In a world of handheld smart devices, there are thousands, if not hundreds, of applications for different platforms.
Even then, there is a rising demand for brand-new apps to get different things done more efficiently. Of course, leveraging low-code development is the best way to meet the demand with the right supply.
Low-code development is here to stay, and many low-code application development platforms are out there. To give you a basic idea about the best ones, we are here with a mega list of the 20 best low-code app development platforms.
What is Low Code Development?
The concept of low-code development itself isn’t new, but the development process didn’t exist until a few years ago. It’s when you create an application with little to no coding. The process is more visual model-oriented; anyone can join the development process.
This method is perfect when a startup owner or a citizen developer sees the opportunity for a new product and decides to develop it themselves.
Low code is also perfect for accelerating traditional software development by building apps for specific use cases to generate faster results. Instead of making an app from scratch, low-code platforms allow experienced developers to create apps with pre-built templates and reusable components.
Taking up low code is tricky because the platform has to cater to both types of users mentioned equally, even when they have drastically different skill sets and preferences.
It has to provide beginners or citizen developers with a helpful environment to create a basic application with plenty of guidance.
The platform also has to provide enough customization options and opportunities to tech-savvy developers who can modify and extend the existing functionalities of the current application anytime they want.
As you can see, the expectations from a low-code app platform are pretty high. And, of course, the platform has to offer everything we mentioned in a simplified and unified manner.
20 Low Code App Development Platforms For You To Check Out
With the requirements in mind, let’s look at 20 platforms that have managed to hold up all of them the most.
1. Mendix
Starting with the best low-code platform for consecutive years, Mendix is an absolute powerhouse that has it all. Mendix is an enterprise-grade low-code development platform offering enough tools and features to tackle the entire software development life cycle.
The platform also offers easy infrastructure and application integration and a cloud-native environment. Deploying Mendix apps to a public, private, or on-premise cloud is not just easy; it’s super fast. The enterprise edition of the application also comes with automated backups and horizontal scaling.
If you’re an enterprise owner looking to invest in low-code development, Mendix is the perfect choice.
Pricing
The community version of Mendix is free for you to dive in and check out. Aside from that, they offer you three different packages
- Single app: (Starts at $1875/ mo)
- Pro: (Starts at $5375/ mo)
- Enterprise: (Starts at $7825/ mo)
Features:
- App analytics
- Automated software testing
- Built-in collaboration & project management
- Built-in Scrum
- Continuous Integration
- End-to-end low-code development
- Extensive app store
- Live chat support
- Mendix library for tutorials
- One-click deployment
- Pre-built Templates
- QA monitoring
- Responsive mobile device previews
- Top-of-the-line security
- User & developer specific native mobile apps
2. OutSystems
OutSystems is a feature-packed and powerful low-code platform for large enterprises. It’s also a great choice for developers who publish their applications directly to consumer app stores.
OutSystems offers a robust development environment, creates apps that are appealing to the general eye, and is capable of handling the entire software development lifecycle.
Pricing
OutSystems has a single app-building plan that is completely free. Their multiple-app package starts at $1513/ month.
Features
- Error-free deployments
- The free plan is enough for SMBs
- Guided low-code app development
- Interactive training
- Mobile apps can be published directly to the PlayStore
- Offline data storage
- One-click deployment and rollback
- Real-time performance dashboards
- Scalability options
- Strong app marketplace
3. LANSA
LANSA is known for the great amount of control it offers the developers compared to most other low-code application development platforms. The platform can simplify and accelerate enterprise-level app development, increasing the overall productivity of the development team.
Pricing
LANSA comes with three-tier pricing:
- Entry Level: $8.34 user/ mo
- Mid-Tier: $13.34 user/ mo
- Enterprise: $16.66 user/ mo
Features
- Ability to code inside the IDE
- It costs a lot less compared to many other low-code platforms
- Extensive testing and deployment controls
- Powerful IDE for creating desktop and mobile apps
- Requires only low code to run on Windows, IBMi, and web
- A vast array of integration opportunities
4. Zoho Creator
Zoho Creator is an enterprise low-code application development platform with a minimalistic design and a great selection of pre-built apps. Zoho Creator requires a proprietary scripting language to unlock complete customization features. It’s an SMB-friendly tool for business app creation.
