Buyer's guide · Updated quarterly
The best Base44 alternatives in 2027
An analysis of nine builders for teams whose Base44 app has outgrown its first version, compared on seven published criteria, with what you can take with you and the path to moving.
Contents
In brief
The best Base44 alternative depends on why you are leaving. For a company whose Base44 app has become part of how the business runs, OpenLazarus is our top pick, because the company owns the code and data and decides where it is hosted. To keep a chat-to-app workflow with the code in your own GitHub, choose Lovable. For a free, open-source route, choose Dyad. For a portal or internal tool on data you already have, choose Softr. For a native mobile app, choose FlutterFlow.
- A business system you own: OpenLazarus. Designs CRM, operations and finance with AI teammates around the business, on a server the company owns and can move.
- Portals and internal tools: Softr. Generates the pages, permissions and workflows on data you already keep in Airtable, Sheets or SQL.
- Same workflow, your code: Lovable. Chat-to-app building with two-way GitHub sync on every plan.
- Free and open source: Dyad. An Apache 2.0 desktop builder that uses your own AI keys and deploys where you choose.
- Native mobile apps: FlutterFlow. Flutter source code and app-store builds from the Basic plan.
The decision Base44 teams face
Base44 makes the first version of an app unusually easy. It builds apps, websites and agents from a plain-language description, with the database, authentication, hosting and integrations such as Gmail, Slack, HubSpot and Salesforce included1. A free plan carries 25 message credits a month, and paid plans start at $16 a month billed annually2. Wix bought the company in June 2025, three months after it came out of stealth, for an initial $80 million plus milestone payments3, and Base44 is now reported to be one of Wix's biggest strategic bets4.
The questions start when the app stops being a prototype. Base44's documentation is candid about where the edges are. The code can be exported, but it "still relies on Base44 to run", and Base44 does not support self-hosting5. No single data request can return more than 5,000 records, whatever the plan6. Apps created from 18 October 2026 have a database size limit per plan, from 200 MB on Free to 25 GB on Elite7. The cost of an integration action cannot be previewed before it runs, and when credits run out, the actions that use them pause until the next reset8. SSO for apps requires a Business or Enterprise plan9.
None of this makes Base44 a poor product. It makes it a particular kind of product: a hosted platform where the builder, the backend and the bill are one thing. For a team whose app now holds customer records, invoices or staff workflows, the question is no longer how quickly it can be built, but who owns it, where it runs and who is allowed to do what inside it.
This site is independent of Base44 and Wix.com; their names are used only to identify the products discussed.
How we evaluated the alternatives
We reviewed nine builders that a Base44 team could reasonably move to: AI app builders, no-code business-app platforms, an open-source desktop tool, a mobile builder and one company operating system. All nine were scored against one set of seven criteria, drawing only on vendor publications and reputable outside reporting, each dated with the day we read it. The methodology page sets out the criteria and the rules for applying them.
The ranking reflects one common situation: a company that built a working app on Base44, now uses it for real business records, and needs a system it owns, with its data, its choice of hosting and approval steps over what people and software may do. Base44 itself is the reference point and is not ranked. Each entry also names the situation in which a lower-ranked builder becomes the better choice.
The nine alternatives, ranked
1. OpenLazarus
Company operating system
Best for: Companies whose Base44 app has become part of how the business runs and that now want CRM, operations, finance and AI teammates in one system they own and host where they choose.
OpenLazarus designs a company operating system from a description of the business: CRM, mail and calendar, work management, operations and finance modules, plus AI teammates with their own inbox and phone number. The company owns the code and the data, and the system runs on a managed server that can be moved to the company’s own cloud.
2. Softr
Business-app builder
Best for: Client portals, internal tools and lightweight CRMs with logins and permissions, built by operators on data the company already keeps in Airtable, Google Sheets, HubSpot or a SQL database.
Softr generates a business app from a prompt, including the pages, a database, user permissions and workflows, then lets non-developers refine it visually. Apps can use Softr’s own database or connect to existing sources such as Airtable, Notion, Google Sheets, HubSpot, Supabase, MySQL, PostgreSQL or a REST API.
3. Lovable
AI app builder
Best for: Teams that want the closest equivalent to Base44’s chat-to-app workflow but with the code in their own GitHub repository from day one.
Lovable turns a chat into a full-stack web app. Its built-in backend, Lovable Cloud, uses Supabase’s foundation for the database, authentication, storage and functions. Projects sync both ways with GitHub on every plan, and code can be downloaded and deployed outside Lovable on paid plans.
