Low code application development platforms (LCADP) are becoming increasingly important in digital transformation initiatives. Low code development platforms enable rapid application development and deployment by allowing business users to build applications without writing code. This approach is helping organizations accelerate the pace of their digital transformation efforts and achieve better results.
The low code development platform market is snowballing, with new vendors and products entering the market all the time. Statista estimates that the global low-code development market revenue will hit USD 65 billion by 2027.
In this article, we will look at the 10 of the best low code development platforms of 2022.
Table of Contents
- What is Low Code Development?
- What are Low Code Development Platforms (LCDP)
- Difference Between Low-code and No-Code Development Platforms
- Best Low-code Application Development Platforms
- Conclusion: Choosing a Low-Code Development Platform
What is Low Code Development?
But, first, here is a quick 101 on the basics of low code development. Low code development is a term used to describe the creation of applications using a visual programming interface instead of traditional coding. Business users who are not familiar with coding can still build applications by dragging and dropping pre-made components without learning much code.
This approach to building applications has several benefits:
- First, it allows for rapid application development and deployment.
- Business users with no coding experience can still build applications.
- Applications built using low code development platforms are typically more reliable and stable (fewer bugs), as they are built using pre-made components and frameworks.
- Low code development platforms have built-in features and modules that allow for the easy integration of third-party applications and data.
- It is more cost-effective because low code development platforms do not require the hiring the services of experienced developers.
What are Low Code Development Platforms?
As the name suggests, an LCADP is a software platform that allows for the creation of applications without writing much code.
Low code development platforms can be divided into two categories: low-code development platforms and no-code development platforms.
A low-code development platform is a platform that allows a user to build applications using a visual programming interface without having to write much code. The platforms provide essential building blocks, scripts, and integrations so that businesses may prototype, develop, or scale apps without building complicated infrastructures. Both developers and non-programmers can utilize these tools to build fast applications with their own workflows and features. Some tools are designed for developers and need coding to operate, while others include libraries of elements that developers can use for design. For example, many solutions can quickly turn data from databases or spreadsheets into apps that allow you to access and manage information.
Also read: Everyone Can Code: The Democratization of Coding
Difference Between Low-code and No-Code Development Platforms
Low-code development platforms differ from no-code development platforms because they offer a higher level of functionality with custom code. Some no-code development platforms are code extensible, while low-code solutions prioritize code customization as opposed to being an “as needed” function. They are not as powerful as a complete integrated development environment, which provides the architecture for creating whole applications from the ground up.
To be eligible for inclusion in our Low-Code Development Platforms list, a solution must:
- First, generate source code as a foundation for customization.
- Enable developers to modify HTML and source code as a primary function.
- Integrate with web services, databases, or APIs to connect data
Best Low Code Development Platforms
Below is our list of ten of the best low code development platforms.
Caspio
Caspio is a cloud-based solution that enables businesses to build online database applications without writing code. The cross-platform, all-in-one platform gives you everything you need to transform business processes and operations digitally. It includes an integrated cloud database, a visual application builder, enterprise-grade security, regulatory compliance, and scalable global infrastructure.
Key Features
- Build Cloud Apps 10-20x Faster: With Caspio, you can quickly build custom cloud applications without coding.
- No Coding or Infrastructure Needed: Caspio requires no coding or infrastructure setup. Simply sign-up and start building.
- Deploy Seamlessly on Any Site: Deploy your apps on any website or blog with our easy-to-use embed code.
- Enterprise-Grade, IT-Approved: Caspio is used by some of the world’s most respected brands and is backed by 24/7 support and expert services.
- Never Pay Per User: Pay one low price and get unlimited users and storage.
- 24/7 Support and Expert Services: Caspio’s world-class support team is available 24/7 to help you get the most out of your solution.
Pros
- No coding is required.
- An integrated cloud database.
- Quickly deploy on any site.
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance.
- Unlimited users and app usage.
Cons
- Not as powerful as a complete integrated development environment.
Pricing
Caspio has five pricing tiers as follows:
- Free
- Explore: $150 per month
- Build: $300 per month
- Grow: $600 per month
- Corporate: Custom pricing
All paid plans come with a free trial.
UiPath RPA | Robotic Process Automation
UiPath is a leading low code development platform for Robotic Process Automation (RPA). It offers a complete suite of software tools that enable businesses to automate their business processes without the need for programming skills. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows you to create bots that can interact with applications and websites, making it possible to automate all sorts of tasks, including data entry, invoice processing, and customer service.
Key Features
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: The UiPath platform offers a simple drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create bots without programming skills.
- No Coding Required: While you can use UiPath’s low code development platform to create your bots, you don’t have to write code. You can also find and use pre-built bots or buy bot extensions from the UiPath marketplace.
- Robust Bot Library: The UiPath bot library is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the industry, with over 1,500+ bots available.
- Integrated Development Environment (IDE): The UiPath platform includes an integrated development environment (IDE) that allows you to edit, debug, and manage your bots.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
- No coding is required.
- Large bot library.
- Integrated development environment (IDE).
