Custom mobile app development averages $40,000-$400,000 and typically takes 6 to 12 months. Drag-and-drop builders deliver similar results for $300-$1,000 annually, often shipping in days.
Gartner forecasts that 70% of new enterprise applications will use low-code or no-code technologies by 2025. Non-technical founders no longer need to wait for engineering teams.
A drag-and-drop mobile app builder lets you create functional applications by arranging visual elements on a canvas rather than writing code. You select buttons, forms, images, and navigation components, then connect them to data sources and business logic through intuitive interfaces.
This guide covers eight platforms across five criteria that matter most in ease of use, output type (native app, web app, or PWA), pricing transparency, code ownership, and integrations.
1. Lovable: Best for AI-Powered Full-Stack Web Applications with Complete Code Ownership
Lovable generates complete web applications from natural language descriptions. Rather than dragging elements onto a canvas, you describe what you want to build in plain English, and the AI creates a working application with frontend, backend, database, and authentication already connected.
Agent Mode provides autonomous AI development with independent codebase exploration, proactive debugging, real-time web search, and automated problem-solving. For quick refinements, Visual Edits offers direct UI manipulation that lets you click and modify interface elements in real-time without writing prompts. Chat Mode serves as an interactive collaborative interface for planning, debugging, and iterative development with multi-step reasoning capabilities.
Code ownership comes built-in through GitHub integration. Every project syncs automatically to a repository you control, with bidirectional synchronization so external edits sync back to your project. Lovable generates TypeScript and React code following modern best practices, giving developers full control to extend functionality with custom code or eject entirely. For developers who want to maintain code quality while accelerating development, this provides the speed of vibe coding with the control of traditional development.
Backend functionality runs on Supabase, providing PostgreSQL databases, user authentication, file storage, and serverless functions—all configurable through conversation.
Pricing:
- Free: 5 daily credits, unlimited public projects.
- Pro: $25/month includes 100 monthly credits plus 5 daily credits, private projects, and custom domains.
- Business: $50/month adds SSO, up to 20 users, and data opt-out options.
Watch out for: Lovable builds web applications, not native iOS or Android apps distributed through app stores. If app store presence is essential, consider pairing Lovable with a native wrapper service or choosing a native-first platform.
2. Adalo: Best Drag-and-Drop Mobile App Builder for Native App Store Publishing
Adalo leads for native iOS and Android app publishing, with apps directly deployable to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store starting at the Starter plan. The visual builder uses familiar drag-and-drop patterns: select components, position them on screens, and configure interactions through dropdown menus.
The platform generates cross-platform applications from a single build: iOS, Android, and web apps from one project. Publishing workflows handle the technical complexity of app store submissions. Unlike traditional development where costs escalate unpredictably, Adalo provides clear pricing tiers enabling founders to forecast expenses accurately.
Pricing:
- Free: $0, 200 records, web apps only, no native publishing.
- Starter: $45/month enables native iOS and Android publishing for one app.
- Professional: $65/month supports multiple applications.
- Team: $200/month adds collaboration tools.
- Business: $250/month includes unlimited app actions.
Note: Apple's $99/year developer fee and Google's $25 one-time fee apply separately.
Watch out for: The Starter plan limits you to one published application and 200 database records. Variable costs ($5 per 1,000 additional app actions) can add up as usage grows. The Business plan eliminates these fees.
3. FlutterFlow: Best for Code Export and Professional Development
FlutterFlow provides visual development on top of Google's Flutter framework, producing production-quality code you can export and continue developing independently. When you anticipate eventually hiring developers, this creates a clean transition path from no-code prototype to custom codebase.
The Visual Action Flow Editor handles logic: user authentication, API calls, conditional navigation—all without programming knowledge. You can export your code with the click of a button for complete ownership of your IP. Firebase integration handles databases, authentication, and push notifications across all plan tiers.
Pricing:
- Free: 2 projects with web publishing, no code export.
- Basic: $39/month unlocks unlimited projects, code download, and APK generation.
- Growth: $80/month adds GitHub integration and real-time collaboration.
- Business: $150/month includes Figma import and advanced team features.
Watch out for: Code export is one-way. Once you modify exported code outside the platform, you cannot reimport those changes back into the visual builder. Plan your development workflow accordingly.
4. Bubble: Best for Complex Web and Mobile App Development
Bubble handles sophisticated web applications that other no-code tools struggle with: two-sided marketplaces, SaaS products with complex permissions, applications requiring extensive database relationships. The platform trades some ease of use for significantly more power.
Starting October 2025, Bubble restructured its mobile pricing, requiring a paid plan for deploying live native mobile apps. Mobile and web versions share the same backend database, workflows, and API connections, eliminating duplicate development.
Pricing:
- Free: Development only, no live deployment.
- Starter: $29/month (billed annually) enables live apps with custom domains.
- Growth: $119/month (billed annually) adds team collaboration with 2 app editors.
- Team: $349/month (billed annually) supports larger teams with 5 app editors. Mobile-only and combined web+mobile plans available at different price points.
Watch out for: Complex applications may require features beyond no-code visual builders, potentially necessitating transition to professional development resources. Usage-based pricing (workload units) can create variable costs as your user base grows.
5. Glide: Best for Spreadsheet-Powered Business Apps
Glide transforms Google Sheets and Excel files into polished mobile-friendly applications. If your business already runs on spreadsheets, Glide turns that existing data into apps without migration or manual re-entry.
