Palm / comparison

Palm vs Dyad

Both are built for people who want more ownership than a hosted no-code tool. They solve different moments: Dyad is a local AI app builder; Palm is a private product-and-launch studio for deciding what to build and how to take it to market.

Illustration comparing Palm’s native app and launch workflow with web builders and autonomous operators — Choose a tool around the job you need done: native app building, web prototyping, or ongoing operations.

Short answer: choose Palm when the hard part is turning a vague idea into a focused product, first version and launch path. Choose Dyad when you already know the web app you want and want an open-source builder to generate code locally.

At a glance

Palm

Starts with a plain-language brief. Shapes the audience, promise, first-version scope, product direction and distribution plan. Best for founders still making the product decision.

Dyad

Starts with a build brief. Generates and edits web-app code locally, with model choice and code ownership. Best when the product shape is already clear.

Which one should I use?

Use Palm first if you are still comparing ideas, need a launch plan, or want to see a considered first version before committing to code.

Use Dyad first if you have a defined web-app specification and want to generate a working local prototype immediately.

Use them together if Palm helps you decide what deserves to exist and Dyad helps you prototype the web implementation.

Questions people ask

Is Palm a replacement for a code editor?No. Palm is the product and launch layer before and around implementation.

Does Palm run on Mac?Yes. See the private AI app builder for Mac guide.

Does Dyad build native Mac or iPhone apps?Dyad’s public positioning is primarily local web-app building; check its current documentation for supported targets.

Open Palm → · Read Palm guides →

Where the workflows differ

Project target: Dyad’s current product pages focus on web apps; Palm’s Mac app builder targets native Apple-platform projects.
Model choice: Dyad supports selectable providers, including local models; Palm can use a local model or a configured hosted provider. In either product, privacy depends on which provider is actually selected.
Code and workflow: Dyad emphasizes open source and code ownership. Palm combines a Mac project with product planning and launch work.

Choose by the next job

If you want an open-source local desktop tool for a web-app project and are comfortable choosing a model provider, explore Dyad. If your goal is a native Apple app and you also want to prepare its product and launch direction, test Palm. You can use a planning tool first and move to an implementation tool later; the brief should remain portable.

Check Dyad’s official overview for current features. Compare another workflow in Palm vs Bolt.

Side by side

	Dyad	Palm
Runs	Locally, as a desktop app for Mac and Windows	Locally, on Mac
Builds	Web apps	Native SwiftUI iPhone apps
Models	Your own API keys, or local models	AI on your Mac
Licence and price	Free and open source	Paid, one-time
Also gives you	Code you own, version history	Xcode project, paywall, review check and launch drafts

Checked against public information in October 2026. Both are local-first, which is what sets them apart from hosted builders. The real difference is the target: web or native iPhone.

Palm is a Mac app that turns a sentence into a native SwiftUI iPhone app, an Xcode project and launch material, with the AI running on your Mac. Pro is $49 once. It needs macOS 26 and Xcode. More in the builder guide and the idea-to-launch plan.

Choose Dyad when

You are building a web app and want an open-source tool you can inspect.
You use Windows, or work across Mac and Windows.
You already pay for model API access, or want to run local models.
You are comfortable wiring up hosting and a database yourself.

Choose Palm when

The goal is a native iPhone app in the App Store.
You want a StoreKit paywall, a review-risk check and store listing copy produced with the app.
You want launch material drafted from the same brief.
You would rather not manage API keys and model bills.

They are not really rivals

Someone building a web dashboard and its companion iPhone app could sensibly use both: Dyad for the web side, Palm for the native one, with all of the code on their own machine.

Questions people ask

Is Dyad more private than Palm?

Both keep projects on your machine. With Dyad, prompts go to whichever model provider you configure unless you use a local model.

Which should a web developer pick?

Dyad, for web apps. Palm if the goal is the App Store.