Comments for 13 Tools for Building Your Own iPhone App

13 Tools for Building Your Own iPhone App

2009-11-03T15:48:23Z

This article has been updated. A more current list of tools can be found here: "30+ Tools for Building Mobile Apps." Please visit that page instead!

These days, everyone wants to build their own iPhone applications, but not everyone knows how write the code necessary in order to create them. Fortunately, there are now a number of tools that allow non-developers the ability to create their own iPhone apps without knowing programming or scripting. Some are general-purpose app builders designed for small businesses while other target specific needs, like apps for musicians or for eBook authors. Still others let developers familiar with simpler programming languages like HTML write apps using the code they know and then will transform that code into an iPhone application which can be submitted to the iTunes Store.

Below we've listed 13 different tools that let you create your own iPhone applications, none of which require knowledge of Objective C, the programming language used to build apps for the iPhone OS .

]]> 1. Sweb Apps

What it Does: Sweb Apps offers an online service which lets anyone build their own iPhone apps even if they don't know how to code. Designed with small business owners in mind, the company offers pre-created templates which you can customize with different background images and your own custom icons if desired. Otherwise, you're welcome to use the graphics provided by the company's own image library. After picking the category for your app (Restaurant, Retail, Business, etc.), you choose the buttons you want to include (Menu, Directions, Map, etc.). You can even create a mobile storefront where Sweb Apps manages your inventory.

How Much it Costs: The company offers four-, six- and eight-button packages, which all include a one-time set-up fee of $50 per button. Then there is a $25 monthly hosting fee applied to every application going forward

Our coverage: Build Your Own iPhone App with New Service from Sweb Apps and Sweb Apps 2.0: Build Your Own Mobile Storefront for the iPhone

2. AppIncubator

What it Does: Think you have a great idea for an iPhone app but not the skills to build it yourself. Like Apple says: "there's an app for that!" The AppIncubator iPhone App from MEDL Mobile lets you submit your ideas which the company's development team will then build into apps for you. App submissions can be sent in via the iPhone app or by way of the company website. Once received, you go online to use the company's "storyboard" tool to sketch out in more detail how you imagine the app working.

How Much it Costs: Using the service or downloading the iPhone app itself is free, but MEDL Mobile takes a cut of the profits after the app goes live in the iTunes App Store. 25% of the total revenue is shared with you and the company keeps the rest.

Our coverage: This iPhone App Helps You Make iPhone Apps

3. Kanchoo

Kanchoo is another platform that allows content producers to create native iPhone applications, this one is designed for news organizations. To use the service, you provide the company with an iPhone application icon, a splash screen (in .png format) and a description of your application which will be used in the iTunes App Store. Then, using their online tools, you build your app by uploading the content which can consist of either photos or news articles.

How Much it Costs: Basic account holders pay $88 for creation of their iPhone application and submission to the iTunes App Store along with a $28 per month fee for bandwidth and hosting.

4. AppBreeder

What it Does: AppBreeder is another DIY app builder service, similar to SwebApps. Where SwebApps offers categories to choose from, AppBreeder offers "App-Kits." These are pre-defined collections of app settings which include gadgets, icons, and behavioral elements. There are kits for a wide range of industries including everything from real estate to legal and bands to restaurants. You use the kits as a jumping off point to start building your app and then add or remove gadgets as your needs require. After building your app, you can then publish it to the iTunes App Store. However, AppBreeder isn't just limited to the iPhone - it also lets you publish apps for Blackberry and Android devices as well. (Note: the company's website says that "due to sudden demand spike" AppBreeder's build and publishing tools will be unavailable until Nov. 30th.)

How Much it Costs: AppBreeder offers different packages depending on whether your app will be ad supported or ad-free and which platforms you plan to distribute it on. Ad supported apps are free, iPhone web apps are $9.95 - 14.95, native iPhone apps are $29.95, and the iPhone/Blackberry/Android app package is $39.95 - 49.95.

5. MyAppBuilder

What it Does: MyAppBuilder is a service that creates iPhone applications designed to help you sell your content. Whether that's books, music, videos, etc., the service turns any content into an app. You can also use MyAppBuilder to create custom quizzes, apps that are fed by Twitter pages, or you can turn your blog into an app by way of its RSS feed. To use the online app builder, you login to the service's "Control Panel" where you submit details about your app including content, features, flow, and image files. The company then uses this information to create an app for you which is sent back to you for review. After you approve the app, MyAppBuilder submits it to the iTunes App Store on your behalf.

How Much it Costs: The service is available for a fee of $29 per month. There is also a $20 processing fee to compile your data, put it in the appropriate format, and submit it to the App Store for review.

6. BuildAnApp

What it Does: BuildAnApp is another DIY cross-platform app builder designed for small businesses, community groups and professional service organizations. Using the web-based service, you can pick and choose from the company's customizable templates to create apps for the iPhone, Blackberry, or Windows Mobile platforms. As with Sweb Apps, creators can use their own graphics or choose images from the company's own online gallery. A special feature of this service is its ability to house an email distribution list that will notify end users to download the application once it becomes available. (Note: this service is currently in private beta testing right now. You can sign up here to be notified when it's available).

How Much it Costs: The company says pricing has not yet been determined but will be "competitive" with similar services.

7. eBookApp

What it Does: The eBook App Maker is a service specifically designed to create iPhone apps from eBooks. The app builder supports nearly all digital formats including PDF, Doc, Zip, CHM, HTML, TXT, FB2, PDB, PRC, Mobi, PDB, MHT, RTF. eBook creators can also specify various fonts and sizes, can add images and notes, can lock the orientation to landscape or portrait, and more.

How Much it Costs: The company's site doesn't publicly list its pricing but offers a "request a quote" form instead.

8. GameSalad

What it Does: GameSalad is a downloadable tool for creating games without needing to know programming or scripting. Using the company's visual editing software, you can create games which can then be published to both the web and to the iPhone. GameSalad offers a suite of "interactions" and attributes which you can add into your game to create the action. You can also drag-and-drop art files and sound files from your computer into the game builder, too. As you create the game, you can tweak the various elements during the building process and can preview what the game looks like before compiling it.

