Base44 alternative
An alternative to Base44 that runs on the AI you already pay for
Base44 is a hosted builder: you chat in the browser, its AI writes the app, and the app runs on Base44's own backend. Plans are monthly or yearly and come with two kinds of credit. InstaWeb is the other arrangement: it runs on your computer, drives the coding agent you already pay for, and leaves the code in your GitHub and the app on your host.
The short version
Choose InstaWeb if you already have a Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan and want to own every piece of what you build: the code, the hosting, the database and the keys. Choose Base44 if you want everything to happen in a browser tab with nothing to install, and are happy to pay monthly for that.
You don't have to start again to switch. Move a Base44 project to InstaWeb and keep building on the same code.
InstaWeb and Base44, side by side
| InstaWeb | Base44 | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Once: a lifetime licence for InstaWeb 5.x | Monthly or yearly. Billed yearly, Starter is $16 a month, Builder $40 and Pro $80 |
| AI usage | Your own Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan. InstaWeb sells no credits | Message credits for building, and integration credits for what the app itself does. Top-ups are no longer sold |
| Which AI | You pick the agent for each task: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or OpenCode | Auto picks the model. Choosing one yourself needs Builder or higher |
| Where it runs | On your computer, in your browser | In Base44's cloud, in your browser |
| Framework | Whatever the project uses: Next.js, Vite, Astro, SvelteKit, Nuxt, React Router | React with Vite, connected to Base44's backend through its SDK |
| Your code | A normal Git repository on your computer, synced to your GitHub | Yours. GitHub sync and zip export need Builder or higher, and the code still needs Base44's backend to run |
| Hosting | Any host: Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare, AWS and more, or a server you can SSH into | Base44's hosting on a base44.app address; custom domains from Starter. Base44 doesn't support self-hosting |
| Backend | Whatever you choose: your database, your keys, in your accounts | Built in: database, sign-in, functions, file storage, email and AI calls |
| Setup | One terminal command, once | None |
InstaWeb's licence prices are on the pricing page. You also need an AI plan of your own, or an API key: InstaWeb doesn't sell AI.
Why people move from Base44
You already pay for an AI that can build
A Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan comes with a coding agent. InstaWeb runs it on your computer with a live preview and a canvas, so you stop paying for message credits on top.
Your live app shouldn't stop when credits do
In Base44, sending email, calling AI and running backend functions use integration credits. When they run out, those features fail for the people using the app. An app built in InstaWeb calls your own services with your own keys.
You want the backend in your own accounts
Base44's database, sign-in and secrets live on Base44, and it doesn't support self-hosting. With InstaWeb you choose the database and host, and nothing in the app calls InstaWeb.
When Base44 is the better choice
InstaWeb isn't for everyone. Stay with Base44 if any of these is true:
- You want the database, sign-in, email and AI calls built in, with nothing to choose or set up.
- You don't want to touch a terminal at all, not even once.
- You want your web app in the App Store and Google Play quickly: Base44 can wrap it for both.
- You don't have a Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor plan and don't want one.
What InstaWeb is
InstaWeb is a visual builder for the coding agent you already use. You paste one command; after that it runs in the background on your computer and everything happens in your browser. Your app runs live in the workspace: type what you want, or click on the page and change it there. The agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or OpenCode, signed in with your own account) edits the real source files.
Every project is a normal Git repository, and a deploy agent publishes it to the host you choose. Nothing in what you ship calls InstaWeb, so your apps keep running if you stop using it.
Related
Sources
Everything said about Base44 here comes from the official pricing pages and documentation, read on 13 November 2026. Plans and features change: check them before you decide, and tell us if something here is out of date.
Try it on a real project
14 days free, no card. Bring your AI, keep the code, host it wherever you want.