Google AppSheet charges $5 per user a month on Starter and $10 on Core, and every app user needs a license. That's fine for a five-person pilot, but once 200 people rely on the app, Core alone costs $2,000 a month, which is usually when teams start comparing AppSheet alternatives.
Popularity shouldn't come with an invoice, and plenty of no-code app builders agree.
The scorecard in one minute:
Zite is the best no-code app builder to replace AppSheet once your data has outgrown a spreadsheet, because you describe the app and get it with a real database and its workflows, every plan includes unlimited users, and you can inspect every table and workflow it set up.
Softr is the pick for portals on data you already have, Glide turns spreadsheets into phone-friendly apps, and Microsoft Power Apps suits companies standardized on Microsoft 365.
Zoho Creator fits teams on the Zoho suite, Budibase is the open-source option you can host yourself, FlutterFlow serves developers shipping native mobile apps, and Bubble is built for customer-facing products.
How the scorecard works
Each column answers a question that tends to push teams off AppSheet in the first place. "Not stated" means it couldn't be confirmed on the vendor's own pricing page or docs, so treat it as a question for your trial or sales call.
Real database built in asks whether your records get a proper home in tables and fields, or whether the app sits on a spreadsheet someone maintains on the side. For reference, AppSheet's own database allows 2,500 rows per database on Starter and Core, and 200,000 on Enterprise Plus.
A strong answer is a plain "Yes," because a spreadsheet doing a database's job works fine right up until two people edit the same row (and then it's a group chat about whose version is right).
Unlimited app users is the column that decides your bill as the app spreads. AppSheet licenses every user and counts guests who skip sign-in once per device, so one employee with a phone and a laptop counts twice.
Works offline matters if your people work in basements, warehouses, or fields with patchy signal. AppSheet handles this well, since its apps run offline with background sync once they've been opened online at least once.
Paid from is the cheapest paid plan billed monthly, as of October 2026, unless a vendor only publishes annual pricing. Read it next to the users column, because a low entry price multiplied by 200 people stops looking low.
1. Zite: describe the app and get its database and workflows too
Scorecard read: Yes on a real database, yes on unlimited users from the Free plan up, and an honest no on offline.
In practice: You describe the software you need in plain English, and the builder creates the app, the database behind it, and the workflows that move your data around. Each database is its own isolated Postgres, but you work with it in a spreadsheet-style view with 27 field types.
AI fields can categorize, summarize, and score every record, so a request queue can sort itself. Workflows come from a description too, and the visual view lays out each step so you can see what runs and troubleshoot it.
Every workflow run is kept for 90 days with its inputs, outputs, and any error, and you can replay a run with the same inputs once you've fixed the problem. Apps are internal by default, and you choose who gets in from outside, with Google login and magic links for sign-in.
If you're coming from AppSheet, the platform reads and writes Google Sheets live, scans QR codes and barcodes with the phone camera, and lists AppSheet in its migration hub. You import the Sheets data, then it rebuilds the app from screen recordings or screenshots.
It also has 30+ native integrations, plus Zapier and n8n connectors on every plan. Diana Viglundsdottir, Director of Product at Syn.is (Iceland's largest media company), points to SSO login and the Salesforce integration, which sit on the Enterprise and Team plans respectively.
Cost: Free is $0, Pro is $25/mo, Business is $89/mo, Team is $300/mo, and Enterprise is custom, with unlimited users, editors, and apps on every plan. Scheduled workflows start at Business, while webhooks, in-app triggers, manual runs, PDF generation, and email sending work on every plan.
Granular permissions and roles start at Team, and SSO and audit logs are Enterprise only.
Where it scores lower: There's no offline mode and no push notifications yet, so crews working without signal need something else. Apps run in mobile browsers and can be added to a home screen as a PWA, but there are no App Store or Google Play apps.
2. Softr: polished portals on data you already have
Scorecard read: Softr is strongest at putting a clean client portal or business app on top of data you already keep, with app users capped by plan.
In practice: Softr's sweet spot is client portals and business apps on data that already lives somewhere, and Airtable users will feel at home. It connects to Airtable, Google Sheets, Excel, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, and BigQuery, and Softr Databases are there if you'd like to start fresh.
The AI Co-Builder takes follow-up requests in chat, so you can adjust a page by asking. Granular permissions, OTP and Google sign-in, and custom code and API connectors arrive on Pro, so check which of those your portal needs before you settle on Basic.
That makes Softr a comfortable move if your AppSheet app is mostly a window onto a base or sheet that people already maintain. You keep the data where it is and give clients or colleagues a tidier way in.
Cost: As of October 2026, there's a Free plan, then Basic at $25/mo, Pro at $119/mo, and Business at $395/mo, billed monthly. Basic includes 1 builder, Pro 2, and Business 3, with extra builders at $6, $12, or $24 a month depending on the plan.
App users split into Team and Client seats: Basic covers 5 of each, and Pro covers 10 team users and 50 clients.
Where it scores lower: Builders and app users are capped per tier, so a portal for a few hundred clients means moving up plans or buying add-ons. SQL, HubSpot, and Excel connections need the Business plan, so check that your data source is on the plan you're pricing before you build.
