You Asked, We Answered: How Can I Make My Own App for Free?
by Michelle Lawrence | Last Updated: Aug 24, 2021
Gone are the days of traditional app development. We’re in the midst of a revolution - the no-code revolution. We no longer have to wait months for a mobile app to be built or shell out a ton of money for the project.
No-code tools are rising in popularity, especially with marketers. Let’s take a look at how YOU can make your own app for free. 🤯
What is a Free App Maker? We have this powerful no-code technology that enables Citizen Developers to build apps without code, but not everyone knows about free app makers. It’s time to change that. A free app maker is a platform used by individuals to create no-code apps, free of charge.
Free app makers have been popping up everywhere in the last few years. You may have heard of Google App Maker or other Google App Maker alternatives such as Appy Pie, AppMakr, and Buildfire. These free app makers, especially free Android app makers, are skyrocketing in popularity because organizations are finally starting to realize consumers are addicted to mobile.
Free no-code app builders are powerful but how should organizations vet the best free app builder? We have a few ideas. 👀
What Makes the Best Free App Builder? That’s the million-dollar question. A lot of platforms boast they are the best free app builder, but we all know not everyone can be the best. There’s a lot of things that go into a brand winning the coveted title of “Best Free App Builder 2021”. Let’s take a quick dive into some of the elements that make the best no-code app builder.
Unlimited Apps
Why be narrowed down to just one? We’re a big fan of having a mobile experience for every part of the customer journey which may require multiple apps. The best free app builders don’t limit how many apps makers can create.
App Templates
Listen, I get it. Sometimes you need to spin up in an hour. We’ve all been in an “I needed that done yesterday” situation. App templates allow builders to spin up apps quickly. The best free no-code app builders provide access to multiple app templates so their users can start building their mobile experience quickly. So no matter if you’re a novice looking for a free app maker for students or you’re an experienced app builder, you have access to a jumpstart.
Access to Online Help
No-code app builders are built for individuals who don’t want to touch a line of code to spin up a mobile app. But that doesn’t mean you might not need a hand or two along the way! The best free no-code app builders don’t gate their help content. What good would that do? No, the best app builders have plenty of no-code tutorials, training sessions, and videos to help their users build the app of their dreams.
How Can I Make My Own App for Free? No-code app builders are the answer to so many marketers’ problems. And the best part is that some of these app builders come with a pricing plan that doesn't require a credit card when you first get started. You can try the platform before you commit to a subscription!
The first step in creating an app for free might be the hardest part of it all - deciding on what to build. Once you have your plan in place, you’re smooth sailing! ⛵️
When you have your dream app in mind, these are the 10 steps to building a free no-code app using Lumavate:
- Add an app to your collection
- Give your app a name
- Set your app’s font and brand colors
- Add a page to your app by clicking the white plus sign
- Click the green plus to begin adding Components and Features to your app
- Name the pages within your app to keep them organized
- Customize the header and footer once a few pages have been created
- Drag-and-drop Components to reorder them on the app’s page
- Hit publish to make your app live
- Promote users to access your app with the four activation methods
Want to see it in action? We have an entire tutorial on how to build your first app here.
Should I Build an Android App or an iOS app? The short answer? Neither. Sure there’s a ton of Android app development software you can choose from and millions of apps in the app store, but it’s becoming an app graveyard. Think about it, when’s the last time you downloaded an app from the app store. Yeah, it’s probably been a few months.
Instead of searching for things like “How can I make a free Android app” or “How to create an app for Android”, you should start searching for the benefits of creating a totally different app...a Progressive Web App (PWA).
PWAs are taking the world by storm. If you’ve never heard of a PWA before, imagine if you combined what you love about native mobile apps with the power of the web. That’s a PWA. App downloads are on the decline and consumers prefer PWAs anyways. They provide an exceptional mobile experience.
Still not convinced? Here are just some of the benefits when it comes to PWAs:
- Loads lightning fast
- Installable to your home screen
- Searchable
- Uses minimal storage
- Secure via HTTPS
Give building your own app for free a try. Build the app of your dreams with Lumavate here.