If you're evaluating no-code app builders, you've probably seen Gappsy's lifetime access offer and wondered if it's the right investment for your project.
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. Gappsy is a no-code platform that converts websites into mobile apps, offering a one-time payment model with lifetime access.
What matters most is app success—launching your MVP as quickly as possible and reaching the largest audience. That means publishing not just a web app, but native iOS and Android apps to the App Store and Google Play, where you gain access to massive built-in audiences and essential features like push notifications. The comparison below breaks down how each platform delivers on these critical factors.
What is Gappsy?
Gappsy is a web and native mobile app-building platform that requires a one-time fee for lifetime access. It features a simple drag-and-drop interface designed for users who want to avoid monthly subscriptions. However, the platform's limited feature set and concerning signs of abandonment raise serious questions about its long-term viability.
Gappsy Review: Getting Started
Gappsy doesn't offer a free version or even a free trial, which is unusual in today's app builder market. You'll need to pay $747 upfront before seeing the platform—a significant leap of faith. The only safety net is a 30-day refund window, though user reviews suggest getting refunds can be problematic.
After signing up, you can choose from a few dozen templates or start from scratch. Each layout arranges your app's elements—buttons, text boxes, images—slightly differently while maintaining the template's background design.
Gappsy's app-building interface is straightforward. A left-hand dropdown dashboard lets you select which parts of your app to edit, with editing options appearing in the center screen. A preview panel on the right shows how changes will appear in your final app.
Available features include:
- Appointment scheduling
- Service/Table Booking
- Calendar
- Origin/Destination Feature for ride booking
- Catalog
- E-Commerce Features
- QR Scanner
These features represent the bare minimum for most app-building platforms. While sufficient for assembling a basic app, they lack the depth and flexibility that modern businesses typically require.
Gappsy's Highlights
- Unlimited storage space included with your purchase
- Publishing to both app stores and the web as a web app
- Basic integrations with Stripe, Salesforce, and YouTube
Gappsy's Hang Ups
- Broken website links: Gappsy claims to offer Webhooks and ad monetization, but the links to these features are broken. This suggests the platform isn't being actively maintained—a red flag for any software investment.
- Limited integrations: No Zapier, QuickBooks, or Airtable connections. Without a built-in REST API, pulling data from external web sources becomes extremely difficult.
- No ecosystem: Beyond a simple documentation page that hasn't been updated in years, there's no developer community, no forum, and no evidence of ongoing development.
- Negative reviews: Trustpilot reviews include multiple reports of users struggling to obtain refunds despite the 30-day guarantee.
- Platform risk: Paying $700+ for lifetime access to a platform showing signs of abandonment is inherently risky. If Gappsy ceases operations, your app goes down with it.
Is Gappsy Right For You?
Gappsy serves a very narrow audience. Consider Gappsy if:
- You strongly prefer a one-time payment over monthly fees
- You want to publish to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and web
- You need only the most basic app functionality with no integrations
Look elsewhere if:
- You need a powerful builder with professional-grade features
- You're concerned about investing in a platform that may not exist in a year
- You want regular updates, active support, and a thriving developer ecosystem
What Kinds of Apps Can I Build With Gappsy?
Due to its limited features, absent ecosystem, and minimal integrations, Gappsy is one of the more restricted app-building options available. The inability to connect third-party data sources or web services severely limits what you can create.
Realistically, you can only build the most basic apps with Gappsy—simple booking systems, basic scheduling tools, or straightforward social media-style apps. Anything requiring data integration, complex logic, or scalability will quickly hit walls.
Gappsy Pricing: Is it Worth it?
Gappsy charges a one-time fee of $747. Additional apps cost $76 each, and lifetime updates with customer support require an extra $67.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Base Platform (Lifetime) | $747 |
| Additional App | $76 |
| Lifetime Updates + Support | $67 |
The total investment of $814+ for a fully-supported setup is substantial, especially given the platform's uncertain future. Compare this to modern alternatives offering monthly plans with guaranteed updates and active development.
Gappsy Alternatives: What Other Tools Should You Try?
If Gappsy's limitations and risks give you pause, consider these established alternatives:
Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike Gappsy's uncertain future, Adalo processes over 20 million data requests daily with 99%+ uptime across more than 3 million apps created on the platform. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from simple descriptions, while Magic Add lets you add features through natural language requests. Paid plans include unlimited database records with no usage-based charges—you'll never face surprise bills. At $36/month, Adalo costs less than Gappsy's one-time fee within two years while providing continuous updates, active support, and a thriving ecosystem.
