Best B4i Alternatives in 2026
The top B4i alternatives are Delphi, Ionic Framework and MobileTogether Designer: 15 mobile development IDEs our editors would look at instead of B4i, in our ranking order.
B4i: A low-cost route to native iOS development from Windows, with Mac-based compilation options. Where it falls short: development targets iOS rather than multiple mobile platforms.
Switching from B4i? For most mobile development ides buyers the best B4i alternative is Delphi, built for mature Object Pascal developers.
Why People Look for a B4i Alternative
- Development targets iOS rather than multiple mobile platforms
- Local compilation requires a Mac computer
- No trial version; the IDE uses a B4X programming language
- No free plan — 13 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallDelphi9.2
Mature Object Pascal developers
Visit Delphi - Best free optionDelphi9.2
Has a free plan (B4i has none)
Visit Delphi
All 15 B4i Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forMature Object Pascal developers
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 7.9
A mature Windows IDE for native Object Pascal desktop and mobile development.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Embarcadero -
Best forWeb developers building hybrid mobile apps
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.0 vs 7.9
A capable web-first toolkit for hybrid iOS and Android development, not a native IDE.
- Emulator or simulator
- App packaging
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Ionic -
Best forVisual enterprise app development
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.7 vs 7.9
A visual Windows IDE for designing, testing, and generating native mobile apps.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Altova -
Best forVisual cross-platform app development
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.9
A capable visual IDE for cross-platform apps, with mobile development starting at $499 one time.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Xojo -
Best forJava teams shipping Android and iOS apps
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.9
A Java and Kotlin toolchain for native mobile builds, visual design, testing, and cloud delivery.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Codename One -
Best forVisual multi-target app creation
- Better than B4i:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.9
A visual, multi-target IDE for teams that want app building without a code-only workflow.
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit LiveCode -
Best forC++ mobile developers needing native tooling
- Better than B4i:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.9
A capable C++ environment for native mobile work, with Windows-centric tooling and paid editions.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit C++Builder -
Best forNative Android and iOS developers
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.9
A broad B4X suite for native Android and iOS work with reusable code and visual designers.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit B4X -
Best forFree Vue-focused mobile web developers
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A free Vue-focused IDE with mobile previews, packaging tools, plugins, and AI assistance.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit HBuilderX -
Best forAutomated Apple build and test pipelines
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A focused Apple build-and-test service, not a complete mobile coding IDE.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Xcode Cloud -
Best forCross-platform mobile teams
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A broad cross-platform IDE combining visual design, code, debugging, and deployment.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Smartface -
Best forCloud-based hybrid mobile teams
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A flexible Cordova-based IDE for teams building Android and iOS apps in the cloud.
- Emulator or simulator
- App packaging
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Monaca -
Best forCross-platform teams needing cloud tooling
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A freemium Qt-based IDE with visual design, hot reload and cloud delivery tools.
- Emulator or simulator
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Felgo -
Best forAndroid development on Android
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A focused Android IDE with native, hybrid, visual editing, and APK workflows.
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit AIDE -
Best forFlexible Android scripting
- Better than B4i:
- Free plan
A flexible Android-focused IDE for scripting, hardware access, and app packaging.
- Visual UI designer
- App packaging
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit DroidScript
B4i Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to B4i?
Delphi: #1 in our Mobile Development IDEs ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A mature Windows IDE for native Object Pascal desktop and mobile development.
Is there a free alternative to B4i?
Yes. Delphi, Ionic Framework, MobileTogether Designer, Xojo and Codename One have a free plan or a free tier (13 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for B4i alternatives?
Development targets iOS rather than multiple mobile platforms; Local compilation requires a Mac computer; No trial version; the IDE uses a B4X programming language.
How do I switch from B4i?
Export your data from B4i (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel B4i.
How to Switch from B4i
- Export your data from B4i (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel B4i.
B4i vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Mobile targets | Emulator or simulator | Visual UI designer | App packaging | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | B4i | No | $26/yr | iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 1 | Delphi | Yes | 9.2 | |||||
| 2 | Ionic Framework | Yes | Free | iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 3 | MobileTogether Designer | Yes | iOS, Android, Windows 10/11 | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 | |
| 4 | Xojo | Yes | $499 one-time | iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 |
| 5 | Codename One | Yes | $300/user/yr | Android, iOS/iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 6 | LiveCode | No | iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | ||
| 7 | C++Builder | No | 8.0 | |||||
| 8 | B4X | Yes | $59/user one-time | Android, iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 9 | HBuilderX | Yes | Free | 7.8 | ||||
| 10 | Xcode Cloud | Yes | 7.7 | |||||
| 11 | Smartface | Yes | iOS, Android | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 12 | Monaca | Yes | $220/yr | Android, iOS, Windows | Yes | Yes | 7.6 | |
| 13 | Felgo | Yes | Android, iOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 14 | AIDE | Yes | Android, PhoneGap/Cordova | Yes | Yes | 7.3 | ||
| 15 | DroidScript | Yes | Android, Amazon Fire, ChromeOS | Yes | Yes | 7.2 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update