6 Best No Code Platforms for Desktop, Web & Mobile | 2023 Edition
Introduction
No-code platforms have emerged as a revolutionary solution in the world of software development, enabling individuals and businesses to create powerful applications and websites without the need for traditional coding skills. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of no-code platforms, their history, advantages, and the top players in this space. We will also delve into how to choose the best no-code platform, common use cases, pros and cons, alternatives, and offer some practical advice.
What are No Code Platforms?
No code platforms are software development tools that empower users to design, build, and deploy applications and websites without writing complex code manually. These platforms have a rich history, evolving from earlier low code platforms, and they have gained significance due to their ability to democratize app development. They are essential because they bridge the gap between developers and non-developers, enabling a broader audience to participate in the app and web creation process.
Why Use a No Code Platform?
The adoption of no code platforms has been driven by several compelling advantages. They allow for rapid application development, democratize software creation, and offer cost-effective solutions. No-code platforms benefit entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, and larger enterprises alike, enabling them to save time and resources. They are particularly valuable for creating MVPs, prototypes, and internal tools efficiently.
Table Of Contents
| Number | Name | Image | Best For | Rating | Pricing |
| 1 | Softr |  | Mobile Apps | 4.8 | $0 - $249 /mo + custom |
| 2 | Glide Apps |  | Web Apps, Landing Pages | 4.7 | $0 - $249 /mo + custom |
| 3 | CometChat |  | Real-time Engagement | 4.6 | $109 - $529 /mo + custom |
| 4 | PageCloud |  | Website Building | 4.2 | $0 - $79 /mo |
| 5 | Formaloo |  | Data Collection & Analytics | 4.0 | $0 - $499 /mo |
| 6 | Appy Pie |  | Apps, Websites and more | 3.7 | $18 - $60/mo |
1. Softr
Introduction
Softr is a no-code platform designed to allow individuals and businesses to create web applications and websites without any coding knowledge. It offers a range of pre-built templates and customizable modules, focusing on ease-of-use and quick deployment.
Main Features
- Drag-and-Drop Builder: Users can create custom web pages using a simple drag-and-drop interface.
- Airtable Integration: Softr has native integration with Airtable, allowing users to build dynamic web apps based on Airtable data.
- User Authentication: Offers built-in options for user sign-up, login, and role-based access controls.
- Templates: Comes with a variety of pre-designed templates for different types of websites and web apps.
- Custom Domain: Allows users to connect a custom domain name for a more professional appearance.
Pros
- Ease of Use: Designed to be intuitive, even for those without technical expertise.
- Quick Deployment: Offers rapid development and deployment of web apps and websites.
- Flexibility: While it’s a no-code platform, Softr still offers considerable customization options for more advanced users.
- Community and Support: Strong community and customer support can help resolve issues and offer guidance.
Cons
- Limited Customization: While flexible, it’s not as customizable as a full-stack development environment.
- Pricing: Some of the more advanced features are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.
- Data Dependency: Heavy reliance on Airtable for data management could be a limitation for some users.
Pricing
Softr offers a free tier with basic features and limitations on the number of pages and views. Paid plans start at around $25 per month and go up, depending on the features needed. The more advanced plans offer additional customization options, more data rows, and premium support.
Summary
Softr serves as an excellent platform for those looking to quickly build web applications or websites without coding skills. Its drag-and-drop functionality, Airtable integration, and range of templates make it a convenient choice for rapid development. However, limitations in customization and dependency on Airtable may not suit all users. The platform has a pricing structure that accommodates a range of needs, from individual creators to larger businesses. Overall, it offers a balanced mix of ease-of-use and functionality, making it a worthy contender in the no-code space.
2. Glide Apps
Introduction
Glide is a no-code platform that allows users to create mobile applications directly from Google Sheets. Targeted at both individual creators and businesses, Glide simplifies the app development process, making it accessible to people without programming expertise.
Main Features
- Google Sheets Integration: Glide's core functionality is built around Google Sheets, allowing users to populate app data directly from spreadsheets.
