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No-Code · head to head

Draftbit vs Noloco

Draftbit logo

Draftbit

No-Code

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Noloco logo

Noloco

No-Code

Client portals and internal tools built over data you already have

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Draftbit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Noloco pricing follows user counts, and a client portal is by definition many low-activity users, so an agency with a few hundred client logins climbs the bands quickly for people who sign in twice a month.
  • They diverge on capability: Draftbit covers React Native source export, Noloco covers Row-level permissions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Draftbit and Noloco actually diverge.

Attributes where Draftbit and Noloco differ
AttributeDraftbitNoloco
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), 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 Noloco

  • Row-level permissions
  • Multiple data sources
  • Client portals
  • Workflows
  • Forms and record detail pages
  • White labelling

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 Noloco
  • Agencies building client apps where the contract requires source code as a deliverablenot Noloco
  • Teams that have a designer and a backend but no mobile engineernot Noloco
  • Prototyping a native app against a real API rather than building a clickable mockupnot Noloco

Noloco

  • Giving clients a branded portal onto their own records in an Airtable basenot Draftbit
  • Replacing shared spreadsheets with a permissioned internal tool for an operations teamnot Draftbit
  • A lightweight CRM over a PostgreSQL database that already existsnot Draftbit
  • Partner or contractor dashboards where each party must see only its own jobs and documentsnot 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.

Noloco

  • Pricing follows user counts, and a client portal is by definition many low-activity users, so an agency with a few hundred client logins climbs the bands quickly for people who sign in twice a month.
  • Limits are inherited from the data source. Airtable record ceilings, API rate limits and slow queries appear in the portal your customers use, and no setting inside Noloco can fix them.
  • Design control is deliberately narrow. You get a consistent application shell rather than a bespoke interface, which is fine for operations and a problem for anything marketing-led.
  • It is a small vendor competing directly with Airtable Interfaces and Softr, both far larger, so roadmap pace and long-term viability are legitimate procurement questions.
  • Output is responsive web only, with no native mobile application and no offline mode, so field staff on poor connections are not served by it.

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

Noloco

On request
  • Noloco$undefined/year
    • Tiered plans differentiated by user counts, data sources and white labelling
    • Trial period rather than a permanent free plan
    • Higher tiers add custom domains, advanced permissions and priority support

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 Noloco if

  • You need row-level permissions.
  • You also want multiple data sources.
Noloco review

Questions people ask

Is Draftbit or Noloco better?
Neither clearly leads. Draftbit starts at Free and Noloco at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Draftbit or Noloco?
Draftbit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Draftbit and On request for Noloco.
Does Draftbit or Noloco run on more platforms?
Draftbit runs on Web, iOS, Android. Noloco runs on Web.
Can I use Draftbit for free?
Yes. Draftbit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Noloco starts at On request.
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 Noloco is typically brought in for.
What can Draftbit do that Noloco cannot?
Draftbit covers React Native source export, Component library, Any REST API as a data source, Live device preview. Noloco covers Row-level permissions, Multiple data sources, Client portals, Workflows.

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.

Noloco: Do I need Airtable to use it?

No. Airtable is the most common source but PostgreSQL, MySQL, Google Sheets, HubSpot and built-in Noloco tables all work.

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.

Noloco: Can external clients log in without paying for seats?

Client and internal users are counted differently, but they are still counted, so a portal with many client logins moves you up the plan bands. Check the current band definitions before committing to a per-client model.

Draftbit: Does it include a database?

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

Noloco: How is this different from Softr?

Both build portals over existing data. Noloco leans harder on permissions and multiple database sources; Softr leans on templates, speed to a first version and a bigger ecosystem.

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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