How to Convert a Meku.dev Project to a Mobile App
Short answer: you can't convert it directly. But you can build a real native app from the same idea.
Founder, Natively
You've built a web app with Meku.dev and now you want it as a real app on someone's phone. I completely understand the instinct — you have a working product, it looks great, and the next logical step feels like it should be "make it mobile." But Meku.dev builds web apps, and getting from a web app to a native mobile app isn't a simple export. Let me explain what's actually going on and what your real options are.
Key Takeaways
- Meku.dev builds web apps — it generates React and Tailwind CSS code that runs in the browser, not on a phone natively
- There is no "export to mobile" feature — web code and native mobile code are fundamentally different technologies
- Wrapping it in a WebView gives you a poor user experience that Apple frequently rejects and users immediately notice
- The real path is to build a native mobile app from your idea using React Native
What Meku.dev Actually Builds
Meku.dev is an AI-powered web app builder. You describe what you want, and it generates a production-ready web application using React and Tailwind CSS. It handles the UI components, connects to backends like Supabase, and can deploy your app to a live URL with a custom domain.
The key word there is web. Everything Meku.dev outputs is designed to run in a browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox. It's HTML, CSS, and JavaScript served over the internet.
Web Apps vs. Native Mobile Apps
A web app runs in the browser. A native mobile app is compiled code that runs directly on your phone's operating system — iOS or Android. They use different rendering engines, different navigation patterns, and have access to completely different device capabilities.
What This Means for Your Meku.dev Project
Your Meku.dev project is a web application. It can't access native device features like push notifications through Apple's APNs or Firebase Cloud Messaging, Face ID, the camera in a native way, background processing, widgets, or the native gesture system that makes mobile apps feel like mobile apps. No converter or plugin can bridge that gap.
Even a Great-Looking Web App Isn't a Native App
Your Meku.dev project might look beautiful and work perfectly in a mobile browser. But there's a big difference between a responsive website and a native app. Users can feel it instantly — the scrolling, the transitions, the way buttons respond, the navigation patterns. Native apps feel fundamentally different because they are fundamentally different.
Why You Can't Just Convert It
I see this question come up a lot, and I want to be straightforward: there is no tool that converts a React web app into a native mobile app. The technologies are too different. Here's why:
Different Rendering Engines
Meku.dev generates React components that render to the DOM — the browser's document model. A native iOS app renders through UIKit or SwiftUI. A native Android app renders through Jetpack Compose or the Android View system. A <div> doesn't become a UIView. A Tailwind utility class doesn't translate to native styling. These are entirely separate rendering pipelines.
Different Navigation Models
Web apps navigate between URLs using browser history. Native mobile apps use a navigation stack — screens push on top of each other, you swipe back to dismiss, modals slide up from the bottom, tab bars persist across views. These aren't cosmetic differences. They're fundamental to how users interact with mobile apps, and they can't be faked with CSS.
No Access to Native APIs
Push notifications, background app refresh, Siri shortcuts, home screen widgets, NFC, Bluetooth, HealthKit, camera roll integration — all of these require native code. A web app running in a container simply doesn't have access to these APIs in any meaningful way.
What About Making It "Responsive"?
A responsive web app is still a web app. Making your Meku.dev project look good on a small screen doesn't change the underlying technology. It's still running in a browser engine, still using web navigation, and still can't access native device features. Responsive design solves a layout problem, not a platform problem.
Why Wrapping Your Meku.dev App Won't Work Either
The next thing people try is wrapping their web app in a WebView using tools like Capacitor or Cordova. This packages your web app inside a native shell so you get an app icon and can technically submit to the app stores. But here's what actually happens:
Two paths to the app stores
Wrapped Web App vs. Native App
React / Tailwind CSS
WebView Wrapper
Capacitor / Cordova
App Stores
NativelyDescribe your app idea with AI
Real Native Code
React Native + Expo → .ipa / .apk
App StoresUser Experience Problems
- ✗Scrolling doesn't feel native — momentum, rubber banding, and inertia are off
- ✗Transitions and animations look janky compared to native apps
- ✗Text selection, input fields, and keyboards behave differently
- ✗No native gestures — swipe-to-go-back, long press menus, haptic feedback
App Store Problems
- ✗Apple's guideline 4.2 rejects apps that are repackaged websites
- ✗Apple reviewers specifically test for WebView-only apps
- ✗Even if it passes initially, users leave poor reviews
- ✗Future updates may get rejected even if the first version passed
Apple's Guideline 4.2 — Minimum Functionality
Apple explicitly states: "Your app should include features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website." Apps that are essentially a web view wrapping a website are routinely rejected. This applies directly to wrapping a Meku.dev project in Capacitor or a similar tool and submitting it.
