Side by side
Anvil vs Positron
Both stand on python ides. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source AndroidAPIiPhone+5
Anvil brings visual app design, Python development, data storage, and deployment into one environment. The free plan has defined storage and background-task limits, so check those against the needs of your app.
Visit Anvil
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Positron brings data exploration, notebooks, database connections, and Python and R tools into a free desktop IDE. AI requires a separately paid provider key, and publishing to Posit Connect requires a subscription.
Visit PositronThe facts
| Anvil | Positron | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Hobby: $12 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 5 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | anvil.works | positron.posit.co |
| On python ides | #1 of 26 | #5 of 26 |
Anvil: what it does well
- Drag-and-drop UI designer with client- and server-side Python
- Built-in Postgres-backed Data Tables
- Apps can be exported to the open-source Anvil App Server
- Responsive apps support offline operation on listed devices
What to know first
- Free plan limits Data Tables to 50,000 rows
- Free plan includes 100 MB of Data Table storage
- Free plan background tasks time out after 30 seconds
Positron: what it does well
- Free desktop IDE supports Python and R.
- Data Explorer handles local or remote datasets.
- Supports Jupyter notebooks and Quarto.
- AI Assistant can use live session context.
What to know first
- AI features require a provider key and direct provider payment.
- Posit does not support code written or generated in the IDE.
- Publishing to Posit Connect requires a subscription.
- Positron Pro requires Posit Workbench.
Alternatives to Anvil Alternatives to Positron The whole list