Let’s dive into the best no-code app builders for startups in 2025.
Please note: This content utilizes AI writing technology and may include businesses I'm affiliated with.
I spent more than 60 hours testing top no-code tools, aiming to discover which platforms genuinely help startups launch and iterate apps with zero coding needed. This guide reflects direct experience, practical evaluation, and side-by-side comparisons, so you get honest feedback with no hype.
With about five years in SaaS and mobile product development, I’ve worked with or reviewed nearly every major no-code and low-code builder. I’ve experienced the truly seamless, the underwhelming, and everything in between. This is a guide for startup founders who want a clear path to the tools that will support-not slow down-their journey.
Do you use a tool not on this list or have thoughts to share? Reach out. I’m always learning and love hearing from founders!
How I Chose the Best No-Code App Builders
For fairness and practical insight, I followed the same hands-on evaluation steps for each platform:
- Setup and Getting Started: How quickly can a founder or small team register and start building something that works?
- Essential Features: I tried building a typical MVP-a basic app with a database, user login, and simple workflows.
- User Friendliness: Can someone with little or no coding experience use the builder confidently? How easy is it to make changes, iterate, and launch?
- Performance and Reliability: Is building smooth, responsive, and stable? Were there bugs or frustrating delays?
- Learning Resources and Support: Is there helpful documentation? Community? Responsive support?
- Pricing: Are the plans accessible for a startup? Do you get enough value on free or basic tiers?
- General Experience: Does the tool help you get things done, and would I want to use it again for a real project?
🏆 My Top Pick: Natively
Modern, fast, and actually a pleasure to use.
The moment I started with Natively, it was clear things would be different. Setup took seconds, the interface felt clean and polished, and I could build a working mobile app within minutes. It strikes a rare balance-powerful, yet easy for anyone to use.
Natively helps anyone turn mobile app ideas into reality using a visual, AI-powered platform.
Check it out here: Natively
Highlights from my testing
- Visual builder lets you create real mobile apps, no coding skills required
- AI agent can take your description and instantly draft a prototype
- Plenty of live demos and example apps to help you start
- Strong community for advice and project sharing
- Flexible pricing with a generous free option
Frustrations
- Prompt usage is capped depending on your pricing tier
- Priority support and some extras require a higher plan
Plans and Pricing
You can begin for free (4 prompts/month with the Starter plan). Paid tiers start at $20/month (AGENT), with more feature-rich options for business users or heavy builders. No annual contract, and every plan lets you engage with the community.
The Takeaway: Natively makes app building approachable and quick, especially with tools like their AI assistant and active user community. For startups, it’s hard to find another platform that’s this inviting, versatile, and genuinely beginner-friendly.
🥈 Adalo - Plenty of Power, Cumbersome in Practice
Big feature set, but not as smooth as it should be.
Adalo offers everything from relational databases to drag-and-drop design and dozens of integrations. You get control and flexibility, but the tradeoff is an interface that can be confusing and sometimes frustrating, especially for newcomers.
Take a closer look: Adalo
What stood out for me
- Feature library is huge, with detailed controls and integrations
- Free tier lets you experiment before buying
- There’s a strong user community and a variety of templates
What got in the way
- Learning curve is sharp; too many moving parts and a dated UI
- Documentation is often unclear, so you’ll spend extra time figuring things out
- Project performance dips as your app scales
- Support can be slow or inconsistent
- Higher price levels don’t always offer good value
Price details
- Free: $0/month (200 records, 1,000 actions, 1 editor, web only)
- Starter: $36/month (1 published app, more actions, custom domain)
- Professional: $52/month (2 apps, custom integrations)
- Team: $160/month
- Business: $200/month
A 14-day trial is included, but publishing to app stores or custom domains requires upgrading.
My verdict: Adalo has serious depth but demands patience. If you want fast results or a modern workflow, some smoother options are available.
🥉 AppSheet - Flexible, but Not Always Friendly
Great for complex data, but not for absolute beginners.
Part of Google, AppSheet gives you tons of flexibility for building apps directly from your spreadsheets and business data. It shines at integration and automation, but requires a lot of ramp-up time.
Explore here: AppSheet
What worked for me
- Seamless integrations with Google Sheets, SQL databases, Salesforce
- Solid automation; great for building internal tools
- Good for companies with lots of structured data
Where I hit trouble
- Setup is far from simple-a steep learning curve even for basic use
- The interface feels old-fashioned and less intuitive
- Large data sets cause slowdowns and offline performance is limited
- Documentation could be clearer; onboarding is not straightforward
- Costs grow quickly for teams that need advanced features
What you pay
- Starter: $5/user/month
- Core: $10/user/month
- Enterprise Plus: $20/user/month
Small free trial (up to 10 test users), but advanced features are paid features.
My conclusion: If deep data integration matters most, AppSheet delivers. For startups wanting fast and visual mobile app building, though, it can feel like hard work.