- Visual Builder: Provides a drag-and-drop interface for easy app design and customization.
- Templates: Offers a variety of templates for common app types, such as directories, to-do lists, and inventories.
- User Authentication: Supports user sign-up, login, and role-based permissions to manage access to different parts of the app.
- Offline Access: Apps built with Glide can work offline, syncing data when an internet connection is available.
Pros
- Ease of Use: Extremely user-friendly, with no coding required for basic app creation.
- Quick Deployment: Allows for fast prototyping and deployment of apps.
- Scalability: Suitable for small projects but also offers features that make it scalable for more substantial and complex applications.
- Collaboration: Being based on Google Sheets makes it easier for team members to collaborate on app data.
- Cost-Effective: The platform's free tier is quite generous, enabling users to create functional apps without any upfront cost.
Cons
- Limited Customization: While Glide offers a good range of customization options, it's not as flexible as traditional app development platforms.
- Data Limitations: Being dependent on Google Sheets could become a limitation for apps requiring complex data structures or high levels of data security.
- Performance: For data-intensive apps or those with a large number of users, performance could be an issue.
- Learning Curve: Some of the more advanced features may require a learning curve, even though it's a no-code platform.
Pricing
Glide offers a free tier with basic functionality and some limitations. Paid plans start at around $32 per month for the Pro version, which includes additional features like more rows, enhanced performance, and priority support.
Summary
Glide serves as a highly accessible entry point for those looking to develop mobile applications without the complexities and cost associated with traditional app development. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, integration with Google Sheets, and range of templates make it particularly appealing for quick and straightforward projects. However, the platform's limitations in terms of customization and data management might not make it suitable for all types of applications. With its various pricing options, Glide is adaptable to a range of user needs, from individual creators to businesses looking for a scalable solution.
3. CometChat
Introduction
CometChat is a communication platform that allows businesses and developers to integrate chat, voice, and video functionalities into their websites or mobile applications. While CometChat is primarily designed for those with some technical skills, it also offers no-code solutions that make it possible for individuals without coding experience to integrate chat features into their projects.
Main Features
- Chat SDKs and APIs: CometChat offers software development kits (SDKs) and application programming interfaces (APIs) for a wide range of programming languages and frameworks.
- No-Code Plugins: Provides plugins for popular website builders and platforms such as WordPress, Shopify, and Wix, allowing for simple installation without coding.
- Real-time Messaging: Supports real-time text messaging, group chats, and one-on-one conversations.
- Voice and Video Calling: Includes options for voice and video communication, both for groups and individual users.
- Moderation Tools: Features like profanity filters, user blocking, and role-based permissions are included to help manage community interactions.
- Whitelabel Solutions: Allows businesses to fully customize the appearance of the chat interface to align with their branding.
Pros
- Versatility: Suited for both developers and non-technical users due to its range of no-code plugins and advanced SDKs.
- Scalability: Built to handle varying levels of traffic, making it suitable for both small projects and large-scale applications.
- Feature-Rich: Offers a comprehensive set of communication features including text chat, voice, and video.
- Multi-Platform Support: Compatible with a variety of platforms, including web, iOS, and Android.
- Strong Support: Provides extensive documentation, community forums, and customer support for troubleshooting and implementation.
Cons
- Cost: The platform's more advanced features and scalability options come at a premium price.
- Learning Curve: While it offers no-code solutions, leveraging the platform's full capabilities may require some technical know-how.
- Integration Complexity: For those who require advanced customization or specific workflow integrations, the setup process can get complex.
Pricing
CometChat offers a free tier with basic features and limitations on the number of monthly active users. Paid plans start with the "Pro" package, which offers additional features and scalability options, and can range significantly in price based on the needs of the business.
