No Code Automation Vs. Low Code Automation - Which Should I Choose?

There is a big debate between proponents of No Code automation and Low Code automation in the software industry. No Code automation tools allow users to create software without any coding, while code automation tools require users to write code in order to create software. Supporters of No Code automation argue that it is easier and faster to use No Code automation tools than it is to use coding-based automation tools. They also argue that No Code automation^[1] produces better results because it allows for more creativity and flexibility.

Critics of No Code automation argue that coding-based automation produces better results because it leads to more structured and organized software.

Ultimately, the choice between using No code automation vs. low code automation debate comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer the creativity that No Code automation allows, while others prefer the more structured and organized results that coding-based automation produces. There is no right or wrong answer – it is up to each individual user to decide which tool works best for them.

Any developer can use No Code or Low Code automation to develop mobile applications or software. Yet, some developers do not understand how these automation systems work or how they are different from each other. They have similar results - a well-built application or software. However, the processes employed in the automation systems are different.

How are these automation techniques different in the first place? What is No Code automation? What is code automation^[2]? How do you know when to use them?

This article explains everything you need to know about code automation, the benefits, and the risks involved in the automation procedures. In the end, you should be able to figure out which of the two is best for your business.

What Is Automation?

In web development, automation involves using already-built methods to build websites, applications, or software. As a result, human input in these systems is reduced to the most minimal that is possible.

airtable automation homepage — Photo by Team Xperian

Automation technology runs on a programmed system, controlling all commands and feedback. The control ensures that the execution of instructions carries on without human intervention. The resultant system is automatic; it can run on its own.

What Is No Code Automation?

Not every developer, especially citizen developers, has the luxury of time to code or even knows how to code. Therefore, the development of building mobile applications without the traditional hand-coding became a necessity. This gave birth to the theory of No Code automation.

No Code Automation is a coding technique that permits all kinds of software developers - professional and citizen developers to automate business processes through a visual graphic interface rather than hand-coding.

The graphic interface uses powerful features such as the drag and drop feature, imitating a personal user interface. Using No Code automation platforms for software development erases the need for prior programming knowledge. They speed up the automation process.

The use of No Code platforms is, in fact, a blessing. Business users can develop programs without depending on experienced professionals to write code. No code automation platforms are easy to use. They save time, money, and other resources for medium businesses. Also, professional developers can concentrate better on demanding tasks.

What Is Low Code Automation?

Code automation allows the users to automate processes with code. The user automates processes by applying minimum coding knowledge. Since the process uses minimal codes, it is best called Low code automation.

Low Code platforms use minimal code to function. The features of the automation process are visual modules, drag and drop features and graphic interfaces, and so on so that developers can automate processes real quick and with less code.

The developer requires knowledge of coding when performing interactions using Low Code platforms. Where a developer with coding knowledge is absent, anyone who understands coding can help out.

Differences Between No Code Automation and Low Code Automation

The key differences between Low Code and No Code automation platforms include:

Comparison	No Code Automation	Low Code Automation
Programming Knowledge	Developers do not need any coding skills.	Development requires coding skills. However, the extent of the technical know-how depends on the amount of coding deployed in the automation process.
Dependence of Developers/Users	The user of No Code automation platforms uses the platform, with or without the help of an experienced professional.	Users who do not know coding can only use the software to an extent. Because they lack coding knowledge, they need a developer who understands coding to conclude the automation process.
Automation Design	Users can dictate the automation process design using the drag and drop model, which is simple to deploy.	Users depend on codes for designing and overseeing automated processes.
Availability of Resources	No code platforms have all the necessary and powerful features to solve the user's problems.	Not all visual modules or drag and drop features are available. Sometimes, developers have to build helpful modules from scratch.
Time	It saves time, as all necessary tools are already in place.	Does not save so much time compared to No Code platforms.
Users	Citizen developers and business users.	Professional developers, citizen developers (for Low Code automation processes), development teams that comprise business users, and IT analysts for predictive analysis.
Ease of Use	Very easy to use, as templates and resources are available. The drag and drop features are visual, so the user understands all their use processes.	Not as easy to use since developers have to create their templates on some occasions.
Cost-Effectiveness	Less expensive, as business users can use No Code automation processes themselves without a specialized tech analyst or development team.	Not cost-effective since the process needs a professional developer or one with the knowledge of coding to complete the job.
High Performance?	No. Users cannot make No Code automation platforms perform above optimal.	Yes. It is easier to achieve higher goals by coding. The more code is used, the more unique and complex the application or software becomes.
Accessibility	Since the features are easy to use, they can easily be accessed.	It may not meet accessibility requirements. In addition, generated code gets difficult to maintain.
Security	No code not checked properly can create security challenges.	Improved security with more code.

Benefits of No Code Automation

The advantages of using No Code automation platforms are:

Leverage Available Resources

No code platforms provide the opportunity for anyone without knowledge of coding to create applications themselves. Organizations that use the resources available can create their applications without hiring anyone to automate their businesses.

No Complexity

No Code development platforms ensure all devices and user interfaces support and provide similar experiences. There is no complexity involved, as all necessary resources are available in the software. In addition, No Code tools reduce complications when building workflow.

The advantage of no code in the No code automation vs. low code automation argument is that it is not complex — Photo by Markus Spiske

Simplified Integrations

No code tools simplify the integration of businesses with other programs or ventures. Using No code platforms integrates the whole workflow in little time. In addition, No Code automation platforms have built-in options to simplify your workflow or automation task.

Benefits of Low Code Automation

Software development is transiting into one where we can depend on No Code platforms to do an excellent job. However, using Low Code tools improves the result. The reasons why you should include minimal code in automation^[3] processes include:

You Get Accurate Results

When you automate using codes, you improve the accuracy of the development program. With Low Code platforms, you build the software to your desire. Also, the code helps you to make changes when the result is not the result in mind.

Build Unique Programs

The outlook of all software gives an exact view of the kind of code used to develop it. Using Low Code platforms improves the uniqueness, as developers can design specialized programs with these tools.

Performance of Complex Interactions

Automation with Low Code tools helps developers to build complex applications that work. Developers deploy complex instructions with code to any degree.

Bubble.io home page — Photo by Team Xperian

Encourage New Innovations

The use of code automation encourages users to display their creativity. It allows for discoveries and innovations, giving rise to more unique applications.

When Do You Use Low Code or No Code Automation?

Though both automation processes are useful, the benefits are use-dependent. As a developer, you need the right processes that deliver and are worth your investment. Hence, you need to know the right code platforms to use at every point.

You can use No Code development platforms when the test cases you want to automate do not connect to any code. This condition is fundamental to using No Code platforms. No code automation platforms will work when deployed for a similar automation process, and it was successful.

No code automation process is a good option when the project you want to automate works on consistent data.

On the other hand, you use code automation platforms when you want to write test cases that have direct interactions with codes. Interactions with codes mean that it requires coding knowledge before you can automate processes using the platforms. Therefore, when your data or test cases are inconsistent, you should use Low Code automation platforms.

If the application you want to automate requires frequent changes in the user interface, Low Code automation is the best choice to use. Every time there's a change in the user interface, you need to update the test cases for the program to function well.

Best No Code Tools for Automation

Some of the best No Code tools include:

Zapier
Landbot
Perfecto
Katalon Studio
Ranorex

Best Low Code Automation Tools

Some of the best Low Code tools or platforms you can try include:

Retool
Zoho Creator
Outsystems
ACCELQ
GeneXus

The Summary

In the business world, time is money. And when it comes to automation, the saying goes that No Code is better than bad code.

Unfortunately, bad codes can take longer to write and maintain, be more error-prone, and slow down your website or application. This is why so many businesses are turning to No Code automation tools to speed up their workflow and get products out the door faster.

But not all No Code automation tools are created equal. Some are easier to use than others, some offer more features, and some are just better quality. So how do you know which one is right for you?

First of all, consider what types of tasks you want to automate. There's a wide range of No Code automation tools available, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

If you just need to automate simple tasks like sending out emails or managing your social media accounts, a tool like Zapier or IFTTT will likely suffice. But if you need to do something more complex, like building a chatbot or an entire website, you'll need a more powerful tool like Webflow or Bubble.

Finally, consider the price. No code automation tools can range from free to thousands of dollars per month. If you only need to automate a few simple tasks, you can probably get by with a free or low-cost tool.

But if you need to automate complex tasks, you'll likely need to shell out for a more expensive tool. So there you have it: three things to consider when choosing a No Code tool. Just remember to consider your needs carefully before making your decision. You can save time and money while getting your work done faster and more efficiently with the right tool.