Cons
- High cost compared to its peers.
Pricing
UiPath does not publish pricing information. Contact sales for pricing. However, all plans come with a free trial.
OutSystems
OutSystems is the most complete and extensible full-stack application development platform. As a result, developers can rapidly produce and deploy various applications, from consumer apps to crucial business systems, using high-productivity, linked, and AI-assisted technology.
Key Features
- Visual Tools and AI: seamlessly connect to data and systems, drag-and-drop components to build low- or no-code applications, and leverage AI capabilities to automate tasks.
- App Lifecycle Optimization: Ensure that all your app versions are in sync and compliant, get feedback quickly while you’re coding, deploy continuously and automatically, and optimize seamlessly.
- Scale Department-Wide: OutSystems ensures that your low-code apps are just as scalable as traditional apps—and faster to deploy.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: Protect your data and systems with the most comprehensive security in the low-code development market.
Pros
- Intuitive visual tools.
- Seamless connection to data and systems.
- Drag-and-drop components.
- AI capabilities.
Cons
- It is hard to customize the user interface.
Pricing
Outsystems has three pricing tiers, Free, Standard, and Enterprise but does not publish pricing information. A free trial is available for paid plans.
ServiceNow App Engine
The ServiceNow App Engine is a low code development platform that allows you to build custom applications without any coding quickly. In addition, the platform includes an easy-to-use visual interface, a comprehensive library of pre-built components, and enterprise-grade security.
Key Features
- Visual Interface: The ServiceNow App Engine offers a simple graphical interface that makes it easy to build custom applications without any coding.
- Pre-Built Components: The platform includes a comprehensive library of pre-built components that make it easy to add standard features to your applications.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: The ServiceNow App Engine offers enterprise-grade security that helps protect your data and applications.
Pros
- Easy-to-use and straightforward visual interface.
- Pre-built components.
- Enterprise-grade security.
Cons
- It takes time to learn the platform.
Pricing
The company does not publish pricing information, but you can sign up for a free demo.
Claris FileMaker
Claris FileMaker is an LCADP that allows non-technical users to create and share custom apps tailored to their specific requirements that can connect with internal systems, take advantage of new technologies, and enable teams to share, collaborate, and manage all their data. Few platforms have such a comprehensive set of powerful tools, expert partners, instructional materials, customer support, and a flourishing community and marketplace.
Key Features
- Snap together add-ons: This is the newest feature that allows users to use add-ons snap to create robust applications in no time. For example, developers can instantly add calendars, kanban boards, responsive photo galleries, and more.
- Mobile AI: Claris Filemaker uses intelligent technologies like Core ML for image and sentiment analysis, Siri Shortcuts for voice-activated interactions, and NFC reading is all possible on mobile.
- Complete Tooling: FileMaker offers complete tooling that is simple, reliable, and fast. It is designed to help users of any technical expertise easily develop the custom apps they need without sacrificing quality or features.
- Zero to cloud: Create custom apps right in the cloud without configuration or deployment. Add completely integrated JavaScript to your bespoke applications.
Pros
- If you’re a developer and know what you’re doing, the time you’ll save by creating a whole application around a database is enormous.
- Sound referencing system for updates
- Easy to learn and use
- Versatile
Cons
- Expensive licensing
Pricing
Claris Filemaker has two pricing tiers as follows:
- Essentials: $19 per user per month for 5 to 10 users.
- Standard: $39 per user per month for 5 to 99 users.
Plans are billed annually and come with a free trial.
Spring Boot
With Spring Boot, you can quickly build stand-alone, production-ready Spring-based Applications that “just work” without requiring a lot of setups. The firm takes a dogmatic viewpoint on the Spring platform and third-party libraries to allow newcomers to get up and running quickly. As a result, most Spring Boot apps require minimal configuration in the Spring framework.
Key Features
- Create stand-alone applications: Spring Boot applications are stand-alone and do not require a web server or application server.
- Embed Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow directly: You can embed Tomcat, Jetty, or Undertow directly into your Spring Boot application to create a self-contained system.
- Simplified Maven configuration: Spring Boot uses a simplified Maven configuration that makes it easy to get started.
- Numerous automatic configurations: Spring Boot automatically detects and configures numerous features such as data source integration, caching, and security.
- Production-ready features such as metrics and health checks: The platform includes production-ready features such as metrics and health checks that help you monitor and improve the performance of your applications.
- Zero code generation and XML configuration: Spring Boot does not require code generation or XML configuration.
Pros
- Very easy to get started
- Produces self-contained, production-ready applications with little effort
- Numerous features are automatically detected and configured
Cons
- Some dependency conflicts
Pricing
Spring Boot does not publish pricing information.
Appian
Appian is a low-code development platform with a strong focus on process automation. It offers a comprehensive set of capabilities for building low-code applications, including model-based development, visual design, drag-and-drop assembly, and workflow automation.
Key Features
- Model-based development: Appian’s model-based development approach allows you to quickly develop models of your business processes that anyone in the organization can access.
