Answering this question kinda depends on what kind of app you want to build. For most use cases, I would recommend building a web app over a native app. Think about it - there's almost no reason to build a native app these days. Building a mobile app is more difficult than building a web app, and requires more to get started initially. There's much more documentation and support for writing web apps. Web browsers work across platforms, and the tooling around them is better in general. However, if you still want to build a mobile app, I would recommend using a framework like Expo. The best way to get into it is the official documentation. It will get you started with a good app pretty fast: https://docs.expo.dev/tutorial/introduction/ As you need more functionality, I recommend looking at their official repo of example projects: https://github.com/expo/examples Answer from grlla on reddit.com
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Appy Pie
appypie.com › app-builder › appmaker
App Builder: No-Code App Maker to Build Apps | Free Trial
1 week ago - Yes, you can start building your app for free with Appy Pie. You only need to upgrade when you’re ready to publish your app to the app stores. Can I publish my app to Google Play or the Apple App Store?
Rating: 4.7 ​ - ​ 4.31K votes
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/learnprogramming › how do i build an app from scratch?
r/learnprogramming on Reddit: How do I build an app from scratch?
April 8, 2024 -

Hello folks!

I'm thinking about building an app for my personal use and perhaps even share with a larger user-base, if it's come out decent and presentable. There are tons of tutorials online, but I'm having a hard time deciding which one to follow. I would also need some guidance on the IDE to use to start designing the UI/GUI and how to do the backend programming.

I have decent programming skills (SQL, SAS), though perhaps not in languages that might be relevant for this job - please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Couple of caveats:

  • This app will be an Android app to start, but eventually I might want to have a web/desktop version as well.

  • I am somewhat familiar with web programming languages such as HTML, CSS and Javascript. Not sure if that helps, but I wanted to provide this information.

For context, I am a Data Analyst working remotely and have a lot of free time on my hands after work, which I would like to start using productively. Which brings me to my final question. Realistically, I can dedicate between 10-15 hours a week to this and with that, how long would it take me to build a moderately complex app?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Top answer
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Answering this question kinda depends on what kind of app you want to build. For most use cases, I would recommend building a web app over a native app. Think about it - there's almost no reason to build a native app these days. Building a mobile app is more difficult than building a web app, and requires more to get started initially. There's much more documentation and support for writing web apps. Web browsers work across platforms, and the tooling around them is better in general. However, if you still want to build a mobile app, I would recommend using a framework like Expo. The best way to get into it is the official documentation. It will get you started with a good app pretty fast: https://docs.expo.dev/tutorial/introduction/ As you need more functionality, I recommend looking at their official repo of example projects: https://github.com/expo/examples
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For native android development, you’ll want kotlin or java. For native iOS deployment, you’ll want Swift. You can develop and publish android from pc or Mac, but iOS requires a Mac to publish. There are cross-platform languages (flutter), but even with those, you still need a Mac to sign and upload your app for iOS apps. The benefits of a crossplatform language is the idea of ‘code once for multiple deployment’ but native languages gets access to some libraries that may not be accessible through non-native languages. I’m working on an app idea and am using both swift and Java (swift was a hobby language, Java is what I learned in college) to cover both mobile platforms. I found the most difficult part of this project is the UI/UX, not because of the languages, but because I have zero artistic abilities. Designing layout with appealing color coordination and icon/asset art is definitely not my strong suit. Edit: Spelling/Grammar
Discussions

How to create an app
Hi every one this is just an open question for those who have create app’s I’m currently learning to code because I would like to create an app and now that took a deeper look at all the themes that this site offers, made me wonder which ones should I lean first? to get the right skills, ... More on forum.freecodecamp.org
🌐 forum.freecodecamp.org
2
September 27, 2020
Free or cheap way to develop apps/etc for personal use?
Not in a way that's worthwhile as far as I know. Hopefully someone can correct me on that. Yes, tons. Even Visual Studio is free for personal use. Do you mean a folder on the website itself or a folder on your PC or phone? Either way, it's possible. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/learnprogramming
9
13
March 20, 2019
Is it possible to make an app for free?
You can build your own on any Mac with Xcode, available for free on the Mac App Store. In order to submit it to Apple for review and to publish to the App Store, you have to pay $99/yr Edit: link to Apple dev program https://developer.apple.com/programs/ More on reddit.com
🌐 r/apple
11
19
April 3, 2017
Looking for a free app builder
If it is for personal use, maybe bubble free app will suffice. If not, flutterflow and firebase will work for free as well. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/nocode
23
6
June 9, 2023
People also ask