The platform supports both live synchronization and static imports across all tiers for Google Sheets, Excel, and Airtable. Business tier and above unlock 100+ additional data sources including PostgreSQL, HubSpot, and Stripe.
Applications work on both mobile devices and web browsers from a single build, ideal for field sales tracking, inventory management, employee directories, and customer portals.
Pricing:
- Free: Unlimited drafts, 1 editor, up to 25k rows.
- Business: Starting at $199/month (billed annually) includes 30 users, unlimited apps, and 5,000 updates.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with SSO, data backups, and 100+ integrations.
Visit glideapps.com/pricing for current details.
Watch out for: Glide specializes in spreadsheet-to-app conversion and is optimized for data-driven internal tools rather than consumer-facing apps requiring complex interfaces or animations.
6. Thunkable: Best for Cross-Platform Apps with Visual Logic
Thunkable enables non-technical users to create iOS, Android, and web apps from a single project using a block-based visual programming system. The platform offers advanced logic capabilities through its block-based programming system, allowing users to add complex functionality without writing code.
This approach makes Thunkable particularly accessible for complete beginners. The block-based system eliminates syntax errors and programming conventions. Cross-platform publishing to the App Store, Google Play, and web is available on all tiers including free.
Pricing:
- Free: Up to 10 projects with cross-platform publishing, limited features.
- Builder: $59/month (billed monthly) or $37/month (billed annually) includes custom branding and one live published app.
- Advanced: $189/month (billed monthly) or $99/month (billed annually) enables unlimited published apps and priority support.
Watch out for: The Builder plan limits you to one live published app. Jumping to Advanced for unlimited apps represents a significant cost increase but provides dedicated account manager support.
7. GoodBarber: Best for Design-Quality Apps with E-Commerce
GoodBarber emphasizes visual design quality with templates created by professional designers and AI-assisted tools that generate consistent color palettes automatically. The platform produces native iOS apps in Swift and Android apps in Kotlin: the languages recommended by Apple and Google.
E-commerce capabilities handle complete mobile store creation with Apple Pay and Stripe integration. Across all plans, the platform takes zero commission on revenue generated from your app.
App store publishing includes human review before submission, valuable guidance for builders unfamiliar with Apple's requirements. The platform maintains a 4.4/5 rating on Trustpilot after 13 years of operation.
Pricing:
- Standard apps: Starting at $25/month.
- E-commerce apps: Starting at $40/month. All plans include a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.
Visit goodbarber.com for current pricing details.
Watch out for: Evaluate the complete feature set you need against your total budget, not just the base subscription price.
8. Bravo Studio: Best for Converting Figma Designs to Native Apps
Bravo Studio serves designers who already create app mockups in Figma or Adobe XD. Rather than rebuilding designs in a separate tool, Bravo converts existing design files into genuine native iOS and Android applications. The workflow preserves design fidelity: pixel-perfect implementations of your Figma frames become functional native apps.
Native features accessible through this drag-and-drop mobile app builder include push notifications, OAuth2 authentication, geolocation, in-app purchases, and deep linking. These capabilities are often limited in web-based solutions. Add interactivity through Bravo tags without leaving your familiar design environment.
Pricing:
- Starter: Free for building and testing with Bravo branding.
- Solo: $22/month (billed monthly) or approximately $19/month (billed annually) removes branding and enables app store publishing.
- Team plans: Contact sales for pricing.
- Advanced app add-ons: Available for additional features like versioning and white-labeling.
Visit bravostudio.app/pricing for current details.
Watch out for: Bravo Studio is specifically designed for designers with Figma or Adobe XD files. The platform does not support custom code or backend logic beyond standard integrations, making it unsuitable for applications requiring complex custom functionality.
How to Choose the Right Platform
The right choice depends less on which tool is "best" and more on which one aligns with your specific needs, technical comfort level, and long-term goals. Here's a framework to guide your decision:
- Start with output type. Native apps (Adalo, FlutterFlow, GoodBarber, Bravo Studio, Thunkable) install on devices and access hardware features. Web apps (Lovable, Bubble) run in browsers and deploy instantly without app store approval. PWAs (Glide) offer a middle ground. They’re installable to home screens with push notifications and offline functionality while remaining browser-based.
- Consider your starting point. Designers with Figma files should evaluate Bravo Studio. Teams with existing spreadsheet data fit naturally with Glide. When validating MVPs quickly through conversational AI, consider Lovable. For production-grade applications requiring stability and scalability, platforms like Bubble, Adalo, or FlutterFlow provide proven infrastructure foundations.
- Evaluate code ownership early. Platforms with export capabilities (FlutterFlow, Lovable with GitHub) provide insurance against vendor lock-in, even if you don't plan to hire developers immediately.
- Budget for growth on top of launch. Seek platforms with fixed-price business tiers: Adalo's Business plan offers unlimited app actions, and FlutterFlow's Growth plan includes GitHub integration for sustainable scaling.
Start Building This Week
The gap between having an app idea and launching it has collapsed. Platforms that once required months of development time now deliver working applications in days.
Each drag-and-drop mobile app builder covered here solves a specific problem well, from Adalo's native publishing to FlutterFlow's exportable code to Glide's spreadsheet conversion. When you need complete full-stack web applications with code ownership, Lovable's AI-powered approach generates everything from natural language descriptions with automatic GitHub integration.
Ready to build your first app? Start with Lovable and describe what you want to create.
