How we evaluated them
Five things matter more than marketing copy:
- Real native vs web wrapper. Does it produce a true iOS/Android app, or a website in a WebView? This decides whether you get camera, push notifications, biometrics, and App Store approval.
- Code ownership. Can you export and own the code, or are you renting it? Lock-in is the difference between an asset and a subscription.
- Reliability on the second prompt. Anyone can generate a login screen. The test is whether the app still works after you add data, auth, and a fifth feature, i.e. whether the AI keeps your data model in sync.
- Platforms. iOS only? Web first? Both?
- Pricing transparency.Credits, seats, and what “free” actually gets you.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Output | Code export | Platforms | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShipNative | Native React Native + Expo | Yes (full export) | iOS + Android | Mobile-first founders who want reliable, ownable apps |
| RapidNative | Native React Native + Expo | Yes | iOS + Android | Similar audience; the closest alternative |
| Rork | Native (chat-to-app) | Limited | iOS-focused | Fast iOS prototypes |
| Shipper | Web + mobile | Varies | Web-first | Internal tools, web companies |
| Lovable | Web apps | Yes | Web | Web SaaS UIs |
| Bolt (bolt.new) | Web apps | Yes | Web | Full-stack web prototypes |
| v0 by Vercel | Web UI components | Yes | Web | React/Next.js front-ends |
| Replit Agent | Web/full-stack | Yes | Web | Developers in a cloud IDE |
| Cursor / Copilot | Code assist | N/A (your repo) | Any | Developers who write code |
The 9 best AI app builders
1. ShipNative, best for reliable, ownable mobile apps
ShipNative generates real React Native (Expo) apps for iOS and Android from a prompt, with a live preview as it builds. Its differentiator is reliability: instead of producing a screen that looks right but breaks when you wire up data, it keeps your data model and screens in sync, so adding a feature doesn’t silently break the last one. You can export the full Expo codebase, no lock-in.
Best for: Indie hackers, founders, and PMs shipping a mobile-first product who want something they can actually maintain (or hand to a developer).
Watch for: Mobile-first by design, if you specifically want a web app, a web-first tool fits better.
2. RapidNative, closest alternative for React Native
Also generates React Native + Expo apps with exportable code and native device access. The most direct ShipNative alternative, with a broad library of templates and tools.
3. Rork, fast iOS prototypes by chat
Chat-to-app with an iOS focus and direct App Store distribution. Great for getting an iPhone prototype in front of someone fast; less suited if you need Android in parallel or full code ownership.
4. Shipper, web-first “build a company” tooling
Positions around building whole businesses (it even ships an AI “advisor”). Strong for web apps, internal tools, and bots; mobile is secondary.
5. Lovable, polished web app UIs
Excellent for web SaaS front-ends and dashboards. Not a mobile-native tool.
6. Bolt (bolt.new), full-stack web prototypes
In-browser full-stack web apps, fast. Web, not native mobile.
7. v0 by Vercel, React/Next.js UI generation
Best-in-class for generating web UI components in the React/Next ecosystem. A front-end accelerator, not an app builder.
8. Replit Agent, developer-centric, cloud IDE
Builds and runs apps in Replit’s environment. Strong for developers who live in a cloud IDE; mobile output is not its strength.
9. Cursor / GitHub Copilot, for people who write code
Not app builders, AI pair-programmers. The right pick if you already code and want acceleration, not generation.
How to choose (decision shortcuts)
- Building a mobile app you want to own and maintain? → ShipNative or RapidNative.
- Need it on iOS and Android? → Skip iOS-only tools.
- Building a web SaaS? → Lovable, Bolt, or v0.
- Already a developer? → Cursor/Copilot, or an exportable-code builder so your team can take over.
- Most worried about lock-in?→ Pick a tool with full code export. Renting your codebase is the most expensive “free.”
Build your first app today
You don’t need to pick perfectly. You need to start. Describe your app in ShipNative and watch a real React Native app build in a live preview, then export the code when you’re ready.