Software Alternatives & Startups

Framer VS Modaal.dev

Compare Framer VS Modaal.dev and see what are their differences

Framer logo Framer

🔥 Design real websites right on the canvas.

Modaal.dev logo Modaal.dev

Modaal turns your idea into production-ready native iOS and Android apps. Real Swift and Kotlin you own, built by your own AI agent, with a senior architect built into the workflow, so the code still holds up long after the demo.
  • Framer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-24
  • Modaal.dev iOS and Android
    iOS and Android //
    2026-08-30
  • Modaal.dev Bring Your Own Agent
    Bring Your Own Agent //
    2026-08-30
  • Modaal.dev Spec driven approach
    Spec driven approach //
    2026-08-30

Modaal is a macOS app for building production-ready native mobile apps with AI. You describe what you want to build, Modaal plans the architecture, and your AI coding agent writes real Swift and SwiftUI for iOS and real Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for Android. It is code you own, can export at any time, and can ship to the App Store and Google Play.

Most AI app builders produce web wrappers, React Native shells, or throwaway prototypes that fall apart the moment a real feature lands. Modaal works the other way around: a senior architect is built into the workflow. A PRD-driven flow turns your idea into a structured spec before a single file is generated, so the codebase stays clean, testable, and maintainable as it grows.

Modaal Duet, our cross-platform framework, keeps iOS and Android in lockstep. Business logic and feature state are shared and pure, while each platform renders its own fully native, HIG-compliant interface. Parity is enforced automatically: fixtures are replayed on both platforms and the build fails on any mismatch, so what works on iOS works identically on Android. One production app added Android without changing a single logic file.

Bring your own AI. Modaal supports 13 build agents including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and Cline, so there are no per-token markups and no credit meters.

Free forever: one active project, unlimited prompts, one platform of your choice, native builds for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and full code export, with no credit card required. Pro at EUR 9 per user/month billed annually adds unlimited projects, iOS and Android together, TestFlight and App Store distribution, Git collaboration and priority support.

Modaal is used by indie developers, startup founders, agencies and product teams who need shipped apps, not demos.

Framer

Website
framer.com
Pricing URL
-
$ Details
Release Date
2013 January
Startup details
Country
The Netherlands
City
Amsterdam
Founder(s)
Jorn van Dijk
Employees
50 - 99

Modaal.dev

Website
modaal.dev
$ Details
freemium
Release Date
2026 February
Startup details
Country
The Netherlands

Framer features and specs

  • Interactive Prototyping
    Framer allows the creation of highly interactive and realistic prototypes, which can closely mimic the final product. This aids in user testing and feedback.
  • Code-based Design
    Framer combines design tools with production-level code, enabling designers to create custom animations and interactions using JavaScript and React.
  • Real-time Collaboration
    Teams can collaborate in real-time, making it easier to share ideas, review progress, and make adjustments on the fly.
  • Rich Component Library
    Framer comes with a comprehensive library of pre-built components, speeding up the design process and ensuring consistency across projects.
  • Responsive Design
    Framer supports responsive design, allowing prototypes to adjust seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices.
  • Third-party Integrations
    It offers integration with tools like Figma, Sketch, and Photoshop, enabling a smooth workflow for designers who use multiple tools.
  • Animation Capabilities
    Framer excels at creating complex animations and transitions, which can enhance the user experience and make the designs more engaging.
  • Flexible Workflows
    It accommodates various workflows, from designing static UIs to building fully interactive prototypes, making it versatile for different project needs.

Possible disadvantages of Framer

  • Learning Curve
    Framer's advanced features, including its code-based design, can be daunting for beginners or designers who are not familiar with coding.
  • Cost
    Framer can be expensive, and its subscription model may not be affordable for all individual designers or small teams.
  • Performance
    Complex prototypes with numerous interactions and animations can sometimes slow down the performance, especially on less powerful machines.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Framer's reliance on an internet connection for real-time collaboration and cloud-based features can be a drawback in environments with limited internet access.
  • Over-reliance on Components
    While the component library is extensive, over-relying on pre-built components can sometimes stifle creativity and result in less unique designs.
  • Steep Pricing for Advanced Features
    Some of the advanced features and integrations are only available in higher-priced plans, which may limit access for users on basic plans.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There can be occasional compatibility issues with other design tools or software updates, which might disrupt the workflow.
  • Resource-Intensive
    Running Framer, especially with complex projects, can be resource-intensive and may require high-performance hardware to function smoothly.

