Free mobile app builders have removed the biggest obstacle between your idea and a working product—no coding required, no developer budget needed. But which platforms actually deliver without hidden costs or frustrating limitations?
For design freedom and overall performance, Adalo tops this list. Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. That app store access is critical for reaching massive audiences and unlocking push notifications to keep users engaged.
Below are six free mobile app builders tested for what matters most: launching an MVP fast and reaching the widest possible audience across web, iOS, and Android.
If you're looking for a free mobile app builder, try Adalo for design freedom, AI-assisted building, and overall performance, Bravo Studio if you're a Figma diehard, and FlutterFlow if you're a techie prepared to manage your own database infrastructure.
Read on to learn more about:
- How I chose each free app builder
- Review of each app builder
- Limitations of selecting a free version
- How to pick the free app builder for you
The 6 Best Free No-Code Mobile App Builders: TL;DR
- Adalo, the best overall free AI-powered mobile app builder
- Budibase, the best free no-code business tool builder
- FlutterFlow, the best free app builder for developers willing to manage external databases
- SAP Build Apps, a free no-code app builder for prototypes
- Jotform, the easiest free no-code mobile app builder
- Bravo Studio, the top-notch app builder for Figma designers
How I Chose The 6 Best No-Code Mobile Free App Builders
After reviewing and testing several platforms, I've found that the best free no-code app builders share a few features. The app builders on my list all feature the following:
- No Credit Card Commitment: There are quite a few free no-code app-building platforms that come with a glaring asterisk. To access the free version or free trial, you've got to enter your credit card information.
When you do this, the app-building platform can charge you as soon as the trial version ends, when you exceed your allotted storage space, or if you mistakenly don't meet a term and condition.
Rest assured, when you choose one of the free no-code app-building platforms on my list, you can keep your credit card tucked away in your wallet. All you'll need to sign up is an email address, a password, and the curiosity to learn something new!
- Free Version, not Free Trial: While a no-code app-building platform that offers a free trial is better than one that doesn't offer a free trial, most free trials expire after about 14 days.
This puts a lot of pressure on you to learn as much as possible about the app-building platform in a limited time. With a limited free trial, you might not be able to discover what you like and don't like about an app-building platform.
All the app-building platforms I chose have a free version with no trial period. This allows you to get comfortable with the interface on your own time.
- Actually No-Code: Sometimes, you'll find a free no-code app builder that requires you to enter lines of code if you want to build a particular feature. Such an app builder is not no-code.
The free no-code app-building platforms that made my list can all be used without any prior programming knowledge. You'll leverage a drag-and-drop or point-and-click interface to cobble together your app.
Other Key Factors I Considered
- Ease of Use: When you sign up for a free app builder, you'll want to jump in and start making your app ASAP. I ensured that each one on my list has a low learning curve that you can pick up either through intuition or after a few tutorial videos.
- A Strong Ecosystem: An app builder's ecosystem means the sum of all its supportive features, like tutorials, guides, developer-made tools, and more. The free no-code app builders on my list all have thriving ecosystems you can lean on while learning how to use their app-building interfaces.
You'll also get access to the app builder's forum, which gives you support from both seasoned users and folks representing the app builder. You'll be able to get solutions when you hit roadblocks or glean general information about using the platform.
- Paid Version Can Publish to App Stores: While most free no-code app builders don't allow you to publish to the app stores, their paid tiers do. When you publish your app to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you expose it to a larger audience, making it much easier for them to download.
- Pre-made Templates & Components: You'll be able to kick-start your app-building by selecting high-quality, customizable templates. These include all the forms, buttons, and other elements you need, helping you build your app quickly.
- Integrations: Sometimes, you'll want to transfer data from your third-party accounts directly to your app, integrate with a program like Stripe for payments, or stream in real time info directly through an API. These integrations add more oomph and functionality to your app.
The 6 Best Free No-Code Mobile App Builders in 2026
#1 Adalo: The Best Overall Free AI-Powered Mobile App Builder
Adalo is an AI-powered app builder with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that you can use immediately after signing up. The platform has been described as "as easy as PowerPoint" while being flexible enough to create nearly any app you can imagine—from internal project management tools to customer-facing booking apps for your restaurant.
