This is what I entered in ChatGPT and the result:
My prompt:
Is Xojo as bad as many people claim?
ChatGPT said:
Ah, the ol’ Xojo question — cue the dramatic music 
Let’s dive into the truth, no sugar-coating, just straight-up facts and balanced insight.
TL;DR:
Xojo isn’t “bad” — but it’s a niche tool with some serious trade-offs. It’s great for certain use cases (like cross-platform desktop apps for small businesses or internal tools), but falls short in areas where power, scalability, or cutting-edge modern features are needed.
The Good (a.k.a. “Why people use Xojo anyway”)
Easy Learning Curve:
If you’ve ever touched Visual Basic, Xojo feels like its spiritual cousin. It’s very approachable for non-programmers, hobbyists, and solo devs.
Cross-Platform Compilation:
Write once, compile for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and even Raspberry Pi. For small apps, this is honestly pretty sweet.
GUI Builder:
The drag-and-drop interface builder is intuitive and fast. If you want a working UI in 10 minutes, you got it.
Built-in Database Support:
SQLite is first-class, and connecting to other DBs like MySQL or PostgreSQL is fairly easy.
Friendly IDE:
It’s clean, not intimidating. You can build an app in an afternoon.
The Bad (a.k.a. “Why people rage-quit Xojo”)
Proprietary Lock-in:
The compiler, language, and framework are closed-source. If Xojo ever shuts down or pivots (again), your app could be trapped.
Slow Development:
Many users complain that bugs go unfixed for years, and new features come at a glacial pace. Forums are filled with frustration on this.
Not Truly Cross-Platform:
Yes, it compiles across platforms, but the UIs often look weird on non-native platforms, and platform-specific quirks abound.
Performance:
Xojo apps can feel sluggish compared to apps written in native frameworks (like Swift, C#, or even Electron in some cases). It's not built for performance-heavy tasks.
Mobile & Web Are Weak:
The iOS support is half-baked, and Web apps are… well… let’s just say they lack the modern polish most people expect.
Expensive Licensing:
You pay for each platform separately unless you go all-in on the “Pro” or “Pro Plus” plan, and it’s not exactly cheap.
Why the Internet Hate?
Disillusioned long-time users: Many were loyal fans for years but grew frustrated as the product stagnated.
Comparison to Modern Stacks: In the age of Flutter, Electron, and web-first tools like React, Xojo can feel outdated.
Lack of Open Source or Ecosystem: You’re very much on your own — limited third-party plugins, tiny community, no GitHub goldmine to rely on.
So Who Should Use Xojo?
Solopreneurs or small teams making internal tools
People porting old VB6 apps to modern OSes
Developers who want native-looking GUIs without wrestling C++, Qt, or Swift
Folks building small utilities with minimal web/cloud integrations
Final Verdict
Xojo is not bad — it’s just outdated, overpriced, and underpowered for modern professional use.
But for small, internal, cross-platform desktop apps built by non-coders or solo developers? It still has its place.
Just… don’t bet your entire business on it. 
If you’re already familiar with PureBasic (which you are 
), Xojo feels bloated and limiting by comparison, unless you really need drag-and-drop GUI building with minimal setup.
Want to know how it stacks up against something like PureBasic, Free Pascal/Lazarus, or Electron for your project? I can do a tailored comparison too.
You said:
Yes please
ChatGPT said:
Aww yeah, let’s go full nerd mode, Chris 
Time to compare Xojo vs PureBasic vs Free Pascal/Lazarus vs Electron—with a laser focus on your needs as a business-savvy creator building real tools (like your bookkeeping app, dog tracker, and admin panels) with serious usability, longevity, and control.
Your Situation Summary
You want to:
Build desktop apps with GUI (dog tracker, bookkeeping)
Have full control (no web dependency)
Avoid slow performance
Possibly publish tools later
Keep costs low or reasonable
Maintain long-term stability and portability
THE SHOWDOWN
Feature / Tool Xojo PureBasic Free Pascal / Lazarus Electron
IDE & GUI Builder Very user-friendly drag/drop GUI Manual coding or include GUI designer Full-featured Delphi-like GUI builder Use HTML/CSS/JS, no native GUI builder
Cross-Platform Yes, but quirks & $$$ licensing Yes (Win, Linux, Mac) Yes (Win, Linux, Mac) Yes, but heavyweight
Cost $$$ (split licensing) 
One-time, cheap license (€79) Free & open source 
Free (but dev cost hidden in JS time)
Performance Mediocre Fast, small footprint Fast, compiled apps Slow, memory-hungry
App Size Small-ish, but larger than PureBasic Tiny EXEs (can be under 1MB) Medium-sized, but native code Huge (>100MB with Node.js runtime)
Extensibility Limited plugins, small ecosystem Small but solid native support Massive ecosystem, C libs supported Massive JS ecosystem
Learning Curve Low Low to medium Medium Medium-high (need JS, HTML, CSS)
Bugs/Support Often slow response from Xojo devs Small team but good updates Very active dev community Giant community, tons of StackOverflow
Docs / Tutorials Decent, but fragmented Clean and concise Tons of docs and legacy content Endless docs — if you can survive the maze
Web/Mobile iOS only (limited), Web 2.0 (basic) Web possible via CGI (primitive) Not ideal for web Web-native, and can be packaged
Open Source 
No No (but fully offline & yours) 
100% Open Source Open Source base
How It Stacks Up For You, Chris:
Criteria Best Choice Notes
Offline Desktop Tools 
PureBasic Tiny, fast, full control. Great for your dog tracker & Bala Bala Books.
Need Drag-and-Drop GUI Fast Lazarus/Xojo Lazarus is free. Xojo is easier but costs more.
Modern-Looking UI Electron or Lazarus Electron looks slick, Lazarus can be styled. PureBasic feels “classic.”
Publishing Portable Tools PureBasic No dependencies, single EXE dream. Low support cost.
Web GUI/Cloud Apps Electron or Real Web Dev (React/Vue) PureBasic/Xojo not built for it.
Long-Term Freedom Lazarus Open source and future-proof. No vendor lock-in.
Mobile Apps Flutter or React Native Xojo’s iOS is very limited. PureBasic = desktop only.
My Honest Recommendation
🧱 For your local tools, admin panels, dog medication tracker, hydro admin app, and Bala Bala Books:
➤ Use PureBasic. It gives you the most control, smallest footprint, full power, and no bloat. You're already comfy with it. It’s your Excalibur.
🧪 For GUI prototyping or fancy cross-platform tools with a bigger UI design need:
➤ Try Lazarus. Free, reliable, and more feature-rich GUI design than PureBasic.
🚫 Avoid Xojo unless...
You fall in love with the IDE and don’t mind the pricing/licensing. But honestly, you’d be tying your future to a niche, closed platform with slow updates.
💥 Avoid Electron for now, unless you're building something for the web, and you're happy dealing with JavaScript, updates, npm chaos, and fat installers.
My Personal Stack Pick For You:
PureBasic for all core logic
- (optional) Lazarus if you want GUI polish & visual drag-drop
- HTML/CSS for documentation/help systems (served locally)