Appy Pie and Shoutem are two of the most popular platforms for businesses who want to build apps quickly for all sorts of use cases. They both let you arrange and build your app using pre-built DIY templates that you can edit, tweak, and customize.
But which is the best option for building your app? And are these app builders the best options on the market today?
We dive into these questions in the post ahead.
What is Appy Pie?
Appy Pie is a DIY tool that allows anyone to create a mobile app using an online app builder. You can customize and tweak it as much as you like. You can publish it to the App Stores and make updates through their interface, all without writing a single line of code.
There are a wide range of app templates available for you to use, such as:
- Restaurant app builder
- Church app builder
- Small business app builder
- Real estate app maker
You don't need to write any code, making it ideal for non-technical site owners who want to create a mobile app.
If you have an idea for an app, it's worth taking a look at Appy Pie to see if they offer a template for it.
The downside of template-based app builders are that they are less flexible and you will need to rely on their layouts rather than being able to customize every detail.
Appy Pie's Key Features
1) Accessible App Builder
Appy Pie makes it easy to create an app with their app builder.
You’ll go through a series of drag and drop builders, text editors, and menu selectors until you’ve determined the apps design and style.
When you’re happy with the app it’s time to publish it. Appy Pie offers help with publishing to the app stores to their 'Platinum’ customers, but you can still publish your apps under your own account.
Once your app is live, Appy Pie offers a suite of features and tools for ongoing management. You can:
- Send push notifications (there is a volume limit)
- Monetize with ad network integration
- Connect with shopping carts and payment gateways
- View analytics data
Overall, Appy Pie offers a solid range of features if you want to build an app yourself.
2) AR / VR App Builder
One of the most unique features that Appy Pie offers is their AR/VR app builder.
It taps into the device camera and can include features such as an AR Scanner and 3D Object Positioning. If you want to create a highly unique app with a feature not offered by many competing app builders, Appy Pie could be for you.On their website Appy Pie claim you can create an AR/VR app in 10 minutes for both Android and iOS.If you want to create the next Pokemon Go, this could be for you.
Appy Pie Pricing
Appy Pie has four tiers of pricing.
Their most popular plan, Platinum, costs $60/mo.
- It allows 25,000 push notifications a month
- It supports 2000 downloads per month
- It offers unlimited bandwidth
- There's support for in-app advertising
- Appy Pie helps with first-time submissions to the App Stores
None of Appy Pie's plans offer unlimited push notifications or app downloads. Any usage over the limits (the Platinum plan offers the highest limits for both) are charged at overage fees.
If you want to remove Appy Pie branding, an add-on package is required, which is double whichever subscription level you choose.
Appy Pie Reviews
Here are some quick snippets taken from public customer reviews of Appy Pie.
- Gayland, a business owner commented that “the software is surprisingly easy to use and overall the features are easy to use regardless of your experience level.”
- Joel, a self-employed IT specialist praises Appy Pie for being “very user-friendly”.
- For some customers, Appy Pie's process sacrifices performance and presentation of their app.
- Don, a Marketing Assistant, points out that there’s “no way to make it your own or make it unique unless their custom team builds your app which could run thousands of dollars”.
- Others are happy with the features, like one reviewer who said: “Like a completely professional app and they provide lots of capabilities and amazing features like IAP, Appointment, CRM connectivity and more.”
- Khurram, a Digital Marketing Specialist, says their customer support is “Good….. most of the time they provide solutions with in twenty-four hours and the team has good technical knowledge”.
- Others are less enthusiastic however. Angie, a self-employed coach and trainer comments that “Technical/customer service is polite and does their best but once in a while, there is a definite language barrier.”
- Others felt strongly about this point, Like Selena the owner of an E-Learning business who was disappointed that “They didn't help me when they answered the phone... I and my computer engineer had a very difficult time understanding what they were saying”.
Overall, most reviewers are happy with Appy Pie and what it offers. The downsides are what you would expect from a Do-It-Yourself software platform.
Please head over to Capterra to view the original reviews in full and many more.
