Appy Pie Alternative for Building Real Mobile Apps

What Appy Pie Actually Builds

Appy Pie markets itself as a no-code mobile app builder. You pick a template, customize it with a drag-and-drop editor, and it generates apps for iOS, Android, and the web. Sounds straightforward. But what it actually produces under the hood is the problem.

It's a Website in Disguise

Appy Pie does not generate native code. It builds your app using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — standard web technologies — and then wraps that web content inside a native container (a WebView). The native shell is essentially a dedicated browser that displays your web content. It looks like an app on the outside. On the inside, it's a website.

Why This Matters

This isn't a minor technical distinction. It affects everything about how your app performs, how users experience it, and whether it can even get published. WebView wrapper apps don't render native UI components. They don't have native navigation (swipe-to-go-back, tab bars, gesture-based transitions). They can't fully access device hardware like Bluetooth, NFC, or background location. And most importantly — Apple knows the difference.

No Source Code, No Way Out

Appy Pie does not let you export or download your source code. Everything stays on their servers. If you ever want to move to a different platform, add a feature Appy Pie doesn't support, or hire a developer to improve your app — you can't. You would have to rebuild from scratch. That's full vendor lock-in, and it's a serious risk for anyone building a real product.

The App Store Problem

This is where things get painful. You've built your app with Appy Pie, you're happy with how it looks in the editor, and you submit it to the Apple App Store. Then you get a rejection. Here's why this keeps happening:

Apple's Guideline 4.2 — Minimum Functionality

Apple's App Store Review Guidelines include a rule specifically targeting apps like these. Guideline 4.2 states that apps must include "features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website" and that apps "created from a commercialized template or app generation service will be rejected."

Appy Pie apps are literally this — web content generated from templates, wrapped in a WebView. Apple's reviewers check for native functionality, and when they find a WebView displaying a website, the rejection is almost certain.

Two paths to the App Store

WebView Wrapper App vs. Real Native App

Appy Pie App

HTML / CSS / JavaScript

WebView Wrapper

Website inside a native shell

App Store

Rejected under guideline 4.2

Feels like a website, not an app

No real native capabilities

Natively

Describe your app idea with AI

Real Native Code

React Native + Expo → .ipa / .apk

App Store

Passes Apple review

Real native experience

Full source code ownership

Want to understand which no-code tools actually produce native apps? Read our guide to the best no-code mobile app builders.

Google Play Is More Lenient — But Not Great Either

Google Play doesn't enforce native functionality rules as strictly, so Appy Pie apps are more likely to get listed. But your users will still notice the difference. WebView apps are slower, feel less polished, and get lower ratings. If you're building something you want people to actually use and enjoy, a WebView wrapper isn't going to cut it on either platform.

Appy Pie vs. Natively: Side-by-Side

The fundamental difference is the output. Appy Pie produces a website wrapped in a native container. Natively produces an actual React Native + Expo app that compiles to real native code. Here's how that plays out across every dimension that matters:

What "Real Native Code" Actually Means

When Natively generates your app, it creates a React Native project using Expo. React Native is a framework created by Meta that renders actual native UI components — not HTML elements styled to look like them. When you see a button in a Natively app, it's a real native iOS button or Android button. The scrolling is native. The navigation is native. The gestures are native.

Same Ease of Use, Completely Different Output

Both Appy Pie and Natively are designed for people who don't want to write code themselves. The difference is what happens behind the scenes. With Appy Pie, you get a drag-and-drop template editor. With Natively, you describe your app in plain language and AI generates real code — code you can see, edit in the built-in IDE, and export to your own GitHub repository. No coding required, but you get a real codebase.

The Backend Difference

Natively includes a full backend out of the box — database, authentication (email, Google, Apple sign-in), file storage, websockets, and serverless functions. With Appy Pie, you're relying on whatever limited integrations their platform supports, and when they break (which users report happens frequently), you have no way to debug or fix them because you don't have access to the code.

Why Natively Is the Better Choice

I realize that as the founder of Natively, I have a bias here. So let me focus on concrete, verifiable differences rather than marketing claims. You can check all of this yourself.

How It Works

Everything Runs in Your Browser

Like Appy Pie, Natively is fully online — no downloads, no IDE installation, no terminal. But unlike Appy Pie, what you're building in the browser is a real codebase. You can see the actual React Native code, edit it in the built-in IDE, and export it whenever you want. It's the convenience of no-code with the output quality of real development.

Built for Mobile, Not Bolted On

Appy Pie is a broad platform that also does websites, chatbots, and workflow automation. Mobile apps are one feature among many. Natively does one thing: build native mobile apps with AI. That focus means every feature — the AI agent, the preview system, the APK builder, the backend integration — is designed specifically for mobile app development. Not web. Not chatbots. Mobile.

Pricing That Makes Sense

Natively starts at $5/month and includes both iOS and Android. Appy Pie's cheapest plan ($16/month) only supports Android. If you want iOS support, you're looking at their higher tiers. With Natively, every plan includes all features — native iOS, native Android, built-in APK builder, backend, full source code export. No feature gating.

Exploring other no-code platforms? See how Adalo and Glide compare for building real native mobile apps.

Frequently Asked Questions