Kilvin vs Base44
Base44 is one of the easiest ways to turn a description into a working app, and for a single prototype it does that well. Kilvin is built for what comes after: a team that needs several tools running on shared data, with access controls, in one place. Here is where the two overlap and where they don't.
One app versus a set of connected tools
Base44 builds an app with its own database, hosting, and login. That's a complete package for one app. When you build a second one, it gets its own database too, and connecting the two is on you.
Kilvin puts the database in the workspace rather than in the app. Tables are shared, so a client list created for an intake form is the same client list your dashboard reads. Uploaded files are indexed for the team and the agent. Over time you end up with a set of tools that behave like one system, because they're built on the same data.
Who the workspace is for
Base44 is oriented around a builder and their project. Collaborators can be invited, but the unit of work is the app.
Kilvin is oriented around a team. Everyone logs into the same desktop-style workspace and sees the apps, files, and data they've been granted. Most people in a workspace never build anything — they use what's there. Access is managed per app and per dataset, with user groups, and it's designed to be run by whoever administers the office, not IT.
Pricing and security for business use
Base44 prices by credits — one pool for building, another for what your app does at runtime. That's simple to start with and harder to predict once real users are on the app. It's also a consumer-grade product; enterprise controls like SSO or a HIPAA agreement aren't part of it.
Kilvin prices per user, or flat for unlimited users on Scale. AI usage comes from an included pool, and you can bring your own API keys. SSO/SAML and a HIPAA BAA are available on Enterprise.
How Kilvin and Base44 compare
Kilvin | Base44 | |
|---|---|---|
Starting price |
|
|
Best for | Teams running several internal tools on shared data | Individuals prototyping and launching a single app |
Collaboration | One shared workspace; everyone sees the apps, files, and data they're permitted to | Collaborators invited per project |
Deployment | One-click publish to your private workspace; hosting, storage, and databases handled | One-click publish with hosting and custom domains |
AI-powered development | Agent builds from a description with the whole workspace as context | Agent builds a full app from a description; context is the current app |
Prototyping | Live preview while the agent builds; iterate in plain English | Live preview; iterate in plain English |
Security & access controls | Per-app and per-dataset permissions and user groups; HIPAA BAA on Enterprise | App-level user auth; no workspace-level roles or HIPAA |
Form factor | Desktop-style workspace, private to your team | Standalone web app per project |
Databases | Built in; shared across every app in the workspace | Built in; one per app |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kilvin a Base44 alternative?
Both build apps from a plain-English description. Base44 is oriented around one app at a time. Kilvin is a workspace for a team's internal tools, where apps share databases, files, and permissions.
Can I rebuild a Base44 app in Kilvin?
Yes. The agent can work from a description, or an export of your data. Because the workspace already has databases and permissions, rebuilding usually takes less time than the original.
What if I don't want to build it myself?
Managed Build adds a dedicated Kilvin developer to your workspace with daily progress updates. You can take over whenever you want.