Explore / Build the product / Internal tools
Internal tools · checked 11 November 2026
Lovable for a non-technical founder, Replit for a real backend in one place, Glide to turn a Google Sheet into an app, Supabase as the database.
Match the tool to who will maintain it, and clean the sheet first: one table per entity and consistent columns. Expect $20 to $200 a month in AI tooling plus a few dollars of hosting, and turn on row-level security for every Supabase table, since one scan found 170 of 1,645 Lovable apps leaking data. Around month three new features start breaking old ones, which is the signal to bring in a developer.
The picksPrices as each maker's page states them
-
1
Lovable
Non-technical founders shipping a full app
Free; Pro from $25 a month for 100 credits ($21 a month billed yearly); Business from $50 a month ($42 billed yearly); Enterprise on request; prices in USD Read from docs.lovable.dev on 10 November 2026 Free plan with 5 build credits a day (up to 30 a month) and 20 Cloud credits a month -
2
Replit
The AI plus a real backend, hosting and monitoring
Core $20 a month ($18 billed yearly); Pro $100 a month ($90 billed yearly); Enterprise custom Read from replit.com on 10 November 2026 -
3
Glide
Turning a Google Sheet into a working app
Free $0; Basic $25 a month; Plus $50 a month; Pro $125 a month; Enterprise custom Read from glideapps.com on 10 November 2026 Free plan with limited credits -
4
Softr
Interface and database built together from a prompt
Free; Basic $19 a month; Pro $99 a month; higher plans on the page Read from softr.io on 10 November 2026 Free plan with 5 AI credits a month -
5
Supabase
The database under an AI-built tool
Free $0; Pro from $25 a month (first project included, more from $10 a month); Team from $599 a month; Enterprise custom Read from supabase.com on 10 November 2026 Free plan for up to 2 active projects; free projects pause after a week of inactivity
Every question on it 8 answers
- Which AI app builder should I use for internal tools: Lovable, Bolt, Replit, v0, Retool, or Glide? How Founders Use AI
- Why use AI to build databases and internal dashboards instead of buying SaaS? How Founders Use AI
- How do founders build CRMs, trackers, and admin panels with AI tools? How Founders Use AI
- What's the fastest path from spreadsheet chaos to a working internal tool? How Founders Use AI
- What database should sit under my AI-built internal tool: Supabase, Airtable, Postgres, or a spreadsheet? How Founders Use AI
- How do I keep customer data safe in an AI-built internal tool? How Founders Use AI
- When does an AI-built internal tool break down, and when should I bring in a professional developer? How Founders Use AI
- What does building and running internal tools with AI actually cost compared to SaaS subscriptions? How Founders Use AI
The readingMost used across these answers
- The Economics of AI Usage and What's Next For SaaS | Benedict Evans Watch · 27 answers
- The 9 best internal tool builders Read · 2 answers
- How I Burned Months Building a Salesforce Replacement with Claude Read
- Considering an AI-Built CRM instead of Salesforce? Read this first Read
- Vibe Coding Security Risks: Why 53% of AI Code Has Security Holes Read
- Vibe Coding Technical Debt: The 90-Day Reckoning Read
- leo: 'vibe coding is easy: prompt, launch, get hacked' Read
- Build vs. buy in the age of AI, and why Enterprise SaaS still has its moat Read
- The Rise of the Self-Driving Company Read
- The Build vs. Buy Shift: AI, Shadow IT, and the SaaS Replacement Era Read
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