BuildFire Pricing Explained: Is It Worth the Investment?

BuildFire is a popular no-code mobile app builder, but understanding its pricing structure can be confusing for those evaluating their options. Before committing to any platform, you need to know exactly what you're paying for and whether it aligns with your budget and app development goals.

Adalo lets you build database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps — published to the App Store and Google Play — from a single no-code editor. With several no-code platforms available at different price points, breaking down BuildFire's costs will help you determine if it's the right investment for your project.

What Is BuildFire? 

BuildFire is a native mobile app builder with a low learning curve. Its simple no-code drag-and-drop interface appeals to anyone with zero tech skills, meaning it will offer a very easy building experience. Here are some of the features that come with BuildFire:

• 14-day free trial: While BuildFire doesn’t have a free version, you can still familiarize yourself with the platform by taking advantage of the 14-day free trial. Conveniently, BuildFire doesn’t ask for any credit card info — just sign up and start tinkering.  

• Templates: You’ll get over 20 templates to choose from. BuildFire has a fair amount of design freedom, so you’ll have the power to customize your templates to the design you’re going for. 

• Publish to the web and app stores: Like most no-code app-building platforms, BuildFire allows you to publish your app as a web app, which users can access with a browser. But, for even better reach, BuildFire lets you publish to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, two platforms with a combined user base in the billions. 

• 100+ Plugins: BuildFire features over 100 developer-made plugins unique to the platform. These plugins, such as a mortgage estimator for a real-estate app or a Stripe integration for an e-commerce app, will give you more power and functionality.

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BuildFire’s Pricing Tiers: How Much Do They Cost?

BuildFire offers two options: 

1. The first involves contacting BuildFire and communicating your app needs, and they’ll build your app for you. 
2. For the second option, you get the traditional, no-code app building plan, in which you sign up for BuildFire and make your app by yourself. 

All in all, BuildFire has 7 different pricing tiers across the two options: 

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Buildfire Plus Professional Service Plans 

Under the professional service plan, BuildFire’s developer team will create your app for you. 

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Tier 1: Premium Version ($5,000)

BuildFire will create your app in up to 1 month. It’s best for a small app, as it only allows up to 15 screens. Before publishing, you’ll get 2 free revisions. 

Tier 2: Signature Version ($7,500)

This version is a good choice for a medium-sized app, allowing up to 25 screens. You’ll get one more revision than the premium version (bringing your total to 3), and it also comes with a powerful Zapier integration, which lets you draw data from other accounts like QuickBooks and Google Drive.  

The BuildFire team will complete this app in about 2 months. 

Tier 3: Enterprise Version ($15,000) 

The Enterprise Version is for those wishing to build an app with up to 50 screens — no small app. You’ll get all the perks from the Signature Version, plus app store promotional material like screenshots and a promo video.  

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Buildfire’s App Development Platform Plans 

BuildFire offers 4 different tiers to those who want to go it alone and tailor-make their app using BuildFire’s app-building interface. 

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Tier 1: MVP Version, $100/month (Billed Quarterly) 

You read it correctly: That’s $100 for BuildFire’s basic pricing tier. You’ll be able to publish to the app stores, but you’ll only get 100 downloads from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.  

For this tier, BuildFire limits your access to powerful plugins and doesn’t allow for Zapier integration. However, you’ll get a total of 5GB storage and the ability to send up to 50,000 push notifications/month — an enormous number per user, considering only 100 people can download your native mobile app.  

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Tier 2: Growth Version, $189/month (Billed Quarterly)

The Growth Version offers most of the same features as the MVP, except for one glaring difference: You’ll get 25,000 combined downloads in the app stores per month instead of a measly 100. 

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Tier 3: Starter Version, $349/month (Billed Quarterly) 

For a staggering $349/month, you finally get access to those 100+ plugins and Zapier integration. You’re allowed 50,000 combined downloads per month from the app stores, and you can send up to 250,000 push notifications monthly. 

With BuildFire, you’ll also receive custom terms and conditions, which means you can create a plan tailored to your business. 

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Tier 4: Standard Version, $499/month (Billed Quarterly) 

With all the features of the Starter Version, the Standard Version provides even more enterprise-level perks and functionalities. BuildFire will give you access to a server-to-server API, allowing you to scrape all the data your app needs. 

You can also get single-sign-on and enterprise-level deployment of your app, as BuildFire will provide you with an Android Packet Kit (APK) and an iOS Store Package (IPA).  

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Is BuildFire Worth It?

Let’s discuss the elephant in the room: BuildFire’s pricing. Its cheapest version costs an eye-watering $100/month, more than double the entry-level version of most no-code app-building platforms. 

To add insult to injury, BuildFire’s cheapest version really skimps on the features. You don’t get access to BuildFire’s third-party plugins or Zapier, and you’re limited to a downright stingy 100 app store downloads. 

If you want access to features like tons of plugins, integrations, and API connections that you can get from other app-building platforms for under $100/month, you’ll need to pay an unreasonable $349/month.

Dozens of other folks have used BuildFire and complained about the pricing and quality of the building interface. While it’s an easy-to-use platform, I can’t justify the pricing. 

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Other BuildFire Pitfalls 

While BuildFire does have over 100 video tutorials for learning the building interface, it doesn’t have a message board. 

A message board is an essential feature that reputable app-building platforms need to have: It allows users to get expert help on specific questions, learn about the app builder by reading others' questions and answers, and connect with people in the community. 

Additionally, while BuildFire is one of the easier-to-use app-building platforms, the building interface and its elements look like they haven’t been updated since 2012. This means your app won’t look as sleek and modern as those built on other platforms. 

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When BuildFire Makes Sense

If you want someone to create your app, consider BuildFire’s Professional Service Tiers. 

Outsourcing app building costs around $6,000, and BuildFire’s lowest tier is $5,000. So, it might make financial sense to outsource your app-building to BuildFire’s team.  

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Adalo: The Best BuildFire Alternative

Do you want to build your app using a simple platform but don’t want to pay the high BuildFire pricing? Adalo is your best option.

Starting at $36/month, Adalo leverages a drag-and-drop interface with a low learning curve that you can use immediately. The screens, elements, and components that Adalo uses are much more aesthetically pleasing than those of BuildFire. 

You’ll also get access to Adalo’s enormous market of developer-made plugins and add-ons and over 5,500 third-party integrations. To better understand the platform, you can take classes from the Adalo Academy and connect with users on the Adalo Forum.  

Rest assured that Adalo doesn’t sacrifice simplicity for a sleek appearance. Adalo’s building functionality and elements let you create a slick, modern-looking app. Publish to the web, the Apple App, and the Google Play Store, with no download limit. 

‍Try out Adalo’s free version (not a free trial) right now!

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