Alternatives to Appy Pie
There are several other app builders out there if you're looking to make your own app through a DIY platform. These include:
Let's take a look at Shoutem and see how it stacks up against Appy Pie.
What is Shoutem?
Shoutem is a platform that provides tools and templates that allow non-coders to build their own apps using a drag-and-drop interface.
Shoutem Key Features
1) Easy-to-Use App Designer
In Shoutem's App Designer you can select pre-built elements and arrange them as you see fit, customizing both the visual elements and app functionality.
This makes it easy to put a good looking app together, and you don't need any coding skills. Like Appy Pie, you can preview your app in real-time as you're building it.
Shoutem's app templates look modern, and the apps we tested seem to run quickly. You can create apps for eCommerce, content sites, loyalty apps, events, and more.
If you have a specific idea for an app that you want to test out, and are able to use one of their templates, Shoutem is worth looking at.
2) Whitelabel Reseller Program
If you're an agency or freelancer building apps for your clients, then Shoutem is a great option.
They provide a fully whitelabel dashboard that you can provide to your clients that enables them to see and manage their mobile apps.Shoutem will also provide you with premium customer support, including a dedicated account manager.
Shoutem Pricing
The platform supports both Android and iOS, and has three tiers of pricing depending on your requirements.
- Android only. $49/mo (paid annually)/ $59/mo (paid monthly): Includes automated app publishing, and push notifications.
- Standard - $79/mo (paid annually) - $99/mo (paid monthly): Includes iOS support, analytics, notification center, and user management.
- Professional - $149/mo (paid annually) - $179/mo(paid monthly): Includes data importers and advanced Shoutem extensions like Social and Loyalty to grow your app.
On top of that, you can go for Shoutem Pro at a cost of $1499 or $2499, which gives you hands-on help setting up your app.
Shoutem Reviews
Here are some highlights from the reviews found on Shoutem's Clutch profile.
- Shoutem users praise the platform for having robust features without becoming too complex.
- D. Marsden, an entrepreneur, writes that: "Shoutem had everything I needed. There’s that fine line between being complicated and advanced or being simple and bland. They’ve managed to make a product that’s advanced but isn’t mind melting."
- Others speak highly of Shoutem’s service, with another IT professional writing that: "The Shoutem team is blazing fast and very competent. We've had a great experience."
- Others echo this sentiment. Kevin Convey, a professor, praises Shoutem’s service: "I have never worked with a software company where the customer service and the support was so good."
- Jerry smith, a web developer, thinks that the platform is well worth the investment - "Shoutem meets my needs for a fraction of the cost of what I'd have to spend to get this type of custom-developed app."
As we can see, Shoutem provides a solid app building solution that their users love.
Shoutem Alternatives
There are several alternatives to Shoutem that target a similar market, allowing you to build apps based on pre-built templates.
If you’re interested in this type of app builder, here are five Shoutem competitors:
- Appy Pie
- Goodbarber
- BuildFire
- Appmaker
- BiznessApps
These app builders all provide a platform for you to design your own app, so if that's what you’re looking for they’re worth considering.
Wrapping Up: Appy Pie vs. Shoutem
Both of these app builders offer a range of templates to help you quickly build a mobile app for a range of use cases.
They're both well liked by their customers and have affordable price plans if you're on a budget.
However, the drawbacks of app builders is their lack of flexibility ass you're building with pre-made templates, and will need to spend your own time on it.
If you don't want to build your app yourself with a drag-and-drop builder, then MobiLoud could be a better fit for you. Our team take care of building your custom app, publish your app to the App Stores, and take care of ongoing updates and maintenance.
MobiLoud comes at a higher price point than Appy Pie and Shoutem (starting at $289/mo), but with a number of advantages that pay off in time.
You save a huge amount of effort in building and maintaining your app, the hourly cost of which could make up for the difference in price by itself.
MobiLoud also lets you build a higher-quality app, free from the limitations of template-based app builders.
Read more about MobiLoud here.
The only thing to note is that MobiLoud is used for converting existing sites to mobile apps. If you want to build an app from scratch, you're better off with something like Appy Pie or Shoutem.