How Much it Costs: The company offers a basic, free version of GameSalad which lets you publish to the web, but not the iPhone. For iPhone games, there are two versions available: the Express version for $99/year and the Pro version for $1999/year.

Our coverage: Gendai Games Launches GameSalad Beta

9. MobileRoadie

What it Does: Mobile Roadie is an application builder that lets bands create their own custom iPhone applications which can include content like photo galleries, streaming music files, YouTube videos, upcoming concert listings, lyrics, news, Twitter and RSS feeds, and even interactive features like a "wall" where fans can post comments and photos. The app can also link to Ticketmaster and LiveNation ticket sales information and to the band's album(s) on iTunes.

How Much it Costs: There is a $499 set up fee for Mobile Roadie followed by a $29/month fee for the first 100 installs. To get rid of the 1 cent per install fee, bands can choose to host their own content instead.

10. MobBase

What it Does: Similar to Mobile Roadie, MobBase is also an app creation tool designed for bands. Without needing programming skills, musicians can create apps that include videos, images, bios, band news, streaming playlists, concert schedules and links for music purchases. The tool, offered by MixMatchMusic,

How Much it Costs: Applications are $20 dollars to activate. Free apps are priced at $15 dollars a month for the first 500 installs with $5 dollars per additional 1000 downloads. Paid apps cost $20 dollars per month for the first 500 installs and $6 dollars per month for each additional 1000. MobBase does not take any application sales fees in regards to revenue share. The company also receives 5% of purchased music downloads.

11. Rhomobile

What it Does: Rhomobile does require that you know how to code, but only HTML and Ruby, not the Objective C required for building iPhone apps. Developers can build any application and then use Rhomobile to deploy their app anywhere - including the iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Symbian, or Android marketplaces.

How Much it Costs: The Rhodes framework is free for developers who open source their applications under GPLv3. Commercial Rhodes licenses are also available at $500 per application and commercial RhoSync server licenses are available based upon the planned number of users connected to the server.

12. PhoneGap

What it Does: Like Rhomobile above, PhoneGap is also an open source development tool for building mobile apps. Also like PhoneGap, you do need to know how to code, but this time, you just need to know HTML and Java as opposed to the iPhone's Objective C. With this tool, you can build apps for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android while also taking advantage of the phones' native features like geolocation, the accelerometer, sound and more.

How Much it Costs: PhoneGap is completely open source and free to use.

Our coverage: PhoneGap: People's Choice Winner at Web 2.0 Expo Launch Pad

13. RedLaser

What it Does: Red Laser is an iPhone application that lets you scan barcodes with your iPhone in order to compare the in-store price with other online deals. However, with the latest version of the application, RedLaser 2.2, you can create your own custom barcode scanning apps. To do so, first download the updated application from the iTunes App Store, then visit www.redlaser.com/apps from the iPhone's web browser. Follow the instructions on the page to set up your own application - you'll need to fill in data like the URL of the site you want to compare prices with, the URL for the app icon, etc. When complete, tap the "build app" button. The completed app can then be added to your homescreen. Although this app is designed more for personal use and not resale, it's still worth checking out if you want to create your own barcode scanning application without needing to know how to code.

How Much it Costs: RedLaser is available on the iTunes App Store for $1.99.

Update!

While this post was by no means meant to be a definitive list, it's amazing the response it's received in both the comments and via email. So many people have asked "how could you forget.. this company or that?" OK, Appcelerator was an oversight, but as far as the others, they just weren't on my radar. Here's a few of the ones that received multiple mentions:

TapLynx: A DIY solution for building apps without coding.
MobileAppLoader: Another DIY solution for building iPhone apps without code.
MobileStoreMaker: A DIY solution for making a mobile storefront for iPhone.
Appcelerator: Like Rhomobile and PhoneGap, you do need to code, but you don't need to know Objective C. Instead, you can build iPhone apps with HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Python, PHP and Ruby instead.
MobiOne: An iPhone emulator that lets you build iPhone apps by coding them using your web development skills.
Appanda: A system that lets you build apps through RSS, links and manual uploads. Still in beta.

However, there are tons of others, too. Really - tons! Hop into the comments section to see even more suggestions from their users and fans.

Comment from Victor Sharovatov on 2011-08-06

2011-08-06T21:17:49Z

I use snappii.com and it is easy and cool!

Comment from Tutsplace on 2011-07-25

2011-07-26T02:47:53Z

Also this tutorial from Tutsplace shows beginners how to build a basic iPhone app in Xcode.

Comment from Matthew Varpness on 2011-07-23

2011-07-24T01:08:45Z

If they are "a USA operated software company" then why did they hire a non-native English speaker to post advertisements here?

Comment from Max Katz on 2011-07-13

2011-07-14T00:49:31Z

Another option for building mobile web and native apps for any device: Tiggr Mobile Apps Builder - http://gotiggr.com

Comment from Amir Eshmore on 2011-07-04

2011-07-04T12:08:47Z

A nice iPhone application to create games without the need for coding is : 'Game Creator'.
You need to download it to your iPhone, iPod or iPad and create a game just with drag and drop.
The good part is that it cost only $1.99 one time.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app...

Comment from Chris Seels on 2011-06-23

2011-06-23T16:19:14Z

Making apps is a lot of fun and it's very exciting once you put it on the market and start making money. I'm starting to get addicted. I owe it all to a great program that got me to where I am now, you can get use the same software I use from http://learnhowtomakeanapp.blo...

Comment from Denny Britz on 2011-06-21

2011-06-22T00:38:45Z

I'm also currently working on a solution to build mobile applications. It's focused more on cross-platform compatibility than most other sites I have seen. I want individuals, nonprofits and small businesses to be able to create sophisticated applications that run on all platforms. If interested, you can check it out at http://five-apps.com/

Comment from JoeG on 2011-06-07

2011-06-07T16:41:28Z

After learning several other programming languages I learned how to make iphone apps, I really enjoy the process and if done right you can make a lot of money making these little goldmines :)
http://creatingappsforphones.i...