3. Glide: spreadsheet apps that feel at home on a phone
Scorecard read: Glide is the pick for turning a spreadsheet into an app people tap through on their phones, though its offline and user limits aren't confirmed on the scorecard.
In practice: GlideOS, Glide's main product, builds internal business apps from a spreadsheet, a prompt, or a file, which makes it a natural next step for ops teams leaving spreadsheets behind. Data can come from Google Sheets, Excel, or PostgreSQL.
It covers field mobile apps, dashboards, and customer portals on shared data, which overlaps neatly with what most AppSheet apps do. Org-level roles arrive on Pro, while project-level roles, SSO, and audit logs sit on Enterprise.
If your team likes its sheet and mainly wants a nicer app on top, Glide keeps that habit intact. What I'd test first is how it handles your messiest tab, because that's where every spreadsheet app earns its keep.
Cost: As of October 2026, GlideOS Free is $0 with 2 team members and no published apps. Basic is $25/mo for 2 members, 2 published apps, 1 workflow, and 100 credits, and Plus is $50/mo with 3 members, 5 apps, and public apps.
Pro is $125/mo, starting at 5 members with unlimited apps, MCP, and org roles. Glide Classic is still sold, with Business at $249/mo billed monthly for 30 users and $6 per extra user after that.
Where it scores lower: The Free plan can't publish apps, so you'll pay before anyone else sees your work. Glide also says it has no tool for moving Classic apps to GlideOS, so a Classic customer switching products is rebuilding, and offline support is something to test yourself.
4. Microsoft Power Apps: offline-ready apps for Microsoft 365 companies
Scorecard read: Microsoft Power Apps checks the database and offline boxes, and every app user needs a paid license billed yearly.
In practice: Power Apps is Microsoft's low-code and AI app platform on Dataverse, and it's the closest Microsoft equivalent to AppSheet. Each Premium license includes 250 MB of Dataverse database and 2 GB of file storage, and prebuilt, custom, and on-premises connectors reach everything else.
Copilot builds "an app and data model" from a description, though some Copilot features are still in preview. Agentic features live in model-driven apps, and Microsoft 365 Copilot chat is in preview for canvas apps.
The offline story is the draw for field teams, since Dataverse-based canvas apps can run offline-first with automatic sync. If your company already runs on Microsoft 365 and IT wants governance baked in, it's the obvious shortlist entry.
Cost: As of October 2026, Premium is $20/user/mo (billed annually), or $12 with a 2,000-seat minimum. The free Developer Plan covers building and testing, and Microsoft's line is that building apps isn't charged but using them requires paid licenses.
The pricing page shows no monthly-billed price and no per-app plan, and pay-as-you-go through Azure is mentioned without a price.
Where it scores lower: Every app user needs a license, so 200 users on Premium comes to $4,000 a month. Offline is documented for Dataverse-based canvas apps, and Dataverse storage beyond the included amount costs $40 per GB per month, so plan your data volume before your app gets popular.
5. Zoho Creator: low-code apps for teams already on Zoho
Scorecard read: Zoho Creator is a fit for companies already running on Zoho, with phone apps and offline caching, priced per user.
In practice: Zoho Creator is a low-code platform inside the Zoho suite, and it integrates with all Zoho apps, which matters if the rest of your business already runs on Zoho. It connects to 5, 15, or 30 data sources depending on the plan, and supports 5, 10, or 20 custom connectors.
There are iOS and Android apps, and offline caching for forms and saved reports that syncs automatically when the connection returns. That's a solid fit for inspections or audits where someone fills in a form in a dead zone and uploads it later.
Prebuilt and custom-trained AI models are included, with 50 or 250 prebuilt models by tier. A customer portal add-on is priced in tiers by portal users, from 250 up to 100,000.
Cost: As of October 2026, there's a Free edition with 1 app. Standard is $12/user/mo billed monthly, Professional is $30/user/mo, and Enterprise is $37/user/mo, with annual billing advertised as saving "more than 30%."
Where it scores lower: Standard is limited to 1 app, which is tight if AppSheet has turned into five apps over the years (it always does). Every internal user needs a license, and external users need the paid portal add-on, so price both before you compare it with a flat plan.
6. Budibase: open source you can host yourself
Scorecard read: Budibase is built for teams that want open-source code and the option to self-host, where unlimited users come free.
In practice: Budibase is an open-source app, automation, and AI-agent builder, and you can run it on your own servers or use Budibase Cloud. Apps sit on Budibase DB or on external databases, spreadsheets, and REST connections, so you can start fresh or point it at what you already have.
Automations and an AI Agent builder (bring your own key) handle the logic behind the screens. Apps are responsive across multiple screens, with table and role access security, and SSO arrives on Premium.
It suits an IT team that wants control over where the app runs and is happy to own the setup. If your security review asks where the data lives, self-hosting gives you a short answer.
