Building an app can be challenging. You need coding knowledge and experience, and before all of that, you need a winning idea. But what if you have the idea and not the coding skills? Can you still build an app? The answer is yes!
In this blog post, we’re sharing 10 of the best app makers available today. We’ll share what features and functionality they include to give you an idea of what to expect when you choose an app maker.
10 Best App Makers Available Today:
Appy Pie
Appy Pie’s approach to DIY app development is different from what we’ve seen to date. They have a detailed 9-step process. It’s longer than any we’ve seen and more focused on helping people create strong business cases and successful apps.
And while their website may not appear as pretty as other app builders out there, they seem to be on to something. They have over 3 million customers worldwide. These include the likes of Home Depot, Accenture and L'Oréal.
When it comes to building your app, Appy Pie will walk you through a 3-step process. It includes:
- Selecting a category for your app (business, information, entertainment, photography etc.)
- Build your app by adding and designing app pages and setting a navigation style. You’ll also be able to include pre-built pages.
- Publish your app
Source: appypie.com
Plans:
Basic, $16/app/month
Gold, $36/app/month
Platinum, $60/app/month
AppInstitute
AppInstitute has dubbed itself as the app builder for busy small business owners. And while that sound almost quaint, we think they’re right on the money.
Building an app without any coding knowledge has to be easy. The process must be distilled down to a series of basic steps, all of which AppInstitute clearly displays on their site.
Here’s what that process looks like:
- Pick a template with all the features you need
- Brand your app with business info, images, choose a colour scheme and social account info 3. Edit your content
- Hit publish!
AppInstitute offers templates for over 20 business types, so there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to be up and running fast!
Image: AppInstitute
Plans:
Business Lite, $59/mo
Business Extra, $92/mo
Business Unlimited, $118/mo
Reseller, $340/mo
Mobincube
Finding a completely free app builder isn’t easy. And while we’ve found two, like most free tools, some don’t offer much value. In this case, Mobincube delivers quality and functionality.
The team over at Mobincube has gone the extra mile to make their solution as attractive as possible. You can start building your free app and launch it at absolutely no cost. And no, this isn’t limited to HTML apps, it includes native apps, too.
Mobincube also boasts a strong set of features. These include:
- Online store integration
- Monetisation with in-app ads
- Advanced customisation
- Push notifications
- Google Maps
- Google Analytics
- Database integration
- 3rd party solution integration
- Audio and video
- Navigation bars
- Remote content updates
Image: Mobincube
Plans:
Free
Small, $4.99/mo
Medium, $14.99/mo
Large, $29.99/mo
XL, $69.99/mo
XXL, $149.99/mo
Swiftic (formerly Como)
A good indicator of the success of an app builder is the number of apps that have been built using it. In Swiftic’s case, that number is in excess of 1 million.
Swiftic has positioned its solution to cater to big and small businesses. We think that’s a smart choice. As you’ll see further down this list, there are app builders who have large multinational brands as clients. This is proof that businesses (big and small) want quick and easy-to-use solutions. While they may have the budget for custom apps, the prospect of a fast build with a professional design makes testing and results easier.
Categories that Swiftic caters to include:
- Retail and commerce
- Restaurants
- Health and Beauty
- Professional Services
The layout of their design platform is clean. Like other tools, you get a preview of your build as you add and tweak elements.
Features you can add to your app include:
- In-app coupons
- Push notifications
- Mobile store
- Loyalty cards
- Scratch cards
- Deliveries
- Catalogues
- Menus
- Branches (outlets)
- Scheduling
- Customer engagement (email, surveys and contests)
- Social integration
Source: swiftic.com
Plans:
Monthly, $39/mo
Yearly, $33/mo (Pay once a year)
2 Years, $29/mo (Pay once every 2 years)
Bizness Apps
Like many other app builders, Bizness Apps caters to various industries. They offer a collection of beautifully designed templates that can be customised. Their design capabilities allow you to change text (using Google Fonts) and select your icon sets.
These and other elements come together to make it one of the best app makers. Bizness Apps’ builder includes a CMS with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy for anyone to get started.
Bizness Apps also offers advanced add-ons. These include:
- Private App Store: Publish your iOS apps without undergoing Apple’s strict review process.
- Signature: Save time and money by enabling secure document signing within your app.
- Multiple Language Support: select up to 5 languages and add your content to the CMS.
- Group Management: Define groups and user access restriction.
- Reviews: Capture reviews to be published online to boost app downloads.
Source: biznessapps.com
Plans:
Individual, $99/month
Standard, $300/month
Gold, $360/month
Platinum, $400/month
MobileRoadie
MobileRoadie appears to be one of the more robust app builders available today. Their platform offers a collection of nine categories that you can access for pre-designed app templates.
Categories include:
- Music: Artists, Bands, DJs, Clubs, Record Labels
- Entertainment: Motivational Speakers, Celebrities, Parks & Zoos, Shows, Movies
- Events: Concerts, Conferences, Expos, Venues
- Sport: Teams, Fitness, Fan Communities
- Government & Education: State Health Depts, Government Institutions, Schools & Universities
- Hospitality & Travel: Hotels, Restaurants, Travel
- Business: Stores, Product Guides, Employee Forums
- Media: Radio, News, Magazines, TV, Authors
- Religious Organizations: Churches, Youth Groups, Religious Communities
While robust-looking, they haven’t strayed from the essence of what app-building without coding knowledge should be. They offer a 5-step process for producing and managing apps. It includes building, designing, managing, engaging and analysing.