Summary
CometChat is a robust communication platform designed to offer businesses a comprehensive set of chat, voice, and video functionalities. Its adaptability makes it a suitable choice for both technical and non-technical users, thanks to its no-code plugins and advanced SDK options. While the platform comes with a broad range of features and scalability, these come at a cost, and exploiting the full potential of CometChat may require some technical expertise. Overall, it's a solid choice for businesses looking to add rich communication features to their digital platforms.
4. PageCloud
Introduction
PageCloud is a website builder that aims to provide a highly customizable, drag-and-drop interface for creating websites. Designed for users without technical expertise, it also offers advanced capabilities for those who have some experience with web design and development.
Main Features
- Drag-and-Drop Editor: Allows users to place elements anywhere on a page, offering a highly customizable design experience.
- WYSIWYG Editing: "What You See Is What You Get" editing makes changes instantly visible, allowing for real-time design adjustments.
- Third-Party Integrations: Supports integrations with a wide variety of third-party services, including e-commerce platforms, social media, and analytics tools.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Automatically optimizes websites for mobile viewing, although users can make manual adjustments as well.
- SEO Tools: Offers basic SEO functionalities like meta tags and URL customization to make websites more search engine friendly.
- Custom Code: Allows for custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for those who require more advanced customization.
Pros
- User-Friendly: The drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, allowing users to create websites quickly and easily.
- Highly Customizable: PageCloud offers a level of customization that is above average for website builders.
- Real-Time Editing: The WYSIWYG editing capabilities streamline the design process by making all changes instantly visible.
- E-commerce Support: The platform offers good support for e-commerce functionalities through integrations.
- Technical Flexibility: The ability to insert custom code allows for more advanced customizations for those with technical know-how.
Cons
- Price: Compared to other website builders, PageCloud can be on the more expensive side.
- Limited Templates: While the platform is highly customizable, it offers fewer pre-designed templates than some competitors.
- Learning Curve: The wealth of customization options may be overwhelming for users who are completely new to website building.
- SEO Limitations: Although it provides basic SEO tools, it may not offer as comprehensive a set of SEO features as specialized platforms.
Pricing
PageCloud has a straightforward pricing model, generally offering a couple of plans that cater to different needs. Prices typically start at around $20 per month for the basic plan, which includes most essential features. Higher-tier plans offer additional capabilities and are priced accordingly.
Summary
PageCloud is a versatile website builder that stands out for its high level of customization and user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface. It is a suitable choice for both beginners and those with some technical expertise, offering a range of features and third-party integrations. However, its pricing and limited range of templates may not appeal to all users. Overall, if you prioritize customization and real-time editing capabilities, PageCloud is a strong contender in the website builder market.
5. Formaloo
Introduction
Formaloo is an all-in-one customer engagement platform that enables users to create various types of forms, customer portals, and CRMs without any coding. Trusted by over 25,000 businesses across 30+ countries, Formaloo aims to streamline data collection and workflow automation.
Main Features
- Build Forms & Surveys: Enables users to create visually appealing and functional online forms for capturing leads, collecting payments, administering surveys, and more.
- Workspace Organization: Allows users to organize workspaces into different teams, departments, clients, and projects for easy access management and real-time collaboration.
- App Creation: Empowers businesses to create custom interfaces and even mobile apps for data visualization and workflow, all without requiring development skills.
- Integrations: Offers over 3,000+ integrations with popular apps and services like Google, Facebook, Salesforce, Slack, and Microsoft, among others.
- Advanced Reporting: Provides comprehensive reporting tools to keep track of responses and data analytics.
Pros
- Ease of Use: User-friendly interface that allows quick and easy setup.
- Customization: High level of customizability for forms and apps, including advanced conditional logic.
- Collaboration: Features to support real-time collaboration among different teams and departments.
- Data Security: The platform emphasizes strong security measures and is GDPR compliant.
- Customer Reviews: Generally positive reviews about the platform's efficiency, feature-rich nature, and development velocity.
Cons
- Learning Curve: Although user-friendly, the plethora of features may require some time to fully master.
- Pricing Transparency: While the service is free to use for teams of any size, detailed pricing plans for additional features are not explicitly stated.