Modaal.dev features and specs

  • Native iOS Development
    Modaal focuses on building production-grade native iOS apps, which means apps built with it can leverage the full power and performance of iOS native frameworks, resulting in smooth and responsive user experiences.
  • Production-Grade Quality
    The tool is specifically marketed as production-grade, suggesting it is designed with reliability, stability, and real-world deployment in mind, making it suitable for commercial and enterprise applications.
  • Streamlined App Development
    Modaal aims to simplify the iOS app development process, potentially reducing boilerplate code and complexity that typically comes with native iOS development, allowing developers to ship faster.
  • Native Performance
    Since Modaal targets native iOS, apps benefit from optimal performance without the overhead associated with cross-platform frameworks or web-based wrappers, providing a better end-user experience.
  • Modern Development Approach
    Modaal appears to offer a modern approach to iOS development, potentially incorporating contemporary design patterns and workflows that align with current best practices in the Apple ecosystem.

Analysis of Modaal.dev

Overall verdict

  • Modaal appears to be a solid choice for developers and teams looking to build production-grade native iOS applications, offering a focused toolset aimed at delivering polished, App Store-ready results.

Why this product is good

  • Focused on production-grade quality rather than just prototyping or demos
  • Built specifically for native iOS, ensuring better performance and platform integration
  • Aims to streamline the development workflow for shipping real apps
  • Native approach typically yields better UI/UX consistency with Apple's design standards

Recommended for

  • iOS developers who need to ship real, App Store-ready applications
  • Startups and teams wanting to build polished native experiences quickly
  • Product builders prioritizing native performance over cross-platform compromises
  • Developers seeking a structured workflow for professional iOS app development

Framer videos

Introducing Framer Playground

More videos:

  • Review - UI Interactions in Framer Playground
  • Tutorial - Framer Playground Tutorial

Modaal.dev videos

No Modaal.dev videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Framer and Modaal.dev)
Website Builder
100 100%
0% 0
AI
0 0%
100% 100
Design Tools
98 98%
2% 2
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Framer and Modaal.dev.

What makes your product unique?

Modaal.dev's answer:

Modaal is the only AI app builder that plans the architecture before it writes a line of code. You start with a PRD-driven flow that turns your idea into a structured spec, and only then does your AI agent generate real Swift and SwiftUI — code you own and can export at any time. Most AI builders optimise for a fast first screen, which is why their output collapses once a real feature lands. Modaal optimises for the tenth feature. The second unique piece is Modaal Duet, our cross-platform framework: iOS and Android share pure business logic and feature state, but each renders its own fully native, HIG-compliant UI. Parity isn't a promise — fixtures are replayed on both platforms and the build fails on any mismatch. One production app added a full Android version without changing a single logic file.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Modaal.dev's answer:

Three reasons.

You get real native code. Lovable, Bolt and v0 are web. Replit gives you React Native. Bitrig and Superapp are Apple-only. Modaal produces genuine Swift + SwiftUI and genuine Kotlin + Jetpack Compose, in a repo you own and can walk away with.

You bring your own AI. Modaal works with 13 build agents — Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, Cline and more — so there's no per-token markup and no credit meter sitting between you and your work. Competitors resell you tokens at a margin; we don't touch that layer.

The free tier is actually usable. One active project, unlimited prompts, native builds for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, full code export, no credit card. Compare that to Bitrig's free plan, which caps at 10 requests and 15 credits a day. Pro is €9 per user/month billed annually.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Modaal.dev's answer:

Three groups, all of whom have shipped something before or intend to.

Indie developers and solo builders who know what a good iOS app feels like and are tired of AI tools that produce a demo they then have to rewrite.

Startup founders — technical and semi-technical — who need a real App Store product rather than a prototype, and who can't yet justify hiring two mobile engineers. Many come to us through accelerators; we run partnerships with Entrepreneur First and the Hult Prize Fund.

Small product teams and agencies who need iOS and Android in parallel without maintaining two divergent codebases or accepting a React Native compromise.

The common thread is people who intend to publish and maintain the app, not people exploring an idea for an afternoon.

What's the story behind your product?

