MIT App Inventor
Blocks, fixed mobile components, local storage, and installable apps; aesthetically still very much MIT App Inventor.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
- Platforms
- mobilewebthey host it
- Installation
- Use MIT's hosted web builder with the MIT AI2 Companion app, or build and operate the source on Google App Engine
- Operational Setup
- The hosted builder itself is clean, but live testing requires installing and pairing the Companion app; self-hosting is for experienced operators and needs a JDK, Ant, Google Cloud SDK, and a source build.
- Where Your Data Lives
- Projects created on MIT's public instance live in its hosted App Inventor service and can be exported as portable `.aia` ZIP archives containing screens, blocks, assets, and project metadata; compiled Android packages are downloaded separately. A self-hosted instance keeps the same project data in the operator's App Engine environment.
- The Catch / Trade-off
- MIT App Inventor covers block-based prototypes but offers much older-looking components, weaker responsive design, fewer production integrations, and less polished publishing than Thunkable.
Replaces 1 paid app
up to $59/mo ($708/yr) in subscriptions
MIT App Inventor FAQ
Common questions
Is MIT App Inventor free and open source?+
MIT App Inventor is an open-source tool licensed under Apache-2.0 that runs on local or hosted. Blocks, fixed mobile components, local storage, and installable apps; aesthetically still very much MIT App Inventor.
What paid software does MIT App Inventor replace?+
MIT App Inventor serves as a free replacement for 1 paid SaaS application: Thunkable, saving up to $59/month ($708/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up MIT App Inventor?+
Installation: Use MIT's hosted web builder with the MIT AI2 Companion app, or build and operate the source on Google App Engine. Setup notes: The hosted builder itself is clean, but live testing requires installing and pairing the Companion app; self-hosting is for experienced operators and needs a JDK, Ant, Google Cloud SDK, and a source build.
What is the catch or trade-off with MIT App Inventor?+
MIT App Inventor covers block-based prototypes but offers much older-looking components, weaker responsive design, fewer production integrations, and less polished publishing than Thunkable.