The Gadget Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Gadget 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.
Gadget
The Insider’s Guide
Full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant and hosting
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI app builders, read from Gadget’s own pages.
Made by Gadget Software, Inc. · checked Nov 13, 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 Gadget’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Gadget’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade
Gadget is a development and hosting platform where an AI assistant builds web apps on a JavaScript stack that includes a database, backend actions, a generated API and a frontend. It targets Shopify and BigCommerce apps, internal tools and SaaS products. Pricing is a plan fee plus metered usage for compute, storage and bandwidth.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Gadget, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A web editor, but you write and read code.
- 1
Best for a full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant
Gadget is a hosted JavaScript and TypeScript platform with an AI assistant, an auto-generated API and Shopify connections, free for 2 seats.
- 2
Paid plans start at $35 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $35 per month.
- 3
There is a free plan
Hobby plan: free, 2 seats, unlimited dev environments, 1 production environment and 100 AI credits once on sign-up.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
AI assistant
An assistant applies changes to your app; each assistant change uses AI credits, while questions and answers do not.
- 6
Hosted JS stack
Server, database and frontend are hosted together, with a spreadsheet-style record editor and serverless actions.
- 7
Auto-generated API
CRUD API routes are generated for every database table.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 23 of 89
That is against the other AI app builders we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Gadget you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Gadget at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $35 per month
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Gadget Software, Inc.
- Category
- AI App Builders
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant
Gadget is a hosted JavaScript and TypeScript platform with an AI assistant, an auto-generated API and Shopify connections, free for 2 seats. But Pro is $35 a month, usage beyond the included amount is billed, and you write JavaScript rather than use a no-code editor.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Pro is $35 a month, above the category's dearest-tenth line of $32 and against a middle of $20. Premium is $350. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The Hobby plan is free with 2 seats, 1 production environment and 10 hours of CPU time. One developer can live on it. |
| Features | C | AI assistant, hosting, generated API and store connections. It is code first, in JavaScript and TypeScript, and does not replace a no-code builder. |
| Ease of use | C | A web editor, but you write and read code. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with Shopify and BigCommerce connections, 5 integrations and a generated API. |
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 Gadget is for
- Fits if you write JavaScript and want hosting and an API generated for you
- Works for Shopify app developers starting on the free plan
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a no-code builder, as the stack is JavaScript and TypeScript
- Pricey if you outgrow Hobby, as Pro is $35 a month and extra production environments are $10 each
- Watch out: CPU time is billed at $0.30 an hour and extra storage at $1.50 per GB on Pro
- Watch out: extra AI assistant credits are $25 per 100 on paid plans
Good to know
Good for
- Developers building Shopify or BigCommerce apps
- Agencies and studios delivering custom web apps
- Internal tools that need a real backend
Worth knowing
- Usage beyond included amounts is billed, for example CPU time at $0.30 per hour and extra data storage at $1.50 per GB on Pro.
- Extra AI assistant credits cost $25 per 100 credits on paid plans.
- The Hobby plan allows 5 Shopify and BigCommerce app installs.
- It is code-first: the stack is JavaScript and TypeScript rather than a no-code editor.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$35
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Gadget has a free plan. Paid plans start at $35 per month.
Hobby
$0
2 seats, 1 prod environment, 10 hours CPU time, 0.5 GB data storage and 100 one-time AI credits.
Pro
$35
per month
10 seats, 30 hours CPU time, 3 GB data storage, 1M platform credits and 10 AI credits a month; extra production environments $10 each.
Premium
$350
per month
25 seats, 150 hours CPU time, 15 GB data storage, 5M platform credits and 50 AI credits a month.
Enterprise
Custom
Bring your own cloud (GCP or AWS), unlimited projects and hosting, with performance and support SLAs.
The free plan
Hobby plan: free, 2 seats, unlimited dev environments, 1 production environment and 100 AI credits once on sign-up.
Read from gadget.dev on Nov 13, 2026.
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
Full-stack JavaScript platform with an AI assistant and hosting. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, databases, app builder.
