Can you make an app without knowing how to code?
Yes, if the app is small and simple. I teach people to drive for a living and I can’t code, but I’ve put six iPhone apps on the UK App Store. I described each one in plain English to an AI app builder called Rork, and it wrote the code. “No coding” doesn’t mean “no work”, though, and it isn’t the right tool for every app.
The six apps I’ve built
All six are on the UK App Store now. None has adverts or a subscription, and none needs an account.
QuidometerUK mileage tracker for HMRC claims
Tidy StarsReward and chore chart for kids
CryptoHODLPrivate crypto portfolio tracker, no account
PressieBirthday and gift list app
Fork HandlesAllotment planner for UK growers
Big Dinner TimerChristmas dinner and roast timer
Each one started with something I wanted myself. I made Fork Handles because I wanted one for my allotment, and Big Dinner Timer because I wanted to get a roast’s timings right.
How it actually works
The AI does the programming. You do everything else. My process, roughly:
- Pick a small idea. One job, done well. Bad reviews of existing apps show what people want fixed.
- Write a proper description. What each screen shows, what you tap, what the app remembers. The clearer the description, the better the first version.
- Build it in stages. Get a first preview, then change one thing at a time. When something’s broken, you describe what you expected and what happened instead, and the AI fixes it.
- Test on your own phone. I use TestFlight, Apple’s beta testing app, to run the app on my own iPhone before it goes anywhere near the App Store.
- Do the App Store paperwork. In App Store Connect you write the listing, choose keywords, add screenshots, fill in the privacy label and send the app to Apple for review.
What you still have to do yourself
- Decide exactly what the app does. The AI can’t read your mind. Vague requests get vague apps.
- Test it properly. Tap every button, try daft inputs, and check the numbers. If the app works something out, like a mileage claim, you need to check it against the source yourself.
- Get through App Review. Apple checks every app against its App Review Guidelines. I had rejections. Each one meant reading Apple’s note carefully, then asking the AI for the fix.
- Be honest in the listing. The privacy label has to match what the app really does with data.
- Pay Apple. Publishing needs a paid Apple Developer Program membership. Apple lists the annual fee as 99 USD, in local currency where available.
- Tell people it exists. That part is on you, not the AI.
What it’s good for, and what it isn’t
It’s good for small, useful apps: a tracker, a timer, a list, a planner. Mine keep data on the phone, which keeps things simple. Tidy Stars, for example, is labelled “Data Not Collected” on the App Store.
I wouldn’t start with a big app that needs logins, servers, or chat between users. Those bring security and running costs, and mistakes there matter far more.
Rork’s website also lists Android and web apps. I’ve only built iPhone apps, so I can’t tell you how those go.
What I won’t tell you
I’m not going to quote download numbers or earnings, and I’m not going to promise passive income. The honest answer to “can you make an app without knowing how to code?” is: yes, you can make and publish one. Whether anyone buys it is a separate question, and it’s the same question for coders too.
Questions
Can you really make an app without knowing how to code?
Yes, for a small, simple app. I can’t code, and I’ve put six iPhone apps on the UK App Store by describing them in plain English to an AI app builder (Rork), which writes the code. You still do the thinking, testing and App Store work yourself.
Do I need a Mac?
I didn’t use one. The AI builder makes the app, and I tested each one on my own iPhone with TestFlight, Apple’s beta testing app.
What does it cost to put an app on the App Store?
To publish on the App Store you need to join the Apple Developer Program. Apple says the annual fee is 99 USD, in local currency where available. AI app builders have their own plans, so check the current price on the builder’s own website.
Will Apple accept an app built with AI?
It goes through the same App Review as any other app. I had rejections along the way. I fixed each problem by describing it to the AI, then sent the app back in.