No code automation tools can help businesses speed up their workflow, get products out the door faster, and save time and money. But not all No Code automation tools are created equal. Some are easier to use than others, some offer more features, and some are just plain better quality.

Moral of the Story

No code tools are essential for automating repetitive tasks in any business or organization. But not all No Code automation tools are created equal, so do your research and make sure that you choose one that meets all of your requirements. By doing so, you can speed up your workflow, get products out the door faster, and save time and money in the long run.

In the end, the choice of the automation processes you use lies in your business needs.

Whatever tool you end up with, make sure it solves all the problems you need to automate in your business. Then, explore your options and tag along with the best choice for you.

Top 8 Bubble Plugins to Supercharge your No Code App

When we first started using Bubble a few years ago, it was a struggle to find out little performance-boosting features from the plugins store. Since then, the store has upgraded a lot. Today, we have thousands of plugins created by team Bubble and the community to make your life easy. Whether you are building a website, mobile app, or web app, these plugins will help you make your product powerful. We have curated the list of the top Bubble Plugins. But before jumping to the list, it is important to understand the Pros and Cons of these plugins.

Top Benefits and Drawbacks of Plugins

Benefits

Saves time

When you are using a plugin instead of building the feature yourself or automating the services, you are saving a lot of time that could be used in strategizing or adding new features to your product.

Provides Support

The plugins created by Bubble would provide support according to industry standards but apart from that, it is a little variable. Some plugin owners might respond within a day and some might ghost you forever. If support is necessary for you, research your plugin builders before investing or even installing.

Cost-Effective

The pricing is divided into two parts:

1. Monthly

2. Lifetime

Although a lot of plugins do not have a lifetime payment option, the prices are nominal. If there is a plugin that is a requisite for your business, you can contact the creator for a customized plan. It might not work every time, but it’s worth a shot.

two software developers discussing coding — Image by Sarah Pflug on Burst

Drawbacks

Increased Load time

Each of these plugins will have an impact on the performance of your app. Beta test the load time of your product after installing a plugin. We advise not to install a lot of plugins of animations and visual value unless they are necessary for your product. Since they load in a ton of external Javascript slowing your pages down.

Do not be afraid though, there are other ways to decrease the load time ^[1] of your app.

Top Bubble Plugins That You Must Try

Advanced MapBox Maps

Price - $12/month

Categories - Productivity, Data (things), Analytics, Social Network, Location, Visual Elements

It is the easiest and the fastest map plugin in the Bubble Marketplace. Do you have an app that requires a map? You need this plugin. Apart from the base features, they add unique features that are exclusively available only in this plugin.

You can add markers, lines, images, and polygons to the map. You can also save this data to use later.

Some unique features included in this plugin are:

● Add markers and customized lines using geojson data or coordinates

● Freely assign any image and title to any marker

● Add polygons using geojson data or coordinates

● Save and store the markers lines and polygons inside a database so you’ll never lose your progress

● Access marker, line, or polygon data inside a bubble app and assign any info to them.

This plugin is helpful (not limited to) if you want to make a Geocaching competitor, set up a map of restaurants in a food delivery app, or feed the live locations of your fleet cars to a single map.

Toolbox

Price - Free

Categories - Visual Elements, Technical, Data (things)

Toolbox allows you to extend the functionalities of Bubble by letting you run Javascript code within your app. It is highly reviewed by the community with over 275k installs. The support available to solve problems with this plugin is also massive. No wonder why it is the first plugin that shows up in the Bubble Plugin Marketplace.

Here’s the list of Javascript and utility elements available in Toolbox:

List of Numbers.
Expression.
Javascript to Bubble.
List Item Expression.
Run JavaScript (workflow action).
Server Script (server workflow action).

Bubble to Airtable Two-way Sync

Price - $25/month

Categories - Data (things), Technical, Productivity, Visual Elements

This plugin allows you to synchronize all of your Bubble data with AirTable and the other way around. You can now have the same database entries on Airtable & Bubble so that you could use native Bubble features and not need to deal with the Airtable API, slow loading speeds, and other issues such as API throttling. This opens up your database for editing by non-technical staff, since Airtable is much easier to use.

Some key features of this plugin are

Copy data from one database to another
Insert rows
Update rows and tables
Delete rows, tables, and lists
Update relationships between tables

You can see a detailed guide on how to install and integrate Two-way Sync on your app. If you are a fan of Bubble and Airtable, this is the easiest way to sync your database and automate your workflow. The builders of this plugin have a very dedicated support team that will help you with your queries.

Advanced Multi Uploader

Price - $10/month or $25 for lifetime

Categories - Productivity, Mobile, Data (things), Visual Elements, Media, Compliance, Input Forms

It is as simple as it is effective. Add images/file uploader to your app. The plugin supports live preview, image/file size limits, and file type. You can collect just specific types of files if you want to. The plugin is highly customizable and comes with a ton of resources to learn at Zerocode, the agency that created the plugin.

Stripe.js 2

Price - Free

Categories - Visual Elements, Payment, Small Business, Technical, Ecommerce, Analytics

Manage and accept payments on your app with Stripe.js 2. With 20k+ installs, this is one of the top payment plugins at Bubble marketplace. Charge payments, process cards & bank accounts, and create and pay sellers with all your apps. If you want to get a comprehensive understanding of installing and implementing this plugin, we recommend you watch the courses Payments ^[2] and Subscriptions ^[3] which would take roughly 4 hours.

Reload on Update

Price - Free

Categories - Technical

Do you remember sending the message - “We have updated this page. Please reload to see the changes.” This plugin automatically reloads the page instead of waiting for your customer to click on it. It’s a solution to a very small yet crucial problem that app developers face.

VagueTime Timestamps

Price - Free

Categories - Technical, Productivity, Visual Elements

This is another simple plugin. It takes the timestamps from your websites and turns them into vague timestamps like 3 days ago, a few minutes ago, and 1 year ago. Since users are not robots and don’t want to see ‘Thursday, 07 Apr 2022 14:53:13 GMT’ above their comment.

Image Compressor and Uploader

Price - Free

Categories - Productivity, Web Scraping, Containers, Media, Data (things)

This plugin allows you to compress all the images before you upload them to your product. It helps decrease the load time of your app. You can check out their free demo to get a grasp of the functionalities of this tool. You can select the output quality and aspect ratio to get your desired results and set compress quality from 0 to 1.

Wrap Up

Hence, that was our list of top plugins in the Bubble Marketplace. There are thousands of plugins and we are discovering new ones every day. We couldn’t add every one of the plugins here but here are some honorable mentions:

SAWO Passwordless Authentication - Onboarding users on your Bubble app without passwords. This plugin authenticates using the user’s phone number or email.

Air Static Dropdown Labels - Add intelligent dropdown labels to your app distinctive from their values.

If there is a plugin that we missed out on, you can let us know on Twitter. While you are there, follow us in our pursuit of providing knowledge and tracking the No Code industry in detail.

Top 10 Frontend Development Frameworks 2022

Frontend web development is the process of converting data into a graphical interface using CSS, HTML, and JavaScript so that users can view and interact with the data. The JavaScript world is a rich framework with dozens of tools and libraries. But with a lot of options comes a lot of confusion; it can be a double-edged sword. While you have plenty of room for creativity and experimentation, sometimes you’re not sure which library or frontend framework to choose. In the long run, the frontend framework you choose can make or break your project. We'll look at some of the most popular frontend frameworks and how they interact in this article. We will examine ten different perspectives on these frameworks, which will simplify the decision-making process for your next frontend framework.

The Top 10 Frontend Development Frameworks:

Angular
JavaScript
Meteor
Semantic-UI
Backbone.js
Vue.js
jQuery
React
Ember.js
No Code

Angular

Advantages of Angular

The greatest virtue of Angular is its popularity. The framework’s relationship with Google has a big influence, and it has a strong market for developers. It provides a large selection of components for designing a user interface compared to the ones mentioned here.

Disadvantages of Angular

Angular is focusing too much on creating user interfaces in single-page applications and is not looking at solving problems in creating web applications. On a more practical level, a lot of magic happens that allows behavior that is not part of the run-time framework itself. It suppresses the value of the TypeScript end user. ^[1]

Why Choose the Angular Framework?

If you need to scale the framework or align your team on the level of productivity in a short period, you may want to consider Angular. If your applications are mapped to the MVC pattern, you can also consider Angular.

Code, Framework — Image by jamesmarkosborne

Bootstrap.js

Advantages of Bootstrap.js

Bootstrap is a collection of developed CSS and JavaScript tools and libraries. Modular design allows for easier "upgrading" and uses multiple modules created by independent developers.