Features
- True cross-platform publishing from a single codebase. In today's world of vibe-coding, Adalo stands out because it isn't just able to ship production apps, but take one version and ship a production app to Web, iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). This means you get to your customers no matter where they are, and get the benefit of push notifications—the second most trusted channel of marketing after word of mouth.
- AI-assisted building tools accelerate development. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from a simple description. Tell it you need a booking app for a dog grooming business, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically—what used to take days of planning happens in minutes. Magic Add lets you add features by describing what you want in natural language.
- Adalo's building interface gives you near-pixel-perfect design freedom. You'll be able to resize images, text, and other components right on your screen using your mouse. Unlike some competitors that restrict you to rigid templates, Adalo lets you view up to 400 screens at once on a single canvas for complete project oversight.
- If you run into any speed bumps, Adalo has abundant tutorials, guides, and an active forum in its thriving ecosystem. When you build your app with Adalo, you'll become part of a community that has created over 3 million apps.
- X-Ray identifies performance issues before they affect users. This AI-powered diagnostic tool highlights potential scalability problems, helping you build apps that perform well from day one.
Ideal Users
Ultimately, I've recommended Adalo more than any mobile app builder over the years due to its refreshing simplicity and sheer power. Because of its flexibility in creating nearly any app you can imagine, Adalo is particularly suited to meet the needs of individuals, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses.
The platform's AI-assisted building tools make it especially attractive for non-technical founders who want to move fast. With the AI Builder promising vibe-coding creation speed, you can go from idea to working prototype in hours rather than weeks.
What the Free Plan Offers
Out of all the free no-code app builders on my list, Adalo's free version is the most generous. You'll get an unlimited number of prototype apps and even be able to use Zapier in a limited capacity.
Adalo's free version integrates with Stripe, so you can run a prototype of your app with existing customers. You'll also get 200 database records to experiment with different features. When you're ready to scale, paid plans offer unlimited database records with no usage-based charges—a significant advantage over competitors that impose record limits or unpredictable workload fees.
The Bottom Line
Because it blends simplicity with power, Adalo provides enough flexibility and design freedom to build a super robust app. The combination of AI-assisted building, true native app compilation, and a modular infrastructure that scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users makes Adalo the best app builder on our list.
#2 Budibase: The Best Free No-Code Business Tool Builder
Budibase is a no-code app builder that transforms databases into apps. It's designed to build internal business apps like CRMs, project management tools, client portals, and more.
Features
- Budibase integrates with loads of external database sources, like Google Sheets, Airtable, various SQL databases, and others. Or you can build your own database from scratch using Budibase's database builder.
- You'll also get a REST API that lets you connect to most web data sources and a Zapier integration, so you can transfer data from various sources directly to your app.
- Are you a big organization and prefer to self-host? Budibase lets you host on-prem (on your own server)—even for the free version. This will delight any IT team.
Ideal Users
Because Budibase allows for the creation of unlimited apps (yes, even on the free version), it's an ideal choice for companies that have evolving demands and need to develop rapid solutions. Also, Budibase is open source, so it's a great choice for techies who want to patch in their own code.
However, if you need to publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, Budibase won't meet your needs—it focuses exclusively on web-based internal tools rather than consumer-facing mobile apps.
What the Free Plan Offers
The free plan allows you to integrate with unlimited data sources to build an unlimited number of apps. You also get single-sign-on (SSO) for Google and Microsoft platforms.
However, Budibase's free version only allows up to 5 users, which could be a hangup for larger teams. The free version also doesn't allow you to brand your app.
The Bottom Line
Budibase is splendid for companies of any size that want to create several internal business apps from their pre-existing databases. For customer-facing mobile apps that need app store distribution, consider Adalo instead.
#3 FlutterFlow: The Best Free App Builder for Developers
FlutterFlow is an app builder geared towards developers and techies. This is because FlutterFlow is a low-code platform—not no-code—meaning you'll need technical experience to use it effectively.
Features
- If you want to create special features or your own plugin unique to your app, FlutterFlow gives you the option to enter the code for the needed feature.
- FlutterFlow boasts the second-largest template library out of all the free app builders on this list, giving you an array of choices to get your app idea rolling.
Important Considerations
FlutterFlow requires you to manage your own external database. Users need to source, setup, and pay for a separate database service (typically Firebase or Supabase), which requires significant learning complexity. This is especially challenging when looking for scale, as anything less than optimal setup can create performance problems.
