> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Archie vs. Base44: which AI app builder should you use?
> Archie vs. Base44 compared: planning, backend and database, portability, environments, pricing, and when to choose each AI app builder.
**Archie and Base44 both generate full-stack web apps — frontend, backend, database, and auth — from a plain-language description.** Base44, owned by Wix since 2025, is built for the fastest path to a working app on its managed platform. Archie is definition-first: it generates a plan of the whole app that you shape before any code is written, and it runs your backend on a standard relational database you can query, branch, and export.
Last reviewed September 2026, based on Base44's public documentation and pricing. Competitor products change often — if something here is out of date, tell us at [support@archie.com](mailto:support@archie.com).
## At a glance
| | Archie | Base44 |
| - | - | - |
| **Starting point** | A structured [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview) of the whole app | A prompt in chat |
| **Planning** | A lasting definition of the app that every build follows | A plan mode for mapping out a build |
| **Backend** | [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview) on PostgreSQL or MySQL | Base44's managed backend: data, functions, auth, hosting |
| **Querying your data** | Standard SQL in the [SQL Playground](/docs/features/backend/data-model/sql-playground), plus GraphQL and REST | Through Base44's platform and SDK |
| **Environments** | Git-like [environments](/docs/features/backend/environments/overview) with branching, schema diff, merge, and backups | Managed by the platform |
| **Code sync** | Two-way GitHub sync on paid plans | GitHub integration on Builder and above |
| **Credits** | One pool of AI credits | Two pools: message credits for building, integration credits for runtime actions |
| **Free plan** | 50 AI credits per month | 25 message credits and 100 integration credits |
| **Entry paid plan** | Pro from \$25/month for 200 AI credits | Starter from \$20/month (\$16/month billed annually) |
## How each one works
**Base44** generates a working web app from a prompt, with the database, backend logic, authentication, and hosting handled on its managed platform. Built-in integrations cover services like Stripe, Slack, SendGrid, and Twilio. Base44 also offers its backend as a service for developers building their own apps.
**Archie** starts with a [plan](/docs/features/plan/overview) — overview, modules, user types, system services, and integrations — that you edit until it's right. **Generate Frontend** lays out every screen in a [UI architecture](/docs/features/frontend/generating) and builds a click-through prototype, **Generate Backend** builds the schema and APIs on [Archie Core](/docs/features/backend/overview), and **Generate Full-Stack** turns the prototype into a deployed app. Like Base44, Archie Core is also available on its own as a backend for developers. See [How Archie works](/docs/introduction/getting-started/welcome#how-archie-works).
## Key differences
### Planning the whole app first
Base44's plan mode helps you map out a build before it starts. Archie's plan goes further: it's the lasting definition of the whole app, and every build reads from it — the sitemap of every screen, each screen's spec and access level, and the backend's data model and permissions. Change the plan, and the next build follows. See [The plan and how Archie works](/docs/faq/the-plan).
### A standard relational database
Archie Core runs on PostgreSQL or MySQL. You design the schema visually in the [data model](/docs/features/backend/data-model/overview), see it as a live [ERD](/docs/features/backend/data-model/erd), query it with plain SQL in the [SQL Playground](/docs/features/backend/data-model/sql-playground), shape it with [views](/docs/features/backend/data-model/views) and [indexes](/docs/features/backend/data-model/indexes), and [export](/docs/features/backend/data-model/exporting-data) any table to CSV. Every table gets auto-generated [GraphQL](/docs/features/backend/graphql-api-explorer/overview) and [REST](/docs/features/backend/rest-api-explorer/overview) APIs.
### Portability
With Archie, your code syncs two ways with GitHub on paid plans, and your data lives in a standard relational database. If you ever want to leave, you can export the code and the data and run them elsewhere. See [Does Archie lock me into its platform?](/docs/faq/security#does-archie-lock-me-into-its-platform)
### Environments
Archie Core backends support Git-like [environments](/docs/features/backend/environments/overview): branch a development or staging copy, compare schemas with [diff](/docs/features/backend/environments/diff), [merge](/docs/features/backend/environments/merge) changes forward, and restore from automatic [backups](/docs/features/backend/environments/backups). Multiple environments are available on Professional and Enterprise backends.
### Pricing model
Base44 uses two credit pools: message credits for building with the AI, and integration credits that your live app uses when it sends email, calls an API, or runs an AI feature. Paid plans run Starter, Builder, Pro, and Elite. Archie uses one pool of [AI credits](/docs/introduction/getting-started/plans-and-credits#ai-credits) for AI-assisted building; manual edits, deploying, and exporting code are free, and heavier tasks show their cost before they run.
## When to choose Base44
* You want the quickest path to a working internal tool or MVP with zero infrastructure setup.
* You're comfortable with your app's backend living on a managed platform.
* You already work in the Wix ecosystem.
## When to choose Archie
* You want the whole app defined — users, roles, modules, data — before code is written.
* You want your data in a standard PostgreSQL or MySQL database you can query with SQL and export.
* You need row-level permissions, webhooks, queues, and environments you can branch and merge.
* You want your code synced to your own GitHub repository.
## FAQ
### Is Archie a Base44 alternative?
Yes. Both generate full-stack web apps with a built-in backend. Archie adds a plan-first workflow, a relational database you can query and export, and Git-like environments.
### Can I export my data from Archie?
Yes. You can export any table to CSV, query your data directly with SQL, or read it through the auto-generated GraphQL and REST APIs. See [Can I export my data?](/docs/faq/security#can-i-export-my-data)
### Does Archie charge for my app's runtime actions?
Archie's AI credits are spent on AI-assisted building. Your app's backend runs on an Archie Core backend tier with included usage. See [Archie Core backends](/docs/introduction/getting-started/plans-and-credits#archie-core-backends).
### Which is better for internal tools?
Both can build internal tools. Archie is the stronger fit when the tool needs strict role-based permissions, row-level access rules, reporting views, or a database your team can query directly. See [Building with Archie](/docs/faq/building).
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