How to Create iOS Apps with AI in 2026: Complete Anything (CreateAnything) Guide
For years, building an iOS app meant either hiring expensive developers ($50,000-$200,000+) or learning Swift programming (3-6 months minimum). In 2026, that changed completely. Anything (formerly CreateAnything.com), named the Best AI App Builder for 2025, enables anyone to build production-ready iOS apps in days by simply describing what they want in English.
With 700,000+ users, $19.5 million in funding, and recognition from top tech publications, Anything represents a genuine paradigm shift in mobile app development. This comprehensive guide reveals exactly how to create professional iOS apps using Anything's AI-powered platform.
What Is Anything (CreateAnything)?
Anything is an AI app builder that transforms natural language descriptions into fully functional iOS apps, Android apps, and web applications.
The Core Promise:
Instead of: Writing code, managing databases, handling authentication, configuring payments, deploying to servers
You now: Describe your app idea in plain English → Anything generates everything → Your app is live and ready
Founding & Credibility:
- Founded in 2021 by former Google product leaders Dhruv Amin and Marcus Lowe
- Based in San Francisco
- 700,000+ users
- $19.5 million in total funding
- Named Best AI App Builder for 2025
- Serves entrepreneurs, agencies, and enterprise teams
The Philosophy: Anything is built for teams that want to move from idea to App Store with velocity. It's not a prototype tool—it's a production tool. You describe what you want, and Anything generates a real, complete, ready-to-launch iOS app.
What Makes Anything Different?
Compared to Traditional App Development
Traditional Approach:
- Hire developer ($50K-$200K)
- 3-6 months development
- Multiple rounds of revisions
- Need to manage testing, deployment
- App Store submission assistance needed
- Total: 6-12 months, significant cost
Anything Approach:
- Describe your idea (free tier available)
- AI generates complete app (minutes to hours)
- Test on your device immediately
- One-click App Store submission
- Total: Days to weeks, minimal cost
Compared to Other AI App Builders
Lovable:
- Great for web and UI prototypes
- Limited to frontend code export
- Requires backend setup separately
- Less suitable for iOS/Android
v0 (Vercel):
- Component-level generation
- Requires extensive manual setup
- Frontend-focused
- Not designed for complete apps
- Anything builds production apps, not prototypes. You describe what you want — say, "a budgeting app with user logins, Stripe payments, and push notifications" — and Anything generates a full-stack app for web, iOS, and Android. Everything is up and running in minutes, not weeks
- Complete backend, database, auth included
- Direct App Store submission
- Production-ready from day one
What Anything Includes (Everything Built-In)
Anything includes native iOS mobile apps or web apps, live preview on your device, 1-tap App Store submit, instant web hosting, and the ability to build from anywhere and sync everywhere. You can export your code (from web) and get designs that look professionally made with dark mode and responsive design supported by default.
Everything is built in including:
- AI: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini with no API keys needed
- Payments: In-app payments with RevenueCat, Stripe subscriptions
- Auth: Email, Google, Facebook, X
- Database: Postgres
- Backend: APIs, uploads, hosting
- 100+ integrations
The Complete Stack:
- Frontend: Beautiful, responsive UI (iOS + Android + web)
- Database: PostgreSQL automatically provisioned
- Backend: APIs and functions auto-generated
- Authentication: Email, Google, Facebook, X sign-in
- Payments: Stripe subscriptions, RevenueCat, in-app purchases
- File Storage: Automatic image and file handling
- Notifications: Push notifications configured
- Hosting: Web hosting included
- Analytics: Track user behavior
- 100+ Integrations: Zapier, Slack, and more
The AI Agent: Anything features an AI agent that thinks through your prompts, fixes errors on its own, and stays reliable as projects scale.
Part 1: How to Create an iOS App with Anything (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Sign Up and Create Your Account
Process:
- Go to createanything.com (or anything.com)
- Click "Get Started Free"
- Sign up with email or Google account
- Verify your email
- You're ready to build
No credit card required for free tier. Time: 2-3 minutes
Step 2: Start a New Project
Process:
- Click "New Project" or "Create App"
- Choose your app type:
- iOS App
- Android App
- Web App
- Or all three (same codebase)
- Name your project
- (Optional) Choose a template category
Pro Tip: You can build iOS, Android, and web from one project—Anything generates all three simultaneously from the same codebase. Time: 1 minute
Step 3: Write Your App Idea in Plain English
This is the critical step. Your description quality determines your app quality.
