the UI of your app by dragging elements like buttons, labels, switches, and such to the canvas. You can also customize each element's properties, such as color, size, and layout, to match your app's branding and requirements.

Each app can have multiple screens, and each screen has its own Design tab. This allows you to create different views or pages within your app, each with its own layout and components.

The Blocks tab is where you add the logic and functionality to the app. Again, you just drag and drop to connect code blocks to define the app's behavior, which can be everything from reacting to a button press, and handling user input, to accessing device’s sensors, and interacting with external services.

Similarly, the other sections, particularly, Data, Assets, and Cloud Variables, help you easily manage various aspects of your app's data and resources. There’s also the Settings section where you define different details of your app, such as its name, default layout, some important Android and iOS publishing settings, and more.

Thunkable also provides a couple of mechanisms to test and preview your apps. There’s the Web Preview that you can use to test the app from within the browser itself. Then there’s the Live App that can help test your apps in your mobile phone. Any changes you make to the app are reflected instantly in the device.

Thunkable: Integration and Extensibility

Thunkable offers a wide range of integrations with popular services and tools, such as Google Maps, Stripe, Firebase, Airtable, Google Sheets, Xano, RevenueCat (for in-app purchases, and subscriptions), and more.

The platform also allows you to connect your app to any Application Programming Interface (API). You can also use it to connect to a database, or integrate with external data sources, including Google Sheets, and Airtable, to store and manage data within your app.

There’s also the Web Viewer component that allows you to display websites in your apps. More importantly though you can use this component to run HTML and JavaScript commands. This flexibility enables you to extend the platform's capabilities and customize apps beyond the platform’s built-in capabilities.

Thunkable also integrates with Figma, a popular web-based design tool that offers more design versatility. You can compose the interface for your app in Figma, and then import it into Thunkable.

Thunkable: Deployment and Maintenance

Thunkable also helps simplify the deployment and maintenance process for all mobile apps you create with the platform. Once an app is ready, you can easily publish it to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store directly from Thunkable.

Remember though, the Apple and Android app publishing processes are quite different. For instance, to publish with Apple, you first complete the process in the Thunkable publishing wizard, and the app file is sent directly to your Apple TestFlight.

On the other hand, to publish with Android, you receive an email from Thunkable with your app's Android App Bundle (AAB) file, which you download and then submit to the Google Play Store for review.

You’ll still have to do some running around to register, and submit the app to the relevant app store. However, Thunkable provides step-by-step guidance to help you submit new apps and subsequent updates. This helps streamline the otherwise complex app submission process, especially for first timers.

Thunkable: Pricing and Documentation

Thunkable offers a tiered pricing structure, including a free tier with limited features, and paid tiers with more advanced capabilities. The free tier is suitable to explore, and experiment with the platform, while the paid tiers are necessary if you want to deploy your apps.

Premium plans are priced on a monthly or annual basis. The Builder plan costs $59/month or $37/month billed annually, and can be used to put custom branding, and publish one app each on the Apple or Google app stores.

If you want to publish multiple apps, you’ll need to switch to the Advanced plan that costs $189/month or $99/month billed annually. In addition to unlimited apps, this plan will also let you roll in in-app payments, and ads in your apps.

Thunkable provides comprehensive documentation, including text and video tutorials, to help users get started and make the most of the platform. The documentation covers everything from the basics of app creation to advanced integration, database management, and app deployment.

Thunkable also maintains an active community forum where users can share projects, ask questions, and get help from other users.

Thunkable: The Competition

Thunkable faces competition from several other no-code platforms that also cater to mobile app development, particularly Adalo, which too primarily focuses on mobile apps, and offers a similarly intuitive drag-and-drop interface.

One area where Adalo scores over Thunkable is in terms of the number of third-party integrations. Thunkable, on the other hand, is good for defining more advanced backend capabilities. This means you can build more versatile apps with Thunkable, while Adalo is easier to get started with.

However, Thunkable’s lack of templates can be an issue for first timers, though of course they can remix one of the demo apps to get a rolling start. And although both platforms don't let you publish mobile apps on the free plan, Thunkable’s free plan is more restrictive than Adalo's.

Thunkable: Final Verdict

Thunkable has everything you need to build and roll out mobile apps without coding. It’s both easy to use and offers advanced functionalities to experienced campaigners. The drag-and-drop interface, pre-built components, and the Scratch-inspired logic system makes it a good option for both beginners and intermediate users.

That said, as with any platform, there is a learning curve when it comes to more complex functionality. For example, while the drag-and-drop interface simplifies app design, integrating third-party APIs, creating, and managing complex database structures, or building advanced app logic might require a bit of time to master.

Also, while the block-based logic system is relatively easy to learn, it can make it quite cumbersome to define complex app logic, especially when working on larger projects.

We’ve looked at the best Large Language Models (LLMs) for coding

Softr is a no-code platform that can help you create all kinds of web apps, marketplaces, ERP, dashboards, and more, all from a visual editor, without writing a single line of code. Together with its peers, Softr has gained traction in recent years thanks to its promise of democratizing and streamlining the app creation process.

In this review, we'll explore Softr's standout features, user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, and documentation, and compare it with some of its peers in the no-code space.

Softr: Features

Softr gives you access to over 90 pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to launch web apps faster than starting with a clean slate. You’ll find templates to create help desk portals, all kinds of internal business tools, CRMs, member communities, marketplaces, and a lot more.

Each template has its own layout, and customizable options, which you can tweak as per your needs.

Keeping up with the times, the platform also offers you the option to create an app with an AI prompt.

Irrespective of how you start your app, the platform will ease its customization thanks to its drag-and-drop interface. The interface makes it rather straightforward to create layouts, structure pages, and tweak components inside them. The simplicity of it all ensures that even if you don’t have any prior web development experience, you can cobble together a web app without too much fuss.

Softr also supports user management and authentication features, to help create gated content, subscription-based services, or private communities. You can enable email-based logins, two-factor authentication, Google sign-in, and even SSO via SAML and OpenID protocols. You can also create different user groups and control what each group can see, or do.

Similarly, Softr offers integrated payment processing through Stripe, to help build subscription-based apps. It also supports PayPal, and Gumroad for digital purchases.

While it originally started as an interface on top of Airtable, Softr can now work with popular third-party databases, ranging from simple options like Google Sheets, and Notion to relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and more.

You can also create workflows, and automate tasks by integrating your Softr-built app with the Zapier automation platform. This will help set up triggers and actions between your app and other services, for instance to send personalized welcome emails, or for adding users to a CRM, and such.

Best of all, Softr ensures that all your apps are responsive, and display nicely on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Softr: Interface and Ease of Use

The platform’s interface is clean and user-friendly. The dashboard gives you access to your projects, as well as the ability to create new ones. You can either start with a blank canvas, use a template, or generate an app with AI.

Softr’s design interface is straightforward, with a navigation bar on the left side where you can access key components like Pages, Themes, Database, Users, and Settings.

You can easily create pages, tweak layout by repositioning or adding, and deleting blocks, all without dealing with complex menus or settings.

All pages have blocks, which you can think of as pre-designed components that cater to different purposes. For instance, you can add a Calendar block to map project deadlines, or coordinate team schedules, and such.

You can customize any block from a properties panel that appears when a block is selected. While it does quicken the app creation process, remember though that Softr blocks don’t give you the same level of design freedom that you get with other platforms like Bubble.

