Softr Alternative for Mobile Apps — Why Natively Is the Better Choice
Softr builds web portals and internal tools. If you need a real mobile app, you need a different tool entirely.
Founder, Natively
If you're researching Softr and wondering whether it can build you a mobile app — one that actually lives on the App Store or Google Play — let me save you some time. It can't. Softr is a solid tool for what it does: building web-based portals, client dashboards, and internal tools on top of databases like Airtable and Google Sheets. But it does not build native mobile apps, and it was never designed to.
If what you actually need is a mobile app — something users download from the App Store, something that sends push notifications, works offline, and feels like every other app on their phone — then you need a fundamentally different tool. That's what Natively is built for.
Key Takeaways
- Softr builds web apps — portals, dashboards, and internal tools that run in the browser, not on your phone
- There is no path from Softr to the App Store — Softr apps are web-only and cannot be submitted to Apple or Google
- Softr's PWA feature is not the same as a native app — it's a home screen shortcut with limited capabilities
- Natively builds real native mobile apps — using React Native + Expo, entirely online, with no code downloads needed
What Softr Actually Builds
Softr is a no-code platform that lets you turn databases into web applications. Connect your Airtable base, Google Sheet, or Softr's own database, and it generates a web interface on top of it — things like client portals, CRM dashboards, project management tools, and internal admin panels.
It does this well. If you need a web-based business tool and you don't want to write code, Softr is a reasonable choice. But here's where the confusion starts: Softr calls itself an "app builder," which makes people think it can build the kind of apps you find on the App Store. It can't.
Web Apps Are Not Mobile Apps
A Softr "app" is a website. It runs in Safari, Chrome, or whatever browser your users open. It doesn't compile to native code, it doesn't show up in the App Store, and it doesn't have access to native device features like push notifications through APNs, the camera with full native controls, biometric authentication, or background processing.
What Softr Is Good For
To be fair, Softr has legitimate use cases. If you need an internal tool for your team, a client portal that people access from their laptop, or a database-backed dashboard — and you don't need it on the app stores — Softr can work. The problem is when people try to use it for consumer-facing mobile apps. That's not what it's built for.
The "App Builder" Naming Problem
A lot of no-code platforms call themselves "app builders" when they really mean "web app builders." This matters because when most people say "I want to build an app," they mean something on the App Store or Google Play — not a responsive website. If you landed here searching for a Softr alternative because you realized it can't do what you need, you're not alone.
Why Softr Can't Build Mobile Apps
This isn't a limitation you can work around. It's a fundamental architectural difference. Softr generates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that runs in a web browser. Native mobile apps are compiled code that runs directly on the device's operating system. These are different technologies with different capabilities.
Two paths to mobile
Softr Web App vs. Native Mobile App
Portals / Internal Tools / PWA
PWA / Home Screen Shortcut
Not a real app listing
App Store
NativelyDescribe your app idea with AI
Real Native Code
React Native + Expo
App StoreNo App Store Presence
You cannot take a Softr app and list it on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. There is no export-to-mobile feature, no build pipeline, and no way to generate an .ipa (iOS) or .apk (Android) file from Softr. If your users need to find your app by searching the App Store, Softr is simply not the tool for the job.
No Native Device Access
Native mobile apps can do things web apps fundamentally cannot:
What Softr Can't Do
- ✗Native push notifications (APNs / FCM)
- ✗Full camera and photo library access
- ✗Background processing and location tracking
- ✗Biometric auth (Face ID / fingerprint)
What Native Apps Can Do
- ✓Real push notifications users actually see
- ✓Full hardware access — camera, GPS, Bluetooth
- ✓Background tasks, offline mode, local storage
- ✓Native gestures, animations, and UI components
No Source Code Ownership
With Softr, you don't get source code at all. Your app lives on Softr's platform, and if you ever want to leave, you can't take the application code with you. With Natively, you get the full React Native + Expo source code and can export it to GitHub at any time. Zero vendor lock-in.
Softr's PWA Feature Isn't a Mobile App
Softr does have a PWA (Progressive Web App) feature that lets users add a shortcut to their phone's home screen. This might sound like "having an app," but it's not. A PWA is still a web page — it just has an icon on the home screen and can work with limited offline caching.
What PWAs Can't Do on iOS
Apple restricts PWAs significantly on iOS. They can't send real push notifications through APNs (the standard notification system), they have limited storage (Safari clears PWA data aggressively), they can't access Bluetooth, NFC, or many other device APIs, and they don't appear in the App Store at all. For your users, a PWA feels like a second-class experience compared to a native app.
No Discoverability
One of the biggest reasons to have a mobile app is discoverability. People search the App Store and Google Play to find apps. If your app is a PWA, it doesn't exist in those stores. You're entirely dependent on users finding your website first and then being willing to "add to home screen" — which most people don't do.