The ecosystem is rich with experts precisely because so many people need help—and end up spending significant sums of money chasing scalability. The builder is also limited in view, making it slow to see more than 2 screens at once, whereas Adalo can display up to 400 screens at a time on one canvas.
Pricing starts at $70/month per user for easy app store publishing—and that still doesn't include a database, which you need to source, setup, and pay for separately.
Ideal Users
FlutterFlow is ideal for entrepreneurs and teams building and managing several different apps, as the platform allows for real-time collaboration. But it's very important that you have substantial tech experience, like being familiar with database schema and knowing coding logic—or you'll most likely have issues.
What the Free Plan Offers
Build an app and publish it on the web under FlutterFlow's subdomain. The free version also gives you a full design package, including animations for smooth transitions between screens and haptic touch if you want to add vibration or motion to your app.
The Bottom Line
While it's limited to a technical audience, FlutterFlow is an excellent tool if you want to combine your programming skills with a great drag-and-drop editor. However, the hidden costs of database management and the steep learning curve make it less suitable for non-technical users. For those who want an all-in-one solution with built-in database management, Adalo's $36/month starting price includes everything you need.
#4 SAP Build Apps: A Free No-Code App Builder for Prototypes
SAP Build Apps (formerly AppGyver Community Edition) is a free, no-code app-building platform that lets you build native mobile and web apps with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. It is part of the SAP ecosystem, a major provider of enterprise software.
Features
- The platform is pretty much made for all the SAP users out there, as SAP acquired AppGyver in 2021. It shares several integrations and tools with SAP, so those familiar with the SAP ecosystem will find the platform quite accommodating.
- The building interface is a breeze. After watching SAP's very short tutorial, you'll be able to start building your app in no time. You'll have quite a bit of design freedom when creating your app, and the building canvas makes it very easy to add logic and commands.
Ideal Users
If you're a major organization using SAP, you might want to give this free app maker a go. It can integrate with many of SAP's tools and pre-existing features, allowing you to create apps that work seamlessly with your operations.
What the Free Plan Offers
The entire plan is free. It gives you the power to publish your app as a web app and a native mobile app to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. It also has a useful REST API that lets you quickly gather data from web sources.
The Bottom Line
Although the platform appears dated and has some issues with bugs, SAP Build Apps is completely free app building software and provides enough design freedom to build a simple startup app that you can publish to the app stores. For more polished, production-ready apps with AI-assisted building, Adalo offers a more modern experience.
#5 Jotform: The Easiest Free No-Code Mobile App Builder
Jotform is a no-code mobile and web app builder that lets you create simple apps with no fuss. It boasts a long list of features, components, and more, ensuring that you can build out your app in a snap.
Features
- Jotform is super easy to learn, and you don't need to spend much time on tutorials to pick up the app-building interface.
- Boasting the most extensive template library on our list, you'll find 1,000+ options to get your building started fast.
- If you're looking to upgrade to a paid version and you're a medical professional, you might want to stick with Jotform because it has a paid version that's HIPAA compliant, a feature most no-code mobile app builders lack.
Ideal Users
Jotform is ideal for building a quick app that takes form submissions, payments, or signed documentation. The platform has pricing tiers that businesses of all sizes can use.
What the Free Plan Offers
Jotform's free no-code app building plan lets you create a small app with up to 5 screens. It also allows you to accept up to 10 payments monthly. Yet, it only provides a minuscule 100MB of storage, constraining the type and number of pictures or videos you put on your app.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking to build a simple app to gather data or sell a few products, shortlist Jotform. You can scale up to your needs should you decide to go with one of Jotform's paid versions. For more complex apps with greater design freedom, Adalo's free tier offers more flexibility.
#6 Bravo Studio: The Top-Notch App Builder for Figma Designers
Bravo Studio is a no-code app builder that lets you transform your Figma designs into unique, one-of-a-kind apps.
Features
- Because you first need to create your app's template using the Figma platform, you'll be able to achieve 100% pixel-perfect design freedom. This means you can make an app that genuinely stands out from the crowd.
- The free version allows you to send out push notifications, allowing you to notify your app users about upcoming events, special offers, and more with the simple press of a button.
Ideal Users
While Bravo Studio offers some of the best design freedom in the no-code app-building game, you'll need to know how to create designs with Figma to leverage the platform. If you don't know how to use Figma, you'll have to learn it and make designs before learning Bravo.
