Dropsource is a web-based platform for developing truly native, data-driven mobile apps. It enables developers of all levels and types to visually build custom mobile apps, without writing any code.
Connect to any REST API, easily share prototypes, install on mobile devices, and get clean, editable Swift or Java code. Free to try, no CC required.
Dropsource is a great alternative to building mobile apps with code. No-code development is at least 4-5 times faster and less costly than traditional programming.
Pros:- intuitive, easy to learn visual editor
- lots of videos, articles and other learning resources
- great support
Cons:- no undo button :)
For my only con, if you switch it to universal then it just works. Easy enough to make your ios app universal. Just need to generate new images assets.
I have 1 app waiting for review that i made entirely with dropsource and added in extras like universal and access to the torch/light. It dropped my production time by 75% for the app portion. The api portion for my app easily integrated which helped a good bit. I have 4 other apps in the pipeline that i will be using with dropsource as well.
Support is top notch, even before i was a paying customer my questions were answered fairly quickly and changes were rolled out as fast as possible.
Cost for the premium apps is cheap for the features you get. I am not a mobile developer but i can hold my own with web development so dropsource was able to bridge that gap for me and get my apps developed quickly.
Pros:fast and easy prototyping. drag and drop is great. the sample apps are easy to walk through as well to get around the product
Cons:iOS isn't universal yet. I had to create image assets again for all the different phones and ipad sizes.
Excellent service for apps with external storage with an API and getting better every release. Already comes with several frameworks eg Firebase, but other can be added by exporting a project for Xcode which is really handy. With in-browser testing you don’t need a physical device to test. Absolutely recommend!
Pros:Connecting APIs is blazingly fast and easy, Swagger import, in-browser testing, great error checking, Swift export. Improving constantly.
Cons:Some slightly more complicated features missing - eg string manipulations, local storage.
for getting a prototype to client without excessive eye candy, GREAT solution, so many powerful features that I have yet to explore, Far exceeded my expectations and has helped me greatly in punting the ball down the field and picking up in xcode for completing..
Pros:fast, effecient
Cons:some of the steps are a bit convoluted, like adding static url to button event
This is an MVP generation tool. Utilize the platform to iterate quickly, refine your idea, and launch into marketplace for very little cost. For most apps, the features you need exist in the platform...if they aren't there I challenge to think if you absolutely need them to prove your concept. Once you get traction / validation you are in a much better position to make app development decisions...and the value of dropsource has been justified.
Pros:designers / developers can work together easily, iterate quickly, forces you to use swagger / document your API correctly
Cons:3rd party plugin support is growing but dropsource team has to add them, if you don't have an API already built it's tougher to use
We used Dropsource to build our native iOS PawBoost app when we did not have the resources available to contract out development or build it ourselves.
As the non-technical half of our team, I had no problem using their editor to build out the visual side of the app. You will need a developer to format your API to Swagger specifications and hook up some logic/events in the app. However, no knowledge of Swift is required.
The Dropsource platform has improved (and continues to improve) considerably since we first started using it more than a year ago. Would definitely recommend for those seeking a low cost way to validate their big idea.
Pros:No Swift no problem, all the features are there to build your native app once your API is properly formatted
Cons:More complex apps require longer build times and can therefore become difficult to iterate on
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