For instance, you can add multiple CTA buttons to your app, and change their order of appearance, but can’t reposition them to any part of the page, as you can with Bubble.

As you are building, you can use Softr’s Preview function to look at your app. Very helpfully, it gives you the option to look at the app from the point of view of any user, including logged out users.

You can use the device selector to preview the app as it would appear on devices with different screen sizes. Interestingly, you can even scan the QR code to preview the app on your actual device as well, without installing additional apps.

Softr: Integration and Extensibility

The Airtable integration is one of Softr's biggest strengths, enabling users to easily manage data and display it within their applications.

Beyond Airtable, Softr connects natively to simple spreadsheets, SQL databases, and even data warehouses like BigQuery.

On top of that it also integrates with business apps like HubSpot Chat, Documint, Google Analytics, and more. The platform also natively supports Stripe, PayPal, and Gumroad to help you roll in e-commerce functionality in your apps.

If you want more, you can connect your apps to more sources with Softr’s recently introduced REST API connector.

Similarly, you can break beyond Softr’s default capabilities by embedding JavaScript into your app’s pages. Thanks to this flexibility, you can inject your own code snippets, and there are lots of commonly used code snippets in the documentation, and even embed third-party widgets directly into their applications. You can, for instance, easily embed Calendly in your Softr app to schedule and manage appointments.

Softr: Deployment and Maintenance

Once you’ve developed and previewed your app, you can easily deploy them to a live domain, literally with a single click.

The platform relies on the AWS infrastructure, and like its peers, it too handles hosting, domain management, and SSL certificates.

When deploying an app, the platform gives you the option to deploy it to a free Softr subdomain. Or, if your membership tier allows it, you can also point Softr to a custom domain, and publish there instead.

The platform claims it’ll automatically scale all Softr apps according to traffic, which makes the platform suitable for all kinds of businesses, and use cases. However, while not many users have faced any performance issues with their apps, some advise caution for using the platform to build large-scale apps, primarily depending on where you have stored your data.

Softr: Pricing and Documentation

Softr offers a tiered pricing structure.

The free plan includes a basic set of features. You can use it to explore the platform, and build small, personal apps, or prototypes. While you can only publish one app, you can invite as many collaborators as you want to help build the app. It also limits the number of building blocks, the data sources, and the number of records you can use in your app.

Paid plans unlock more advanced features such as custom domains, more data sources, and integrations, and the ability to remove Softr branding. The Basic plan starts at $59/month (or $49/month billed annually) and lets you publish three apps.

Then there’s the $167/month Professional plan ($139/month billed annually), and the $323/month Business plan ($269/month billed annually). As you move up the tier, you’ll get additional features, and functionality, as well as more support options.

Talking of support, Softr offers comprehensive text, and video documentation, howtos, and courses, for new users. The documentation covers everything from getting started to publishing. It also has detailed, illustrated guides on advanced topics such as integrating third-party tools, and writing custom code.

In addition to the documentation, Softr offers support through a community forum, and a 24/7 live chat. Some paid tiers also get a personalized onboarding call, and priority support.

Softr: The Competition

Softr shares the space with several other point-and-click no-code platforms that can all churn out web apps.

For starters there’s Bubble, which is often thought of as a more robust platform than Softr, especially when it comes to building complex apps. Bubble offers greater flexibility, though it comes with a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Bildr, which puts great emphasis on visual development, and offers far more customization freedom. Bildr’s best for those of you who want better control over both the backend and frontend of your web apps. But this means that just like Bubble, Bildr too has a steeper learning curve than Softr.

On the other hand, Softr is a better option for you if you want simplicity, and quick deployment. You also get that same level of simplicity with Adalo, though this platform is primarily designed to build mobile apps.

Softr: Final Verdict

Softr is a good no-code platform for anyone who wants to use their existing business data to build, and roll out web apps quickly. Its plethora of templates, AI builder, and drag-and-drop interface, make it an attractive option for non-technical users.

That said, while Softr is an excellent platform for those who need to deploy quickly, it might fall short for users who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

All things considered, while Softr isn’t as extensible as some of its peers, its ease of use makes it a wonderful platform for creating all kinds of business apps, dashboards, and marketplaces.

But this might soon change for the better, as Softr is set to inherit full-stack app-building capabilities. When these updates roll out, sometime in 2025, you’ll no longer need third-party workflow automation tools, and external databases, which will open up the platform to an even wider range of use cases.

Check out our list of Best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

Bildr is a no-code platform that relies on a visual development environment to help users create web apps. The platform has a strong emphasis on real-time collaboration, and you can use its intuitive, drag-and-drop interfaces, and extensive customization options to conjure up apps without any coding knowledge.

In this review, we will dive into the platform's features, ease of use, integrations, deployment, pricing, and how it’s positioned in the no-code space.

Bildr: Features

Bildr’s primary feature is its visual editor, which allows users to create apps simply by dragging and dropping pre-configured components onto a canvas.

This editor provides access to all kinds of user interface (UI) elements, such as buttons, forms, text inputs, tables, and other visual components that can all be customized as per your needs.

You can even use AI to style these elements. All you need to do is enter a prompt for an element, such as “add a cool gradient with red, blue, and white,” and the platform will do the styling for you.

Although Bildr pushes a blank canvas approach, the platform does offer a handful of pre-built templates that you can use, and customize to fit your requirements.

Another good thing about Bildr is that it offers built-in tools for common actions, like user authentication. You can use these to add login screens, user registration, and password management without much effort.

User authentication is actually implemented as what’s known as a pattern in Bildr parlance. Think of patterns as pre-built components, which have all the flows, and the logic built into it. All you need to do is import a pre-built pattern, and tweak it to your heart’s content.

Like all good no-code platforms, you can also connect Bildr to external data sources residing in popular third-party databases such as Google Sheets, Airtable, Xano, and others.

Also, every app built on Bildr is automatically optimized for smartphones, tablets, and desktops, ensuring a consistent experience across form factors.

Finally, while Bildr is designed to build web apps, you can use the platform to create Chrome extensions, and blockchain-enabled decentralized Web3 apps, as well.

Bildr: Interface and Ease of Use

One of the key strengths of Bildr is its intuitive, user-friendly interface. The interface is centered around a drag-and-drop editor, which is a common feature in no-code platforms.

You can use the editor to easily put together your apps by dragging and dropping various elements onto Buildr’s infinite canvas. The advantage of the infinite canvas is that instead of building and viewing individual pages, you can use it to look at your entire app in one view, and even manipulate it in a very visual way. For instance, you can easily drag and rearrange your pages, and position them how you want, using the mouse.

Many people compare Bildr’s dashboard to that of the Figma interface design tool. It has a learning curve, which makes it seem a little daunting and cumbersome, especially if you’re upgrading from designed-for-beginners no-code platforms like Adalo. But tinker with it for a bit, and you’ll soon learn to appreciate its dexterity.

The basic approach of the visual design environment is pretty much the same, and easily navigable. You have a panel for adding components, another to tweak its settings and properties, and a central workspace for building the app.

The components are clearly categorized, and users can easily search for specific elements within the platform. You can use the properties panel to fine-tune attributes, modify styling elements like color, size, and borders, and configure each element’s positioning with padding, margins, and alignment.

In addition to the components, you can also use Bildr to set up flows, and define triggers, actions, and conditions to control your app. You can set automatic responses to user interactions, and even program dynamic interactions without writing any or perhaps a little code.