4. Replit Agent
AI development platform
Best for: Teams with some technical confidence that want an agent to build the app and a full development environment to run it, with hard spending caps.
Replit Agent builds apps, websites and agents from chat inside Replit’s development platform, with a built-in database and user authentication and connections to services such as Stripe and OpenAI. Agent work is billed by effort per checkpoint, and Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM, role-based access, audit logging and the option to run agents in your own cloud.
5. Glide
Internal-app builder
Best for: Operations, field and back-office teams that run on spreadsheets and want governed internal apps for inventory, work orders, procurement or field sales.
Glide turns spreadsheets and business data into internal apps and AI agents. It reads Google Sheets and Excel (including formulas and lookups), builds an app for desktop and phone, and applies roles down to individual rows, with SSO, an audit log and SOC 2 listed on its site.
6. Dyad
Local, open-source app builder
Best for: Builders searching for a free or open-source Base44 alternative who are comfortable keeping the project on their own computer and bringing their own AI keys.
Dyad is a desktop app for building web apps with AI that runs on the user’s own machine on macOS, Windows and Linux. Its core is licensed Apache 2.0, it works with the user’s own keys for Anthropic, OpenAI, Google or local models, and it connects to Supabase or Neon for a database and deploys to GitHub, Vercel or a cloud of the user’s choice.
7. Bolt
AI app builder
Best for: Fast prototypes and front-end-heavy web apps where a working, hosted first version matters more than how the data is kept long term.
Bolt builds websites and apps by chat, with hosting and a built-in database on every plan. Usage is billed in tokens spent reading the project and writing code, and projects sync both ways with GitHub. An MIT-licensed community fork, bolt.diy, runs locally with any model provider.
8. Bubble
Visual app builder
Best for: Founders building a customer-facing web or mobile product who want a mature visual editor and are comfortable staying on one platform.
Bubble is a visual platform for web and mobile apps with its own database and server-side privacy rules. Plans are metered in workload units and AI credits, and a paid plan is needed to put an app live.
9. FlutterFlow
Mobile app builder
Best for: Teams whose Base44 app needs to become a fully native iPhone and Android app, with Flutter source code they can take away.
FlutterFlow builds native iPhone and Android apps from a description, then lets the team refine them and add custom Dart code. Paid plans download the Flutter source code, build an Android APK and deploy to both app stores.
OpenLazarus leads for this situation for one reason: of the nine, it alone begins with the company's records and workflows instead of an empty project. It designs CRM, operations and finance modules with AI teammates from a description of how the company works10, the company owns the code and the data, and it can host with OpenLazarus or move the system elsewhere11. It is also the most expensive starting point here and has no named builder case studies yet, so a small first scope is the sensible way to test it.
The alternatives compared
| Builder | Code and data you keep | Hosting you control | Business records first | Access and approvals | Runs without a developer | Predictable cost | Free route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. OpenLazarus | Yes. Code and data belong to the company | Yes. Managed, movable to own cloud; EU servers | Yes. Designed from how the business works | Partly. Approval settings for AI; staff roles not documented | Yes. Managed hosting; engineers on retainer | Yes. Plan, hosting and support prices public | Partly. Design and demo free; running it is paid |
| 2. Softr | Partly. Records can live in Airtable, Sheets or SQL | No. Hosted by Softr | Partly. Portals, CRMs, intranets | Yes. User groups, server-side rules; SSO on Enterprise | Yes. Visual editor, no code to maintain | Yes. Plans and user caps published | Partly. Free plan, 5 users |
| 3. Lovable | Yes. Two-way GitHub sync; code download on paid plans | Partly. Region choice; moving the backend is manual | No. Blank app | Partly. Roles on Pro; SSO on Business; audit logs Enterprise | Partly. Chat edits; security reviews are yours | Partly. Credits per change plus metered Cloud use | Partly. 5 daily credits, 30 a month |
| 4. Replit Agent | Partly. Full code workspace; export not reviewed | Partly. Replit deployments; own cloud on Enterprise | No. Blank project | Partly. SSO, RBAC and audit logs on Enterprise | No. A developer keeps it running | Partly. Effort-based, with hard caps | Partly. One-time free checkpoints |
| 5. Glide | Partly. Data stays in your sheets; no code export | No. Hosted by Glide | Partly. Internal apps built from spreadsheets | Yes. Row-level roles, SSO, audit log | Yes. Built for operators | Partly. Credit-metered; monthly billing only | No. Free plan cannot publish |