GoodBarber - Many Features, Slow Going
A broad toolset, but navigation is a headache.
With years of experience, GoodBarber allows you to build iOS, Android, and web apps with extensive integrations and customization. The downside is a cluttered interface and laggy workflow.
Try GoodBarber: GoodBarber
What felt promising
- Wide feature set for agencies and anyone needing e-commerce
- You can customize templates and designs in detail
- Reseller and white-label programs are included
- Offers a 30-day free trial
What slowed me down
- The dashboard is busy and options are hard to find
- Templates look outdated, and personalizing them is not simple
- App performance drags at times
- Support is slow or generic in responses
- Some integrations felt incomplete or buggy
- Docs can be out of sync with the interface
Pricing options
- Content plans: $36/month (web/PWA), $70/month (iOS & Android)
- E-commerce: Starts at $50/month
- 30-day trial, but not all features are unlocked unless you pay
Final thoughts: There’s lots of power here if you are willing to learn. For quick-start founders, it takes too long to get productive.
ViziApps - Integrations First, UX Second
Strong data support, but a dated design holds it back.
ViziApps stands out for deep data integrations-ideal if you need to connect to existing systems like SQL, Salesforce, or Google Sheets. But if you want an easy and visually pleasing experience, it might disappoint.
Visit: ViziApps
What I appreciated
- Powerful live connections to business systems and data
- Unlimited device testing during the trial
- Reliable offline support
- Good for legacy enterprise use cases
Drawbacks I found
- The interface feels old and can be hard to navigate
- Minimal onboarding-finding answers takes effort
- Lacks newer features like real-time feeds or slick design options
- App designs often need manual tweaks to look modern
- Costs add up quickly, especially for team use
Pricing rundown
- Trial: Free for 30 days, unlimited testing
- Team: $25/month per device (annual billing), unlimited apps
- Enterprise: Custom quote
My summary: ViziApps handles complex data tasks well, but the interface and workflow feel more like working in the past than today’s standards.
Appy Pie - Big Promise, Less Guidance
Feature-filled, but gets confusing fast.
From app building to chatbots and websites, Appy Pie covers a lot of ground on paper. In daily use, though, the process isn’t as friendly as it needs to be for speedy iteration.
Get started: Appy Pie
Positive notes
- Offers apps, sites, chatbots, and automation in one place
- Export for Android on the basic plan, iOS via premium tiers
- Proven with enterprise clients
- Rolling out more AI tools gradually
Downsides I noticed
- Getting quality customer support is a challenge
- The workflow is clunky-finding what you need can be frustrating
- Documentation isn’t clear or detailed enough
- Billing can be confusing with hidden fees and surprise charges
- The UI feels dated compared to newer competitors
Pricing in detail
- Starter (Android): $16/app/month
- iOS support: $60/app/month
- Trial: 7 days, but key features are locked
- Some add-ons require extra payment
What I found: While broad in scope, Appy Pie can wear you out just trying to get from idea to launch. If ease of use is your priority, other options may better match your workflow.
Glide - Great Data Syncing, But Lags Behind in Usability
Good if you work with spreadsheets but expect a dated experience.
Glide offers quick ways to turn Google Sheets, Excel, and Airtable data into simple apps. Automation tools and layouts are flexible, but some of the design and user experience feels left behind.
Explore more: Glide
Strong points I saw
- Fast syncing with popular spreadsheet tools
- Decent selection of themes and pre-built templates
- Expanding AI features
- Trusted by businesses all over
Shortcomings I ran into
- Learning to use it is tougher than expected
- The UI isn’t as modern or intuitive as competitors
- Performance slows down at busy times
- Getting help can be slow on cheaper plans
- Pricing doesn’t always match the value, especially for bigger teams
Price structure
- Free Plan: Try basic features
- Pro: $45/month
- Brokerage Edition: For agencies, by quote
- Enterprise: Starts at $750/month
- Some plans offer a 30-day trial, but lower tiers are limited
Conclusion: Glide is strong for spreadsheet-driven apps and automations, but if you want fast, visual, AI-aided creation, you might prefer something more up-to-date.
AppMySite - Lots of Apps, Harder Navigation
A versatile toolkit, but gets complicated fast.
AppMySite can turn WordPress, Shopify, and other web setups into native apps quickly. It’s powerful, especially for agencies or teams with patience, but not always beginner-friendly.
Try it out: AppMySite
Features that stood out
- Converts many kinds of sites or shops into mobile apps
- Includes notifications, analytics, multi-language, and in-app purchases (though many require add-ons)
- Good branding tools for agencies needing white-label
Challenges in my experience
- The dashboard is hard to navigate
- Some mobile apps don’t pass approval easily, especially for iOS
- Add-ons drive costs up quickly
- Support is slow and issues linger
- Refunds and disputes can take a while
What it costs
- Free (Android, AppMySite branding, 1,000 downloads)
- Starter: $69/month (Android, removes branding)
- Pro: $129/month (adds iOS)
- Premium: $249/month (extras like analytics, live support)
- Add-ons are $5–$29/month each
No standard free trial; just a basic demo.
