The Most Comprehensive AppMaster Review You Will Ever Read

It’s 2022, and we are at the point of the digital age where the pace of technological innovations is exponentially rising. Several organizations have started adopting No Code development to fulfill the shortage of developers.[1] You can use No Code apps to build web and mobile applications without writing a single line of code.

AppMaster is one such No Code platform designed to help businesses create production-level applications with code generation.

It has a wide range of functionalities allowing you to create a database, manage complex business logic, manage APIs, develop web dashboards, and design native apps without code. 

We tried and tested AppMaster so you can make an informed decision before spending your money.

In this blog, we are sharing a comprehensive AppMaster review while taking a deep dive into all the features offered by the platform.

Anatomy of AppMaster Studio

AppMaster Studio is the platform where you can create your applications and get an overview of all the projects. Let’s have a look at the elements of the studio.

Studio AppMaster

Dashboard

It is divided into two segments:

  1. Front End - It provides info about the mobile and web applications currently in the pipeline.
  2. Back End - It has all the information regarding automation, total endpoints, and data models used by your apps.

Menu - It lets you navigate through the Products of AppMaster.

Help - The question mark icon gives you different options like asking the community, watching tutorials, reading documentation, etc. to help you when you are stuck.
Chatbot - You can get chat support when the team is available. Email and call support is available in higher plans.

The AppMaster Studio helps you collaborate with your team and get the context of all the processes going on in your projects.

Products Offerings by AppMaster

The robust ecosystem of AppMaster’s No Code Platform is divided into four products:

  1. Mobile Apps Builder
  2. Web Apps Designer
  3. Data Models Designer
  4. Business Process Editor

We will walk you through each of these product offerings and what we love the most about it. Let’s get started.

Mobile Apps Builder

Mobile Apps Builder - AppMaster Review

You can start building native apps with visual programming (drag-and-drop) and publish them to App Store and Google Play. 

Building a production-ready mobile application might have a learning curve if you are completely new to No Code but nothing that you can’t manage with a few tutorials.

What we loved:

Triggers and Events

Add automation to your app through a simple drag-and-drop interface. Create triggers for specific actions performed by users and perform actions accordingly. 

Let’s say you have developed a gym visit tracking app. If your user visits the gym ten times, you can send them a push notification congratulating them for the achievement.

Easy Hardware Access

AppMaster makes it easy for you to get access to the smartphone’s hardware. You can ask for access to device resources like camera, microphone, accelerometer, compass, light sensor, GPS, geolocation, player, and calendar.

Continuing the example of the Gym App, you can get access to the GPS location of the user and track every visit to the Gym.

Real-Time Preview

Get a preview of your updates in real-time for version control. You can use this feature to test the performance and design before deploying your android and iOS apps.

Web Apps Designer

Web Apps Designer

Develop Single Page Applications like an admin panel, a customer-facing interface, or a client portal. It is not created to develop full-fledged web applications. Instead, it is created to build internal apps that can act as a support function to business users’ workflow. 

Citizen developers can quickly create apps through their web app builder.

What we loved:

Modules and API library

Modules

Connect your app to hundreds of apps and services available in the marketplace including Slack, Telegram, and Google Maps. You can install and set up modules from the marketplace without even leaving the AppMaster platform. 

Simply click on the module you like and hit install. Once it’s installed, you can control access to the module from the dashboard.

Vue routing

Vue is a progressive framework for building UI. AppMaster allows you to create web components using Vue.js. This allows your users to switch between pages without having to refresh the page. This decreases the load time and improves the app performance significantly.

Client Aware Time Values

When a client is using your web app, they will see all the timestamps and historic data adjusted with their time zone. For example, you are building a customer portal for an MNC. 

The staff of different countries will look at the time according to their time zone. This minor feature takes a massive load off the programmers.

Data Models Designer

Data Models Designer

It is AppMaster’s No Code tool for creating data models, setting their properties (fields), and adding relationships between tables. The Data Model Designer uses PostgreSQL 13, so it’s not limited to AppMaster’s cloud. 

