diff --git a/docs/getting-started/create-an-app.md b/docs/getting-started/create-an-app.md
index b69ff1508c..ab5e71ad60 100644
--- a/docs/getting-started/create-an-app.md
+++ b/docs/getting-started/create-an-app.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ To create a Backstage app, you will need to have
 With `npx`:
 
 ```bash
-npx @backstage/cli create-app
+npx @backstage/create-app
 ```
 
 This will create a new Backstage App inside the current folder. The name of the
diff --git a/packages/cli/e2e-test/cli-e2e-test.js b/packages/cli/e2e-test/cli-e2e-test.js
index 206ea25ccd..e3829a65e6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/e2e-test/cli-e2e-test.js
+++ b/packages/cli/e2e-test/cli-e2e-test.js
@@ -107,8 +107,7 @@ async function createApp(appName, isPostgres, workspaceDir, rootDir) {
   const child = spawnPiped(
     [
       'node',
-      resolvePath(workspaceDir, 'packages/cli/bin/backstage-cli'),
-      'create-app',
+      resolvePath(workspaceDir, 'packages/cli/bin/backstage-create-app'),
       '--skip-install',
     ],
     {
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts b/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index a65fad5348..0000000000
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-import { createPlugin } from '@backstage/core';
-import WelcomePage from './components/WelcomePage';
-
-export const plugin = createPlugin({
-  id: 'welcome',
-  register({ router }) {
-    router.registerRoute('/', WelcomePage);
-  },
-});
diff --git a/packages/create-app/README.md b/packages/create-app/README.md
index 09b881e73f..b5f231a326 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/README.md
+++ b/packages/create-app/README.md
@@ -5,16 +5,10 @@ You can use the flag `--skip-install` to skip the install.
 
 ## Installation
 
-Install the package via npm or yarn:
+With `npx`:
 
 ```sh
-$ npm install --save @backstage/create-app
-```
-
-or
-
-```sh
-$ yarn add @backstage/create-app
+$ npx @backstage/create-app
 ```
 
 ## Documentation
diff --git a/packages/create-app/package.json b/packages/create-app/package.json
index 9ba2dc76d8..74017fe53d 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/package.json
+++ b/packages/create-app/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@backstage/create-app",
   "description": "Create app package for Backstage",
-  "version": "0.1.1",
+  "version": "0.1.1-alpha.12",
   "private": false,
   "publishConfig": {
     "access": "public"
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts b/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
index ebdd7583da..b4564b1ff8 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/createApp.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ export default async (cmd: Command): Promise<void> => {
   answers.dbTypePG = answers.dbType === 'PostgreSQL';
   answers.dbTypeSqlite = answers.dbType === 'SQLite';
 
-  const templateDir = paths.resolveOwnRoot('packages/cli/templates/default-app');
+  const templateDir = paths.resolveOwn('templates/default-app');
   const tempDir = resolvePath(os.tmpdir(), answers.name);
   const appDir = resolvePath(paths.targetDir, answers.name);
 
diff --git a/packages/create-app/src/index.ts b/packages/create-app/src/index.ts
index 2c2106bec2..93c10c8c99 100644
--- a/packages/create-app/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/create-app/src/index.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import program from 'commander';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { exitWithError } from './lib/errors';
 import { version } from './lib/version';
+import createApp from './createApp';
 
 const main = (argv: string[]) => {
   program.name('backstage-create-app').version(version);
@@ -28,9 +29,7 @@ const main = (argv: string[]) => {
       '--skip-install',
       'Skip the install and builds steps after creating the app',
     )
-    .action(
-      lazyAction(() => import('./createApp'), 'default'),
-    );
+    .action(createApp)
 
   if (!process.argv.slice(2).length) {
     program.outputHelp(chalk.yellow);
@@ -39,25 +38,6 @@ const main = (argv: string[]) => {
   program.parse(argv);
 };
 