| 6. Dyad | Yes. Files on your disk; runnable code | Yes. Deploy to your own cloud | No. Blank app | No. You build it (e.g. Supabase auth) | No. You maintain it | Yes. Free; AI billed by your provider | Yes. Apache 2.0 core, free with own keys |
| 7. Bolt | Yes. Commits to and pulls from GitHub | Partly. Bolt hosting; database cannot move to Supabase | No. Blank project | Partly. Admin controls on Teams; SSO on Enterprise | Partly. Chat edits; you maintain it | Partly. Token use rises as the project grows | Yes. Free plan with hosting; MIT fork |
| 8. Bubble | No. No code export; data as CSV | No. Runs only on Bubble | No. Blank app | Yes. Server-side privacy rules | Partly. Visual, but you design the logic | Partly. Workload units rise with traffic | No. Free plan cannot go live |
| 9. FlutterFlow | Yes. Flutter code download; GitHub on Pro | Partly. App-store builds; backend not reviewed | No. Blank app | —. Not covered on pages reviewed | Partly. Describe and refine; Dart for custom code | Yes. Plans and seats published | Partly. Free plan; no code or store deploy |
Three patterns stand out. Code ownership is now common: Lovable syncs to GitHub on every plan12, Bolt commits each working change to GitHub13, FlutterFlow downloads Flutter source from its Basic plan14 and Dyad keeps the project on your own disk15. Owning the backend is rarer: moving Lovable's built-in backend to your own Supabase is a manual, multi-step job16, and Bolt has no supported way to move its database to Supabase17. And enterprise access controls sit behind the top tier almost everywhere, from SSO on Lovable Business18 to SSO and audit logs on Replit and Bolt Enterprise1920.
What Base44 does well
A fair comparison starts with what a team gives up by leaving. Base44 bundles the backend, database, authentication and hosting into every plan, including the free one2. Its security scan checks data permissions, exposed secrets and backend functions, and static code analysis is added on the Builder plan9. Two-way GitHub sync is available from the Builder plan21. When Wiz reported an authentication flaw in July 2025, it was fixed in under 24 hours and Wix reported no evidence of past abuse22. For a single team's tool with modest data, those are real advantages, and some readers will conclude that a higher Base44 plan is the right answer.
The evidence on prompt-built apps
The deeper risk in any move is not the platform but what was generated on it. Escape scanned more than 5,600 publicly available apps built on vibe-coding platforms, including about 159 on Base44, and found more than 2,000 vulnerabilities, more than 400 exposed secrets and 175 instances of personal data such as medical records and bank account numbers23. In Veracode's tests of more than 100 language models, 45% of generated code samples failed security tests24.
Base44's own guidance points the same way: it states that app owners are responsible for their security settings9, and that a rule set to All Users lets anyone perform the action without signing in25. Whatever the destination, the permissions should be redesigned on purpose, not copied across.
What it costs to move
| Option | Entry price as published | What the price meters |
|---|---|---|
| Base44 Starter (reference) | $16 a month, billed annually2 | 100 message and 2,000 integration credits |
| Lovable Pro | $25 a month, or $21 billed annually18 | From 100 credits, plus metered backend use |
| Bolt Pro | $25 a month, monthly billing only20 | 10M tokens upward |
| Softr Business | $329 a month, billed annually26 | 30 team and 100 client users |
| Dyad | Free with your own keys; Pro $20 a month15 | Your AI provider's usage |
| OpenLazarus | Plan from $100 a month plus hosting from $1501127 | Plan with AI credits, managed server |
The cheapest builder rarely stays the cheapest system. Metered credits, user caps and the plan needed for SSO move the real figure. The cost guide works through Base44, Lovable and Bolt in detail.
The path to a system you own
Teams that move well tend to follow the same sequence.
- Name the reason for leaving. Cost, lock-in, data size, access control or mobile. Each points to a different builder, as the picks above show.
- Inventory what the app really is. Tables and their permissions, backend functions, integrations, automations and the people who sign in.
- Export before deciding. Connect GitHub or download the ZIP on a Builder plan or above, and export every table as CSV5.
- Match the destination to the job. A code path (Lovable, Bolt, Dyad) means replacing the Base44 backend in the code. A no-code path (Softr, Glide) rebuilds screens on the exported records. A system path (OpenLazarus) redesigns around the business and imports the records.
- Rebuild access on purpose, then run both side by side. Base44 plan changes take effect at the next billing cycle and apps stay live meanwhile2, which leaves room for a parallel run.