What the Free Plan Offers
The free version lets you create an unlimited number of progressive web apps (PWAs) of up to 15 screens. Share them with a limited number of friends, colleagues, and clients via email. You'll send them a link to your app, and they'll download it directly to their devices.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to publish your app directly to the web, which means you'll only have limited traction.
The Bottom Line
If you're a Figma designer considering building an app, Bravo should be the first free version on your shortlist. For those who want design freedom without the Figma prerequisite, Adalo offers near-pixel-perfect control directly in its builder.
How Do These Free App Builders Compare?
| Platform | Best For | App Store Publishing | Starting Paid Price | Database Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adalo | Overall best, AI-assisted building | Yes (iOS & Android) | $36/month | Yes, unlimited records on paid plans |
| Budibase | Internal business tools | No | $50/month | Yes |
| FlutterFlow | Technical developers | Yes | $70/month per user + database costs | No (external required) |
| SAP Build Apps | SAP ecosystem users | Yes | Free (enterprise pricing for advanced) | Yes |
| Jotform | Form-based apps | No | $34/month | Yes (limited) |
| Bravo Studio | Figma designers | Yes (paid tiers) | $19/month | No (external required) |
Are These App Builders Truly Free?
A free app builder lets you get comfortable with its building interface so you can decide if it's a good fit. While you'll be able to feel out the app-building platform, you won't be able to unleash the full potential of a paid version.
Here are some of the limitations free versions come with:
- App Actions: These are the tasks your app can execute, like accessing a database, connecting with an external site, signing up users, and more. Most free versions come with just a few actions your app can complete. If you want more, you'll need to upgrade to a paid version.
Note that Adalo has removed usage-based charges from all plans—paid plans now include unlimited usage with no bill shock, unlike competitors that charge based on workload units or API calls.
- Storage Space: When you build an app, you'll also build a database with information like text, photos, videos, and so on. This information takes up storage space. Free no-code app builders usually come with a small amount of storage space, which limits your app's size.
Adalo's paid plans offer no record limit cap on the database—with the right data relationship setups, Adalo apps can scale beyond 1 million monthly active users.
- Internal and External Users: Most free no-code app builders allow for a maximum number of internal users. These are users who sign into your app and use member-specific features, like data tools or the ability to share photos.
Some, but not all, free no-code app builders also allow a maximum number of external users. These folks can visit your app using a web browser, but they're restricted to just a few actions, like viewing videos or reading sample articles.
- Integrations and Plugins: Free no-code app builders don't allow for as many integrations as their paid tiers. For instance, you'll most likely be unable to use a Zapier integration, which gives you access to thousands of third-party apps and software.
Most no-code app-building platforms have developer communities that create plugins, such as a PDF converter, scheduler, and more. However, many free no-code app builders restrict the number of plugins you can build into your app.
What Types of Apps Can You Create with Free Mobile App Builders?
- PWA: Some of the free app builders on my list can build progressive web apps (PWAs). You can download them onto your phone's home screen directly and use them like a native mobile app.
- Web apps: You can also use these free builders to make web apps. Web apps are apps you access through your phone's web browser, but you don't download them. You execute all the tasks in the app using your browser.
Web apps aren't as powerful as PWAs, as they won't integrate with your phone's hardware, like your camera or GPS.
Can I Publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store?
Free no-code app builders won't allow you to build an app that you can publish on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store (called a "native" app). Publishing to app stores involves passing a compliance test.
However, most of the free no-code app builders on my list have paid versions allowing publishing to the app store. Adalo stands out here because it compiles to true native code—not a web wrapper—and handles the entire App Store submission process for you. One build publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store simultaneously.
What About Other Popular Platforms?
You might be wondering about some other app builders you've heard of. Here's how they compare:
Glide
Glide is an app builder that's heavily format-focused and restricted to set templates. This makes it fast to build and publish with, but creates generic, simplistic apps with limited creative freedom. Glide is a go-to for spreadsheet-based apps, but that still doesn't compare to the convenience of Adalo's Sheetbridge, which enables you to turn a Google Sheet into an actual database for the easiest control without database-related learning.
Pricing starts at $60/month to get the ability to build an app with a custom domain, but it's still limited by app updates and data record rows, which attract additional charges. Glide does not support Apple App Store or Google Play Store publishing.