In addition to enabling and facilitating the integration of various types of components (forms, buttons, actions with text, etc.), it perfectly "cooperates" with the JavaScript library and jQuery libraries.

Disadvantages of Bootstrap.js

Bootstrap doesn't give web applications an original look - most applications that use Boostrap visually resemble each other.

Why Choose the Bootstrap.js Framework?

What jQuery is for JavaScript, Bootstrap is for CSS. It can certainly help in the development of more complex web applications.

Meteor

Advantages of Meteor

The biggest advantages of Meteor are its simplicity and focus. The accompanying principle is to do one thing and do it well, it is hard to find a mistake when we look at how both libraries achieve this very efficiently.

Disadvantages of Meteor

Connecting to a NoSQL MongoDB database can be challenging for users who otherwise use an SQL database. An SQL Database operates with the ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability) properties and ensures greater transaction reliability. For a smaller number of data, SQL databases are ideal because they are easier and faster to handle.

Why Choose Meteor?

Meteor.js is an example of a comprehensive frontend framework with a strong developer community and an easy learning curve.

Semantic-UI

Advantages of Semantic-UI

Semantic-UI is a CSS framework that has quickly become a favorite among JavaScript developers. Its strongest feature is a self-explanatory organic code with rich and responsive user interface components.

It works with React, Angular, Meteor, and Ember. There is also a large selection of themes to choose from. [red if=2]

Disadvantages of Semantic-UI

Semantic-UI has a relatively small community for web development which is a great disadvantage. This software development framework is not suitable for beginners with limited knowledge of JavaScript.

Also, it requires proficiency to develop custom configurations.

Why Choose Semantic-UI as a Web Development Framework?

Semantic UI provides themes as CSS and it reacts in a virtual DOM (document object model) environment.

Backbone.js

Advantages of Backbone.js

Backbone is known for being easy to handle, as it relies solely on the JavaScript library. It is intended for web developers who are responsible for the construction of simple network applications as well as the synchronization of numerous network components (e.g., multiple clients and servers).

Data is provided as models in Backbone, which can be produced, manipulated, destroyed, or saved on a server. In the finished Backbone application, HTML does not need to be manually modified for building progressive web applications.

a software developer coding — Photo by Danial Igdery on Unsplash

Disadvantages of Backbone.js

Working with Backbone's non-RESTful API backend, or maintaining various URI schemes, is one of the most significant difficulties. It can be tough to unit test backbone views at times. Complications arise with complex projects when all test cases are included without code.

Why choose Backbone.js for Web Development?

It aids with the building of client-side progressive web apps and provides a RESTful JSON interface.

Vue.js

Advantages of Vue.js

Developers around the world have praised this framework for being incredibly lightweight. As well as a document object model, related data also receives reactive updates within the framework, making Vue ideal for real-time update web applications. Supports writing HTML, JS, and JSX.

Disadvantages of Vue.js

Problems arise when Vue is used for apps on Safari and iOS. The flexible nature of Vue leads to code irregularities and other problems that have led to project delays. Vue lacks some of the most common additions that would speed up the web development process even more. For example, lack of scalability and plugins as well as difficulties with two-way binding.

Why Choose Vue.js for Web Development?

Support for "high separation" functions, which makes it easier to expand multiple features, is one of the key reasons why developers chose Vue.JS. For example, if developers want to arrange and show small visual components, all they need is a basic frame library using Vue, which eliminates the need for other libraries.

jQuery

Advantages of JQuery

JQuery, as one of the best frameworks for web development, has a number of advantages: When it comes to adding and removing elements, the DOM is very versatile. Sending HTTP requests is a simple operation. The facilitation of dynamic content is also a benefit. There are also a lot of key features of jQuery Virtual DOM (virtual document object model) events. [red id=3]

Disadvantages of JQuery

The following are some of jQuery's drawbacks: Its working speed is poor when compared to other front-end frameworks. It also has outdated APIs for document object model DOM and sophisticated mobile development.

Why jQuery?

JQuery is one of the greatest frontend web development javascript framework libraries since it is compact, fast, and feature-rich. It's a cross-platform framework that makes client-side HTML scripting more convenient for creating web applications and mobile apps.

React

Advantages of React

React stores the data in the data memory, then calculates the difference between the old and new DOMs, and finally updates the changes or mutations. It only updates changes, not the entire application. This helps increase speed and performance and reduces memory consumption.

Compared to other frameworks, React’s learning curve is low. Beginners who have the basics of a programming language can easily learn React.

Disadvantages of React

Apart from the long time required to run the program, the biggest problem was the fact that this program is not free. React is designed to be used in a browser, but with Node.js it can also be used with a server.

Why Choose React of all Frontend Frameworks?

React is particularly well-suited to single-page applications. Its goal is to be scalable, easy to use, and quick. It's compatible with a variety of JavaScript frameworks and libraries, including Angular JS.

Ember.js

Illustration of two screens showing code — Image by 200degrees

Advantages of Ember.js

Ember is still a work-in-progress web development framework. Ember is used by ambitious web developers to create scalable cross-platform projects. Ember does a good job of ensuring that your code doesn't break when the framework updates. ^[4]

Disadvantages of Ember.js

Ember, like Semantic-UI has a small community and slow updates. The syntax is not easy to learn, so the learning curve is steep. Also, it is a comparatively heavy framework for developing small applications.

Why Choose Ember.js of all Frontend Frameworks?

Ember has an efficient architecture and it will allow you to interact with the computer's operating system. Ember JS is one of our choices for best frontend frameworks, also comes with excellent documentation as well as two-way data binding.

No Code

No Code is a new paradigm in software development that has been gaining popularity over the last few years. It is an alternative to traditional coding, which many see as old-fashioned and time-consuming. No Code uses visual tools to create applications with drag-and-drop functionality without any programming knowledge required.

Advantages of No Code

You don't need to learn a coding language with No Code, unlike with the other frontend frameworks, which is a huge benefit for someone new to software development. In comparison to traditional frontend frameworks, you don't need any prior expertise in building apps. Almost all of the tools in this niche come with comprehensive tutorials.

Disadvantages of No Code

All No Code creations must remain on the platform they are built in; they cannot be copied to another one, and you do not own the code that underlies your app.

Also, there is a learning curve, albeit a small one. You probably will not be creating breathtaking apps a few hours after learning the platform. No Code is easier to learn than most programming languages but it takes time, too.

Why Choose No Code as a Frontend Framework?

No Code is easily the best choice out of all the ones mentioned previously for an inexperienced developer. Launching things like new landing pages for ad campaigns is a doddle due to the drag-and-drop interface used in these tools. ^[5]

Conclusion

If one framework is the best fit for a project, another, despite being a fantastic tool, may be completely wrong for your needs. That is why it is significant to choose the best frontend framework for a specific project.

As a result, you should carefully analyze your project requirements before beginning development and select the framework that is best suited to your needs.

If you are not sure whether traditional coding or No Code is the better choice for you, take our free, 2-minute quiz and find out! Alternatively, you can check out our list of the best No Code software development tools.

Mailchimp vs MailerLite - Which One is Better for You?

Years ago, email marketing used to be just a brand spamming emails to people who don’t want to receive them. Throughout the years, it has evolved into an advanced marketing practice that allows users to make informed decisions. Companies have started sending educational emails, exclusive offers, and company information all from email marketing software. Mailchimp and Mailerlite are two of the top email marketing tools in the market. This review of Mailchimp vs Mailerlite will help you understand which one is better for you.

Comparing Mailchimp vs Mailerlite

We have tried both of these email marketing tools and decided to conduct an in-depth analysis. We have compared pricing, user interface, the availability of support, and many more factors that would help you make an informed decision.

Pricing

For most businesses, everything comes down to affordability. Let’s have a look at who has a better value offering between Mailerlite vs Mailchimp.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp offers a free plan^[2] where you can add 2,000 contacts with 10,000 emails/month. If you have a bigger emailing list but can sacrifice those additional 2000 email sends, you can choose Mailchimp’s free plan.

It also gives you access to simple email automation, basic templates, and a state-of-the-art marketing CRM.

But when we look at the paid plan, the curve gets pretty steep.

When you compare the paid plans, Mailchimp is extremely expensive compared to Mailerlite. So bottom line, if you want the free plan - Use Mailchimp. If you are planning to pay and want affordability - Use Mailerlite.

Mailerlite

Mailerlite’s free plan^[3] includes some advanced email marketing features like automation, landing pages, website builder. You can have up to 1000 email addresses and send up to 12,000 emails every month. You also get access to email support in the free plan.

