# 20 app ideas to build with AI, with a prompt for each > Twenty app ideas to build with AI for beginners, small businesses, side income and phones, each with a starting prompt and a worked build to copy from. Canonical: https://vibely.sh/blog/app-ideas-to-build-with-ai Last updated: 2026-10-30 By The Vibely Team · Published 2026-10-30 · Development 101 · 6 min read The best app ideas to build with AI are small, specific tools for people you know: a booking page for one studio, an inspection checklist for one trade, a habit tracker with one rule. Here are 20, grouped by who they are for, each with a prompt to paste into an AI app builder and a worked build. ## How to pick an app idea - **Start with a person, not a feature.** "My sister's salon loses bookings over text" beats "a booking app". - **Find the spreadsheet.** If people already track something in a sheet or a group chat, an app can do it better. - **Keep the first version to three screens.** Everything else goes on a later list. - **Test demand before you build.** A [waitlist page](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/waitlist-page) tells you whether strangers care. ## App ideas for beginners and students ### 1. A habit tracker One habit, a streak, and a reminder at the time you choose. **Prompt:** "A habit tracker for iOS and Android: add a habit, tick it off each day, see my streak, and get a reminder at 8pm." See the [habit tracker build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/habit-tracker-app). ### 2. A portfolio website Your best work, a page per project and a contact form. **Prompt:** "A portfolio for a product designer: six projects in a grid, a page per project with the brief, process and result, and an About page." See the [portfolio website build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/portfolio-website). ### 3. A link-in-bio page One page with your links, on an address you own. **Prompt:** "A link-in-bio page with my photo, a one-line bio and six links, styled like a zine." See the [link-in-bio build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/link-in-bio). ### 4. A study reminder app Push reminders for deadlines and revision sessions. **Prompt:** "An app where I add exams and assignments and get reminders three days and one day before each." See the [reminder app build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/reminder-app). ### 5. A browser game A small game is the most fun way to learn how changes work. **Prompt:** "A brick breaker game with three levels and a power-up that widens the paddle." See the [AI game maker](https://vibely.sh/ai-game-maker). ## App ideas for a small business ### 6. A booking system Customers pick a free slot instead of texting. **Prompt:** "A booking page for a dental clinic: patients choose a treatment, a dentist and a free slot; staff see the day's appointments." See the [booking system build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/booking-system). ### 7. A client portal One place for each client's files, invoices and updates. **Prompt:** "A client portal for a design studio: each client signs in and sees their projects, files and invoices." See the [client portal build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/client-portal). ### 8. An invoicing app Invoices with your logo, and who still owes you. **Prompt:** "An invoicing app: add clients, create invoices with line items and tax, mark them paid, and see what is overdue." See the [invoicing app build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/invoice-app). ### 9. An inventory tracker Stock levels and low-stock alerts without a spreadsheet. **Prompt:** "Inventory for a small café: items, quantities, suppliers and a list of what is running low." See the [inventory app build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/inventory-management-app). ### 10. A simple CRM Leads and follow-ups that match how you actually sell. **Prompt:** "A CRM for a two-person agency: leads, stages from new to won, notes and a follow-up date on each." See the [CRM build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/crm). ## App ideas to make money ### 11. A paid membership site Posts, lessons or downloads behind a subscription. **Prompt:** "A membership site for a baking course: free and paid plans, lessons by week, and Stripe checkout." See the [membership site build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/membership-site). ### 12. A niche job board Employers pay to post; candidates browse free. **Prompt:** "A job board for remote climate jobs: companies pay to post a listing, candidates filter by role and region." See the [job board build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/job-board). ### 13. A two-sided marketplace Buyers and sellers in one niche you understand. **Prompt:** "A marketplace for used camera gear: sellers list items with photos, buyers message