AppOnboard Review: No-Code Mobile App Development Tool
At Bubble, we empower entrepreneurs and venture enthusiasts to create their ideas without code. We explore and review the many app-building tools and softwares to give our readers an educated and researched review on each product.
What is AppOnboard?
AppOnboard is a no-code, mobile development software that enables users to quickly develop games and playable mobile apps without writing any code. The software development tool has been featured on various news outlets in the gaming space as "the best gaming tool." Mike Seavers, former CTO of Riot Games, recently joined AppOnboard as the CEO. He hopes to radically simplify game development with the two products, Buildbox and Studio.
This review will largely focus on AppOnboard Studio, but for those interested in game development, Buildbox is a downloadable, no-code mobile game development platform. The software enables users to quickly build a fluid mobile app or game without any knowledge of scripting, programming, or technical skills. You can design, build and publish 3D and 2D mobile games without code. Games built on Buildbox include Color Switch and The Line Zen.
AppOmboard Studio is a mobile app design software that allows users to create interactive experiences. The platform features an easy-to-use interface that enables users to quickly create playable ads and instant apps without writing any code. You can also grow your app creating playable ads and instant apps at scale. Once your project is complete, you can share your interactive project on social, with friends and colleagues directly. Instant apps and playable ads built by Studio include Marvel Strike Force, Guns of Boom, Yarn, and more.
Who is AppOnboard Studio For?
Studio is designed for individuals and businesses looking to build apps, games, interactive videos, and more. The platform is especially useful for publishers of mobile applications to create functional demos of their apps. This allows users to try out apps before purchasing or downloading.
Studio targets everyone looking to create any kind of interactive mobile experience through ads or apps. You can also share your project on social sites, or with friends and colleagues directly.
People who are interested in building an interactive mobile game, app, or ad without coding may be interested in Studio.
AppOnboard Studio Cost and Pricing
(Pricing USD model evaluation: July, 2020)
AppOnboard Studio is free to download but then offers in-app subscriptions plans. You can choose from four different plans: the Personal, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise.
Personal: Studio offers the personal plan for free. The Personal plan includes the ability to design and build unlimited projects and unlimited shares of your projects.
Plus: At $49 per user per month, this plan includes all of the Personal features and the ability to publish your project to HTML.
Pro: At $99 per user per month, the Pro plan includes all of the Plus features, and the ability to publish to Facebook, Google, Play Instant, and MRAID.
Enterprise: For larger teams, AppOnboard Studio allows you to inquire about the Enterprise plan. This plan includes all of Studio's feature sets with the ability to publish to all output formats such as ironSource, AppLovin, Unity, Ads, and Vungle, and access to premium customer support. The benefits of Enterprise include unlimited projects and flexible export options, easy exporting for social and ad sites, dedicated support team and training programs, team management feature, AppOnboard branding removal, and early access to new features and functionality.
AppOnboard Studio vs. Bubble: A Comparison
How does a no-code mobile design platform like AppOnboard Studio compare to a no-code web app platform Bubble?
Similarities between AppOnboard Studio and Bubble:
Both feature a customizable, drag and drop user interface builder.
Both allow for easy sharing through social links.
Both allow you to build interactive sites.
Both feature updated articles, an online forum, video tutorials, and free courses that teach new users about their products.
Both allow you to add assets, scenes, and actions to your applications.
Both offer a free version.
The key differences between AppOnboard Studio and Bubble are:
Cloud App Vs. Desktop App: AppOnboard Studio does not offer a cloud application. You download a desktop app to start building mobile apps and interactive ads. Bubble is a web-browser based platform where your app is stored in the cloud. You can build, edit, and launch from anywhere and on any device as long as there's an internet connection.
Studio's desktop app Vs. Bubble's cloud app
Mobile Vs. Web Development: AppOnboard Studio focuses on building instant apps for native mobile apps. You can develop interactive apps and ads for Android and iOS. With Bubble, you can build-from-scratch, create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers, customize a responsive website, and launch. Bubble includes all the tools you need to build a site like Facebook or Airbnb. You can also use a wrapper to export your Bubble app to a native platform.
You can create projects for different devices on Studio, due to the differences in dimensions. Bubble features a single responsive design to fit various device dimensions.
Target Audience: App Onboard Studio targets individuals and businesses looking to build apps, games, interactive videos, and design ads. The platform is used by anyone looking to create any kind of interactive mobile platform. Gamers have built mobile games using the app, and enterprises have created playable ads for top ad networks. Bubble targets individuals and early-stage entrepreneurs looking to build a web application, including marketplaces, directories, social networks, and more. The platform features interactive, multi-user apps for both desktop and mobile web browsers. It also includes all of the apps you need to grow your business, like growth analytics, SEO, various payment systems, and more.
Studio is used to build mobile games and interactive ads. Bubble is used to build interactive and robust web and native apps.
Testing Apps: To preview and test your projects built from Studio, you need to install the AppOnboard Studio app on your iOS or Android mobile device. After downloading the AppOnboard Studio app, you can scan the QR code from your mobile device. Bubble’s responsive, web and mobile-friendly design allows you to preview, test, and use your app on any device with internet access.
Alternatives to AppOnboard Studio:
Top alternative no-code platforms or tools that allow you to build a no-code mobile development tool include:
AppyPie for more development options, like creating a mobile app, website, task automation, chatbot, and graphics, and the ability to integrate with over 300 apps.
Thunkable is another no-code platform that features a drag-and-drop editor and supports both responsive web apps and native mobile apps.
If you want to build a robust and responsive web app with complete design customization, interactive features, scalable infrastructure, content and design templates, third-party integrations, and the ability to create a mobile native app consider Bubble's no-code platform.
About Bubble
Bubble is a leader in the no-code movement. Bubble offers a powerful point-and-click web editor and cloud hosting platform that allows users to build fully customizable web applications and workflows, ranging from simple prototypes to complex marketplaces, SaaS products, and more. Over 400,000 users are currently building and launching businesses on Bubble - some have gone on to participate in top accelerator programs, such as Y Combinator, and even raised $365M in venture funding. Bubble is more than just a product. We are a strong community of builders and entrepreneurs that are united by the belief that everyone should be able to create technology.
Join the no-code movement today.
Disclaimer: The goal of these reviews is to provide an honest, practical, differentiated comparison of features and educate readers on tools in the no- code ecosystem so that you can evaluate how these services fit together and serve your needs.