Combined with the platform's design flexibility, which is particularly appealing to anyone who wants granular control over their designs, Bildr’s drag-and-drop functionality ensures that you can cobble together a polished app even without any technical skills.

Bildr: Integration and Extensibility

One of the key considerations when evaluating no-code platforms is its ability to integrate with external services and tools.

In that vein, you can integrate Bildr with external APIs, and then display, and manipulate data directly within the app. Thanks to this ability the platform can communicate with virtually any service that offers an API, essentially extending its capabilities beyond what’s baked in.

Bildr also integrates with popular services, such as Stripe for processing payments, and Auth0 for authentication.

Also, while Bildr is primarily a no-code platform, it also provides an option to add custom JavaScript, which is a great extensible feature for anyone with the know-how.

Bildr: Deployment and Maintenance

Like all good no-code platforms, you can use Bildr to deploy and maintain apps built using the platform. You can essentially roll out apps with a handful of clicks.

You can publish an app for free inside a Bildr subdomain, as well as on your own custom domains. The platform can also create auto-renewing SSL certificates for you. In addition to traditional web apps, Bildr also lets you transform your artwork into NFTs that you can then sell. It offers a NFT mint contract that you can customize as per your requirements.

While Bildr has a scalable infrastructure, many users believe Bildr is ideally suitable for small to medium-sized apps. Popular opinion says if you are working on complex, and high-traffic apps, the platform’s built-in scalability features might not be enough for you.

Bildr: Pricing and Documentation

Like its peers, Bildr’s pricing is structured around subscription tiers, with additional features as you move higher up the level.

For starters, the platform offers a free tier with basic features. You can use it to experiment with the platform. It offers 1GB bandwidth, 20,000 data records, and 5,000 API calls. You’ll need to switch to one of the paid plans to unlock more functionality, and increased usage limit.

The Launch Plan costs $29/month ($24/month billed yearly) and lets you publish apps to custom domains without any Bildr branding. It comes with 25GB bandwidth, 50,000 data records, and 50,000 API calls.

If you need more resources, there’s the Pro plan that costs $119/month ($99/month billed annually), and over 250 GB of bandwidth, 250,000 data records, and 500,000 API calls. The paid plans also let you invite and collaborate with other builders. The Launch plan allows two collaborators, while the Pro plan allows up to five.

There’s also the one-time $999 Bildr Studio Pass that you can use to create and publish any number of web apps to a custom domain. It also gives you access to several more templates, including those for Web3 apps.

To get the most out of the platform, it’s best if you peruse through Bildr’s official documentation. Although it doesn’t offer the same number of video tutorials as you get on some other platforms, there’s enough to help you get a feel for the platform’s capabilities.

Bildr also doesn’t offer traditional forum boards for users to pick each other’s brains. Instead the platform has a Discord channel for its community, with private channels and events for Studio Pass owners.

Bildr: The Competition

Bildr competes with a wide range of no-code platforms, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Bubble is one of the most popular no-code platforms for building web apps. It too has an intuitive visual editor, though it is often cited for being more flexible and feature rich when compared to Bildr.

Bubble also offers a wider range of prebuilt templates, which makes it easier for inexperienced developers to get started quickly. Bildr, on the other hand, has fewer templates, and targets developers who want granular control over the appearance and behavior of their apps, even if it takes more time to set them up from scratch.

Another option that’s more suitable for beginners is Softr. While it too has more templates than Bildr, Softr may not have all the features and customization options you get with Bildr.

Bildr: Final Verdict

Bildr’s standout feature is its flexibility. The platform does have a learning curve, especially for those new to no-code tools, and its depth of customization may seem overwhelming at first

That said, Bildr is praised for its strong design tools, and collaborative environment. This makes it especially attractive for anyone who prioritizes aesthetics and user interface aspects, and need to build highly customizable web apps. On the flip side though, this makes Bildr less suited for quick, and simple web apps.

Overall, if you are looking for a versatile no-code tool that offers deep customization options, Bildr presents itself a strong choice, though it might take time to unlock its full potential.

Here’s our list of the best web design software.

One of the oldest no-code app builders, Bubble can help you build web and mobile apps without writing a single line of code. Bubble provides a comprehensive point-and-click visual development environment, where users can design interfaces, set up workflows, and create databases, without writing any code.

In this review, we'll examine the features of Bubble, its user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance options, pricing, documentation, and how it compares to its peers..

Bubble: Features

Bubble AI is one of the platforms’ most interesting features. You can use it to create a blueprint for an app, and then review its features, and refine it as per your needs. It’ll then generate the app, which you can then customize using the UI builder.

To design the app you can drag-and-drop UI elements into the canvas and arrange them as required. The platform gives you access to a wide range of pre-built UI elements, such as buttons, input forms, and containers like popups, which can all be customized to match your apps’ look and feel.

Best of all, you can also arrange elements responsively for various screen sizes to ensure your app has a consistent user experience across devices.

Then there’s Bubble’s marketplace, which offers a wide range of both free and paid plugins that can help you extend the functionality of your app. You can use the plugins to integrate with popular services such as payment gateways, analytics tools, communication platforms, log in services, and more.

Similarly, the marketplace also hosts lots of free and paid templates for pre-built apps that you can use as starting points.

Bubble also has an AI page creator that can generate pages for your apps based on a description or prompt. This is meant to simplify the process of creating common page types, such as landing pages, forms, and dashboards, which you can then tweak to meet your requirements.

In addition to the apps’ UI, you can also use Bubble to visually define actions that occur when specific events are triggered in the app, such as a button click. Bubble also has a flexible database management system that you can easily connect with your app, and manage, via a graphical interface.

Bubble: Interface and Ease of Use

Bubble’s interface is pretty intuitive for anyone who has worked with no-code tools before. All of its interfaces, including the UI builder, the workflow editor, and others are logically organized and easily navigable.

The platform’s app design interface includes a canvas where you can drag-and-drop all kinds of elements and components to create the layout of your app. Additionally, you also have the ability to group the various elements, adjust their spacing, and more.

On the left of the canvas are its various sections, led by the Design section that houses all options to help you create and arrange UI elements. Then there’s the Workflow section where you define how your app reacts to user interactions, like button clicks, by setting up a sequence of actions that Bubble will perform in response to those events.

There’s also the Data section where you can define how your app accepts data from the user, and manage the database. Another important section is the Plugins section from where you can browse, install, and tweak add-ons to extend your app’s functionality.

Together with the ready-made templates for all kinds of use cases, and the AI app and page builders, Bubble offers enough to help ease users into the platform.

That said, first timers may find the sheer number of options in the designer a little overwhelming. So while you can get started with your app rather quickly, it might take you some time and effort before you can utilize the platform's full potential.

Bubble: Integration and Extensibility

One of Bubble’s USPs is its extensive integration and extensibility options. We’ve already mentioned its extensive marketplace of pre-built plugins. The platform can also integrate with AI tools such as ChatGPT, and DALL-E, and you can go further by integrating it with dozens of popular apps thanks to Zapier.

The platform also offers several extensibility options for advanced users. For starters, you’ll appreciate its API connector that allows you to interface with external systems by connecting your app to any JSON or XML-based API.

The API Connector also supports various authentication methods like OAuth2. You can also go beyond the platform’s capabilities by integrating custom JavaScript code to extend your app.