The paid plans are Pay-as-you-go depending on the number of emails you want to send. Have a look at the exact pricing:

It is a great value offering for a scalable email marketing strategy. It gives you access to some of the great features that are gated in the free plan like customizable favicon, different time-zone delivery, promotional pop-ups, newsletter, and 24/7 live chat support.

Editor

Mailchimp

Mailchimp gives you two options to create your email marketing campaign:

Classic builder

The timeless email marketing editor of Mailchimp that’s unchanged since its launch.

New builder

The beta builder has some new features and User Interface advancements.

As you can see, the new builder is sleek and has more dynamic functionalities. Yet there are minor drawbacks as it is a beta feature. You can only use this builder for regular email and single abandoned cart emails at this moment.

If you want to send any other types of emails, you have to create them in the classic builder. Both of these editors are fast and simple to use provide all the popular content blocks such as video, columns, social buttons, etc.

Mailerlite

Similarly, Mailerlite has two builders in their free plan.

Rich-Text Editor

Write text and add links to your email.

Drag & Drop Editor

Add images, logos, discounts and let your customers navigate through dynamic marketing campaigns.

If you want to create a simple text-based email, use the rich-text editor whereas if you want to write a promotional email with images, links, and interactive elements, you can easily get it done with a drag and drop editor.

They also have a Custom HTML editor where you can access the code and add advanced features to your email. However, that is not included in Mailerlite’s free plan.

Email Templates

Mailchimp

Mailchimp provides 100+ to build emails and landing pages easily. It is available in the free plan. If you need to create an email marketing campaign fast, use these email templates with all the replaceable content blocks and launch the campaign within minutes.

Mailerlite

Unfortunately, Mailerlite doesn’t provide newsletter templates in the free plan. You can’t even create reusable templates for your account with the free plan.

Although, if you are a paid user, you can access all the email templates, create your templates, and share them with your team to easily deliver emails in the future. The lite user interface makes it really easy to create email templates.

Support

Mailchimp

Here’s one of the drawbacks of using the free plan of Mailchimp. If you are a free user, you will get email support for the first 30 days. After that, you can only access their help page to resolve your problems. It has 24/7 live chat support available for all the paid plans.

A plus side to this help page is that it’s available in multiple languages (English, Español, Français, and Deutsch).

Mailerlite

Mailerlite has a knowledge base with video tutorials to help you navigate through apps. The free plan includes email support for a lifetime but all the paid plans starting from the minimum have 24/7 live chat support.

If you are very inclined towards getting support, you can pay for an add-on service called Mailerpro. It costs 100$/month and provides you with a dedicated partner that helps you set up your Mailchimp data and help you increase deliverability.

Data and Reports

Mailchimp

Mailchimp has a far superior reporting feature than Mailerlite if you are using the paid plan. Apart from simple email marketing data like open rate, click rate, and location data, Mailchimp provides:

Click maps - It shows you where people click in your email campaign
Social Post Reports - Shows you data if you post on social media through Mailchimp
Campaign benchmarking - Analyze your email data by comparing it to other businesses in your industry.

If you are a business that wants to ace email campaigns, this data-based feedback might make a huge difference in your choice of email marketing software.

Mailerlite

Mailerlite reports cover almost all the most important data. Some of the top analytics metrics of Mailerlite would include email campaign activity, engagement rate, open rate with the device info, link tracking, click maps, and opens by location.

These are pretty basic metrics that are provided by almost all the email marketing tools in the market.

What Should I Choose?

To sort it out for you, we will tell you exactly which email marketing software between Mailerlite vs Mailchimp fulfills your email marketing needs.

When Should You Choose Mailchimp?

You Want to Upgrade Your Email Marketing Stack

Mailchimp does everything an email marketing tool does and more. It is an advanced tool that would help you take a deep dive into your email marketing efforts. It tops almost all the lists of popular email marketing tools. All the subtle yet effective features will help you take your marketing up a notch.

Your Business Is Growing Rapidly

Mailchimp is for big businesses who want to integrate email automation, email campaigns, and Google Analytics all in one dashboard. It is the right email marketing tool for you if your business is growing fast. Mailchimp has excellent features that would help you scale your strategies along with the business.

You Want Detailed Reports

Mailchimp reports are magnificent. They provide detailed analytics of your email campaigns that allows you to have a 360° view of your strategy. You can understand where exactly is the scope of improvement with actionable insights along with the data.

Having a Mailchimp account helps you make data-driven decisions.

When should You Choose Mailerlite?

You Are Setting Up Your Email Marketing Strategy

It is mostly the case with small to medium-sized businesses that have no background with an email marketing tool. If you are getting started with email marketing, Mailerlite is the perfect tool for you.

You can understand the basics of email marketing without taking a deep dive into the subject. Also, the User Interface is lite and simple to use for beginners. There are some features like setting up landing pages and creating pop-up forms that would come in handy for a startup.

You Are Looking For Affordability

As mentioned earlier, everything boils down to the price of the software. We had a pretty detailed look at the pricing section of both tools. As you could see, Mailerlite is inexpensive and has a pay-as-you-go model.

If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on email marketing software without seeing any results first, Mailerlite should be your choice. You can pay for their smallest plan, try all the features and decide whether you want to spend more.

You Are Looking For Support

Mailerlite is popular for having one of the greatest support teams in the email marketing industry. When we compare the support services, Mailerlite vs Mailchimp is not even a question.

Mailerlite provides email support forever in the free plan. And if you buy the add-on, you get a dedicated partner and priority support 24/7.

Final Thoughts

That was our Mailerlite and Mailchimp comparison. We hope we were able to help you decide upon which tool suits you the best. If you're still not convinced, you can consult our article on the best Mailchimp competitors too.

This blog was part of our comparisons series. Some of the other blogs in this series include Bubble vs Webflow and Coda vs Notion. If you want to stay updated with the latest news, tips, and trends on the No Code landscape, follow us on Twitter.

Top 6 Webflow Competitors and Alternatives You Must Know

Webflow has gained massive popularity in the No Code world, especially in the past few years. With over 2 million users worldwide^[1], Webflow is undoubtedly one of the most popular No Code builders around. It has a simple visual interface that makes it possible to create a professional website in no time without coding. Despite being a robust website building tool, Webflow isn’t for everyone. If you’re on a tight budget, for instance, you might prefer cheaper Webflow alternatives. Webflow has a certain learning curve, and users without the time or willpower to learn might prefer a more intuitive competitor. Due to these reasons, Webflow can't be a “one-stop solution for everything” platform. In this blog, we will talk about top Webflow alternatives that might be more suited to your requirements. Before listing out the Webflow alternatives, here’s a little more about the platform.

What is Webflow?

Webflow is a No Code platform that allows users to create responsive websites with interactive and dynamic UX.

Webflow provides coders and non-coders to work in collaboration by combining design, animation, content management, marketing, and eCommerce tools into a single platform.

Just like its competitors, the website is easy to connect to analytical tools like Google Analytics. Webflow is a faster and easier way to deploy landing pages.

Pricing

Free with Webflow domain, paid plan starts at $12/month with a custom domain.

Pros

You can create customized landing pages with dynamic design
Allows users with no design experience to create advanced design customization
Has a free plan for new users who want to experiment with a website builder
Advanced users who can write code may add custom components

Cons

Does not have a strong native integration like other website builders
The tool is easy to learn but has a steep learning curve from basic to intermediate
SEO audits feature isn’t up to the industry standards
Lesser plugin support and native integrations

Top 6 Webflow Alternatives

Wix

intro to wix, one of webflow competitors

Wix is one of the most well-known No Code website builders around. The platform has a drag and drop editor as well as an AI web design tool^[2] that can be used to build a personal or professional website with ease.

Pricing

Pricing is one of the main selling points of Wix. You can build websites with Wix entirely for free.

However, there’s also the option to upgrade to Wix Premium. You’ll need this if you intend to create more complex and responsive websites such as e-commerce stores or business websites.

Wix has four main pricing plans. There’s the VIP, Unlimited, Combo, and Connect Domain plan. The Unlimited plan, which is the most popular of all four, costs $12 a month.

Capabilities

Wix’s drag and drop editor is one of the easiest to use. You’ll find it quite intuitive. Users can also register a domain, host their website or even create a custom logo on Wix.

The platform has numerous templates to choose from, and you can further customize your site using plugins. Some templates are available for free, while others are only available to users on a paid plan.

Flexibility

Despite being very easy to use, Wix is not all that flexible. Websites created on Wix cannot be transferred to another platform if you decide to do so. Even changing templates is a bit complex. You will have to re-upload all your website content manually if you switch to a new template.

Although Wix is an affordable builder, it’s best suited for simple websites. For a complex website with many added features, you might find this tool a bit pricey.