Comment from Ben Davey on 2011-05-27

2011-05-28T05:34:14Z

Shameless self promotion of our tool that enables instand Drag 'n' Drop app creation : www.mobilenationhq.com

Comment from xingtai123 on 2011-05-19

2011-05-19T10:04:52Z

I would like someone to build liaojie an application for my blog.The blog is about financial astrology.I start a new article every new sunglasses123 Moon, and I update it every day.

Comment from Chris Seels on 2011-04-29

2011-04-29T20:32:34Z

Comment from Wk Cheung on 2011-04-29

2011-04-29T14:37:25Z

A extremely cost effective online App creation service compare with the mentioned in the article.
http://www.mobcat.net/

iPhone Product Catalog for only one-off charge at USD 12.99, No monthly fees.

Comment from Tony Lukasavage on 2011-04-20

2011-04-20T20:29:25Z

Here's an in depth look at Appcelerator and PhoneGap if you are interested: http://savagelook.com/blog/por...

Comment from resume services on 2011-04-03

2011-04-03T13:54:37Z

however, carried out right, we could create a plugable engineering that doesn't bind a website admin to individual solutions.

Comment from Mike121324 on 2011-04-03

2011-04-03T11:38:45Z

I apologize for your bad experience. I went through some bad companies as well.

I finally opted for a USA operated software company specializing in mobile app development. Their development process was par none and they matched any quote or proposal.

Check them out.

http://www.approachmobile.com/

Comment from Amit Gupta on 2011-03-25

2011-03-25T13:55:52Z

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Comment from affaaf on 2011-03-22

2011-03-22T23:52:41Z

Ugh, HORRIBLE COMPANY! I submitted an app (of course I had to shell out $29 first)
After 3 emails just to get them to acknowledge my submission, I was told that they
would have to build it as a 'custom app' for $880! I politely declined, and asked
for my $29 back. I waited...nothing. Sent another email with the same request...nothing.
I sent a third email (my 6th in total), now in a stern tone, threatening to contact
my credit card company, PayPal and the FTC, not to mention that I would post the story on
forums to warn others. For those of you thinking about using My App Builder, do what I did,
find one of the many sites online where you can hire freelance developers who
compete with others to win your proposal...your money is held in escrow until both parties
agree on the contract. I got someone to build my app for slightly less than $300 this way! Again...STAY AWAY from My App Builder!

Comment from RhomobileGrassroots on 2011-03-09

2011-03-10T00:18:02Z

Best way to create apps using windows for all smart phones is as follows
- Rhohub is the fastest and best solution for creating iPhone apps on Windows - http://rhohub.com All you need to do is set up a free account and you can start building native apps online for all smartphones without the hassle of installing all the SDKs locally. Try it out and see for yourself.

Comment from RhomobileGrassroots on 2011-03-09

2011-03-10T00:17:11Z

The best way to develop apps using a PC!

- Rhohub is the fastest and best solution for creating iPhone apps on Windows - http://rhohub.com All you need to do is set up a free account and you can start building native apps online for all smartphones without the hassle of installing all the SDKs locally. Try it out and see for yourself.

Comment from Web Application Development on 2011-03-09

2011-03-09T17:43:10Z

iphone is one of the best technology in telecommunication field iphone grow rapacity and also develop some good iphone app as well.
Web Design Company

Comment from Saša Šarunić on 2011-03-06

2011-03-06T13:07:01Z

ShoutEm (www.shoutem.com) is a new app builder that even someone who doesn't have technical or designer skills can use to build Android or iPhone application for his web site.

Comment from fmarzal on 2011-03-03

2011-03-03T15:12:51Z

HI! Thanks for the article. What about Mobincube? (http://www.mobincube.com)

Comment from web application developers on 2011-03-03

2011-03-03T12:05:01Z

Thanks for sharing this amazing tutorials... these tools are really great and is look really professional here and this tools make it simple to my work..

Comment from Michael Schleifer on 2011-02-28

2011-02-28T23:54:14Z

Hi,

Thanks for the DIY app article, one more online App creation service to mention includes http://appbaker.com

Thanks!

Comment from Gabriella Mittelman on 2011-02-26

2011-02-26T18:20:26Z

I would like someone to build an application for my blog.The blog is about financial astrology.I start a new article every new Moon, and I update it every day.
http://astrologyandthemarkets..../
Anyone can help me? Pls?
my mail is: gabymitt@zahav.net.il
thank you :)

Comment from Peter Shen on 2011-02-23

2011-02-23T23:40:38Z

This is great. We can potentially use this for Koowie.com. Not everyone can hire hard core web developers or have the money to.
Peter Shen, founder Koowie.com : Connecting people one thought at a time.

Comment from Tech Tech on 2011-02-17

2011-02-17T11:13:59Z

Thanks for the info, I also found this book pretty helpful. It may be worth using as a reference! Check out the link below

http://38d73lbxwwffnl11ydskm0j.../

Comment from yuregininsesi on 2011-01-24

2011-01-24T19:27:10Z

Hi, has anyone used MyAppBuilder? $29/mo. plus 30% of profits--but you can build as many as you want. Yet there's no contact info, and I've run across complaints on other sites. Seems odd that you can't contact them. Anyone have any experience with them? Sounds like a good deal compared to the costs of others--
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Comment from seo sem services on 2011-01-11

2011-01-12T06:26:07Z

Great Information and post! It is very informative and suggestible for the user of solar energy, May I think it can be beneficial in coming days...

Comment from Create iphone App on 2010-12-30

2010-12-30T12:47:34Z

Nice, and thanks for sharing this info with us.
Good Luck!

Comment from Lowell Christensen on 2010-12-14

2010-12-14T09:28:51Z

I totally agree. My head is spinning after testing various app building platforms and at the end of all, my apps are very basic. Apple will reject apps that are too simple so I may be moving towards using a developer. Something new to add as well is http://www.buzztouch.com. Totally free resources to build and submit your app with no hosting fees.

