Power Apps alternative
Last updated August 7, 2026
Power Apps is Microsoft's low-code platform for building apps that plug straight into Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Dataverse. Businesses look for a Power Apps alternative when per-user Premium licensing stacks on top of an already-paid Microsoft 365 bill, when Dataverse storage runs out and starts costing extra per gigabyte, or when they want an app that isn't tied to Microsoft's platform and licensing model. Here's the honest trade-off.
Last updated July 13, 2026
What's a good Power Apps alternative once licensing adds up?
The strongest Power Apps alternative for a business facing $20/user/month Premium licensing stacked on Microsoft 365, plus per-gigabyte Dataverse storage add-ons, is a custom web app you own — no per-user platform fee and no metered storage. Power Apps' free Developer plan stays useful for prototyping; move to custom once you need production licensing or you're paying for extra Dataverse capacity.
At a glance
| Factor | Power Apps | Custom web app (YittBox) |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | $20/user/mo Premium (annual), on top of M365 | One-time build + hosting |
| Included data capacity | 250 MB Dataverse + 2 GB files/user | No per-user metering |
| Extra storage cost | $40/GB/month (annual) | None |
| Free tier | Dev/test only, not production | No licensing tier at all |
| Ownership | Runs inside Microsoft's platform | 100% your code + data |
Where Power Apps is genuinely great
For a team already deep in Microsoft 365 that needs a simple app or automation over SharePoint or Dataverse data, Power Apps is fast to build and tightly integrated with Outlook, Teams and the rest of the suite. There's even a free Developer plan for building and testing apps before you commit to licensing.
Where a Power Apps alternative starts to make sense
Real production use requires the Premium plan at $20/user/month (annual billing) — or $12/user/month, but only at a 2,000-seat minimum most small and mid-size businesses will never hit — stacked on top of whatever Microsoft 365 tier you already pay for. The included Dataverse capacity is modest (250 MB database + 2 GB file per user), and once you outgrow it, extra storage is billed separately at $40/GB/month (annual), pooled at the tenant level. The free Developer plan is capped to non-production use (3 environments, 2 GB Dataverse, 750 flows/month) — it's not a path to skip Premium.
What we build instead
YittBox builds a custom web app with no per-user Premium licensing stacked on your M365 bill and no metered Dataverse-style storage add-on. It runs on your own stack, isn't tied to Microsoft's platform choices, and you own the code and data outright — a one-time build instead of a per-seat subscription.
The bottom line
For a small internal tool over SharePoint or Dataverse data on a team already paying for Microsoft 365, Power Apps' free Developer plan is a reasonable way to prototype. Once you need production use, though, Premium licensing and Dataverse storage add-ons stack on top of your M365 bill — a custom build removes both and you own it outright.
Frequently asked
- Why look for a Power Apps alternative?
- Mainly the licensing stack: Premium production use is $20/user/month (or $12 only at 2,000+ seats) on top of your existing Microsoft 365 subscription, and the free Developer plan is dev/test only. Extra Dataverse storage past the included 250 MB is billed separately at $40/GB/month.
- We built our tool in Power Apps — can you rebuild it?
- Yes. We rebuild the same workflows as a custom web app connected to whatever data you need, migrate it off Dataverse if that's the goal, and remove the per-user Premium licensing and storage add-on costs.
- Is Power Apps cheaper than a custom build?
- Cheaper to prototype on the free Developer plan, but that's not usable in production. Once you're licensing Premium seats and paying for extra Dataverse capacity, those costs recur every month indefinitely — a custom build is a one-time investment you own.
Sources
Every claim about another product on this page is taken from that vendor’s own public pages. Vendor pricing and limits change — each source shows the date we checked it.
- Power Apps Premium licensing is $20 per user/month billed annually for unlimited apps and flows; a $12/user/month rate applies only at a 2,000-seat purchase minimum. Source (checked 2026-08-07)
- Power Apps Premium includes 250 MB of Dataverse database capacity plus 2 GB of file capacity per user; additional Dataverse database capacity is billed at $40/GB per month (annual billing), pooled at the tenant level. Source (checked 2026-08-07)
- The free Power Apps Developer plan is limited to 3 developer environments, 2 GB of Dataverse capacity, and 750 automation flows per month, for building and testing only. Source (checked 2026-08-07)
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