Softr vs Zite (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Softr and Zite share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan, and Softr starts cheaper, at $19 a month against $20 a month.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Softr grades higher on features and ease of use. Zite grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Softr
No-code builder for client portals and internal tools, with AI
Zite
AI builder for business apps, workflows and databases
Which one is for you
Pick Softr if
- Fits if you need a client portal or internal tool on top of Airtable, Google Sheets or a CRM
- Works for nonprofits and schools, which get 50% off
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you have more than a handful of clients, as Basic stops at 5 client users and add-ons start on Pro
- Pricey if you want Softr's branding gone, custom code or granular permissions, since those start on Pro at $99 a month billed yearly
- Not for you if you want generated code, as apps are assembled from Softr's pre-built blocks
- Watch out: workflows pause when the monthly action limit is reached, until it renews or you upgrade
- Watch out: extra builders cost $5 to $20 a month each, and an installable phone version needs Business at $329
Pick Zite if
- Fits if you need a small internal app with a database and forms
- Works for a team that wants unlimited users on a free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 10 messages a day, 5,000 records and Zite branding
- Watch out: custom domains start at Pro, and unlimited ones need Business at $75
- Watch out: roles, Salesforce and priority support are on Team, with no price shown
- Watch out: only annual prices are shown
How we grade them
| 2.4GPASoftrFair | 2.4GPAZiteFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DBasic is $19 a month billed yearly, $25 monthly, bang on the middle for builders here. But for a client-portal tool it stops at 5 team and 5 client users with no add-ons until Pro — and Pro is $99, five times that middle, where more users, granular permissions, custom code and branding removal all live. | C$20 a month billed yearly for Pro, the category's middle. Business is $75 and the monthly price isn't shown. |
| Free plan and trial | CUnlimited apps, databases, workflows and forms, up to 3 builders, and the Softr API and MCP included. Then the caps bite: 5 app users, 5K records, 500 workflow actions and 5 AI credits a month. For a product built on client portals, 5 users is the wall. | BFree: unlimited users and apps, 5,000 records and 1,000 workflow runs a month. 10 messages a day limits building, but one person can live on it. |
| Features | BIt covers the whole job: a prompt produces the pages, database, permissions and workflows, then you refine with blocks like lists, charts, calendars and forms. Data lives in Softr or stays live in Airtable, Sheets, Notion, HubSpot or SQL, with logins and user groups built in. Glide does the same, so no A. | CApps, a database with 27 field types, workflows, webhooks, 30+ integrations and an API. Roles and Salesforce are on Team. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but you start from data you already keep, in Airtable or a spreadsheet, and the AI drafts the pages, permissions and workflows. After that it's pre-built blocks rather than code. | CNo store rating on record. A web builder where you define the database and workflows yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA web app for building, with nothing on desktop or phone. It connects to Airtable, Google Sheets, Notion, HubSpot, Salesforce, Supabase, monday.com and PostgreSQL, and the Softr API and MCP are on the Free plan. An installable phone version of your app needs Business. | BWeb app with 30+ native integrations, Zapier, n8n and a REST API. |
| Best for | client portals on top of Airtable or Sheets | business apps, forms and workflows with a built-in database |
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: Softr and Zite. How we grade
Price against what you get
Softr starts at $19 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Zite starts at $20 a month and scores 2.3.
Softr scores higher and starts $1 a month lower. Of the other AI app builders on the chart, 2 score higher than Softr for less, and 12 score higher than Zite 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
At a glance
| Softr | Zite | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $19 per month, billed yearly; $25 billed monthly (Basic) | $20 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | Unlimited apps, databases, workflows and forms, with up to 3 builders, 5 app users, 5K database records, 500 workflow actions and 5 AI credits a month. | Unlimited users and apps, 1 workspace, 5,000 records, 1,000 workflow runs a month and 50 credits. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of the Business plan's features on signup, extended to 14 days by adding a credit card | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Softr | Restly, Inc. |
| Price read from | docs.softr.io | zite.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Softr
- Every plan caps app users: 5 on Free, 5 team and 5 client users on Basic, with paid add-ons only from Pro.
- Removing Softr branding, custom code and granular permissions start on Pro, at $99 a month billed yearly.
