Looking for a Plobal Apps alternative?
Plobal Apps is a Shopify-focused app builder, built to enable Shopify store owners to convert their website into native apps.
In this article, we'll give a quick overview of how Plobal Apps works and its biggest pros and cons, before introducing five alternatives to consider, including our own platform, MobiLoud, which we believe is the ideal choice for serious businesses to convert web stores to professional eCommerce apps.
How Does Plobal Apps Work?
Plobal Apps is a visual, drag-and-drop app builder that allows Shopify owners to build an app for their site without coding.
The Plobal Apps builder features a series of blocks and widgets that allow you to compile the user interface of your app, and integrations with a range of Shopify apps and tools to give the app deeper functionality.
It uses APIs to connect your app to the backend of your Shopify store, importing and syncing product information across each platform.
You'll compile your app through the Plobal Apps platform, then publish it as a native app, which can be downloaded to your customers' home screens and submitted to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Plobal Apps Pricing
Plobal Apps has 3 pricing plans:
- Growth: $199/month
- Essential: $499/month
- Enterprise: $1,199/month + 1% of all in-app sales
The Growth plan is the basic plan with unlimited push notifications, new user welcome notifications, and abandoned cart campaigns. It also includes 4 standard integrations with features such as deep linking, user opt-in screen, multi-currency, and multi-language support.
The Essential plan is an upgrade offering advanced analytics, 7 standard integrations, and a shared success manager on top of some extra features.
If you need unlimited advanced integrations, 24/7 priority support, monthly app performance reviews, and Bi-weekly sales and retention planning session - you'll need to be on the Enterprise plan.
Plobal Apps Pros & Cons
Plobal Apps is well reviewed and has a good suite of integrations. However as a drag and drop, block-based app builder it has its limitations.
The key problem is that you won't be able to reuse the plugins, themes, and features of your web store. At best, you'll be able to approximate some of them through Plobal's pre-built integrations.
If you have a more complex and unique web store, you need a more advanced site-to-app converter like MobiLoud, which lets you completely reuse everything from your main site in the apps.
A common issue brought up in customer reviews is the lack of customization options, meaning the app you build may not feel 100% unique.
On the plus side, by all accounts, Plobal Apps is a smooth, easy-to-use platform, which makes it easy to build a clean and stable eCommerce app.
Here's a quick summary of the pros and cons of Plobal Apps:
Pros:
- Simple, easy to use, makes it easy to build an app without coding.
- Syncs well with your Shopify store.
Cons:
- Customization is limited.
- Very limited number of integrations on Growth and Essentials plans.
- Will be difficult to fully replicate your existing customer experience.
- Requires a lot of work from your team to build your apps, submit them to the app stores, and keep the apps up to date.
Check out a full breakdown of Plobal Apps and MobiLoud in this article.
Plobal Apps Alternatives
Looking for something a bit different? Or just comparing the options available to you? Here are the top five Plobal Apps alternatives to consider for building Shopify mobile apps.
#1: MobiLoud
MobiLoud is the platform behind thousands of top apps, including a number of high-revenue Shopify brands.
MobiLoud lets you convert your website into native eCommerce apps in just days, for a fraction of the cost of custom development.
It integrates with any CMS - not just Shopify, but also WooCommerce, PrestaShop, BigCommerce, and even custom-coded web apps.
MobiLoud is not just the best Plobal Apps alternative; it's the best way to build eCommerce apps, full stop.
Here are the biggest reasons why:
- No templates, blocks or APIs: don't limit yourself. App builders force you to squeeze into limiting templates, and to conform to what the Shopify API allows. With MobiLoud, the only limit is what you can do on your website. You can create a truly unique app, without coding.
- Keep everything that works on your site: with app builders like Plobal Apps, you'll never be able to fully recreate your website experience. You'll need to lose some features, and accept some loss in UX. MobiLoud lets you keep everything that already works for you.
- Almost zero ongoing work required: most app projects give you a whole new platform to manage going forward. This means more revenue, but more work and expense, making it tough to get a positive ROI. With MobiLoud, your site and apps are fully in-sync, and the MobiLoud team handles all the technical updates. You just continue to manage your website like normal.