Bubble offers extensive customization for web applications and includes a mobile wrapper option. However, Bubble's pricing starts at $59/month with usage-based Workload Unit charges and record limits that can create unpredictable costs. The mobile solution wraps the web app rather than creating true native apps, which can introduce performance challenges at scale. Bubble's flexibility often requires hiring experts to optimize, particularly for apps targeting high user volumes.
FlutterFlow targets technical users comfortable with low-code development. Pricing starts at $70/month per user for app store publishing, but this doesn't include a database—you'll need to source, configure, and pay for that separately. The builder's limited viewport (showing only 2 screens at once) slows development compared to platforms like Adalo, which can display up to 400 screens on a single canvas. The ecosystem is rich with experts precisely because so many users need help achieving scalability.
Verdict
Get Gappsy now only if you need an extremely simple app and strongly prefer a one-time payment despite the platform risk.
Shortlist it if you're exploring options but haven't determined your app's feature requirements yet.
Choose Adalo instead if you want a powerful, actively-developed platform with AI-assisted building, unlimited database storage on paid plans, and reliable app store publishing. Adalo's modular infrastructure scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users, with no upper ceiling. The platform's 2025 infrastructure overhaul (Adalo 3.0) delivered 3-4x faster performance and eliminated the scaling constraints that affect many competitors.
Start building with Adalo for $36/month—create professional native apps and publish to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and web from a single codebase. With no usage-based charges and unlimited updates to published apps, you'll know exactly what you're paying from day one.
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. With over 3 million apps created and 20 million+ daily data requests, Adalo offers proven reliability that one-time-fee platforms like Gappsy cannot match. |
| 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 features like Magic Start and Magic Add lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process, so you can focus on your app's features instead of wrestling with certificates and store guidelines. |
| Is it risky to pay a one-time fee for an app builder? | Yes, one-time fee platforms carry significant risk. If the company ceases operations, your app disappears with it. Gappsy's broken website links, outdated documentation, and negative reviews about refunds suggest the platform may not be actively maintained. Subscription-based platforms like Adalo provide continuous updates and active support. |
| Which is more affordable, Adalo or Gappsy? | Gappsy costs $747+ upfront, while Adalo starts at $36/month. Within two years, Adalo costs less than Gappsy's one-time fee—and you get continuous updates, new features, and active support throughout. Adalo also has no usage-based charges, so your costs stay predictable. |
| Which is better for beginners, Adalo or Gappsy? | Adalo offers a more beginner-friendly experience with AI-assisted building, extensive documentation, and an active community. Gappsy's documentation hasn't been updated in years, and there's no community forum for help. Adalo's Magic Start can generate complete app foundations from simple descriptions, dramatically reducing the learning curve. |
| Can I build apps without coding experience? | Yes, Adalo's intuitive drag-and-drop interface requires no coding. You can build database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps without writing code. The platform has been described as "easy as PowerPoint" while still producing professional, app-store-ready applications. |
| What integrations do app builders typically offer? | Modern app builders like Adalo offer REST API capabilities, Zapier compatibility, and connections to popular services. Gappsy's limited integrations (only Stripe, Salesforce, and YouTube) restrict what you can build. Adalo also offers SheetBridge, which turns Google Sheets into a database for the easiest data management without database-related learning. |
| How does Adalo compare to Bubble for mobile apps? | Adalo creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, while Bubble's mobile solution wraps a web app. Bubble starts at $59/month with usage-based charges and record limits; Adalo starts at $36/month with unlimited database records and no usage charges. Bubble offers more customization but often requires expert help to optimize for scale. |
| Is Adalo better than FlutterFlow for non-technical users? | Yes, FlutterFlow is low-code designed for technical users, while Adalo is built for non-technical creators. FlutterFlow requires you to source and configure your own database separately, adding complexity and cost. Adalo includes everything in one platform with AI-assisted building that generates database structures automatically. |
| How many users can an Adalo app support? | Adalo's modular infrastructure scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users, with no upper ceiling. The 2025 Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul delivered 3-4x faster performance and eliminated scaling constraints. Paid plans include unlimited database records, removing the data caps that limit growth on other platforms. |