In terms of extensibility, Bubble's database is also quite flexible and supports custom data types and fields. This makes it fairly straightforward to create complex data structures and relationships, and tailor the app to fit your unique requirements.

And while Bubble can’t create native mobile apps yet, several users have used tools like Phonegap and GoNative to turn Bubble web apps into native apps.

Bubble: Deployment and Maintenance

Deploying apps created with Bubble is straightforward.

You can preview your app at any time to ensure everything works properly. Once you're satisfied, you can then deploy the app to a Bubble-provided domain, or to a custom domain from a third-party domain registrar like GoDaddy, in a couple of clicks.

The platform uses Cloudflare Content Delivery Network (CDN) for all apps to ensure your apps can be accessed quickly from anywhere in the world.

In terms of scaling, when your app starts grabbing eyeballs, Bubble can increase traffic and data storage needs as required. You can ask the platform to do this automatically, which shields against sudden spikes in traffic, and is perhaps more suitable for large-scale apps. You can also scale manually for better control and to keep costs in check.

Like all good app builders, Bubble also has a version control system that you can use to track revisions. It’ll help you make and test changes in a development version of the app, and then deploy them to its live instance without much effort.

You can also use Bubble to connect with popular analytics tools to track visits to your apps and get all kinds of insights. The platform also keeps detailed logs of every action performed within your app to help you track user interactions, and more. You can essentially use these logs to identify potential issues and troubleshoot problems.

Bubble: Pricing and Documentation

Bubble offers a tiered pricing model to suit different needs.

The free plan is good to learn the ropes and familiarize yourself with the platform. Its paid plans start at $29/month for the Starter Plan that’s meant for individual developers, followed by the $119/month Growth Plan for building complex apps, and the $349/month Team Plan for larger businesses.

To publish your app you’ll need to subscribe to one of the paid plans, all of which also offer the option to deploy to a custom domain. The paid plans also offer security features, and can handle more traffic. Starting with the Growth Plan you also get the ability to collaborate on the apps with more than one user.

The platform has a lot of learning resources. There are written tutorials, step-by-step guides, and video walkthroughs that’ll help new users through their journey of getting oriented with the platform, to building complex apps.

Then there’s Bubble’s Academy that offers structured courses for everyone from beginners to experienced campaigners. The platform also points to various other community built learning resources, both free and paid.

Talking of community, Bubble’s community-supported forum is the primary outlet for dispensing help and support.

Bubble: The Competition

Bubble goes up against several other no-code platforms, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, Adalo can create both web and mobile apps, and offers a more streamlined experience for creating native mobile apps. However, developers often cite it as being less versatile than Bubble when it comes to creating web apps.

Similarly, there’s Thunkable that you can use to build native mobile apps. However, it too lacks Bubble’s comprehensive web app capabilities. That said, both Adalo and Thunkable have a less steep learning curve than Bubble.

Then there’s Glide that can create web and mobile apps from your existing data. While it is often cited as being simpler to use than Bubble, it doesn’t offer the same flexibility and scalability that you get with Bubble, especially when it comes to complex apps.

Bubble: Final Verdict

Bubble offers all the features you’d expect from a no-code platform to create everything from simple to complex apps. It has intuitive point-and-click interfaces, and also caters to advanced users who want to extend their apps through API integrations, and custom code.

Bubble primarily focuses on web app development, and while it can be used to create mobile-friendly apps, they are essentially web apps optimized for mobile browsers. However, its developers have announced that you’ll soon be able to use Bubble to create native mobile apps as well.

All things considered, Bubble stands out for its versatility and depth, and is a good option especially for those looking to create complex and scalable apps.

We've also looked at the best laptops for programming

Lovable is a relatively new entrant in the rapidly expanding field of no-code platforms that help businesses spin up all kinds of apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we will explore Lovable’s features, interface and ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and how it stands in comparison to its competition.

Lovable: Features

One of the main reasons for Lovable’s growing popularity is its AI app builder.

You describe your app idea in natural language, which the platform will use to create a fully functional app for you. The AI prompt can be as simple as “Create a login page” to something more complex like “Can you build me a CRM app and hook it up to a database, along with an authentication system that allows users to sign up, and log in.”

Once you enter the prompt, Lovable’s AI builder will generate the app’s user interface (UI), along with the backend, complete with the necessary database tables, forms to input customer details, and even set up functionality for viewing, editing, and deleting customer records.

Going one step ahead, you can also use the AI to further edit and refine your app by describing changes to the AI.

Besides AI, Lovable also offers an array of pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to speed up the development process. These templates cover a wide range of application types, such as marketplaces, CRMs, analytics, cryptocurrency trading, and more.

This is especially helpful if you are a green horn developer, and don’t have a clear idea for the app, or someone who wants to roll out apps quickly.

On the backend, Lovable relies on Supabase, which is an open source alternative to Google’s Firebase platform. It’ll help you add databases, authentication services, and other backend functionalities, to your apps.

You can also hook Lovable to your GitHub, and it’ll transfer your project's code to your GitHub repository for two-way sync of edits. This means the platform will be aware of any manual commits you make in the repo, and roll them into the app on its own. This functionality is somewhat unique, as most other no-code platforms just hold on to the code.

If you don’t have a GitHub repo, you can also view, and even edit the code in Lovable itself.

Lovable: Interface and Ease of Use

Lovable has a simple dashboard with a textbox smack in the middle of the screen where you can describe your app idea.

If you’re new to building apps, Lovable suggests leveraging pre-built styles to improve your app’s appearance. Lovable points to 21st.dev where you can browse pre-built designs, and then copy its prompt into Lovable.

After you’ve described the project, Lovable will tell you how it’ll go about building the initial version of the app, describing its features, and design elements. On the right, it’ll tell you the files it’ll create, and then write the code.

When it’s done spinning up the first iteration, it’ll open it up for preview. You can then tweak the layout, and other aspects of the app via more prompts. For more control, you can even make edits to the different elements inside the app using Lovable’s Figma-like visual editor.

You can also attach images to guide the AI. For instance, you can browse the designs at Dribble, screenshot the relevant section, upload it to Lovable, and ask it to redesign the relevant section of the app based on the uploaded design.

The dashboard also gives you access to projects that other users have built. Explore a few to see how others have used the AI to refine, and fine tune their apps. You can also use one of the templates to get off the ground, and then refine it with the AI builder.

The intuitive interface makes it fairly simple to navigate through the different pages in your app. You can also easily switch between the manual edit mode, and the AI mode.

Lovable ensures the UI of your app is responsive, and works well on both desktops and mobile devices. You can easily toggle between web, and mobile views to visualize how your app looks across different screen sizes.

Very helpfully the platform also lets you define global styles by adding a system prompt in the project settings’ Knowledge field, such as “make sure all buttons have rounded corners.” From then on, everytime you ask Lovable to add a button, the AI builder will ensure it adheres to this predefined style.

Lovable: Integration and Extensibility

Lovable leverages popular tools and frameworks such as React, Tailwind CSS, and the Vite JavaScript build tool to optimize frontend performance. This helps ensure your app adheres to industry best practices.

As we’ve mentioned before, Lovable natively integrates with Supabase for backend database capabilities, and more. Supabase can also handle things like user authentication, and supports several authentication providers, from plain email signups, to Google logins, and more.