You can upload your application to any compatible cloud, like AWS or Azure. You can use Data Model Designer to create a scalable backend for your apps.

What we loved:

Visual Designer

Data Models Designer

They have made designing data models as simple as drawing on Microsoft Paint. As you can see in the GIF above, you can define and edit relationships. One data model can be associated with an infinite number of others.

Business Process Editor

This platform allows you to create a flow between your applications and your processes. Even though it’s No Code, it is relatively difficult automating business processes that are complex. Before automating, you must perform a thorough business process analysis.[2] 

But you can use this to automate repetitive and menial processes. Ensure you follow the best practices of Business Process Separations[3] before diving into automating a business process.

What we loved:

Documentation

Overall documentation of AppMaster is comprehensive and easy to follow, but when it comes to Business Process Editor, they take it up a notch with their YouTube lessons. 

These long-form tutorial videos teach you to use the editor so you can design your business logic. They cover block structure, flows, and different block types for you to implement practically.

A Few Cons of AppMaster

We have shown you how much we love AppMaster. But if we had to be the devil’s advocate, here are some things that could be better:

appmaster business process editor
Business Process Editor

Lack of Templates

Most No Code platforms have template libraries for users to replicate. AppMaster could add a library with some of the top use-cases like eCommerce mobile apps or social apps to increase the pace of development.

No Shortcuts

This is very specific feedback from many reviewers[3] online. It can make a significant impact. If you are spending a few hours creating and designing apps on their canvas, you will get natural at it. Shortcuts would help increase the productivity and performance of the citizen developers. For example, if we could have standard accepted shortcuts like Ctrl+Z to undo a relationship in the Data Model Designer.

No Freemium Plan

There is a 7-day free trial available for new users. But once your seven days are over, all your data freezes until you purchase a plan. But if we get in their shoes, we understand that deploying cloud capacity at a scale for thousands of freemium users can be expensive.

AppMaster is popular for evolving at a rapid speed. They have been deploying innovative features to their platforms quicker than ever. The template idea is already marked in their feature request as ‘planned’. We hope as time goes by, they will address other issues as well.

appmaster app performance dashboard
Appmaster Performance Dashboard

Is AppMaster for You?

Whether you are a business user or want to create a personal app, AppMaster is a great resource. It offers a complete environment to create and innovate. They have a small Discord community where you can ask questions directly to the team.

If AppMaster matches your business requirements, you should go ahead with it. We are excited to see what AppMaster brings to the table in their next series of updates. 

Sign up through our special link to get a 10% discount on the first payment!

This article was a part of our No Code review series. In our earlier edition, we had dissected and reviewed Elementor, the popular WordPress website builder. Follow us on Twitter and stay tuned with such articles and the overall growth of the No Code landscape.

Top 10 Low Code Development Vendors For Your Next Project

These days, Low Code development vendors make it possible to build robust, fully-functional products without writing a line of code. There are several startups today that were built with[1] Low Code development platforms. 

The rise in products like this is causing a major disruption in the startup ecosystem. 

Although Low Code tools are often touted as intuitive and easy to learn, many Low Code development platforms have a steep learning curve as well. Finding your way around them might be a little complicated. 

Also, a working product is typically a multi-component system with various tools, automation, and integrations involved in setting it up. So while Low Code development is simple, you may still need the services of expert Low Code development vendors to implement them. 

Fortunately, there has been a rise in the number of such Low Code development platforms in recent times that you can consult with or hire to build your products. In most cases, this is a cheaper and more effective approach than hiring a development team for the same purpose. 

In this article, we review 10 such Low Code Vendors that you can partner with on your next project. 

1. Idea Link 

Idea Link has helped several businesses to bring their product ideas to life using No Code development. Their Low Code development specializes in native and web app development using Bubble.io or Webflow. 

They also build online marketplaces to help businesses sell their products and develop MVPs (minimum viable products) to showcase and test product ideas. 

The Idea Link team will help you refine your product specification and define the core features that guarantee optimal performance. 