- Simplified workflow design: Appian’s visual design approach makes it easy to create sophisticated workflows without coding skills.
- Rapid application assembly: Appian’s drag-and-drop assembly allows you to quickly assemble your applications by simply dragging and dropping pre-built components into place.
- Theming and branding: Appian provides comprehensive theming and branding capabilities to easily customize your applications’ appearance.
- Built-in reporting and dashboards: Appian includes a wide range of built-in reporting and dashboard capabilities that allow you to visualize the performance of your applications quickly.
- Integrated mobile capabilities: Appian offers integrated mobile capabilities that allow you to build mobile applications using your process models easily.
Pros
- A very comprehensive set of capabilities
- Ease of use
- Theming and branding
- Integrated mobile capabilities
Cons
- Fairly new on the market
Pricing
Appian does not provide pricing information for this product. Contact Appian for a custom quote.
Retool
Business teams need custom apps, dashboards, admin panels, and other internal tools to execute essential activities. Developers may use Retool to create more sophisticated tools quickly rather than building from the ground up.
The app builder offers drag-and-drop building components (for example, tables, buttons, forms, and charts) that allow you to create an app in minutes. Then you may code your own custom code, connect to any data source, and construct bespoke tools for your company by adding more elements.
Many businesses, such as Doordash, Peloton, Brex, and FOX, use Retool to create internal tools that enable them to operate more efficiently and produce better business results.
Key Features
- Reusable queries and a drag and drop UI: Retool’s query builder makes it easy to reuse queries across your applications. You can also quickly create apps by dragging and dropping predefined UI components into place.
- Connect all your data sources: Retool provides a wide range of connectors that allow you to connect to any data source easily. This includes both on-premises and cloud-based data sources.
- Replace error-prone scripts with custom applications: Retool makes replacing them with custom applications easy. You can also use Retool to create sophisticated admin panels and other internal tools.
- Library of native integrations: Retool includes a library of native integrations that allow you to connect to popular cloud-based services quickly.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Replace error-prone scripts with custom applications
- Library of native integrations
Cons
- The number of models and queries can overwhelm users.
Pricing
Retool has four pricing tiers for cloud-hosted plans as follows:
- Free
- Team: $10 per user per month.
- Business: $50 per user per month.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
The company charges $10 per user per month for its Starter pack for self-hosting plans. In addition, it offers flexible pricing for the Enterprise option and a free basic plan for developers building apps on their infrastructure.
All paid plans come with a free trial.
Blue Prism – RPA | Robotic Process Automation
Blue Prism is a worldwide leader in business robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent automation, revolutionizing how businesses operate. The company has customers in 170 countries and 70 industry sectors, with 30% of the Forbes Global 2,000 ranking, using new ways of working to generate value by unlocking efficiencies and improving its operations.
Robots that think like humans are an emerging technology with huge potential to boost productivity, enhance the quality of life, and preserve human lives.
Key Features
- Design Studio: The Blue Prism Design Studio is a visual interface for creating, running, monitoring, and managing software robots which the company dubs “digital workers.”
- Autonomous software robots: These are self-contained software programs that can be deployed quickly and run independently.
- Control Room: The Control Room provides a single central point to manage all your software robots.
- Scalability, Extensibility, and Reusability: You can quickly and easily create software robots that are reusable and scalable.
Pros
- Design Studio with a drag and drop interface
- Scalable
- Extensible
- Autonomous software robots with advanced AI capabilities
- Control Room for real-time process transparency
Cons
- Some integrations, such as Azure data sources, are complex for new users to set up.
Pricing
- Blue Prism offers a free trial of its software but does not publish pricing information.
GeneXus
It’s a low-code software development platform that reduces the work needed to develop and maintain business applications and multi-channel user experiences.
GeneXus uses Artificial Intelligence techniques to create software, enabling truly incremental development of apps, providing a low-code, future-proof development platform for the leading execution platforms and languages, and a popular DBMS.
Key Features
- Automatic maintenance & evolution: GeneXus maintains your applications for you, so you don’t have to worry about it.
- Multi-Experience: GeneXus allows you to develop applications that work on multiple devices and platforms.
- Agile, incremental approach: GeneXus lets you develop your applications in a step-by-step, gradual way.
- Easy to learn, one single language: With GeneXus, you only need to know one language to develop all applications.
- Future-proof: GeneXus is constantly updated with the latest technologies, so your applications are always up-to-date.
Pros
- Automatic maintenance & evolution
- Multi-Experience
- Agile, incremental approach
- Easy to learn, one single language
- Future-proof
Cons
- None found.
Pricing
GeneXus has three pricing tiers as follows:
- GeneXus for SAP
- GeneXus for ISV
- GeneXus Enterprise
- GeneXus for Startups
- GeneXus for Students
Actual pricing information is not published, but you can try the product for free.
Choosing a Low-Code Development Platform
Ultimately, choosing a low-code application development platform depends on your specific needs and requirements. However, the tools listed above are excellent choices and a great place to start. Each has its own set of features and benefits, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your unique needs. Thanks for reading!
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