Does Xojo have a free plan?

Yes. Xojo offers a free tier with limits; paid plans unlock higher usage or team features.

What are the main drawbacks of Xojo?

The trade-offs we noted: License required for builds: Free IDE use does not grant application build or text/XML project-saving rights.; Per-developer licensing: Official licenses are single-developer and target coverage varies by product tier.; Platform prerequisites: iOS needs a Mac, current Xcode and Apple developer access; Android needs a supported Android Studio setup..

When should you not use Xojo?

Skip Xojo if: You require an open-source compiler, IDE and framework stack; Per-developer build licenses or platform-store prerequisites do not fit the budget; Native platform APIs or third-party libraries needed by the product are unavailable in Xojo.

Developer Tools

Xojo

Commercial cross-platform language and IDE for desktop, web, mobile, console and Raspberry Pi apps.

What it is

Xojo is a proprietary programming language, framework and visual IDE for building desktop, web, mobile, console and Raspberry Pi applications. The IDE can be used free for learning and development, but a single-developer license is required to build distributable applications and to save projects in text or XML formats. Platform targets, store accounts, server deployment and optional Xojo Cloud introduce additional requirements and costs.

Xojo pricing

Xojo does not publish a plan ladder we could verify. Free tier available.

Prices read from the vendor's own pricing page on 2026-08-24. Vendors change plans without notice — check the source before you budget. Price verification log.

Cheaper alternatives to Xojo — same category, ordered by verified starting price.

Key features

Visual IDE and language
Combines UI design, code and the Xojo framework within one proprietary toolchain.
Cross-platform targets
License-dependent builds cover desktop, web, mobile, console and Raspberry Pi applications.
Database access
Paid products document SQLite plus connections to MySQL, PostgreSQL and other systems through supported interfaces.
Xojo Cloud option
Offers separate managed hosting for Xojo web applications with one-click deployment.

Strengths and trade-offs

What works well

Broad target set: Paid editions can build across desktop, web, mobile, console and Raspberry Pi targets depending on license tier.
Shared development environment: A visual IDE and Xojo language cover multiple application categories.
Free evaluation path: The license permits free learning and development before purchasing build rights.
Deployment choice: Web apps can run standalone on supported servers or use the separately purchased Xojo Cloud service.

Where it falls short

License required for builds: Free IDE use does not grant application build or text/XML project-saving rights.
Per-developer licensing: Official licenses are single-developer and target coverage varies by product tier.
Platform prerequisites: iOS needs a Mac, current Xcode and Apple developer access; Android needs a supported Android Studio setup.
Self-hosted web operations: Xojo does not support configuring standalone web servers, and shared hosting is discouraged.

Who it is for

Solo developers and teams willing to adopt Xojo's proprietary language and per-developer licenses for cross-platform application delivery.

Pick it or skip it

Pick Xojo if

Rapid desktop or internal application development where Xojo supports every required target
Developers preferring one visual toolchain over separate platform-native stacks
Xojo web apps whose hosting and operational model has been validated

Skip it if

You require an open-source compiler, IDE and framework stack
Per-developer build licenses or platform-store prerequisites do not fit the budget
Native platform APIs or third-party libraries needed by the product are unavailable in Xojo

Our verdict

Use the free IDE to prototype, but choose Xojo only after confirming the paid target licenses, native API coverage, project-format needs and deployment model; build and ship a representative pilot on every required platform before committing.

Frequently asked questions

Does Xojo have a free plan?: Yes. Xojo offers a free tier with limits; paid plans unlock higher usage or team features.
Who is Xojo best for?: Solo developers and teams willing to adopt Xojo's proprietary language and per-developer licenses for cross-platform application delivery.
What are the main drawbacks of Xojo?: The trade-offs we noted: License required for builds: Free IDE use does not grant application build or text/XML project-saving rights.; Per-developer licensing: Official licenses are single-developer and target coverage varies by product tier.; Platform prerequisites: iOS needs a Mac, current Xcode and Apple developer access; Android needs a supported Android Studio setup..
When should you not use Xojo?: Skip Xojo if: You require an open-source compiler, IDE and framework stack; Per-developer build licenses or platform-store prerequisites do not fit the budget; Native platform APIs or third-party libraries needed by the product are unavailable in Xojo.

What we checked

Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.No
Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.No
Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.No

“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.

Evidence and freshness

Status: Source listed, figures not recordedReviewed: 2026-08-24

Xojo — Products ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: desktop mobile web and Raspberry Pi targets, cross-platform positioning, Xojo Cloud option
Xojo Store — Licenses ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: current public prices, single-developer licenses, target-specific tiers, release-access period, activations, database support, technical support
Xojo — License summary ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: free learning and development, license required to build, license required for text or XML project formats, activation counts, single-user restriction
Xojo Docs — System requirements ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: IDE operating systems, application target requirements, Android Studio requirement, iOS Xcode and developer account requirements, web server requirements, Linux libraries, Wayland caveat
Xojo Docs — Web deployment overview ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: standalone and Xojo Cloud deployment, shared-hosting warning, server configuration support boundary, CGI removal, supported server platforms
Xojo Store — Xojo Cloud ↗
Checked 2026-08-24 · Supports: separate cloud charge, required Xojo license, starting monthly price, automatic backups, database options, bandwidth charges

Limit: Official Xojo product, licensing, system-requirement, deployment and store pages were reviewed; ToolCompare did not install the IDE, compile or distribute an application, test native API coverage, inspect generated binaries, evaluate plugins, validate app-store submission, benchmark performance, deploy a web app or audit Xojo Cloud. Prices and supported platforms can change after the review date.

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