Comment from Mike Wharton on 2010-12-13

2010-12-13T15:21:35Z

Nice article, heres a little addition for those who are a little further down the line in iPhone development:

We're beta testing an online system called Kumulos - a tool for building online databases and generating APIs for iOS ans OSX apps. It even builds the Objective-C bindings for you. Check out the tutorial here:

http://www.kumulos.com/docs/ku.../

Would love some developer feedback :)

Cheers

Comment from George Henne on 2010-12-07

2010-12-07T21:07:02Z

We have just announced NS Basic/App Studio, a complete and easy to use development environment. Visual Basic users will feel very much at home with it!

http://www.nsbasic.com

Comment from Oluwaseye Hiroshi on 2010-12-03

2010-12-04T00:56:40Z

Dude dat sounds like long thing...u knw wat..jst try to read through the comments, you'd definately find something.

Comment from hellen on 2010-12-01

2010-12-01T09:50:48Z

I would like to create an iphone application, but have no idea where to start?

Could someone please let me know if this is something I can create from scratch or do I need to involve a host first.

Comment from brucomela on 2010-11-25

2010-11-25T14:03:17Z

Kanchoo is not bad, in general they are good tools for simple Apps, we are developers and of course they are not for commercial Apps.

Here's what we do:

-> http://www.e-potion.com/sito/ipad/realizzazione-applicazioni-ipad.php

-> http://www.e-potion.com/sito/iphone/realizzazione-applicazioni-iphone.php

-> http://www.e-potion.com/sito/android/realizzazione-applicazioni-android.php

Comment from Brett Miller on 2010-11-14

2010-11-14T17:56:25Z

These tools are great, but nothing can replace the value of working with a professional software developer on your Mobile App.

It's almost like saying: You don't have to go to a Mechanic to fix your car. Just read a How To guide online and go to your local auto parts store. ewww.

Unless you are already very technical, have the time and are willing to take the risk of problems ... it's probably not a good idea. Many times, my software company is brought in to "fix" a project an unqualified developer put together.

Brett Miller
http://www.customsoftwarebypreston.com/company

Comment from Rafael on 2010-11-04

2010-11-04T17:05:24Z

good article, forgotten to mention another iPhone Application builder which is free to create, publish apps for iPhone
http://ibuildapp.com
the site even provide the source codefor free to download

Comment from Georgia Brinker on 2010-11-03

2010-11-03T20:25:31Z

Thanks for creating the list of info but you appear to have left off one of the best. htpp://www.buzztouch.com. Lets you build Android and iPhone apps for free, lets you download the code for free, and lets you manage the content for free. Really sweet. bx.businessweek.com/.../9050796636911673429-4d4263b97...

Comment from Android Affiliate Marketing on 2010-11-03

2010-11-03T10:48:43Z

Im shocked at how many unique visitors I get from my android apps.. Its def. one of the more untapped traffic sources today. You can build apps with ease at DroidGenerator.com

Comment from Mobtify on 2010-11-01

2010-11-01T19:32:10Z

We feel we have the best app builder platform and offer unlimited downloads, real time updates, and the ability to geo-locate content for a "near me" tab. Would love to be added to the list!

Comment from Sarah Commenter on 2010-10-29

2010-10-29T16:05:16Z

I've seen an app builder called Apptivate www.apptivatehq.com which is really good and easy to use. I tried a few of the ones mentioned here before and found that they were quite hard to understand, but Apptivate is great. They let you build your whole app and view it in a simulator before you buy and it's pretty cheap too. $399. I'd reccommend anyone who's looking for a quick and easy app to check it out.

Comment from Seamus on 2010-10-28

2010-10-28T15:39:06Z

Do any of these apps allow video recording that can be uploaded directly into a blog or website.

Comment from Mark on 2010-10-28

2010-10-28T15:36:19Z

Personally I have great experiences with 'How to make an iPhone app'. It is a book which is completely to the point. And recommended by great developers. Watch the site: http://e1f5cly-i6bbaz400i04ul9z2w.hop.clickbank.net/

Mark

Comment from yatra on 2010-10-21

2010-10-21T08:11:43Z

any travel related application can be developed via RSS feed????

Comment from ming on 2010-10-17

2010-10-17T09:31:36Z

How about this? create app easily
http://96b91gk2p7xvv696t6kiu9ca-6.hop.clickbank.net/

Comment from Bill Pantos on 2010-10-12

2010-10-12T21:42:15Z

Great list! Some very good services are emerging and I expect many more advanced tools to help developers build more robust tools with little need for actual programming experience.

I also see a big need for having a marketplace for these developers to buy and sell mobile app source code for apps they don't want to maintain anymore. Sites like SellMyApplication.com allow developers to sell their source code. Just another tool for developers to profit from their hard work.

Comment from Mick Macintyre on 2010-10-12

2010-10-12T10:01:35Z

A lot of price gouging going on in many of those app development sites - a bit like the web in 1995 - 2000, people could charge the earth for a simple website. I just want to make a few apps using my website knowledge, html, javascript and css but very very few of the above list are any real help in this regard except if I pay through the nose. Appcelerator seems to be the best for developing your own stuff without any costs though its emulator is unstable and a bit difficult to set up. Buzztouch looks good too.

A lot more room for improvement before an offering that is truly worthy shows itself. You price gougers can make hay while the sun shines, hopefully your time will be short. Chancers.

Comment from Morten Dürr on 2010-10-07

2010-10-08T06:45:17Z

Great article and interesting comments. But having gone through the list - more or less - I still haven't found what I'm looking for. And that is a way to make a very basic app: an app for delivering picturebooks for children - with sound. Essentially a slideshow. Can I do that without coding?
Regards, Morten (excuse the language mistakes - english is not my first language.)

Comment from Billy Barker on 2010-10-07

2010-10-07T20:50:50Z

If you're an iPhone app developer and looking for toolbar icons that support the new 2x retina display than check out this icon set: 270 Toolbar Icons for iPhone 4 Retina Display http://www.billybarker.net/iphone-4-retina-icons-for-app-developers/

Comment from Gareth Evans on 2010-09-26

2010-09-26T11:07:07Z

Great article, I've been trying out a few services but all have their limitations. SwebApps looks more comprehensive, if a little expensive, I'm heading there now to give it a try.

