The Exact Order to Build a Paid App with AI — Without Getting Stuck on the Backend

What’s Inside

This guide delivers exactly what the video promised — the step-by-step setup order for building a paid mobile app with AI, so you don’t get stuck on the backend.

You’ll get:

• How to set up Rork with Opus 4.5 and what to tell it on your first prompt
• Why Convex is the better database choice for AI-generated code, and the exact setup steps
• The Stripe integration walkthrough — including the one review step you can’t skip before shipping
• All three deployment options (Vercel, App Store, Google Play) and the recommended launch order
• The full cost breakdown — every tool, every fee, so you know exactly what you’re committing to

Who This Is For

If you’re building your first app with AI tools — or you’ve started and got stuck at the database step — this guide is for you. No coding experience required. The guide assumes you have Rork downloaded and an idea for what you want to build.

This is not a theory document. Every step is the actual thing to do, in the order to do it.

The Core Insight

The stack everyone recommends (Rork + Supabase) works. But Convex is better for this use case because Rork generates TypeScript far more accurately than it generates SQL. That means fewer broken integrations, fewer debugging sessions, and a faster path from idea to working app. This guide shows you exactly how to make the swap.