How to Convert a Poe Canvas App to a Public Website

You've built an amazing AI-powered app with Poe Canvas, and you've exported the HTML source code. Now what? This guide shows you how to convert that HTML into a live, publicly accessible website using AppToPub — in under 60 seconds, with zero coding required.

What You'll Need

• Your Poe Canvas HTML — The source code copied from the Canvas editor (see our export guide if you haven't done this yet)
• A Poe API key — Available from your Poe developer settings. This key allows your converted app to communicate with AI models.

Step-by-Step Conversion Process

1. Go to AppToPub. The upload area is right on the homepage — no account needed to start.
2. Paste or upload your HTML. You can either paste the HTML source code directly into the text area, or upload a saved .html file. AppToPub accepts both methods.
3. Enter your Poe API key. Paste your API key into the designated field. Your key is encrypted with AES-256 before storage and is never exposed in the app's client-side code.
4. Click “Convert & Publish”. AppToPub processes your HTML, rewrites the Poe API calls to use your key securely, and deploys the app to a unique URL.
5. Copy your public URL. Within seconds, you'll receive a shareable link like apptopub.com/app/abc123. Anyone with this link can use your app — no Poe account required.

How AppToPub Converts Your App

Under the hood, AppToPub performs several transformations to make your Canvas app work as a standalone website:

• API proxy rewriting — Poe Canvas apps call Poe's embed API directly. AppToPub rewrites these calls to route through a secure server-side proxy that uses your encrypted API key. End users never see or access your key.
• CDN resource proxying — External scripts and stylesheets referenced by your app are proxied to ensure they load correctly from the deployed URL.
• Standalone deployment — Your app is served as a complete, independent web page with its own URL, fully functional without the Poe.com environment.

What AppToPub Does NOT Do

To set clear expectations, here are things outside the conversion scope:

• It doesn't add features to your app — AppToPub converts your HTML exactly as-is. If your Canvas app has bugs or missing features, they'll be present in the converted version too. Fix them in the Canvas editor before exporting.
• It doesn't provide custom domains — Your app lives at apptopub.com/app/your-slug. You can't point your own domain name to it. If you need a custom domain, you'll need traditional hosting.
• It doesn't add server-side logic — The conversion proxies API calls and serves static HTML. If your app needs backend processing, scheduled tasks, or database storage beyond what Poe's API provides, you'll need a more traditional deployment.

Free vs. Paid Plans

AppToPub offers three pricing tiers:

• Free ($0/month) — 1 published app. Apps expire after 72 hours if you're not signed in; sign in for permanent hosting.
• Basic ($5/month) — 10 apps, permanent hosting, custom URL slugs (e.g., apptopub.com/app/my-cool-app), and usage analytics.
• Premium ($15/month) — 100 apps, all Basic features plus password protection for restricting access.

Customizing Your App URL

On Basic and Premium plans, you can set a custom URL slug for your app. Instead of a random ID like apptopub.com/app/abc123, you can choose something memorable like apptopub.com/app/my-ai-calculator. This is especially useful for:

• Professional client presentations
• Social media sharing (memorable links get more clicks)
• Portfolio pages where you want branded URLs

Troubleshooting

My app shows a blank page after conversion

This usually means the HTML wasn't copied completely. Go back to the Poe Canvas editor, use Ctrl+A / Cmd+A to select all, and try again.

API calls aren't working

Double-check that your Poe API key is valid and has sufficient credits. You can verify your key at poe.com/api_key.

The app looks different from the Canvas version

Minor rendering differences can occur because the app is no longer inside Poe's iframe environment. Most apps work identically. If you notice issues, check for CSS that depends on Poe's parent page styles.

Your app is live — now it's time to get it in front of people. Learn how to share your app with anyone, no Poe account required, including tips for social media, email distribution, and client delivery.