- A full-service app partner: MobiLoud is not just an app builder, we're an app partner. Every MobiLoud user gets full, hands-on service. We do everything necessary to help you launch your app, and to make your app a success.
- Launch in days, for a minimal investment: the only other way to get a full-featured native eCommerce app without being limited by templates, is to custom-develop your app. This will take months, and likely a six figure investment, to build. MobiLoud gives you everything you need, for low four-figures, in less than a month.
MobiLoud Pricing
We have two standard pricing tiers:
- Startup - For fast launching and validation: $298/month, plus a one-time $1,500 setup fee
- Growth - Perfect for more established businesses: $553/month, plus a one-time $2,500 setup fee
We also have custom, corporate plan for more demanding projects. Read more about our pricing here.
MobiLoud vs Plobal Apps
The difference between MobiLoud and Plobal Apps is clear.
Compared to Plobal Apps, MobiLoud gives you practically unlimited flexibility. We allow you to reuse everything from your store without compromising for a limited range of pre-built integrations.
You also can't ignore the service aspect. App builders like Plobal Apps give you access to their platform, perhaps some tips to help you build your app, and leave it up to you to figure out from there.
MobiLoud, however, is a done-for-you service. We do everything for you, in terms of building your app, publishing it to the app stores, and keeping it up to date and bug-free after launch, meaning there's almost zero work to add to your day-to-day workflow.
We'll even provide custom development work to perfect your mobile UX, and maximize your app revenue.
No other Shopify mobile app builder gives the hands-on level of service you get with MobiLoud.
You may end up paying a little more for MobiLoud, but you get a lot more for your money. And with the potential revenue to be generated from your app, you don't want to skimp and end up with a sub-standard app.
Want to skip the rest and get your questions answered by one of our team? Book a free, personalized demo now!
Want to compare MobiLoud (and Plobal Apps) to more options on the market? Here are a few other Plobal Apps alternatives you'll see around the web.
#2: Apptile
Apptile is an app builder platform that employs "tiles" or blocks, allowing users to craft eCommerce apps for iOS and Android through a drag-and-drop interface.
Apptile receives generally positive reviews and offers a comprehensive suite of integrations and features. However, as a block-based editor, it's challenging to create anything beyond a basic, "cookie cutter" app that doesn't fully encapsulate the richness of your web store.
Apptile provides about 15 integrations for Shopify, covering some of the most popular ones. However, with Shopify hosting thousands of plugins and tools, you'll be unable to utilize the vast majority.
Apptile Pricing
Apptile provides three plans:
- Core - basic features - free with a 5% success fee
- Plus - enhanced features - $600/month
- Enterprise - premium features - $1200/month
The more costly plans remove success fees and add advanced benefits.
#3: Mowico
Mowico is another platform designed to help eCommerce brands build their own apps without any coding knowledge.
It works smoothly with Shopify and WooCommerce, and soon it will also support PrestaShop, BigCommerce, and Wix.
This platform provides easy integration with features like Smile, Langify, and Judge.me, and includes pre-set options like push notifications and AR shopping. However, it's essential to remember that Mowico also has its limitations.
While it can create a basic eCommerce app with your products and logo, it won't be able to fully replicate the advanced features, design, and plugins of your web store.
When they mention "integration" with Shopify, it means they can access some data from your store, but you'll still be constrained by their pre-built integrations, which won't give you anywhere near the flexibility on offer with the web or MobiLoud.
Mowico Pricing
Mowico has three plans for each eCommerce platform. For Shopify, they have:
- Startup - basic features - $79/month
- Growth - everything from Startup plus enhanced features - $399/month
- Enterprise - premium features, custom feature integrations, and tailor-made development - custom
The pricing may vary for each eCommerce platform but keep in mind that, the more costly the plan is, the greater benefits you get.
#4: Tapcart
Tapcart is a mobile app builder for Shopify, allowing businesses to develop their apps without requiring any coding knowledge. It is well-regarded among small and medium-sized eCommerce businesses.
