The best mobile app creator for most non-technical founders is Adalo for the simplest path to the App Store and Google Play, FlutterFlow for design control and code you can download, Bubble when the same project also needs a web app, and Thunkable or Draftbit for budget store publishing. Rork is the AI-first pick: you chat, it builds iPhone and Android apps. Google AppSheet suits internal apps for Workspace teams. If your users don't need an app-store install, a web app from an AI builder like Greta.sh may be enough. Prices below are as of October 2026.
"Mobile app creator" covers three different outputs: native apps published to the App Store and Google Play, apps that run inside a vendor's own container app, and web apps that work in a phone's browser. Vendors don't always say which one you're buying. This guide does.
How we compared
We checked each tool against five questions: is there a free plan, what's the entry price, is a backend (database) included, what does it output (native, web or both), and can you publish to the app stores. Prices, plans and publishing options were checked on each vendor's own pricing page and documentation on October 12, 2026, and are stated as of October 2026 with each vendor's billing basis.
At a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Entry price (as of October 2026) | Backend included? | Output | Store publishing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FlutterFlow | 2 projects, web publishing | Basic $39/month | Connects Firebase or Supabase | Mobile, web and desktop | One-click deployment from Basic |
| Adalo | Test apps only, 500 records/app | Starter $36/month billed annually | Yes, hosted Postgres | Native iOS, Android and web | From Starter |
| Bubble | Build and test on device | Mobile Starter $42/month billed annually | Yes, shared web and mobile backend | Native (React Native) and web | From Mobile Starter |
| Thunkable | 3 public projects | Builder $37/month billed yearly | Connects Sheets, Airtable, Webflow or a local table | Native mobile and web | 1 live app on Builder |
| Draftbit | Web publishing, 5,000 one-time credits | Standard $12/month billed yearly | Built-in Supabase backend (beta) | Mobile, web and websites | iOS and Android from Standard |
| Rork | Design mode only | Paid from Rork Start; Rork Pro $20/month | Rork Backend offered | iPhone (SwiftUI), Android (Kotlin), web | App Store launch is the stated goal |
| Google AppSheet | Build and test with up to 10 users | Starter $5/user/month | Yes, AppSheet database | Runs in AppSheet's mobile app or a browser | Branded apps need Core licences (min. 10) |
| Glide | Limited credits, 0 published apps | Basic $25/month | Starts from a spreadsheet, prompt or file | Apps for all devices | Not listed on pricing page |
| Greta.sh | 5 credits a day, no deployment | Starter $5/month welcome offer (normally $20/month) | Yes: database, auth, payments | Web apps | No |
Why look for a mobile app creator?
Three situations come up most. A founder wants to test an idea on real phones before hiring anyone. An agency needs to deliver client apps without a mobile team. An operations team needs a field app for inspections or orders. The first two usually need store publishing. The third often doesn't, which changes the shortlist entirely.
Got an idea? Build it now!
Just start with a simple prompt. No coding required: Greta.sh turns your idea into a working app in minutes.
The 8 best mobile app creators
1. FlutterFlow – the most design control
FlutterFlow is a visual development environment for mobile, web and desktop apps. Free covers 2 projects and web publishing. Basic, $39 a month on monthly billing, adds code download, APK download, a custom domain and one-click App Store deployment; annual billing saves about 25%. Data comes from Firebase, Supabase or your APIs.
Who it's for: designers and technical founders who want pixel-level control and code they can take away. Limits: you set up and pay for the backend separately. If you're weighing it against a web-first tool, see Greta.sh vs FlutterFlow.
2. Adalo – the simplest route to the stores
Adalo lets you design native iOS, Android and web apps on a visual canvas, with a hosted Postgres database included. Free gives you unlimited test apps and 500 records per app but no published apps. Starter, $36 a month billed annually ($45 monthly), adds one published app, a custom domain and automated App Store publishing; its plan table lists Apple App Store and Google Play publishing from Starter.
Who it's for: non-technical founders shipping one app to both stores. Limits: one published app on Starter; more apps mean Professional or Team. Compare options on our Adalo alternatives page.
3. Bubble – mobile and web from one backend
Bubble builds web, iOS and Android apps in one project, and its FAQ says native mobile apps run on React Native. Free lets you build and test on your own device. A paid plan is needed for a live version, TestFlight, Google Play testing and store publishing. Mobile Starter is $42 a month billed annually ($49 month to month) with 5 build submissions a month; Web & Mobile Starter is $69 a month on monthly billing.
Who it's for: products that need a web app and a mobile app sharing one database. Limits: Bubble's manual says apps can't be exported as code, and mobile and web activity draw on the same workload allowance.
4. Thunkable – drag-and-drop native apps
Thunkable describes itself in its docs as a no-code platform for native mobile and web apps, with AI app generation to start a project. Free includes 3 public projects and 5 screens per project. Builder is $37 a month billed yearly ($59 billed monthly) and includes 1 live published app; Advanced, $99 a month billed yearly, allows unlimited live apps. Data comes from Google Sheets, Airtable, Webflow or a local table.
Who it's for: beginners, educators and solo makers publishing one app. Limits: free projects are public, and Thunkable says published apps become unavailable if the subscription lapses.