Pricing
Zoho Creator offers three different price tiers:
- Standard: $8 user/mo
- Professional: $20 user /mo
- Enterprise: $25 user/mo
Features
- Affordable pricing options
- Apps are responsively resizable for mobile devices
- Auto-translation is an OOTB feature
- Barcode scanning supported
- Comes with strong pre-built templates and forms
- Custom workflows
- Easy-to-use form builder
- SalesForce integration is pre-built
- Simple interface
- Offers easy integration with other Zoho apps
5. m-Power
m-Power development platform combines low code development with business intelligence, reporting, automation, and native mobile app creation in a single place. m-Power can help you deliver custom applications across the entire business without paying extra fees.
Pricing
m-Power development platform offers a perpetual licensing option that allows users to distribute and sell their developed apps without paying user fees.
Features
- Adaptable builds
- Automation made easy
- Built-in security
- Complete freedom of customization
- Flexible deployment methods
- No fear of vendor lock-in
- Open architecture
- Simple integration process
- Zero hidden fees
6. Quixy
Quixy is more no-code than low-code, but it’s a great platform. It allows citizen developers to automate workflows and build complex applications to fit specific enterprise needs without writing a single line of code.
Quixy is a great choice for removing as many manual processes as possible, making business processes more innovative, productive, and transparent.
Pricing
Quixy has a 14-day free trial that doesn’t require any additional information. Other than that, Quixy offers three price tiers with annual billing.
- Solution: Starting from $1000/ month
- Platform: $20 /user/month, 20 initial users
- Enterprise: Contact Sales
Features
- Allows changes to apps with zero downtime
- Can build any kind of workflow with visual builders
- It can be used offline
- It can be used on any browser on any device
- Enterprise-ready
- Facial recognition widget
- Form fields support e-signature and QR codes
- Large collection of ready-to-use APIs and connectors
- Live report data and dashboards
- Rich text editor
- Seamless 3rd party integration
- Single-click app deployment
- Workflow can be fully customized with notifications and reminders
7. Creatio
Creatio can help you automate workflows and CRM with its efficient no-code facilities with maximum freedom.
Creatio can help you create business applications regardless of the scale with its intuitive UI builder and low-code workflow automation tools that address structured and unstructured workflows.
Pricing
Creatio offers a very simple pricing plan. You can get started for free or access enterprise-level features for $25/ month.
Features
- AI & ML automation
- Building apps is as easy as making a few clicks
- Enterprise scalability for the highest security
- Freedom UI designer with a huge component library
- Mobile Experience
- No-code designer offering complete workflow customization
- OOTB composable elements (apps, connectors, templates)
- Workflow automation
8. GeneXus
GeneXus captures the target audience’s requirements in the present and creates future-proof applications based on said needs. The developers can easily do so without learning about the latest tech stack, making it a more accessible platform for experienced developers.
GeneXus is best for development teams who follow agile practices and are constantly responding to market and technological changes with frequent updates.
Pricing
The app has a free trial with three different pricing tiers:
- Startups: starting $100//month
- Independent Software Houses: starting $250/month
- Enterprise: starting $900/month
Features
- Built-in application security
- Completely future-proof
- Creates multi-experience apps
- Flexible deployment
- No runtime for generated applications
- One of the most flexible platforms
- Supports business process management
9. Web.com
Web.com is a great no-code website builder platform. You can get templates that are relevant to different industries. The platform also offers themes to go along with the templates and many layout design options. You can also add and remove elements as you wish with a simple drag-and-drop feature.
Web.com also automatically backs up your website with restore functionality, so your data is safe without any intervention. Web.com supports all the current popular CMS platforms including WordPress.
Pricing
Web.com charges $1.95 for the starter package and a full price of $10/ month after the first month.
Features
- Automatic site backup and restore
- Data security
- Drag & drop editors
- Free domain included with the plan
- Fully customizable templates
- Online store creation
- Store management
10. UI Bakery
UI Bakery allows you to utilize visual app development to create apps for internal usage. The app also offers features to add in custom code or features in case you want additional control over business logic.