The end state is concrete. The records sit in a database the company can export at any time, the code or configuration is in an account the company controls, every person and every automated step has a defined permission, and the monthly bill can be predicted from published prices. The migration guide covers each step in detail.
For companies whose app has turned into the place where customers, jobs and invoices live, OpenLazarus addresses that layer directly. Its builder designs the whole system from a conversation, prices it before anything is bought and needs no account to try28, and its AI teammates work on the same records as staff, each with its own inbox and phone number29. The OpenLazarus builder is the place to start. Where the need is a single portal, a product for the public or a phone app, Softr, Lovable and FlutterFlow are the closer fit.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best alternative to Base44?
It depends on the job. For a company whose app now runs part of the business, we rank OpenLazarus first because the company owns the code and data and controls hosting. Lovable is the closest like-for-like replacement with code in GitHub, Softr suits portals and internal tools on existing data, Dyad is the strongest free and open-source option, and FlutterFlow is the pick for native mobile apps.
Is there a free or open-source alternative to Base44?
Yes. Dyad is a desktop app builder whose core is licensed Apache 2.0; it is free with your own AI keys and runs on your computer. bolt.diy is an MIT-licensed community fork of Bolt that runs locally with any model provider. Among hosted builders, Bolt's free plan includes 1M tokens a month and hosting.
Can I export my code from Base44?
Partly. On the Builder plan and above, Base44 offers two-way GitHub sync and a ZIP download containing the frontend, backend functions and table structure. Base44's own documentation says the exported code still relies on Base44 for data, logins, functions and integrations, that Base44 does not support self-hosting, and that data must be exported table by table as CSV. Secrets and app users are not included.
Is Base44 owned by Wix?
Yes. Wix announced the acquisition of Base44 in June 2025 for an initial $80 million plus milestone payments in 2029, according to Globes. Base44's website footer carries a Wix.com copyright. This site is independent of both companies.
Is Base44 cheaper than Lovable or Bolt?
At entry level it is. Base44's Starter plan is $16 a month billed annually, against $25 a month for Lovable Pro ($21 billed annually) and $25 a month for Bolt Pro. The plans meter different units (message and integration credits, credits, tokens), so the cheaper choice depends on how much building and running an app needs. Our cost guide works through the comparison.
Is Base44 secure enough for business data?
Base44 states SOC 2 compliance and runs security scans, but its documentation says app owners are responsible for their security settings, and a permission set to All Users lets anyone act without signing in. In July 2025, Wiz disclosed an authentication flaw on the platform that was fixed in under 24 hours, with no evidence of abuse reported. SSO for apps requires a Business or Enterprise plan.
How do I move my app off Base44?
Inventory the tables, permissions, backend functions, integrations and users first. Export the code through GitHub or ZIP and each table as CSV, then either replace the Base44 backend in the code, rebuild on a no-code platform from the CSVs, or redesign the system around the business. Run the old and new apps side by side before switching.
Sources
- Turn an idea into a working app or website with AI. Base44. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Base44 Plans & Pricing. Base44. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Wix acquires Israeli vibe coding co Base44. Globes, 18 Jun 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Wix beats expectations as AI platform Base44 drives 15% revenue growth in Q2. Ynetnews. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Base44 developer tools (working with code, GitHub and exporting your code). Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Optimizing app performance (scaling and usage limits). Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Managing your app data (database limits and exporting data). Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Credits. Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Base44 security: an overview. Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Design your company’s operating system. OpenLazarus. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Frequently asked questions. OpenLazarus. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- GitHub integration. Lovable Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- GitHub for version control. Bolt Help Center. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Pricing. FlutterFlow. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Dyad: the open-source AI app builder on your desktop. Dyad. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Built-in backend (Cloud). Lovable Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Bolt Database. Bolt Help Center. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Subscription plans. Lovable Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Enterprise solutions. Replit. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Plans & pricing. Bolt. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Sync your app with GitHub. Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Critical vulnerability in AI vibe coding platform Base44. Wiz Research, 29 Jul 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- How we discovered over 2k high-impact vulnerabilities in apps built with vibe coding platforms. Escape, 29 Oct 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- 2025 GenAI Code Security Report. Veracode, 30 Jul 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Managing data permissions. Base44 Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Pricing and plans. Softr Help Docs. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Pricing. OpenLazarus. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Design an operating system for your business with AI. OpenLazarus. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- AI employees for your business: ready-made teammates. OpenLazarus. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
Updated 8 Nov 2026: First published. Nine builders reviewed against seven criteria.