Software advice
Best AI Low-Code and No-Code Platforms in 2026
An AI low-code platform is a software product that lets people build business apps, portals, internal tools or mobile apps through visual editors and natural-language prompts, with the vendor running the database, logins and hosting. It differs from a plain website builder, which publishes pages, and from a coding assistant, which edits source code in a developer's own editor.
Quick answer
Softr ranks first for client portals and internal tools on top of a bundled database. Adalo fits founders who need native mobile apps with flat pricing, and Retool fits engineering teams that want internal tools connected to their own databases and APIs.
Buyers of these platforms usually start with a concrete job: a portal for clients, an inventory tracker, a field-service app, an admin panel over a production database. The products split along that job, and the AI layer is now bundled into nearly all of them as a prompt box that drafts the first version. This ranking judges what the vendor publishes about plan limits, how usage is metered, where your data sits, and whether you can leave with something runnable. Prices and policies come from vendor pages read on 29 October 2026. No app was built for testing, so output quality is described by design, not scored.
The 13 best AI low-code and no-code platforms in 2026, ranked
There is no score. Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. How we rank.
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Entry price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Softr | Operations teams building client portals and internal tools on a bundled database. | Yes | $19 per month (Basic) |
| 2 | Glide | Small teams turning spreadsheet-style data into shared apps and agent-driven workflows. | Yes | $25 per month (Basic) |
| 3 | Adalo | Founders shipping a native mobile app to both stores without usage-based charges. | Yes | $65 per month (Builder, full price) |
| 4 | Base44 | Solo builders who want a full web app with backend and login generated from one prompt. | Yes | $16 per month, billed annually (Starter) |
| 5 | FlutterFlow | Small product teams building Flutter apps visually while keeping the option to download code. | Yes | $39 per month (Basic) |
| 6 | Bubble | Founders building a complex web app with custom logic who accept a metered runtime. | Yes | $59 per month, billed annually (Starter) |
| 7 | Retool | Engineering teams building admin panels and internal tools over their own databases. | Yes | €9 per builder per month (Team, annual) |
| 8 | Zoho Creator | Businesses already on Zoho apps that need custom workflows, approvals and portals. | Yes | Quoted |
| 9 | Mendix | Enterprises building governed, large applications with uptime commitments and support plans. | Yes | €918 per month (Standard, one app) |
| 10 | Microsoft Power Apps | Organizations already licensed on Microsoft that need governed apps over Dataverse. | Yes | $20 per user per month, paid yearly (Premium) |
| 11 | OutSystems | Large organizations building core business systems that need governed, scalable custom apps. | Yes | Quoted |
| 12 | Appsmith | Developers building internal tools on their own databases and APIs who may want to self-host. | Yes | $15 per user per month (Business) |
| 13 | Budibase | Technical teams that want an open source low-code platform on their own servers or air-gapped | Yes | $0 (Community, self-hosted); Cloud from $299 per month |
- 1
Softr
Softr takes first place because everything a buyer needs to judge is published: four priced plans, caps on builders, app users, records and workflow actions, a stated hosting location in Germany and a SOC 2 Type II claim. Databases, forms and workflows live in one workspace, so a portal needs no outside tools. The AI builder drafts apps, but the editor stays visual afterward.
Strong on
- Free plan allows up to 3 builders, 5 app users and 5,000 database records.
- Pro at $99 raises records to 500,000 and workflow actions to 10,000 per month.
- Pricing page lists an API and MCP access, aimed at AI agents.
Weak on
- Hosting text on the security page names Germany once and EU or US elsewhere.
- App users count against plan caps, so a large client base pushes you to Pro or Business.
Skip it if: Teams who need native iOS or Android store apps, or full ownership of exportable source code. Basic is listed monthly; builders, app users, records and workflow actions are capped per plan.
- 2
Glide ranks second as the plainest route from data to a shared team app. Its plans are tiered by credits and published apps, with Pro adding unlimited apps, premium integrations, roles and a way to connect your own agent through MCP. It earns a lower rank than Softr because the free plan publishes no apps and the credit tiers need watching.
Strong on
- Plans from $25 to $125 are published, with credit tiers that can be topped up.
- Glide states SOC 2 Type 2 and encryption at rest and in transit.
