AppSheet vs Custom App Dubai 2026: Cost in AED
AppSheet costs US$5-20 per user a month (about AED 220-881 a year); custom apps start at AED 10,000. Workspace, user maths, PDPL and Arabic RTL.
- PUBLISHED
- 17 OCT 2026
- READ TIME
- 08 MIN
- AUTHOR
- AQUARIUS · DUBAI
- UNIT
- REV 2026.09
Short answer: Google AppSheet’s pricing page lists Starter at US$5, Core at US$10 and Enterprise Plus at US$20 per user a month, plus Publisher Pro at US$50 a month per app for public apps without sign-in. That is roughly AED 220 to AED 881 per user a year, and Core is included in most paid Google Workspace plans. A custom app from Aquarius starts at a fixed AED 10,000, with no per-user fee, code you own, production Arabic right-to-left and local payments.
AppSheet is Google’s no-code platform for turning Google Sheets, AppSheet Databases and other data sources into mobile and web apps. Dubai firms that already run Google Workspace often find they own it without knowing, which makes it the cheapest way to put inspections, job cards, stock counts and approvals on a phone. The useful question is not whether AppSheet works. It is when an AppSheet app is enough, and when a fixed-scope custom build costs less and fits better. This guide sets AppSheet’s published 2026 plans against a custom build.
Key takeaways
- AppSheet lists Starter (US$5), Core (US$10) and Enterprise Plus (US$20) per user a month, billed monthly or annually, plus Publisher Pro at US$50 a month per app.
- Core is “included in most paid Google Workspace plans”, so many Dubai Workspace customers can build on it today at no extra licence cost.
- Users are counted as unique people who have signed in across all your apps, plus guest users. Prototypes are free for up to 10 test users.
- Publisher Pro allows unlimited users but no user sign-in and no security filters, so it suits public, non-sensitive apps only.
- The pricing page does not mention code export, a UAE data region or Arabic right-to-left. Plan for those before a customer-facing app ships.
AppSheet vs custom app: 2026 cost comparison
The AppSheet figures below come from about.appsheet.com/pricing as checked on 17 October 2026. AED amounts use the fixed 3.6725 AED/USD peg and are per user per year, before VAT. Aquarius prices are from our AED app and website pricing page.
| Option | Published price | Approx. AED per year | What the plan lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppSheet prototype | Free | AED 0 | Up to 10 test users while you build |
| AppSheet Starter | US$5/user/month | ≈ AED 220 per user | Basic app features; AppSheet Databases: 5 databases, 2,500 rows |
| AppSheet Core | US$10/user/month (included in most paid Google Workspace plans) | ≈ AED 441 per user | Adds advanced features (barcode and NFC, automation, webhooks) and security controls; 10 databases, 2,500 rows |
| AppSheet Enterprise Plus | US$20/user/month | ≈ AED 881 per user | Adds machine learning, enterprise data services (OData, BigQuery, Salesforce, REST), priority support; 200 databases, 200,000 rows |
| AppSheet Publisher Pro | US$50/month per app | ≈ AED 2,204 per app | Public apps, unlimited users, no sign-in or security filters |
| Aquarius Custom App | From AED 10,000, fixed scope | One-off build, no per-user fee | Custom web or mobile app, AI features, auth, payments, dashboards, API and integrations |
For a Workspace customer with 10 staff on Core, AppSheet can cost nothing extra. Bought on its own, 25 users on Core is about AED 11,018 a year, and 25 users on Enterprise Plus is about AED 22,035 a year. Over three years that Enterprise Plus bill is about AED 66,105, close to three times our AED 24,000 Build tier. For the same comparison on other per-user platforms, see Power Platform low-code app development cost in Dubai and Zoho Creator vs custom app development.
How AppSheet user counting shapes your bill
AppSheet charges per user, and its pricing page defines a user as a unique individual who has signed in across all your apps, plus guest users. That has practical effects for Dubai teams:
- One licence covers every app. A technician who uses your inspection app and your stock app counts once. That is generous for internal tools.
- Customers count too. If clients, tenants or suppliers sign in, each one is a user. A portal for 300 customers on Core is about AED 132,210 a year at list price.
- Features sit behind tiers. Barcode and NFC scanning, scheduled automation, webhooks and role-based security start on Core. OData, BigQuery and REST connectors start on Enterprise Plus.
- Database limits are small on lower tiers. AppSheet Databases allow 2,500 rows on Starter and Core, against 200,000 on Enterprise Plus. Most teams keep larger data in Google Sheets or a SQL source instead.