them, admins remove bad listings." See the [marketplace build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/marketplace). ### 14. A SaaS MVP A small paid tool for one job, with sign-in and billing. **Prompt:** "A tool for landlords to log repairs per property and share a status link with tenants, with a monthly plan." See the [SaaS MVP build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/saas-mvp). ### 15. A property listings site Listings with photos, filters and enquiries. **Prompt:** "A listings site for a letting agent: homes with photos, price and area filters, and an enquiry form." See the [property listings build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/real-estate-listings). ## Mobile app ideas for iOS and Android ### 16. A delivery driver app Today's stops, directions and proof of delivery. **Prompt:** "A driver app: my stops for today in order, a map link for each, and a photo when I deliver." See the [delivery driver build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/delivery-driver-app). ### 17. A field inspection app Checklists and photos that work on site. **Prompt:** "An inspection app for electricians: a checklist per job, photos per item and a summary to send the client." See the [field inspection build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/field-inspection-app). ### 18. A gym check-in app Members check in with a code; the front desk sees who is in. **Prompt:** "A gym check-in app: members show a QR code, staff scan it, and the owner sees visits per day." See the [gym check-in build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/gym-check-in-app). ### 19. An event companion app The schedule, speakers and updates in attendees' pockets. **Prompt:** "An app for a two-day conference: schedule by day, speaker pages, a map and push updates." See the [event companion build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/event-companion-app). ### 20. A wedding website Your story, the day's schedule and RSVPs that know who is coming. **Prompt:** "A wedding website with our story, the schedule, travel notes and an RSVP with a meal choice per guest." See the [wedding website build](https://vibely.sh/use-cases/wedding-website). ## How to build your idea with AI 1. Paste the prompt into an [AI app builder](https://vibely.sh/ai-app-builder) and change the details to your own. 2. Ask for a plan first if the app has more than three screens. 3. Click through the preview and fix what feels wrong by saying so. 4. Publish to a live URL and show it to five people who would use it. On Vibely, building and publishing a web app is free to start with 5 credits a month. Ideas that store data, such as bookings, members or invoices, need the Supabase database, which comes with Lite at $10 a month. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can AI build my app idea? Most of the ideas above, yes. Tick the features yours needs in [Can AI build my app?](https://vibely.sh/tools/can-ai-build-my-app) and see which plan builds them. ### Which app ideas make money? The ones that save a business time or money, because businesses pay monthly for that. Our guide on [how to make money from an app](https://vibely.sh/guides/how-to-make-money-from-an-app) covers subscriptions, one-off payments and in-app purchases. ### What is a good first app for a beginner? A habit tracker, a portfolio or a link-in-bio page. Each is small enough to finish in an afternoon and teaches you how to change an app by describing it. **Next step:** pick one idea, paste its prompt into [Vibely](https://vibely.sh/code) and change one detail to make it yours. ## See also - [Every worked build, with its starting prompt](https://vibely.sh/use-cases) - [Can AI build my app?](https://vibely.sh/tools/can-ai-build-my-app) ## Related - [How to make an app for your small business](https://vibely.sh/blog/how-to-make-an-app-for-your-small-business) - How to make an app for your small business without hiring a developer: pick one job it does, describe it to an AI app builder, connect your tools and publish. - [From idea to live URL in 60 seconds: the Vibely workflow](https://vibely.sh/blog/idea-to-live-url-in-60-seconds) - A walkthrough of the full Vibely loop, from prompt to plan to preview to deploy, and the small habits that make going from an idea to a live URL feel instant. - [How to build a mobile app from a prompt: native iOS and Android in 2026](https://vibely.sh/blog/how-to-build-a-mobile-app-from-a-prompt) - A practical guide to shipping a real React Native + Expo app with AI — live preview to your phone, Supabase auth, and TestFlight in one afternoon. - [How to build a web app with AI: the complete 2026 guide](https://vibely.sh/blog/how-to-build-a-web-app-with-ai) - A step-by-step playbook for going from a one-line idea to a production-grade web app — and why Vibely beats Lovable, Bolt, v0, and Cursor for this exact job.