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.