Build a Mini-App Without Code: Grok Build, Claude Artifacts, Gemini Canvas and ChatGPT Sites

Describe a budget calculator, a chore chart or a simple booking page, and get a working app you can share with a link. No coding and no API keys.

Checked October 17, 2026. Researched and drafted with help from Grok Bot.

Quick answer

• You can build small apps by describing them. The chatbot writes the code, shows a live preview, and changes it when you ask.
• Best picks: Grok Build for apps you publish and share (every plan, web and mobile). Claude artifacts for polished tools inside Claude. Gemini Canvas for free, quick apps shared with a link. ChatGPT Sites for real websites on Plus and Pro.
• Sharing works differently. Grok Build gives each app a grok.me address and you choose who can open it. ChatGPT Sites lets you pick an audience and publish. Claude and Gemini share through a link.
• Keep private data out. Anything in a shared app can be seen by whoever opens it.
• "Mini" is the key word. These are great for calculators, trackers, quizzes, simple pages and games, not for running a whole business.

Comparison table

Chatbot	Feature	Plan	Live preview	Share	Extras
Grok	Grok Build	Every plan; web, iOS, Android	✓ in chat	Publish to yourapp.grok.me: just you, anyone with the link, or the whole internet; custom domain	Apps can use Grok for chat, images and voice with no keys; Remix; Export to GitHub; Secrets; Connectors for dashboards
Claude	Artifacts	All plans; code execution on	✓ side panel	Share; viewers need a Claude account. Pro/Max can choose Anyone with the link	Older chat artifacts (before Sep 16, 2026) can be published publicly with embed codes
Gemini	Canvas	Free	✓ side panel	g.co/gemini/share link; anyone with the link can view and edit shared app data	Export to Docs or Slides
ChatGPT	Sites (in Work)	Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise; not Free or Go	✓ private preview	Share → Who has access → Publish; public when allowed	Custom domains; versions; counts toward Codex usage

Which one should I use? The verdict

Quick questions

Do I need to know how to code? No. You describe what you want and ask for changes in plain words.

Is it free? Grok Build is on every plan. Gemini Canvas is free. Claude artifacts work on all plans with code execution on. ChatGPT Sites needs Plus or Pro.

Can other people use my app? Yes, through a link. In Grok Build you choose: just you, anyone with the link, or the whole internet. In ChatGPT Sites you choose the audience before you publish.

Is it safe to put my data in? Only put in what you'd be happy for anyone with the link to see. A Gemini shared app lets people with the link edit its shared data.

Can I use my own domain? Grok Build and ChatGPT Sites both support custom domains you already own.

Before you start: describe the app

Good apps start with a clear description. Fill this in:

APP: [Family chore chart]
WHO USES IT: [Me and my 2 kids, on a phone]
WHAT IT DOES:
- [List each kid's chores for the week]
- [Tap to mark done; shows a star]
- [Points add up; 20 points = a reward]
LOOK: [Bright, big buttons, works on a phone]
DATA: [No names besides first names. Nothing private.]
NOT NEEDED: [Logins, payments]

Tip: paste a rough idea into any chatbot and say Turn this into an app description in the format above. Ask me up to 5 questions first.

Step by step: Grok Build

1. Open Grok on the web, iOS or Android.
2. Choose Build in the mode picker (beta), or just describe the app in chat.
3. Paste your app description. Grok builds a working version live in the chat.
4. Ask for changes: Make the buttons bigger. Add a reset button for Sunday night.
5. Publish: choose Publish app, check the address (yourapp.grok.me) and set Access: just you, anyone with the link, or the whole internet. Grok also makes a cover image for the link; regenerate or replace it if you like.
6. Optional extras:
   • AI inside your app: turn on the SpaceXSI APIs for that app, and it can use Grok for chat, images and voice, with no keys to create. You can turn access off any time.
   • Connectors: pull your own data into a live dashboard.
   • Custom domain, Remix (let others copy it), Export to GitHub.