-// Wraps an action function so that it always exits and handles errors
-function lazyAction<T extends readonly any[], Export extends string>(
-  actionRequireFunc: () => Promise<
-    { [name in Export]: (...args: T) => Promise<any> }
-  >,
-  exportName: Export,
-): (...args: T) => Promise<never> {
-  return async (...args: T) => {
-    try {
-      const module = await actionRequireFunc();
-      const actionFunc = module[exportName];
-      await actionFunc(...args);
-      process.exit(0);
-    } catch (error) {
-      exitWithError(error);
-    }
-  };
-}
-
 process.on('unhandledRejection', rejection => {
   if (rejection instanceof Error) {
     exitWithError(rejection);
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/.eslintrc.js b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/.eslintrc.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/.eslintrc.js
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/.eslintrc.js
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/README.md b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/README.md
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/README.md
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/app-config.yaml b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/app-config.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/app-config.yaml
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/app-config.yaml
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/lerna.json b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/lerna.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/lerna.json
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/lerna.json
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/package.json.hbs
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/.eslintrc.js b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/.eslintrc.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/.eslintrc.js
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/.eslintrc.js
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress.json b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress.json
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress.json
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/.eslintrc.json b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/.eslintrc.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/.eslintrc.json
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/.eslintrc.json
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/integration/app.js b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/integration/app.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/integration/app.js
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/cypress/integration/app.js
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/package.json.hbs
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/android-chrome-192x192.png b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/android-chrome-192x192.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/android-chrome-192x192.png
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/android-chrome-192x192.png
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/apple-touch-icon.png b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/apple-touch-icon.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/apple-touch-icon.png
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/apple-touch-icon.png
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-16x16.png b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-16x16.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-16x16.png
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-16x16.png
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-32x32.png b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-32x32.png
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-32x32.png
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon-32x32.png
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon.ico b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon.ico
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon.ico
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/favicon.ico
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/index.html b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/index.html
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/index.html
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/index.html
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/manifest.json b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/manifest.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/manifest.json
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/manifest.json
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/robots.txt b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/robots.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/robots.txt
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/robots.txt
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/safari-pinned-tab.svg b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/safari-pinned-tab.svg
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/safari-pinned-tab.svg
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/public/safari-pinned-tab.svg
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.test.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.test.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.test.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.test.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/App.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/index.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/index.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/index.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/index.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/plugins.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/setupTests.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/setupTests.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/setupTests.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/packages/app/src/setupTests.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/.eslintrc.js b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/.eslintrc.js
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/.eslintrc.js
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/.eslintrc.js
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/README.md b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/README.md
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/README.md
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/dev/index.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/dev/index.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/dev/index.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/dev/index.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/package.json.hbs b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/package.json.hbs
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/package.json.hbs
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/package.json.hbs
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/Timer.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/Timer.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/Timer.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/Timer.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/index.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/index.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/Timer/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.test.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.test.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.test.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.test.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.tsx b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.tsx
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.tsx
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/WelcomePage.tsx
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/index.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/index.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/components/WelcomePage/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/index.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/index.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.test.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.test.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.test.ts
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3121e982b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/plugin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2020 Spotify AB
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+import { createPlugin } from '@backstage/core';
+import WelcomePage from './components/WelcomePage';
+
+export const plugin = createPlugin({
+  id: 'welcome',
+  register({ router }) {
+    router.registerRoute('/', WelcomePage);
+  },
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/setupTests.ts b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/setupTests.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/setupTests.ts
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/plugins/welcome/src/setupTests.ts
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-app/tsconfig.json b/packages/create-app/templates/default-app/tsconfig.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/cli/templates/default-app/tsconfig.json
rename to packages/create-app/templates/default-app/tsconfig.json
diff --git a/packages/create-app/templates/serve_index.html b/packages/create-app/templates/serve_index.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d7aebb7f4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create-app/templates/serve_index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="utf-8" />
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
+    <meta name="theme-color" content="#000000" />
+    <meta
+      name="description"
+      content="Backstage is an open platform for building developer portals"
+    />
+    <title>Backstage</title>
+  </head>
+  <body style="margin: 0">
+    <noscript>You need to enable JavaScript to run this app.</noscript>
+    <div id="root"></div>
+    <!--
+      This HTML file is a template.
+      If you open it directly in the browser, you will see an empty page.
+
+      You can add webfonts, meta tags, or analytics to this file.
+      The build step will place the bundled scripts into the <body> tag.
+
+      To begin the development, run `npm start` or `yarn start`.
+      To create a production bundle, use `npm run build` or `yarn build`.
+    -->
+  </body>
+</html>