Playful launches a no-code platform for making personal apps
Playful has launched a consumer platform that lets people create working apps from an idea without coding or technical expertise. The Seattle company says its service is designed for personal projects, from family planners and school fundraisers to apps made simply because someone wishes they existed.
- Playful lets users create working apps without coding or technical expertise.
- Apps can be private, shared, published, installed on phones and used collaboratively.
- HOMEMADE offers community apps, ideas and remixable creations.
- The free trial requires no credit card, while membership costs $10 per month.
- Playful was founded by Mike Harrington and Darrin Massena, creators of Valve and Picnik.
From an idea to a working app
Playful starts by asking users a few questions about what they want to make. It then creates a plan for the user’s approval before building a working app, according to the company.
Users can continue shaping their creations by asking for changes, including new features, different behavior, or adjustments to colors, fonts, photos and layout. Playful handles hosting, so users do not need to download code or manage separate hosting.
Apps can be kept private, shared with selected people, or published for others to find and use. They can also be installed on a phone. Some creations are intended for one person, while others allow several people to contribute and interact in real time.
A platform for “homemade software”
Playful describes these personal creations as “homemade software,” meaning apps built around individual interests, needs and ideas that may not appeal to a mass audience. Examples in the company’s announcement include a skincare tracker and a Thanksgiving potluck planner, alongside apps for book clubs, family trips and school fundraisers.
“Software doesn't always have to be serious,” said Mike Harrington, co-founder of Playful, in the company’s announcement. “It can solve a tiny problem, help plan a family trip, make your friends laugh or just be something weird you wanted to exist.”
The platform also includes HOMEMADE, a curated destination where people can browse apps and ideas from the Playful community. Users can remix existing apps and adapt them for their own needs. The company says the service is intended for newcomers, while also giving experienced creators a place to experiment.
Founded by the creators of Valve and Picnik
Playful was founded by Mike Harrington and Darrin Massena, who first worked together at Microsoft. Harrington later co-founded Valve in 1996 and helped create Half-Life. The pair subsequently co-founded Picnik, an online photo editor acquired by Google in 2010.
Playful Software is based in Seattle and says its goal is to make software creation more approachable for people who have never considered building an app. Darrin Massena said the economics of traditional software had generally favored products aimed at large markets, leaving a gap between commercial apps and the ways individuals might want to use software in their own lives.
Playful is available from Playful.app through a browser on desktop and mobile devices. Anyone can try it for free without a credit card and make a few apps. Apps created during the free trial remain available for 30 days. A $10 monthly membership allows users to continue making, refining and using their apps, with a monthly allowance that resets each month. Apps remain available while membership is active, and people who receive shared apps do not pay to use them.
PR Newswire: Playful Launches a New Way to Make the Apps You Wish Existed
