Dyad
Top pickA free desktop app builder with Supabase built in, any model, and your code on your own disk.
Dyad is a local, open-source AI app builder that describes itself as an alternative to Lovable, v0 and Bolt that runs on your own computer. The workflow is close to Lovable's: you chat, it builds and previews the app, versions are saved automatically, and when you ask for a backend feature it offers to connect Supabase for auth, database and server functions, the same backend Lovable's own migration guide points to. The difference is ownership: every project is a regular Git repository in a folder on your machine (~/dyad-apps by default), and you choose the model, from a free-tier Gemini key, OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter or a ChatGPT subscription to local models through Ollama or LM Studio. It starts from React and Vite or Next.js templates, supports Neon as well as Supabase, and its import feature is built for apps from Lovable, v0 or Bolt.
What it does well
- +Each project is a normal Git repository on your own disk; no workspace, credits pool or hosting account stands between you and your code
- +Supabase integration for auth, database and server functions, so a Lovable app on Supabase has a natural home
- +Any model, including a free-tier Gemini key, a ChatGPT subscription or a local model
- +Very active: v1.18.0 shipped on 5 October 2026, and the repository has about 21.7k GitHub stars
Where it falls short
- −You install a desktop app plus Node.js and run the preview on your own machine; macOS and Windows are supported, while Linux is experimental and does not auto-update
- −No hosting, managed database or security certifications of its own; deploying, backups and access control become your job
- −Importing an existing app is marked experimental and supports Node.js-based JavaScript apps with an npm run dev script
- −The Pro features in the repository's src/pro folder are fair-source (FSL-1.1), not open source, and the free agent mode is limited to 20 messages a day
Hardware note
Dyad runs anywhere Node.js runs, and its FAQ suggests a cloud model such as Gemini or OpenRouter if your machine is not powerful. Local models through Ollama or LM Studio are optional; Dyad's own docs warn they are resource-intensive and that smaller models may struggle to follow its instructions.
Dyad as an alternative to
Where Dyad shows up in our comparisons, and how it ranked.
Dyad head-to-head
Straight comparisons against the tools people weigh it against.