Then, using a Low Code development approach, they’ll deliver a product that suits your business needs at a fraction of the cost of conventional development. 

Idea LInk has worked with startups, agencies, and corporations all over the world across a wide range of industries to develop internal company tools for managing day-to-day operations in a structured and automated way. 

2. 8020

The 8020 team is made up of designers and builders that are passionate about building viable products with No Code. 8020 is primarily a design company so the emphasis is usually on delivering high-quality and well-designed products with No Code. 

The company builds websites, mobile applications, blogs, and internal dashboards for automating business operations. 

The 8020 team uses No Code tools like Webflow, Bubble, and Zapier to design and build products that are customized to the specific needs of a business, easy to maintain, and completely scalable. 

8020 has worked with organizations of all sizes from fully-funded companies looking to streamline their operations to bootstrapped startups trying to create modern and attractive products. 

3. 9x

9x is a Berlin-based Low Code development platform that focuses specifically on building tools for automating business operations using No Code development. 

This Low Code development vendor finds, implements and builds various internal tools and customized software that fix their exact business process and requirements. 

9X implements No Code solutions quickly using popular tools like Bubble, Airtable, Retool, and Zapier. Whether you’re simply looking to consult with a no-code expert to find the right solution for you, or you’re ready to implement a No-code product, 9X is suitable for you. 

The company also helps with building custom integrations for existing systems or training internal staff to use Low Code Development tools. 

4. 500dollarsMVP

As the name suggests, 500dollarsMVP is focused on helping you bring ideas to life and testing their viability as quickly as possible. The company specializes in developing Minimum Viable Products, websites, and mobile apps within a short time and on a minimal budget. 

500dollarsMVP uses Airtable, Webflow, Glide, Zapier, and other popular No Code tools to help companies bring their software ideas to life without complex code. 

They target entrepreneurs looking to bootstrap their company as quickly as possible without hiring a professional designer or development company. 

5. Ace Workflow 

Formerly known as Airtable Agency, Ace Workflow helps organizations rapidly build and deploy custom software and apps that work. The Agency’s service is targeted at companies that are looking to build internal tools for streamlining and automating their business operations. 

The Ace Workflow team can create workflows rapidly using Low Code tools like Airtable, Zapier, Staker, and Hubspot.

The agency offers numerous pre-built templates that can be easily customized to a company’s specific needs. There’s also the option of building a bespoke solution from scratch. Ace Workflow was founded in 2018 and the company has worked with hundreds of clients across various industries. 

6. Airdev 

The Airdev Low Code development company offers rapid prototyping and No Code development for startups looking to launch scalable products at a fraction of the cost of conventional development[2].

Airdev also helps SMEs and enterprises to automate key business functions using internal tools built with low code. 

The Airdev team favors the Bubble visual development platform[3] for building prototypes and products. Other things you can build with Airdev include marketplaces, social networks, analytics tools, and sales tools.

In addition, Airdev has features that empower No Code entrepreneurs and builders to create products better and faster than ever before. 

7. Build Lab

Build Lab is a Low Code agency that helps businesses to build automation solutions to help them grow their business and streamline their operation. Using different Low Code tools and expertise, Build Lab helps to build modern no-code automation that helps to get rid of manual processes for good. 

The Build Lab team can also work with startups looking to build custom fully-coded applications from scratch using No Code tools like Zapier and Integromat. In addition to the development of mobile and native apps for internal and consumer uses, Build Lab also specializes in database architecture.

Unlike other Low Code development vendors, the agency can also assist enterprises with the integration of services like Firebase, Stripe, and so on in their new or existing systems.

8. Anticode

Anticode low code development vendors

Anticode is a Low Code development company that uses visual programming to help businesses test their ideas through the development of MVPs.

This low code development vendor also specializes in the creation of fully functional, full-featured websites and web apps complete with a broad range of integrations and customized to meet the specific needs of your business. 

In addition to helping businesses build low costing websites with the No Code tools, Anticode can also boost your enterprise marketing efforts through the integration of chatbots and AI-based solutions.