Structure Your Prompt:
Include these elements for best results:
- What the app does (clear purpose)
- Who uses it (target user)
- Core features (main functionality)
- Data model (what information it stores)
- Key pages/screens (user journeys)
Example Prompts:
Fitness Coaching App:
"Build an AI fitness coach app. Users create accounts and track workouts. The app provides daily workout recommendations based on their fitness level. Features include workout logging, progress tracking (weight, reps, duration), a dashboard showing weekly stats, and the ability to message with the coach. Include email authentication, dark mode, and push notifications for daily workout reminders. Support iOS and Android."
Expense Tracker:
"Create an expense tracking app. Users log daily expenses with categories (food, transport, entertainment, etc.), amounts, and dates. The app shows a dashboard with total spending, breakdown by category, and monthly trends. Users can set budgets and get alerts when exceeding them. Include email/Google sign-in, Stripe for premium subscriptions ($4.99/month), and export monthly reports as PDF. Build for iOS first, then Android."
Local Service Marketplace:
"Build a service marketplace where users post local services (tutoring, cleaning, photography). Service providers create profiles, set hourly rates, and manage their availability. Customers book services and make payments through Stripe. The app shows ratings and reviews. Include Google Maps integration, push notifications for new bookings, and a messaging system. Support iOS and Android."
Key Tips for Prompts:
- ✅ Specific is better than vague
- ✅ Include core data models (what gets stored)
- ✅ Mention key integrations (payments, maps, etc.)
- ✅ Specify platforms (iOS/Android/web)
- ✅ Include authentication method preference
- ✅ Mention any AI features you want
- ❌ Don't: "Build a cool app"
- ❌ Don't: Try to cram 50 features
- ❌ Don't: Expect it to read your mind
Time: 10-15 minutes to write a good prompt
Step 4: Let Anything Generate Your App
What Happens:
- You submit your prompt
- Anything's AI analyzes your description
- AI generates:
- Database schema
- Backend APIs
- Frontend UI
- Authentication flows
- Payment integrations
- All app logic
- Your complete app appears in the editor
What to Expect:
- Generation takes 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on complexity
- You get a working, functional app immediately
- The app is not a prototype—it's production-ready
- You can test it immediately on your device
Time: 2-5 minutes (automated)
Step 5: Preview on Your Device (Live Preview)
Process:
- Open Anything's mobile app or use browser preview
- Scan QR code or click preview link
- Your app appears on your device
- Test all functionality in real-time
- Changes reflect immediately as you refine
Why This Matters: You see exactly how your app will look and function on iOS/Android before publishing. Time: 5-10 minutes to test thoroughly
Step 6: Refine Your App in English
If something doesn't work or you want changes, you don't code—you describe the change.
Refinement Examples:
- "Change the login page to include a 'Sign up' option"
- "Add a filter button to the workouts page to show only running workouts"
- "Make the color scheme blue and green instead of purple"
- "Add a 'Share Progress' button that generates an image for social media"
- "Include email verification when users sign up"
- "Add Stripe integration for $9.99/month premium subscription"
How It Works:
- Describe the change in the Anything chat
- AI understands your intent
- Code is generated and updated
- Live preview updates immediately
- You test the change
- Repeat until perfect
Key Advantage: You're iterating in English, not debugging code. No more "why isn't this working?" frustration—just describe what you want. Time: 5 minutes per change (often less)
Step 7: Configure App Store Details
Before Publishing:
- App icon (512x512 image)
- App screenshots (show key features)
- App description (compelling 30-50 word summary)
- Keywords (how people find your app)
- Privacy policy (required)
- Category (Productivity, Health, Games, etc.)
Anything provides templates and guidance for all of these. Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Step 8: One-Click App Store Submission
From Anything's Platform:
- Click "Publish to App Store"
- Enter your Apple Developer account credentials (optional—Anything can handle it)
- Anything packages your app for Apple
- Your app is submitted to the App Store
What Anything Handles:
- Code signing
- Bundle IDs
- Provisioning profiles
- Screenshots optimization
- Metadata formatting
Traditional Process: 3-4 hours of manual work, technical expertise required
Anything Process: 1 click, 5 minutes
Time: 5 minutes automated, 1-2 weeks App Store review
Step 9: Monitor Your Live App
Once published to App Store:
- Track downloads and ratings
- Monitor user feedback
- See which features users love
- Identify issues from reviews
- Make updates: Go back to step 6 (refine in English)
- Resubmit updated version to App Store
Continuous Improvement Cycle: Update your app monthly based on user feedback, all without touching code. Time: Ongoing based on feedback
Part 2: Real App Examples Built with Anything
Example 1: AI Fitness Coach App
Prompt:
"Build an AI fitness coach app. Users sign up with email. Each user gets daily personalized workouts based on their level. They log completed workouts and the app tracks progress. Dashboard shows weekly stats (workouts completed, calories burned, personal records). Include push notifications for daily reminders and Stripe subscription for premium ($9.99/month) unlocking advanced coaching."
