How to Build an App Without Coding in 2025

So—you’re thinking about building an app, but you don’t wanna code? Or maybe you literally can’t code. Either way, honestly… welcome to the club. It’s 2025 and, like, you really don’t need to know how to code anymore to get something legit up and running.

I mean, we’ve got all these no-code platforms now that are kinda insane tbh. You just drag stuff around, click some buttons, maybe type a little logic here and there (nothing scary, promise)… and boom—you’ve got an app. Kinda wild, right?

Anyway, if you’re a non-tech founder (or just someone who’s like “pls no JavaScript, idk what’s happening”)—this is totally doable. Let’s talk about a few platforms you can use. There’s a bunch, but I’ll hit the top 5 that I’d recommend for startups or, y’know, anyone trying to get an app out without losing their mind.

Top 5 No-Code App Builder Tools in 2025

1. Bubble

Okay so—Bubble’s kinda the OG no-code platform for web apps. Like, if you wanna build something that actually feels like a real SaaS or marketplace or dashboard-y thing? Bubble’s your friend.

Basically, it gives you this big visual editor where you can drag buttons and inputs and stuff onto a blank canvas, and then you tell it “hey, when someone clicks this button… do this thing.” It’s super powerful, but warning: it’s not the easiest to learn right outta the gate. Not impossible, but you’ll probably hit a few “wtf” moments early on.

👉 Main stuff you get:

• Drag-and-drop editor (so yeah… no coding)

• Built-in database (like, it stores your app’s info and user data)

• Workflows to automate stuff (like sending emails, updating data… idk, whatever you need)

• You can connect APIs if you’re fancy

💸 Pricing?

• Free if you just wanna mess around or prototype

• Paid starts around $32/month (and yeah, it climbs depending on what you need)

Just so you know—Bubble’s awesome for web apps but if you’re thinking “I wanna launch in the App Store” …ehhh, not really its thing. You can kinda hack it, but I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re cool with workarounds.

2. Glide

Alright, Glide’s super chill if you’re into spreadsheets. Like, if you’re comfy using Google Sheets or Excel, Glide basically turns those into apps. Yep… your spreadsheet literally becomes the app’s backend. Wild.

It’s really intuitive, honestly. You just link a Google Sheet, pick a template or design it yourself, and ta-da—you’ve got an app you can use on your phone or share with others. It’s not gonna build the next TikTok or whatever, but for data-driven stuff (like directories, checklists, dashboards), it’s super solid.

👉 Stuff it does:

• Pulls live data from Sheets or Excel

• You can start with templates (makes life easier)

• Any changes you make in your sheet show up instantly in the app (which is kinda magic)

• You can customize the look so it doesn’t scream “this is a spreadsheet”

💸 Pricing?

• Free tier (but it sticks a Glide logo on it)

• Paid starts at $15/month if you want more features or no branding

Honestly, Glide’s perfect for simple apps or MVPs where you’re like “I just need something that works right now.” Not super customizable for complex stuff, tho.

3. Adalo

Adalo’s more in the mobile app zone—like, if your dream is to see your app on the App Store or Google Play, this one’s worth checking out.

You get a drag-and-drop builder again (sensing a theme here?) and you can design your app’s screens kinda like building slides in Canva or PowerPoint. But what’s cool is you can add logic, user accounts, databases… all inside Adalo.

👉 Key things:

• Drag/drop UI builder for mobile

• Built-in database for storing app data

• Marketplace with extra components (like adding a Stripe checkout or maps)

• You can literally hit “publish” and send it to iOS/Android

💸 Money side:

• Free if you don’t mind Adalo branding

• Paid starts around $36/month (and goes up from there if you wanna publish to app stores)

Honestly… Adalo’s really solid for native apps but can get pricey if you scale or need advanced stuff. Also, might feel a lil’ limiting if you’ve got super custom needs.

