No-code has been around since 1979, when VisiCalc created the first virtual spreadsheet. Soon after, in 1985, Microsoft developed the first version of Excel. These were the earliest days of no-code.
Think about it. Before virtual spreadsheets, you either had to calculate by hand or know how to code in C++. Suddenly with Excel, you could make a make a few clicks and organize your data into beautiful, actionable charts. This was the birth of no-code.
Then, in 2003, Matt Mullenweg created WordPress which allowed anybody to make a website without code. Shopify followed the next year, allowing those same non-technical people to create online stores. Instantly, anybody could start their own online blog or sell their products online.
Since then, people have developed thousands WordPress and Shopify plug-ins which, you guessed it, are also no-code tools.
Wait a Second…
Are you starting to wonder if every software you have ever used can be considered no-code? Well, if you’re the non-technical sort, the answer is yes.
No-code is a blanket term for any software with a user interface (a visual layer on top of the code). Underneath this blanket exist three categories: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tools, Developer tools, and Visual Development tools.
Types of No-Code Tools
SaaS tools, such as Salesforce, are no-code applications that can be used “out of the box.” These are software applications that can perform their tasks without reliance on any third-party software.
Excel, Google Sheets, and Mailchimp are all examples of SaaS tools. Chances are, you’ve used many SaaS tools before. You might even be using one right now.
Developer tools, such as Stripe, are used to enhance to functionality of other software applications. These are pre-made, fully operational add-ons to your website. Similar to browser extensions on Google Chrome, these add-ons can add powerful features without additional code.
In Stripe’s case, it allows ecommerce and brick-and-mortar stores the ability to accept credit cards for their products and services.
Finally, Visual Development tools, such as Bubble, are platforms that allow you to build full applications without code. Imagine building an app within Photoshop and your drawing comes to life.
These tools work by giving you access to pre-written chunks of code called “blocks” that look like common features such as buttons. Simply select your desired feature and drag it into the position you’d like.
We’ve picked seven of these for you to try below, but first, let’s discuss how no-code applications work.
How do No-Code Platforms work?
No-code apps work as most apps do, by automating workflows or processing data. Imagine the flowchart of a frequent task in your company being executed by the click of a button. Now imagine being able to stop fraudulent transactions on your website without clicking at all.
While benefits such as these can be attributed to applications in general, no-code development platforms have brought their costs down dramatically. Let’s discuss their pros and cons.
Pros of No-Code
The benefits of no-code applications are many, but the primary two are time-savings and cost-savings.
Apps that may have taken months to build can now take a few days. Most no-code development platforms use a drag-and-drop process to design and create. Simply drag your desired feature to your desired location and bam, you have an app. This allows your employees to spend more time with your clients and focus on the root of the problem being solved, instead of getting lost in the coding process. As you know, time is money.
Through the significant time-savings, no-code apps can save you as much as 80% on development costs. Traditional applications can take massive amounts of labor to create. You need front-end and back-end developers, security consultants, and cloud experts to complete the job. Now, those highly technical people can put their efforts into more important projects, while simple apps can be developed by less costly employees.
This form of development is perfect for lean start-ups that do not have access to massive amounts of capital yet. It also helps improve profitability of all companies who may be spending an outsized budget on development.
Cons of No-Code
As you can see, the benefits to no-code apps can be enormous. However, there are some risks to be aware of.
With no-code apps, you give up your apps ability to manage unique situations as well as fully protect from security breaches, as the code is not under your full control. While the underlying code is expected to be fully secure, it is not secured by you who your customer will come to in the event of a breach. A recent report found that 43% of all security breaches are connected to a vulnerability at the application layer. To counter some of these risks, while still maintaining the same level of benefits, you can use low-code applications instead.
7 Best No Code Development Platforms
With your new-found knowledge about no-code apps and all they can accomplish, let’s get into the development platforms that let you create them. These are seven no-code app development platforms you can try out today.
1. Webflow
- Free Trial: Yes
- Starting Price: $12 per month
- Best for: Building powerful websites without code.