- Pro lists org-level roles, unlimited published apps and MCP access for your own agent.
Weak on
- Free plan lists 0 published apps, so testing stays private.
- Servers run on Google Cloud in Iowa, with no region choice on the security page.
Skip it if: Buyers who need European data residency or a native app-store release. Credits, published apps and workflows are capped per plan; Pro starts at 5 team members.
- 3
Adalo sits third because it answers one question well: how to get a database-backed app into the Apple and Google stores from one visual editor. The page advertises flat pricing with no usage charges, and an AI builder called Ada drafts the app. Records, editors and published-app counts are capped, and the free tier cannot publish.
Strong on
- Pricing page promises no usage-based charges and no surprise fees.
- Builder includes custom domains, store and web publishing, and Stripe and push actions.
- Business adds a Collections API, external databases and a view of all of Ada's code.
Weak on
- Free tier holds 500 records per app and one free app build.
- Builder allows one instant update per month, which slows quick fixes after launch.
Skip it if: Teams who need a documented security certification or a long-term path to exportable code. A launch offer cuts the first month; yearly billing totals $624 on Builder.
- 4
Base44
Base44 earns fourth place for the shortest path from a sentence to a running app with database and authentication. Five plans run from free to $160, all with unlimited apps from Starter, and the vendor states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. It ranks below the portal builders because costs track credits, and training controls sit on Enterprise.
Strong on
- Free plan gives 25 message credits per month and up to 5 apps.
- FAQ says two-way GitHub sync exports the full source code to your own repository.
- Security page lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, plus a DPA on request.
Weak on
- Data is stored in the US by default; other regions are limited to Elite and Enterprise.
- Opt-out from AI training is listed as an Enterprise feature.
Skip it if: Buyers who need EU data residency on a low tier or a fixed monthly cost regardless of use. Starter includes 100 message credits and 2,000 integration credits per month; Elite reaches $160.
- 5
FlutterFlow ranks fifth because it is the only visual builder here whose output is a Flutter project that engineers can take over. Code download starts at Basic, GitHub integration at Growth, and plans scale by seat. The learning curve is steeper than Adalo's, and the free plan allows only two projects. Teams without any Flutter experience should budget time for learning.
Strong on
- Basic includes code download, APK download, custom domain publishing and one-click store deployment.
- Growth adds GitHub integration, real-time collaboration for 2 users and a VS Code extension.
- Business supports 5 collaborators, 5 open branches per project and CLI access.
Weak on
- Free plan caps AI generation at 5 requests for the account's lifetime.
- Per-seat pricing grows quickly beyond the second seat on Growth.
Skip it if: Non-technical teams who want a ready business app without thinking about state or custom code. Growth is $80 for the first seat and $55 for the second; Business $150 then $85.
- 6
Bubble
Bubble ranks sixth because it handles deep application logic that portal builders cannot, but it prices like infrastructure. Starter at $59, Growth at $209 and Team at $549 come with workload-unit allowances, and the pricing page describes no AI features. Anyone with traffic uncertainty should model overages before building anything. Expect a real learning curve at first.
Strong on
- Plans publish workload units: 50K free, 175K Starter, 250K Growth, 500K Team.
- Security page states SOC 2 Type II and a GDPR-compliant DPA.
- Native mobile editor and API connector are included on the free plan.
Weak on
- Pricing page lists annual rates only, not monthly billing prices.
- Region choice is limited to Enterprise Dedicated; other plans use AWS West.
Skip it if: Buyers wanting an AI-first prompt builder or a predictable fixed bill under heavy traffic. Page shows annual rates only; usage is metered in workload units, with overages on paid plans.
- 7
Retool
Retool lands seventh because it targets a narrower job than the portal builders: internal tools and workflows over data you already host. The billing model separates builders from internal users and pools AI credits across the account, which is clear but hard to forecast. Its strengths show on Business and Enterprise, not on the cheap tiers.
Strong on
- Free plan allows up to 5 users and 250 pooled AI credits per month.
- Business lists external users, embedded apps, audit logs and rich permissions.
- Team and Business bill internal users at a lower rate than builders.
Weak on
- SSO, SCIM, 2FA and granular roles are listed as not included on Free and Team.