This helps businesses customize their platforms to offer a more tailored experience to users and improve conversion in the long run. Anticode also has a marketing team that helps organizations to supercharge their marketing efforts and design marketing solutions that are most suitable for their needs. 

9. Cube App

Cube App low code development vendors

Cube App is a Low Code creative agency that offers product ideation, design, and development services for enterprises and startups.

The No Code experts at Cube App make use of modern low code software like Bubble, Airtable, and Webflow to develop customized websites and applications within a short period of time.

Cube App's team is made up of seasoned product designers, sales experts, project managers, and Low Code developers that are experts at using a wide range of Low Code technologies.

The company has worked with hundreds of founders and enterprises in France and other countries all over the world to bring their product ideas to life. 

10. Huggy Studio 

HuggyStudio low code development vendors

Huggy Studio is a Low Code development company that specializes in helping companies launch new products without writing codes. The deviation from conventional development helps to save cost[4] and reduce production time quite significantly. 

Since the company is focused specifically on creating working versions of product ideas, Huggy studio has a robust team of product managers and UX designers that work closely with you through the various stages of the process from producing clickable prototypes to launching your first product iteration. 

The company uses Bubble and other visual development tools to create fully-functional products. The Huggy Studio team is particularly experienced with Corporate innovation and they have worked with several startups to give them an edge in their industry. 

Conclusion 

The advent of the Low Code/No Code ecosystem[5] has favored the growth of several Low Code development vendors and agencies that you can consult or hire to build a working product for your company. As you’ll find, this is a cheaper and faster approach to development than hiring an in-house coding team with the promise of achieving the same result. 

Partnering with any of the agencies mentioned in this review is a smart choice for anyone looking to embark on a no-code project with no idea of where to start. 

7 Outstanding Startup Companies Built with No Code

As the world progresses further into the 21st Century, software applications and websites have become an increasingly crucial part of every endeavor. This trend is expressed very blatantly in the world of business. 

From large companies to small businesses, every industry now relies on the capabilities of web apps. It’s also not far-fetched to say virtually all of them operate websites and mobile apps.

However, creating a web app or website has historically been a very cumbersome affair requiring the paid services of expert developers. This used to be a major problem for startup businesses that aren’t able to afford such services. Luckily, there is a modern solution and we'll be talking about No Code Startups that cracked the code first.

Enter the No Code Startup Revolution

Recently, companies all over the world have begun to take web app and website platform development into their hands. This move has been made possible by cutting edge innovations known as No Code tools. 

A No Code tool allows users to design website platforms and software such as mobile or desktop apps cost-effectively and without having to write a single line of code. This can be seen as a major advantage for business startups. 

Non-technical founders no longer have to wait for development teams to scope, build and test their web platforms or app products at huge expense before launch.

most companies are trying to be No code startups

No Code development is still in its early days, but there are already a number of outstanding startups that have been built with No Code. These companies prove that you don't need to know how to write code to create a successful business. 

No Code development tools make it easy for anyone to build websites, apps, and software without any programming experience. This means that anyone can create a valuable product or service without hiring expensive developers.

However, you may wonder about how well startups built with No Code platforms can perform. Is it sustainable? Is it scalable? How well does it deliver? Should you really consider a No Code platform for your business? To answer these questions, we will be looking at 7 great startup businesses that are based on No Code development.

Let’s take a closer look at these mavericks.

1.   Lambda School (or the Bloom Institute of Technology)

Lambda School is an online coding boot camp founded by Austen Allred and Ben Nelson in 2017. It became famous at its launch for being the first boot camp to utilize income share agreements as a financing method.

lambda school is one of the popular No Code Startups out there

Now, it has innovatively redefined the world of virtual education. With a mission statement to provide a low-risk path to higher income, it offers comprehensive courses in backend software coding/development, data science, and web development.

Furthermore, with a 4.45/5 rating, it currently ranks as the best software coding boot camp in 2022, with an annual revenue of about $88.9 million.

What No Code Platforms Enable Lambda School?