Pricing
UI Bakery offers you a 14-day trial period along with three different plans that are billed annually:
- Standard: ($5/month, $10/developer)
- Business: ($10/month, $40/developer)
- Enterprise: Contact Sales
Features
- Audit logs
- Automation for job schedules
- Automated webhook creation
- Custom coding features for sophisticated business logic
- Fair pricing models
- Generators feature for building CRUD apps
- A large number of built-in components and data source connectors
- Multi-step workflows
- Role-based permission for apps, pages, and data sources
- Unlimited users
- Version control
11. Strikingly
One of the easiest website builders on the list, Strikingly is a no-code website development platform that requires zero experience from users. Citizen developer can easily create their website for publication with the platform’s pre-built templates.
The elements are as easy to customize as clicking a few buttons.
Pricing
Strikingly has a highly detailed pricing plan with many different options, offering you to opt into whatever fits your current needs.
- Limited: $12/ month (monthly planning), $8/ month (yearly planning)
- Pro: $20/month (monthly planning), $16 (yearly planning)
- VIP: $59/month (monthly planning), $49 (yearly planning)
Features
- AI and ML integration for streamlining the decision-making process
- Complete composability
- Complete freedom in UI design
- Enterprise scalability
- Huge library of predefined elements and widgets
- Websites get ready in just a few clicks
- Web app creation
12. Jotform
Jotform allows you to create applications and share apps via email, links, or even a QR code. You can also directly download the device on your app to check the application’s functionality from a user perspective.
Pricing
Along with a “forever free” plan, Jotform also offers the following:
- Bronze: $39/month
- Silver: $49/month
- Gold: $129/month
Features
- 300+ app templates
- It doesn’t require coding expertise
- Drag and drop interface
- Easy to share app
- Highly customizable
- Multiple platform compatibility from the start
- Online store builder
- Simple to use
13. Pixpa
Pixpa is a great platform for creating a fully responsive website within minutes. Like any other good website builder, Pixpa also comes with a large gallery of pre-built templates with powerful features.
Pricing
- Basic: $6/month
- Creator: $12/month
- Professional: $18/month
Features
- 150+ readymade website templates
- 24/7 live chat and email support
- It doesn’t require coding experience
- Integration with 100+ apps
- Visual builder
14. Appian
Appian is one of the best platforms for creating business applications and automating different business processes. Appian can also help with business improvement by improving customer engagement and employee efficiency.
We also did a detailed comparison of Mendix vs Appian, so go check it out!
Pricing
Appian offers a free trial, and the standard application license will cost you $75/ month. You need to get a quote from their Sales department for more advanced packages.
Features
- Drag and drop tools
- Integration is possible without coding
- Native AI service
- No-code integration to AI/ML
- Supports Google Cloud, Amazon AWS, and Microsoft Azure
15. KiSSFLOW
KiSSFLOW is another business process automation and custom app creation platform. The platform comes with 45 pre-installed apps to help you create your applications.
We also did a detailed comparison of Mendix Vs. KissFlow, so go check it out!
Pricing
Appian offers three standard packages with annual billing:
- Small Business: $15/month (50 user minimum)
- Corporate: $20/month (100 user minimum)
- Enterprise: Contact Sales for a quote
Features
- Allows digitization of forms and requests
- All fields are fully editable
- Drag and drop can also be used to build logic
- Drag and drop functions and fields
- It takes away any coding necessities
16. Salesforce Lightning
Salesforce Lightning is a great platform for creating mobile apps with high security. Pro-code tools of the platform can allow you to use any programming language to create your native mobile app.
Pricing
Salesforce Lightning has three different pricing plans:
- Lightning Platform Starter: $25/month
- Lightning Platform Plus: $100/month
- Heroku Enterprise Starter: Contact sales for a quote
Features
- AI embedding
- Connect Salesforce with third-party databases
- Instant app creation from spreadsheets
- IoT integration
- Lightning process builder for creating complex workflows
- No code building for mobile applications
17. Microsoft Power Apps
A formidable entry from a well-established publisher in the low code space, Power Apps offers you a place to create and extend your apps with pro-developer extensibility features. The name “Power Apps isn’t just for show either. It’s quite powerful (trust us, we checked).
We also compared Mendix Vs. Power Apps to perform tests, and you should see how it turned out!
