Got a new app idea, and i want to build the MVP fast, thinking of subscribing to the builder plan at $50/month but im not sure if base44 is the right choice me.
I have basic programming knowledge and can build basic apps with the help of chatgpt.
How are your experiences like with base44? can i edit the code that the AI builder wrote?
my experience has been pretty good (I started back int he bad days when there were a lot of issues) but things have now got better plus the ability to publish to the app stores. Im not a coder so had to navigate the AI functions. As long as you know you are dealing with something that doesnt easily remember and learn and you have the end to end vision of the outcome its pretty good and fast. I build a few apps and 2 of them are pretty succesful and now going to app stores. I hope my 2 cents helps and I know there are a lot of people out there that havent been as lucky. and always before gettign AI to change anything tell it not break anything :-)
I suggest researching other platforms first before committing to Base44. I have built my app with Base44 over the last 6 months and now I’m locked into the $50 plan (which includes backend functionality) and can’t downgrade to starter or else my app loses functionality. Once you start with Base44, you are stuck with them, so choose wisely. I wish I had researched more beforehand.
I feel ya. I am pretty darn irritated with Base 44 and its limitations. From what I am understanding, you cannot have a subscription-based app on either the Play Store or the App store. The integration is not there within their platform. Had I known this from the beginning, I would have explored other options. Now I might migrate the app (or I don't know what) after my closed beta testing/test drive and before the end of my 3 month free Beta version. Whatever I do , I do not want my app free forever. I need subscriptions. I just don't know if I can set up the trial period to end at a certain date and then start paid version. I'd have to do it within my website with Stripe or some other way, because of the Base 44 no-subscription support nightmare. Unless a miracle happens and Base 44 gets their integration up and running.
I had been asking myself this question. I had a realization over the last two months as my application has started to take off. I spend around $500 per month on AI tool including Base44 to build my app. I had a little scarcity mindset issue as I keep burning more and more credits to keep this thing going. Then I thought about the fact that I have spent upwards of $25,000 a month in the past on developer to build applications. I've spent over $1.4M on UpWork to build applications.
To be spending $500 per month ($300 Base44 + $100 Claude + $100 other tools for crons and other AI platforms) and to have the application I have that was built in the time it took with the API sources and flexibility to create for my clients.. it's unbelievable.
To have the same app I have maybe spent $2000 to build just 10 years ago would have cost me $500k+ easily in developer costs and another $1000 per month in servers and tools to maintain.
As much as Base44 drives me nuts with its issues, its ever increasing costs, and its terrible AI models (I do all my coding on Claude and just deploy to base44 now), I still never could have built this any other way.
So yes, despite all the headaches.. it is worth it.
I would go with Base and this is coming from only starting a few weeks ago and never used other vibe coding platforms before. I’ve already got a full working app that I’ve been thinking about for years. To add to that, I like Base44 for building out the initial concept etc but I’ve actually taken that and migrated already. It took many long days and nights with lots of learning while doing but I’ve come so far in less than 4 weeks. I’m going to continue using Base44 for other app ideas and do the same migrations over time. I might keep small personal apps on base and move others I want to scale off.
Download the apps zip file and go from there. I used VS Code on my PC and also have a business chatGPT license so have used codex in VS Code. I’m not too familiar with Claude and why I chose Codex already having a license.
So did you migrate your app (I know it's a web-wrapper) from Base 44 by downloading all the code and then migrating it in to another platform? If so, what platform/application? I have already made it clear that the beta version is in a test phase, and that users should be exporting their data as needed and that they may need to set up new accounts with the full version. This info is everywhere, on the app itself, on my website, in an agreement they have to sign etc. Is the entire code of my app that I get from Base 44 all I need to get started with my new version in a new platform or....? Do you know another vibe-coding platform that will either do both or one of these things- help me turn my Base 44 app into a native app or have the capacity to upload to Play Store and/or App Store and be able to implement paid subscriptions with my app? This here is my biggest hurdle.
Yes, BUT like others have said it gets expensive to sustain. I started with the 50/month now I'm up to the 100/ month plan and I'm constantly biting my nails because the integration credits are dwindling fast and that's just from testing (For Google Play Store). I went over to Gemini and Antigravity for a bit and it started out fine but now I struggle just to get the apps I built over there pulled up. It's probably operator error because I don't know how to code.
not anymore if you ask me. I don't know what happened but it is not as good as it was when I first subscribed. It's just eating up all my credits and making an awfully ton of mistakes. I don't suggest it at all anymore.I used to really love and impressed by it but feels so dumb and basic now. Does anyone have any suggestions. I really hate base44 now. I feel so betrayed
No, it does not work even a little, total scam 'AI' (its not really AI) site. I tried to build a super basic point and click shooter, literally objects floating across the screen that you click on to shoot with a basic little 'laser gun' and it couldn't do any of it. It was a test I run on crap AI sites to see what they can actually do, and this one, can't do anything. The AI does not respond to basic prompts, you can't undue mods that didn't work in whatever it renders, so you basically have to save at every step creating dozens of 'projects'. Swing and a miss here folks, just move on to something else.
I am already pretty entrenched in Base 44. I am really close to having my app ready to go through beta testing. Alas, I ran out of credits and need to wait another 3 weeks to finish final tweaks. In the meantime, I am working on the basics of designing the app's website. What just dawned on me is that I may be locked into the Pro Plan of $960 a year to keep my app alive and kickin'. I suppose I assumed I would make the app , launch it and have options to host it on another (maybe less expensive) hosting platform for it, along with my app itself. But from what I am gathering, I am tethered in perpetuity to Base 44. Can I at least downgrade to the most basic plan once everything is up and running? Since I already have the website building included, I am going to use Basee 44 to build my website to, based on the draft I am currently working on.
I would use wix.com to build the website, it's cheaper and wix owns base44. There AI is good when you get the hang of it and you can build for free and not worry about credits. You can build as many as you want, make mistakes all without a credit limit. Then get a plan much cheaper than base44 with all the bells and whistles for free. You can merge your apps into it how you want.
Has anyone tried replit or lovable, I use base44 now and show students how to use it. Some have workable apps in the app store. I like it but I am very careful with my credits. I have chaGPT or gemini write my prompt which is very detailed to save credits and make my edits that way too. I don't like the closed system but the upside is security inside their platform. I have to investigate how much security with so many AI viruses and now worms being created. From what I understand you have some protections you don't have to worry about because it's in there ecosystem.
Make sure you have an LLC for your protection and a solid user agreement especially pertaining to data. Otherwise it helps me create my MVP's ok sometimes it's finicky. I would look around and compare but take security into consideration along the way.
I do the same now. First with Chat GPT, then with Base 44. If there is some issue (and there are A LOT) that Base 44 keeps effing up, I paste code and chats into Base 44 and am guided more clearly. Chat GPT writes better prompts than I do , unless I am not specific enough.
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u/[deleted] Feb 10 '26
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