Modaal.dev's answer:

Modaal came out of a specific frustration. Our team has spent 15+ years building native iOS at Booking, Uber and Meta, and previously ran an app studio that shipped 40+ apps with 6M+ downloads and an Apple App of the Year. When AI coding agents arrived, they were obviously powerful — and obviously producing code no senior mobile engineer would merge. The agent had no architecture, no memory of the decisions it made three files ago, and no concept of what makes a codebase survive contact with feature number ten.

The insight was that the missing piece wasn't a better model. It was the architect. So we built the layer that a senior engineer supplies: a spec-first workflow, an enforced structure, and a contract that keeps generated code coherent as the app grows. Agents write the code; Modaal makes it right.

We're a bootstrapped Dutch company, building in public with our own community of builders.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Modaal.dev's answer:

Modaal is a native macOS application. Generated iOS apps are Swift and SwiftUI; generated Android apps are Kotlin and Jetpack Compose — no cross-platform UI layer, no web view, no React Native. Modaal Duet, our parity framework, models shared feature state as pure typed reducers with effects expressed as data, and enforces cross-platform equivalence by replaying fixtures on both platforms at byte equality. Code generation runs through whichever AI coding agent you connect (13 supported, including Claude, Codex, Cursor and Gemini CLI). Distribution goes out through Xcode toolchains, TestFlight and the App Store, with Git for version control and collaboration.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Framer and Modaal.dev

Framer Reviews

10 Best Figma Alternatives in 2024
Framer is known as the best Figma alternative for layout and design options available. Use the stop points in Framer to make sure your website functions properly on all devices. You can alter navigation bars, logos, widgets, and other components to make a website that meets with the client’s needs.
Top 10 Figma Alternatives for Your Design Needs | ClickUp
Use Framer’s breakpoints to ensure your website works seamlessly on any device. Extensive no-code positioning options allow you to customize navigation bars, badges, sidebars, and other elements to create a website that aligns with client requirements.
Source: clickup.com
9 Best InVision Alternatives to Switch to in 2024
Framer is known for having a steep learning curve. Due to its feature-rich interface, it takes fundamental design knowledge to master the platform. However, prototypes created with Framer are almost similar to the finished product.
Source: designmodo.com
Top No Code Website Builders in 2023
Framer is a comprehensive website design platform that believes in encouraging everyone to build beautiful, fast websites. It is more than simply a tool. Framer began as a basic JavaScript library but over time expanded and changed to become a platform that helps you at every step of your web design journey.
10 Best Website Builders for Companies in 2023
Top companies using Framer are not publicly available as the platform is used primarily by individual designers and design teams rather than large organizations. Framer is, however, used by design teams at tech giants like Google, Uber, Facebook, and Dropbox.

Modaal.dev Reviews

We have no reviews of Modaal.dev yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Framer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Framer mentions (19)

  • The Best 100 Free UI/UX Resources for Every Designer & Developer
    Framer Framer.com Prototyping tool with free tier for small projects. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • If you need a E-Commerce solution here's my lay of the land
    Another thing to think about is taking advantage of a free Stripe account, and creating products, with a free payment links to start accepting payments for products without a website. You could build a free website with framer.com quickly and just not pay for a domain. There are a million site builders but framer is one of the best. Source: over 2 years ago
  • any idea why images in Framer are loading like this? seems like something is corrupted?
    Is this only on framer.com? If you load https://app.framerstatic.com/tinyTourCardDark-TORTZ2D4.png on its own what do you see? Source: almost 3 years ago
  • How can i make a website like this fast ? can any one help ??
    See Framer (hosting from $10/mo) I find it one of the best website builders out there atm. If you have some skill you can quickly put together a great website there yourself, if not: https://kristinevilnite.com/. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • website to commemorate my dead friend
    I preach Framer too, it is a great website builder however it doesn't provide a way for site visitors to add their own content or create new entries. You most likely will need to find a web developer that can build you a custom website. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

Modaal.dev mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Modaal.dev yet. Tracking of Modaal.dev recommendations started around Jan 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Framer and Modaal.dev, you can also consider the following products

Webflow - Build dynamic, responsive websites in your browser. Launch with a click. Or export your squeaky-clean code to host wherever you'd like. Discover the professional website builder made for designers.

Lovable - The world's first AI Fullstack Engineer

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

BASE44 - The platform for people to turn ideas into working products.

Invision - Prototyping and collaboration for design teams

bolt.new - Prompt, run, edit, and deploy full-stack web apps