MIT App Inventor

Visit site Alternatives

Score8.9

Rank#7 of 176

PriceFree

Free planYes

Runs onAndroid, iOS, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows

Summary

MIT App Inventor is a free, web-based platform for creating, testing, and sharing mobile apps with block-based programming. Its browser workspace separates app design from programming: the Designer is for selecting components, and the Blocks Editor is for building app behavior. Projects can use games and media, AI for images, sounds, and text, surveys, charts, maps, sensors, and internet-connected devices. The MIT AI2 Companion app supports live testing on iOS and Android devices over Wi-Fi. Users can share projects for others to load and remix, then package completed apps for Android installation. The browser tool supports Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on most laptops and desktops, as well as Chromebooks, iPads, and Android tablets. A Google account is required to log in. MIT says creators own their apps and can download or delete them from the server. The platform is free, but building and installing packaged apps is Android-only for now, even though apps can be built for Android and iOS.

Who it is for

MIT App Inventor suits beginners and learners who want to create mobile apps with blocks rather than conventional coding. It also fits educators and project-based learning, with tools for sharing and remixing projects.

What is good

Free platform for app creation and testing.
Blocks Editor provides block-based programming.
Companion app supports live testing over Wi-Fi.
Projects can be shared and remixed.

What to know first

Packaged app building and installation are Android-only.
A Google account is required to log in.
MIT says it tracks site and project information.

Verdict

MIT App Inventor offers a free route into mobile app creation through a browser-based, block-driven workflow. Its Android-only packaged-app limit matters for anyone who needs to install finished apps on other platforms.

MIT App Inventor plans and pricing

All plans

MIT App Inventor Free Free educational platform; apps can be built for Android and iOS; building and installing packaged apps is Android only appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026

Compared on no-code app builders

Free plan: Yesappinventor.mit.edu
Learning format: mixedappinventor.mit.edu
Programming languages: App Inventor blocksappinventor.mit.edu
Project-based learning: Yesappinventor.mit.edu
Mobile apps: Yesappinventor.mit.edu
Computer science topics: Yesappinventor.mit.edu

Facts

Free plan: Yesappinventor.mit.edu · 23 Sept 2026
Purpose: MIT App Inventor is a free, web-based platform for creating, testing, and sharing mobile apps using block-based programming.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Design and coding: The browser-based environment provides a Designer for selecting app components and a Blocks Editor for programming them.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Live testing: The MIT AI2 Companion app lets users test apps as they build them on iOS and Android devices over Wi-Fi.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
App capabilities: Apps can use games and media, AI for images sounds and text, surveys and charts, maps, sensors, and internet-connected devices.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
App sharing: Users can share app projects for others to load and remix, and can package completed apps for installation on Android.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Supported devices: The browser-based tool supports Chrome Firefox and Safari on most laptops and desktops, plus Chromebooks iPads and Android tablets.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Account: Users need a Google account to log in to MIT App Inventor.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Privacy: MIT says it tracks site usage and information about projects and their development, and may log IP address operating system and browser software.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Data ownership: Apps created with App Inventor belong to their creators, who can download or delete them from the server.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Security and liability: MIT says it makes reasonable efforts to safeguard user data but cannot assume legal liability for users’ privacy.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Support: The site directs users to community experts for help and provides FAQs tutorials documentation and troubleshooting resources.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Platform limit: The getting-started page says building and installing packaged apps is Android only for now.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
Audience: The project’s stated vision is to enable anyone, including people who do not consider themselves coders, to create mobile apps.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026
History: App Inventor was founded in 2007 by educators and researchers at MIT and Google.appinventor.mit.edu · 3 Oct 2026