Building an app can be daunting – so much to think about and plan for! But luckily there’s a wide range of app builder software available to help streamline the process. In this article, we’ll answer some of the most common questions about app builder software so that you can make the best decision for your needs.
Table of Contents
What is app builder software?
App builder software is a computer program, actually, it’s usually a suite of programs, to help you create apps either for your own use or for distribution and use by others. The app builder software typically includes a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to design your app. Some app builder software also allows you maximum flexibility to choose the way you create apps, from coding your app from scratch to the ability to customize ready-made functionality as much as possible to fit your needs. However, not all app builder software is built alike and you need to be careful to choose one which can bend to your specific requirements.
What are the benefits of app builder software?
There are several benefits of using app builder software. First, it can save you a lot of time and effort by automating many tasks which are otherwise laborious or tedious when done manually.
Can you save time with good app builder software?
Building an app from scratch can be a very time-consuming process. With good app builder software allied with low-code functionality and features many of the basic steps and ‘scaffold code’ of the app is created for you. This means you can create an app in a fraction of the time it would take to build one writing everything yourself from the ground up.
Did you know app builder software can help prevent errors in your apps?
If you choose app builder software that incorporates ready-made sections of functionality such as visual elements and controls, wizards to pull together ready-written app modules, professionally-designed user interface themes and styles and system-level components to encapsulate and abstract away the complexities of operating system and hardware facilities like notifications, cameras, GPS hardware and so on you benefit from well-tested code with mature stable functionality. This saves you learning the various APIs, SDKS and hardware foibles as well as knowing that the code is not novel or new, reducing the likelihood of errors.
Can app builder software save you money?
It can save you time and money since you don’t need to hire additional developers or designers to create your app for multiple platforms. Additionally, it can help you create a professional-looking app with less coding experience by leveraging the expertise of the app builder’s professional design team. Third, it can make it easy to update and change your app as needed.
It would likely cost thousands of dollars if you were to hire a developer to partially or completely build an app for you. With app builder software, you can create an app for a fraction of that cost.
Overall, there are many benefits of using app builder software. If you’re looking to save time, money and effort, then app builder software is a great option.
What are the drawbacks of using app builder software?
App builder software can be an excellent tool for developing mobile apps. However, there are some drawbacks to using this type of software.
One drawback of using app builder software is that some solutions can be expensive or restrict you to their ‘walled garden’ platform with very little freedom to customize the app and no access to the source code. This type of app builder software often requires a monthly subscription fee. In addition, many app builder platforms charge a percentage of your app’s sales as a royalty.
One other caveat is that some app builder software may not be the best option for creating a truly unique app in terms of user interface styling or functionality. Many app builder platforms allow you to use pre-made templates and design components. This can make it challenging to develop an app that is truly one-of-a-kind.
Choosing an app builder software solution which gives you full unrestricted access to your app’s source code and total royalty-free rights to distribute it to anyone, anywhere, and however you please is perhaps the most significant yet non-obvious desirable quality to look for.
How much does app builder software cost?
The cost of app builder software can vary depending on the solution you choose and the features you need. However, many app builder software programs have a free trial, so you can try them before you commit to buying them. Besides, you can go with the community edition but with a few limits.
When deciding on the actual cost you have to take into account both the real, tangible cost of the app builder software – the fee or fees you pay – but also the intangible costs such as any royalty fees, hosting fees (common if you select a web solution), on-going maintenance fees and similar hidden charges. What happens, for example, if your chosen solution is one of the ‘walled garden’ app builder solutions which force you to keep your app’s code on their system and never actually gives you full access or ownership of it? if that company ceases trading, ‘refocuses’ their business direction and decides your app is not featured in that plan, or you stop paying your monthly (or annual) subscription fees? Your whole app, the user base you have created, any income from it, might disappear with the app builder software. That is not only a cost for you to recover from such a situation but in many very real ways it could be a situation that costs you your income and goodwill from any customers.
Are there any free app builder software systems?
The best free app builder software I can recommend which ticks all the right boxes is the RAD Studio with Delphi CE (Community Edition) and C++ Builder CE. You can build fully-featured native and cross-platform applications using a single code base. Moreover, this is not something that does not provide flexibility. With Delphi CE, you can entirely alter anything in your application.
