According to Gartner, low code will account for over 65% of application development activity. In such a world, we are bound to have multiple low-code solutions as options.
Mendix has proven to be the best of the bunch, and a recommended strong contender is Appian. That begs the question, “Who wins if we think Mendix vs. Appian in terms of low-code application development platforms?”
Before we go into the key differences, let’s look at the basics for both platforms.
Mendix- Current Low Code Application Platform Leader
One of the most popular low-code development platforms in the current market, Mendix can lead you to digital transformation and change how your business innovates and competes with others with enterprise applications.
Mendix speeds up the development process by automating repetitive processes and enabling professional developers and non-technical team members to create enterprise-level applications with a visual development environment through an intuitive interface.
Mendix boasts a cloud-native architecture that allows on-premise or cloud app deployment with a one-click deployment feature.
The platform utilizes a visual app development process through drag-and-drop functionality and a graphical user interface with prebuilt components.
Mendix is an open platform with no vendor lock-in issues, offering additional control and flexibility throughout the application development lifecycle.
Appian – Highest Ranking Low Code Automation Tool
Appian is an integrated platform that can help make the application development process easier for businesses and simplify the digital transformation process.
Appian user-friendly developer environment allows users to create powerful applications that automate business processes and complex workflows with low code.
Appian aims for intelligent business automation by implementing custom apps across different departments of any organization.
Appian offers a large collection of connectors that can help Appain integrate with other applications without requiring additional lines of code.
Appian also contains Business Process Management (BPM) tools that can automate business processes and help design process-based solutions with intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces.
The tools can also help you monitor real-time processes, helping streamline the app creation process.
Ultimate Low-Code Platform Comparison- Mendix Vs. Appian
As we can see, both these platforms are unique and highly beneficial to their users. So now, let’s look at what sets them apart.
1. Set of Features
Mendix and Appian can create amazing desktop and mobile applications for any business. However, their features are highly distinct from one another in terms of application development.
Key features of Mendix include
- Centralized app governance
- Drag and drop forms builder
- Enterprise-grade security
- Enterprise integration
- Legacy systems modernization
- Legacy integration
- Private/ public app stores
- Rapid Application Development (RAD)
- Seamless integration with other third-party applications and systems
- Visual model-driven development
Key features of Appian include
- Apps built into the platform are efficiency-oriented
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) infused in applications
- Auto upgrade for the same application on all different platforms
- Drag and drop interface
- High data security for all apps
- One design is native to all devices
- Point-and-click tools
- Reusable components
2. Setup & Interface
Mendix’s interface and primary setup are best suitable for enterprise-level organizations. Mendix offers a fully cloud-based experience based on the built-in collaboration features of the platform.
The dashboard is simplified with multiple tabs like
- Apps
- App Store
- Buzz
- Community
- People
The UI of Mendix is completely revamped with Atlas, a new design language, and the UI also contains predefined page templates.
Appian, on the other hand, has a more user-friendly UI setup. The goal of the setup is to enable non-technical business users to get started with application development in simple steps.
Appian has complete documentation of all the basics as part of its publicly available knowledge base, making it a great place to start if you’re a beginner in the low-code world.
3. Ease of Low-Code Development
Mendix and Appian both take a unique approach to low-code application development. But in both cases, the entire process guides professional developers, as well as citizen developers, through the entire process.
If you’re working on the Mendix platform, the platform allows app creation with just a few steps from a prebuilt page template. There are tutorials attached to the process to make it easier and guide you through more complex templates.
The web modeler with Mendix allows you to create previews for different platforms and devices. You can start with UI design and wireframing instead of setting up the database first.
In the case of Appian, you can create the app by modeling a flow chart to model process flow diagrammatically. Appian also enables constant app updates in sync with the platform itself.
4. Pricing
Mendix offers a free version that supports up to 10 users. Mendix arranges its pricing on a pay-what-you-need basis based on the applications and features you need.
The paid plan for Mendix starts at $1917/mo for a single app with multiple features. You can always go for the Pro or Enterprise edition if you want to build and deploy multiple apps.
For the Pro edition, the charge is $5375/mo for unlimited app building. Enterprise edition offers even more advanced features like continuous integration, private cloud deployment, on-premise deployment, etc.
For Appian, the price is subject to the minimum purchase requirements and the standard terms and conditions.
Appian offers a free trial to utilize secure cloud features with access control. Application edition is $90/mo/user, where you can create a single application in collaboration with your team.
The Enterprise edition is $180/user/mo, with all features unlocked.
5. Integration
Mendix has a powerful integration system that can integrate with the following apps among hundreds of others.
- Salesforce
- FICO
- Oracle
- Microsoft Excel
- GitHub
- SAP CRM On-Demand
- Tableau Software
- Lync Online
- Skype
While Mendix offers great integration facilities, Appian speeds up the process with its prebuilt connectors and easy-to-configure APIs.
Appian can utilize multiple different integration methods to integrate different services, such as
- Web services
- Connected systems
- Shared data
6. Limitation
Though both platforms can be considered powerhouses, they both have their own set of limitations as well.
Mendix Limitations
- One-click deployment management becomes challenging after development is complete.
- Mendix ecosystem requires specific improvement for complete integration
- Mapping application objects to related databases is a lot tricky
Appian Limitations
- Documentations need constant improvement
- The platform doesn’t offer integration with other products
- The authoring tool is slower to use
- It takes time to build complex solutions
Who Is The Ultimate Winner?
This is another one-for-one draw situation where both platforms offer great app creation experiences to be considered inferior.
Both of these platforms are amazing at letting you build enterprise-grade sophisticated applications with complete control over the entire process.
Mendix gets the upper hand over Appian since it can combine all traditional development aspects into an all-in-one Modeler that is easy to use.
If you’re still looking for more comparisons to make your decision, you can always check out our discussion about Mendix Vs. OutSystems to get yourself a better idea.
If you’re convinced that Mendix is the perfect choice for you, then partner up with Impala Intech today for our low-code software development services!
FAQs
Yes, both Mendix and Appian are used in regulated industries, with Appian often chosen for industries like finance and healthcare.
Key considerations include ease of use, integration capabilities, focus on process automation, scalability, community support, and alignment with specific project needs.
Migration between the platforms may require significant effort due to architectural differences, and it’s recommended to carefully evaluate the complexity of the application before attempting the migration.
Mendix and Appian are well-established players in the low-code market, and the future looks promising as businesses increasingly adopt low-code platforms to accelerate application development and digital transformation.
Mendix emphasizes visual development, emphasizing ease of use, while Appian emphasizes process automation and business rules for building applications.
