No Mac. No Xcode. No Android Studio. #
apps just by describing them
Native iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, built live in your browser, and installed on your device.
The simulator comes to you #
Preview your app instantly, right in the browser #
Dactyl's in-browser simulator runs your app while it's being built — no device to plug in, no Xcode to download, nowhere else to go. Tap through every screen the moment it exists.
👈 This one's playable. Go ahead!
It's a real app, not a simulator #
Everything works while you build
Real Apple sign-in
The genuine sheet with working accounts, from the very first preview.
Real camera & sensors
Point the camera, pan the map, read the GPS. Live hardware, right in the browser.
Real payments
StoreKit checkout runs end to end, receipts included, before you ever ship.
Click an app to see Dactyl in action.
Ship it for real #
From a sentence to your pocket
Bring your vision to life, everywhere you want it to be.
On your phone in seconds
Preview your app live on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. No simulator, no Xcode, no Mac; just scan the QR code and watch it run.
TestFlight & the App Store
Real native apps clear App Store review — wrappers and web shortcuts get rejected. Dactyl gives you the real kind.
Vs. other app builders #
Why Dactyl?
Dactyl combines the best of native development with the convenience of a web-based workflow, at a price much lower than comparable app builders.
Instant in-browser previews
No preview app to install, no cloud simulator to queue for, no toolchain to set up. Dactyl's simulator is in the page, on whatever device you've got.
Use the credits you already pay for
Connect your ChatGPT subscription and use your own tokens to build. Failed builds cost nothing. Dactyl helps you preview, install, and ship from one location.
Real native code that’s yours
SwiftUI you can read, edit, and keep. The App Store gets a genuine native binary, not React Native or a webview.
A guide through the App Store
Submit straight from the editor, with provisioning, listings, TestFlight, and review. Updates ship over the air.
Every device, one description
iPhone, iPad, and native Android from the same prompt, QR-installed to any device in seconds.
Frequently asked questions #
FAQ
Do I need a Mac? #
No. Everything runs from a web browser on any OS — including building, previewing, and publishing.
Is the output real native code? #
Yes. The agent writes real Swift code you can read, edit, and ship. What goes to the App Store is a genuine native binary — and the Android build is a native APK from the same code.
Can I use my own ChatGPT subscription? #
Yes! It's the recommended way to run Dactyl. Connect the plan you already pay for, and the AI runs on it; Dactyl never resells you tokens, and failed builds cost nothing. No subscription? The free tier runs on included credits instead.
How is Dactyl different from other AI app builders? #
Most generate React Native inside a wrapper, preview through an app you install (or a paid cloud simulator), and resell AI tokens at a markup. Dactyl writes real SwiftUI, previews instantly in the browser (or on your device), and can run on your own ChatGPT plan.
What can the agent build? #
Anything you can describe. Chat apps, social feeds, games, trackers, productivity tools—all with real device capabilities when the idea needs them: camera, maps, GPS, and AI.
Do my apps get a backend? #
Yes, built-in and zero-setup: user accounts (including real Sign in with Apple and Google—no keys to configure), saved data, realtime sync, and AI features. It works identically in the browser preview and the shipped app.
Can I charge money in my app? #
Yes! Real StoreKit in-app purchases are built in. Declare your products once and they work in the preview, then carry through to App Store Connect when you publish.
Does Dactyl build Android apps? #
Yes; the same Swift compiles into a native Android app (no rewrite, no webview) you install straight from a QR code. Play Store publishing is coming later.
Can I publish to the App Store? #
Yes! Submit straight from the editor, with provisioning, listings, and review handled with you. Updates ship over the air.
Do I need an Apple Developer account? #
For QR installs—iPhone, iPad, or Android—no. For TestFlight and the App Store, Apple requires you to have an Apple Developer account ($99/yr from Apple).
Do I need to know Swift, or know how to code? #
No. You describe, the agent writes. But the Swift code output is yours: readable, editable, and exportable as an Xcode project anytime, so there is no lock-in.
What does it cost? #
Dactyl is free to try. The Builder plan is $20/mo, with your own ChatGPT subscription powering the AI. See Pricing for the napkin math.