TL;DR
Looking for free alternatives to Xojo? Here are the best open source and free options for Mac.
What is the best free alternative to Xojo?
The best free alternative to Xojo ($499/year) is Flutter. Install Flutter with Homebrew: brew install --cask flutter.
Free Alternative to Xojo
Save $499/year with these 1 free alternatives that work great on macOS.
Our Top Pick
Flutter
FREEUI toolkit for building cross-platform apps from a single codebase
brew install --cask flutterWhy we recommend it:
- Completely free to use
- Easy one-command installation
Quick Comparison
| App | Price | Open Source | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xojo | $499/year | No | — |
| Flutter | Free | No | Developer Tools |
Best Free Alternatives to Xojo for Mac
Xojo still pitches one codebase for desktop, web and mobile. The price reset from July 2025 is still the price in August 2026. A new Desktop, Web or Mobile license is $499 per year, Pro is $999 per year and Pro Plus is $1999 per year, all listed on store.xojo.com. The Lite tier is gone. You can still learn for free and you can still build for Linux and Raspberry Pi without paying. Shipping a macOS or Windows binary needs a paid license while that license is current.
Free alternatives cover more ground than they did a year ago. Flutter 3.44.x installs with `brew install --cask flutter` and is the closest cross platform counterpart. You write Dart, get hot reload, and compile to desktop plus mobile plus web with no activation server and no yearly platform fee. Godot 4.7.1 installs with `brew install --cask godot` and costs nothing if your apps are games or interactive tools. For Mac only work, Xcode and SwiftUI install free with any Apple ID. You only pay the Apple Developer Program when you want App Store distribution. None of these is a one to one swap. Flutter is Dart and widgets, not Xojo BASIC. Godot is a game engine, not a forms designer for business tools. If the reason you chose Xojo is drag and drop RAD with a BASIC style language, there is no free identical tool. You either budget $499 for the Desktop license or you plan to learn a new language.
Detailed Alternative Reviews
Flutter
Google's UI toolkit for building natively compiled apps
brew install --cask flutterFlutter is the most direct free replacement if you need to ship everywhere from one codebase in 2026. Homebrew lists Flutter SDK 3.44.9. You write Dart once and compile to macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and web with no activation servers and no yearly platform fee. Hot reload, Cupertino and Material widgets, and the 30,000 plus packages on pub.dev cover much of what people once solved with Xojo plugins. The trade off is clear. Dart is not Xojo BASIC, and your editor is VS Code or Android Studio rather than Xojo's integrated RAD designer. Teams that picked Xojo because it felt approachable for people who are not full time programmers will find the learning curve steeper.
Key Features:
- One codebase compiles to native ARM64 and x86_64 on all major platforms
- Hot reload shows code changes instantly while keeping application state
- Native performance with 60fps animations and platform specific UI rendering
- Widget library with Material Design and Cupertino components for iOS style interfaces
- Large ecosystem with 30,000 plus packages on pub.dev for most features you need
- Full macOS desktop support with menu bars, window management and native dialogs
- Works in VS Code, Android Studio and IntelliJ IDEA
- Documentation with examples and a large active community that answers questions
Limitations:
- • You need to learn Dart, which takes time if you come from Xojo BASIC
- • App bundles are larger than fully native apps because they include the Flutter engine
- • Less convenient when an app needs a lot of platform specific native code
- • Web support works but is not as mature as desktop and mobile
Best for: Developers who want a free replacement for Xojo that compiles to desktop and mobile from one codebase without yearly licenses
Godot
Free engine for games and interactive tools
brew install --cask godotGodot 4.7.1, the July 2026 stable, is MIT licensed and free through `brew install --cask godot`. It is not a general replacement for Xojo as a business app RAD. If your Xojo project is a game, a simulation or an interactive kiosk, Godot exports to macOS, Windows and Linux with no royalties. GDScript is easy to pick up and C# is optional. Where it does not fit is forms heavy CRUD, database driven business tools and anything that relied on Xojo Web. For those, Flutter or native SwiftUI is a better choice.
Key Features:
- MIT licensed with no royalties
- macOS export without paid engine seats
- GDScript plus optional C#
- 2D and 3D rendering with input handling
- Active 4.x release train through 2026
- Homebrew cask godot 4.7.1
- Cross platform editor on Apple Silicon
- Large asset and community ecosystem
Limitations:
- • Built for games and interactive work, not business forms
- • No Xojo like desktop database RAD templates
- • Different approach from Xojo BASIC, so you relearn how you structure an app
Best for: Developers whose Xojo work is games or interactive apps and who want no engine licensing cost
SwiftUI / Xcode
Free Mac-native stack from Apple
brew install --cask xcodeIf your real target is the Mac, with iPhone as an optional extra, Xcode and SwiftUI cost nothing to download and build with a free Apple ID. You get Apple built AppKit and SwiftUI controls, Instruments and notarization tooling without paying the $499 Xojo Desktop seat. The limit is platform reach. This is not write once for Windows, Linux and Android. If you need that reach you pick Flutter or you accept separate codebases. App Store distribution still needs the paid Apple Developer Program, but running Mac apps locally or distributing them directly does not need Xojo.
Key Features:
- Free Xcode toolchain on Mac
- Native SwiftUI and AppKit performance
- First party debugging and Instruments
- No third party yearly IDE license for Mac builds
- Good Apple Silicon support with native ARM64 builds
- Interface Builder and SwiftUI previews
- Direct path to Mac App Store when needed
- Solid documentation and sample code from Apple
Limitations:
- • Not a single codebase for Windows, Linux and Android
- • Steeper if you want BASIC like RAD with drag and drop forms
- • App Store release needs the paid Developer Program
Best for: Mac first developers who want to avoid the Xojo Desktop fee and can live without Windows and Linux builds from one project
Which Alternative is Right for You?