PWAs Are Not App Store Apps
A PWA is a web page with some extra metadata. It runs in the browser engine, has no native code, and cannot be listed on the Apple App Store. On iOS specifically, PWA capabilities are heavily restricted compared to native apps. If you need your app to be discoverable, installable, and capable of native features, a PWA is not a substitute.
For a technical breakdown of the differences, read our article on native code vs. WebView.
The User Expectation Gap
When someone installs an app on their phone, they expect it to behave like an app — smooth animations, native navigation, fast loading, reliable push notifications. A PWA built with Softr won't meet those expectations. Users will notice it feels like a website, and that's reflected in engagement and retention.
Need a Real Mobile App?
Skip the web-app-pretending-to-be-mobile approach. Build a real native iOS and Android app with Natively. Describe your idea, and our AI generates production-ready React Native code — fully online, no downloads, no local setup required.
What Natively Does Differently
Natively is built specifically for one thing: creating native mobile apps. Not web apps, not portals, not internal dashboards — actual iOS and Android apps that compile to native code and get published to the app stores.
The approach is simple. You describe what you want your app to do in plain English, and the AI generates a complete React Native + Expo project. The entire process happens in your browser — there's nothing to download, no local development environment to set up, no Xcode or Android Studio needed.
Fully Online, No Downloads
This is one of the key differences from traditional mobile development tools. With Natively, everything runs in the cloud. You write prompts, the AI generates code, you preview the app live, build APKs for testing, and deploy to the app stores — all from your browser. No SDKs to install, no terminal commands, no local build chains.
Softr vs. Natively — At a Glance
| Capability | Softr | Natively |
|---|---|---|
| Output type | Web app / portal | Native iOS & Android app |
| App Store publishing | Not supported | Built-in (Expo Launch) |
| Push notifications | Limited (web only) | Native APNs & FCM |
| Offline support | Basic (PWA) | Full native offline |
| Camera & sensors | Browser APIs only | Full device access |
| Code ownership | No source code | Full source code export |
| Tech stack | HTML / CSS / JS (web) | React Native + Expo |
| AI app generation | Yes (web apps) | Yes (mobile apps) |
| No-code / low-code | Drag and drop | AI prompt-based |
How to Build Your App with Natively
From Idea to App Store
- 1Describe your app
Tell the AI what your app should do. Be as detailed as you want — screens, features, user flows, design preferences.
- 2AI generates your native app
Natively creates a real React Native + Expo project with native UI components, proper mobile navigation, and device API integrations.
- 3Preview on your phone
Test the app on your actual device using Expo Go. Scan a QR code and see your app running natively — no simulator needed.
- 4Iterate with prompts
Want to change the design, add a feature, or adjust the flow? Just tell the AI. No code editing required (though you can if you want to).
- 5Deploy to the App Store and Google Play
Build your app and submit to both stores. You own 100% of the source code with zero vendor lock-in.
Built-In Backend
Unlike Softr, which relies on external databases like Airtable, Natively includes a built-in backend called Liquid. It handles database, authentication (email/password, Google OAuth), file storage, websockets, and serverless functions — all included in your subscription. You can also connect an existing Supabase project if you prefer.
Real Code, Not a Locked Platform
Every app Natively generates is a standard React Native + Expo project. You can edit the code directly in the built-in IDE, export it to GitHub, or hand it off to a developer. The same framework powers production apps at Instagram, Shopify, Discord, and Coinbase. It's not a proprietary format you're locked into.
Comparing other no-code platforms for mobile? See how WeWeb and Glide compare for building real native mobile apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a mobile app with Softr?
No. Softr builds web applications — portals, dashboards, and internal tools that run in the browser. It has a PWA feature that adds a home screen shortcut, but it does not build native iOS or Android apps and cannot publish to the App Store or Google Play.
Can I publish a Softr app to the Apple App Store?
No. Softr apps are web-based and cannot be submitted to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. There is no export-to-mobile feature and no way to generate native app files (.ipa or .apk) from Softr.
What's the difference between Softr's PWA and a native app?
A PWA is a web page with a home screen icon. It runs in the browser engine and has limited access to device features. A native app is compiled code that runs directly on the device's operating system with full access to hardware, push notifications, offline storage, and native UI components. Users can tell the difference immediately.
Is Natively similar to Softr?
Not really. Softr is a no-code platform for building web apps from databases. Natively is an AI-powered platform for building native mobile apps. The only similarity is that neither requires you to write code manually. They serve completely different purposes — Softr for web, Natively for mobile.
Do I need to install anything to use Natively?
No. Natively runs entirely in your browser. There's nothing to download or install — no Xcode, no Android Studio, no local development environment. You describe your app, the AI builds it, and you can preview it on your phone by scanning a QR code.
How much does Natively cost compared to Softr?
Natively starts at $5/month. Softr's plans start higher, especially if you need PWA publishing. More importantly, they solve different problems. If you need a web portal, compare Softr with other web tools. If you need a mobile app, Natively is the tool to evaluate — and at $5/month versus hiring a mobile developer ($50,000+), it's a different conversation entirely.
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