Pricing
The platform is free to use for teams of any size but also offers paid plans with additional features, storage, and support. However, exact pricing details are not publicly disclosed.
Summary
Formaloo provides a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to streamline data collection, workflow automation, and customer engagement. Its versatility, user-friendliness, and robust integration capabilities make it a strong contender in the field of customer engagement platforms. However, the vast range of features may require a time investment to fully utilize. Overall, it's a platform well-suited for a wide range of business applications, from HR and lead generation to e-commerce and education.
6. Appy Pie
Introduction
Appy Pie is a no-code development platform that allows users to create mobile applications, websites, task automations, and chatbots without requiring any coding skills. The platform aims to democratize the application development process, making it accessible for individuals and small businesses who may not have technical expertise.
Main Features
- App Builder: Enables users to build mobile applications for various platforms such as Android and iOS, with a drag-and-drop interface.
- Website Builder: Offers a no-code website builder to create websites that are mobile-responsive.
- Chatbot Builder: Allows for the creation of chatbots for customer service or lead generation.
- Workflow Automation: Lets users automate repetitive tasks by connecting various apps and services.
- Multiple Templates: Provides a variety of pre-built templates and designs that users can choose to get started quickly.
Pros
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform is known for its easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface that enables quick app development.
- Quick Deployment: Offers rapid development and deployment of applications and websites, saving time for businesses.
- Affordable: Provides a more cost-effective solution compared to traditional development methods.
- Customization: Although a no-code platform, Appy Pie allows a reasonable degree of customization to meet specific business requirements.
- Integrations: Supports integration with various third-party services and apps, enhancing its functionality.
Cons
- Limited Complexity: The no-code nature of the platform means that there are limitations on how complex the final product can be.
- Generic Look and Feel: Apps and websites made with Appy Pie might lack a unique design, as they often rely on pre-built templates.
Pricing
Appy Pie offers a free tier with basic features and limitations. Paid plans offer additional features and capabilities, such as removal of Appy Pie branding, and the pricing varies depending on the level of customization and the type of application.
Summary
Appy Pie provides a simplified, no-code approach to application and website development. It is particularly useful for small businesses and individuals who wish to quickly develop mobile apps, websites, or chatbots without the need for coding skills or a large budget. While the platform has limitations in terms of design uniqueness and complexity, it stands as a viable solution for quick, cost-effective application development.
How to Choose the Best No Code Platform
When selecting the right no code platform, consider factors such as the complexity of your project, budget constraints, and the skill level of your team. Evaluate the platform's features, integrations, and extensibility to ensure they align with your project's requirements. Additionally, assess the platform's user community and the quality of customer support to make an informed decision.
Common Use Cases for No Code Platforms
No code platforms have found applications in various industries and scenarios. Here are some common use cases:
Website Development
No code platforms allow individuals and businesses to create responsive and interactive websites without coding skills. This is particularly useful for small businesses, personal portfolios, and landing pages.
Mobile App Prototyping
For app developers and designers, no-code tools are handy for quickly prototyping app ideas and testing user interfaces before diving into full-scale development.
Workflow Automation
Many businesses use no-code platforms to streamline internal processes. For instance, HR departments can create custom tools for employee onboarding, while marketing teams can automate email campaigns.
Data Dashboards
Analysts and data-driven professionals use no-code platforms to build interactive dashboards that visualize complex data sets. This helps in data analysis and decision-making.
E-commerce Stores
Entrepreneurs looking to start online stores can use no-code platforms to set up e-commerce websites with product listings, shopping carts, and payment processing.
Customer Portals
Companies can create custom client or customer portals for secure information sharing, support ticket management, and collaboration.
Content Management
No-code platforms are often used to manage content-rich websites and blogs, allowing users to update content without technical knowledge.
Surveys and Feedback Forms
Businesses can quickly create and distribute surveys and feedback forms to collect valuable insights from customers and stakeholders.
