Base44 vs Leap (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Base44 grades higher than Leap: 2.8 against 2.0 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 and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and platforms.
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
Leap
AI agent that builds backend-heavy apps and deploys to your cloud
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 Leap if
- Fits if you want a backend in your own AWS or Google Cloud account
- Works for engineers starting a new SaaS or integration project
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 15 credits a month and 5 a day
- Pricey if you need more: 100 credits are $30 and extra credits cost more and expire after 2 months
- Watch out: the docs describe it as suited to new projects, not existing ones
- Watch out: custom domains and no daily limit need a paid plan
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABase44Good | 2.0GPALeapFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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$30 a month for 100 credits is where the category's dearest tenth begins, and bigger credit packs run to $750. |
| 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 credits a month and 5 a day, which the docs put at about 3 days of use. |
| 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. | CServices, APIs, databases, GitHub, diffs and preview environments, on your own cloud. The docs call it suited to new projects. |
| 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 need an AWS or Google Cloud account and some backend know-how to get anything out of 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. | BWeb app with GitHub, AWS, Google Cloud and Encore connections, and your own IDE works too. |
| Best for | apps with the database, login and hosting built in | backend-heavy apps deployed to your cloud |
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 Leap. 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. Leap starts at $30 a month and scores 2.3.
Base44 scores higher and starts $14 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 1 scores higher than Base44 for less, and 20 score higher than Leap 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
- Leap is open source, according to its own site.
- Base44 also covers no-code.
- Leap also covers AI agents.
At a glance
| Base44 | Leap | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per month, billed annually (Starter) | $30 per month for 100 credits |
| Free plan | 25 message credits and 100 integration credits a month, up to 5 apps, with authentication, database functionality and analytics included. | 15 credits a month with a daily limit of 5 credits, which the docs put at about 3 days of use. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Base44 (Wix.com Ltd.) | Encore |
| Price read from | base44.com | docs.leap.new |
| 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.
Leap
- The Free plan gives 15 credits a month and a daily cap of 5, so it covers a few requests only.
- Credits are spent per request and bigger requests use more; extra credits cost more than plan credits and expire after 2 months.
- Custom domains and no daily limit need a paid Pro package.
- The docs describe it as best for new projects, and the price page could not be read as rendered text, so figures come from the docs.
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.
Leap
- Backend systems
- Generates services, APIs, databases, queues and other infrastructure, aimed at backend-heavy apps such as SaaS products and integration hubs.
- Deploys to your cloud
- Apps run in your own AWS or Google Cloud account rather than on proprietary hosting.
- Built on Encore.ts
- Generated code uses the open-source Encore.ts framework, with typed service calls and built-in tracing and metrics.
- GitHub and diffs
- Every app has GitHub integration and version control, and changes are shown as diffs to review before deploying.
- Preview environments
- Test changes in a preview environment, then deploy to production and keep iterating with the AI or your own IDE.
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.
Leap
Free$0
15 credits a month, up to 5 a day. About 3 to 5 AI requests a day within the limit.
Pro 100$30
per month for 100 credits
No daily limit, custom domains and early access. Larger Pro packages run up to 2,500 credits at $750 a month.
Pro 500$150
per month for 500 credits
Same features as Pro 100 at $0.30 per credit. Pro 1000 is $300 a month.
Team$500
per month in shared credits
For organizations: shared workspace, real-time collaboration, group billing and priority support. Steps up to $2,500.
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.
Leap
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Base44 or Leap?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Base44 is cheaper to start with: $16 a month, against $30 a month for Leap. Base44 starts at $16 per month, billed annually (Starter), and Leap starts at $30 per month for 100 credits.
Which has a free plan, Base44 or Leap?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Base44 and Leap have a free plan.
Which platforms do Base44 and Leap 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.