- Extra builders cost $5 to $20 a month each depending on the plan, on top of the 1 to 3 included.
- Workflows pause when the monthly action limit is reached, until it renews or the workspace is upgraded.
Zite
- Free plan caps messages at 10 a day and has Zite branding.
- Custom domains start on Pro; unlimited custom domains need Business.
- Salesforce, roles and priority support are listed for the Team plan.
- Prices shown are for annual billing; the monthly price is not shown directly.
Key features
Softr
- AI app builder
- A prompt produces the pages, layouts, database structure, permissions and workflows for an app, which can then be refined with AI or edited visually.
- Pre-built blocks and Vibe Coding
- Apps are assembled from blocks such as lists, grids, charts, calendars and forms. A Vibe Coding block generates a custom, data-connected interface from a prompt.
- Softr Databases and data sources
- Store data in Softr's relational databases or connect live to Airtable, Google Sheets, Notion, HubSpot, Salesforce, Supabase and SQL databases.
- Users, logins and permissions
- Built-in login supports email and password, magic links, Google sign-in and SSO, with user groups controlling what each person can see and do.
- Workflows
- Softr Workflows automate manual processes, with a monthly cap on actions: 500 on Free, 2.5K on Basic, 10K on Pro and 25K on Business.
- Mobile apps
- Apps can be delivered as an installable mobile app (PWA) with push notifications. Both are listed on the Business plan.
Zite
- Apps, forms and databases
- Builds apps and forms on a built-in database with 27 field types, views, filters and CSV import and export.
- Workflows
- Scheduled workflows, webhooks and run history, with monthly workflow runs capped by plan.
- Unlimited users
- All plans, including Free, allow unlimited users and unlimited apps.
- Native integrations
- The comparison table lists 30+ native integrations on every plan.
- API and developer access
- A REST API and SDK, secrets and Zapier and n8n access are listed in the plan comparison.
Plans
Softr
Free$0
Unlimited apps, up to 3 builders, 5 app users, 5K database records, 500 workflow actions and 5 AI credits a month, plus the Softr API and MCP.
Basic$19
per month, billed yearly; $25 billed monthly
1 builder, 5 team and 5 client users, 50K records, 2.5K workflow actions and 10 AI credits a month, with a custom domain and database backups.
Pro$99
per month, billed yearly; $119 billed monthly
2 builders, 10 team and 50 client users, 500K records and 10K workflow actions. Removes Softr branding and adds granular permissions and custom code.
Business$329
per month, billed yearly; $395 billed monthly
3 builders, 30 team and 100 client users, 1M records and 25K workflow actions, with 2FA, an installable mobile app (PWA) and push notifications.
EnterpriseCustom
Custom limits with SSO (SAML, OpenID), SCIM, audit logs, custom agreements and SLAs, and a customer success manager.
Zite
Free$0
1 workspace, 5,000 records, 1,000 workflow runs a month, 10 messages a day.
Pro$20
per month, billed annually
100+ credits, 3 workspaces, 100,000 records, 5,000 workflow runs, 1 custom domain, no Zite branding.
Business$75
per month, billed annually
400+ credits, 5 workspaces, 250,000 records, 50,000 runs, advanced AI models and fast mode.
TeamCustom
Higher limits and bundled access, priority support and advanced security; pricing not shown.
Ways to pay less
Softr
- Annual discount
About two months free with yearly billing
Softr's docs list Basic at $19 a month billed yearly against $25 monthly, Pro at $99 against $119, and Business at $329 against $395.
- Nonprofit
50% off for nonprofits
The pricing page offers a 50% non-profit and education discount, claimed by filling out a form.
- Education
50% off for education
The same 50% discount applies to educational organizations, according to the pricing page FAQ, and is claimed through a form.
Zite
- Annual discount
Annual billing discount shown on Pro and Business
Pro shows $300 crossed out and $240 billed annually; Business shows $1,068 crossed out and $900 billed annually.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Softr or Zite?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Softr is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $20 a month for Zite. Softr starts at $19 per month, billed yearly; $25 billed monthly (Basic), and Zite starts at $20 per month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Softr or Zite?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Softr and Zite have a free plan.
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.