Hamish vs Base44

Base44 and Hamish share a belief: building an app should not require knowing what a database is. Both generate the whole thing, front end, back end, data and login, from a plain-language conversation. The honest difference is in what each platform believes should happen next. Base44 keeps everything inside its own cloud so you never have to think about it. Hamish gives you a plan before you build, your code whenever you want it, and people who stay with the app as it grows. This page sets out where each is strong so you can choose well.

At a glance

Scroll the table sideways on a narrow screen.

Where Base44 is strong

Credit where it is due. Base44 is probably the fastest zero-decision path from an idea to a working app: database, login and hosting are all handled for you with nothing to configure, and the free entry point makes trying it effortless. Now part of Wix, it has serious backing behind it. If what you need is an internal tool or a quick MVP and you are happy living entirely inside one platform, Base44 is a strong choice and we would not tell you otherwise.

Where Hamish is different

Managed does not have to mean sealed. Hamish handles the database, login and hosting for you too, and you can still export your complete project as a zip whenever you like. Convenience on the way in should not become a wall on the way out. Your app, your code, your call.

You plan before you spend. Speed is only useful if you are building the right thing. Hamish Compass starts with a conversation: it asks what you are building, for whom, and why, and turns the answers into a structured plan your build follows. Talking is free. You only pay when you commit to a plan or a build, and you can see the cost before you do. Free to talk, pay to build.

Images that fit the spot they fill. Hamish generates images slot-first: you pick the position in your app, and the image arrives at the right size and shape for it. Before anything is generated you review exactly what will be created, so tokens are never spent on a surprise. Then fine-tune in the built-in editor and assign the result straight into your app.

Support that stays. Every Hamish account, including free, gets Hamish Assist and a route to a human being. Not a community forum, not a documentation search: a support function staffed by people whose job is your app working. AI that builds. Support that stays.

Built to grow past the MVP. The common story with quick-build platforms is a great first month and a hard question at month six, when the app is carrying real users and needs real running: uptime, backups, security, scaling. Hamish Production is the answer to that question, built in from the start: your app on managed infrastructure, looked after by people. Apps built elsewhere can be brought across too.

How to choose

Choose Base44 if you want the quickest possible working app for an internal tool or an early idea, and living entirely inside one platform suits how you work.

Choose Hamish if you want the same ease with a plan behind it, your code in your hands whenever you want it, and a platform that stays with you as the app becomes something people rely on.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hamish free to try?

Yes. Creating an account is free and talking to Hamish is always free. You receive a one-off grant of tokens to build with, and you only pay when you choose to build more.

Can I move an app from Base44 to Hamish?

Yes. Hamish Production replatforms apps built on other AI builders onto managed infrastructure, with humans looking after the running of it. Get in touch and we will look at your app together.

Do I own the code Hamish generates?

Yes. You can export your complete project as a zip at any time and take it anywhere.

What AI does Hamish use?

Hamish runs a multi-model stack: leading frontier models, routed so each task goes to the model that does it best, wrapped in our own tooling, safeguards and tuning. We call the whole thing Hamish LLM. The stack includes our own model, Hamish Code One, which is constantly improving. No single model is best at everything, and we would rather route well than pretend otherwise.

Does Hamish generate images?

Yes. Pick a position in your app and Hamish generates an image sized for it, with the prompt shown before any tokens are spent. You can also upload your own images, and fine-tune everything in the built-in editor.