Button names beyond the publish sheet in SpaceXSI's announcement ("Publish app", "Website URL", "Access") are not verified and may vary by app version.

Step by step: Claude artifacts

1. Turn on code execution in Claude's settings.
2. Paste your app description and add: Build this as an interactive app.
3. The app appears in a side panel. Try it, then ask for changes.
4. Share: choose Share. People who open it need a Claude account. On Pro and Max you can choose Anyone with the link.

Older artifacts: artifacts made in chats before September 16, 2026 can still be published publicly (on Free, Pro and Max) and embedded on a website with an embed code.

Step by step: Gemini Canvas

1. Open gemini.google.com.
2. Choose Canvas below the text box.
3. Paste your app description. The app appears in the canvas panel.
4. Ask for changes until it works.
5. Share: create a share link (g.co/gemini/share/...). Anyone with the link can view and edit the app's shared data, so don't put private information in it.
6. Export to Docs or Slides if you want a document version.

Step by step: ChatGPT Sites (Plus and Pro)

1. On ChatGPT web, select Work. (In the desktop app: ChatGPT → Work, or Codex.) Sites isn't in the ChatGPT Classic app.
2. Describe the app and include the word "website", or mention @Sites.
3. Add any content, files or links it should use.
4. Review the private preview and ask for changes.
5. Publish: choose Share, pick Who has access (just you, selected people, or Anyone on the internet where available), then Publish. Use Copy link to share.
6. To change it later, open Sites in the sidebar and choose the edit icon. Save a version and review it before publishing again; every deployment goes live.

Building or editing a Site counts toward your Codex usage.

ChatGPT Canvas isn't covered here: OpenAI removed it from GPT-5.5 Instant and GPT-5.5 Thinking. Use ChatGPT Sites instead.

The others

Try it: 3 ready-made apps

1. Budget calculator

APP: Monthly budget calculator
WHAT IT DOES: I enter take-home pay and expenses in categories (rent, food, car, fun, savings). It shows what's left, a pie chart, and warns in red if I'm over.
LOOK: Clean, works on a phone. Dollar amounts with commas.
DATA: Nothing saved online. Starts blank each time.

2. Chore chart (the description above).

3. Simple booking page

APP: Booking request page for my [dog-walking] business
WHAT IT DOES: Shows my 3 services and prices. A form: name, email, preferred day and time, notes. On submit, shows "Thanks! I'll confirm by email within 24 hours."
LOOK: Friendly, my colors [#2E7D32 green], my logo text "[Business name]".
NOT NEEDED: Payments. Don't store card details.

Where form submissions go (an email to you, or a list inside the app) depends on the tool and is not verified. Ask: "Where do form submissions go, and who can see them?" before you share it.

Test before you share

• Try it on a phone.
• Try silly input: blank fields, letters in number boxes, huge numbers.
• Open the link in a private browser window to see what others see.
• Check the access setting (who can open it, and who can edit data).
• Remove anything private: addresses, phone numbers, kids' full names.
• If it collects people's info, say what you do with it.

Common mistakes and fixes

Problem	Fix
App doesn't work after a change	"Undo the last change" or "Go back to the version that worked"
Math is wrong	"Show me the formula you used, then test it with these numbers: [example]"
Looks bad on a phone	"Make it mobile-first with big tap targets"
Too many features at once	Build the basic version first, then add one feature per message
Someone changed my Gemini app's data	Shared Gemini apps let link holders edit shared data; share a fresh copy
Can't find Sites in ChatGPT	Use Work on web (Plus or Pro); not in the Classic app

Prompt pack

The builder:

Build this as an interactive app. [paste app description]
Start with the simplest version that works. Then list 3 improvements I could ask for.

The tester:

Test this app like a picky user. List 5 things that break or confuse people, then fix them.

The explainer:

Explain in plain words what data this app stores, where, and who can see it.

The polish pass:

Make it look professional: consistent spacing, one font, my colors [#hex], clear headings, and a short "how to use" line at the top.

Next level

Turn your app's instructions into a reusable assistant: A3: Build Your Own AI Assistant.