Comment from Mark Jones on 2010-09-22

2010-09-22T20:33:28Z

This list of sites that can help us build with no coding experience is brilliant.

BUT ...

Is there anyway to have video on apps that are NOT linked to YouTube? I have videos I want to build into apps but can't have them free to see elsewhere.

I'm geting some prices on Elance but really want to do it myself.

Any ideas would be super!

Mark Jones
Bristol UK.

Comment from Matt C on 2010-09-04

2010-09-04T16:27:38Z

AppBreeder is dead. No longer in business.

Comment from Elwin on 2010-08-31

2010-08-31T17:40:43Z

What about MonoTouch ? or FlexyCore ? does Apple still restrict any method which try to translate any code from other language into native Objective C and use some porting library (proxy class interface) ?

Comment from Sardar Mohkim Khan on 2010-08-30

2010-08-30T21:41:38Z

Thanks for sharing the list!

Comment from Kent on 2010-08-30

2010-08-30T07:59:39Z

What about Yapper? Should it be on the list?

Any new development in this list the last few months?

Comment from Rik on 2010-08-12

2010-08-12T14:06:21Z

Comment from Lucian on 2010-08-11

2010-08-12T01:40:23Z

A developer friend of mine asked me to recommend something for learning how to build iPhone Apps fast and easy so he could put it in practice right away.

So I started poking around and here's the best you will ever find:
http://a4829i56x3-a1g0zw9w4-nfk41.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=TS1

How to Make An iPhonne App is a All-In-One e-book on building Apps from scratch. It was highly recommended by most experienced developers and they even convinced me that I should start reading it too.

Enjoy! :)

Comment from Lucian on 2010-08-11

2010-08-12T01:07:07Z

A developer friend of mine asked me to recommend something for learning how to build iPhone Apps fast and easy so he could put it in practice right away.

So I started poking around and here's the best you will ever find:
How to Make An iPhonne App is a All-In-One e-book on building Apps from scratch. It was highly recommended by most experienced developers and they even convinced me that I should start reading it too.

Comment from andrew on 2010-07-31

2010-08-01T04:04:55Z

Check out Bizness Apps!

They create iPhone apps specifically for small businesses.

Restaurants, bars, realtors, lawyers, gyms... they got you covered. Only $39 a month.

http:///www.BiznessApps.com

Comment from Famous Shop on 2010-07-26

2010-07-26T11:08:55Z

Did you ever think you could actually make your own iPhone apps and sell them in the App Store for profit? It's completely possible, and more and more people are jumping on the app development bandwagon each and every day.

Comment from Famous Cigar on 2010-07-26

2010-07-26T11:05:14Z

The first thing to do is come up with an idea for an app. Don't worry about exactly how it will work or the details just yet. Basically, you want to solve a problem for someone or make something entertaining for the app user. If you can't come up with anything, do some brainstorming by asking people you know about app ideas and do some research online. If you put some effort into it, you'll no doubt get an idea in your head sooner or later.

Comment from Clint on 2010-07-22

2010-07-22T22:21:54Z

Seriously? No DragonFireSDK?

http://www.DragonFireSDK.com allows iPhone Development in Windows C/C++ without ever touching a Mac.

It has a built in iPhone Simulator. Test your App in your device. Send your App to the App Store entirely in Windows.

Comment from Cheap iPhone Developer on 2010-07-21

2010-07-22T04:34:44Z

Do you really want to build an iPhone app?

This might sound like a daft question at first. But I want to make sure that you have fully explored your target audience and considered whether it would be more suitable to launch an app on the Blackberry or Android platform.

Comment from Henric on 2010-07-19

2010-07-19T22:24:54Z

Hello everyone!

If you are a band or artist we could help you out with our service "appalize"...

We've just started but we are starting big with really large bands and artists.

Europe
Danko Jones
Millencolin

to name a few...

Check us out or send me a email if you're interested.

Comment from Brian Blade on 2010-07-14

2010-07-15T04:16:54Z

Thanks for the apps I wanted to meddle around with making some apps but my programming knowledge is very limited.

Comment from Bill Lennan on 2010-07-13

2010-07-13T23:50:44Z

SView has taken a fresh look at app creation and now provides a platform where you can build an app - and they run on 380+ different phones. This is real-time creation, published as fast as the bit's fly to a phone. iPhone, android, j2me, windows Mobile, etc.
Oh, and it's priced per piece of content sent.
No setup, no minimum...
Check it out

www.sview.com

Yes, this is a shameless plug :-)

Comment from jwcorcoran on 2010-07-03

2010-07-03T11:57:39Z

musos want to focus on music not app building...proper apps built on time and on budget and no revenue splitting...www.reveali.com

Comment from ake on 2010-06-30

2010-06-30T12:06:12Z

nice

Comment from Mike Ebel on 2010-06-07

2010-06-07T22:58:52Z

I have purchased apps that I thought would be a big help in my job but found that they can be quite lacking. So I have built excel spreadsheets that do everything that I want it to do and have shared them with others that raved about how great they are. Is there a company that can take a spreadsheet and convert it to an app? I love my Itouch for work but need more engineering apps to help me on the job site.

Comment from Mira on 2010-05-25

2010-05-25T10:30:02Z

Hi all, I would really appreciate it if you can help me with the below: -
Something wrong happened to my Iphone and I lost the apple store basic application that allows me to download any application, can anyone help me I really dont want to reformat the phone

Comment from Cliff on 2010-05-03

2010-05-03T20:52:34Z

Another app that looks really cool is something called Dapp. It's not out yet but it says it will export your mockups into code. Found details of it at http://dapp.kerofrog.com.au

Comment from Spencer on 2010-04-21

2010-04-21T22:19:19Z

#2 up there (appropriate, at that) - the AppIncubator link took me to one of those crappy and malicious malware scanners and even though I immediately hit the "x" it started doing it's thing. I'm guessing it's one of their sponsors. Not appreciated - I'd suggest everyone avoid that page - at least as of today...