Their interface is clean and professionally designed, making the build process a breeze and positioning MobileRoadie as one of the best app makers we’ve seen.
MobileRoadie also provides custom design and development with additional functionality like AR, interactive maps, in-app purchases, email registration and logins, and 3rd party API and SDK integrations.
Image: MobileRoadie
Plans:
Pro, contact for quote
Superior, contact for quote
AppMachine
App builders are meant to do one thing: simplify what would otherwise be a complex coding exercise to produce an app. Looking at AppMachine, you can’t help but feel less intimidated by their app builder.
They’ve artfully designed a lego block inspired interface. This makes planning and building an app feel less like work and more like an interesting exercise in constructing something really cool.
From within AppMachine, you can use over 35 pre-coded apps to build yours. AppMachine also offers templates for music, restaurants, schools, travel and tourism and sports apps.
Image: AppMachine
Plans:
Plus App, $49/mo
Pro App, $69/mo
Reseller Bundle, $99/mo
Reseller Bundle XL, $300/mo
MobAppCreator
MobAppCreator uses modules to create apps. This approach allows you to piece together various features, making the build process more like constructing a puzzle.
Modules include:
- Links
- Chat
- Plugins
- product and catalogues
- Social media platforms
- Locations and maps
- Events
- News, and more
In true app builder form, you also have the choice os app themes to find your app’s look. While very inviting, this solution is targeted at agencies.
MobAppCreator appears to be a winner with the market. Their platform is used by leading brands like Shell, Moviestar, Kraft, Marriot and Holiday Inn.
Image: MobAppCreator
Plans:
Starter, $24.17/mo
Basic, $40.83/mo
Pro, $49.17/mo
Advanced, $82.50/mo
Siberian CMS
Siberian CMS is open source and that makes it a very attractive offering. It’s the ideal tool for anyone looking to dabble with app development..
And while it’s open-source, there are pricing plans that offer more functionality. As with all open-source tools, these paid-for options include support and commercial licenses. They also allow the option of selling apps on the Platform Edition plan.
Feature-wise, there’s loads that you can do using Siberian. You can build an eCommerce app, integrate a calendar, monetise with ads and offer QR Coupons.
Image: Siberian
Plans:
Single App Edition - Free
Multi-Apps Edition, €349 (one-time "Host Yourself"), €79 (per month "Hosted")
Platform Edition, €599 (one-time "Host Yourself"), €149/mo (per month "Hosted")
GoodBarber
GoodBarber offers one of the cleanest design layouts we’ve come across in this space. They offer two types of apps; shopping and classic.
Their clean look is, in part, due to their CMS layout. If you’ve ever worked in WordPress, you can’t help but feel a little comfortable looking at and working in GoodBarber.
They offer the ability to build an app using what they call 8 sections. These include:
- Articles
- Video
- Photos
- Sound
- Map
- Form
- Calendar
Altogether, these sections make the process of structuring your app easy.
GoodBarber also comes packed with add-ons. Features like Geofencing and authentication can be integrated, giving your app an overall professional, yet strong look and feel. And if you’re interested in creating a shopping app, they also offer one-click checkout functionality and a host of other features geared toward driving sales.
Image: GoodBarber
Plans:
Content, €12.5/mo
eCommerce, €17.5/mo
Reseller, €200/mo
Wrapping this up…
DIY app creation wasn’t possible a few years ago. Today, it’s within reach for small and large businesses that want to offer their customers a more personalised experience. This list of 10 of the best app makers includes vendors that cater to various markets. While plans and pricing vary, most solutions are affordable and easy to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app maker?
The best app makers on the market make it easy for you to build your own code and create a winning idea - without the technical knowledge. Here are the best app makers on the market today:
Appy Pie
AppInstitute
Mobincube
Swiftic (formerly Como)
AppMakr
Bizness Apps
MobileRoadie
AppMachine
MobAppCreator
Siberian CMS
AppsBuilder
GoodBarber
What is the best app maker that is free?
Finding a completely free app builder isn’t easy. Two of the best app makers available on the market today include Mobincube and Siberian CMS. Both these tools deliver quality and functionality. Mobincube has gone the extra mile to make their solution as attractive as possible. You can start building your free app and launch it at absolutely no cost. And no, this isn’t limited to HTML apps, it includes native apps, too. Siberian CMS is open source and that makes it a very attractive offering. It’s the ideal tool for anyone looking to dabble with app development. And while it’s open-source, there are pricing plans that offer more functionality.
How much does it cost to pay someone to make an app?
Hiring someone to make your app can be an effective way to get the exact results you want, though it will cost you a pretty penny. Most app developers will charge around $40 an hour starting price to develop apps, though the rates can be higher depending on experience. The number of hours it takes will depend on the scope of work that you need. Most basic applications will cost around $80,000 - 90,000 to complete. If your app is more complex, you may be looking at a bill around $150,000. If you need a more complex app, expect to spend over $200,000.
Is it possible to make an app for free?
Creating your own app for iOS or Android devices for free is now easier than ever. Some of the best app makers on the market make it easy for you to build your own code and create a winning idea - without the technical knowledge. Two of the best app makers available on the market today include Mobincube and Siberian CMS. Both these tools deliver quality and functionality.
Is it difficult to make your own app?
If you want to get started quickly, it is not difficult to make your own app. Without a coding background, you can use app makers to get a start on building your own app for iOS or Android users. Using app makers like Appy Pie, AppInstitute, Mobincube, and Swiftic can help you jump-start the process of making your own app.
