Base44 vs Hercules (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Base44 grades higher than Hercules: 2.8 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Base44 grades higher on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Base44
No-code AI builder with a database, login and hosting included
Hercules
AI builder for business apps, websites and prototypes
Which one is for you
Pick Base44 if
- Fits if you can't code and need an internal tool, a portal or a back-office app
- Works for students and teachers, who get half off Starter or Builder with a school email
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, with 25 message credits a month, up to 4 per message, and 5 apps
- Pricey if you want your code in GitHub or the app-store files, because those start on the $40 Builder plan
- Skip it if you hate meters, as AI building and built-in services each run on their own credits
- Watch out: the listed prices assume a year upfront, and the pricing page says yearly billing is 20% cheaper than monthly
- Not for you if you build on a phone, since connecting a domain and managing app security don't work there
Pick Hercules if
- Fits if you want a quick internal tool without setting up hosting
- Works for a solo builder testing an app idea
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 15 credits a month and a hercules.app address
- Pricey if you add a teammate, because Business is $199 a month
- Watch out: custom domains and removing the Hercules badge start at $25 Pro
- Watch out: a yearly option saves 15%, but its prices were not read
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABase44Good | 1.8GPAHerculesWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BStarter is $16 a month billed yearly, right inside the cheapest quarter of what builders here charge, and it buys 100 message credits, 2,000 integration credits, unlimited apps and your own domain. The gate to watch: GitHub sync, model choice, backend functions and app-store files all start at Builder, $40. | D$25 a month for 50 AI credits is at the dear end of the category, and teammates and access controls jump to $199 on Business. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for good, with the database, login and analytics in from the start. But 25 message credits a month is thin when one message can eat up to 4 of them, so that's a handful of real changes, and you stop at 5 apps. | CFree: 15 AI credits a month, unlimited apps, a hercules.app address and community support. 15 credits go fast. |
| Features | BIt covers the whole job. Describe an app and you get the front end, back end, database and login together, hosted; a visual editor changes layout and text without spending credits; connectors cover Slack, Notion, Gmail and Salesforce; and Builder adds GitHub sync and the store files. Lovable does the same, so no A. | CHosting, database, auth, AI and email included, and credits are metered separately as Hercules Cloud usage. No integrations are listed. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but there's nothing to install or set up: you say what you want and it builds and hosts it, login and database included. The fiddly part is the money, with two separate credit meters running, one for AI messages and one for the built-in services. | CNo store rating on record. You describe the app in chat, but the work is building and checking it. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with iPhone and Android apps for building on the move, but no desktop app, and that's what keeps it off an A. Connectors cover Salesforce, Notion, Slack, HubSpot, Gmail and Google Sheets, plus Zapier. On a phone you can't connect a domain or manage app security. | CWeb only, and no integrations or API are listed. |
| Best for | apps with the database, login and hosting built in | chat-built business apps and sites |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Base44 and Hercules. How we grade
Price against what you get
Base44 starts at $16 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Hercules starts at $25 a month and scores 2.0.
Base44 scores higher and starts $9 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 1 scores higher than Base44 for less, and 30 score higher than Hercules for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Base44 also covers no-code.
- Hercules also covers AI agents.
At a glance
| Base44 | Hercules | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per month, billed annually (Starter) | $25 per month, billed monthly |
| Free plan | 25 message credits and 100 integration credits a month, up to 5 apps, with authentication, database functionality and analytics included. | 15 AI credits a month, unlimited apps, and publishing on a hercules.app subdomain with community support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Base44 (Wix.com Ltd.) | Zeus AI Labs, Inc. |
| Price read from | base44.com | hercules.app |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Base44
- The Free plan is limited to 25 message credits a month and 5 apps.
- GitHub integration, AI model selection and app-store files all start on the Builder plan.
- Listed prices assume annual billing; the pricing page says yearly billing is 20% cheaper than monthly.
- Connecting a domain and managing app security are not available when editing on a mobile device.