4. Softr

Softr’s like… the chill cousin of Bubble, haha. It’s aimed more at web apps where you’re showcasing data—think directories, marketplaces, membership sites. And it plays super nice with Airtable (and now Google Sheets too), so if your data’s in there, it’s kinda plug-and-play.

What I love is it’s crazy fast to get something online. You can literally go from idea to a working site in like… an hour? Maybe two if you overthink fonts.

👉 Perks:

• Connects with Airtable/Sheets (no backend setup stress)

• Lots of pre-made templates (so you don’t start from zero)

• User logins & gated content are easy

• You can use your own domain (looks more pro)

💸 Costs:

• Free with Softr branding

• Paid starts at $29/month

Not really for “traditional” apps with super interactive logic or fancy animations, but awesome if your app’s all about showing/filtering data.

5. Thunkable

And finally—Thunkable. Honestly, I kinda slept on this one at first but it’s solid if you’re all about mobile apps. Like, it’s built for people who want to make iOS + Android apps without coding but still want some flexibility.

Drag-and-drop builder? Check.

Live testing on your phone? Yup.

API integrations? Yep, you can get nerdy with it if you want.

👉 Features:

• Build apps visually (you’re probably seeing a trend here lol)

• Test as you go with live preview on your phone

• Publish straight to App Store & Google Play

• Connect with external APIs for more advanced stuff

💸 Price range:

• Free plan with branding

• Paid starts around $15/month (jumps up if you need more features or white label)

Thunkable’s pretty great if you want an app with a “native” feel (vs. something that just runs inside a browser) and you don’t wanna mess with weird workarounds.

How to Match Your App Idea to a No-Code Tool (without overthinking it lol)

Okay so—real talk? Picking a no-code platform can feel… kinda overwhelming at first. Like, there’s so many options and they all sound great in different ways, but which one actually fits your idea?

Honestly, it’s way easier if you think of it like matching puzzle pieces. Your app has needs → the platforms have strengths → we just need to connect the dots.

Let’s break it down so you’re not spiraling 😅

Step 1: Jot down what your app actually needs to do

First thing—grab a notebook, or open up Notes or whatever, and literally write out what your app needs to do. Like don’t overthink it, just brain-dump the stuff your app’s supposed to handle.

Ask yourself:

✅ Do people need to log in?

✅ Does it need to save data somewhere?

✅ Is it for phones, web browsers, or both?

✅ Am I charging people? Taking payments?

✅ Does it need notifications?

Example? Okay—say you’re dreaming up a fitness app. Your list might be:

• User login

• Tracking daily workouts

• Push notifications to remind people to move lol

• Payment system for premium plans

Boom. That’s enough for now.

Step 2: Figure out what “type” of app it is

Here’s where we kinda categorize it. Like—are you building an app that mostly shows info? Or something interactive? Or is it basically a fancy front-end for a spreadsheet?

Here’s a lil cheat sheet to make it easier:

App Type Best Platforms Mobile app Thunkable, Adalo Web app Bubble, Softr Spreadsheet-powered app Glide, Softr Directory/Portal kinda thing Softr, Bubble Storefront/E-commerce Softr, Bubble

So if you’re making a recipe-sharing app, you’re probably thinking: people need to sign up, post recipes, browse categories, save faves → sounds like a directory + user accounts → Adalo or Thunkable would work if you want it on phones, but Bubble or Softr could also work if you’re cool with it as a web app.

No wrong answer—just depends where you want people using it.

Step 3: Match features → platform strengths

This is like… choosing your “weapon” haha. Every no-code platform has its strong points, and you kinda wanna play to that.

👉 Need super custom workflows? Bubble’s your best bet.

👉 Want to slap a spreadsheet onto a screen and call it a day? Glide’s literally made for that.

👉 Want an app on iOS/Android without learning Swift or Java? Go with Thunkable or Adalo.

Don’t overcomplicate—think “what’s the main thing my app needs to do?” and then pick the platform that makes that easiest.