Webflow is a no-code website development platform. It allows you to create websites with visual editing software, while Webflow automatically generates HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This allows for instant, visual feedback, which speeds up development even for seasoned developers. Once you’re finished, you can publish the website or hand it off to more advanced developers.
Historically, you needed to create tons of static mockups for their clients. This process made it difficult for your clients to fully grasp how the finished website would actually look, let alone operate. With Webflow, you can hand their clients fully operational, animated websites on a variety of devices they can interact with.
2. Bubble
- Free Trial: No, but free to use basic features.
- Starting Price: $25 per month
- Best for: Building simple and complex apps without code.
Bubble is the leading no-code web-app development platform. It allows you to create interactive, multi-user apps for desktop and mobile web browsers. You can build out the web-app design as well as the underlying logic and manage the database on their platform. Bubble will even handle the deployment and hosting on the web server for you, with no limits on users, traffic volume, or storage amount.
Some great use cases of Bubble are building out prototypes prior to investment, launching your application quickly, allowing non-technical users to make changes, and scale without added stress on company resources.
3. Zudy / VINYL
- Free Trial: Yes
- Starting Price: Not provided
- Best for: Building powerful enterprise apps without code.
Zudy offers VINYL, the first no-code enterprise application development platform. VINYL uses three development layers: Design, Business Logic, and DataAcess. The design layer allows you to build your apps aesthetic, including design, panels, and controls, with no code. The business logic layer empowers you to automate any business process, from simple to complex, including user-defined workflows. Finally, the DataAcess layer acts as a translator that allows VINYL to securely read and change your data without moving it out of your enterprise system.
4. AppSheet
- Free Trial: No
- Starting Price: $5 per month
- Best for: Building data processing apps without code.
AppSheet is a no-code app development platform that allows you to create enterprise applications at scale without code. AppSheet has helped more than 3.7 million people build apps with its easy-to-use, powerful platform. You simply input your spreadsheet data and fully control your application through the custom dashboard. With AppSheet, you can create an app for any type of data your business collects, such as location, sales, and inventory management to name a few.
5. Appy Pie
- Free Trial: Yes
- Starting Price: $18 per month
- Best for: Building robust mobile apps without code.
Appy Pie is development platform for many things no-code, including mobile applications. If you’ve been sitting on a mobile app idea for a while, without the technical skills or budget to create it, this platform is for you. Similar to other no-code platforms, Appy Pie allows you to drag-and-drop features into your iOS and Android application, creating usability in a matter of minutes.
Appy Pie boasts many awards and has been used by businesses such as Nike, Home Depot, Accenture, and Loreal. Apps built on Appy Pie are hosted on the AWS cloud, providing you with world-class safety and security.
6. AppGyver
- Free Trial: No, but FREE for all indie developers under $10 million in revenue / funding
- Starting Price: FREE
- Best for: Building multi-platform apps without code.
AppGyver claims to be the world’s first professional no-code development platform for all form factors. You can create apps for iOS and Android devices, MacOS and Windows desktops, your favorite browser, TV, and more. The platform allows you to drag-and-drop features, use their library of code blocks, create new code blocks to share with the community, and integrate any modern API in minutes with their integration wizard.
7. GoodBarber
- Free Trial: Yes
- Starting Price: Classic: $25 per month, Ecommerce: $35 per month
- Best for: Building dynamic ecommerce apps without code.
GoodBarber is a no-code app development platform focused on ecommerce. GoodBarber recognizes that providing a smooth mobile shopping experience is now an essential requirement for ecommerce businesses. The platform allows you to develop a native ecommerce apps for iOS, iPadOS, and Android, all without writing a single line of code.
With this platform, you can add features to your app such as push notifications, chat, one-click payment, permanent cart, auto login, and universal links. Keep in mind, you will need to subscribe to use GoodBarber’s services, but it is still much cheaper than traditional app development.
Outro
If you’re a non-technical person with an idea for an app, it’s never been easier to see your idea come to life. If you’re a business that needs to automate several tasks or process massive amounts of data, no-code apps will help digitize and optimize your life while saving you immense amounts of time and money. Go create your first no-code app today!