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No-Code · head to head

Draftbit vs Mendix

Draftbit logo

Draftbit

No-Code

Visual builder for React Native apps that exports the source code you keep

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mendix logo

Mendix

No-Code

Siemens-owned low-code platform priced by app count, with cloud infrastructure billed separately

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Draftbit export is one way; once a developer edits the exported React Native project those changes cannot be returned to the visual builder, so the team must pick a handover moment and accept that the visual tooling stops applying from then on.; Mendix the platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • They diverge on capability: Draftbit covers React Native source export, Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Draftbit and Mendix actually diverge.

Attributes where Draftbit and Mendix differ
AttributeDraftbitMendix
Pricing modelquotePer application tier (One App vs Unlimited Apps), cloud infrastructure billed separately

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (No-Code).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Draftbit

  • React Native source export
  • Component library
  • Any REST API as a data source
  • Live device preview
  • Custom code blocks
  • Theming
  • Service connectors
  • Team collaboration

Only in Mendix

  • Visual app and process modelling
  • Free tier
  • Multi-cloud deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Native mobile builder
  • Marketplace connectors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Draftbit

  • Shipping a first mobile version quickly with a deliberate plan to hand it to engineers laternot Mendix
  • Agencies building client apps where the contract requires source code as a deliverablenot Mendix
  • Teams that have a designer and a backend but no mobile engineernot Mendix
  • Prototyping a native app against a real API rather than building a clickable mockupnot Mendix

Mendix

  • A Siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystemnot Draftbit
  • A company building exactly one production app that wants the lower One App tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not neednot Draftbit
  • An enterprise standardising on Mendix across many departments where the Unlimited Apps tier amortises wellnot Draftbit
  • A team wanting to evaluate low-code at zero cost before committing to a paid production tiernot Draftbit

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Draftbit

  • Export is one way; once a developer edits the exported React Native project those changes cannot be returned to the visual builder, so the team must pick a handover moment and accept that the visual tooling stops applying from then on.
  • There is no bundled backend or database, so the real stack is Draftbit plus a service such as Supabase or Xano, and the cost and operational burden of that second system falls on you.
  • The output is mobile only with no web application target, so any product that also needs a browser version needs a second tool and a second build to maintain.
  • It is built on Expo, so native modules outside what Expo supports require ejecting and native build tooling, which is exactly the expertise the tool was meant to remove the need for.
  • App store submission, signing, review responses and release management are entirely yours, and that is where non-technical teams lose the time they saved in the builder.

Mendix

  • The platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • The jump from a free or One App tier to Unlimited Apps is a large discrete price step (roughly 918 to 2,295 euros a month at published starting rates), not a gradual scale-up, which punishes a team that grows from one app to two.
  • Being a Siemens business unit means Mendix roadmap priorities can be shaped by Siemens' broader industrial software strategy rather than purely by low-code market demand.
  • Deployment flexibility across Mendix Cloud, Azure, Kubernetes and SAP BTP is a strength on paper but means the actual infrastructure cost and complexity vary significantly by choice, complicating like-for-like vendor comparisons.
  • Premium-tier features and enterprise governance capabilities are quote-only, so a buyer cannot fully compare Mendix's top tier against OutSystems or Appian without entering a sales process.

Pricing, plan by plan

Draftbit

Free
  • Draftbit$undefined/month
    • Free tier for building and previewing
    • Source export and publishing sit behind paid tiers
    • Priced per project and per collaborator

Mendix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users on one deployment environment
    • No commitment or credit card required
    • Suitable for evaluation and small-scale use
  • Standard, One App$undefined/month
    • Licenses a single application in production
    • Cloud deployment and standard support options
    • Compute and infrastructure costs billed separately
  • Standard, Unlimited Apps$undefined/month
    • Licenses unlimited applications under one subscription
    • Per-user cost declines as user volume grows
    • Discounted external (B2B/B2C) user rates available
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom quote
    • Enterprise-grade governance and 24/7 support
    • Advanced deployment and compliance options

Which should you pick?

Choose Draftbit if

  • You need react native source export.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want component library.
Draftbit review

Choose Mendix if

  • You need visual app and process modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free tier.
Mendix review

Questions people ask

Is Draftbit or Mendix better?
Neither clearly leads. Draftbit starts at Free and Mendix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Draftbit or Mendix?
Draftbit starts at Free and Mendix at Free.
Does Draftbit or Mendix run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Draftbit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Draftbit best used for?
Draftbit is most often used for shipping a first mobile version quickly with a deliberate plan to hand it to engineers later, agencies building client apps where the contract requires source code as a deliverable, teams that have a designer and a backend but no mobile engineer, prototyping a native app against a real api rather than building a clickable mockup. Of those, shipping a first mobile version quickly with a deliberate plan to hand it to engineers later and agencies building client apps where the contract requires source code as a deliverable are not what Mendix is typically brought in for.
What can Draftbit do that Mendix cannot?
Draftbit covers React Native source export, Component library, Any REST API as a data source, Live device preview. Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling, Free tier, Multi-cloud deployment, AI-assisted development.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Draftbit: Do I own the code?

Yes. Paid plans export a React Native and Expo project you can keep, host and ship without Draftbit involved.

Mendix: What is the difference between One App and Unlimited Apps?

One App licenses a single application in production; Unlimited Apps covers any number of apps under one subscription, at a materially higher starting price.

Draftbit: Can I import edited code back into the builder?

No. Export is one way, so plan the handover deliberately because after it the visual builder is no longer part of your workflow.

Mendix: Does the licence include hosting?

No. Mendix states explicitly that compute and infrastructure resources are billed separately from the platform licence, regardless of deployment target.

Draftbit: Does it include a database?

No. You connect your own backend, commonly Supabase, Xano, Airtable or a REST API you already run.

Mendix: Who owns Mendix?

Siemens, which acquired Mendix in 2018 and runs it as part of its industrial software portfolio.

Draftbit: Can it build a web app as well?

No. The output is a React Native mobile application for iOS and Android only.

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