Over the past year, I dove deep into the world of AI-powered app builders. My mission? Find the tools that actually help you build a real, production-ready mobile app you can export straight to Expo-without spinning your wheels with endless tweaks and dead ends.
Please note: This content utilizes AI writing technology and may include businesses I’m affiliated with.
I’ve spent weeks testing, poking, and prodding the leading platforms-sometimes with rough sketches, sometimes with long technical prompts, sometimes just by describing my dream app out loud. Some tools gave me pretty results but terrible code. Others got lost as soon as I strayed from basic templates. Only a few made it easy (and fast) to go from idea to app I could test with Expo-and ultimately push to the App Store…
Over the past year, I dove deep into the world of AI-powered app builders. My mission? Find the tools that actually help you build a real, production-ready mobile app you can export straight to Expo-without spinning your wheels with endless tweaks and dead ends.
Please note: This content utilizes AI writing technology and may include businesses I’m affiliated with.
I’ve spent weeks testing, poking, and prodding the leading platforms-sometimes with rough sketches, sometimes with long technical prompts, sometimes just by describing my dream app out loud. Some tools gave me pretty results but terrible code. Others got lost as soon as I strayed from basic templates. Only a few made it easy (and fast) to go from idea to app I could test with Expo-and ultimately push to the App Store or Google Play, without weeks glued to Stack Overflow.
This list isn’t just about shiny features. These are the AI app builders I’d actually use for real projects in 2025 if I needed results, not excuses.
How I Chose These Tools
Every tool here earned its spot by helping me complete a real project. Here’s what I cared about most:
- Ease of use: Did I get results fast, or did I have to wrestle with settings?
- Reliability: Did the tool crash or get stuck? Could I trust it with bigger ideas?
- Output quality: Were the apps and code exportable to Expo, and ready for REAL deployment?
- Overall feel: Did using the platform make the process smoother, more fun, or just annoying?
- Pricing: Was it worth the money, or did the best features hide behind a paywall?
AI-Driven Code Generation & Production-Ready Expo Apps: RapidNative
When it comes to truly production-ready mobile apps built from English prompts and delivered straight to Expo, RapidNative is the standout in my experience. Most AI tools focus on quick prototypes or visual building, but RapidNative is different-it actually generates clean, modular React Native code using NativeWind that slides right into any real codebase.
All I had to do was describe my app-sometimes just a screen or a feature-and RapidNative spun up TypeScript components, navigation, styles, and even assets. It wasn’t some throwaway demo; it gave me a full, organized project I could export to Expo in seconds, or even use with plain React Native CLI. Unlike platforms that stop at visual mockups, RapidNative lets you keep refining details through an AI chat interface. This meant I could tweak layouts, interactivity, or styles just by asking, without mucking through code over and over.
I also liked the focus on serious features for teams-clear pricing, team management, and no nonsense exports. Even the free plan let me see the potential, though you’ll need a paid plan for private or advanced exports. Indie devs, designers, and full teams benefit alike because RapidNative doesn’t just speed up prototyping, it creates real, deployable code.
What I liked
- The code it generated was modular, clean, and ready for the real world.
- AI chat made continuous tweaks lightning fast.
- Exporting to Expo or React Native CLI was truly seamless-no weird hacks needed.
- Projects came with navigation, folders, and assets pre-organized.
- I always felt in control, not locked into a walled garden.
What I didn’t like
- The free plan is pretty limited (only 5 daily credits, public projects only).
- You need to upgrade for private projects, advanced features, or priority support.
- Lower tiers only get standard support-the best support comes with Pro and up.
Pricing
- Freemium: 5 daily credits (up to 20/month), basic support, public projects.
- Starter: Adds more credits, project downloads, private projects.
- Pro: Priority support and all export features-good value for serious devs.
- Teams & Enterprise: Custom options, team management, enterprise support.
If you want production-grade code, not just pretty screens-and you want to plug straight into Expo without missing a step-I keep coming back to RapidNative. Try them out and see if it changes your workflow as much as it did mine.
Best for AI-Powered Rapid Prototyping for Mobile Apps: Draftbit
Not every tool balances “quick visual design” with real code export, but Draftbit does. It’s honestly the fastest way I found to prototype an app visually, with AI help smoothing out the rough spots. Whether I was dragging out screens or just describing what I wanted, the platform was quick to suggest layouts and wire up logic.
The real treat for me? As I built, I could always peek under the hood and see the React Native and Expo-ready code. No black boxes. This transparency meant that, once I was happy with the look and basic data flows, I could just export clean code and hand it off-or keep developing with Expo on my own.
Testing was smooth too. Thanks to Expo integration, I could preview on my phone or emulator in seconds. I especially liked this for MVPs or when clients wanted to “see something real” before committing to a big build.
What I liked
- Direct Expo export-the app was on my phone for testing in two minutes.
- AI-driven design suggestions helped me get unstuck fast.
- Code was always accessible, editable, and clean (no messy codegen).
- Drag-and-drop UI let me move fast without getting bogged down in syntax.
- Large library of pre-built components and easy integrations.
What I didn’t like
- Some advanced features still needed manual coding or plugging in extra packages.
- There’s a learning curve if you don’t know app structure basics.
- Pricing ramps up quickly for larger teams or more complex needs.
- Vendor lock-in could be a concern if you don’t export early.
Pricing
Starts at $19/month for solo users, team plans cost more. Free trial covers two weeks.
