Choosing the Right No-Code and Low-Code Tools from 100+ Options

Rife with uncertainties, the current economic environment forces companies to optimize spending. The pressure is both financial and temporal, as being first to market is often crucial. Also, businesses need clever solutions to justify budgets and build new products. With a carefully selected rapid app development tool, you can confirm the product-market fit, convince investors, or quickly close a gap in a business process — all at a fraction of the cost and time of traditional development. This guide is designed to help you pick the right low code or no code tool from the vast array available on the market, ensuring your choice aligns perfectly with your specific business context and streamlines business logic to enhance efficiency.

Top No Code And Low Code Platforms In Five Business Categories

To help you choose the right tool from 100+ options, we’ve meticulously scoured numerous online and offline resources, including conferences. By applying functional and non-functional requirements, we’ve established market leaders for each category:

• B2C web
• B2C mobile
• BaaS
• internal
• enterprise

Every no code app builder on the list facilitates collaboration between professional developers, IT, and business users, streamlining the development process and enhancing productivity.

Note: While we tried being thorough in the classification, it’s not strict and some products could fit into two or three categories.

With years of experience in software development, we know what are the requirements of applications in different categories. This knowledge lets us cross-check how these no code tools support them.

That said, here are the five categories for products with their corresponding recommended tools.

B2C web

A B2C web product is a user-focused online solution designed to directly serve individual consumers. In our evaluation of no code tools, we made an assumption that the resulting product should emphasize ease of use, personalization, and accessibility to enhance customer engagement and drive sales.

The no code and low code market has general-purpose tools like Bubble.io or WeWeb for building full-fledged websites and applications but also specialized tools built for specific tasks like blogs or landing pages (e.g., Versoly).

B2C mobile

B2C mobile products, similarly, are applications or services on mobile devices, created to provide convenient, on-the-go access for consumers, offering personalized experiences, seamless navigation, and instant connectivity.

Tools that support developing apps for these products are often based on different technologies under the hood (for example, Flutter, React Native, or Web View). This helps when mixing the technology stack with low code and custom code.

BaaS (Backend-as-a-Service)

BaaS is a cloud-based model that enables developers to speed up backend development and focus on front-end user experiences. In our assessment, we assumed that an effective BaaS product built using a no code platform should offer robust, scalable server-side solutions, facilitating quick integration, data management, and seamless connectivity to enhance application efficiency and development speed.

Here, just like B2C web, there are general-purpose tools (e.g., Xano, Supabase) for many different tasks, plus there are tools with narrower specialization (e.g., Baserow is only for databases).

Internal products

Internal products, particularly focusing on admin panel solutions, are customized software tools designed to streamline administrative and management tasks within an organization. For our evaluation we specified that the end product should prioritize user-friendliness, customization to specific organizational needs, and seamless integration with existing workflows, thereby optimizing internal processes and resource management.

Internal tools like admin panels can also be quickly developed using a low code platform or no-code tool from the B2C web category.

Enterprise products

Enterprise products are large-scale software solutions made for businesses, focusing on addressing complex, multifaceted organizational challenges. In our analysis, we consider that these products should offer high scalability, robust security, and comprehensive functionality, aligning with diverse business requirements and facilitating streamlined operations across various departments and functions.

100+ No Code And Low Code Tools With Business Recommendations

Evaluation Criteria For Low Code And No Code Tools

Out of over 100 no code and low code platforms, we’ve checked features, pricing and non-functional aspects such as vendor lock-in, the option to export code, and other aspects that are critical in the development of prototypes, proof of concepts, and even full products.

Popularity & community

While popularity isn’t always the most accurate reflection on quality, it often goes hand in hand with the amount of resources and channels through which developers can get information about bugs, problems, and features. Large popularity also often means the tool was extensively evaluated and reviewed.

That said, community support is crucial when considering a low-code or no-code platform because it fosters a collaborative environment where users can share knowledge, resources, and solutions. A vibrant community contributes to a rich ecosystem of pre-built templates, custom components, and best practices, significantly reducing development time and learning curves for new users. Active community engagement provides valuable feedback for continuous platform improvement.

Features

Low code and no code platforms should, by definition, have high capabilities in reducing the complexity of product development. Features that foster a more collaborative and efficient workflow make these platforms especially attractive to businesses looking to innovate quickly without heavily investing in specialized coding skills. It’s also key for a no code and low code solution to help ease the integration with other systems, support growing user demands and traffic, and adapt the product to changing business requirements.

A user-friendly development environment is crucial in these platforms, as it allows both technical and non-technical users to design, test, and deploy applications efficiently through visual tools like drag-and-drop interfaces.

Here are top four features that are an absolute must-have:

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Scalability and maintenance

One of the key requirements is a tool’s ability to scale and maintain quality of the low-code-based projects. Not all no code and low code solutions support testing environments, where developers can safely check the changes before sharing the app with the end user.

Exporting product code (vendor lock-in)

Whenever choosing a no code tool, you have to check which tools let you export the built apps or websites as code. Otherwise, you’re risking a vendor lock. Unfortunately, the most popular no code tools don’t let you export code, but still have many great features, for example, Bubble.io, Adalo, or Thunkable. Yet, in my opinion, not being able to export code is a strategic risk that must be put into consideration.

Multiple developers working on one project

We’ve checked the ability to support multiple developers working on one project. While top tools are supporting real-time collaboration, it’s often more limited than raw git. For example, workspaces in Draftbit allow only syncing code to the repository, but not pulling changes from it. In FlutterFlow, there is the concept of branches, but those are custom features not git ones and certain changes are not properly merged (e.g., translations).

