Glide Returns to Its Spreadsheet Roots With AI-Powered App Builder.

Glide is returning to its origins with a major platform overhaul that promises to transform spreadsheets into full-fledged applications in minutes using AI. The no-code tool, which first launched in 2019 by turning Google Sheets into mobile apps, announced the new builder with a waitlist now open for early access.

The redesigned platform analyzes entire workbooks to understand their structure and purpose, then generates multiple app concepts complete with detailed development plans. According to Glide, the AI-powered builder can take users "90% or more of the way to done" within minutes, reducing typical build times from weeks to a fraction of that.

"You don't know where you're going until you know where you've been," the company posted on LinkedIn, sharing images of its original homepage alongside the announcement. "This year, we're refocusing on our spreadsheet-to-app roots, while cranking it up to 11."

The move comes as Glide faces increasing competition from AI coding tools and other no-code platforms. The company recently published research comparing its approach to "vibe coding," addressing what happens after the initial impressive build that AI coding assistants like Cursor or Bolt can deliver.

The workflow starts when users drop a spreadsheet into Glide. The platform's AI examines the data structure, relationships, and content to identify potential applications. Rather than generating a single app, Glide presents three to six different app concepts, each with its own development plan.

For a manufacturing spreadsheet, Glide might suggest a production dashboard tracking quality and timelines, a cost analysis tool monitoring labor efficiency, and a sales analyzer forecasting profit margins. Users can select a concept as-is or modify the plan before the AI compiles the initial application.

The platform maintains human oversight throughout the build process. Users can inspect individual calculations, computations, and components to catch potential AI errors or hallucinations, a critical feature for business applications handling sensitive operational data.

Glide's focus on spreadsheets addresses a persistent pain point for businesses. The company recently launched a Spreadsheet Cost Calculator to help organizations estimate how manual spreadsheet processes impact productivity through labor costs, error recovery, and missed opportunities.

The new platform includes deployment features designed for business use cases. Permission controls protect sensitive data when sharing apps with internal teams or external stakeholders. Multiple deployment paths allow organizations to distribute tools through various channels without rebuilding.

Glide supports both Excel and Google Sheets as data sources, with real-time sync ensuring mobile apps and web interfaces stay current as spreadsheet data changes. This addresses field operations, sales teams, and other mobile-first workflows where accessing spreadsheet data on phones has traditionally been cumbersome.

The company has also positioned the new builder as a solution for custom business tools. A recent case study on sales quoting demonstrated how businesses replace manual quoting processes with tailored applications built from their existing spreadsheet logic.

Glide's strategic pivot comes as generative AI reshapes software development. While tools like Lovable, v0, and Replit enable rapid prototyping through natural language prompts, Glide is betting that starting with structured data in spreadsheets provides a more reliable foundation for business applications.

The platform competes with other spreadsheet-to-app tools including Softr, Noloco, and Airtable's interface builder. Glide's differentiation centers on its AI-powered analysis and app generation, as we previously covered when the company first introduced generative AI features.

The waitlist is now open at glideapps.com/new, with the company indicating broader availability in the coming months. Existing Glide users will be able to access the new builder alongside the current platform, though migration details have not been announced.