One way to extend your app, is to ask Lovable AI to modify the database to connect the frontend UI to the backend, for instance, to create and save login details. Based on this information, Lovable will then automatically create the appropriate tables as required, and it’ll write the SQL for you.

You can also instruct Lovable to integrate payment gateways, social media APIs, or data analytics tools directly into your project. Simply ask the AI to "help me integrate Stripe into my app," and then follow its instructions to implement the integration, which basically involves handing it your API keys.

Remember however, Stripe integration doesn’t work in the preview. To test the integration, make sure to first deploy your app. Also refer to the platform’s documentation to see how to make test payments using dummy card details.

If you are looking for something more than simple payments, for instance, subscriptions and role-based access based on payment tiers, Lovable recommends using Supabase.

Besides Stripe, Supabase, and GitHub, Lovable also has a list of over a dozen verified integrations that work well with the platform. These include OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, Highcharts, p5.js, Clerk, and more.

Then there are several other unverified integrations, which will work with the platform, but might make you jump through more hoops. There’s Perplexity, Zapier, Google Workspace, Notion, Calendly, SendGrid, Ticketmaster, and others.

Lovable: Deployment and Maintenance

Deploying and maintaining apps built on Lovable is pretty straightforward as well.

After you’ve built and previewed your app, essentially all it takes to deploy it is a single click. By default, your Lovable app is accessible via a Lovable subdomain, but you can also connect it to any custom domain you own.

You can maintain, and debug your apps using the Lovable AI. For most issues, the platform will give you a “Try to fix” button that will automatically solve many issues for you. If that doesn’t work, you can describe the error in detail to the AI, and ask it for directions.

One of the best things about Lovable is that it actively monitors your code, and might recommend refactoring your code to make it more scalable, and easier to maintain.

The platform also includes built-in version control, which allows you to track changes, bookmark important versions, and roll back to previous versions, without much effort. This makes it easier to track, and review your progress, and undo any mistakes.

Lovable: Pricing and Documentation

Lovable has a tiered pricing plan, starting with a free tier with limited functionality, followed by several paid plans that offer more features and higher usage limits.

For instance, on the free plan, you can prompt the AI five times/day, with a total limit of 30 messages/month.

The Starter plan costs $20/month and increases this to 100 messages a month, with no daily caps. The Launch plan at $50/month bumps this up to 250 messages, while with the $100/month Scale1 plan you get 500 messages/month, but can pay more for additional messages. All paid plans also enable you to publish your app on custom domains.

Lovable handholds you through a series of illustrated introductory documentation, quick start guides, and video tutorials. They cover everything from helping you write the right AI prompts, to fleshing out your apps by integrating them with Supabase, Stripe, and other verified and unverified services.

You can take your queries to Lovable’s Discord community, while paid users also get access to premium support options.

Lovable: The competition

Lovable shares the space with other AI-assisted no-code app builders.

For instance, Bubble, one of the popular platforms, too has an AI builder, but it places a 300 characters limit to the prompts. Bubble is often touted as a good option for building complex apps, as it offers greater flexibility, but has a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Softr, which again places a 200 characters limit on its prompts. It’s very user friendly as well, though it might fall short for those of you who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

Hostinger has also recently ventured into the no-code space with their Horizons tool. Just like with Lovable, you can use Horizons to build, edit, and enhance your apps just by using AI. However, Horizons is still under active development, and doesn’t offer all the features, and conveniences you get with Lovable.

Lovable: Final Verdict

Lovable’s extensive use of AI for everything from creating the app, to adding new functionality, and debugging, makes it one of the best no-code platforms for anyone who’s new to building apps.

You’ll have to hone your prompt writing skills to get the most out of the platform, especially if you are on the lower tiers of its paid plans. Based on the list of featured projects, it appears the platform can manage rather complex workflows, which is a definite plus.

All things considered, Lovable’s user-friendly interface, integration capabilities, and extensibility, make it a compelling option for anyone looking to build apps in record time.

These are the best small business website builders

Adalo is one of the popular no-code app builders that you can use to create mobile and web apps without writing any code. The platform offers a rich set of features and an intuitive interface that help make it a compelling option for anyone looking to roll out apps quickly.

In this review, we’ll examine Adalo's features, interface, ease of use, how it stacks up against the competition, and more to help you determine whether it’s the right option for you.

Adalo: Features

Adalo offers a wide range of features that help make it stand out among its no-code peers.

For starters, Adalo offers a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of apps, such as food ordering apps, ecommerce apps, coaching apps, appointment apps, and more. These templates are customizable and can help you save a lot of design time.

One of its core user experience features is its intuitive drag-and-drop builder. You can use it to add all kinds of elements and user interface (UI) components without writing any code. Adalo offers dozens of commonly-used components, including buttons, text, lists, images, forms, and navigation bars. You simply drag elements from an organized side menu and place them wherever you want inside your app.

Furthermore, Adalo also has a component marketplace that lists even more components that help make your app more professional. Here you’ll get everything from integrations with third-party services like Stripe for payment processing to user authentication with Google, and Apple, as well as things like QR code generators, in-app purchase widgets, and more.

Adalo also integrates with popular third-party services through Zapier. This allows you to connect your apps with tools like Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack, and others.

Best of all, you can use Adalo to create both mobile and web apps with responsive design features, which helps your apps look great whether on mobile devices, tablets, and desktops. And once you’ve designed and tested your app, Adalo will also help you publish it directly to both Google Play and Apple’s App Store.

Adalo: Interface and Ease of Use

Adalo’s interface is designed with non-technical users in mind. The builder is intuitive and logically organized, with panels and menus clearly arranged in sections to ease navigation.

The platform has a clean and straightforward dashboard, from where you can create new apps with just a few clicks.

You can use Adalo’s app designer to build your app’s UI by simply dragging and dropping elements. When you select a component, the designer lets you customize its properties to help you tailor their appearance and functionality, and resize and position it as required. You can also easily assign actions to components, for example, to navigate to a different screen.

You can also easily add multiple screens for your app, such as a login screen, a home screen, and more, and switch and customize them individually. Adalo provides a built-in preview mode that allows you to test your app and see how it looks and functions on a simulated device.

Adalo: Integration and Extensibility

As we’ve mentioned before, Adalo offers a component marketplace where you can download additional components. The marketplace lists both free and paid components.

Adalo also supports a variety of third-party integrations, which will help expand an app’s functionality and connect with other popular tools and services. For instance, Adalo integrates with Stripe, which enables you to set up payment systems inside your apps.

The highlight is the platform’s integration with Zapier that expands Adalo’s connectivity to thousands of other apps that it doesn’t support natively. Thanks to this integration, you can automate workflows and transfer data seamlessly between Adalo and all kinds of external services such as Google Sheets, Slack, Trello, SendGrid, Salesforce, and thousands more.

Furthermore, advanced users can also create custom actions to connect with external APIs for more control, and functionality.

Adalo: Deployment and Maintenance

When it comes to web apps, you can use Adalo to literally deploy them with a single click. Once your web app is ready, you can deploy it directly as a web app under Adalo’s subdomain, or in a custom domain of your own.

Adalo also allows you to publish your apps as native mobile apps on both iOS and Android app stores. But going about this is a bit more involved than deploying a web app as this requires following the respective store’s submission guidelines, which includes creating developer accounts on Apple’s Developer Program and Google Play Console, and submitting the apps for review.

