# How to build an app with AI without knowing how to code: the path I follow Author: Carlos Imlau, AI Product Builder · Certified trainer (CCP) · AI applied to work. Creator of Tapinfy, FalaTuga and Sourmize. Published on 2026-10-17 · Updated on 2026-10-17 URL: https://www.carlosimlau.com/blog/criar-app-com-ia-sem-programar ## Summary You can build an app with AI without coding, using an agent like Claude Code or Codex, a clear scope and tests at every step. The biggest cost is your time; when the deadline is tight, paying someone makes sense. ## Key points - Start with a problem you know closely - Write the first version's scope on one page - Build in stages: screen, accounts, data and payments last - Create the domain, code and accounts in your name from day one **Can you build an app with AI without knowing how to code?** Yes. With an AI agent such as Claude Code or Codex, a clear plan and the habit of testing each step, someone with no programming background can launch a real app with login, data and payments. I have done it more than once: the organisation app I use every day, Tapinfy and Sourmize. The secret is not the tool. It is knowing what to build, in what order, and what to check before moving on. ## What can you build with AI without coding? More than you might think: - **Personal tools:** my app brings tasks, calendar, family finances, ideas and notes together. - **Business apps:** Tapinfy has a business page, online booking and a client base, and it is in production. - **Tools with AI inside:** FalaTuga adapts CVs from Brazilian to European Portuguese. - **Portals and internal dashboards:** student areas, order dashboards, a simple CRM. What still needs a lot of care: health data, complex financial transactions and systems where a mistake is expensive. > Video from the channel (in Portuguese): [Como Eu Organizo Tudo com Uma App Que Eu Mesmo Criei](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOTaE5suEII) ## What is the path, step by step? 1. **Start with a problem you know.** Tapinfy came from a problem I have known closely for more than 10 years. 2. **Write the scope of the first version.** What is in, what is out and the user's main action. One page is enough. 3. **Choose the tools.** In my case: an AI agent (Claude Code or Codex), a database with login (Supabase), payments (Stripe) and hosting (Vercel). All of them let you start for free. 4. **Build in stages.** Main screen first, then accounts, then data, payments last. Test each stage before the next. 5. **Put it in front of real people.** Three people using it for real teach more than a month of solo tweaks. 6. **Publish in your own name.** Domain, code and accounts should be yours from day one. ## How much does it cost to build an app with AI? Little, to start: the tools I use have free or cheap plans, and the AI agent is the largest monthly cost. The real cost is your time, so count on weeks, not days, for a first version with accounts and data. If time is the problem, paying someone makes sense. I build [MVPs in 2 to 4 weeks](https://www.carlosimlau.com/mvp), with a fixed quote and everything in the client's name. ## When is it not worth doing it yourself? - When there is a short deadline and money at stake. - When the app stores other people's sensitive data. - When you do not have time to test calmly. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need to speak English to build an app with AI? No. AI agents understand requests in many languages, including Portuguese and Spanish. ### How long does a first version take? It depends on scope. A page with a form can be ready in a day; an app with accounts and data takes a few weeks. I rebuilt Tapinfy from scratch in about a month. ### Will the app be mine? It should be. Create the accounts (domain, database, hosting) in your name and keep the code on your GitHub. ### Where do I start today? The [SaaS Starter](https://www.carlosimlau.com/curso) (in Portuguese) is the template and guide I put together to build a SaaS, CRM or portal with AI in 8 steps. If you want someone by your side, I offer [mentoring to build your product](https://www.carlosimlau.com/formacao).