Can I build an app for free?
Yes, you can start building your app for free with Appy Pie. You only need to upgrade when you're ready to publish your app to the app stores.
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appypie.com
appypie.com › app-builder › appmaker
App Builder: No-Code App Maker to Build Apps | Free Trial
What is the difference between an app builder and an app maker?
They are the same thing. Both terms describe no-code platforms that allow you to build Android and iOS apps visually without programming.
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appypie.com
appypie.com › app-builder › appmaker
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Can I publish my app to Google Play or the Apple App Store?
Absolutely. Appy Pie provides detailed guidance and expert support to help you submit your app to both platforms.
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apps.apple.com › us › app › app-studio-create-an-app › id1326594410
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Subscriptions are available for each app you create, offering enhanced functionality and personalization. Explore the benefits and tailor your app to suit your preferences. Subscription plans are flexible, allowing you to cancel anytime. Download the app for free and discover a more personalized ...
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Google AppSheet
about.appsheet.com › how-to-create-an-app
How to create an app | Google AppSheet
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iubenda
iubenda.com › en › help › 126803-how-to-create-an-app-for-free-and-make-money
How to Create an App for Free and Make Money - iubenda help
... Yes, you can create an app for free using specific platforms and services. Thanks to pre-built templates, drag-and-drop interfaces, and automatic code generation, these platforms can help you build an app without any coding knowledge.
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Quora
quora.com › Is-it-possible-to-make-an-app-for-free-Can-someone-create-an-app-without-any-programming-skills-If-so-how-would-it-work
Is it possible to make an app for free? Can someone create an app without any programming skills? If so, how would it work? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): You can create an app for free. You can literally make infrastructures for free of cost unless you don't have the programming knowledge. Making an app isn't about programming or learning a language taking 3 months. When you want to make an app, only you know how it's going to lo...
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Apphive
apphive.io
Apphive | Create an App | Online App maker | App Builder
Apphive is an advanced app builder that allows to make dynamic mobile applications without the need to write a single line of code. You just drag and drop elements, edit and you will have a mobile application in minutes.
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create.xyz
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Anything is your AI agent for turning ideas into apps. Build sites, apps, tools, products and more just by describing what you want
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Thunkable
thunkable.com
Thunkable: Best no code app builder | No code app creation
Build and collaborate with your team in your own dedicated workspace to speed up development and innovation. Learn about the Creators who power their ideas with Thunkable. ... Ready to take your first steps towards developing that amazing idea? Get started on your app for free.
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GDevelop
gdevelop.io
GDevelop: Free, Fast, Easy Game Engine - No-code, AI-assisted, Lightweight, Super Powerful | GDevelop
Learn how to use GDevelop step-by-step or get help with a specific feature. We have game-making tutorials for beginners and the wiki has complete documentation for the app. ... 15 practical lessons that teach you all the technical competences. Go from project creation to game release in a week.
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Bubble
bubble.io
Bubble: AI app development meets visual, no-code editing
Launch real apps without limits on an all-in-one platform that lets you switch seamlessly between AI prompting and a visual editor. No code required — ever.
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Google Support
support.google.com › googleplay › android-developer › answer › 9859152
Create and set up your app - Play Console Help
After you've created your Google Play developer account, you can create apps and set them up using Play Console. Open Play Console. Select Home > Create app. Select a default language and add the name of your app as you want it to appear on Google Play. You can change this later.
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Glide
glideapps.com
No Code App Builder: Create Custom, AI-Powered Apps | Glide
Glide makes it easy to build and deploy powerful custom apps powered by AI with no code. Create your first app by trying Glide for free.
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freeCodeCamp
forum.freecodecamp.org › t › how-to-create-an-app › 423010
How to create an app - The freeCodeCamp Forum
September 27, 2020 - Hi every one this is just an open question for those who have create app’s I’m currently learning to code because I would like to create an app and now that took a deeper look at all the themes that this site offers, made me wonder which ones should I lean first? to get the right skills, ...
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Jotform
jotform.com › products › apps
Jotform Apps: No-Code Mobile App Builder for 2026 | App Maker
You can install premade color schemes, add your logo as the app icon, and update the fonts and splash screen to match your branding. Get Started Now — It’s Free! ... Use our no-code app builder to create your app and watch it work on any device.
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Superblocks
superblocks.com › blog › free-app-maker
The 8 Best Free App Makers to Build Your Mobile App in 2025
August 18, 2025 - Free apps come with limited publishing options, platform branding, and caps on users or data. ... Let’s start with a quick overview of these apps. We will look at each of these tools in detail, but if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick rundown: Adalo – Build native iOS and Android apps with a visual drag-and-drop editor · Glide – Turn spreadsheets into mobile-friendly web apps for internal and external use · SAP Build Apps – Create complex, logic-heavy apps with full cross-platform support
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Google Play
play.google.com › store › apps › details
AI App Maker Builder Appy Pie - Apps on Google Play
Appy Pie – the AI app builder lets you make an app for your start-up and is also ideal for small businesses, supporting them to make their products and services available to a broader audience. Make your own app the no-code way, with advanced features, and carry your business to every mobile device. Tap into the power of Appy Pie's AI App Maker...
Rating: 4 ​ - ​ 374K votes
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Microsoft Learn
learn.microsoft.com › en-us › power-apps › maker
Overview of creating apps in Power Apps
November 18, 2025 - Copilot in Power Apps lets you to quickly create apps by simply describing your business requirements in natural language. Copilot automatically generates both the app and its data model—no coding needed.
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AppYourself
appyourself.net › en › create-android-app
Create an Android App - AppYourself
March 12, 2024 - Simply create your own Android app. Without programming with the app maker. For Google Play and Amazon Store. Try it out for free.
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Fuzen
fuzen.io › posts › 9-free-no-code-app-maker-platforms-for-students
9 Free No Code App Maker Platforms for Students - Fuzen
Focuses primarily on SaaS applications, limiting its versatility for other app types. Appy Pie is a user-friendly no-code app builder that allows students to create custom mobile apps without any coding knowledge.
Published   September 25, 2025