Automated test coverage

For anything but the simplest apps, it’s vital to have automated test coverage. There are different types of tests like unit, integration, or golden. Those tests prevent regression from crawling into future releases of the product. In low-no code platforms those tests are often more limited than the ones available in classic development.

Pricing

Pricing is a key point to consider when thinking about a low code or no code solution. When relying on a third-party provider, price changes should be factored into the risk management policy.

In early 2023, Bubble.io changed its pricing. For some users that meant jumping from $129/mo to $1500/mo. Those users who didn’t accept the price increase, had problems with moving their business to other places. In this particular case, code ownership is the most critical factor to consider.

Analyzing the No Code and Low Code Platforms Landscape

No code and low code tools vary from simple drag & drop builders to visual interfaces put on top of fully customizable regular code projects. Just as the no-code tools differ in their approach to development, so does their capacity to deliver products of different levels of complexity, customization, and integrations. And yes, we’re years past the point where it was simply better to code manually to ensure scalability and features. Currently, even products with long-term lifecycles can be built using a no code platform.

A key feature of many no-code development platforms is the drag and drop interface, which simplifies the development process by allowing users to visually arrange elements without writing code.

That said, there are hundreds of no code and low code tools available online. Getting our list of 100 tools called for extensive research by:

• Using AI recommendations (from ChatGPT and Bard)
• Reading lists on thought-leadership outlets (e.g., Zapier, Gartner)
• Searching on Google and YouTube
• Looking for popular no code technologies on the job markets like WLNC
• Analyzing data from our internal Slack and Notion knowledge base
• Gathering information from conferences like No Code Summit Agenda (Paris Oct 2023)

Real-Life Use Cases With No Code And Low Code Platforms

While we’re a software agency, we’re far from recommending custom development for every use case. We’re firm believers in the right tool for the right job philosophy, focusing on maximizing the value of custom vs. low or no code development.

Using no code and low code significantly decreases time to market, often requiring days or a few weeks of development instead of months.

That said, here are some of the products we built for a variety of use cases built using no code and low code technologies.

Low Code For Complete Products

A booking app for luxury trips

A mobile app for booking luxury trips built in FlutterFlow in just a few weeks. The application lets users browse through available trips, compare prices, schedule flights, and manage their reservations. Using FlutterFlow helped rapidly develop the application and at the same time validate the idea’s viability without spending months on development. With FlutterFlow, if the idea failed, it would be much easier and faster to pivot or abandon the idea altogether without the loss of significant funds.

Technologies

FlutterFlow, Bubble.io

Proof of concept built using no code and low code

Opportunity matching app

The project involved the development of an application aimed at connecting startups with potential investors. The application was designed as a responsive web platform, leveraging low-code solutions for rapid deployment. Xano was used as a no code backend service, allowing us to create and manage back-end processes without traditional coding. This approach made it easier for business users to interact with the application effectively.

Development stack and features

The development stack included:

Challenges and limitations

During the development process, which spanned two days, the team faced several challenges:

Session Losses: The application occasionally required users to log in again due to losing session data.

• API Rate Limiting: Encountered with Xano, facing a cap of 10 requests per 20 seconds under the free tier, significantly restricting the application's functionality.
• Documentation Gaps: The documentation provided by WeWeb was less comprehensive compared to competitors like FlutterFlow, particularly in using the Kanban component.

Takeaway:

Despite the challenges and limitations encountered, the use case proved that using low-code platforms for developing POC applications rapidly speeds up development. The project highlighted both the potential and the pitfalls of low-code development, underscoring the importance of choosing the right tools and planning for platform limitations.

Demo Created In No Code And Low Code For Investors

Testing FlutterFlow for design limitations

The project focused on conducting limit tests with FlutterFlow regarding design capabilities, specifically assessing the feasibility of achieving pixel-perfect custom views and evaluating FlutterFlow’s suitability for client proposals. Professional developers can leverage FlutterFlow to create custom views efficiently, allowing them to save time on basic features and focus on more complex coding tasks. The application was developed for iOS and shared with the client via TestFlight.

Development stack and features

The development stack included:

• FlutterFlow: Utilized for the application's design and development, focusing on creating custom, pixel-perfect views.
• Firebase (Firestore): Served as the backend database for storing and managing application data.
• Refi App (Firestore client): Used alongside Firebase for enhanced database management and operations.

Challenges and limitations

The development process, which lasted three days, encountered several notable challenges:

• Design limitations: While the application achieved the desired appearance, achieving certain effects required workarounds due to FlutterFlow's platform limitations.
• Deployment issues: Deployment to the App Store via FlutterFlow introduced complications with Apple's certification process, causing issues with the application's certificates.

Takeaways:

This use case demonstrated FlutterFlow's capacity for designing and developing custom, pixel-perfect views for iOS applications. Despite achieving the desired design outcomes and successfully sharing the application with the client via TestFlight, FlutterFlow showed some platform constraints necessitating creative solutions in no code apps. The project underlines the importance of considering platform limitations and deployment challenges when using no code and low code tools.

Going Low Code To Bring Ideas To Life In Days

The low code and no code landscape is very dynamic: features are added weekly. Our research into the most optimal no code tool for specific context is ongoing, and I’ll be updating the recommendations. One thing is certain, though, of the 100 most popular no code and low code tools the ones in the recommended section are a great pick to quickly develop prototypes of web apps or mobile apps, do feasibility studies, check the product-market fit, or convince the stakeholders for funding.