You can build an app that accepts payments and has real users in a single weekend. AI app builders like Anything, Glide, Appy Pie, Bubble, and Softr turn natural language descriptions into working applications, which means the technical barriers that used to require months of development time have largely collapsed.
Here’s what’s actually important: whether your app works when that first customer tries to log in at midnight. Most platforms can generate something that looks good in a demo. The real question is whether it handles real users, processes payments correctly, and stays running under actual demand.
This guide examines what happens in popular AI app builders after you build your initial prototype. We’ll look at five platforms that take different approaches to the same problem — getting from idea to working product — so you can pick the one that matches your workflow and what you’re trying to build.
How we picked the best AI app builders
We tested each platform against five factors that determine whether an app actually works in production:
- Output quality: Does the generated app include production essentials like authentication, a database with proper relationships, and payment processing capabilities that can handle real transactions?
- Ease of use: How quickly can you go from “I want to build X” to “here’s a working version” without hitting technical walls or needing to learn new concepts?
- AI integration: Is AI helping throughout the development process (debugging, testing, deployment), or is it just generating initial code from a prompt?
- Ownership: Can you export your code and host it elsewhere if needed, or are you locked into the platform?
- Deployment options: Can you ship to web, iOS, and Android from the same project, or do you need separate builds?
While all five tools solve real problems for different users, Anything stands out by combining natural language generation with complete production infrastructure. That’s the key difference. Most tools stop at generating code, while Anything handles everything through deployment and can keep debugging until your app actually works.
Anything
Type a conversational prompt and Anything builds the complete stack: frontend interface, PostgreSQL database, user authentication, Stripe payment processing. The whole thing takes minutes, not months.
The interesting part is how development actually works. You describe what you want — let’s say, “I need a recipe-sharing platform where users can save favorites” — and Anything builds it.
Then you refine through conversation: “users should be able to rate recipes” immediately updates the database schema, creates the necessary API endpoints, and adds UI components. No need for context-switching between different tools or hunting through documentation.
This is the fastest path from idea to something you can actually charge money for. While other platforms generate mockups or templates, Anything ships working apps that can start processing payments the same day you describe them.
The platform also includes an autonomous mode (Anything Max) that handles debugging and testing without you, which means you’re not stuck at 2 a.m. trying to figure out why authentication broke. It tests the app in a real browser, catches errors, fixes them, and keeps iterating until everything works.
Anything key features:
- Natural language app generation with conversational refinement
- Complete stack creation: database, auth, payments, hosting
- Full code export and ownership
- Cross-platform deployment (Web, iOS, Android from the same project)
- Autonomous debugging mode (Anything Max) for end-to-end testing
- One-click database modifications
- Automatic API documentation generation
- Seamless third-party service integration
- Real-time collaboration for teams
- Automatic responsive design generation across all devices
Anything pros:
- You own the code completely — export anytime, host anywhere
- Can start accepting payments within days of initial concept
- No technical knowledge required to reach production
- Same codebase deploys to web, iOS, and Android
- Built-in infrastructure means no third-party service setup
Anything cons:
- Clear, specific prompts produce better results (vague descriptions require more back-and-forth)
- Complex applications benefit from iterative refinement, which adds development time
- Very new platform, so community resources are still growing
Anything pricing:
Anything uses a credit-based pricing model with several tiers:
- Free: $0/month with 3,000 credits for chat, generation, publishing, and AI integrations
- Pro 20k: $19/month with 20,000 credits/month for private projects, custom domains, and branding removal
- Pro 50k: $49/month with 55,000 credits/month
- Max: $199/month with 220,000 credits/month for priority support and access to autonomous software engineer mode
- Teams: Custom pricing available for enterprise needs
You can also opt for the annual plan and get 2 months for free.
Best for: Non-technical founders who need apps that make money, not just prototypes. Product teams that want to test ideas in production before committing engineering resources. Developers who want to ship 10x faster by automating infrastructure setup.
Glide
Glide turns spreadsheets into mobile apps by connecting directly to Google Sheets or Airtable. Each row in your spreadsheet becomes a record in the app and changes sync in real time.
The platform generates progressive web apps that work in web browsers or can be installed on iOS and Android devices. Glide also does a good job of handling internal tools, dashboards, or client portals that need to stay in sync with existing data well.
Glide key features:
- Direct spreadsheet integration (Google Sheets, Airtable)
- Real-time data synchronization
- AI-powered data analysis columns
- Built-in workflow automation
- Progressive web app delivery
- Native app wrappers
Glide pros:
- Intuitive for spreadsheet users
- Fast deployment of data-driven apps
- Low learning curve for non-developers
- Solid for internal tools and dashboards
- Works with your existing data sources
Glide cons:
- No code export available (platform lock-in)
- Limited backend customization
- Restricted flexibility for complex logic
- Primarily designed for web apps, not mobile
- Advanced features requires higher-tier plans
Glide pricing:
Glide offers three plans:
- Free: $0/month with unlimited drafts, 10 users, up to 25,000 rows, and 40+ components
- Business: Starting at $199/month (billed annually) with unlimited apps, 30 users, advanced features like Workflows and API access
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with unlimited apps, SSO, data backups, and priority support
Best for: Internal company dashboards, inventory management systems, or client portals where data already lives in spreadsheets and needs a polished interface with real-time updates.
