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Mendix vs Thunkable

Mendix logo

Mendix

No-Code

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

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: 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.; 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: Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling, 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 Mendix and Thunkable actually diverge.

Attributes where Mendix and Thunkable differ
AttributeMendixThunkable
Pricing modelPer application tier (One App vs Unlimited Apps), cloud infrastructure billed separatelyPer month, tiered by AI token allowance and project count

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 Mendix

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

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.

Mendix

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

Thunkable

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

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

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 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

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 Mendix or Thunkable better?
Neither clearly leads. Mendix 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, Mendix or Thunkable?
Mendix starts at Free and Thunkable at Free.
Does Mendix or Thunkable run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Mendix for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Mendix best used for?
Mendix is most often used for a siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystem, a company building exactly one production app that wants the lower one app tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not need, an enterprise standardising on mendix across many departments where the unlimited apps tier amortises well, a team wanting to evaluate low-code at zero cost before committing to a paid production tier. Of those, a siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystem and a company building exactly one production app that wants the lower one app tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not need are not what Thunkable is typically brought in for.
What can Mendix do that Thunkable cannot?
Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling, Free tier, Multi-cloud deployment, AI-assisted development. Thunkable covers Block-based logic editor, Native compilation, AI app assistant, Component marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mendix: Who owns Mendix?

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

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.

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