- Builders are billed for anyone who edits an app in the billing cycle.
Skip it if: Non-technical teams without databases or APIs to connect, or buyers wanting public customer apps. Internal users cost extra: €5 on Team, €14 on Business; AI credits are pooled per account.
- 8
Zoho Creator ranks eighth because its value is tied to the wider Zoho suite and its prices were not readable on the page we opened. It offers a free edition for one app, a 15-day trial without a card, built-in approvals, blueprints and portals, and integration with all Zoho apps. A buyer outside Zoho gets less from it.
Strong on
- Free edition covers one custom app, and the trial runs 15 days without a credit card.
- Workflow tools include built-in approvals, blueprints and scheduled tasks.
- Annual billing is advertised as saving more than 30 percent.
Weak on
- Plan prices did not render as text on the page, so no amount is quoted here.
- Custom domain and rebranded mobile apps for portals are paid add-ons.
Skip it if: Buyers who need transparent list prices before a sales conversation or a prompt-first builder. The pricing page showed no readable amounts; it lists Standard, Professional, Enterprise and custom Flex.
- 9
Mendix
Mendix ranks ninth because it is priced and built for enterprise programs, not for quick team apps. The page lists a free tier for demos, Standard from €918 per month with 99.5 percent uptime, and Premium with 99.95 percent. The vendor's about page says Siemens acquired it in 2018, which matters for procurement. Procurement cycles run long.
Strong on
- Free plan includes collaborative development and Mendix Cloud deployment for prototypes.
- Premium lists 24/7 support, multi-region failover and horizontal scalability.
- Deployment options include Azure, Kubernetes, SAP BTP and StackIT.
Weak on
- Free plan lacks a support plan and an uptime guarantee.
- Cloud deployment costs on Standard and Premium are quoted separately.
Skip it if: Small teams or founders looking for a low monthly cost and a fast first prototype. Unlimited apps on Standard start at €2,295; Premium is quote-only; cloud deployment costs extra.
- 10
Microsoft Power Apps
Power Apps ranks tenth of thirteen because it is a platform you adopt through Microsoft licensing rather than pick on features alone. Its page lists a free Developer Plan, Premium at $20 per user per month, a $12 volume rate and separate Copilot Studio billing. Buyers outside the Microsoft estate rarely gain from choosing it first.
Strong on
- Developer Plan offers unlimited test apps, three environments and a 2 GB Dataverse entitlement.
- Premium gives an assigned user unlimited Power Apps plus prebuilt, custom and on-premises connectors.
- Premium includes agentic features in apps and Microsoft 365 Copilot chat.
Weak on
- Developer Plan is for building and testing, not for running production apps.
- Agent usage needs an Azure subscription and separately billed Copilot Studio credits.
Skip it if: Teams outside Microsoft 365 or buyers wanting a flat price independent of user count. Developer Plan is free; a 2,000-seat deal lists $12; Dataverse capacity costs $40 per GB monthly.
- 11
OutSystems
OutSystems ranks eleventh because its pricing and weight suit an enterprise program more than a quick start. The pricing page offers no public price, only an estimate request, and bills by application objects and named end users. It does offer a free Personal Edition for learning and states that it generates standard open code, which eases the exit question that most platforms leave open.
Strong on
- Pricing scales on application objects and named end users, with developer tools and CI/CD included in any subscription.
- States that it generates standard, open code that can be extended and integrated elsewhere.
- Offers separate runtime stages for development, testing and production.
Weak on
- No public price list, so budgeting requires a sales conversation and an estimate.
- The Personal Edition is for exploring and learning, not for running business apps.
Skip it if: Small teams or solo builders who want a visible monthly price and an app live within an afternoon. Quote-based; the free Personal Edition is for learning, and paid pricing follows app objects and end users.
- 12
Appsmith
Appsmith ranks eleventh because it is built for developers who are comfortable writing JavaScript, and that narrows its audience compared with the visual-first builders above it. The pricing page shows a free tier, a $15 Business tier and an Enterprise tier from $2,500 a month for 100 users. An open-source community edition is also offered, which makes the lock-in question easier to answer than on most platforms.
Strong on
- Free plan allows 5 users on cloud with Git versioning, and an open-source edition is free to self-host.
