Dyad review

Dyad is a desktop AI app builder, not a hosted app-building API, a library, a CLI or a self-hosted server. It runs on your computer, keeps project files on disk and uses a prompt-driven interface to create web apps that you can customize visually and edit as code.

In a typical stack, Dyad sits at the development-tool layer: it helps scaffold an app, while you choose the model provider and connect services such as Supabase or Neon for database and authentication. The homepage also describes deployment through GitHub and Vercel, or to your own cloud. That makes Dyad a way to generate and manage code, not a replacement for hosting or application infrastructure.

The local-first setup and exportable projects reduce dependence on Dyad’s cloud. You still need to inspect generated code and account for the services and models your app uses.

Dyad’s integration surface is its desktop app, model-provider connections and MCP server support. The homepage names OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Ollama and LM Studio, plus MCP connections for browser tools, custom APIs and other MCP servers. It also lists Supabase and Neon integrations, and GitHub and Vercel deployment.

The vendor does not publish a public Dyad API contract on the homepage. It also does not name language-specific SDKs or a CLI there. Treat the named provider and MCP connections as the integration surfaces to evaluate, and confirm SDK support in Dyad’s docs before designing around a language-specific client. The homepage links to a quickstart guide, but does not describe a REST API or webhook contract.

Dyad supports importing repos, editing files and exporting runnable code. A Reddit commenter reports that installing Node.js is a system requirement; check the current installation docs for your operating system and project setup.

Dyad Free costs $0/month and includes the local, open-source app builder, no sign-up, community support and bring-your-own API key. It does not include a stated monthly AI credit allowance, so model usage through your own provider may add a separate bill.

Dyad Pro costs $20/month and includes 200 AI credits, Pro modes, Academy access and reloadable credits at the same price. Dyad Max costs $79/month and includes 900 credits, Pro features and prioritized office hours. The pricing page lists monthly prices only; it does not show annual billing or discounts.

Dyad charges 1.5 credits per million tokens for token orchestration, combining input and output tokens. The page does not state a cash price per credit, so confirm the checkout cost for reloads and estimate your provider’s separate API charges before budgeting. Credit use depends on token volume, not just the number of projects. For a production project, track both Dyad credits and model-provider spend.

Dyad describes itself as open source and links to its GitHub repository. The vendor does not name the open-source license on the homepage, so check the repository’s license file before using or modifying the code in a commercial setting. Dyad is a local desktop app; that is not the same as self-hosting a Dyad server.

The homepage says project files stay on your machine and that you can import repos, edit files and export clean, runnable code. Those choices make it easier to keep working outside Dyad than with a builder that holds your source in a hosted workspace. The product also advertises standard Next.js code, though you should confirm the framework and dependencies in each generated project.

Exporting source does not automatically migrate connected databases, authentication or model-provider setup. Plan to move those integrations and verify the app independently.

Dyad’s local workflow can keep projects available without a Dyad cloud service, and the homepage says local models can work offline. Cloud model use still depends on the provider and network. The homepage advertises a built-in scan for security bugs, injection and misconfiguration; treat that as a review aid, not a substitute for code review or security testing. The vendor does not publish uptime commitments, request limits or compliance details on the homepage.

Database rollback needs attention. In a Reddit AMA, Dyad’s creator says Supabase changes cannot easily be undone and that a Neon-based portal template supports database undo. Confirm migration and recovery procedures before using either for production data.

Reddit users also flag setup and resource considerations: one commenter says Node.js is a system requirement and that local models often need beefy machines. Another asks for more detailed documentation. Check current platform requirements, model capacity and support options before standardizing on Dyad.