Support

Since Wix is quite intuitive, you may not need contact support. However, if you need help, you’ll find an extensive help center with a lot of information. You can also submit a support ticket or request a callback to resolve your issue.

WordPress.org

the ui of wordpress, one of webflow competitors

More than 40% of websites on the internet are built with WordPress.org^[3]. This platform is arguably the most popular open-source content management system and business website builder.

Pricing

If you’re looking for affordable Webflow alternatives, then WordPress should be top of your list of considerations. The software itself is free to use, and you’ll only need to buy a domain and secure web hosting to get started.

You may also need to pay for some third-party plugins, but there are loads of free ones as well.

Capabilities

WordPress is primarily a content management system. Thus, it used to be more popular as a blogging platform to create websites with content and articles rather than a traditional landing page.

All that has changed now thanks to a new wave of third-party WordPress builders that enable users to build elegant and robust websites with various features instead of just editing themes.

Web designers often build personalized websites for businesses using the Oxygen or Elementor visual editor plugins (this website was built with Oxygen too!).

Flexibility

The flexibility of WordPress website builder depends on finding a suitable theme and knowing how to use the plugins. With a visual builder such as Elementor or Divi, you can create a fully customized WordPress site without breaking a sweat.

Apart from that, it has a code editor that allows developers to edit entire posts or pages with HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript.

Support

One of the most significant drawbacks of WordPress’s website builder is limited support for users. Free users have access to a knowledge base but cannot contact support directly. This feature is only available for premium users.

However, considering the popularity of WordPress, there’s an abundance of helpful guides, tutorials, and videos online to navigate the platform.

Squarespace

Squarespace is another intuitive website builder used by DIY website designers and professionals. The online tool has loads of editable templates that you can customize using the intuitive editor.

Pricing

Like many other No Code website builders, Squarespace offers a free trial for users. You can get started with using the tool and creating a website while on the free plan.

However, for access to more features, you can choose to upgrade to Squarespace personal or business plans, which costs $12 and $18 per month, respectively.

Capabilities

Squarespace is a robust all-in-one tool for building websites, registering domains, and hosting your website. The platform also features advanced marketing tools and a logo maker.

Flexibility

Squarespace is a template-based platform which means you can create your custom websites by editing the existing templates on the platform. However, template customization is a bit limited. You may need basic coding knowledge to make complex websites with Squarespace.

Support

The Squarespace website builder offers users excellent customer support with various channels they can use. There’s a live chat function, and you can also contact support directly via email for the information you cannot find in the knowledgebase.

Weebly

Widely popular for creating online stores, the Weebly website builder is filled with useful tools to build custom websites and grow your ideal business. It is a popular web development platform for creating eCommerce stores.

Pricing

Their pricing as a competitive edge makes it the perfect Webflow alternative for anyone who is looking for a slightly more affordable tool. They have a free plan that includes Weebly domain branding.

The paid plan has two categories: the website builder starts at $5/month and the eCommerce store builder starts at $12/month. It is innovative to cater to different user personas in your pricing policy.

Capabilities

It has some amazing features specially designed for small businesses and freelancers.

One such feature is business profile listing which syncs your business details and timings across more than 10 different online listing platforms, including Facebook and Google. So you don’t need to manually update information on all of these platforms.

Flexibility

Although it is a dynamic platform, Weebly is highly template-based. If you have an online store, we would recommend you try Weebly’s free version and access different templates to make your store more elegant and interactive.

Support

Weebly’s support is pretty standard. They have a community that solves most of your problems but if you still need help, you can log in to your account, contact them and raise a ticket.

Jimdo

Jimdo is a website builder for absolute beginners. It is so easy to use that it works as a gateway to the No Code world for many citizen developers.

Pricing

The website development tool has a free plan that displays ads and does not allow custom domain registration. Therefore, it is suggested to buy the paid plan if you commit to this platform.

Similarly to Weebly, Jimdo also has two pricing categories; the Website builder plan starts at $9 /month and the eCommerce website builder starts at $15 /month.

Capabilities

Jimdo claims to be the “easiest” way to create websites and eCommerce stores. When you initially sign up, the tool asks you whether you want to build the website with or without code.

It navigates your way according to your answer. After that, they would ask a series of questions for your onboarding and create an editable website for you.

Flexibility

As mentioned earlier, it is a platform for beginners who want to learn and experience the No Code world without spending too much time. If you are working on a college assignment or simple web project, you should use Jimdo instead of other website builders.

Support

Jimdo’s support depends on the plan that you purchase. There is no support in the free plan. If you choose the “Start” plan, you will get a reply within 1-2 days. Whereas if you purchase the most expensive plan, you will get a response within 1 hour.

Bubble

Bubble is another giant in the No Code space. It is a platform for creating web applications and websites without code. The comparison of Webflow and Bubble has so much depth that we have written a separate blog titled Bubble Vs Webflow^[4]. To summarize, if you want to create a highly scalable web app, use Bubble. If you want to create a beautiful landing page, use Webflow.

Pricing

It has a pay-as-you-go model of pricing where you start with the free plan and pay as you want to upgrade to higher functionalities. The offerings start from $29 and go up to $529/month. If you want API integration in your project, you would have to buy at least the basic plan.

Capabilities

Bubble is one of the front runners in the No Code industry. With extensive functionalities, Bubble is scalable and offers innovative collaboration tools for teams. The drag and drop interface makes visual development very easy. The platform can be used to build capable web and mobile apps.

Flexibility

Bubble is customizable with a high learning curve. Once you understand the basics of the tool and watch the tutorials designed by their team, you can easily perform tasks like setting up some custom data structures with Bubble. It has been successful in offering rich flexibility on your backend setup.

Support

Their support is divided into three categories:

Contact the team - Get help from our support team about specific questions.
Bug report - Submit a new bug report, and check on previously filed reports.
Forum Support - Find answers to your questions from their community. Bubble is amongst the top No Code communities^[5] in the world.

Conclusion

Webflow’s Alternative	Pros	Cons
Wix	Pricing is affordable and easier learning curve.	Lacks flexibility and customization.
WordPress.org	Highly popular increasing the resources and solutions available. Compatible as a CMS.	Some of the top plugins are included in the paid plan which might be costly for new businesses.
Squarespace	Access to a vast template library. Additional features like marketing tools and domain purchase system.	Limited template customization. If you want customization, you might have to code.
Weebly	Affordable and easy eCommerce store builder. Features specially built for online store.	Small choice of themes.
Jimdo	Small learning curve designed for new learners.	Low level of customizations and features.
Bubble	Great functionalities for developing web and mobile applications.	Higher learning curve. Websites have a slower load time which you have to manually optimize.

One area where Webflow seems to shine over the alternatives reviewed here is in terms of customization and flexibility.

However, if you’re looking out for an innovative or newer website builder, then these Webflow alternatives are equally efficient alternatives that serve various purposes depending on your budget, skill sets, and personal preferences.

Coda Vs Notion - What Suits You Better?

Workspaces are evolving. Office culture has started to cross geographical boundaries and it has become crucial for businesses to manage their workspace digitally. During the lockdowns of 2020, remote working and digital collaboration picked up the pace of innovation as it was an urgent necessity. Currently, there are thousands of platforms out there helping team members achieve personal productivity through collaboration in project management. Amongst many similar apps on the market, two of the most popular ones are Coda and Notion. They have revolutionized docs and made cooperative tasks like product launches much easier with new ways to organize information.

Today, we are going to compare these two No Code project management tools - Coda vs Notion. Rather than comparing features of these tools in a side-by-side table, we believe in doing a qualitative analysis on the Coda vs Notion. It is ideal because it would help you reflect on your team’s requirements and needs.

Summary of Coda vs Notion

Before jumping to the detailed comparison, let’s look at an overview of what these tools do.

What is Coda?

Coda is a collaborative workspace that integrates Google docs and sheets in a unique way that makes project management more efficient. It is one of the top No Code project management apps^[1] out there.

Coda was developed with a vision to stretch the functional limits of spreadsheets and documents. They have successfully created a blend of the flexibility of a document, the power of a spreadsheet, and the utility of applications into a single new canvas. It is mostly used by organizations as a project management tool to keep all the documents on a single platform.

What is Notion?

Initially, Notion was designed as a note-taking tool but now it has become a powerful platform to manage tasks, advanced to-do lists, Wikis, and databases. Notion was built to introduce clarity in business by making collaboration easy.

The core problem they are trying to solve is to reduce chaos in the workspace so that the teams never lose context. One of the top use cases of Notion is being the ‘Wiki’ or the bulletin board of the company where people can collaborate.