Hercules
- The Free plan has 15 AI credits a month and a hercules.app address.
- Custom domains and removing the Hercules badge start on Pro at $25 a month.
- Teammates, role-based access control and daily backups need Business at $199 a month.
- A yearly option saves 15%, but its prices could not be read, so the prices above are monthly-billed ones.
Key features
Base44
- Prompt-to-app building
- Describe an app in plain language and Base44 generates the frontend, backend, database and login. A typical message uses roughly 0.5 to 4 credits depending on scope.
- Built-in backend and services
- Every plan includes a database, authentication and user management, cloud storage and analytics. Built-in services such as email and image generation draw on integration credits.
- Visual editor
- A responsive visual editor handles layout and text changes directly. Manual edits such as dragging elements or editing text do not use credits.
- Connectors and integrations
- One-click connectors cover Salesforce, Notion, Slack, HubSpot, Gmail and Google Workspace apps, with manual API integrations for tools such as Twilio and Zapier.
- Code access and GitHub sync
- Paid plans allow in-app code edits, and two-way GitHub sync, listed from the Builder plan, exports the full source code to your own repository.
- Mobile apps and store files
- Base44 has iOS and Android apps for building on the go, and the editor can generate the IPA and AAB files needed for the App Store and Google Play on Builder or higher.
Hercules
- Build by chatting
- Describe the app, such as a CRM for a sales team, and Hercules builds it while you watch.
- Hosting and backend included
- Apps get hosting, a database, backend, authentication, AI and email; usage is metered as Hercules Cloud credits.
- Apps, sites and mobile
- The homepage lists internal software, customer software, marketing and SEO sites, and mobile apps as use cases.
- Team controls
- The Business plan adds teammates, role-based access control, custom login rules and daily data backups.
Plans
Base44
Free$0
25 message credits and 100 integration credits a month, up to 5 apps, with authentication, database functionality and analytics.
Starter$16
per month, billed annually
100 message credits and 2,000 integration credits a month, unlimited apps, in-app code edits and a connected domain.
Builder$40
per month, billed annually
250 message credits and 10,000 integration credits a month. Adds AI model selection, GitHub integration and backend functions.
Pro$80
per month, billed annually
500 message credits and 20,000 integration credits a month, plus early access to beta features.
Elite$160
per month, billed annually
1,200 message credits and 50,000 integration credits a month, plus premium support.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom credits, SSO, advanced security controls, a dedicated architect and an account team.
Hercules
Free$0
15 AI credits a month, unlimited apps, hercules.app subdomain and community support.
Pro$25
per month, billed monthly
50 AI credits a month, custom domains, no Hercules badge, credit top-ups, 20x Hercules Cloud usage and email support.
Business$199
per month, billed monthly
Shown with 50 AI credits a month. Adds teammates, custom login rules, role-based access control, daily data backups and advanced privacy controls.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds SSO and SAML, SCIM, audit logs, a volume-based credit discount, dedicated support, onboarding and a data processing agreement.
Ways to pay less
Base44
- Annual discount
Save 20% with yearly billing
The pricing page states that annual billing saves 20% on every paid plan (Starter, Builder, Pro and Elite), charged once a year.
- Education
50% off Starter or Builder for academics
Students, teachers and staff with a recognized school email get 50% off Starter or Builder: up to 12 months on monthly billing, or the first year on annual billing.
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit pricing on request
The pricing FAQ says education and non-profit pricing is offered case by case; organizations are asked to contact support with details.
Hercules
- Annual discount
15% off with yearly billing
The pricing page offers a Yearly option labelled Save 15% against monthly billing.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Base44 or Hercules?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Base44 is cheaper to start with: $16 a month, against $25 a month for Hercules. Base44 starts at $16 per month, billed annually (Starter), and Hercules starts at $25 per month, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Base44 or Hercules?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Base44 and Hercules have a free plan.
Which platforms do Base44 and Hercules run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Base44 lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.