What does an app backend need to do?

Strip away the jargon and most app backends do six jobs:

1. Expose APIs that your frontend or mobile app calls.

2. Store and query data in a database.

3. Run business logic such as validation, calculations and calls to other services.

4. Run jobs on a schedule, like nightly syncs, reminders and reports.

5. React to events, such as a new payment, a database change or an incoming webhook.

6. Keep secrets and access under control, with logs to see what happened.

Today there's often a seventh: AI features, such as an LLM call in a flow or an agent that uses your data. Here's how BuildShip covers each one.

1. APIs: every workflow can be an endpoint

Add a REST API Call trigger to a workflow, set the path and method (GET, POST, PUT or DELETE), and click Ship. BuildShip deploys it and gives you an endpoint URL you can call from any frontend, from no-code app builders such as FlutterFlow, Webflow, Framer or Bubble, or from frameworks such as Next.js, React or Vue.

There are also triggers for file uploads (multipart/form-data) and a Firebase Auth Request trigger that only accepts requests from authenticated Firebase users.

2. Data: a built-in database, or bring your own

Every BuildShip project includes the BuildShip Database, so you can create, read, update and delete documents without provisioning anything. You can browse and edit the data in a spreadsheet-style table view. Plans include database tables (10 on Starter, 50 on Pro and 100 on Business).

If your data already lives elsewhere, BuildShip has nodes for Firestore, Postgres, Supabase, MySQL and MongoDB, so you can keep your database and use BuildShip for the logic around it.

3. Logic: visual nodes with full code access

Business logic is built from nodes: branch, loop, switch and parallel for flow control, plus integration and AI nodes. When the visual version isn't enough, open any node and edit its JavaScript or TypeScript, or use any of the NPM packages. If an integration is missing, you can ask AI to generate a node for it.

4. Scheduled jobs

Use the Custom Schedule (Cron) trigger for jobs like "every day at 5pm" or the Interval Schedule (Cron) trigger for "every N minutes". Once shipped, the job runs on its own and every run shows up in the logs.

5. Events and webhooks

BuildShip has triggers for database events (BuildShip Database, Supabase, MongoDB and Firestore through Rowy), payments (Stripe, Lemon Squeezy and RevenueCat), messaging (Telegram, WhatsApp, Gmail and inbound email) and tools such as GitHub, Notion, Webflow and Google Sheets. That covers most of the "when X happens, do Y" logic a backend handles.

6. Security, logs and hosting

• Workflows run on Google Cloud Run in the region you choose, so your data stays in that region.

• API keys and secrets are stored in Google Cloud Secret Manager in your own single-tenant project.

• Execution logs show inputs, outputs and failures, filtered by Prod or Test, with failure alerts on every plan.

• Paid plans include version control, and Enterprise adds self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud, Git, custom notification systems and compliance support.

7. AI features built into the backend

This is where BuildShip differs most from a classic backend-as-a-service. LLM nodes, AI agents and agent tools sit on the same canvas as your APIs and database. An agent's tools can be the same flows your app calls, and keyless AI nodes let you run models on your BuildShip credits without managing provider keys.

BuildShip alone, or with Supabase or Firebase?

Both patterns work, and the choice usually comes down to where your data and users already live.

When you might add other tools

BuildShip covers a lot, but it's worth being clear about the edges:

• Frontend. BuildShip is the backend. Pair it with your app builder or framework of choice.

• User sign-up and login. If you want a dedicated auth product, Firebase Auth or Supabase Auth work well with BuildShip's triggers and nodes.

• Heavy analytics. For large analytical queries, a data warehouse may be the better home for that data, with BuildShip moving data in and out.

FAQ

Is BuildShip a real backend or a workflow tool?

Both. BuildShip workflows ship as HTTPS endpoints, scheduled jobs and event handlers that run on Google Cloud Run, with a built-in database and full code access. That's the core of a backend, built visually.

Can I use BuildShip as a backend for FlutterFlow, Bubble or Webflow?

Yes. BuildShip endpoints can be called from no-code app builders, and there's a dedicated FlutterFlow trigger. Our docs include guides for connecting popular frontends.

Can I export my backend code?

Yes. Workflows and tools can be exported as JavaScript and deployed on your own infrastructure, such as Vercel, GCP, AWS or Azure. Enterprise plans also offer self-hosting and bring-your-own-cloud.

Is BuildShip a Xano or Supabase alternative?

It overlaps with both. Like Xano, it's a visual way to build backend logic and APIs. Like Supabase, it gives you a database. Where BuildShip differs is AI: agents, agent tools and LLM workflows live on the same canvas as the backend. If you love Supabase's Postgres and auth, BuildShip works well on top of it.

How much does it cost to run a backend on BuildShip?

Plans start at $19 per month (Starter, 20,000 credits, 7-day free trial). Pro is $59 per month and Business is $449 per month. Most nodes use 1 credit for the first 3 seconds of execution and 1 credit per second after that, and core nodes like Input, Output and top-level Branch don't use credits. See pricing.

Build your first endpoint

The fastest way to answer "can BuildShip be my backend?" is to ship an endpoint. Follow our step-by-step tutorial to build an API that writes to a database, a scheduled AI workflow and an agent, or start your free trial and explore the backend API triggers.