Base44 — What It’s Best At (2025)
Build full-stack web apps quickly with an AI-assisted, browser-based workflow. Unlike Bolt.new’s developer-centric scaffolding or Glide’s spreadsheet-driven simplicity, Base44 combines UI design, database modeling, and hosting into one tool. It’s code-forward (not pure drag-and-drop no-code), but streamlined enough for fast iteration and deploys that feel production-ready.
Quick Facts
Type |
|
AI-assisted full-stack app builder (low-code with no-code workflow options) |
Best For |
|
Teams and startups needing production-ready apps without complex setup |
Ease of Use |
|
Moderate — faster to learn than Bubble, more structured than Glide |
Who It’s For
- Non-technical founders who want an AI-assisted path to a working app (UI + data + auth) in the browser. Base44 emphasizes “build apps in minutes” from natural-language prompts, all online.
- Ops / internal-tools teams that prefer one workspace over stitching services. Base44 positions itself as “ready to use, no integrations required” for common app needs.
- Collaborative builders (PMs, designers, educators) who need real-time co-editing while iterating. Base44 lists real-time collaboration among its core features.
- MVPs and customer portals where speed to first deploy matters more than deep plugin ecosystems. (Rationale: AI prompt → full stack in one tab.)
Who It’s Not For
- Teams that require fine-grained control over every service (self-hosted DBs, custom CI/CD, or heavy third-party plugin ecosystems). Tools like Bubble have extensive plugin marketplaces; Bolt.new leans code-forward for custom stacks. If you need that level of extensibility from day one, those may fit better.
- Strict compliance/VPC or on-prem mandates. Base44 is positioned as a hosted, browser-based environment; organizations with hardened infra requirements typically prefer platforms with advanced deployment targets
- Mobile-native builds (App Store/Play) out of the box. Base44 messaging centers on web apps; mobile wrappers or native builds aren’t a headline capability here.
- Developers seeking a traditional IDE workflow with Git-level branching, custom build pipelines, etc. Those workflows map more directly to dev-centric tools (e.g., Bolt.new).
Pricing Overview
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | $160/mo (billed annually) | 1,200 message credits / month; 50,000 integration credits / month; Everything in Pro plan; Premium support; More than double the credits |
| Pro | $80/mo (billed annually) | 500 message credits / month; 20,000 integration credits / month; Everything in Builder plan; Custom domains; Early access to beta features |
| Builder | $40/mo (billed annually) | 250 message credits / month; 10,000 integration credits / month; Everything in Starter plan; Custom domains; Github integration |
| Starter | $16/mo (billed annually) | 100 message credits / month; 2,000 integration credits / month; Everything in Free plan; Unlimited app creation; In-app code edits |
| Free | $0/mo | 25 message credits / month; 500 integration credits / month; Analytics dashboard; Authentication system; Database functionality |
Strengths & Tradeoffs
Strengths
- 🧩 All-in-one stack — UI, database, auth, hosting, and analytics in one browser-based tool
- 🧠 AI-assisted building — prompt-driven scaffolding for faster MVPs and internal tools
- 🤝 Real-time collaboration — teams can co-edit apps in the browser
- ⚡ Fast deployment — hosting included, publish a live app without extra setup
Tradeoffs
- 🔌 Less extensibility — fewer plugins than Bubble or Bolt.new’s code-forward export
- 📱 Web-first focus — no native mobile packaging like Glide or Adalo
- ⚙️ Opinionated workflow — simplifies common use cases but limits advanced infra control
- 🌱 Emerging ecosystem — smaller community and fewer integrations than older platforms
Tutorial
Why this tutorial: concise, practical, and ships a small feature end‑to‑end (layout → interactivity → publish). Emphasizes iteration speed and how to layer in API calls.
Alternatives & When to Pick Them
Bubble
Best for teams that need maximal flexibility and a huge plugin ecosystem. Bubble’s visual logic and marketplace cover edge cases Base44 may not.
- Pick Bubble if you want deep extensibility, complex workflows, or niche integrations via plugins.
- Skip Bubble if you prefer a lighter learning curve and an opinionated “all-in-one” flow.
Glide
Spreadsheet-first apps with fast mobile-friendly UIs. Excellent for small data apps, directories, and simple CRMs without custom backend work.
- Pick Glide if your data already lives in Sheets/Airtable and you need a polished mobile app quickly.
- Skip Glide if you need complex server logic or heavy customization beyond data-driven screens.
Bolt.new
AI-assisted code-forward scaffolding for developers. Generates real code you can extend in your own stack, with tight dev tooling fit.
- Pick Bolt.new if you want to own the repo, wire custom APIs, and ship with your preferred frameworks.
- Skip Bolt.new if you want a managed, no-ops environment with hosting built in.
Webflow
Exceptional for marketing sites, content-heavy pages, and design-system precision. App logic is possible via extensions, but it’s not its sweet spot.
- Pick Webflow if your priority is pixel-perfect CMS sites with world-class design control.
- Skip Webflow if app logic, user roles, and data relationships are central from day one.
Softr
Data-app builder for Airtable/Google Sheets with user portals and membership out of the box. Great for client portals and CRUD dashboards.
- Pick Softr if you’re turning Airtable into polished portals fast.
- Skip Softr if you need custom backend logic or app features beyond data portals.
Adalo
Mobile-first builder with native app publishing paths. Optimized for simple productized apps and MVPs targeting iOS/Android stores.
- Pick Adalo if App Store/Play Store publishing is non-negotiable.
- Skip Adalo if you’re shipping a web app with complex backend needs.
Opal (Google)
Google’s emerging app-builder direction. Promising for simple, Google-integrated experiences; currently evolving and best for experiments.
- Pick Opal if you want tight Google ecosystem alignment and are comfortable with beta-era limits.
- Skip Opal if you need established features, pricing clarity, or production guarantees now.
Rule of thumb: Choose Base44 when you want a single browser-based workspace to handle UI + data + auth + hosting, and you don’t need Bubble-level plugins or native mobile publishing.
FAQs
Bonus Questions
Can I assign a custom domain?
Yes, custom domains are generally supported. You’ll map DNS (A/CNAME) to the platform’s hosting and set the primary domain in the project settings.
Can I monetize apps (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)?
Usually yes. You can integrate payment providers via API calls, embedded checkout, or low-code connectors. Exact options depend on the project’s plan/features; verify rate limits and webhooks before launch.
Do I own the code that’s created?
You own your content, data, and business logic. Platform-generated scaffolding and managed services are typically licensed for use on the platform. Review the Terms of Service for IP/usage specifics.
Can I download or export the code and use it elsewhere?
Export is often available for parts of your project (schema, assets, or generated code), but full infrastructure parity isn’t guaranteed (hosting, auth, analytics, etc.). Plan for some re-wiring if you migrate off-platform.