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No-Code · head to head

Corteza vs Thunkable

Corteza logo

Corteza

No-Code

Apache-licensed open source low-code platform, formerly Crust, positioned against Salesforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thunkable logo

Thunkable

No-Code

No-code, drag-and-drop mobile app builder priced by AI tokens and project counts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Corteza planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.; Thunkable every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • They diverge on capability: Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corteza and Thunkable actually diverge.

Attributes where Corteza and Thunkable differ
AttributeCortezaThunkable
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer month, tiered by AI token allowance and project count
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, DockerWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Corteza

  • Corteza Low Code
  • Automation and workflow
  • Bundled CRM
  • Case management
  • Federation
  • Role-based access control
  • Corteza Messaging and integrations
  • Self-hosted deployment

Only in Thunkable

  • Block-based logic editor
  • Native compilation
  • AI app assistant
  • Component marketplace
  • Live testing
  • Custom branding

What people use each for

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

Corteza

  • A European public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor feenot Thunkable
  • An NGO replacing a Salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring costnot Thunkable
  • An integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commerciallynot Thunkable
  • A mid-size European company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount growsnot Thunkable

Thunkable

  • A non-developer or founder prototyping an app idea before hiring an engineernot Corteza
  • An educator teaching app-building concepts without requiring students to write codenot Corteza
  • A small business needing a simple internal or customer-facing app with modest logicnot Corteza
  • A hobbyist building a single published app who does not need more than one live app slotnot Corteza

Where each one falls short

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

Corteza

  • Planet Crust is a small company of roughly a dozen or so people, so the entire commercial support capability behind Corteza is thin and a large deployment can outgrow the vendors ability to respond.
  • No pricing is published for Planet Crusts support, hosting or implementation services, so the true running cost of a supported deployment cannot be estimated without a sales conversation.
  • The connector ecosystem is small compared with commercial low-code platforms, so integrations with common SaaS tools usually mean writing against the REST API rather than installing something.
  • Hiring is hard: almost nobody has Corteza on a CV, so you are training internal developers on a niche platform and you cannot easily replace them.
  • The bundled CRM is a starting point rather than a mature product, and teams that expect Salesforce-equivalent sales functionality out of the box will spend months building the gap themselves.

Thunkable

  • Every paid tier is metered by a monthly AI token allowance, so heavy use of the AI assistant, which is the tool's main productivity feature, can be exhausted well before a billing period ends.
  • Only the Builder tier and above allow a live published app at all in useful numbers, so the entry-level paid plan cannot actually get an app onto the store in a meaningful way.
  • Block-based logic becomes unwieldy for apps with genuinely complex business rules, and there is no clean escape hatch to written code within the platform.
  • Native integrations and performance-sensitive features (heavy graphics, background processing) are limited compared to a coded framework, so the tool has a real complexity ceiling.
  • App ownership and export options are more restrictive than an open source framework; leaving the platform typically means rebuilding rather than exporting a portable codebase.

Pricing, plan by plan

Corteza

Free
  • Corteza communityFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed with no feature gating
    • Low-code builder, workflow engine, CRM and case management included
    • Self-hosted on your own infrastructure
  • Planet Crust support and services$undefined/year
    • Commercial support, hosting and implementation from Planet Crust
    • Custom application development
    • Training

Thunkable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2,000 AI tokens
    • 3 public projects
    • 5 screens per project
  • Accelerator$19/month
    • 20,000 AI tokens
    • 5 public and 1 private project
    • 10 screens per project
  • Builder$37/month
    • 50,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited public, 10 private projects
    • Unlimited screens, 1 live published app
  • Advanced$99/month
    • 100,000 AI tokens
    • Unlimited private projects and live published apps
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Corteza if

  • You need corteza low code.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want automation and workflow.
Corteza review

Choose Thunkable if

  • You need block-based logic editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want native compilation.
Thunkable review

Questions people ask

Is Corteza or Thunkable better?
Neither clearly leads. Corteza starts at Free and Thunkable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corteza or Thunkable?
Corteza starts at Free and Thunkable at Free.
Does Corteza or Thunkable run on more platforms?
Corteza runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, Docker. Thunkable runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Corteza for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Corteza best used for?
Corteza is most often used for a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee, an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost, an integrator building a regulated vertical application it intends to resell, requiring a permissive licence it can ship commercially, a mid-size european company that wants one platform for internal applications and a sales pipeline without paying per seat as headcount grows. Of those, a european public body that needs a case management system on servers inside its own jurisdiction with an auditable licence and no per-seat vendor fee and an ngo replacing a salesforce donation that has run out, needing to keep the data model but remove the recurring cost are not what Thunkable is typically brought in for.
What can Corteza do that Thunkable cannot?
Corteza covers Corteza Low Code, Automation and workflow, Bundled CRM, Case management. Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor, Native compilation, AI app assistant, Component marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corteza: Is Corteza the same thing as Crust?

Yes. The project was branded Crust and renamed Corteza in 2019 when Crust Technology donated it to the Commons Conservancy.

Thunkable: Can I publish an app on the free plan?

The free plan is aimed at building and testing; live publishing capacity in a meaningful way starts on the Builder plan.

Corteza: Who owns the code?

The Commons Conservancy, a Dutch foundation. Planet Crust in Cork is the primary developer and sells commercial services around it.

Thunkable: What happens if I run out of AI tokens?

AI-assisted generation stops working until the next billing cycle or an upgrade; manual block-based editing still works.

Corteza: Is there a paid enterprise edition?

No. Corteza is Apache 2.0 with no feature gating. Planet Crust sells support, hosting and development instead of a restricted edition.

Thunkable: Is this suitable for a complex business app?

No. It is built for simple to moderately complex apps; heavy custom logic and native integrations are better served by a coded framework.

Corteza: Can it genuinely replace Salesforce?

For case management and a straightforward sales pipeline on a self-hosted footprint, yes. For a large sales organisation relying on AppExchange products and a mature ecosystem, no.

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