Step 4: Sketch it out (seriously, even if it’s messy)

Okay so before you even open the platform, I swear this step saves headaches: draw your app’s flow.

Like, grab a pen and draw boxes for the screens. Then draw arrows between them. That’s it. It doesn’t have to be fancy or pretty—just enough so you see the basic navigation.

Example:

📱 Login → 🏠 Dashboard → 📄 Profile → 💳 Payment

Now when you hop into the builder, you’re not staring at a blank canvas like “uhhh what now?” You’ve got a mini map.

(And honestly? A lot of these platforms have templates that match these common flows, so you might even shortcut this step depending on what you’re building.)

Pro tip: You can use this tool - Excalidraw for simple wireframing/mapping out line diagrams (it's super easy app that I use myself - 100% free)

Step 5: Try it for free first (don’t pay yet!)

This one’s important—don’t throw money at a platform right away. Pretty much every no-code tool has a free tier or trial so you can poke around, build a few screens, test stuff.

👉 Does it feel intuitive?

👉 Can it do the things you listed earlier?

👉 Or are you already running into limits and frustration?

If it’s clicking—great. Stick with it.

If not? No shame in hopping to a different one. That’s literally what the free plans are for.

Like—maybe you start with Bubble and it feels overwhelming, but then you try Softr and you’re like “wait, this makes sense now.” Totally normal.

A quick example (just to see it in action)

Okay let’s say you’re building that recipe-sharing app I mentioned earlier. Here’s what you wrote down:

✅ Users sign up/login

✅ They can post recipes

✅ Browse/search categories

✅ Save favorite recipes

And you want it available as a mobile app.

→ Right away, I’d be thinking Adalo or Thunkable—both let you build native apps for iOS/Android and handle user accounts + posting content.

You could also technically do it on Bubble + wrap it in something like GoNative to make it mobile-friendly, but honestly? If your goal is a true “App Store” app, just go with Adalo/Thunkable—it’s simpler.

Designing User-Friendly Interfaces (Even Without Design Skills)

Designing an app doesn’t mean you need to be a designer—or even “creative.” Honestly, it’s more about making things easy to use than making them “pretty.” Think of it like organizing a kitchen: every tool and ingredient needs a clear spot so you’re not scrambling when you need something.

Here’s how to keep it simple (and avoid rookie mistakes):

Step 1: Stick to 3 Main Colors

Too many colors can feel chaotic or amateurish. Sticking to just three gives your app a clean, cohesive vibe.

✅ 1 main color (the dominant color—blue, green, etc.)

✅ 1 accent color (for buttons or highlights—orange, yellow)

✅ 1 neutral color (white, gray, black for backgrounds or text)

→ Example: Think about Facebook: blue, white, gray. Super simple, super clear.

🎨 Use free tools like coolors.co to generate a color palette that matches your vibe.

Step 2: Limit Fonts to 2

Every extra font adds visual clutter. Keep it easy for people to read by sticking to just:

✅ 1 font for headings (something bold or attention-grabbing)

✅ 1 font for body text (something simple and readable)

→ Example: Use Roboto for body text and Oswald or Montserrat for headings.

Most no-code platforms let you choose from Google Fonts—so no need to upload or buy fonts!

Step 3: Start With a Template (Seriously, Don’t Start Blank)

Unless you really love reinventing the wheel, start from a template. The pros have already handled the spacing, layout, and general design rules—you just need to customize it.

✅ Find a template close to what you want

✅ Delete anything you don’t need

✅ Swap in your colors, fonts, and logo

→ Example: Glide offers “Inventory App” or “Event App” templates you can tweak instead of building from zero.

Templates aren’t cheating—they’re smart. They save time and prevent design headaches.

Step 4: Focus on 1 Main Action Per Screen

This is the secret to apps that feel easy to use. Each screen should have ONE clear goal.

Ask yourself: “What’s the one thing I want the user to do here?”