When it comes to updating the apps, any changes made to the web apps are reflected immediately. For iOS and Android mobile apps, updates must go through the usual process of creating a new build, before submitting it to the app stores for approval. You can also integrate Adalo with One Signal via Zapier, for instance, to send push notifications about updates to users.

Adalo: Pricing and Documentation

Adalo offers several pricing tiers, catering to different users from individuals creating simple apps to businesses that need advanced features and scalability.

Adalo’s Free Plan limits you to creating and deploying a single app. As a free user, you can use Adalo to build web apps, but can’t build and publish mobile apps to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Also, apps built on the free plan display Adalo branding.

Adalo pitches the Free Plan as a starting point for individual app designers who want to build simple web apps. You can also use it to explore the platform and its capabilities, before diving into one of its paid plans.

The Starter Plan costs $45/month and gives you the ability to connect your app to a custom domain. You can also use it to design and publish mobile apps. Then there’s the Professional Plan that costs $65/month and comes with enhanced functionality for larger projects, and offers full support for custom API integrations. There’s also the Team Plan that costs $200/month and is designed with collaborative features to help larger teams work together on an app.

In terms of documentation, Adalo provides lots of detailed guides and step-by-step tutorials to help users navigate the platform, learn its features, and build functional apps. There’s also Adalo App Academy that lists over 70 courses covering all aspects of creating apps.

In addition to written documentation, the platform also offers a wide array of video tutorials on its YouTube channel. You can seek support from Adalo’s active community forum, and if you’re on one of the paid plans you can also send your queries directly to Adalo.

Adalo: The competition

Adalo operates in a crowded market of no-code app builders. Some of its main competitors include Thunkable, Glide, and Bubble. Each platform has its strengths and is suited for different types of projects.

The best thing Adalo has going for it is its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which makes it beginner-friendly. You get the same with Thunkable, which is also designed primarily to build mobile apps.

Bubble too has an easy to navigate interface, and although it offers more advanced customization for full-stack development, it has a steeper learning curve than Adalo. Like Thunable, Bubble too is a good option for creating complex apps, but this also makes them both overkills for users with simpler needs.

Also, while you can use Bubble to create mobile apps, it’s primarily a no-code platform for building web apps. Then there’s Glide, which too can create both web and mobile apps. However it’s designed to quickly turn spreadsheets into simple and functional apps.

Adalo: Final Verdict

Adalo is a powerful and user-friendly no-code app builder that strikes an excellent balance between ease of use and functionality. One of its strongest suites is its ability to create both mobile and web apps without writing any code.

Its drag-and-drop interface, plethora of pre-built components, and integrations with third-party services make it an excellent choice, whether you are a non-technical user, an individual developer, or even small and large businesses. Adalo offers enough flexibility to allow you to quickly prototype, and design a minimum viable product (MVP) to validate your app, as well as build more advanced apps.

While it faces competition from other no-code platforms, Adalo's ease of use and versatility make it a strong contender in the no-code app builder market.

All things considered, Adalo’s primary strength lies in its accessibility, which makes it a great starting point for anyone venturing into the world of app development.

• We’ve also rounded up the best mobile app development software

Hostinger is a pretty well-known name in the web hosting industry, and it has recently ventured into the no-code space. Hostinger’s no-code platform, Horizons, taps into the demand for web app builders, and uses AI extensively to allow anyone to spin up web apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we’ll examine its features, interface, ease of use, target use cases, and how it stands against competitors in the booming no-code space.

Hostinger Horizons: Features

Horizons operates through a simple AI chat interface. You just describe your app idea using natural language, and the platform’s AI will translate it into a working web app. Very helpfully, Horizons supports over 80 languages, which allows even non-English users to build apps using the platform’s AI.

In addition to written prompts, you can also converse with the platform using voice prompts, which again help make Horizons more accessible. You can also upload user interface sketches, and designs to the AI to ensure it understands your requirements.

Like most platforms, Hostinger allows you to publish your apps on a custom domain as well. In fact, Horizons also takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer web hosting, domain services, professional email, and other tools. This helps Horizons pitch itself as an all-in-one solution, which you don’t get with most other no-code platforms.

Web apps created with Hostinger Horizons are responsive, and mobile-friendly, which means they’ll work and look good on desktops, as well as on smartphones. That said, remember that web apps created with the platform can’t be published as native mobile apps on the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.

Hostinger Horizons: Interface and Ease of Use

Horizons has a straightforward interface, with an AI text box in the middle of the screen. Enter your prompt, or select from one of the listed example prompts, and let it tip.

It’ll analyze the prompt, break it down into tasks, tell you how it’ll approach the build, before it spins it up. When it’s done, it’ll show you a preview of what it will build. You can then make modifications, or just ask it to build the app as per the preview.

Horizons will also helpfully suggest ideas to help extend the app. For instance, when I asked it to create an ecommerce web app, it suggested I improve it by connecting it to a database for real product data storage, add a shopping cart, and checkout functionality, implement user authentication, and more.

And you can roll these features simply by asking the AI.

Whenever you use the AI to add new functionality, Horizons will also tell you how to test it. Some processes like adding social logins (Google, Facebook, and such) require some running around, but the platform does its best to guide you through the process with clear step-by-step instructions.

Hostinger Horizons: Integration and Extensibility

Horizons builds web apps in Node.js, and creates the necessary HTML, CSS, and JSS files.

You can use Horizons to fuse your app with third-party tools, for things like database management, and user authentication. However, at the moment, these integrations require some effort outside the Horizons tool itself. But, like we said, the platform does its best to lay out the steps for you.

Hostinger Horizons is compatible with the open source Supabase cloud-based database. You’ll need to pass your Supabase details to Hostinger to get them to work together.

You can also add a payment gateway, for instance with Stripe, or Paypal. But again, you’ll need to step out of the Horizons, and share certain details like the Paypal Client ID, or the Stripe Publishable Key with the platform.

Horizons says you’ll be able to integrate any backend services to your app built on the platform, as long as the service has an API, and you provide the integration information Horizons asks for. That said, adding certain backend functionality might be easier than others, for the time being, as the platform is still under active development.

Hostinger Horizons: Deployment and Maintenance

After your prompt is entered and the web app is ready, you need to deploy it to make it live. Simply click on the Publish button. As with other no-code platforms, Horizons will publish the app with a random URL to a hostinger subdomain, by default.

But, as usual, you can publish the app to your own custom domain as well. Also, you can unpublish your web app, and can also always come back to it to tune it further, and republish it.

If you’d like to look at the code for your web app, you can use the Export function on the platform to download it. This will roll all the HTML, CSS, and other files into a zip file that it’ll then save on your computer.

Horizons can’t import your code to code sharing websites like GitHub, which is something you can do with Lovable. Also, while you can edit the code offline, there is no way to import it back to Horizons, and continue refining it with its AI.

You can also ask the Horizons AI to help you add your web app to your existing website. It’ll recommend adding the app as an embedded component, but will also offer the option to include the app as an iFrame. As usual, it’ll generate the necessary code for both approaches, along with instructions on how to go about both procedures.

Horizons also has a version control system, and you can undo a change, or revert to a previous version with a single click. Just like with Lovable, you can also use the Horizons AI to help fix any errors.

If it encounters an error while building the app, the platform will usually give you the Ask to fix button. When pressed, the platform will analyze the error, and try to mend it on its own. You can also copy or describe the error to the AI, and ask it to help you solve it.

