The BuildShip Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about BuildShip in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
BuildShip
The Insider’s Guide
Visual builder for backend workflows, APIs and AI agents
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from BuildShip’s own pages.
Made by Rowy Inc. · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from BuildShip’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on BuildShip’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 6 of the 40 other automation tools we grade
BuildShip is a visual builder for backend workflows, APIs and AI agents. A flow is assembled from ready-made nodes or generated from a text prompt, the code behind every node can be edited, and flows run on BuildShip's cloud or are exported as JavaScript to self-host. Pricing is per workspace, with a monthly allowance of credits that node executions draw down.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about BuildShip, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for building a backend or API without starting from code
BuildShip lets you describe a backend flow or wire up nodes on a canvas, and you can open the code behind every node.
- 2
Paid plans start at $19 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $19 per workspace / month, billed yearly ($225); $25 billed monthly.
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial of paid features at sign-up; the subscription starts when it ends unless canceled
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Prompt-to-flow builder
Describe a flow in plain language and the AI builder generates its logic and nodes. It can also create a new node, modify an existing one or work from an uploaded API spec.
- 6
Visual editor with code access
Flows are edited and tested on a canvas of ready-made nodes with connected inputs and outputs. The code of every node and flow is open to edit, and custom scripts can be added.
- 7
Triggers for APIs, schedules and events
A flow can start from a REST API call, a cron schedule, a database event, a payment event from Stripe, an email, or a Telegram or WhatsApp bot message.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 6 of 40
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace BuildShip you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
BuildShip at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $19 per workspace / month, billed yearly ($225); $25 billed monthly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of paid features at sign-up; the subscription starts when it ends unless canceled
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Rowy Inc.
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for building a backend or API without starting from code
BuildShip lets you describe a backend flow or wire up nodes on a canvas, and you can open the code behind every node. Starter is $19 a workspace a month billed yearly, and each extra workspace, a custom domain and No Cold Start are billed on top. There's no free plan, and the 7-day trial turns into a subscription unless you cancel.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Starter is $19 a workspace a month billed yearly, exactly the middle of this category, for 20,000 credits and 20 flows. Each extra workspace is billed again, a custom domain is $80 a year and No Cold Start is $29 a month, so the real bill is usually more than the sticker. |
| Free plan and trial | D | There's nothing free. Signing up starts a 7-day trial, as short as trials get, and the subscription begins by itself when it ends unless you cancel. Diary note required. |
| Features | B | Describe a flow and the AI builds it, or wire up nodes and open the code behind any of them. Triggers cover REST, cron, database events, Stripe, email and chat bots, and there's a built-in database, storage, AI agents and keyless AI nodes. Flows run here or export as JavaScript. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Prompt-to-flow gets you a first draft without much thought, but this is a backend tool: nodes, credits that tick by the second, and code to read when something breaks. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with no phone or desktop app. It connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Sheets, Airtable, Firebase, Stripe and GitHub, every flow can be a REST endpoint, and flows export as JavaScript to run on Vercel, GCP, AWS or Azure. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who BuildShip is for
- Fits if you build front ends or no-code apps and need a backend API
- Works for developers who want a visual canvas but still want to edit the code
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as the 7-day trial rolls into a paid subscription unless you cancel
- Pricey if you want a custom domain and no cold starts, at $80 a year and $29 a month on top
- Tight if your flows run long, since a node costs 1 credit a second after its first 3 seconds
- Watch out: pricing is per workspace, each extra one is billed again, and runs stop when credits run out unless you top up
- Pricey if you outgrow Pro at $59, as Business is $449 a workspace a month billed yearly, and self-hosting is Enterprise only
Good to know
Good for
- Front-end and no-code app builders who need a backend API quickly
- Teams wiring AI models into workflows without managing API keys
- Developers who want visual flows but still edit the underlying code
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan: sign-up starts a 7-day trial, and the subscription begins automatically when it ends unless canceled.
- Nodes use 1 credit for their first 3 seconds and 1 per second after that. Executions stop when credits run out unless you top up at $10 per 100,000.
- Pricing is per workspace, and each additional workspace is billed separately.
- A custom domain ($80 a year) and No Cold Start ($29 a month) are paid add-ons, and self-hosting is listed under Enterprise.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$19
A month to start
BuildShip is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $19 per workspace / month, billed yearly ($225); $25 billed monthly.
Starter
$19
per workspace / month, billed yearly ($225); $25 monthly
20,000 credits a month, 20 active flows, 10 agents, 3 team members, 10 database tables, 50 GB of storage and 7 days of logs.
Pro
$59
per workspace / month, billed yearly ($711); $79 monthly
100,000 credits a month, 150 flows, 50 agents, 10 team members, 50 database tables, 500 GB of storage, 14 days of logs and priority support.
Business
$449
per workspace / month, billed yearly ($5,391); $599 monthly
300,000 credits a month, 300 flows, 100 agents, 25 team members, 5 TB of storage, 30 days of logs, webhook alerts and a dedicated support channel.