Examples:

📱 Home → Browse recipes

📱 Recipe page → Save or share recipe

📱 Profile → Edit personal info

✅ If you pile too many buttons or options on one screen, people freeze up or get lost.

✅ Guide them with one big button or clear call to action per page.

Step 5: Test Your Design on Friends (Yes, Even Non-Techy Ones)

Here’s the thing—you can’t see all the issues yourself because you already know how the app is “supposed” to work. Get a few fresh eyes on it.

✅ Ask 2–3 friends to try your app for 5–10 minutes.

✅ Watch what they click, where they hesitate, what they miss.

✅ Don’t explain anything—just observe.

→ If they get stuck or confused, it’s not “their fault”—it’s a sign the app needs clearer labels, simpler navigation, or fewer distractions.

Step 6: Sketch a Simple Wireframe First

You don’t need fancy tools here—pen and paper work great. Just sketch boxes for screens and arrows showing how they connect.

Example wireframe for a habit tracker app:

📝 Even rough doodles like this will give you a “map” so you’re not randomly adding screens or buttons later.

Step 7: Preview Often (Don’t Wait Until the End)

Most no-code platforms have a “preview” button—use it a lot. Preview after every major change so you catch layout issues, typos, or weird spacing early.

✅ Does the button fit the screen?

✅ Is the text readable on mobile?

✅ Are clickable areas big enough for thumbs?

Small tweaks now = way fewer fixes later.

Bottom line?

You don’t need design awards to make a user-friendly app. Just keep it simple, clear, and focused. Your users will thank you for not making them think too hard.

🎯 Less clutter = more clarity.

👉 Already thinking of a design? Want feedback on your layout or colors?

Cost Breakdown: No-code vs Traditional Coding

So—people are always asking me, like, “How much does it actually cost to build an app without code?” And honestly? It’s wayyy cheaper than hiring a bunch of developers to custom-build it from scratch. But it’s not totally free either, so let’s break it down real quick (I’ll keep it simple, promise).

Basically, you’ve got two paths: no-code platforms or traditional coding. Kinda like… DIY vs hiring a whole crew, y’know?

👉 Step 1: What you’re paying for with no-code

Okay, so no-code platforms usually work on a monthly subscription kinda deal. You’re paying to use their tools, their hosting, their features—stuff like that. Here’s a rough idea of what some popular platforms charge (just so you know, these can change, so def double-check):

Platform Starting Price (Monthly) What You Get Bubble $32/mo Hosting, 175k workload units, 2-day logs, 5 security tests, basic checks Glide $60/mo 50k rows of data, custom domain, workflows, AI, support Thunkable $59/mo Custom branding, 50 public projects, 10 private, 1 live app, chat support Adalo $45/mo Native mobile app, publishing tools Softr $0/mo Custom domain, Airtable/Google Sheets/Notion/Xano integration

✅ Heads up: these prices go up if you need more users, more data, or wanna unlock fancy features.

Like… you can totally start cheap, but if your app grows, you’ll probably wanna upgrade later.

👉 Step 2: What coding costs (spoiler: it’s a lot 😅)

Okay, if you’re going the “I’ll hire developers” route, here’s what you’re looking at:

• Freelance dev: $25–$150/hr (depends where they live + experience)

• Small dev agency: $10k–$50k+ for a full app

• Big fancy agency: $100k+ (not even kidding)

✅ This covers design, coding, testing, deployment, updates… basically the whole shebang.

And every tiny tweak? More hours. More $$$. It adds up fast.

👉 Step 3: Oh, and btw—there’s hidden stuff too

Yep. Whether you use no-code or developers, there’s some extra stuff you’ll probably need to pay for:

✅ Domain name → like $10–$20 per year

✅ App Store / Play Store fees → $99/yr (Apple), $25 one-time (Google)

✅ Plugins/integrations → some cost extra on no-code platforms

(But honestly, no-code tools usually have a bunch of integrations already baked in, so you might not need as many extras… which is kinda nice.)