Comparing Coda vs Notion

We will walk through some of the most significant factors that will help you choose between Coda and Notion.

App Structure

Coda works on a docs space where you can create and surf between different docs according to your requirements. In contrast, Notion is established in workspaces where you can create docs with all the functionalities. The key difference here is that Coda is smoother and faster when it comes to switching between documents.

Although if you are using the Notion Desktop app, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + 1 to jump to the first workspace, Ctrl + 2 to jump to the second one, and so on. When you are using the docs as a project management tool, it becomes a crucial feature.

Platforms

Coda has a web app and a mobile app on iOS and Android. Notion is a step ahead, as it has all of that along with a desktop program for Mac and Windows.

Don’t be too inclined towards the mobile versions, however, because Coda and Notion were designed with a PC user in mind, therefore, they have very limited functionality on the mobile phone. It is great if you want to check out your to-do lists but you will have to use the PC for advanced features like automation and integration. Also, most of the tutorials and resources on these tools are based on PC.

Pricing Policy

Notion has a straightforward pricing policy with a free version for individuals and a paid plan that starts at $4/month. Coda also has a free plan for personal use where you can create docs with size limits. But if you want to shift to the paid plan, Coda only charges the editors of the docs.

If many people in your organization are just going to comment and read the docs, then Coda might be a good option for you fiscally. The main difference between both of these pricing policies is that Coda charges per creator while Notion charges per user.

Here’s a detailed look at the pricing of both tools.

Coda Pricing

the pricing plan of coda — Coda Pricing^[2]

Notion Pricing

the pricing structure of notion — Notion Pricing^[3]

Databases

This functionality is what differentiates Coda and Notion from other tools. Both of the tools provide powerful tables with advanced functionalities to serve as a database. They are used to store and manage structured data to automate workflows.

Coda sweeps the victory over Notion when it comes to databases. Notion database could be used to link data and create a channel of information. But Coda has extreme flexibility which allows you to build your project management apps on Coda.

There are additional features on Coda too, like conditional formatting and formulas that would enable the user with opportunities to automate and manage their tasks.

Learning Resources

Both of the platforms have been successful in generating a comprehensive pool of resources where everyone from a beginner to an expert could learn. Notion guides explain every feature of the tool for different categories. For example, if you are planning to use it as a project management tool, you can just go to that section for specific use cases and tutorials.

Coda also has an extensive learning library that solves almost all your problems. However, we would suggest having a look at this playlist - Coda Essentials. That is a series of tutorials that helps you take a deep dive into the tool. If you are a visual learner, watching these YouTube tutorials would give you a great headstart in understanding how the tool works.

Pre-built Templates

With both of these tools, you can start from a clean slate. You can build whatever you want that aligns with your workflow. However, sometimes people get too overwhelmed with the blank canvas and it gets tough to figure out how to get started. Pre-built templates based on specific industries and popular use cases can help you get started.

app built with coda — An app built with Coda. Credits: Appetiser

Notion has an extensive template gallery with categories like HR, Marketing, Freelancer, Personal. In addition to this, there are premium services like Notionery that provide templates by third-party developers at a range of prices. Coda has a template gallery but it lacks structure. There are little to no third-party templates available on Coda.

Learning Curve

This is another aspect where Notion wins over Coda. It is much easier to get started with Notion than Coda. The learning curve of Coda is steeper than Notion due to the additional functionalities, which are relatively difficult to learn and master. Notion has a simple and interactive UX which makes it quicker to learn.

Also, Notion has a significantly larger community than Coda which allows higher engagement between people and faster solutions. No Code Communities help an amateur understand any tool with a discussion-driven approach.

Help and Support

Both of these apps work smoothly with little bugs or mishaps. But in case you have any issues with a feature or your payment, both of them have incredible customer support, with a chat widget available inside the app. Also, as mentioned earlier, they have robust resources that would help you through any problem with the apps.

Initially, there were a lot of problems with Notion support but in the past 2 years, they have substantially enhanced it. While none of them have 24/7 live chat support, they are pretty fast in responding to emails and tweets.

Design Ideology

While it might sound dramatic, it is important to understand the vision behind why these platforms were created in the first place. Coda gives equal importance to both docs and spreadsheets to build dynamic apps. Tables, databases, and integrations are some of the most used functions of Coda.

a project management app built with notion — An app built with Notion. Credits: Notion

Whereas Notion gives more priority to creating a beautiful user interface. Even the API feature of Notion is in beta testing right now. Even though the tools look identical, they focus on solving different problems.

What is More Suitable for You?

Since you are at the end of the article, you might have a definitive answer of what platform suits you the best. Just like any other software on the landscape, no one has a definitive answer and there is a lot of gray areas.

But if we were to give a definitive answer, we would say that Coda is powerful for building No Code automation while Notion could be your choice if you want to use a wiki or knowledge management for your company. With the recent acquisition of automate.io by Notion, we are expecting some groundbreaking changes in the features of the tool. We hope to review those features soon.

If you are still confused, we would suggest you jot down a list of goals that you want to achieve with your ideal tool and match them with the features of both of these tools. That would help you get some clarity on what to use.

This blog was the latest addition to our comparison series where we compare two tools and analyze the key differences between them. If you liked it, you can check out Bubble vs Webflow. If you want to stay updated with the latest news, tips, and trends on the No Code landscape, follow us on Twitter.

Comparing The Absolute Best WordPress Competitors in 2022

Any business knows that if they want to compete today, they need to be available online, which means creating a website. One of the most popular tools for website creation is WordPress, with over 43% of websites^[1] using this CMS (Content Management System) tool to update their website content on the fly.

As one of the oldest No Code tools on the Internet, WordPress remains extremely popular, but there are some tough WordPress competitors in the market that might eventually replace its dominance. WordPress is free to use for anyone who wants to create a non-branded blog or small website, making it very appealing for companies just starting out. Most web hosting companies also include access to WordPress for free with domain registration and hosting fees, making it a cost-effective option.

What Do WordPress Competitors Need To Have?

There are a few essential features for a competitor to truly dethrone WordPress from its position as king of the hill. WordPress competitors have to offer:

At least the same, if not more, flexibility in design options;
Improved control panels for easier updates;
Better security measures to protect websites from hackers.

WordPress has thousands of plugins that can be installed to enhance its capabilities further, so any WordPress competitor needs to have similar features.

WordPress also has an active community where users can share tips on updates, upgrades, design options, troubleshooting, and more, which is another important asset that a competitor needs to have.

With all of those requirements, you'd think the field of competitors would be non-existent, but the popularity of WordPress has dozens of companies vying for its throne. WordPress isn't going to disappear anytime soon, but some worthy contenders are waiting in the wings. Here are our top three choices.

Wix

a screenshot of Wix, a WordPress competitor — Wix UI

Wix has been around since 2006 and has quickly become a staple for small businesses, sole proprietors, and individuals. The critical differentiator between Wix and WordPress is in how they were built.

Wix is a website builder, and it shows in the simplicity it offers to users. WordPress, by contrast, is a content management system (CMS), which means that while it might have the same capabilities, it's also more complex.

Wix offers drag-and-drop capabilities to create custom layouts and a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor that makes it easy to create beautiful pages.

Plugins and apps

While Wix doesn't have the same breadth of apps and plugins available as WordPress, this is a blessing and a curse. Wix's plugins and features are all extensively tested and vetted, ensuring that any of them will work seamlessly. WordPress, which offers more flexibility here, is also at a greater risk of failure when plugins inevitably conflict.

Maintenance

Wix takes care of all maintenance and upkeep for their websites, offering assistance 24/7. WordPress is essentially a DIY platform with plenty of online resources to handle issues as they arise. WordPress sites require regular updates and attention, however, whereas Wix keeps the website updated automatically with no involvement from the user.

Squarespace

Squarespace is another extremely popular alternative to WordPress for those looking for a No Code experience with more than 2 million Squarespace sites in active use^[2]. Like WordPress, Squarespace allows users to quickly and effortlessly build a responsive website with little to no coding knowledge necessary.

Squarespace, like Wix, is a drag-and-drop system where users can add images, text, buttons, and other widgets to their pages using an interface that resembles Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign. This highly intuitive system removes the need for HTML or CSS coding.

Plugins and apps

While Squarespace does offer all of the essential apps and plugins, they are lacking in comparison to WordPress. The positive fact is that the apps available all work together seamlessly, but more work is needed in this area.

eCommerce

From an eCommerce point of view, however, Squarespace is perfect. Squarespace has inventory management and payment options baked in, and while WordPress may offer some eCommerce plugins, they aren’t as powerful. However, it should be noted that there are close to 300 new eCommerce stores launching daily^[3] on WordPress.