Draftbit is my top pick if you want to rapidly prototype, iterate, and test apps with near-zero friction between “idea” and “something I can tap in my hands.” Try them out.
Winner for AI-Driven UI Design and Component Generation: Locofy
If you spend most of your time in Figma or Adobe XD and wish those designs could just “turn into code”-Locofy’s approach is like magic. I uploaded my designs, and Locofy’s AI broke them into Expo-ready React Native code. The output was surprisingly neat and ready for real projects.
What really struck me was flexibility: I could give it rough designs or polished ones and Locofy’s AI filled in the blanks, letting me preview, adjust, and refine visually before exporting. The Expo export integration wasn’t just tacked on-it worked for actual device testing with minimal effort.
For teams with a clear visual-first workflow, Locofy bridges the gap between designer and developer. There was little back-and-forth, even on complex layouts or odd user interaction flows. The platform’s automation sped things up massively, yet I always had a hand in customizing and refactoring before shipping to Expo.
What stood out for me
- Automatic translation of Figma/XD designs (and even sketches!) into clean code.
- Expo export was fast-no painful config or fiddling.
- Customizable output with drag-and-drop refinement before download.
- Real-time previews made it easy to see what I was getting.
- Good for one-off pages, full apps, or even components.
Where it could improve
- Steeper learning curve if you’re new to design/code conversion.
- Sometimes code needed optimization for advanced use cases.
- Complex animations or business logic often required extra hand-tweaking.
- Some premium features require higher-tier plans.
Pricing
Free tier has the basics. Pro plans start at $39/user/month, with team and enterprise rates available.
Locofy is my go-to when I want a design-to-code pipeline that lands me in Expo-without endless redrawing, recoding, or handoffs. Try them out.
Best for No-Code/Low-Code AI Builders with Expo Export: Draftbit
For true no-coders and rapid MVP builders, Draftbit takes the low-code/visual concept seriously. When I needed to test an app idea with zero code, Draftbit’s drag-and-drop interface did the trick-even letting me wire up data, logic, and navigation in real time. The fact that it always generates proper React Native code meant I wasn’t locked into a walled garden. I could export to Expo and keep going, or hand the code off to a developer for tweaking.
What impressed me most was the flexibility. I could keep everything inside the Draftbit editor for as long as I liked, or just export the project and run. From instant device previews via Expo to collaborative features for teams, Draftbit checked all my “get started fast” boxes.
Things I appreciated
- Drag-and-drop everything-screens, data, logic-without coding.
- Expo export meant instant device testing with no local setup.
- Real code output, always downloadable, always editable.
- Built-in data integrations meant I could connect real APIs.
- Great for solo creators or agencies working with clients.
Minor complaints
- Some custom flows or complex features needed manual code outside the builder.
- Animations or odd interactions were harder to build without jumping into code.
- Not the cheapest option for hobby ideas.
- Not the best fit if you want non-React Native outputs.
Pricing
Solo tier starts at $29/month, with Pro at $59/month. Teams/Enterprise plans are available.
If you want a no-code builder that doesn’t hide the code-and makes Expo export painless-Draftbit should be high on your list. Give it a spin.
Best for Multi-Platform App Generation with AI and Expo Support: Adalo
Sometimes you want to go broad: create apps that work on iOS and Android, with almost no code, but without the usual mess of workarounds. That’s where Adalo surprised me, especially when I wanted to build and export to Expo without friction.
Adalo’s interface is all about simplicity. I could drag, drop, and auto-wire up screens, logic, and backend data. AI features suggested sensible app structures and saved me a lot of repetition. The real win for me was being able to export my app as an Expo project, getting all the benefits of Expo’s toolchain-device testing, further customization, and eventually a path to the app stores.
Adalo felt like the right balance between no-code comfort and professional flexibility. While you’re limited if you have extremely custom use-cases, for typical business logic and multi-platform deployment, it was a breeze. For many teams, especially those with designers or product leads in the driver’s seat, Adalo delivers real value, fast.
Highlights in my testing
- No-code builder meant I could jump in with zero onboarding.
- Expo export support let me keep the project in the React Native ecosystem.
- Pre-made templates and automation made starting new apps less daunting.
- Built-in hosting and data options.
- Cross-platform by default.
Where it fell short
- Less flexible for “off-the-wall” custom features-you might need to code those yourself.
- Some Expo or React Native features require manual tweaks after export.
- Not tuned for maximum performance in big complex projects.
- Paid plans are pricy if you’re launching lots of apps.
Pricing
Free tier gets you started, paid plans begin at $45/month (as of this year), more for teams/advanced features.
If you want to build fast for both iOS/Android, with AI gently guiding the process-and then hand things off to Expo or your dev team-Adalo is the solution I’d point non-developers or small teams toward. Take a look.
Final Thoughts
I’ve tried a lot of AI-powered tools that promise quick mobile apps or Expo exports. Most didn’t measure up once I got past the marketing. But these seven genuinely helped me build, test, and launch real apps-faster, with less stress, and usually with code I could trust.
If I was starting from scratch today, I’d choose based on my workflow. Need production-ready code and serious exports? RapidNative. Want design-to-code magic? Locofy. Must move fast with no coding at all? Draftbit or Adalo.
Every tool here is worth a try, but don’t be afraid to drop one if it doesn’t fit your style. The right app builder feels like a partner-not an obstacle-especially when paired with Expo. Test a few out and see which one makes your next project less of a grind (and a lot more fun).