Pricing
Microsoft Power Apps offers two subscription plans, along with a third “pay-as-you-go” plan that is $10/month:
- Per App Plan: $5/user/app/month
- Per User Plan: $20/user/month
Features
- App running
- App sharing
- Cloud-based service integration
- Creating web-based apps that are compatible with all platforms
- Easy connection between applications and databases
- Large collection of predefined templates
- Point-and-click approach for app design
- Rich UI features
- Workflow automation
18. Google AppSheet
AppSheet is a low-code/ no-code platform by Google that can partner with other Google-based applications to ensure a better user experience. AppSheet turns data into a dynamic spreadsheet that simplifies huge amounts of data and makes it easier to share.
Pricing
Google AppSheet offers four distinct pricing packages, with one of the lowest starter package prices:
- Starter: $5/user/month
- Core: $10/user/month
- Enterprise Standard: Contact for Quote
- Enterprise Plus: Contact for Quote
Features
- Wide range of features for customization
- Ability to add in workflows
- Workflow customization
- Enables app creation even with Google Sheets
- drag-and-drop interface for citizen developers
- Deploys multi-platform apps in real-time
- Allows to include features like GPS, maps, signature capture, barcode scanner, etc.
- Features for customizing functions like email notification, offline access, and adding your brand
19. Google App Engine
Google App Maker is relatively new to the industry with great potential. The platform makes creating G Suite Apps a walk in the park for businesses and developers alike.
Pricing
Google App Maker comes in a package with G Suite Business & G Suite Enterprise.
- G Suite Business: $8.5/month
- G Suite Enterprise: $25.8/month
Features
- Drag and drop functionalities
- Easy to integrate with different Google apps and services
- Intuitive UI builder
- JavaScript scripting and CSS in Property Editor for customization advantages
- Simple data modeling with Google Drive Tables
- Straightforward design
- User-friendly
- Zero coding required
20. Claris FileMaker
Claris FileMaker is another highly accessible low-code platform that can be used from smartphones and other handheld devices through any web browser. The cloud-based platform can help you create applications for any internal process for businesses of any scale.
Pricing
Claris offers two different pricing models for their services that are annually billed:
- Essentials: $21/user/month
- Standard: $43/user/month
Features
- Accessible from any device
- Custom menus can be simply copied and pasted
- Developed apps are automatically compatible with all platforms
- Offers flexible app solutions for any business
- Streamlined user interface
- Supports multiple email attachments
To Wrap It Up
To recap, here are the top 20 low-code app development platforms that we think are awesome:
- Mendix
- OutSystems
- Visual LANSA
- Zoho Creator
- The m-Power Development Platform
- Quixy
- Creatio
- GeneXus
- Web.com
- UI Bakery
- Strikingly
- Jotform
- Pixpa
- Appian
- KiSSFLOW
- Salesforce Lightning
- Microsoft Power Apps
- Google AppSheet
- Google App Maker
- Claris FileMaker
While we couldn’t master all of the low-code platforms (which we wished we could), we are more than efficient with Mendix app development.
If you want to create the best application with the finest low-code application development platform ever, let’s talk!
FAQs
Low code solutions can be cost-effective for cyber security implementations due to reduced development time, decreased reliance on specialized coding resources, and potential reuse of components and workflows across projects.
Low code finds applications in various construction use cases, including project management applications, construction scheduling tools, quality control systems, equipment tracking solutions, and collaboration platforms for teams working on construction projects.
Yes, low code can streamline military logistics and supply chain management by providing applications for tracking and managing inventory, optimizing routes, automating procurement processes, and improving overall logistics efficiency.
Yes, low-code solutions can integrate with existing aerospace systems and infrastructure. They often provide connectors, APIs, and interoperability features that enable seamless integration with other aerospace software and hardware.
Yes, low-code platforms are suitable for DIY home automation projects. They provide an accessible and flexible approach to developing custom automation solutions without extensive coding knowledge, empowering DIY enthusiasts to automate their homes according to their preferences.
Yes, low-code platforms are suitable for small and independent restaurants. They offer a cost-effective approach to developing customized applications without requiring extensive coding expertise or large IT departments, allowing smaller establishments to leverage technology effectively.