While Glide provides a powerful building interface for creating sleek, professional-looking apps, pricing, publishing, and user limitations usually discourage people from using it. But with so many app-building platforms out there, how do you find the best one for your needs?
Answer: Seek help from me! I’ve made a career of pairing freelancers, individual entrepreneurs, and teams of all sizes with the app-building platform that fits their needs best.
I’ve reviewed and tested over 250 app-building platforms and even created my own website, NoCode.tech. In this article, I’ll walk you through my 6 favorite Glide alternatives.
Why Choose a Glide Alternative?
It’s true: Glide is a great app-building platform with the flexibility to create apps for many business solutions. Unfortunately, a few details limit its audience, so it's not a one-size-fits-all app-building platform.
Over the years, people have told me that they want a Glide alternative due to the following reasons:
High Pricing
Although Glide’s free version allows you to build a nice-looking app, it doesn’t give you the power or storage space to scale it. If you want to do so, you’ll have to commit $60/month (billed monthly). Need more storage space and Glide’s basic API? The fee will swell to $125/month (billed monthly). There’s no pricing option between these two.
Solution: Pick an app builder, like Adalo, that offers several different competitively-priced tiers. This way, you won’t have to commit yourself to paying too much for features you don’t need — you’ll most likely find a pricing plan that has all the features you need.
Can’t Publish to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
Glide does make beautiful web apps and progressive web apps. These apps are apps that users access with a browser on their phone or download to their phone via a link. However, Glide doesn’t offer direct access to publishing to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Being unable to publish to the app stores means you miss out on marketing opportunities to billions of potential users. If you want to build an app that you can scale and monetize, doing so without access to the app stores will present a major obstacle.
Solution: Get an app-building platform, like Adalo, GoodBarber, or Bravo Studio, that allows you to publish your app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Doing so will drastically increase your app’s reach.
You Must Bring a Database
Before building with Glide, you’ll need to have a database. While many established businesses might find this useful, this requirement may seem a bit overwhelming for those who are building an app for the first time. This is because they won’t be able to start building until they have a database.
Solution: Pick an app-building platform, like Adalo, Bubble, or Bravo Studio, that lets you build your database as you build your app. This means you can first upload your pictures and text to your app and then build out your database as you go, allowing you to learn the database-building process without any issues.
The Top 5 Glide Alternatives
- Adalo, the best overall Glide alternative
- GoodBarber, the Glide alternative for public-facing apps
- Softr, the easiest Glide alternative
- NoLoco, the best Glide alternative for internal business apps
- Bravo Studio, the best Glide alternative for designers
- Bubble, the Glide alternative with the biggest ecosystem
#1 The Best Overall Glide Alternative
Adalo
What is it?
Adalo is a no-code web app and native app builder that gives you the power and flexibility to bring any app idea to life.
What does it do better than Glide?
Getting started with Adalo is insanely easy. You won’t need to spend any time reading tutorials or watching instructional videos. Start building your app right after you sign up.
You also won’t need to make any changes to your app’s pictures or text in the database — you can edit right on the app’s screen.
Adalo lets you publish your app as a web app, PWA, and a native mobile app. By reaching out to tons of people on the web and the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, you can get your app in front of an enormous audience.
Adalo’s pricing tiers are catered to the needs of freelancers and small businesses. An entry-level version costs $36/month, and a mid-tier version is $45/month.
Who is it best for?
There’s a reason why Adalo is the app-building platform I’ve recommended more than any other: it allows freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses enough functionality and design freedom to build any app for any purpose.
Pricing
Get started with Adalo for $36/month.
Final Verdict
Because Adalo has pricing tiers that accommodate everyone, and the perfect balance of power and simplicity, Adalo is the best overall Glide alternative.
#2 The Glide Alternative for Public-Facing E-commerce Apps
GoodBarber
What is it?
GoodBarber is a native mobile app builder that specializes in creating e-commerce and subscription apps.
What does it do better than Glide?
GoodBarber comes packed with several templates for creating client-facing apps, such as those for an online clothing store, a periodic newsletter, or an e-bookstore. It has integrations with payment platforms like Square, Stipe, and PayPal, so you can easily monetize your goods.
You can also build your app’s front end (the screens that people will see when they use your app) right from the get-go — you won’t have to worry about creating your database. When you make changes to your app’s front end, they update your database.
You can also publish your app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores, but you’ll need to get the premium version.
Who is it best for?
If you want to build an app to sell your products, look no further than GoodBarber. All its tools, templates, and functionalities specialize in making optimal and user-friendly e-commerce apps.
Pricing
GoodBarber is also a cheaper alternative to Glide, starting at $36/month (billed monthly) for selling content and $50/month (billed monthly) for selling physical products. If you want to publish to the app stores, you’ll need to pay $70/month (billed monthly) for content and $90/month (billed monthly) for physical goods.
Final Verdict
With the power to build native mobile apps that have all the features you need to sell your products or content, GoodBarber is the Glide alternative for public-facing e-commerce apps.
#3 The Easiest Glide Alternative
Softr
What is it?
Softr is a no-code web app builder that features a simple drag-and-drop interface.
What does it do better than Glide?
While you’ll need to bring your database with you to get started, Softr offers an easier building experience. With Softr’s block-based building interface, you can build your app quickly and easily.
Choose a template, connect your database, and drag on features like text boxes, pictures, forms, and more to the screens. Don’t like the templates? Then try out Softr’s AI generator: enter a 200-word prompt, and Softr will generate your own unique template, which you can edit to fit your needs.