Maintenance

Similar to Wix, Squarespace looks after your website. With automatic updates, backups, and security, you don't have to put in any extra effort. WordPress requires a bit more leg work. It has an automatic update feature; however, it isn't recommended to activate this on your live site.

Joomla

Our third option is another CMS like WordPress that in 2005 could have become the top dog. Joomla is another free open-source CMS that boasts many great features for businesses to get started with.

Joomla also has a great community behind it where you can get help when you need it, and it's been around for almost as long as WordPress. While WordPress did manage to take the crown, Joomla is the second largest CMS in the market with over 2.5 million active sites^[4], so it's not going away, anytime soon.

Plugins and apps

Joomla's strengths lie in its user and community integration. The user and community support is one of Joomla's best assets, as WordPress has moved away from this.

Joomla also offers better SEO features than WordPress without the need for any extra extensions. It's also very customizable compared to WordPress; you can completely change the look and feel of your site by using different templates or alternatively even develop your own!

Maintenance

While Joomla also offers an auto-update feature, like WordPress, it isn't the ideal solution and can cause issues. Joomla does have an active developer community, but similar to WordPress, many maintenance activities are DIY.

Webflow

Webflow is one of the newest entrants to the market but is also one that is making its presence felt already. We have outlined its pros, cons, features, and pricing in our comparison article with Bubble, a No Code app building tool: Webflow vs Bubble.

Conclusion

WordPress can be an excellent option for many, but some of the WordPress competitors are definitely coming closer. Tools like Wix and Squarespace work to make things as easy as possible for users, while Joomla and other similar CMS-type systems focus on offering more power.

Looking at how to promote and improve your website? Get empowered with our list of the best No Code marketing tools.

Top 7 Must-Have No Code Apps for Project Managers

Leading a project is tough and complex. A project manager has to keep up with the market and come up with the best strategy to prioritize, organize and delegate tasks. Project management tools help you create a smooth workflow and an environment of productivity. We have tried and tested some of the top No Code tools in this segment. Today, we will list out the top No Code project management tools for you.

What is an Ideal Project Management Tool?

The basic functionality of a project management tool should be planning and tracking the resources of the project. Here are some factors that make a project management tool ideal.

infographic on what what makes an ideal project management tool

Small Learning Curve

Since there is a lot of clutter on the internet, New age entrepreneurs are driven by simplicity and ease. Project managers don’t want to waste a lot of their valuable time in learning a new tool that might not help them in any way. That’s why simplicity is always a measure to judge a great platform. For eg, Notion is one of such platforms we will discuss in the list. It is as simple as writing on a doc.

Sub-Projects

There are particular phases of a project that need to be categorized into sub-projects. An ideal tool will have the ability to separate projects from one another. If all the processes or departments are put in the same place, it becomes chaotic increasing the risk of mismanagement and bottlenecks.

Collaborative Functionalities

When different teams want to share details of the same task, collaboration comes into the picture. It is important to have functions like commenting, chatting, or sharing documents. An ideal project management platform is where two teams can get together and work on tasks without losing context in the long run.

Documentation

When you kick off a project, you will have a lot of resources and paperwork that you might need in the future. Organizing and documenting all these resources is important. For example, let’s say you are working on a marketing campaign project. The documentation of logos, photos, and social media posts is necessary for scheduling the campaign and reporting it for success metrics.

Top 7 No Code Project Management Tools

ClickUp

Pricing: Free with 100MB storage, $5/member/month

Do you want to keep all the members of your project in one dashboard? ClickUp is the exact tool for you. It is a No Code project management platform that has a comprehensive dashboard with multiple view options like kanban, calendar, board, timeline, etc. You can customize your project exactly the way you want. If another member of your project likes to have a different view, they can do so without conflicting it with your view.

ClickApps^[1] is built-in functionality that lets you integrate the tool with third-party apps. This increases the ease of task automation without code.

Coda

Pricing: $10/month per Doc Maker

Imagine Google docs but more efficient and collaborative. That’s Coda for you. They have an all-in-one doc where every member of your project can on ideas, create roadmaps, collaborate, track their work and even play games. You can have a look at their template gallery to experience the different uses of Coda.

One of the best things about Coda is its pricing policy. They charge for members who create the docs rather than every member of the team. Hence, everyone can collaborate and edit a project for free. Only the user creating the docs has to pay the subscription fees.

Notion

Pricing: Free for personal use, $4/user/month

The basic idea of Notion is simplicity. It’s a doc, a spreadsheet, and a workplace all in one place. Notion lets your team and departments collaborate as simply as writing a to-do list. If you are a project manager who loves to create a customized project management dashboard, you should give Notion a try.

Smartsheet

Pricing: $7/user/month

A project management software for the people who love Excel or Google Sheets. The UI of Smartsheet looks similar to a spreadsheet. It is a cloud-based platform that enables work transparency, workload management, and task delegation. Users can switch between data visualization views if they don’t like the spreadsheet layout.

The top feature of Smartsheet would be performance reporting where Project managers get a report of the work done by users who are working on the project. It also lets you automate repetitive processes by combining multiple actions and conditional paths in an intuitive visual editor.

Kissflow

Pricing: $10/month/user

Processes are the most important part of any project. Kissflow is a process automation builder that would enable you to build Enterprise-Grade Apps Faster Without Burning Out IT department. Kissflow falls under the BPM (Business Process Management) Category of apps.

You can build business applications that will help you automate your processes faster with Kissflow. It is a perfect tool for small teams beginning their no-code digital transformation with automated workflows.

Wrike

Pricing: Free for personal use, $9.80/user/month

Wrike is a highly customizable project management tool where teammates can share updates, map out workflows, automate business processes, and keep track of ongoing projects. While some users would put Wrike in the workflow management category, we feel that it is one of the best No Code Project Management tools.

Sometimes when the project goes longer than expected, context gets lost in the feedback loop. Wrike ensures that people are able to collaborate with context by visual proofing and shared team calendars.

Airtable

Price: Free for personal use, Starts at $12/month

It is the only tool that has made both our top project management list as well as our top No Code marketing tools list. As we said earlier, Airtable has multiple applications in different areas of business. The main focus of Airtable as a project management platform is data organization and collaboration. If you want to set up your project on Airtable, you should map out the process, choose from their project management templates and test it out with your team members. Each member will have something to add or subtract from the process. Once you have the perfect layout, you are good to go.

Best Practices for No Code Project Management Applications

Now that we have laid out the list of top No Code Project Management tools, let’s focus on some ground rules to ensure you derive maximum value out of the process. These ground rules are a summary of resources by industry experts like Kissflow^[2] and Teamwork^[3].

Freeze a Template Early in the Project Lifecycle

For conventional projects, a team starts with a scope and project definition and then builds an approach to carry on. You can take it a step further and focus on the UX from day one of the project lifecycle. Lock in a template that keeps everyone from project sponsors, developers (if necessary), and team members on the same page. Instead of making significant intuition-driven changes later, it is necessary to stay on the same page from the start of the project.

Keep a Focus on Transparency

As we saw in the list, some of the tools would describe project transparency as their top feature. It is because transparency enables better workflow and accountability. If everyone on the team is on the same page, it becomes easy to look at the bigger picture and work accordingly. Before making a decision on the tool, make sure you take some time to determine the amount of transparency you need with the ongoing project.

Conclusion

Every project manager wants the best and most efficient way to work. There are tools to support and facilitate your management style and capabilities. We hope we helped you discover some of the top No Code project management tools. If you think we missed out on anything, let us know on Twitter!

Top 6 Bubble Competitors You Should Try Right Now

If you have even scratched the surface of the No Code world, you must have heard of one of the most popular No Code platforms - Bubble.io. It is a great way to create apps, websites, and other digital products without code. But the No Code landscape has a ton of Bubble competitors that might be better suited and designed to meet your needs. In this blog entry, we will look at some of the alternatives that are better than Bubble in some aspects.

What is Bubble.io?

Before looking at the competition, let’s understand a little bit about how Bubble works and what to expect when using it.

Bubble is a drag and drop editor that allows teams to collaborate and set up digital products like web apps, internal tools, websites, or mobile apps without code. For example, if you want to create your own Instagram^[1], you can do that using Bubble with No Code.

It has an active community that solves minor problems, shares templates, and helps each other. It is one of the top No Code communities^[2] out there. Bubble has a free plan with basic features that includes their branding on whatever you create. You can use it to learn about the platform and move to a paid plan once you familiarise yourself with the tool.