5. Draftbit – low entry price for store publishing
Draftbit builds mobile apps, web apps and websites with AI agents and visual editing, and lists a built-in Supabase backend (in beta), including on the free plan. Free includes 5,000 one-time credits and web publishing to draftbit.dev. Standard, $12 a month billed yearly ($15 monthly), adds code editing and export, custom domains and 1-click publishing for iOS, Android and web.
Who it's for: builders comfortable with code who want the cheapest paid path to both stores. Limits: the AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT subscription or API key, or on credits you buy.
6. Rork – AI-first native apps
Rork is an AI builder whose homepage says "Create mobile apps by chatting with AI, ship to App Store". Its paid plans, Rork Start and then Rork Pro at $20 a month, list iPhone apps with SwiftUI, Android apps with Kotlin and Compose, and web apps. The free plan is design mode only, with 5 design credits a month. Rork also offers Rork Backend for realtime data, auth and storage.
Who it's for: founders who want to prompt a real native app rather than drag one together. Limits: building working apps needs a paid plan, and credits cap how much you iterate.
7. Google AppSheet – internal apps for Workspace teams
AppSheet builds apps over Sheets, Drive and its own AppSheet database. You can build and test with up to 10 users at no cost; Starter is $5 per user per month, and Core ($10) is included in most paid Google Workspace plans. Apps run inside AppSheet's iOS and Android app or in a browser. Branded apps for the stores need AppSheet Core for every app user, with a minimum of 10 licences, or Publisher Pro.
Who it's for: field and ops teams already on Google Workspace. Limits: per-user pricing, and store publishing isn't the default path.
8. Glide – spreadsheet-born business apps
Glide now sells GlideOS for internal business apps built from a spreadsheet, a prompt or a file, and says its apps look great across devices. Free has limited credits and 0 published apps; Basic is $25 a month. The pricing page doesn't list app-store publishing.
Who it's for: teams turning a spreadsheet into a phone-friendly tool. Limits: no store listing, and public apps need Plus at $50 a month.
What about AI app builders like Lovable?
Check before you assume. Lovable's own FAQ says it builds web applications, not native apps, and doesn't generate React Native projects; it suggests a PWA or a Capacitor wrapper for phones. Among AI builders here, Rork and Draftbit state store publishing on their own pages. If you're asking which AI app builder is best for a mobile app without coding experience, start with Rork for native output, or with a web-app builder if a browser app will do.
When a web app is enough
Many "mobile apps" are booking tools, client portals, dashboards and internal workflows. Those work in a phone's browser, skip app review, and avoid Apple's $99 annual developer membership and Google Play's US$25 one-time registration fee. Our guide to PWA vs native for 2026 walks through which apps need the stores.
That's where Greta.sh fits, and only there. You describe the app in plain English and it builds a full-stack web app with database, auth and payments included, then deploys it with one click on Starter ($5 a month welcome offer, normally $20 a month). Free is 5 credits a day for building, with no deployment. Greta.sh doesn't build native iOS or Android apps or publish to the stores, so if store presence matters, pick from the list above. The guide to building a multi-tenant SaaS app on a native backend shows the kind of backend work it handles.
Got an idea? Build it now!
Just start with a simple prompt. No coding required: Greta.sh turns your idea into a working app in minutes.
How to choose
- Need polished native UI and exportable code? FlutterFlow.
- Need one app in both stores with minimal setup? Adalo.
- Need web and mobile on one database? Bubble.
- Want to prompt a native app? Rork.
- Lowest paid entry with store publishing? Draftbit or Thunkable.
- Internal team app on Google Workspace? AppSheet.
- Users happy with a browser app? A web-app builder, such as Greta.sh.
Still deciding between no-code platforms more broadly? See our best no-code app builder roundup, or how to create an app without coding for free if budget is the constraint.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free mobile app creator?
Every tool here has a free tier, but store publishing is paid. FlutterFlow and Draftbit let you publish a web version for free, Adalo, Bubble and Thunkable let you build and test for free, and AppSheet is free to build and test with up to 10 users.
What is the easiest mobile app creator for beginners?
Adalo and Thunkable are built for non-technical makers with drag-and-drop canvases. Rork is easiest if you'd rather describe the app in a chat.
What is the best mobile app creator software for Android?
Adalo, FlutterFlow, Bubble, Thunkable, Draftbit and Rork all list Android output or Google Play publishing. Google Play then charges a US$25 one-time developer registration fee.
Which AI app builder is best for creating a mobile app without coding experience?
For native store apps, Rork is built around chat-based mobile app creation. Draftbit adds AI agents to a visual editor with store publishing. Lovable and Greta.sh build web apps, not native ones.
Do mobile app creators include a backend?
Some do: Adalo includes a hosted Postgres database, Bubble shares one backend across web and mobile, Draftbit lists a built-in Supabase backend in beta, and AppSheet includes its own database. FlutterFlow and Thunkable connect to data sources you set up.
Decide the output first
Native, container or web: settle that before comparing features. The right tool usually becomes obvious once you know whether your users will search an app store or just tap a link.