Appy Pie
Appy Pie offers a drag-and-drop development environment with pre-built templates for common business needs, like e-commerce, appointment booking, and community apps. The platform handles app store submission for both iOS and Android, which removes the administrative complexity of publishing.
The software also includes AI-assisted features that can generate content, suggest layouts, and create chatbot interactions based on your inputs. For small businesses that need a branded mobile presence quickly, this template-driven approach gets you to market faster than building from scratch.
Appy Pie key features;
- Template-based app creation
- AI content and interaction generation
- Support for cross-platform deployment and app store submission
- Drag-and-drop interface builder
- No-code development environment
- Built-in chatbot functionality
Appy Pie pros:
- Simplifies app store publishing process
- Ready-made business templates
- Minimal technical knowledge required
- Includes customer interaction tools
Appy Pie cons:
- Limited customization options beyond templates
- No backend logic modification
- Can’t adjust database relationships
- No code export option
- Feature restrictions on lower pricing tiers
Appy Pie pricing:
Appy Pie’s transparent pricing structure includes:
- Basic: $16/app/month with 500 downloads/month, push notifications, and email support
- Gold: $36/app/month with 1000 downloads/month, iOS support, and chat support
- Platinum: $60/app/month with 2000 downloads/month and phone support
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with dedicated account manager and advanced security features
Best for: Small businesses that need a mobile app presence quickly and can work within standard templates. Service businesses (salons, restaurants, gyms) that want branded apps for customers without custom development.
Bubble
Bubble is a visual development platform for building web applications. You design interfaces, set up database relationships, and create workflow automations all within a browser-based environment. But this level of control comes with a learning curve as you must essentially learn a new development paradigm.
The platform shines when you need specific business logic that doesn’t fit standard templates. You can build complex workflows, custom API endpoints, and detailed permission systems without traditional coding. The extensive plugin marketplace also adds capabilities like payment processing, mapping, and third-party integrations.
Bubble key features:
- Visual development environment with granular control
- Relational database management
- Complex workflow automation
- Extensive plugin marketplace
- Payment processing integration
- Custom API endpoint creation
- Third-party service connections
Bubble pros:
- Detailed control over application design and logic
- Solid capabilities for complex business rules
- Large ecosystem of extensions and plugins
- Powerful database relationship handling
- Competitive pricing for available features
Bubble cons:
- Significant learning curve for new users
- Time-intensive development process
- Web-first platform with limited native mobile support
- Performance optimization can be challenging
- Mobile apps require third-party wrappers
Bubble pricing:
Bubble offers tiered pricing options:
- Free: $0/month development plan with API connector, 50K workload units, and web/mobile app capabilities
- Starter: $59/month with recurring workflows, live websites, and mobile app submissions
- Growth: $209/month adding version control, multiple editors, and increased app versions
- Team: $549/month with sub apps, 25 custom branches, and expanded build capacity
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with dedicated support, flexible hosting, and enhanced security
Best for: Teams willing to invest time learning the platform in exchange for granular control. Complex web applications with specific business logic requirements. Projects where web-first deployment is acceptable and native mobile is secondary.
Softr
Softr creates customer portals and web applications using Airtable or Google Sheets as the data source. You arrange modular building blocks, such as data tables, charts, and member-restricted sections, into a responsive web interface. The platform handles data permissions automatically based on your Airtable or Sheets configuration.
When your data already exists in these sources and you need a public-facing interface immediately, Softr delivers results in hours rather than days. The interface looks professional without requiring design work or coding.
Softr key features:
- Airtable and Google Sheets integration
- Modular block-based interface building
- AI-assisted layout suggestions
- Automated logic implementation
- Membership-gated content controls
- Custom domain publishing
Softr pros:
- Exceptionally fast implementation
- Seamless data permission handling
- Professional interface without coding
- Strong data visualization features
- Minimal configuration requirements
Softr cons:
- No native mobile development
- No code export option
- Limited advanced backend scripting
- Focused exclusively on web applications
- Restricted to specific data sources
Softr pricing:
Softr’s pricing plans include:
- Free: $0/month with 1 published app, 10 users, and basic building blocks
- Basic: $49/month including 3 published apps, custom code, and payment features
- Professional: $139/month with unlimited apps, 100 users, and Softr branding removal
- Business: $269/month with 2,500 users, advanced data sources, and global restrictions
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with SSO, dedicated success manager, and team training
Best for: Data-driven web portals where information already lives in Airtable or Google Sheets. Membership sites, client portals, or internal dashboards that need professional presentation with minimal setup time.
When you need more than a demo, Anything delivers
Most AI app builders excel at generating prototypes that look good in presentations. Anything stands apart by producing complete applications ready for real users and revenue from day one.
The platform automates everything from database design to payment processing through its natural language workflows, while giving you full code ownership and control over deployment. You’re not locked into the platform, so you can export your code anytime and host it wherever makes sense for your business.
The autonomous debugging mode Anything Max is particularly useful when you hit technical issues. Instead of getting stuck troubleshooting in the middle of the night, Anything Max tests your app in a real browser, identifies problems, fixes them, and keeps iterating until everything works. That’s the difference between a tool that generates code and one that helps you ship working products.
The result is a platform that shortens development timelines without locking you in or limiting what your product can become.
For anyone serious about turning an idea into a market-ready app (whether you’re a founder testing a business idea, a product manager validating concepts, or a developer wanting to ship faster) Anything delivers the most direct path from concept to launch.
Explore Anything to see how fast real development can be.