My advice: If you want total control and are ready to learn the ropes, AppMySite delivers. Startups that need clarity, speed, and reliable support may want an easier path.
Bubble - Ultimate Power, But Requires Patience
Capable of anything, as long as you’re ready to master it.
Bubble is legendary in the no-code world for sheer flexibility, making everything from MVPs to marketplaces possible. The flip side? You’ll spend serious time climbing its learning curve.
Start here: Bubble
What impressed me
- Total customization and flexibility in building
- Visual programming logic is extremely powerful
- Large plugin and template marketplace
- Knowledgeable and active user community
Drawbacks I encountered
- The interface is complex and not very beginner-friendly
- Slows down or stutters with big projects
- More expensive premium plans; limited free tier
- Collaboration and customer support can be slow
How pricing works
- Free: Limited, for basic learning and tests
- Starter: $32/month
- Growth: $134/month
- Team: $399/month
- Plans scale with usage, and billing can get complicated with growth
Final word: Bubble is worth it for ambitious, long-term projects if you’re willing to learn. If you need to get an app live fast, there are simpler, less overwhelming builders.
Thunkable - Packed with Features, Old School in Feel
You get solid capabilities, but onboarding takes effort.
With Thunkable, you can build mobile and web apps using a visual, drag-and-drop system. It connects to various APIs, sensors, and AI features, but the experience isn't as modern as some rivals.
Get started: Thunkable
What’s good
- Supports advanced device functions (camera, maps, sensors)
- More customizable than many drag-and-drop tools
- Collaboration possible for teams
- Decent support docs and a strong community
What held me back
- The layout and workflow feel old-fashioned
- Only a basic free plan with strict limits
- Branded apps are expensive to remove Thunkable’s name
- You’ll notice lag in bigger apps
- No onboarding for true beginners
- Bugs and slow support can happen
Plan details
- Free: For public projects with big limits
- Accelerator: $19/month
- Builder/Advanced: $59–$189/month
- Private apps, add-ons, and unbranded publishing cost more
No real free trial for paid features, just a basic preview.
My take: If you’re determined to push through the learning phase, Thunkable equips you well. For most founders with no-code goals, though, it is more friction than fun compared to newer tools.
Brief Notes: Other Tools I Tested
- Zoho Creator: Ideal for forms, not robust for complex apps
- Appery.io: Lots of features, but the UI feels dated
- Base44: Clean look, less help with onboarding
- Lovable: Interesting start, but lacks enough documentation
- Div-idy: Confusing branding, hard to use
- Firebase Studio: Good for Firebase fans, but still maturing
- Windsurf: Promising, but not stable for teams yet
- Zed: Not really built for app development
- Cursor: New idea, very steep learning
- Figma: Great for design, not app logic
- Sketch: Best for prototyping visuals
- InVisionApp Inc.: Design-based, not an app builder
- Adobe XD: Excellent for UI work
- Axure RP: Good for wireframes, pricey
- Marvel: OK for mockups
- Proto.io: Prototypes only, not real apps
- Balsamiq: Fast sketches, no logic
- Flinto: Animation only
- Justinmind: Prototype focus, quite complex
- KodNest: Community, not building tools
- Catrobat: Beginner friendly, basic features
- Kissflow: Workflow-driven, limited for apps
- AppForceStudio: Needs more advanced features
- CodelogicX: Social focus only
- Sarvadhi Solutions Private Limited: Too niche
- Mendix: Outstanding for enterprise, expensive for startups
- Appian: Powerful, but a big learning curve
- OutSystems: Reliable, but costly
- Power Apps: Integrates with Microsoft, less flexible outside
- Salesforce Lightning: Best if you already use Salesforce
- Quickbase: Good for internal tools only
- Pega Platform: Designed for large companies
- Retool: Powerful for dashboards, less for consumer apps
- GeneXus: Steep learning, documentation issues
Wrapping Up: What I Learned from Testing
The world of no-code app builders is full of promises, but most tools fall into three patterns:
- Overly complex: Built for developers, not everyday founders
- Too simple: Slick design, but shallow features
- Unstable or half-built: Bugs, unfinished features, or unreliable support
That’s what makes my top choice, Natively, truly stand out. It strikes a balance: plenty of features for real apps, great onboarding, strong community, and no need for a development background. For me, it takes the stress out of launching and lets you focus on your idea, not the technical hurdles.
If you're ready to bring your startup’s app idea to life, these are the best no-code app builders for startups right now. Consider your team's skills, your needs, and how much time you want to invest-then choose a platform that helps you build, test, and improve without slowing you down.
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