Pros and Cons of No-Code Platforms
we will explore the pros and cons of no code platforms so you can choose between them and regular website builders, landing page builders, or other software design frameworks.
Pros of No-Code Platforms
what are the pros of using no code platforms over regular software creation tools?
Rapid Development
No-code platforms significantly accelerate the development process, allowing users to create functional applications and websites in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional coding.
Accessibility
They democratize app development, enabling individuals with limited or no coding skills to participate in creating digital solutions. This opens up opportunities for a broader pool of people to innovate.
Cost-Efficiency
No-code tools can be more cost-effective, especially for small businesses and startups, as they eliminate the need to hire expensive developers. It also reduces ongoing maintenance costs.
Cons of No-Code Platforms
and why actually not use them over other options?
Limited Customization
No-code platforms often have limitations when it comes to highly customized or complex applications. Users may find it challenging to implement unique features or functionalities.
Scalability Issues
While these platforms are excellent for prototyping and small-scale projects, they may struggle to handle the scalability demands of large enterprises or apps with a high volume of users and data.
Vendor Lock-In
Users can become reliant on a specific no-code platform's ecosystem, making it challenging to migrate to other systems or perform advanced coding when necessary. This can limit long-term flexibility.
Alternatives to No-Code Platforms
Traditional Coding
Writing code from scratch using programming languages like Python, JavaScript, or Ruby. This offers complete control and customization but requires coding expertise.
Low-Code Platforms
These platforms provide a middle ground, allowing users to create applications with minimal coding but more flexibility than no-code platforms. Examples include OutSystems and Mendix.
Content Management Systems (CMS)
For website development, CMS like WordPress and Drupal offer templates and plugins for customization without extensive coding.
Hiring Developers
Instead of using platforms, you can hire professional developers or development teams to create custom applications or websites tailored to your exact requirements.
Frameworks and Libraries
Using development frameworks like Angular, React, or Vue.js for web development provides the flexibility of coding without starting from scratch.
Mobile App Development Tools
Tools like Android Studio and Xcode offer more control when building mobile apps compared to some no-code alternatives.
Conclusion
In summary, no-code platforms empower users to build software applications and websites without extensive coding knowledge. They offer rapid development, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility to a broader audience, making them a valuable tool in the tech landscape.
While no-code platforms have excelled in various use cases, it's essential to weigh their pros and cons carefully. They shine in terms of speed and accessibility, but may have limitations in customization and scalability for complex projects. As technology advances, no-code platforms will continue to play a pivotal role in simplifying the software development process. Explore our FAQs for more insights into these transformative tools.
FAQs
1. What are no-code platforms, and how do they work?
No-code platforms enable users to create software without coding by offering visual interfaces and pre-built components, simplifying app development.
2. Who can benefit from using no-code platforms?
No-code platforms benefit entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-technical users, allowing them to quickly create apps and automate tasks.
3. What types of projects are suitable for no-code development?
No-code is versatile and suits web and mobile apps, e-commerce sites, CRM systems, and more, especially for projects with defined processes.
4. Are no-code platforms suitable for building e-commerce websites?
Yes, no-code platforms are great for building e-commerce websites with features like product management and payment integration.
5. How do no-code platforms compare to traditional coding methods?
No-code is faster and user-friendly but less customizable than traditional coding, which offers more flexibility.
6. Can I integrate third-party services and APIs with no-code platforms?
Yes, many no-code platforms allow easy integration with third-party services, enhancing app functionality.
7. What technical expertise is needed to use no-code tools effectively?
No-code tools require minimal technical knowledge and are designed for ease of use, with tutorials available.
8. Are there any limitations to using no-code platforms?
While versatile, no-code platforms may have constraints in customization and scalability for complex projects.
9. How do I choose the right no-code platform for my project?
Consider features, pricing, scalability, and support when choosing a no-code platform based on your project's needs.
10. What are some success stories of businesses using no-code platforms?
Businesses have streamlined operations, automated tasks, and improved customer experiences using no-code platforms.