Hostinger Horizons: Pricing and Documentation

Hostinger Horizons was rolled out to a limited audience in February, 2025, before its general availability on March 4, 2025.

All existing users with a Hostinger hosting subscription can use Horizons for free with a five messages/day limit.

You will need to have a Horizons subscription plan besides having a hosting plan in order to have a complete experience with building your projects under the tool.

The Starter plan costs $19.99/month, and comes with 100 AI prompts/month. Then there’s the $49.99/month Hobbyist plan with 250 messages, the $99.99/month Hustler plan with 500 messages, and the $199.99 Pro plan with 1000 messages.

You can publish 50 web apps with all the paid plans, and they all also include one month of free hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and 50 mailboxes with 1GB of storage each.

In terms of documentation, Horizons has several official guides that’ll handhold you from building your first app, to integrating it with other services such as Google AdSense. Besides illustrated text tutorials, Hostinger also has a bunch of instructional videos on YouTube. You also get 24/7 customer support with all the paid plans.

Hostinger Horizons: The competition

Hostinger Horizons is the newest entrant in the no-code web app builder market, and faces stiff competition from several well-established platforms.

For starters, there’s Bubble. While Horizons uses AI to generate web apps based on natural language descriptions, Bubble requires users to manually design and configure their apps. Although Bubble has a steeper learning curve than Horizons, it provides more flexibility for building custom web applications.

Then there’s Adalo, which can build both web, and mobile apps. It has a drag-and-drop UI, as well as a plethora of pre-built components to help you put together your apps. While Adalo does offer some AI capabilities, its strength is its mobile app-building capabilities.

Horizons closest competition is with Lovable. Both platforms make extensive use of AI to create, edit, and debug web apps. However, Horizons is still very new to the markets, and doesn’t yet offer all the features you get with Lovable, such as the two-way sync with a GitHub repo.

Hostinger Horizons: Final Verdict

Horizons’ use of AI to cover all aspects of app development, from creation, to editing, makes the platform truly democratic for everyone, including those with no coding experience.

The platform’s support for multilingual, and audio prompts makes it a good option for non-English developers. Also, unlike other platforms it takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer an all-in-one solution to create and deploy your web apps.

However, it’s important to remember that the platform has just debuted, and is constantly being worked on. It doesn’t yet offer the features and conveniences you get with its peers.

But even in its early stage, we’ll definitely suggest all existing Hostinger users to take Horizons for a spin. The platform is evolving rapidly, but since it doesn’t offer a free tier, it might be a good idea to give it some time to refine itself before you jump in to sign up.

• Here’s our list of the best website builders

Hostinger is a pretty well-known name in the web hosting industry, and it has recently ventured into the no-code space. Hostinger’s no-code platform, Horizons, taps into the demand for web app builders, and uses AI extensively to allow anyone to spin up web apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we’ll examine its features, interface, ease of use, target use cases, and how it stands against competitors in the booming no-code space.

Hostinger Horizons: Features

Horizons operates through a simple AI chat interface. You just describe your app idea using natural language, and the platform’s AI will translate it into a working web app. Very helpfully, Horizons supports over 80 languages, which allows even non-English users to build apps using the platform’s AI.

In addition to written prompts, you can also converse with the platform using voice prompts, which again help make Horizons more accessible. You can also upload user interface sketches, and designs to the AI to ensure it understands your requirements.

Like most platforms, Hostinger allows you to publish your apps on a custom domain as well. In fact, Horizons also takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer web hosting, domain services, professional email, and other tools. This helps Horizons pitch itself as an all-in-one solution, which you don’t get with most other no-code platforms.

Web apps created with Hostinger Horizons are responsive, and mobile-friendly, which means they’ll work and look good on desktops, as well as on smartphones. That said, remember that web apps created with the platform can’t be published as native mobile apps on the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store.

Hostinger Horizons: Interface and Ease of Use

Horizons has a straightforward interface, with an AI text box in the middle of the screen. Enter your prompt, or select from one of the listed example prompts, and let it tip.

It’ll analyze the prompt, break it down into tasks, tell you how it’ll approach the build, before it spins it up. When it’s done, it’ll show you a preview of what it will build. You can then make modifications, or just ask it to build the app as per the preview.

Horizons will also helpfully suggest ideas to help extend the app. For instance, when I asked it to create an ecommerce web app, it suggested I improve it by connecting it to a database for real product data storage, add a shopping cart, and checkout functionality, implement user authentication, and more.

And you can roll these features simply by asking the AI.

Whenever you use the AI to add new functionality, Horizons will also tell you how to test it. Some processes like adding social logins (Google, Facebook, and such) require some running around, but the platform does its best to guide you through the process with clear step-by-step instructions.

Hostinger Horizons: Integration and Extensibility

Horizons builds web apps in Node.js, and creates the necessary HTML, CSS, and JSS files.

You can use Horizons to fuse your app with third-party tools, for things like database management, and user authentication. However, at the moment, these integrations require some effort outside the Horizons tool itself. But, like we said, the platform does its best to lay out the steps for you.

Hostinger Horizons is compatible with the open source Supabase cloud-based database. You’ll need to pass your Supabase details to Hostinger to get them to work together.

You can also add a payment gateway, for instance with Stripe, or Paypal. But again, you’ll need to step out of the Horizons, and share certain details like the Paypal Client ID, or the Stripe Publishable Key with the platform.

Horizons says you’ll be able to integrate any backend services to your app built on the platform, as long as the service has an API, and you provide the integration information Horizons asks for. That said, adding certain backend functionality might be easier than others, for the time being, as the platform is still under active development.

Hostinger Horizons: Deployment and Maintenance

After your prompt is entered and the web app is ready, you need to deploy it to make it live. Simply click on the Publish button. As with other no-code platforms, Horizons will publish the app with a random URL to a hostinger subdomain, by default.

But, as usual, you can publish the app to your own custom domain as well. Also, you can unpublish your web app, and can also always come back to it to tune it further, and republish it.

If you’d like to look at the code for your web app, you can use the Export function on the platform to download it. This will roll all the HTML, CSS, and other files into a zip file that it’ll then save on your computer.

Horizons can’t import your code to code sharing websites like GitHub, which is something you can do with Lovable. Also, while you can edit the code offline, there is no way to import it back to Horizons, and continue refining it with its AI.

You can also ask the Horizons AI to help you add your web app to your existing website. It’ll recommend adding the app as an embedded component, but will also offer the option to include the app as an iFrame. As usual, it’ll generate the necessary code for both approaches, along with instructions on how to go about both procedures.

Horizons also has a version control system, and you can undo a change, or revert to a previous version with a single click. Just like with Lovable, you can also use the Horizons AI to help fix any errors.

If it encounters an error while building the app, the platform will usually give you the Ask to fix button. When pressed, the platform will analyze the error, and try to mend it on its own. You can also copy or describe the error to the AI, and ask it to help you solve it.

Hostinger Horizons: Pricing and Documentation

Hostinger Horizons was rolled out to a limited audience in February, 2025, before its general availability on March 4, 2025.

All existing users with a Hostinger hosting subscription can use Horizons for free with a five messages/day limit.

You will need to have a Horizons subscription plan besides having a hosting plan in order to have a complete experience with building your projects under the tool.