Who is it best for?
Softr is great for businesses of all sizes that have a database and want to create an internal tool fast. It connects to many popular database sources, like Google Sheets, Airtable, Hubspot, and SmartSuite.
When you use Glide, you’ll need to pay the premium price of $125/month to be able to connect your app with these databases.
Pricing
While Softr’s Basic Version is nearly as pricey as Glide’s, at $59/month (billed monthly), you’ll get to create unlimited apps with up to 5 collaborators. If you need more power and features, like kanban charts, organizational charts, and your own branding, go with the Pro Version for $167/month (billed monthly).
Final Verdict
Softr is the easiest Glide alternative because it allows you to quickly build out your app by seamlessly dragging features onto your building canvas after you connect your database.
#4 The Best Glide Alternative for Internal Business Apps
NoLoco
What is it?
NoLoco is a no-code app builder that’s specifically designed to create internal, non-public-facing apps.
What does it do better than Glide?
Like Glide, NoLoco requires a database, but this isn’t usually an issue for businesses, as they usually always have one. Unlike Glide, even the cheapest version of NoLoco integrates with a bevy of popular databases: Google Sheets, Airtable, SmartSuite, and Xano. This makes NoLoco a viable option for most businesses.
You’ll also be able to create an unlimited number of apps per month with each plan. And, NoLoco is loaded with business-centric features, like being able to visualize your app using maps, kanban charts, split-screen displays, and more. This will accommodate the needs of almost any business.
Who is it best for?
NoLoco is a good choice for businesses that need their own internal apps, like CRM and project management boards, finance tools, and more.
Pricing
Get started with NoLoco at $49/month (billed monthly). If you need specialized business features like Kanban views or your own domain, check out the Pro Version for $149/month (billed monthly).
Final Verdict
With heaps of business features and the ability to connect with several high-quality databases, NoLoco is the Best Glide alternative for internal business apps.
#5 The Best Glide Alternative for Designers
Bravo Studio
What is it?
Bravo Studio is a no-code mobile app-building platform that lets you transform your Figma designs into your very own apps.
What does it do better than Glide?
Bravo is one of the few app-building platforms that gives you the power to create apps that look better than Glide’s. This is saying something because many regard Glide as the platform that’s second to (almost) none in terms of aesthetics.
If you’re one of those Figma designers with a portfolio that fills a few hundred gigabytes, look no further than Bravo. Bravo lets you publish an unlimited number of apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on the lowest pricing tier.
Who is it best for?
Folks who don’t have experience with Figma will need to spend lots of time learning it before they can work with Bravo. So, Bravo Studio is targeted to the designer crowd.
Pricing
Get Bravo’s lowest tier version for $21/month (billed monthly). If you want to remove the Bravo Studio branding on your apps, go with Bravo’s mid-tier version, which is $117/month (billed monthly).
Final Verdict
With the power to create nearly pixel-perfect apps from your very own Figma designs, Bravo Studio is the best Glide alternative for designers.
#6 The Glide Alternative with the Biggest Ecosystem
Bubble
What is it?
Bubble is one of the first movers in the no-code app-building space, leveraging over 12 years of experience and allowing you to build powerful web apps.
What does it do better than Glide?
While Bubble can only be used to build web apps and PWAs, and its building interface definitely has a learning curve, it’s second to none when it comes to the power it can pack into your apps.
Bubble boasts a template selection 4x larger than Glide’s (that’s over 400 templates), meaning there’s no app you can’t build with Bubble.
It also comes with a staggering number of integrations and APIs, which, combined with the over 100 tools and components made by the Bubble developer community, give you the potential to build an app that executes almost anything you want.
Who is it best for?
Bubble’s power comes with a catch: A difficult learning curve. You’ll need to dedicate a few hours daily to get it down. But once you’ve put in enough time and effort, you’ll be able to create any type of web app for any need, accommodating everyone from freelancers to Fortune 500s.
Pricing
Get your own custom website for your app for $32/month (billed monthly). If you want to remove the Bubble branding and add security features like 2-factor authentication, get Bubble’s Growth Version for $134/month (billed monthly).
Final Verdict
While it comes with a learning curve, you’ll be able to leverage an enormous amount of tools, components, integrations, and resources when you build your app with Bubble, the Glide alternative with the biggest ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cheapest Glide alternative?
At $21/month, Bravo Studio is the cheapest Glide alternative. However, you’ll need to be a Figma user. Another alternative is Bubble, at $32/month (billed monthly), but its complex building interface requires a few months of practice.
If you want a cheap app-building platform that you can use right out of the box, Adalo’s the best choice. Adalo is super simple to use, doesn’t require any design or tech background, and starts at $36/month.
What is the Best Glide Alternative for Freelancers and Entrepreneurs?
Adalo is, hands down, the best app-building platform for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It provides tons of power, letting you create any kind of app you can envision without sacrificing ease of use. Plus, Adalo comes with enough integrations and components to make your app meet your precise needs.
Which Glide Alternative Makes the Best-Looking Apps?
If you’re a designer, look no further than Bravo Studio, which lets you create pixel-perfect apps from your Figma designs. But if you don’t have any Figma experience, you’ll be able to create gorgeous apps using Adalo and Bubble.
What’s the Best Glide Alternative for Businesses with a Database Wanting to Make an Internal Tool?
If you already have a database for your internal business tool, check out Softr and NoLoco. Softr is the easiest option, as it lets you build out your app by dragging and dropping blocks. However, NoLoco is $10/month cheaper and comes with more database integrations than Softr.
