Can You Export Your Code From Base44? GitHub Sync, Data Export and What Stays Behind
What you can take with you, which plan you need, and the one thing that does not leave: your hosted backend
By Shlomi, founder of DoitWithAI | Updated | Base44 facts rechecked October 12, 2026
Quick answer
Yes, you can get your Base44 code out. The supported route is GitHub two-way sync, which needs the Builder plan ($40/month billed annually, $50 monthly) or higher as of October 2026. Your app's data downloads separately as CSV files from the Data page. What does not move is the managed backend: your app keeps running on Base44 unless you rebuild the backend yourself. On the Free and Starter plans there is no GitHub sync, so plan for this before you build something you may want to take elsewhere.
Pricing and plan facts last verified: 2026-10-12 on Base44's official pricing page.
Free plan, no credit card. Affiliate link: DoitWithAi earns a commission if you later upgrade. See /disclosures.
We earn a commission if you upgrade to a paid Base44 plan through our links. This page is mostly about what Base44 will and will not let you take with you, so read the limits before the CTA.
Checked October 2026 against docs.base44.com (GitHub Integration, Bring your own agent, Managing your app data and the CLI eject reference) and base44.com/pricing.
What you can export, in one table
| What | Can you take it? | How | Plan needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| App code (front end and app files) | Yes | GitHub two-way sync, then clone the repository | Builder ($40/mo annually) or higher |
| Edit the code with your own AI agent | Yes | Bring your own agent / Send to Coding Agent from the app editor | Builder or higher |
| Data in your tables (customers, orders, records) | Yes | Data page, table menu, Export (downloads a CSV) | Per Base44's data docs; check your plan in the app |
| Backend running in production | No, it stays on Base44 | You can write backend code locally and deploy it with the Base44 CLI, still on Base44 | Depends on route |
| Version history from before you connected GitHub | No | Older versions are not stored in the repository | n/a |
| Your custom domain | Yes, it is yours | Disconnect it, or point DNS elsewhere | Starter or higher to use one |
The short version: the code and the data are portable. The running backend is not, which is the part people forget.
How GitHub sync works, step by step
Base44 replaced its old one-way "Export to GitHub" with a two-way sync. Per the docs, changes you make in Base44 are written to your repository automatically, and changes you merge to the repository's main branch show up in the app.
- Upgrade the app owner's plan to Builder or higher. Only the app owner can connect or reconnect a repository.
- In the app editor, open Dashboard, click the GitHub icon at the top right, then Connect to GitHub.
- Authorize Base44 Builder on GitHub and choose the account or organization and the repositories to allow.
- Create a new repository for the app. Base44 pushes your code into it.
- Clone the repository, run npm install, then install the Base44 CLI with npm install -g base44@latest.
- Run base44 login and base44 link inside the clone. The link file is gitignored, so every fresh clone needs this step.
- Run base44 dev to start the app locally with a local backend, or base44 dev --remote to work on the front end against your live backend.
- To ship changes, merge them to main. Then click Publish in Base44 to make them live.
Read this before you connect
Once an app is connected, Base44's docs say there is no option to manually push updates, you cannot use Version History to revert to versions from before the connection, and the default branch must be named main. Sync cannot be paused, but an app owner can disconnect it.
In remote mode, writes go to your live app's production data. Use base44 dev without the remote flag while you experiment.
Exporting your data (CSV)
Your data is separate from your code. To take it out: open Dashboard, then Data, pick a table, click the More actions icon and choose Export. It downloads as a CSV you can open in Excel or Google Sheets.
- Export one table at a time, so a store with Customers, Products and Orders is three files.
- Base44 also backs up app data automatically and lets you download a copy as CSV from Backup & Restore, in production only.
- Importing goes the other way: dashboard imports take CSV files and only add rows, they never overwrite existing records.
What does not leave: the backend
A Base44 app is not a folder of files you can drop on any web host. It runs on Base44's managed backend: the database, the user logins, the serverless functions and the hosting. Exporting the front-end code gives you something you can read, edit and version. It does not give you the same app running somewhere else.
If you want to leave Base44 completely, you rebuild the backend on your own stack (a Postgres or Supabase database, your own auth, your own functions) and point the front end at it. That is real engineering work. If you only want an engineer, or an AI coding agent, to keep improving the app, you do not need to leave at all: the sync and bring-your-own-agent routes keep everything on Base44 while you edit the code anywhere.
That second use is the common one, and it pairs well with a coding agent. The same logic is in Base44 vs Claude Code, which explains how to build in Base44 and keep working in a terminal.
Bring your own agent: edit the code without cloning
If you do not want a local copy, Base44 lets you connect an outside coding agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex or your own scripts) directly to the app's cloud sandbox. In the app editor, click the three dots next to Publish, then Send to Coding Agent, and paste the generated prompt into your agent. The docs state you need the Builder plan or higher to reach an app's sandbox from outside the editor.
Nothing is installed locally and there is no deploy step, because the agent works in the same sandbox the editor uses. It is the lowest-friction way to get an engineer's tools on your app without managing a repository.
Should you worry about lock-in?
Less than the forums suggest, more than a self-hosted app. Your code and data are yours to take, which covers the real risks (the company disappears, you outgrow the builder, a developer joins). The cost of leaving is rebuilding the backend, which is the same cost as moving from any managed platform.
Practical rule: if the app is a throwaway or an internal tool, ignore the question and stay on the cheapest plan that does the job. If you are building something customers pay for, upgrade to Builder before launch so the repository exists from day one. For plan prices see Base44 pricing, and for how the price has moved over time see Base44 pricing history.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export my Base44 app code for free?
Not through the supported route. GitHub two-way sync requires the Builder plan ($40/month billed annually, $50 monthly) or higher as of October 2026. The Free and Starter plans do not include it. You can still build and run apps on the free plan, but the code stays inside Base44.
Does Base44 export to GitHub?
Yes, as a two-way sync. Your changes in Base44 are committed to a repository automatically, and changes you merge to the main branch appear in the app. The old one-way "Export to GitHub" setup was replaced, and the docs tell legacy users to disconnect and reconnect with the new sync.
Can I export my Base44 database?
Yes. Open the Data page, choose a table, and use Export from the table's More actions menu. It downloads as a CSV file. Each table exports separately.
Will my Base44 app run on another host after I export it?
Not as is. The code comes out, but the database, user logins and functions run on Base44's managed backend. To host it elsewhere you need to rebuild or replace the backend and connect the front end to it.
Can I use Claude Code or Cursor on a Base44 app?
Yes. Either clone the GitHub repository and use the Base44 CLI to run it locally, or use Send to Coding Agent in the app editor to connect your agent to the app's cloud sandbox. Both need the Builder plan or higher.
What happens to my app if I cancel my Base44 plan?
Check your plan terms in the app before you rely on it. Because the app runs on Base44, a downgrade can limit what is available. Export your data as CSV and connect GitHub while you still have a plan that includes it.
Can I disconnect GitHub from a Base44 app?
Yes. The app owner or the member who connected the repository can disconnect it from the GitHub panel in the code tab. Sync cannot be paused, so the only states are connected and disconnected.
Related Base44 guides
Build first, decide about the code later.
Start on the free plan, no card needed. If the app earns its keep, move to Builder so the repository and your coding agent are ready from day one.
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