Comment from Pilar on 2010-04-15

2010-04-16T05:31:31Z

thanks for posting all this...it's helpful. i am seeking a good DIY app maker for making several wallpaper apps from my artwork - i am planning on creating about 10 wallpaper apps for sale, each with about 100 images. (I license a lot of art for wallpapers, but am wanting to "develop" my own apps so I can have more presence on the iphone).
I've looked through the sites listed above, but not sure if the "portfolio" or "photo viewer" apps templates are really what i am looking for. i am trying to avoid the royalties with some of these sites, but am weighing the monthly fee vs an outright cost.

if anyone can make a recommendation, it's appreciated. Since I have so many apps I plan to create that are basically the same, a package deal for hosting several apps is best i think?

Comment from iphone app reviews on 2010-03-31

2010-03-31T18:47:05Z

I think you are missing a trick here by not recommending these developers check out the competition! It is important to read up on similar games, read reviews to find common mistakes and identify games you can emulate yet improve upon. Best of luck to all the iPhone devs out there!!

Comment from meelooz on 2010-03-29

2010-03-29T07:33:18Z

iSpectrum, Java for iPhone (by FlexyCore)
What it does :
iSpectrum allows you to develop your applications in Java and compile it into native iPhone apps.
It comes with an Eclipse plugin and a debugger and links with the iPhone SDK to be able to launch it in iPhone Simulator, or deploy it on device.

How must it costs :
there are several commercial licenses, but it's free for open source projects.

Comment from freebiejeebies on 2010-03-27

2010-03-28T00:10:39Z

That's an incredible article, really useful thanks!

I'm seriously considering building an iPhone app as it seems to be a great way to make money in the modern world!

Comment from Andy Howard on 2010-03-24

2010-03-25T06:01:13Z

Nice roundup! For publishers looking for a more sophisticated solution, check out http://mobile.conversant-media.com/ - it offers micropayments, viral-ready content, locally stored data, geo-awareness and more.

Comment from Mark on 2010-03-23

2010-03-23T15:58:30Z

I was just looking to make an app with our nonprofit organization for myself. It was to help keep all of my board of directors contact information and the links to the website and social media pages. It would be great to have everything in one app rather than 5 different apps.
I have seen them around so it looks like you can just use a template. Any thoughts on this?

Comment from ComboApp on 2010-03-22

2010-03-22T15:52:21Z

Meet ComboApp© - the iPhone, iPad and Android App Builder for the rest of us! ComboApp gives anyone the tools to create cutting-edge iPhone, iPad and Android applications in three easy steps in as little as 5 minutes.

Comment from besten apps on 2010-03-22

2010-03-22T10:50:04Z

the tools are ol interesting but if you want something personalized you have to contact a developer or learn xcode

Comment from Eileen on 2010-03-07

2010-03-08T01:41:40Z

For those app developers that don't know Objective-C and Cocoa Touch and don't want to outsource development, check out localbeacon (an iphone app builder) at www.bigforge.com. Great for those who want to build just one app or developers interested in white label. Full integration of Twitter and Facebook.

Comment from Kristjan on 2010-03-05

2010-03-05T13:03:50Z

Does anybody know which tool offers an opportunity to add mms streams to my app?

Comment from john on 2010-02-27

2010-02-27T21:12:59Z

Another take on building your own apps is called Assembly for the iPhone and can be found at www.AssemblyApps.com This version is themed towards building clock apps on your iPhone/Touch. Future versions are being built now to give users the ability to create all kinds of apps (not just clocks) for GPS, Twitter, Web, RSS, logic, push, forms, notifications etc.

Take a peek at the site to see where this product is headed.

www.AssemblyApps.com

Comment from Elza Hayen on 2010-02-23

2010-02-24T01:50:56Z

Here are three low cost options with little or no coding experience needed (your choice):

http://www.MotherApp.com
http://iSites.us (works with http://Genwi.com)
http://AppMakr.com

Comment from Jay Willingham - CampusByte on 2010-02-23

2010-02-23T22:07:24Z

This is totally something i want to do in the future. I would teach myself how to code though, I would want to start fresh.

Comment from Brad Waller on 2010-02-17

2010-02-17T23:17:06Z

Just saw this article. uBuildApp (http://ubuildapp.com) has been out since December. Users can build an app for as little as $99 and apps are not cookie cutter RSS readers like many of the others.

Apps can have blogs and feeds, but they can also have static pages, images, video, maps, podcasts, Twitter, and more.

Some of the best apps created include "Pogue", "Chris Pirillo", and "Affiliate Summit"

Comment from NewAppIdea.com on 2010-02-13

2010-02-13T12:50:35Z

We would like to introduce www.NewAppIdea.com, a meeting place for those with creatve new app ideas but lacking the necessary programming skill and experienced app developers.

It is free to register and post your idea and let developers bid on the opportunity to turn your idea into reality.

The NewAppIdea.com
New App Idea | App Idea Development

folow us on Twitter @ newappidea

Comment from Tex Jernigan on 2010-02-10

2010-02-10T17:03:54Z

There should be an easy way to make a photoviewing app for iPhone, composed of photos of your choice. Free version restricted to just 10 pics..

Comment from paul on 2010-02-10

2010-02-10T11:13:20Z

Thanks for creating such a useful list...
greets from Germany

Comment from gunjira on 2010-02-07

2010-02-08T07:56:33Z

I am surprised that nobody mentioned the Appliya App Builder:
http://appliya-studio.com
It is an online tool, requiring no programming knowledge, that creates iPhone applications free of charge made out of graphical you provide or from Flickr. The best is: No upfront service charge, no monthly subscription, no processing costs at all.

The app will go for sale on the App Store and 10% of the revenue will even go back to the creator. While there might be other services i found this to be the easiest to use while offering the most value.

Comment from Nick on 2010-01-29

2010-01-29T16:27:54Z

We have also launched an App Builder concept revolving around the creation of mobile Restaurant applications.