The Delphi CE is a full-featured IDE that provides integrated and professional-level developer tools. With its hundreds of components and data access components, you can create business applications in seconds often without even writing any code or at least writing minimal code. Besides, with its built-in advanced toolset, you can connect and design service-based applications in a small amount of time.
On this blog, discoverCOM based drag and drop and learn how it makes it easier to drag and drop from your application to other applications and improve your efficiency.
Are there any risks associated with using app builder software?
There are always risks associated with using any development software, and app builder software is no different. However, the chances of this when using app builder software are generally low. The most considerable risk is that you may not be able to create the exact app that you want.
When considering potential areas of difficulty it’s worth considering the obligations placed on developers when trying to submit their apps to the various app stores. You may not be able to get dictate the timetable for getting the app approved by Apple or Google if you are building for one of their platforms. Both of these apps have a myriad of requirements which even very experienced developers can find challenging. The app builder software can help you comply with some requirements to do with things like the type of app deployment package, app manifests and icons or artwork but there are simply too many variations on things to consider to guarantee acceptant.
What other advantages might I get using RAD Studio with Delphi or C++ as my app builder software?
Overall, the risks associated with using app builder software are low, and the benefits far outweigh the risks. For instance, Delphi Community Edition provides you all the features available in the Professional Edition, where you can create any type of business or scientific application system or games if you want. The component set and tools inside the Delphi Community Edition IDE are fabulous. For example, with LiveBindings Designed and REST Debugger, you can create RESTful service-powered native cross-platform applications in several steps.
As you can see, creating a fully-functional application with this app builder software (Delphi CE) is both productive and straightforward. It comes with all the capability to change anything and, of course, is free! Moreover, here you can observe how easy to create native and cross-platform applications using the Delphi FireMonkey App Wizard tool. App Wizard option provides you to create an application using templates. It works like a bootstrap for your project.
How to launch a startup with app builder software?
Launching a startup is of course more involved than something we could describe in a blog post. That said, if you’re thinking about starting a startup, you might be wondering if app builder software can help you get your business off the ground. The short answer is yes! App builder software can be an excellent tool for startup businesses. The low-code and rapid application development ethos of RAD Studio, for example, can help you very quickly turn a great idea into a viable business.
When using app builder software to start a startup, there are a few things to remember. First, you’ll need to ensure that the software you choose is easy to use and understand. There’s no point in using app builder software if it’s going to be too complicated for you.
Second, you’ll need to ensure that the software you choose is affordable. Startups often have limited budgets, so it’s essential to find app builder software that won’t break the bank.
When using app builder software to start a startup, there are a few things to remember. First, you’ll need to ensure that the software you choose is easy to use and understand. There’s no point in using app builder software if it’s going to be too complicated for you.
Finally, you’ll need to ensure that your chosen software is compatible with your target market’s devices and operating systems. If your target market is exclusively iPhone users, for example, then you’ll need to make sure that the app builder software you choose can create apps for iOS devices.
Additionally, I would recommend you to check out these articles and tutorials where you can learn more about cross-platform app builders and more:
- How To Explain A Cross Platform App Builder To Your Boss
- 3 Steps To Finding The Perfect Android App Builder Software
- How To Become An Expert At The Best Low Code App Builder
Why should you use RAD Studio for your next project?
RAD Studio ecosystem is one of the most reliable and solid developer ecosystems. With its toolsets like Delphi, C++ Builder, FireMonkey and VCL GUI frameworks, you can build highly secure and robust applications in no time.
- Create your master responsive UI layout quickly and easily, then easily customize platform- and device-specific views without duplicating design effort.
- Rapidly transition from Ad Hoc to App Store. Create application bundles quickly that can be deployed to the Windows Store (via Desktop bridge), Apple App Store, and Google Play Store.
- Create for the Internet of Things by quickly adding IoT capabilities to the RAD Studio IDE using over 50 FREE IoT components from GetIt.
Download your free Delphi CE or C++ Builder CE and enjoy the app development process!