Publisher Pro removes the per-user maths for public apps, at US$50 a month per app. The catch is that it allows no sign-in and no security filters, so it cannot hold customer accounts, orders or personal data.
Where AppSheet stops being enough in the UAE
AppSheet is excellent for internal field and back-office apps on Google data. Gaps show up when the app faces customers or carries the business.
PDPL and data location
The UAE Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) expects a lawful basis, purpose limits and proper security for personal data. AppSheet’s pricing page does not state where app data is stored. If your data sits in Google Sheets, check your Workspace data settings and document them. Our UAE PDPL compliance checklist for apps lists what else to settle.
Code ownership and exit
The pricing page does not mention exporting an app’s code. Your data stays in sources you control, which helps. The app itself, its views, actions and automation, runs on AppSheet, so leaving means rebuilding it elsewhere.
Arabic and right-to-left
The pricing page lists “branding, color themes, and localization” among basic features. Localised labels are not the same as a designed RTL experience. Mirrored layouts, Arabic typography and mixed-direction forms should be tested on real phones in an Arabic locale before a bilingual customer app ships.
Customer-facing apps and payments
The pricing page lists no payment features. A consumer app needs App Store and Google Play listings under your brand, a UAE gateway, 3-D Secure, VAT-correct invoices carrying your TRN and often WhatsApp OTP. Those need server-side code you can test and audit.
When AppSheet wins, and when custom wins
| Situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Internal app, company already on paid Google Workspace | AppSheet | Core is included in most paid Workspace plans |
| Field inspections, job cards or stock counts on Sheets | AppSheet | Forms, checklists, photos, signatures and locations are basic features |
| Prototype for a team of up to 10 | AppSheet | Free for up to 10 test users |
| App used by 25+ staff for years, bought without Workspace | Custom | No per-user fee; three-year licences overtake a fixed build |
| Customer portal with logins | Custom | Every signed-in customer is a paid user on AppSheet |
| App that takes AED payments | Custom | Local gateway, VAT invoicing and 3-D Secure need tested server code |
| Bilingual Arabic/English product under your brand | Custom | Designed RTL and native store apps |
Many Dubai firms run both. They keep AppSheet for internal field work and build the customer-facing app custom, reading the same data through an API. If your use case is technicians and job dispatch, our guide to field service management software in Dubai covers the build options.
Aquarius custom apps: AI-native delivery, fixed AED price
We use AI in delivery, which is why our prices sit below a traditional Dubai agency. Engineers still own the architecture, review the code, and sign off PDPL data handling, Arabic RTL and payments before launch. You get the repository, and you pay no per-user fee.
| Aquarius tier | Price | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Business Site | AED 2,500 | Up to 8 pages, CMS, SEO + AEO foundation, AI chat assistant, EN/AR ready |
| Custom App | From AED 10,000 | Custom web or mobile app, AI features, auth, payments, dashboards, API and integrations |
| Build | AED 24,000 | Custom web or mobile app with AI features, auth, payments and dashboards |
Our custom web and mobile app development services page lists everything we build, including Google Sheets and Workspace integrations.
FAQ
How much does AppSheet cost in the UAE in 2026?
AppSheet’s pricing page lists Starter at US$5, Core at US$10 and Enterprise Plus at US$20 per user a month, billed monthly or annually. At the 3.6725 peg that is about AED 220, AED 441 and AED 881 per user a year. Publisher Pro is US$50 a month per app.
Is AppSheet free with Google Workspace?
AppSheet says Core is included in most paid Google Workspace plans. Check your own Workspace edition in the admin console. Enterprise Plus is a separate paid plan.
How does AppSheet count users?
A user is a unique individual who has signed in across all your apps, plus guest users. One person using several of your apps counts once. Prototypes are free for up to 10 test users.
Can I build a public customer app on AppSheet?
Publisher Pro allows unlimited users for US$50 a month per app, but it does not allow user sign-in or security filters. It suits public, non-sensitive apps such as catalogues or event guides, not customer accounts.
Is a custom app cheaper than AppSheet in Dubai?
For Workspace customers building internal tools, usually not. For apps with many signed-in users over several years, often yes: 25 users on Enterprise Plus cost about AED 66,105 over three years, against a one-off custom build from AED 10,000.
Get a fixed quote for an app you own
Tell us how many people will use the app, whether you run Google Workspace, and whether customers will sign in. We will send a fixed AED quote and an honest answer on whether to stay on AppSheet or build custom. Request your app quote or compare tiers on Aquarius pricing. Custom apps start at AED 10,000.