Check us out at

http://www.99apps.com

For $99, we post your Custom App to iTunes within weeks. No payment required until we get you live!

Comment from Aletta Ocean on 2010-01-28

2010-01-28T09:23:50Z

Thank you for the great tools

Comment from David on 2010-01-18

2010-01-18T20:26:23Z

Couldn't resist the shamless plug ;-)

We launched our innovative product a few months ago and look forward to supporting the hundreds of folks that have already begun experimenting with our online App Builder. Our service is similar to the others, but differs in many ways. Everyone has their own twist.

Thanks for taking the time to compile this list, I look forward to watching this space grow-and-grow.

@JayScott: Drilldown navigation.. yes.. have a look at buzztouch, I think you'll be satisfied with the navigational structure.

David
Developer
buzztouch.com

Comment from JayScott on 2010-01-11

2010-01-12T02:59:23Z

It seems to me that the majority of the websites create apps that are news related or geared toward showing blogs and videos. Are there any that create menu based information sites? Something similar to a website with a drill down navigational system. Anyone have any thoughts?

Comment from Eileen B on 2010-01-07

2010-01-08T04:42:17Z

Another great company for app building is BigForge/ LocalBeacon (http://www.bigforge.com/).

LocalBeacon helps you publish your content with your own branded experience on the iPhone. Your content runs in a native iPhone application that has full access to all of the features of the iPhone, including adding contacts and GPS. You enter your content here on our site, and it gets published dynamically to your users. NO PROGRAMMING REQUIRED AND NO WAITING FOR APPLE APPROVAL, BE LIVE IN ABOUT 20 MINTUES!

With the full integration with Twitter, Facebook, and mapping technology, your users can be in touch with each other as well. You can specify twitter search terms to track what other people are saying. Users can publish their geographic location, and find other users near them, including their friends. By letting your users interact with their networks and your content, you provide a richer experience that keeps users on your application!

Free for the first 30 days or 100 users, after that it's as cheap as $20/month.

http://www.bigforge.com/localbeacon/

Comment from iphone developer on 2010-01-01

2010-01-02T03:41:08Z

Awesome article. This will definitely help a bunch of people who have app ideas but have no idea where to start. Also check out http://www.phonefreelancer.com -- its a website that connects entrepreneurs with iphone developers, for free!

Comment from allen on 2009-12-18

2009-12-19T01:30:05Z

are these monthly fees really forever? even if you decide to stop the app?
$29/monthly---for myappbuilder.com --they don't have any contact info on the site? are they legit?

Comment from iPhone Apps News on 2009-12-08

2009-12-08T15:14:02Z

There is a new version of the 2Do iPhone App form Guided Ways. This one is pretty awesome!

Cheers,
Michael

Comment from Zvika on 2009-12-02

2009-12-02T17:18:25Z

Fresh for November, these numbers are straight from iTunes:

Number of App per company
Company Total App (No 09)
MobileAppLoader 347
Mobile Roadie 124
MyAppBuilder 93
Sweb Apps 45
PointAbout 11

Comment from Catalin on 2009-11-27

2009-11-27T12:47:45Z

Hello:

I am also interested in what's new in this field as my team already released a professional broadcaster for live streaming from the iPhone. I was wondering if we can integrate it with other applications. Here is what we do: http://www.thehdstandard.com/live-streams-from-the-iphone/

_______________________________________

Catalin
Streaming Consultant
www.eyepartner.com/presentation

Comment from Joel Comm on 2009-11-18

2009-11-19T01:40:44Z

How about Mobile Syndication Solutions?

http://MobileSyndicationSolutions.com

Comment from Yosef on 2009-11-18

2009-11-18T11:16:16Z

This is awesome, can you do a round up of this concept for Facebook apps?

Comment from BarringtonArch on 2009-11-17

2009-11-17T23:31:20Z

fantastic article!

Comment from Bursa Haber on 2009-11-10

2009-11-10T23:28:36Z

Appanda is a web interface system that lets you build apps through RSS, links and manual uploads. Its still in beta, but its pretty promising: www.appanda.com

Comment from UNITYMobile on 2009-11-06

2009-11-06T16:19:04Z

There is http://www.unitymobile.com to build your own i-Phone app in a wysiwyg interface. UNITYMobile also natively builds apps for WinMob, BlackBerry, Andriod, and Nokia at the same time. UNITYMobile is a one stop shop for platform agnostic mobile application builds.

Comment from Zvika on 2009-11-05

2009-11-06T06:06:45Z

I suggest to search on iTunes to verify how many Apps approved does each company have. Just search for their name on the iTunes App Store. Fore example SwebApp at the top of this article had only 1 App Approved in October! For the same Period MobileAppLoader got 30 Apps approved. Crossing the 300 mark of approved iPhone Apps.

Comment from Clayton on 2009-11-05

2009-11-06T03:53:33Z

Don't forget www.appmii.com - free resources at www.appmiibook.com - limited time it is free to create and design your app, just a small publishing fee and small monthly hosting charges apply.

Comment from Cody on 2009-11-05

2009-11-06T00:34:55Z

Here's some more info on Appanda:

What is Appanda?

Appanda is a platform that your businesses can use to get your presence into the app store or android market place.

Appanda is easy to use, inexpensive, easy to maintain, and fast. Right now, you can post the following materials into your app on separate tabs:

* News feed
* blog feed
* images feed
* video feed
* podcast feed
* contact us page

IMPORTANTLY: You control the content in your app! Via the different 'feeds', you can update images, blogs, videos, etc., just by updating your own website. In other words, your app is updated as fast as your website, without any need to resubmit your app to the app stores.

Comment from Adam on 2009-11-05

2009-11-05T16:06:37Z

Great to see this space expand since we released Rhodes 0.1 last December. FWIW we launched the production release of RhoHub (http://rhohub.com) Tuesday and already have over two thousand developers signed up. RhoHub is (as far as we know) the first development as a service for mobile. Write your native smartphone apps online, build for all smartphones, and we host your runtime sync server.

