How to Convert a Glide Project to a Mobile App

What Glide Actually Builds

Glide is a no-code platform that lets you build apps from spreadsheets and databases. You connect a data source — typically Google Sheets or Glide Tables — choose a layout, and Glide generates an application for you. It's great for quickly building internal tools, inventory trackers, CRMs, and similar business applications.

But the output is a progressive web app. A PWA is essentially a website that can be added to your phone's home screen. It opens in the browser (or a browser-like container), not as a standalone native application. Users access it via a URL or QR code, not through the App Store or Google Play.

PWAs vs. Native Mobile Apps

This is the fundamental issue. A PWA runs in a web browser engine. A native app is compiled code that runs directly on the device's operating system. They look similar on the surface — both can have an app icon on your home screen — but under the hood they are completely different technologies.

What a Glide PWA Can't Do

Because Glide builds PWAs, your app is missing capabilities that users expect from a real mobile app. Native push notifications through Apple's APNs or Google's FCM don't work properly. Background refresh, Siri/Google Assistant integration, widgets, NFC, Bluetooth access, and native in-app purchases are all off the table. The app also won't appear in App Store or Google Play search results — which is a major discoverability limitation for consumer-facing apps.

When a PWA Is Fine — and When It Isn't

For internal business tools where you control who uses the app and can share a link directly, a PWA can work well. Glide is genuinely good for that use case. But if you need your app in the app stores, if you need native push notifications, if your users expect a real app experience — a PWA won't cut it.

Why You Can't Convert a Glide App to Native

I see this question come up constantly in Glide's own community forums. The answer is straightforward: Glide does not support it, and the technology doesn't allow for it. Here's why:

Glide Doesn't Generate Code You Can Export

Unlike some development tools that produce source code you can take elsewhere, Glide is a closed platform. There is no "export project" button that gives you a codebase. Your app exists within Glide's infrastructure and rendering engine. You can't extract it and rebuild it in another framework because there is no underlying code to extract.

Different Rendering Engines Entirely

A Glide app renders through a web browser engine — the same thing that powers Safari or Chrome. A native iOS app renders through UIKit or SwiftUI. A native Android app renders through the Android framework. These are fundamentally different systems. A Glide layout component is not a native UIView. There is no translation layer between them.

No Native Navigation or Gestures

Native apps have specific navigation patterns — swipe-to-go-back on iOS, bottom navigation tabs, modal presentations with gesture dismissal. PWAs use web-style navigation: URL changes, page loads, browser back buttons. Users can immediately tell the difference, and the experience feels wrong in an app store context.

Glide's Own Position on This

Glide has been transparent about this. Their help documentation explicitly states they do not support publishing to the App Store or Google Play. They've made a deliberate choice to focus on PWAs and do not endorse using third-party tools to wrap Glide apps for store submission.

Why Wrapping Your Glide App Won't Work Either

The next thought most people have is: "Can I just wrap it?" There are third-party services that claim to take any PWA and package it into a native app shell. Technically, you get an .ipa or .apk file. But here's what actually happens when you submit it:

Two paths to the App Store

Glide PWA vs. Native App

Glide PWA

Progressive Web App

PWA Wrapper

Third-party packaging tool

App Store

Rejected under guideline 4.2

Feels like a website, not an app

No native device access

Natively

Describe your app idea with AI

Real Native Code

React Native + Expo → .ipa / .apk

App Store

Passes Apple review

Real native experience

Push notifications, camera, full device access

To understand the technical differences in more detail, read our article on native apps vs. web apps vs. PWAs.

The Right Way: Build a Native App From Your Glide Idea

If you have a Glide app and you want it in the app stores, the path forward is to build a native mobile app separately. This sounds like a lot, but it doesn't have to be. You've already done the hardest part — figuring out what your app should do. Now you just need the right tool to build the native version.

That's what Natively does.

How Natively Works

Natively is an AI-powered app builder, but unlike Glide, it outputs real native code. You describe what you want in plain English, and Natively generates a React Native + Expo project that compiles to actual native iOS and Android applications. It's not a PWA. It's not a web view. It's real compiled native code that uses native UI components, native navigation, and has full access to device APIs.

What Carries Over From Your Glide Project

Building native doesn't mean starting from zero. A lot of what you built in Glide transfers directly — just not as code.

Your Product Thinking

The most valuable thing you created in Glide isn't the app itself — it's the understanding of what your app should do, how screens relate to each other, and what features your users need. That's your prompt for Natively. The clearer your Glide app is, the better your prompt will be.

Your Data Structure

If your Glide app connects to Google Sheets, Airtable, or any external data source, that data structure carries over. Your native app can connect to the same data sources via APIs. Natively supports backend integrations out of the box — including its own built-in backend with database, auth, and file storage.

Running Both Side by Side

You don't have to shut down your Glide app. Many teams keep their Glide PWA running for internal use while launching a native app for their customers. Same product idea, different tools for different audiences.

Looking at other no-code platforms for mobile? See how Softr and Base44 compare for building real native mobile apps.

Frequently Asked Questions