Enterprise
Custom
Custom credits, self-hosting or your own cloud, Git-based version control, support SLAs, engineering consultation and compliance reports.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of paid features at sign-up; the subscription starts when it ends unless canceled
Read from buildship.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
25% off with yearly billing
The pricing toggle marks yearly billing as 25% off: Starter is $19 a month billed yearly ($225) against $25 billed monthly, and Pro is $59 against $79.
Stated on buildship.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Visual builder for backend workflows, APIs and AI agents. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, AI features, databases, templates, workflow automation, AI agents, no-code.
Describe a flow and the AI builds it, or wire up nodes and open the code behind any of them.
- Prompt-to-flow builder
- Describe a flow in plain language and the AI builder generates its logic and nodes. It can also create a new node, modify an existing one or work from an uploaded API spec.
- Visual editor with code access
- Flows are edited and tested on a canvas of ready-made nodes with connected inputs and outputs. The code of every node and flow is open to edit, and custom scripts can be added.
- Triggers for APIs, schedules and events
- A flow can start from a REST API call, a cron schedule, a database event, a payment event from Stripe, an email, or a Telegram or WhatsApp bot message.
- AI agents and Keyless Nodes
- Each plan includes a set number of AI agents, 10 on Starter. Keyless Nodes run AI models from the credit balance without separate API keys, or you can bring your own keys.
- Built-in database and storage
- Each workspace has a built-in database with a set number of tables and file storage from 50 GB on Starter, alongside nodes for Firebase, Airtable and other data sources.
- Hosted or exported
- Flows deploy to BuildShip's cloud with logs, a status page and failure alerts, or export as JavaScript to run on your own infrastructure such as Vercel, GCP, AWS or Azure.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
- Gemini
- Google Sheets
- Airtable
- Firebase
- Stripe
- GitHub
BuildShip is made by Rowy Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/40
Other automation tools it is graded above
BuildShip's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on features (B, above 17 of 40) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $19 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 15 of the 29 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 41 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. BuildShip’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 10 of 40
- DFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 40
- BFeaturesAbove 17 of 40
- CEase of useAbove 3 of 40
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 40
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 automation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. BuildShip is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace BuildShip you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 26 of the 40 other automation tools grade higher. It costs $228 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- A builder that other people can use without writing code.
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. BuildShip’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
n8n, Windmill, Make and Zapier
The 4 tools BuildShip is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
n8n
Free plan · from €20/mo
Workflow automation and AI agents you can self-host.
- n8n has a free plan. BuildShip does not, though it has a free trial.
- BuildShip also covers databases, templates, AI agents and no-code.
- 2.6GPA
Windmill
Free plan · from $10/mo
Open-source platform for scripts, workflows and internal apps.
- Windmill has a free plan. BuildShip does not, though it has a free trial.
- Windmill is open source, according to its own site.
- BuildShip also covers databases, templates and no-code.
- 2.8GPA
Make
Free plan · from $9/mo
Visual automation builder for multi-step scenarios and AI agents.
- Make has a free plan. BuildShip does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Make lists iOS and Android apps.
- BuildShip is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Zapier
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Workflow automation across 9,000+ apps, with AI agents.
- Zapier has a free plan. BuildShip does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zapier lists a browser extension.
- BuildShip is self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is BuildShip free?
No, BuildShip is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial of paid features at sign-up; the subscription starts when it ends unless canceled.
How much does BuildShip cost?
BuildShip lists 4 plans. Starter: $19 per workspace / month, billed yearly ($225); $25 monthly.
What platforms does BuildShip work on?
BuildShip is available on Web.
Does BuildShip offer any discounts?
BuildShip publicly lists the following: 25% off with yearly billing.
Does BuildShip have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. BuildShip is listed for Web.
Does BuildShip have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. BuildShip is listed for Web.
Is BuildShip open source?
BuildShip is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Can BuildShip be self-hosted?
Yes. BuildShip's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
What does BuildShip integrate with?
BuildShip's listing names OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Google Sheets, Airtable, Firebase, Stripe and GitHub.
Who makes BuildShip?
BuildShip is made by Rowy Inc.
What are the alternatives to BuildShip?
The closest alternatives to BuildShip in our directory are n8n, Windmill, Make and Zapier.
How does BuildShip compare with other automation tools?
BuildShip's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 6 of the 40 other automation tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is BuildShip good value for money?
ToolGPA grades BuildShip C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $19 a month, against a middle price of $18.50 for the category: 15 of the 29 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of BuildShip?
To replace BuildShip you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from BuildShip’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from BuildShip's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-08.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Rowy Inc. Prices change, so check buildship.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- BuildShip, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/buildship
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "BuildShip: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/buildship
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/buildship/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after BuildShip, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 41 automation tools we grade, compared
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
- Ui.Vision Insider's GuideOpen-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what BuildShip’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. BuildShip is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Rowy Inc. Prices and plans change: check buildship.com before you buy.