Orchids was an app-building platform launched in September 2025 by Guse Inc. (US) under the banner of an “AI full-stack engineer.” You described what you wanted in chat, and it generated web apps, mobile apps, Chrome extensions, Slack bots and more, with the option to download the whole codebase or push it to GitHub. Its “bring your own model” design — connecting your existing ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or GitHub Copilot subscriptions and API keys — was unusual among tools of this kind.
Important — the service is no longer available: On July 7, 2026, Orchids (whose team later rebranded as Bud) announced it was joining Figma, and the service shut down on July 18, 2026. All hosted apps were taken offline and new sign-ups are no longer possible. What follows is a record of what the service was, plus context for anyone looking for an alternative.
Key Features
- Full-stack apps generated from chat: Billed as “the first AI app builder to build and deploy any app, any stack,” it covered not just the web but mobile apps, Chrome extensions, Slack bots and AI agents
- Bring your own AI subscriptions and API keys: You could connect existing ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or GitHub Copilot subscriptions, or your own API keys, to build apps ─ a design that helped users who already pay for AI tools avoid paying twice
- Full code download and GitHub integration: Output was not locked inside the platform. You could save projects locally as a ZIP or push them to a GitHub repository, giving users an exit path
- Brand guide and design system sync: Generation could follow existing brand colors and component definitions, making it easier to keep internal tools and landing pages on-brand
- Cloud deployment and databases: The platform hosted generated apps directly and provided a database for persisting data. At shutdown, migration guidance pointed users toward Vercel and Supabase
- Enterprise controls: SSO, granular permissions, audit logs and usage limits were available for organizations rolling the tool out internally
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly price | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| All plans | ─ | Unavailable ─ new and continued use ended with the July 18, 2026 shutdown |
Pricing information is current as of August 2026. The official pricing page (
https://www.orchids.app/pricing) has been removed following the shutdown, so the plan lineup and prices at the time of closure could not be verified. Check the official site for the latest status.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Reusing your own AI subscriptions and API keys meant little need to stack an extra token bill on top for the builder itself
- Generated code could be taken out as a ZIP or via GitHub, reducing platform lock-in
- Coverage extended beyond the web to mobile, extensions and bots, which suited quickly shaping small internal tools
- Brand guide sync kept output from looking obviously machine-generated
- SSO, audit logs and other controls needed for organizational rollout were available from the start
⚠️ Cons
- The service shut down on July 18, 2026 and can no longer be used
- Only 11 days separated the announcement from the shutdown, leaving very little time to migrate
- Users who relied on the built-in hosting and database had to move to Vercel, Supabase or similar
- With roughly ten months between launch and closure, it never built a long-term operational track record
Comparison with Similar Services
| Criterion | Orchids | Lovable | Bolt.new | v0 (Vercel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Availability | Shut down (July 18, 2026) | Active | Active | Active |
| Output targets | Web, mobile, extensions, bots | Mainly web apps | Web, mobile (Expo) | Mainly web UI and apps |
| Bring your own model | Yes (own subscription / API key) | No | No | No |
| Code export | ZIP / GitHub | GitHub integration | ZIP / GitHub | Copy code / GitHub |
| Deployment | Own hosting (discontinued) | Built-in hosting | Built-in hosting | Vercel |
Pricing and features for the compared services change over time; confirm details on each official site before adopting one.
Who Is It For
Orchids is no longer available, so anyone who was considering it for the following purposes should look at the alternatives above.
- People already paying for ChatGPT or Claude who do not want additional token charges from the builder ─ few builders currently support bringing your own model, so check whether API key connection is offered
- People who insist on keeping generated code in their own hands ─ prioritize GitHub integration and code export
- Teams producing on-brand internal tools at volume ─ check whether the tool can ingest a design system
- Former Orchids users looking for somewhere to move ─ the Vercel plus Supabase setup suggested at shutdown makes a reasonable baseline for evaluating replacements
Summary
Orchids took an approach rare in this space: build full-stack apps using the AI subscriptions you already pay for. It also paid attention to practical concerns such as code portability and brand consistency. In July 2026, however, the team joined Figma and the service closed on the 18th of that month.
AI app builders are a field of ongoing consolidation and acquisition, so abrupt shutdowns are a real possibility. The practical lesson is straightforward: keep generated code backed up outside the platform, for example on GitHub, and decide in advance where hosting and databases would move. When choosing a tool, weigh whether it offers an exit as heavily as how many features it has.