Tapcart Pricing
Tapcart has three plans:
- Core - 15 blocks, basic features, and basic integrations - $200/month
- Ultimate - unlimited blocks, advanced features, and integrations - $400/month
- Enterprise - unlimited custom blocks, dedicated customer success manager, and premium integrations - $1K/month
The more costly the plan is, the better app features and benefits you get.
#5: Vajro
Vajro is a cost-effective app builder with a focus on Shopify, ideal for smaller eCommerce businesses.
Their platform relies on templates and drag-and-drop widgets to create branded apps integrated with Shopify using API. Yet, users will encounter restrictions in accurately recreating their web stores, even on higher-tier plans.
Vajro Pricing
Vajro has four plans:
- Starter - basic features and integrations - $99/month
- Core - advanced features and integrations - $249/month
- Premium - premium features and integrations - $499/month
- Plus - premium features, integrations, and priority support - $999/month
The more costly the plan is, the better app functionalities and benefits you get.
Are Shopify App Builders the Right Option?
Plobal Apps, as well as many of its most popular alternatives, share a common flow.
By simplifying how you compile and build an app, they're forcing you into a straightjacket. There's a set limit to what you can do, based on the blocks, templates, widgets and integrations the platform provides.
This presents problems. First, you won't be able to create a cohesive brand experience across each platform. The user experience for people shopping on your app vs shopping on your mobile website will be different.
If your website relies on custom-built features or lesser-known apps/plugins, you'll likely have to sacrifice these in your app as well.
And at the end of the day, you'll be left with a cookie-cutter app, that's not unique in any way.
Compared to custom development (which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the ongoing cost of maintenance), app builders are still a better option. But if you want to build an app that really reflects well on your brand and makes your customers happy, you need something more.
“The hybrid solutions on top of Shopify are just too limited. The Shopify API only enables certain things and all the major providers of hybrid apps for Shopify had limitations that the Shopify API would not let them get around.”
- David Cost, Rainbow Shops
Read more: Why Building an App With MobiLoud Was a “No-Brainer” For Rainbow Shops
Why MobiLoud is the Best Plobal Apps Alternative
Although we're biased of course, we believe MobiLoud is not only the best Plobal Apps alternative but a superior alternative to every eCommerce mobile app builder on the market.
Here are the key reasons why.
Reuse everything from your site
Assuming your site is responsive and optimized for mobile, everything that works on your site will work in your app too.
This means little to no work to build your app, since there's nothing to rebuild. And best of all, you keep a consistent brand experience with all the CRO and UX tweaks that you know your customers respond to.
Effortless to manage
MobiLoud gives you little to no extra work to manage your apps moving forward.
Just continue to focus on your website as normal. Your apps will update whenever your site does - whether you change a heading, upload new product photos, or even change your theme.
The ongoing expense is so minimal, you're almost guaranteed to have a positive ROI.
Done-for-you service
MobiLoud's service is truly several tiers above what you'd get from an app builder.
We're more than a tool, we're a partner. We work with you, side-by-side, to ensure your app is a success, and that it grows your brand to a new level.
Everything you need, we're here to do it for you.
A native app experience for an app builder price
The apps you can build with MobiLoud are nearly indistinguishable from a custom-coded, fully native app.
Your users won't be able to tell the difference. The apps will convert and drive revenue just as well.
Yet you won't have to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars and take on the complexity of managing a development team. For a minimal investment, and zero hassle at all, you'll position your brand as a heavyweight in your industry with a fast, smooth, native app experience.
MobiLoud allows you to combine the best of the web with the best of native apps. It's a winning formula, check out the success these eCommerce brands have had:
Rainbow Shops | SYN•DI•CATE | Bestseller | John Varvatos
Get Started - Build Your eCommerce App Today
Over 2,000 other businesses have used MobiLoud to build winning apps - and you can too.
There's no risk. We don't do long-term contracts and we'll refund you if you're unhappy with the apps. The apps will pay for themselves immediately, and after that you'll be able to count the extra revenue your apps deliver every day.
It all starts with a call with one of our app experts, where we go over your exact requirements for the apps and answer your questions. In less than a month, you can have your own, branded shopping app, generating revenue on autopilot and painting your brand as a leader in your space.
Let's get started - book a demo today!