The Starter plan costs $19.99/month, and comes with 100 AI prompts/month. Then there’s the $49.99/month Hobbyist plan with 250 messages, the $99.99/month Hustler plan with 500 messages, and the $199.99 Pro plan with 1000 messages.

You can publish 50 web apps with all the paid plans, and they all also include one month of free hosting, unlimited bandwidth, and 50 mailboxes with 1GB of storage each.

In terms of documentation, Horizons has several official guides that’ll handhold you from building your first app, to integrating it with other services such as Google AdSense. Besides illustrated text tutorials, Hostinger also has a bunch of instructional videos on YouTube. You also get 24/7 customer support with all the paid plans.

Hostinger Horizons: The competition

Hostinger Horizons is the newest entrant in the no-code web app builder market, and faces stiff competition from several well-established platforms.

For starters, there’s Bubble. While Horizons uses AI to generate web apps based on natural language descriptions, Bubble requires users to manually design and configure their apps. Although Bubble has a steeper learning curve than Horizons, it provides more flexibility for building custom web applications.

Then there’s Adalo, which can build both web, and mobile apps. It has a drag-and-drop UI, as well as a plethora of pre-built components to help you put together your apps. While Adalo does offer some AI capabilities, its strength is its mobile app-building capabilities.

Horizons closest competition is with Lovable. Both platforms make extensive use of AI to create, edit, and debug web apps. However, Horizons is still very new to the markets, and doesn’t yet offer all the features you get with Lovable, such as the two-way sync with a GitHub repo.

Hostinger Horizons: Final Verdict

Horizons’ use of AI to cover all aspects of app development, from creation, to editing, makes the platform truly democratic for everyone, including those with no coding experience.

The platform’s support for multilingual, and audio prompts makes it a good option for non-English developers. Also, unlike other platforms it takes advantage of Hostinger’s infrastructure to offer an all-in-one solution to create and deploy your web apps.

However, it’s important to remember that the platform has just debuted, and is constantly being worked on. It doesn’t yet offer the features and conveniences you get with its peers.

But even in its early stage, we’ll definitely suggest all existing Hostinger users to take Horizons for a spin. The platform is evolving rapidly, but since it doesn’t offer a free tier, it might be a good idea to give it some time to refine itself before you jump in to sign up.

• Here’s our list of the best website builders

Apps help businesses engage and connect with customers in a more personalized way. However, building apps can be complex and expensive, creating a huge blocker for many businesses. This is where app builder platforms can help.

Wix, best known as one of the best website builders on the planet, also offers a great app building platform. Wix App Builder is the company's DIY mobile app creation platform. It allows users to build native apps for iOS and Android, without coding.

In June 2024, Wix upgraded the platform by adding an AI-powered chatbot. You simply describe your app goals and the AI generates a customized app with all features and layouts included. The platform manages everything from design to deployment, including submitting the app to Apple's App Store and Google Play.

Users can create apps with logos and design elements, as long as they have a paid subscription. The premium Branded App Plan starts at $99 per month. However, you may be able to get this cheaper with one of our Wix promo codes. There are also separate registration fees for publishing the app: $99 annually for Apple's App Store and a one-time $25 fee for Google Play. What makes Wix App Builder unique is its smooth integration with Wix websites. It allows real-time syncing between website and app content, with automated updates to avoid confusion.

Wix App Builder: Pricing & plans

Starting in 2025, the Wix App Builder is a part of the premium Branded App Plan, which starts at $99/month. This plan gives you access to essential tools to create, launch, and maintain a native mobile app. It includes AI-driven design tools, customization features, and deployment help. You can create apps for both iOS and Android. The plan also offers features for stores, bookings, forums, and more business solutions. If you already use a Wix website builder plan (ranging from $17 to $159 per month when billed annually), App Builder can be an added investment for mobile growth.

But keep in mind that there are extra costs for app publication beyond the Wix fee. You’ll need to pay Apple’s App Store registration fee of about $99 per year. Google Play also has a one-time developer fee of $25. These fees go directly to Apple and Google, not Wix, and you must pay them to publish any app, no matter how it was created. Plus, your app must meet Apple and Google’s approval requirements, which can be another challenge.

Wix App Builder: Features

Wix App Builder has always been easy to use, but the newly-added AI-powered features from 2024 take this even further. Users can create custom mobile apps simply by chatting with an AI. You describe your goals and vision. The chatbot then asks about business needs, desired features, and branding. Based on this, it generates a complete mobile app, which you can tweak via the visual editor.

Wix offers many customization options for branding and design. Users can create a unique app icon and tailor the layout to fit their vision. Beyond looks, Wix App Builder integrates with hundreds of business solutions. This includes ecommerce, booking systems, forums, membership areas, and notifications.

A key feature is automatic synchronization between the website and app. This means any updates made on a Wix website show up instantly in the mobile app. It removes the hassle of managing content on multiple platforms. Plus the system also takes care of updates, ensuring compatibility with the latest iOS and Android versions. All of this greatly reduces the technical work usually needed to keep mobile apps running smoothly.

Wix App Builder: Setup

Setting up a mobile app with Wix App Builder is simple and user-friendly. You begin by entering your app title and choosing a color scheme.

Alternatively, with the AI chatbot introduced in 2024, you start by chatting about your business and app goals. First, share your goals for the app. Once the AI confirms the layout, it asks about desired features. No need to use technical terms; just explain the app's purpose. The bot understands and suggests relevant features. You can also upload a logo before the final design is created.

After choosing a template or letting the AI generate the initial app design, you can edit it if you want. The platform has a built-in previewer, allowing users to check the app's user experience before submitting it to app stores. Wix also guides users through the complex submission process for both the App Store and Google Play. Once the app is published, Wix continues to add value by supporting automatic updates and new features.

Wix App Builder: Support

Wix uses the same solid support system for App Builder that helps its website builder customers. The key resource is Wix's Help Center. It has detailed articles, video tutorials, and guides on app creation, submission, and maintenance. These resources are organized into clear sections, which help users find what they need.

For more personal help, Wix offers 24/7 customer support on all paid plans. This includes chat, callback requests, and ticket-based support in multiple languages. Users can reach support through the Wix app or website. Response times vary based on the subscription level.

The support team helps with technical issues, design questions, and app store submission problems. Wix also has video tutorials in its Help Center that guides users through the app creation process. While there is no separate support channel for the App Builder tool, its simple process means most users won't need much technical help.

Wix App Builder review: Final verdict

Wix App Builder is a strong choice for businesses wanting to reach mobile users. It helps them do this without high costs or needing technical skills. The 2024 update adds AI features, making app creation as easy as having a conversation. Users can share their ideas and the system creates a professional app. For those already using Wix, the easy integration and automatic syncing of website and app content save time and avoid duplicate content issues.

However, you should think about the ongoing costs and limits of the platform too. The $99 monthly fee, plus extra app store registration costs, can be a lot for small businesses or startups that aren't already invested in mobile. While the App Builder offers good flexibility, it doesn't allow the same level of customization as custom-developed apps, or even other advanced no-code platforms. It also ties businesses to the Wix ecosystem, so users without an existing Wix website won't find much use here.

In the end, Wix App Builder is a great option that sits between simple app makers and costly custom development. It balances customization, professional features, and ease of use, appealing to small and medium businesses wanting to create simple apps for iOS and Android. For those with Wix websites who want to invest in a dedicated mobile experience, the value is strong despite the higher price.