B4X vs Monaca

B4X is a suite of rapid application development tools for Android, iOS, desktop, server, and IoT projects. Its B4X language is described as a modern version of Visual Basic, and B4A, B4J, and B4i projects can share 90%+ of their code through cross-platform libraries. B4A includes a GUI designer for multiple screens and orientations and supports device debugging over USB or a wireless bridge. B4J creates desktop interfaces, console programs, and server solutions that can run on Windows, Mac, Linux, and ARM boards such as Raspberry Pi. B4R targets Arduino, ESP8266, and ESP32. The maker says compiled iOS, Android, Arduino, and ESP8266 applications are native and have no dependencies. B4A, B4R, and B4J are free, including for commercial purposes. Standard B4A and B4i licenses cost 59.00 USD once per developer. B4i requires an Apple developer account costing $99 per year, an iOS 11+ device, and Windows 7 64-bit or a VM for its IDE.

Monaca is a cross-platform hybrid mobile app development platform and cloud tool suite built around HTML5, JavaScript, and Apache Cordova. Its browser-based Cloud IDE supports Cordova work without local setup, while Monaca Localkit and the CLI provide local development tools. It supports Angular 1, Angular 2+, React, and Vue.js, and developers can bring another JavaScript framework. Cloud builds and continuous-integration features include hook scripts, custom plugins, and configurable setups. The Debugger provides breakpoints, stepping, and profiling, including iOS and Android debugging on Windows and Mac without installing SDKs. Cordova backend APIs cover push notifications, user management, remote databases, and email delivery. The Free plan costs nothing and includes three projects and three remote builds per 24 hours; corporate use is restricted to non-commercial purposes. PRO costs $22 a month, BUSINESS costs $55 a month plus base usage of $22 a month per team, and ENTERPRISE costs $110 a month plus base usage of $550 a month per organization. Monaca states that transmission uses HTTPS and SSL/TLS, but data is not encrypted at rest.