Comment from David Jaffe on 2009-11-04

2009-11-05T07:07:33Z

Well you should download some apps from Resolute Games, their apps are top notch, best bang for the buck I tell you that. Try Thumstruck or appanda, and look out for their blockbuster smash Plummet coming soon, Resolute Games is awesome!!!

Comment from Daniel on 2009-11-04

2009-11-05T02:28:43Z

Great list of iphone platforms, weren't aware there were so many. Surprised you didn't mention Appswell Appswell isn't a development platform, but a crowdsourced community for iPhone apps. You suggest your idea for an iphone app, and the community can view all ideas, comment, and vote on a winner. The company builds the winning ideas every month, winners get $1000 and a share of the profits. They've got an iphone app and a website.

Comment from Richard Jordan on 2009-11-04

2009-11-05T00:15:29Z

Well... AppWhirl is about to be in this space too, no one to miss...

Comment from Rob on 2009-11-04

2009-11-04T22:59:51Z

Interesting list - you've saved me quite some time googling mobile app development providers. I'll be looking at each of these, as well as some of those recommended in comments

Comment from James Sun on 2009-11-04

2009-11-04T16:13:37Z

AppMakr creates native mobile apps on iPhone and Android...

Comment from Robin on 2009-11-04

2009-11-04T15:44:33Z

You forgot to mention eyemags.com which allows users to create iPhone apps for free (currently) which once created also run as apps on all other phones.

The apps created are HTML5 installed webapps. Once installed they have an icon and run full screen just like a native app - the big advantage is that they get created in seconds and are live in seconds without the need to get them published on iTunes Appstore.

Comment from Tonio Loewald on 2009-11-04

2009-11-04T15:09:21Z

You might also want to mention:

SiO2
Unity iPhone
Shiva

and should at least point out that XCode is free and a dev license costs $99/year.

Comment from Rayyan on 2009-11-04

2009-11-04T14:02:16Z

Airplay SDK from Ideaworks Labs http://www.ideaworkslabs.com/products/index.html is a good development tools covering most of the mobile OS including Apple iPhone. (@rayyans)

Comment from Jesper on 2009-11-03

2009-11-04T06:58:50Z

Seriously, you forgot about Unity3d?!

Comment from Ray on 2009-11-03

2009-11-04T06:56:13Z

One of the best cross platform & Web development apps that is adding iPhone support to its toolkit is Runtime Revolution http://www.runrev.com. It is a descendant of HyperCard etc. and does require some scripting to make it dance and sing, but the basic stuff can be done without scripting. Whenever I need a sophisticated app just for me or a few others, that is my first choice. Some serious developers use it for professional apps too. I started using it years ago as a prototyping tool, but often times when writing custom stuff, the clients were so delighted with the prototype, that there was no need to write the final app! Great toolkit for serious amateurs and professionals.

Comment from MG on 2009-11-03

2009-11-04T04:26:38Z

Forgot Appboy (www.appboy.com) too! Its a social network for app developers and users!! lets you add any app like youtube to the site, share, vote, comment, and add ideas to get voted on for development by the community. Very cool site in beta.

Comment from Matt on 2009-11-03

2009-11-04T02:28:13Z

Appanda is a web interface system that lets you build apps through RSS, links and manual uploads. Its still in beta, but its pretty promising: www.appanda.com

Comment from Jeff on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T23:56:26Z

Appcelerator Titanium FTW

Comment from dj adelaide on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T23:44:38Z

wow, this is great, i've been wanting to make an iphone app but thought it was too complicated!

Comment from Josh Larson on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T23:22:31Z

Don't forget TapLynx! www.taplynx.com

Comment from Steve on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T23:04:36Z

Not sure why Titanium from Appcelerator wasn't mentioned. Has native UI, facebook/social, extensible architecture, none of which is available through the others... www.appcelerator.com.

Comment from Darren on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T22:15:45Z

add my voice to http://www.appcelerator.com/ best html based framework I have used. phonegap has nothing on it.

also adobe flash cs5 is worth a footnote

Comment from Bill Broadbent on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T21:16:02Z

There is a mobile commerce system that can be used to make iPhone apps called Mobile Store Maker.

Read about it here:
http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=32367

The mobile commerce site built can be made in to a native app. Multiple platforms, just iPhone.

Comment from Patty on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T19:53:37Z

These aren't "tools"... these are just companies that charge a FORTUNE to write an app for you.

Most even charge you a monthly fee FOREVER, even after your app is done.

No thanks.

Comment from Chat Clussman on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T19:15:17Z

It's not out yet but probably deserves mentioning: Flash CS5. It will export native iPhone apps. There are apps already for sale that were developed with it:

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashcs5/appsfor_iphone/

Comment from Free iPhone 3GS on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T18:20:57Z

Incredibly useful article, thanks a lot.

I had no idea how to create apps for iPhone before now, but this concise list gives me everything I need, thanks :D

Comment from Antonio Carlos Silveira on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T17:42:43Z

I think you missed very interesting Framework called Titanium from Appcelerator http://www.codestrong.com/cs/

It's a very compelling framework to create powerful apps using just CSS, Javascript and HTML.

Comment from mindelusions.com on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T17:09:21Z

Nice list, I hadn't heard of 2 of these, though I do have to give a bump for Titanium Developer over at AppCelerator.

http://www.appcelerator.com/products/titanium-mobile/

Its cross-platform and requires basic html and javascript knowledge only. My mobile development tool of choice thus far.

Comment from Chris Kubica on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T16:55:37Z

Hi,

What about AppCelerator?

http://www.appcelerator.com/

Chris Kubica
www.applicationarch.com

Comment from Sarah Perez on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T16:43:54Z

@carlodemarchis: I guess it should be - I knew I'd leave someone off :( But that looks like a nice addition.

Comment from Ouriel on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T16:34:23Z

Sarah

i'd suggest one of the best kits to design an iPhone app is http://mockapp.com not really an app builder but an important step for prototyping and designing before production

Comment from carlodemarchis on 2009-11-03

2009-11-03T16:16:01Z

TapLynx is not in the list?