Quick, go-to-market products have traditionally been hard to develop. Software development used to require technical expertise, long development cycles, and the cash to cover both.
Given the resources and time needed for successful development in the past, these restrictions have, understandably, prevented many new products from seeing the light of day.
But this is no longer the case.
In a marked departure from traditional development cycles and processes, sophisticated no-code and low-code platforms now offer entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs – as well as large-scale enterprises – the chance to create anything from web and mobile apps to data management and workflow automation tools with accessible, secure and efficient no-code platforms. And the sector is growing fast. It’s estimated that the no-code and low-code market will be worth about USD 65 billion by 2027, from around USD 13 billion in 2020.
But how can entrepreneurs and business leaders make sure they pick the best no-code or low-code platform builders for their business needs?
No-code and low-code: what’s the difference?
Because the use of no-code and low-code options extends to large-scale enterprises – in other words, companies with big IT departments containing a range of tech know-how – many development platforms offer low-code as well as no-code tools. Essentially, the only distinction is how much coding (and customisation) an app needs to integrate complex applications. Basic coding expertise – easily handled within a large IT department – is required for low-code development platforms (LCDP), while no programming knowledge, skill or experience is necessary when it comes to the no-code variety (NCDP).
No-code platforms for non-technical entrepreneurs
Bubble is among the best for building web applications with a visual drag-and-drop editor. It’s a development platform that makes creating interactive web apps easy. After all, interactivity is infinitely preferable to static pages when you’re trying to boost user engagement. Additional needs down the line for professional or production subscriptions will incur extra costs, but for most startups, the “personal tier” is affordable and effective. In short, a great entry point for people with zero coding know-how.
Webflow is a no-code website builder with powerful design and content-management system (CMS) features. It allows designers to control HTML, CSS and JavaScript in a visual canvas, while its attraction for marketers lies in the design-approved and pre-fabricated building blocks that they can deploy with ease. This website builder offers WordPress-level customisation and power, but it might be over-complex for non-technical users. Compared to other platforms, it has a highly customisable, precise editor. It’s ideal for users with design knowledge and is popular with designers looking to create professional, high-quality websites. As one reviewer puts it, “It’s ideal for users who don’t want to bother with all the nitty gritty code, but need a platform that’s fully customisable”.
For mobile devices and the web, Adalo is ideal for creating native mobile apps with no coding skills required. It offers a drag-and-drop user interface, so no tech know-how is needed to design and build your app. When it comes to dynamic logic and integrations, Adalo has a host of prebuilt actions; from push notifications and camera access to sending emails and making HTTP requests, a dynamic app is well within reach of a regular, non-technical user. And it boasts a Zapier integration linking your Adalo app with platforms like Google Sheets, Slack and WordPress. In brief, a broad set of tools to develop various application types, including mobile apps, if you don’t need database-driven web apps.
Contrasting with Adalo, the strength ofSoftr is in its ability to create data-driven web apps quickly. Any apps that rely primarily on data can be developed with ease and simplicity. In other words, it’s a specialised platform for streamlining data management. With an intuitive user interface, Softr stands out for its tools and functionality. For any small businesses keen to design, develop and deploy a data-driven web app, this platform excels.
Appizap is a no-code platform with an easy drag-and-drop user-interface builder that creates scalable databases and fully automated workflows. It offers over 50 components to help users build complex interfaces with seamless data integration. Appizap makes app development a quick, intuitive process by allowing non-technical users the chance to create and build through visual interfaces that connect and integrate effortlessly to databases and APIs. It comes with a widget-library-to-canvas feature that gives immediate feedback to users who can see, in real time, the effect of their actions as they progress through the build process.
Low-code platforms for business users and developers
OutSystems is an enterprise-grade, low-code platform for web and mobile apps. Its star quality lies in quick development and deployment, but it falls short when it comes to highly specialised customisation. It's particularly good for medium to large businesses that want to speed up the development cycle without surrendering quality but aren’t too bothered about customised features.
The real stand-out features? The drag-and-drop interface means you don't have to write every line of code, it allows rapid deployment and offers cross-platform compatibility across iOS, Android and a variety of web browsers. As one reviewer puts it, “What sets OutSystems apart is its focus on enterprise-level solutions without bogging down the user in complex coding tasks.” But beware: it can be a little more expensive to operate than other low-code options.
Mendix is a great platform for enterprises needing scalable low-code solutions. Featuring powerful visual app tools, it’s an enterprise-grade development platform that can handle the entire software lifecycle, from project tracking to IT testing. Mendix describes itself as “the low-code platform built to tackle complexity”. And that’s no exaggeration. As such, it’s great for professional IT and software engineering departments as well as so-called citizen developers.
The platform is free for up to 10 users, and it offers impressive capabilities for SMEs that don't need to extend app capacity or user numbers. But when you move up into the enterprise pricing models, things get a little more expensive.
Described by independent users as “the best low-code development tool for more advanced users”, AppGyver is the low-code app builder of choice for developers and marketers who need to build more complex apps. The unified codebase for Android and iOS simplifies programming and enables core code changes.
For non-technical users, AppGyver has over 500 building blocks, but it also gives users the opportunity to tailor every minute aspect of an app. With over 400 formulae for data retrieval from an API, users will need coding knowledge to create more complex mobile or web apps. Non-technical users will have to go through a steep learning curve with AppGyver, though, and the ideal user will be proficient in web design, product management or software development.
A revolution in software ROI
No-code and low-code platforms have proved a huge boon for businesses, from small startups to large corporations. Solo entrepreneurs can access quick go-to-market routes for their products, and SMEs can compete at a high-tech level without significant development costs and long lead times. Even large enterprises are taking advantage of no-code and low-code capabilities to develop super-quick applications and optimise internal processes in cross-functional teams. After all, with no-code development spawning more inter-departmental collaboration, every distinct function within a large organisation can now effectively and efficiently contribute to software and product development.
It's nothing short of a revolution in accessibility and software ROI.