Building Cross-Platform Desktop Apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Pick Flutter if you need desktop apps on macOS, Windows and Linux from one project. It compiles to native binaries, handles menu bars and window management, and costs nothing in licenses. Xojo does the same job but you pay $499 per year for that platform coverage.
Rapid Prototyping and Iterative Development
Flutter helps most when you iterate on UI. Hot reload updates the running app in place and keeps state, so you see layout and logic changes without restarting. Xojo requires a full rebuild for most changes, so the feedback loop is slower.
Educational or Budget-Constrained Projects
Flutter is free for everyone with no seat limits, while Xojo asks $499 per year even for a solo Desktop license. For students, indie developers and small teams that cannot justify that fee, Flutter removes the paywall and leaves more budget for other tools.
Mobile-First Cross-Platform Development
If mobile is the primary target and desktop is secondary, Flutter lines up well. It started as a mobile toolkit, runs at 60fps on iOS and Android, and its widgets feel at home on phones. Xojo can ship mobile too, but it needs the separate Mobile license and more platform work.
Linux and Raspberry Pi Development
Xojo is still free for Linux and Raspberry Pi builds, which is its one free shipping path. Flutter also supports Linux including Raspberry Pi at no cost, so if you already know Xojo and only target those boards you can stay, but you are not locked in to save money.
Migration Tips
Learning Dart from Xojo BASIC
Dart will look partly familiar if you know Xojo. Both use braces, objects and garbage collection. Dart uses var or explicit types, functions are values you can pass around, and async and await are built in. Work through the official Dart language tour for a weekend before you open Flutter. The bigger shift is UI thinking, from Xojo events on forms to Flutter's reactive widget tree.
Recreating Native UI with Flutter Widgets
Xojo maps controls to the OS widgets. Flutter draws its own UI with Skia and Impeller, so controls look native because Flutter paints them that way. For macOS, use the Cupertino library when you want iOS style, or Material 3 for a consistent cross platform look. The flutter_platform_widgets package picks the right style per platform for you.
Handling Database Access and Backend
Xojo gives you database classes in the box. In Flutter you add packages from pub.dev. For local SQLite use sqflite. For Postgres, MySQL or other servers, build a REST API and call it from the app rather than opening direct database connections. The drift package gives you type safe SQLite with a DAO pattern that feels similar to Xojo database classes.
Platform-Specific Code Integration
Xojo hides many platform differences. Flutter uses platform channels when you need native code. Most UI work stays in Dart. When you must call a macOS only API, expose it through a method channel and write the Swift or Objective C side. The flutter_rust_bridge package is another option if you want fast native code in Rust.
App Distribution and Notarization
Xojo builds and signs in one place. With Flutter you run flutter build macos --release to get the app bundle, then notarize with xcrun notarytool as you would for any Mac app. The flutter_distributor package can automate signing and packaging. For the Mac App Store, turn on the sandbox entitlement in Xcode.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Xojo | Flutter | Godot | SwiftUI/Xcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price to ship macOS app | $499/yr Desktop license | Free | Free | Free (Dev Program for App Store) |
| Language | Xojo (BASIC-like) | Dart | GDScript/C# | Swift |
| Desktop targets | Mac/Win/Linux | Mac/Win/Linux | Mac/Win/Linux | Mac (primary) |
| Mobile | iOS/Android (Mobile license) | iOS/Android | Limited/export dependent | iOS |
| Web | Yes (Web license) | Yes | HTML5 export | No |
| Best fit | RAD BASIC-like multiplatform | General cross-platform apps | Games/interactive | Mac-native apps |
| Open source | No | Yes | Yes (MIT) | Toolchain proprietary; language open |
| Homebrew (Aug 2026) | N/A (vendor download) | flutter 3.44.9 | godot 4.7.1 | Xcode App Store |
The verdict
The verdictFlutter
It covers Xojo's promise of one codebase compiled to native apps on every major platform, with hot reload and a deep package catalog, and it costs nothing to ship. For teams trying to leave the $499 yearly licenses, it is the most practical trade, the main cost being Dart instead of BASIC.
Full reviewSwiftUI / Xcode
Pick SwiftUI when the Mac is the only platform that matters and you want Apple native controls without a third party IDE fee. Pick Godot when the project is a game or interactive tool.
Bottom line
In August 2026 Xojo asks $499 per year for each of Desktop, Web and Mobile, with no Lite tier. Flutter is the no cost default for true cross platform work. SwiftUI is the no cost pick for Mac only. Godot fits games. None repeats Xojo's BASIC drag and drop RAD exactly, so expect a language change unless you keep paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
is there a free version of xojo for mac
can flutter really replace xojo for cross-platform development
how does flutter's performance compare to xojo
is flutter difficult to learn for a xojo developer
what is the best free alternative to xojo in 2026
can i migrate my existing xojo project to flutter
does flutter support macos desktop apps natively
what happened to xojo lite license
Related Technologies & Concepts
Sources & References
- 1store.xojo.comXojo store pricing
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Desktop/Mobile/Web $499; Pro $999; Pro Plus $1999
- 2store.xojo.comXojo licenses
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Single-developer licenses with 12 months of releases
- 3blog.xojo.comXojo pricing changes (July 2025)
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Lite retired; new $499 entry pricing
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8apps.apple.comXcode on the Mac App Store
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Source excerpt
Free Apple IDE for Mac and iOS development
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About the Author
Senior Developer Tools Specialist
Alex Chen has been evaluating developer tools and productivity software for over 12 years, with deep expertise in code editors, terminal emulators, and development environments. As a former software engineer at several Bay Area startups, Alex brings hands-on experience with the real-world workflows these tools are meant to enhance.