Cost: As of October 2026, the self-hosted open-source version is free with unlimited users. On Budibase Cloud, Pro is $23/mo billed monthly with 5,000 actions and 1 creator, end users are $6/user/mo, Premium is $59/mo, and extra creators cost $50/mo.
Where it scores lower: Cloud plans meter "actions" (5,000 on Pro), and end users are a paid add-on, so a busy app with lots of people can climb fast. Self-hosting removes the user bill, but someone on your team then owns the servers, the updates, and the 2 a.m. page when something breaks.
7. FlutterFlow: native mobile apps with code you can export
Scorecard read: FlutterFlow scores well on app-store publishing and code ownership, and leaves the database to you.
In practice: FlutterFlow is a visual builder for native mobile, web, and desktop Flutter apps, aimed at developers and technical teams. From Basic up you can download your code and APK, and FlutterFlow pitches code export as "No vendor lock-in."
One-click App Store publishing also starts at Basic, and Growth adds Firebase and Supabase integrations, API endpoints, and Swagger or OpenAPI imports. AI generation gives you 5 lifetime requests on Free and 50 a month on Basic, and FlutterFlow says more than 3.3 million people use it.
If your AppSheet app needs to live in the App Store with your logo on it, this is the more technical path to get there. It's a better fit for a team with a developer than for an ops lead replacing a spreadsheet on a Friday afternoon.
Cost: As of October 2026, Free is $0 with 2 projects and no code download, and Basic is $39/mo billed monthly. Growth is $80 for the first seat and $55 for the second, and Business is $150 for the first seat and $85 each for seats two through five.
Where it scores lower: There's no spreadsheet-first data model, so you bring Firebase, Supabase, or your own APIs and set up the data yourself. Collaboration is per seat too, with 1 editor on Free and Basic, so a second builder means a pricier plan.
8. Bubble: customer-facing web and mobile products
Scorecard read: Bubble is where founders build customer-facing products for web and native mobile, with usage metered in workload units.
In practice: Bubble is a full-stack visual builder for web and native iOS and Android apps, so the screens, logic, and data all live in one place. A native mobile editor handles app builds, and paid Web plus Mobile plans include build submissions.
The AI agent and page generation use AI credits, though Bubble says app generation doesn't currently require them. There's an API connector on the Free plan and an SQL connector for outside data, and collaboration grows from 2 app editors on Growth to 5 on Team.
It's the choice when the app is the product, like a marketplace or a customer-facing tool you plan to sell. For an internal inspection checklist, it's a lot of power to point at a small job.
Cost: As of October 2026, Free is $0 with 50,000 workload units, then the Web plans run Starter at $32/mo, Growth at $134/mo, and Team at $399/mo, billed monthly. Mobile publishing needs a Web plus Mobile plan, which costs more than the web-only tiers.
Where it scores lower: Usage is metered in workload units (175,000 a month on Starter), with add-ons sold separately, so a traffic spike shows up on the bill. Starter has no editor collaboration listed, which means a team of builders starts on Growth.
Reading the scorecard for your situation
If your data outgrew the spreadsheet and headcount keeps growing, look for "Yes" in both of the first two columns. The #1 pick is the only row with a plain "Yes" in both, and Budibase gets close if you self-host.
If offline is non-negotiable, your shortlist is Power Apps (on Dataverse), Zoho Creator (forms and saved reports), or AppSheet itself. Test offline on the actual phones your crew carries, in the actual dead zone.
If the app has to be in the App Store, FlutterFlow suits a team with a developer, and Bubble suits founders building a product to sell. Neither is a quick swap for a field-data app.
If your data already lives in Airtable or a sheet, Softr gives clients and colleagues a portal on top, and Glide gives your team a phone-friendly app. Count your app users first, because both price by plan limits.
When is AppSheet still the right call?
Leaving isn't always the smart move. If your crews work offline every day, AppSheet's offline mode with background sync is proven ground, and the #1 pick on this list doesn't work offline.
Deep Google Workspace habits are the other reason to stay. Core is included in most paid Workspace plans, it connects to Sheets, Forms, Drive, Calendar, and Docs, and paid accounts can describe an app to Gemini and review the generated tables before creating it.
So if your app has a handful of users, works with a modest amount of data, and runs on a Workspace license you already pay for, keep it. Switch when the user count, the row count, or the license bill tells you to.
FAQ
Which no-code app builders charge per user?
Microsoft Power Apps, Zoho Creator, and Google AppSheet all license each app user, so the bill grows with every person who opens the app. Budibase Cloud adds end users at $6 per user a month, and Softr caps app users by plan and charges for extra builders.
What does a "real database" mean in a no-code app builder?
It means your records live in tables and fields that the app reads and writes directly, with room to grow well past a spreadsheet's comfort zone. AppSheet's own database, for example, allows 2,500 rows on Starter and Core, while Power Apps includes 250 MB of Dataverse per Premium license.
Is AppSheet included with Google Workspace?
AppSheet Core is included in most paid Google Workspace plans, so many Workspace companies already have it. Google added Core by default to the Business, Enterprise Starter and Standard, and Frontline editions, while buying Enterprise Plus takes a Workspace or Cloud Identity admin.