Anvil
Python integrated development environments (IDE)
Application development platforms
Low-code development platforms
Integrated development environments (IDE)
Application development software
Rapid application development (RAD) software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
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What is Anvil
Anvil is a Python-based web application development platform that lets developers build full-stack apps using a browser-based editor and Python code for both client and server logic. It targets teams that want to create internal tools, data-driven web apps, and prototypes without adopting a separate JavaScript front end. The platform provides a drag-and-drop UI builder, built-in hosting, and integrations for authentication, databases, and external APIs. Anvil can be used as a hosted service and also offers a self-hosted option for some deployment needs.
Full-stack Python workflow
Anvil allows developers to write application logic in Python across the stack, reducing the need to maintain separate front-end and back-end languages for many use cases. This can simplify onboarding for Python-centric teams and speed up delivery of internal apps. The approach is distinct from general-purpose IDEs that focus on editing and debugging but do not provide an integrated app runtime and UI layer.
Visual UI builder included
The platform includes a drag-and-drop designer for building web interfaces, which can reduce time spent on HTML/CSS for common layouts. UI components bind to Python code, enabling rapid iteration on forms and dashboards. This is useful for rapid application development scenarios where a traditional code-only IDE would require assembling additional frameworks and tooling.
Integrated hosting and services
Anvil provides an integrated environment for deploying apps, managing users/authentication, and connecting to data sources and APIs. Having these services in one place can reduce the operational work required to get a working app into users’ hands. For teams that do not want to assemble separate infrastructure components, this can be a practical advantage over standalone development environments.
Less control than frameworks
Anvil abstracts parts of the web stack, which can limit low-level control over front-end behavior, build pipelines, and framework choices compared with building directly on common web frameworks. Teams with strict UI/UX requirements or complex client-side interactions may need workarounds or custom components. This can make it less suitable for highly customized public-facing applications.
Platform dependency and portability
Applications are built around Anvil’s runtime model and components, which can increase switching costs if a team later migrates to a different stack. While Python code is reusable conceptually, the UI layer and platform services are not drop-in portable to other environments. Organizations should evaluate long-term maintainability and exit options before standardizing.
Not a general-purpose IDE
Anvil focuses on building and hosting web apps rather than providing the breadth of language tooling found in full IDE ecosystems (e.g., extensive plugin marketplaces, multi-language project support, and deep local debugging across arbitrary runtimes). Teams working on diverse codebases may still need a separate IDE for non-Anvil development. This can add complexity in environments where Anvil is only one part of the engineering workflow.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (Free forever) | Unlimited apps, Cloud hosting, install Python libraries; 50,000 Data Table rows; 100 MB Data Table storage; 30s background task timeout. |
| Hobby | $12 per month (monthly) / $10 per month (when billed annually) — USD | Scheduled Tasks; Extra Database Storage; Remove Anvil banner; 150,000 Data Table rows; 10 GB Data Table storage; unlimited background task timeout. When billed annually. |
| Business | $89 per month (monthly) / $79 per month (when billed annually) — USD | Collaboration (multiple developer accounts); SSO (SAML) support; Staging environments; Private GitHub repos; Persistent server option; 1,000,000 Data Table rows; 100 GB Data Table storage. Excl. VAT. When billed annually. |
| Enterprise | Contact sales (custom pricing) | On-site deployment; Dedicated server; Isolated database; Corporate authentication; custom CPU/RAM and storage. |
Notes: Prices are shown on Anvil's official pricing page across USD/GBP/EUR currency options and presented as per-month amounts (monthly vs. per-month-equivalent when billed annually). Features/limits referenced from Anvil's pricing and docs pages.
Seller details
Anvil Works Ltd
Cambridge, England, UK
2015
Private
https://anvil.works
https://x.com/anvil_works
https://www.linkedin.com/company/anvil-works/