Top Bubble Alternatives to Look Out For

Adalo

Price: $50/month

Adalo is one of the top Bubble alternatives. Non-technical founders around the world have used Adalo to start their entrepreneurial journey. It has an easy drag and drop editor that facilitates creating web applications and mobile apps without code. They have a free plan that lets you publish unlimited apps in the Adalo domain.

If we want to rank some of the top features of Adalo, that would include user authentication, push notifications, and native device actions like accessing users’ cameras and photo libraries.

One of the things that we don’t like about Adalo, however, would be the absence of 3rd Party Authentication which allows users to log in through Google or Facebook. It is a must-have feature for most user-facing apps nowadays, as users generally prefer to use existing accounts instead of creating new ones, especially if your app is unknown and the account cannot be used anywhere else.

Glide

Price: $32/month

Glide enables users to convert their Google Sheet into an easy-to-use mobile app with simple UX. It is one of the fastest ways to create an app.

Glide apps use an existing Google Sheet as the database allowing you to have CRUD (create, read, update, delete) interactions with the backing Sheet. It integrates with powerful external tools like Zapier and Stripe.

However, due to the simplicity of this tool, there is a lot of rigidity and a lack of customization. If you are newly diving into No Code and want to create a tool to solve a personal problem, you can try out their free plan. It is fast and simple, inspiring you to create more No Code tools.

Sharetribe

Price: $79 /month /100 marketplace users

Sharetribe is a No Code and Low Code builder to create an online marketplace. It is created especially for users to create websites like Airbnb and eBay that allow other users to rent or sell goods, spaces, or services.

Sharetribe offers two unique products, Sharetribe Go and Sharetribe Flex. Sharetribe Go is completely No Code whereas you need familiarity with coding if you want to use Sharetribe Flex.

The biggest edge that Bubble has over Sharetribe is its pricing. Most app owners or No Code developers don’t want to spend this much just when they are starting and do not want to commit to any particular platform yet.

Appy Pie

Price: $16/app/month

Appy Pie is a No Code platform that allows you to build multifunctional native apps suited for a range of applications. It has beautiful preset templates and color themes that would help you reflect your brand identity in the apps.

The platform specializes in creating Android and iOS apps and deploying them to Google Play and the Apple Store. Their competitive pricing and vast template library make them a good alternative to Bubble.

Webflow

Price:$12/domain

Webflow is the No Code platform that specializes in building a dynamic and interactive landing page. Webflow is such a close competitor of Bubble that we have even written a separate blog expanding on this comparison of Bubble vs Webflow.

Webflow is popularly used in 3 major use-cases. Creating landing pages, Content Management Systems and e-commerce stores.

Softr

Price: $24/month

Product Hunt’s Product of the Year 2021^[3], Softr is one of the fastest-growing No Code builders. They want to empower non-technical founders to build products without code and with a small learning curve.

Softr integrates seamlessly with Gumroad, Google Analytics, and Intercom making it a popular choice for creating business apps. It also has a free plan with branding that could be used to access basic features.

If you are a person who wants to test the builder before making a paid commitment, Softr is perfect for you. All of its plans including the most premium one have a 30-day free trial.

Honorable Mentions

These are the alternatives that are worthy of a mention but did not make the final cut of the top competitors of Bubble list due to their drawbacks.

Branded App by Wix

Wix.com, mostly known as a platform for building simple representational and e-commerce websites, launched its own builder to create applications last year. Even though most of its e-commerce users will enjoy the simplicity of setting up and launching an app, it is quite limited if you want to build something else than a marketplace.

Where Branded App really shines is its integration with Wix. If you already have a website built on the platform, you can import styles, pages, and even products very quickly.

On the other hand, the monthly price of $200 is quite steep and will simply not be worth it for most people.

Abstra

Abstra is an app builder that certainly has great potential. Just like Branded App, it was launched in 2021 with a promise to become one of the premier platforms in the market. The founders promise that developing responsive applications and websites with Abstra is easier than with Bubble, while the platform is a lot more capable than Webflow.

While Abstra is a relatively new and unproven player in the niche, the $2.3M in funding^[4] it raised at the beginning of 2022 shows that it should be taken seriously. We recommend waiting until it is more polished before jumping on the hype train.

Wrap Up

Bubble is surely an extraordinary app builder, which is why we love it. But these are some of the tools that are racing to grab its market share. Are there any other Bubble alternatives that we missed out on? Let us know on Twitter!

Top 4 Mailchimp Competitors to Try in 2022

Everyone would agree, not a long time ago, Mailchimp was the market leader in general email marketing. While Mailchimp is still a popular email marketing service, it may not be the best option for online businesses with more specific requirements. For example, eCommerce businesses have very different email marketing requirements compared to a blogger. Furthermore, due to recent changes in Mailchimp pricing and a lack of critical tools for direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies, many users are considering an alternative to Mailchimp.

Even today, millions of users rely on it because it offers a free plan. However, the free plan has limited features.

The good news is that there are a lot of excellent email marketing services. We'll go over, in this article, the four best Mailchimp competitors and alternatives for everyone's email marketing needs.

Best Mailchimp Alternatives

Nowadays, there are hundreds of email marketing service providers from what you can choose. Luckily, we've hand-picked the best Mailchimp competitors and compared them in terms of pricing, capabilities, support, flexibility, etc.

Our choices for the top 4 Mailchimp competitors:

MailerLite
GetResponse
HubSpot
Omnisend

If Mailchimp does not provide your desired feature or require a more user-friendly solution, you may want to look at these Mailchimp alternatives.

MailerLite

The first on our list is MailerLite, which provides a diverse collection of features that can assist a larger audience. According to many users, it is one of the most user-friendly email marketing systems available today. Customer service is excellent since it is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via live chat or phone. However, good editing tools and a user-friendly file manager propelled MailerLite to the top of our list.

A pop-up and landing page builder, a few embeddable web forms, the standard email automation tools, and integrations are all included. With their built-in real-time reporting capabilities, you can assess your marketing efforts and execute A/B tests to better your campaigns.

Even though MailerLite has a free version, it is severely limited. Paid subscriptions start at $10 per month and allow you to send 12.000 emails each month to up to 1000 subscribers. The monthly fee might reach $50^[1].

Reviewers liked MailerLite over the other options when it came to the level of continuing product support.

GetResponse

Next on the list is GetResponse. Users may engage with their consumers via email and establish landing pages with GetResponse. Small enterprises, bloggers, and marketing firms are the primary customers.

Our second choice on the list is one of the most cost-effective Mailchimp alternatives available, with a wide range of customization possibilities. It's simple to use and provides access to a full marketing platform. There are a lot of customization choices, and it's much easier for firms to build their own, distinct brand tone and keep to it than it is to try to get everything just right every time they send an email newsletter.

GetResponse, like Mailchimp, has a limited free plan that allows you to use only the basic capabilities for up to 500 subscribers. Plans start at $0 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers and an unlimited number of emails, while higher plans start at $15.00 per month, from 1,000 subscribers and an unlimited number of emails^[2].

HubSpot

HubSpot, the third on our list, like MailChimp, is an all-in-one marketing tool that may help you build your business. It's a marketing platform, which includes email marketing, CRM, automation workflows, sales tools, website builder, operation hub, and more. One of the key reasons small, medium, and corporate customers select it.

They also contain tools to assist you with your email lists, such as live chat, pop-ups, contact forms, and other growth tools. HubSpot works well with WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, and other eCommerce platforms. Other webinar platforms, social networking tools, and anything else you need to grow your email list are provided by HubSpot. If you're searching for an all-in-one marketing platform that can scale with your company, HubSpot is a good option.

Free for the first month, then $25 per month after that, depending on how many subscribers you have^[3].

Omnisend

Omnisend is the last but not least. Omnisend is sometimes considered as the greatest overall option to Mailchimp. Omnisend is an email and SMS marketing tool for small and medium-sized eCommerce businesses looking to expand while spending less time on marketing.

Omnisend is one of the most user-friendly email marketing solutions available, with the greatest ease-of-use rating of any ESP on the market.

Omnisend offers a free plan that includes all of the best features—right, that's no feature limitations—so you can test them out for free and evaluate what works best for your business. Free SMS and online push credits are also included in the free plan.

Standard plans start at $16 per month, while pro plans start at $59 per month and include a dedicated customer success manager, priority assistance, and comprehensive reporting.

Conclusion

So, which MailChimp alternative should you choose? It depends on your needs and budget.

All of the services listed offer a free trial or a limited free plan so you can test them out before committing. If you're looking for an all-in-one marketing platform with lots of features, HubSpot is a good option. If you need help growing your email list, Mailerlite is definitely worth considering.

If you are looking for more ways to improve your work performance, check out our list of No Code marketing tools!