Compare youtube apps
AppBuild.diy compared with 6 providers and the option to vibe code your own app: prices, fees, contracts and whether you get your own branded app.
Best for: youtubers businesses that want their own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans.
Your business. Your own app.
A look inside AppBuild: branded app starter, live radio example, podcast player example, push notification example.
See youtubers apps
Providers in this comparison
YouTube channel membershipsPlatform's built-in memberships
Works alongside AppBuild
PatreonCreator membership marketplace
UscreenVideo membership / OTT platform
KajabiCourses, memberships, community
Passion.ioBranded app builder for creators
FourthwallCreator shop + memberships (sells on YouTube)
- Vibe coding
Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools
Price and features at a glance
| Provider | Type | Starting price (as published) | Your own branded app | Order / booking fees | Contract / trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AppBuild.diy | Branded app builder for local businesses | Free (up to 10 users); $49/month or $299/year; $99/month or $499/year | Yes — App Store, Google Play and web | 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans; Stripe card fees apply | No contract; free plan |
| Vibe coding | Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. | Bespoke branding and features; store packaging and submission require additional setup | Depends on your chosen payment provider and services; processing fees still apply | Depends on the tools and services you choose; free tiers may have limits |
| YouTube channel membershipsWorks alongside AppBuild | Platform's built-in memberships | Free (eligibility required) | Shared (viewers use YouTube) | "Creators get 70% of membership revenue after applicable taxes and fees are deducted"; YouTube covers transaction costs | Not applicable |
| Patreon | Creator membership marketplace | Free to start; 10% platform fee for pages published after 4 Aug 2025 | Shared (Patreon app) | 10% platform fee plus processing (2.9% + $0.30 on card payments over $3, US), conversion and payout fees | No subscription |
| Uscreen | Video membership / OTT platform | Starter $49/mo (100 subscriber limit); Growth $149/mo; App Essentials $449/mo; Custom via sales | Add-on: 2 mobile apps (iOS + Android) from App Essentials $449/mo; TV apps and white-labeling on Custom | Starter 10% on one-time sales, $0 subscriber fee; Growth 5% plus $1.99 per subscriber; App Essentials $0.99 per subscriber | Free trial on Starter/Growth; App Essentials via demo; up to 20% off annual |
| Kajabi | Courses, memberships, community | Basic $179/mo monthly or $143/mo annual | Yes: Kajabi Customer App "Included ($199/mo value)" | Kajabi Payments 2.7% to 2.9% + $0.30, or 0.5% to 2% Kajabi fee with third-party processors | 14-day trial |
| Passion.io | Branded app builder for creators | Launch $119/mo billed yearly | Yes from Scale ($279/mo billed yearly); App Store listing on Expand ($599/mo billed yearly) | PassionPayment 3.9% (Launch) to 1.9% (Passion Plus), plus Apple/Google/Stripe fees | Trial not stated |
| Fourthwall | Creator shop + memberships (sells on YouTube) | Free $0/mo; Pro $15/mo or $180/yr | Branded mobile app listed for memberships, price not listed | Memberships 5% flat; processing 2.9% + $0.30 (US cards) | Not stated |
How AppBuild differs
- vs YouTube channel memberships: YouTube keeps 30% of membership revenue; AppBuild embeds the creator's YouTube videos and live streams in their own app and takes zero commission on subscriptions.
- vs Patreon: Patreon takes 10% of earnings for new creators; AppBuild takes zero commission and gives the creator their own app listing.
- vs Uscreen: Uscreen's mobile apps start at $449/mo plus $0.99 per subscriber; AppBuild's iOS/Android/PWA app is on plans from free, Pro $49/mo, with no per-subscriber fees.
- vs Kajabi: Kajabi starts at $179/mo billed monthly plus transaction fees; AppBuild Pro is $49/mo with zero commission.
- vs Passion.io: Passion.io's own-branding tier is $279/mo billed yearly plus payment fees; AppBuild Unlimited is $499/yr.
- vs Fourthwall: Fourthwall takes 5% on memberships; AppBuild takes zero commission on memberships.
Where AppBuild is strong
- Your own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with every feature for up to 10 users.
- Pulls in your existing YouTube, Twitch, podcast or radio stream rather than replacing it.
- No revenue share taken by AppBuild.
Where others may suit you better
- Not a video hosting or course platform.
- Smaller community and discussion features than dedicated creator platforms.
Key features by provider
| Provider | Market | Key features | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube channel memberships | UK + US (100+ countries) | Member tiers, badges, perks, members-only content | support.google.com |
| Patreon | UK + US (global) | Memberships, one-time payments, community | patreon.com, support.patreon.com |
| Uscreen | UK + US (global) | Video hosting, live streaming hours, memberships, custom domain | uscreen.tv |
| Kajabi | UK + US (global) | Courses, memberships, community, branded app | kajabi.com |
| Passion.io | UK + US (global) | Branded app, courses, AI messages | passion.io |
| Fourthwall | UK + US (global) | Merch, memberships, digital products, YouTube shopping | fourthwall.com |
| Vibe coding | Depends on your chosen tools | Full design freedom. Ordering, bookings, loyalty, permissions and integrations must be built, tested and maintained. Native push, certificates and store submissions need additional technical work or a service such as AppBuild. | lovable.dev, claude.com, base44.com |
Gaps in published data: Uscreen Custom tier not published (demo/quote); Uscreen trial length not stated. Passion.io monthly-billing prices not shown. Fourthwall branded app price not listed.
Build from scratch with AI, or start with AppBuild?
Lovable, Claude, Base44 and similar tools are a genuine alternative in any industry. A bespoke build gives you more control over the design and business logic. AppBuild offers a shorter route to launch for supported business needs, with ready-made capabilities you can add without building each one yourself.
| Consideration | AppBuild.diy | Vibe coding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | Start with ready-made pages and features; configure your content and services. Store review still takes time. | A prototype can be quick; production testing, payments, permissions and store preparation add work. |
| Costs | Published plan price, plus applicable payment processing, store-account and third-party service costs. | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. |
| Flexibility & ease of use | Add supported capabilities such as loyalty, bookings and ordering through the builder; less freedom than a fully custom product. | Bespoke layouts and logic; each new capability needs implementation, testing and ongoing maintenance. |
| Push & app stores | AppBuild provides push and app infrastructure, subject to setup requirements and store approval. | Native push certificates, signing and store submissions are technical work, not automatically solved by generating a website. |
| Ongoing responsibility | Shared business-app framework and managed infrastructure; you manage your business content and settings. | You are responsible for security, data access, updates and the services behind your app. |
These approaches can work together: build your bespoke experience with AI, then use AppBuild to wrap your app and add supported native capabilities such as push notifications. Wrapping does not automatically add AppBuild’s business features to your custom app.
Tool pricing and allowances vary: Lovable pricing · Claude pricing · Base44 pricing. Check the services your project actually needs.
AppBuild pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 10 app users. Your own app on iPhone, Android and the web. |
| Business | $49/month or $299/year | Up to 1,000 app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
| Business Pro | $99/month or $499/year | Unlimited app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
Card processing fees are charged by Stripe on top of any plan and are not set by AppBuild. Full details on the pricing page.
More comparisons
Start freeLast checked 7 October 2026. Competitor prices come from their own public pages, linked below each table. Where a price isn't published we say so. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via support.