Softr
Softr pricing starts from $167/month to publish an actual Progressive Web App, which is still restricted by records per app and records per datasource. Softr does not support Apple App Store and Google Play Store publishing, or iOS and Android app creation. Softr is looked to for spreadsheet app building, provided the web app restrictions are met and the higher price point is acceptable.
Thunkable
Thunkable offers an AI-draft of an app build now, but getting access to a Progressive Web App that can be published requires a $59/month plan with usage restrictions. To get to a responsive app requires a custom pricing tier that is beyond their advertised $189/month Advanced tier.
Bubble
Bubble's web and mobile wrapper offering starts at $59/month with usage-based charges, limits on app re-publishing, and limits on records due to Workload Units. Bubble has more customization options, but that often results in slower applications that suffer under increased load, and frequently requires hiring experts to help optimize performance.
Bubble's mobile app solution is also a wrapper for the web app, introducing potential challenges at scale. This means one app version doesn't automatically update web, Android, and iOS apps deployed to their respective app stores—unlike Adalo's single-codebase approach.
In comparison, Adalo's web and true-native mobile builder starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and app store publishing with unlimited updates to apps once published.
Next Steps with Adalo
After going through the app builders, answer these questions:
- How many users do you want your free version to reach?
- How much design freedom do you need?
- Which integrations are necessary?
- Do you need to publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store?
Once you know what you'll need, jot down the 2 or 3 app builders that stood out to you and try them all out—we highly recommend you include Adalo. Adalo is an AI-powered app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play.
That's because Adalo offers the most generous free version with the ability to publish to the web, take Stripe payments, and even add some powerful plugins. When you're ready to scale, paid plans remove all data caps and usage restrictions—no surprise bills, no record limits, just building.
[INTERNAL LINK: Adalo vs FlutterFlow comparison article] [INTERNAL LINK: How to publish your app to the App Store] [INTERNAL LINK: Building your first app with Adalo tutorial]FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions? | Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store from a single codebase—the hardest part of launching an app handled automatically. With Magic Start and Magic Add, you can build apps by describing what you want in natural language. |
| What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store? | Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from a simple description, and Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process so you can focus on your app's features instead of wrestling with certificates and provisioning profiles. |
| Which is more affordable, Adalo or FlutterFlow? | Adalo starts at $36/month with an included database and unlimited records on paid plans. FlutterFlow starts at $70/month per user for app store publishing, but doesn't include a database—you need to source, setup, and pay for that separately. Adalo's all-in-one pricing makes total cost of ownership significantly lower. |
| Which is easier for beginners, Adalo or FlutterFlow? | Adalo is designed for non-technical users and has been described as "as easy as PowerPoint." FlutterFlow is a low-code platform that requires technical experience with database schema and coding logic. If you don't have a development background, Adalo's learning curve is much gentler. |
| Is Adalo better than Bubble for mobile apps? | For mobile apps, yes. Adalo compiles to true native iOS and Android code, while Bubble's mobile solution is a web wrapper. Adalo's single codebase publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store simultaneously. Bubble starts at $59/month with usage-based charges and record limits, while Adalo starts at $36/month with unlimited usage. |
| What does Adalo's free plan include? | Adalo's free version includes unlimited prototype apps, 200 database records, limited Zapier integration, and Stripe integration so you can test payments with existing customers—all without entering a credit card. It's one of the most generous free tiers among no-code app builders. |
| Can I build an app without coding experience? | Yes. All the platforms on this list are designed for non-coders, using drag-and-drop or point-and-click interfaces. Adalo's AI-assisted building tools make it even easier—describe what you want to build, and Magic Start generates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. |
| What are the limitations of free no-code app builders? | Free versions typically restrict app actions, storage space, number of users, and available integrations. Most won't let you publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. However, paid tiers unlock these capabilities—Adalo's paid plans include unlimited database records and no usage-based charges. |
| Do I need to provide credit card information for free versions? | No. All the free app builders on this list require only an email address and password to sign up. You can explore each platform and get comfortable with the interface without worrying about unexpected charges. |
| Can I migrate from another platform to Adalo? | Yes. Adalo's database can import data from spreadsheets and other sources. While there's no one-click migration from competitors, Adalo's Sheetbridge feature lets you turn a Google Sheet into an actual database, making it easy to bring your existing data into a new Adalo app. |