AI assistant, hosting, generated API and store connections.
- AI assistant
- An assistant applies changes to your app; each assistant change uses AI credits, while questions and answers do not.
- Hosted JS stack
- Server, database and frontend are hosted together, with a spreadsheet-style record editor and serverless actions.
- Auto-generated API
- CRUD API routes are generated for every database table.
- Shopify and BigCommerce connections
- Built-in webhooks, OAuth and data sync for apps on those platforms.
- Code tooling
- A CLI lets you work in your own editor and manage the project with Git.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- OpenAI
- Google SSO
- Git
Gadget is made by Gadget Software, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
23/89
Other AI app builders it is graded above
Gadget's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 72 of 89) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $35 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 75 of the 82 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 28 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 90 AI app builders we grade, cut by the letter each got. Gadget’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 89
- BFree plan and trialAbove 72 of 89
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 89
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 89
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 29 of 89
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 85 AI app builders. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Gadget 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 Gadget you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps. 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: 39 of the 89 other AI app builders grade higher. It costs $420 a year.
What you could not
- A tool that builds and hosts other apps.
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
- It plugs into other products, Shopify, BigCommerce and OpenAI among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Gadget’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
Replit, Bolt, Lovable, Retool and Superblocks
The 5 tools Gadget is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Replit
Free plan · from $18/mo
Cloud platform where an AI agent builds, hosts and publishes apps.
- Only Replit lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Replit also covers AI agents and no-code.
- 2.6GPA
Bolt
Free plan · from $18/mo
Browser-based AI builder for websites, web apps and mobile apps.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Bolt also covers no-code.
- 2.8GPA
Lovable
Free plan · from $21/mo
Chat-based AI builder for full-stack web apps and websites.
- Only Lovable lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Lovable also covers no-code.
- 2.8GPA
Retool
Free plan · from $10/mo
Platform for building internal apps, workflows and AI agents.
- Retool is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Retool also covers workflow automation, AI agents and no-code.
- 2.2GPA
Superblocks
Free trial · from $100/mo
Governed platform for AI-built internal apps and agents.
- Gadget has a free plan. Superblocks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Gadget also covers databases.
- Superblocks also covers AI agents.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Gadget free?
Gadget has a free plan. Hobby plan: free, 2 seats, unlimited dev environments, 1 production environment and 100 AI credits once on sign-up.
How much does Gadget cost?
Gadget lists 4 plans. Hobby: $0.
What platforms does Gadget work on?
Gadget is available on Web.
Does Gadget have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Gadget is listed for Web.
Does Gadget have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Gadget is listed for Web.
Is Gadget open source?
Gadget is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Gadget have an API?
Yes. Gadget offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Gadget integrate with?
Gadget's listing names Shopify, BigCommerce, OpenAI, Google SSO and Git.
Who makes Gadget?
Gadget is made by Gadget Software, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Gadget?
The closest alternatives to Gadget in our directory are Replit, Bolt, Lovable, Retool and Superblocks.
How does Gadget compare with other AI app builders?
Gadget's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 23 of the 89 other AI app builders we grade, and level with 27.
Is Gadget good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Gadget D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $35 a month, against a middle price of $20 for the category: 75 of the 82 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Gadget?
To replace Gadget you would be making a tool that builds and hosts other apps.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Gadget’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Gadget's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Gadget Software, Inc. Prices change, so check gadget.dev before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Gadget, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/gadget
- 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, "Gadget: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/gadget
Know someone choosing between AI app builders?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/gadget/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded AI app builders after Gadget, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI App Builders Insider's GuideEvery one of the 90 AI app builders we grade, compared
- Taskade Insider's GuideWorkspace that builds apps, AI agents and automations from prompts3.2 GPA
- Google AI Studio Insider's GuideGoogle's workspace for building apps and prototypes with Gemini3.0 GPA
- Replit Insider's GuideCloud platform where an AI agent builds, hosts and publishes apps3.0 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 Gadget’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. Gadget is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Gadget Software, Inc. Prices and plans change: check gadget.dev before you buy.