👉 Step 4: So what’s the total?

Here’s a super rough estimate for your first year:

Method First Year Cost No-code (mid plan) $600–$1,200 Custom-coded $10,000–$50,000+

✅ Basically, no-code = wayyy more affordable upfront. Especially if you’re just testing an idea and wanna get it out there without breaking the bank.

✅ But if you’re building, like, some crazy custom, complex app… coding might make more sense (just more $$).

👉 Step 5: Ongoing costs (don’t forget these)

Yep, you’re gonna keep paying something no matter what:

✅ No-code → you’ll keep paying the monthly/yearly subscription

✅ Coding → you’ll probably need devs for bug fixes, updates, server stuff

But honestly? If you’re not super techy, no-code lets you handle updates instead of begging a dev to fix every little thing. So there’s that.

👉 Quick example for ya

Okay, so I knew this founder who wanted to build a pet adoption app. Super cute idea.

Agency quote? $20,000.

Instead, they hired a no-code Bubble dev for like $30-50/hr, or they could’ve gotten a full project quote for around $3k–$4k plus the Bubble plan ($32/mo).

All in? Around $4k total for the year.

They saved over $16k. Wild, right?

Anyway… bottom line? If you’re testing an idea, launching an MVP, or building something simple-to-medium:

→ No-code is probs the cheapest + fastest way to do it.

Hope that helps! (Lmk if you’re curious about any of the platforms or wanna chat more about what you’re building 👀)

Case Study: How Artizen Saved $125K/Month by Going No-Code

So—okay, have you heard of Artizen? They’re this platform that helps fund creative projects. Kinda like Kickstarter but for artsy stuff. Anyway, they were seriously struggling with the whole “traditional development” thing. Like… it was slow, expensive, and just draining them.

And then they were like, “Yo, we need a better way.”

Guess what they did? They switched to Bubble (yeah, the no-code platform). And honestly? That move saved them a TON. Like, I’m talking $125,000 every month. Not even exaggerating.

Here’s what happened when they teamed up with a skilled Bubble dev:

✅ They launched 10x faster than if they’d kept going the traditional coding route.

✅ They saved $125k per month (yes… per month, not total).

✅ They ended up awarding $2.3 million in funding to creative projects on their platform.

Kinda wild, right? Goes to show how no-code isn’t just for tiny side projects—it can totally handle real, serious platforms.

You can check out their story here if you're curious.

👉 Why working with a no-code expert (like AppReadyNow) actually matters

Okay, so yeah, no-code tools like Bubble are awesome because technically anyone can hop on and build stuff without needing to code. But… like… it’s still kinda tricky if you want to make something that actually looks good, works smoothly, and can grow with you.

That’s where AppReadyNow comes in. Basically, we’re your nerdy friends who already figured out all the annoying parts so you don’t have to. Here’s what we bring to the table:

1️⃣ We actually know this no-code stuff inside out

Like, we live and breathe it. We’ve been deep in the Bubble trenches figuring out all the quirks, best practices, little hacks. So your app doesn’t just “work”—it actually runs well and doesn’t fall apart the minute you get users 😅.

2️⃣ We don’t do cookie-cutter

Your project isn’t some boring template. We sit down, figure out what YOU actually need, and tailor everything around that. So it feels like… yours, not some generic app slapped together.

3️⃣ It’s just cheaper + faster, period

Since we’re building on no-code, you’re not paying for months of coding from scratch. That means lower costs upfront, faster turnaround, and you can use the savings on marketing, hiring, whatever else you need.

4️⃣ We’ve got your back long-term

Oh—and we don’t just launch your app and disappear ✌️. We stick around for updates, fixes, improvements… all that good stuff. Basically, you’ve got a partner, not just a builder.

Book a call to see how we can help 👉 appreadynow.com/book-call