- Time to Build: 30 minutes
- Time to App Store: 2 weeks (Apple review)
- Developer Cost (Traditional): $30,000-$50,000
- Anything Cost: Free or $20/month Pro
Features Generated Automatically:
- User authentication with email
- Workout database
- Progress tracking
- Dashboard with charts
- Push notifications
- Stripe subscription payment
- Dark mode
- iOS + Android simultaneously
Example 2: Local Service Marketplace
Prompt:
"Create a marketplace for local services (cleaning, tutoring, photography). Users create two types of accounts: service seekers and service providers. Providers set hourly rates and manage availability calendars. Seekers book services and pay through Stripe. Include Google Maps showing provider locations, 5-star rating system, messaging between users, and push notifications for bookings."
- Time to Build: 2 hours
- Time to App Store: 2-3 weeks
- Developer Cost (Traditional): $80,000-$150,000
- Anything Cost: Free or $20/month Pro
Features Generated Automatically:
- Dual account types
- Service database
- Availability calendar
- Maps integration
- Payment processing
- Messaging system
- Rating system
- iOS + Android
Example 3: Expense Tracking with Budgets
Prompt:
"Build an expense tracker. Users log expenses with category (food, transport, entertainment, shopping), amount, date, and optional note. The app shows a dashboard with total spending, pie chart by category, and monthly trends. Users can set monthly budgets per category and get notifications when approaching limits. Include Stripe for premium ($2.99/month) which adds budget alerts and PDF exports. Dark mode required."
- Time to Build: 1 hour
- Time to App Store: 2 weeks
- Developer Cost (Traditional): $20,000-$40,000
- Anything Cost: Free or $20/month Pro
Features Generated Automatically:
- Expense logging
- Category management
- Dashboard with charts
- Budget tracking
- Push notifications
- Stripe subscription
- PDF export
- Dark mode
- iOS + Android
Pricing & Plans
Free Plan:
- 5,000 credits
- Basic features
- Limited integrations
- 1 published app
Pro Plan ($20/month):
- 20,000 credits
- Advanced integrations
- Priority support
- Unlimited published apps
Pro+ Plan ($50/month):
- 50,000 credits
- All Pro features
- Enhanced analytics
- Custom domain
Enterprise:
- Custom pricing
- Dedicated support
- Advanced security
What Credits Mean: One prompt/message typically costs 10-100 credits. A complete app might use 500-2,000 credits. You get plenty for experimentation.
Common Misconceptions
Misconception 1: "The apps won't be professional quality"
Reality: Anything generates production-grade code with professional design, proper error handling, and security built-in.
Misconception 2: "I can't customize anything"
Reality: You can refine infinitely by describing changes. Most customization is faster in English than coding.
Misconception 3: "I'll be locked into Anything"
Reality: You can export your complete code and run it anywhere.
Misconception 4: "It won't scale"
Reality: Anything automatically refactors large codebases and supports projects beyond 100k lines, with publishing for web and mobile built in.
Best Practices for Anything Success
1. Start Specific, Not Generic
Don't build "everything an app could possibly do." Build one thing well.
Good: "A habit tracker focusing on daily streaks with notifications"
Bad: "A productivity app with notes, calendar, habits, todos, and reminders"
2. Write Clear Requirements
Your prompt is your specification. Spend 10-15 minutes writing a clear description.
3. Test Thoroughly
Use the live preview extensively. Test all user journeys.
4. Monetize from Day One
Include Stripe subscriptions or in-app payments in your initial app. Don't add later—it's easier to build in from the start.
5. Iterate Based on User Feedback
Publish, gather feedback, refine, republish. This cycle is your competitive advantage.
FAQs
Q1: Do I need coding knowledge to use Anything?
No. You only need to describe what you want in English. Everything else is AI-powered and automated.
Q2: How long until my app is on the App Store?
Generation: 1-2 hours. Refinement: 1-7 days. App Store approval: 1-3 weeks. Total: About 1 month from idea to live app.
Q3: Can I use Anything for a business idea I want to monetize?
Yes. Anything's apps support Stripe subscriptions, in-app purchases, and can be monetized on the App Store or through your own website.
Q4: What if Apple rejects my app?
Anything provides guidance on why rejections happen. You can refine your app and resubmit immediately (often within hours). Most rejections are fixable.
Q5: Can I export my code and hire developers to extend it?
Yes. You own your code completely. You can export and work with developers in any IDE you choose. Your app is never locked to Anything's platform.
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