- Business tier adds workflows, audit logs, custom roles and removable Appsmith branding.
- Connects to databases, REST and GraphQL sources, and LLMs from one builder.
Weak on
- Free cloud plan stops at 5 users and 3 Git repositories.
- SAML, SCIM and CI/CD sit in the Enterprise tier, priced from $2,500 monthly for 100 users.
Skip it if: Non-technical teams who want to ship customer-facing apps without touching code or a database. Free plan covers up to 5 users on cloud; Business allows up to 99 users, Enterprise starts at $2,500 monthly.
- 13
Budibase takes the last place because its entry price for a managed setup, $299 per month, is the highest start among the cheaper tiers above it, and the free Community edition means running Docker or Kubernetes yourself. It rewards that effort with no caps on users, apps or automations, and with an ISO 27001 certified management system. AI agents are present but metered at 50,000 credits on Cloud, so the platform fits infrastructure-minded teams more than citizen builders.
Strong on
- Community edition is free, open source and has no caps on users, apps, agents or automations.
- Connects to existing systems, with PostgreSQL, SAP and ServiceNow named as data sources.
- Enterprise supports air-gapped deployment, and the site states ISO 27001 certification.
Weak on
- Free Community edition is self-hosted only, so managed hosting begins at $299 per month.
- Cloud caps monthly actions at 250K and AI credits at 50K, with extra credit packs sold separately.
Skip it if: Non-technical teams that want a hosted visual builder with a cheap per-seat entry price and no servers to maintain. Cloud is a flat rate including 2 creators and 20 end users; extra creators and users are add-ons.
How these AI low-code and no-code platforms were judged
How much of a working app does the AI actually produce?
Expect a first draft of screens, tables and basic logic, followed by manual work. Softr, Glide and Adalo each put an AI builder in front of their own editor, so the draft lands in a structure you can adjust visually. Base44 generates a full application from chat, including backend and login. FlutterFlow and Retool add AI assistance inside tools that engineers still drive. Mendix and Power Apps position AI as an agentic layer on enterprise platforms. The test that matters is whether the draft survives your real data model, so build one real workflow on a free plan before committing.
What does an AI low-code platform cost per month in 2026?
Entry prices span $16 to $59 for solo builders and climb into hundreds for teams, as of October 2026. Base44 Starter lists $16 on annual billing and FlutterFlow Basic $39. Softr Basic is $19 and Pro $99, Glide Basic $25 and Pro $125, and Bubble Starter $59 on annual billing. Adalo Builder shows $65 at full price. Retool charges €9 per builder plus €5 per internal user on the Team plan, Power Apps Premium is $20 per user, and Mendix Standard starts at €918 per month for one app. Zoho Creator's page did not show a readable price.
Where is my data stored and is it used to train AI models?
Hosting and training terms vary widely, and several pages are silent on training. Softr states that it hosts user data in Germany and holds SOC 2 Type II. Glide runs on Google Cloud in Iowa and states SOC 2 Type 2. Bubble hosts on AWS West and offers region choice only on Enterprise Dedicated. Base44 lists SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, stores app data in the US by default, and offers a training opt-out on Enterprise. For Adalo, FlutterFlow, Retool, Zoho Creator, Mendix and Power Apps, the vendor's policy was not checked for training terms.
Can I take my app with me if I stop paying?
Portability is the sharpest difference in this category. FlutterFlow lists code download from its Basic plan, and Base44 says two-way GitHub sync exports the full source to your own repository. Adalo reveals its generated code only in part, and shows all of it on Business. Softr, Glide, Bubble, Zoho Creator and Mendix run your app on their own runtime, so leaving means rebuilding screens and logic, with data exported in table form. Retool apps depend on Retool's runtime but sit on your own databases and APIs, which keeps the data side portable.
Which platform fits a solo founder, an ops team or an IT department?
A solo founder with a mobile idea should compare Adalo, FlutterFlow and Base44, and watch how each meters changes after launch. An operations team without developers should try Softr or Glide, then check seat and record limits against the headcount of clients or staff. An engineering team with databases already running should look at Retool, where builders are billed separately from internal users. An IT department in a Microsoft or Siemens estate will meet Power Apps or Mendix, where licensing is negotiated and governance matters more than speed.