Want Your App Idea on the App Store?
Instead of trying to convert a web app, build a real native iOS and Android app with Natively. Describe your idea, and our AI generates production-ready React Native code — the same technology powering Instagram, Shopify, and Discord.
The Right Way: Build a Native App From Your Idea
If you have a Meku.dev project and you want it on people's phones as a real app, the path forward is to build a native mobile app. This doesn't mean your Meku.dev work was wasted — you've already validated your idea, figured out the features, and maybe built a backend. All of that is valuable.
What you need is a tool that builds native mobile apps, not web apps. That's what Natively does.
If you want to understand the technical reasons why, our native code vs WebView comparison explains it in detail.
How Natively Works
Natively works similarly to Meku.dev in that you describe what you want and AI builds it. The critical difference is the output: Natively generates React Native + Expo apps that compile to actual native iOS and Android code. It's not a web app in disguise — it uses native UI components, native navigation, and has full access to device APIs.
From Meku.dev Idea to the App Stores
- 1Use your Meku.dev project as a reference
You've already figured out the features, screens, and user flows. Use that as your blueprint for the native app.
- 2Describe your app in Natively
Tell the AI what your app does. Reference your Meku.dev project's features, screens, and behavior — the more detail, the better the result.
- 3Get a real native app generated
Natively creates a React Native + Expo project with native UI components, proper mobile navigation, and full device API access.
- 4Preview on your phone
Test the app on your actual device using Expo Go — scan a QR code and see it running natively on your iPhone or Android device.
- 5Deploy to the App Store and Google Play
Build your app and submit it to both app stores. You own 100% of the source code with no vendor lock-in.
What You Can Carry Over
Going native doesn't mean starting from zero. Here's what transfers directly from your Meku.dev project:
Your Idea and Product Thinking
The most valuable thing you built in Meku.dev isn't the code — it's the understanding of what your app should do, how users should navigate it, and what features matter. Use that as your prompt in Natively and you'll get a native app that captures the same vision.
Your Backend and Data
If your Meku.dev project connects to Supabase or any other backend, your native app can connect to the exact same backend. Natively supports Supabase integration out of the box and can connect to any REST or GraphQL API. One backend, two frontends.
Keeping Both Your Web App and Mobile App
You don't have to choose between web and mobile. Many successful products have both. Your Meku.dev project stays live as your web version, while your Natively app serves mobile users. Same product, same backend, optimized for each platform.
We also have guides for similar tools like Blink.new and Rocket.new.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I directly convert my Meku.dev project to a mobile app?
No. Meku.dev generates web applications using React and Tailwind CSS. These run in the browser, not natively on iOS or Android. There is no converter or export tool that transforms web code into native mobile code.
Does Meku.dev support building mobile apps?
No. Meku.dev is designed for web applications. It generates React and Tailwind CSS code for browsers. It does not support React Native, Expo, or any native mobile framework.
Can I use Capacitor or Cordova to wrap my Meku.dev app?
You can try, but the result will be a web app inside a native shell — not a real native app. Performance will suffer, the UX will feel wrong, and Apple commonly rejects these under App Store guideline 4.2. For anything intended for real users, wrapping is not a viable path.
Do I have to rebuild everything from scratch?
Not entirely. Your product concept, feature set, user flows, and backend all carry over. You're rebuilding the frontend in a native framework, not reinventing your product. With Natively, you describe what you want and the app gets generated.
What is React Native, and is it really native?
React Native is a framework created by Meta that compiles to actual native iOS and Android components. It's not a web view — it renders real native UI elements. It powers production apps at Instagram, Shopify, Discord, Coinbase, and thousands of others. Natively uses React Native + Expo to generate your apps.
How much does it cost to build a native app with Natively?
Natively starts at $5/month. All features are included in every plan — there's no feature gating. You get full source code ownership and can export to GitHub at any time with no vendor lock-in.