How to choose an AI low-code platform in three steps
- Name the user who will log in. Write down who opens the app: five colleagues, two hundred clients, or the public on a phone. That answer drives cost more than any feature. Softr and Glide count app users, Retool counts builders and internal users separately, Power Apps licenses per user, and Adalo advertises flat pricing without usage charges. A tool that looks cheap for five staff can become the most expensive option once external clients log in, so price the user count you expect in a year.
- Decide how much of the stack you must own. If the app is a prototype or an internal convenience, running on the vendor's runtime is fine. If it becomes the product, check what leaves with you. FlutterFlow offers code download, Base44 offers GitHub sync, and the rest require rebuilds. Also ask where the database lives: Retool connects to databases you already run, while Softr, Glide and Zoho Creator hold the records in their own tables. Export one table and one app before paying for a year. Treat anything you cannot export as rented.
- Test the metering with a messy week. Credits and workload units look harmless on a pricing page and bite during real use. Base44 splits message credits from integration credits, Glide sells credit tiers, Softr limits AI credits and workflow actions, and Bubble counts workload units. Run a week of normal edits, imports and logins on the cheapest paid tier, then read the usage meter. If you hit the ceiling in days, price the next tier up, not the headline entry plan. Keep the numbers in a short note.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI low-code platform in 2026?
Softr ranks first here for portals and internal tools because its plans, limits and hosting location are published clearly. Glide ranks second for team apps on spreadsheet-like data, and Adalo third for mobile apps with flat pricing. The order is editorial, and Retool or Power Apps can be the right pick for IT teams with existing databases or Microsoft licensing.
Which AI low-code platforms have a free plan?
Softr, Glide, Adalo, Base44, FlutterFlow, Bubble, Retool and Mendix list free plans on their pricing pages, and Power Apps offers a free Developer Plan, as of October 2026. Zoho Creator describes a free edition limited to one app plus a 15-day trial. The limits differ: Adalo caps records at 500, FlutterFlow caps projects at two, and Glide's free plan publishes no apps.
Can I publish a native mobile app from a no-code platform?
Adalo lists publishing to the stores and the web, and FlutterFlow lists one-click app store deployment from Basic. Bubble publishes mobile apps from a paid plan, with a mobile build allowance per month. Softr offers an installable app as a PWA on its Business plan. Check each vendor's store-submission steps, because developer accounts and review fees from Apple and Google are separate.
Do I own the app I build on a low-code platform?
Ownership of the idea and data is different from ownership of runnable code. Base44 states you own your code, data and users, and exports through GitHub sync. FlutterFlow lets paid plans download project code. For Softr, Glide, Bubble, Zoho Creator and Mendix, the app runs on the vendor's runtime, so check the terms before treating it as an asset.
How are AI low-code platforms priced: per user, per app or per credit?
All three models appear. Softr and Retool price by builders and app users, Mendix and Power Apps by user or app, Adalo by plan with flat pricing, and Base44, Glide and Bubble by credits or workload units that scale with usage. Per-user models grow with headcount, while credit models grow with activity, so model both before comparing headline prices.
Is low-code suitable for customer-facing apps or only internal tools?
Both, but the cost shape differs. Softr, Glide, Adalo and Bubble sell customer-facing apps and portals, while Retool and Power Apps center on internal tools, with Retool listing external users and embedded apps on its Business plan. Customer-facing use raises questions about login counts, uptime promises and support level, which Mendix publishes as 99.5 percent on Standard.
Which platforms hold SOC 2 or ISO 27001 reports?
Softr, Glide, Bubble and Base44 state SOC 2 Type II on their own pages, and Base44 also lists ISO 27001. Bubble notes that its host AWS is ISO/IEC 27001 compliant, which is not Bubble's own certification. Reports are usually available on request or through a trust center, so ask for the document rather than relying on a badge.
When should I choose a coding assistant over a low-code platform?
Choose a coding assistant when developers will maintain the product and want full control of the repository and hosting. Choose a low-code platform when the people building the app are not engineers, or when logins, hosting and a database should come as one subscription. FlutterFlow and Base44 sit in between, since both export code.