The Lambda School team built its MVP (which now serves thousands of students) using Low Code tools like Retool, Airtable, and Typeform. They've also come to add some No Code resources like Webflow, Zapier, and Calendly to their platform.

2.   Kollecto Tech and Data Freelancers

Kollecto is an art business that runs an eponymously named app. Founded by entrepreneur Tara Reed in 2014. The goal of this platform is to create a digital marketplace app where users can have access to personal art buyers and advisers.

Kollecto is another one of the great No Code Startups

As a young art collector, Reed was frustrated by the fact that there was no single app platform where art lovers could access expert recommendations on cool art. Furthermore, she hoped for a way for potential clients to buy their art pieces. This inspired her to create her own digital marketplace platform to solve this problem.

Today, due to the huge success of the project, Reed has been described as a millionaire who built an app without knowing how to code or employing expert developers. Currently, Kollecto generates an annual revenue of about $5 million. 

Reed has also started an online school for No Code startups called "Apps Without Code", where people are taught to create app software with no coding skills required.

No Code Tools That Enabled the Project

A firm believer in quick iteration and MVP release, Reed initially made use of Low Code tools like Typeform, Plasso, and Stripe to create the website for her Kollecto project. As customers welcomed the project, she continued to refine the development tools used, eventually adding new tools like Zapier and SurveyGizmo.

However, things began to take a downturn when Kollecto hit 1500 users. Then, she discovered Bubble, which enabled her to create the art-matching algorithm she needed in just three weeks. Reed now testifies to the unmatched flexibility and power of Bubble among other tools.

3.   Dividend Finance

Dividend Finance is another remarkable example of a successful No Code startup, specifically in the financial market. Founded in 2013, this San Francisco-based business is the leading provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient financing solutions for property owners. 

The services rendered by the platform include residential solar loans, solar financing, and real asset investment.

dividend finance gives out loans

Initially, they issued $234.59 million worth of asset-backed securities according to Business Wire. Then with Citibank and Credit Suisse, they elevated their funding capacity to $350 million under solar loan financing facilities.

With its top-rate services, Dividend Finance has turned the market of renewable energy on its head, and it continues to grow. It received the "Esoteric ABS Issuer of the Year" award in 2020, as well as the Esoteric ABS Deal of the Year award in both 2017 and 2020.

As of January 2022, the Fifth Third Bank announced definitive agreements to acquire the business, and the deal is to be finalized in the second quarter of the year.

No Code Tools That Enabled the Dividend Finance Platform

Dividend Finance is another of many examples of No Code startups built entirely on Bubble. Using this platform, they have greatly simplified the process of applying for a loan. They have also addressed some specific challenges in home improvement such as red tape and bad contractors.

4.   Switchboard

A product of the data company known as "Ads on Top", this revolutionary example of a No Code project focused on putting ad screens on Uber and Lyft cars. However, this turned out to be more expensive than was envisioned, so the team turned its attention to solving a different problem that was discovered along the way.

Switchboard deals with advertising

Founder David Pal found that advertising screens, especially large billboards, each ran on separate operating systems, thus making them hard to coordinate and manage at scale as networks of such billboards expanded.  

So, David and his team set to work on a solution that offered a unified point of control for such complex networks. 

Thus, Switchboard was born. It's essentially a system that enables companies to schedule and track content, monitor screen health, and automate the integration of third-party programmatic advertising, all from one user interface.

Over the years, Switchboard has shown itself to be a very profitable next generation SaaS platform.

No Code Tools that Went Into Making Switchboard

Switchboard is also one of the many projects based entirely on Bubble.

5.   Ensemble19

This next project, though not a startup per se, is nevertheless an example of how the No Code revolution can enable people to get projects off the ground very quickly in times of crisis. 

This project was envisioned by HuggyStudio, a Bubble agency based in Switzerland. The goal was to raise money from willing individuals through donations to support local sellers during the CoVID pandemic.

Donors could choose which specific businesses they wished to offer aid to as well as how much to offer. By the time Ensemble19 closed its doors, over a thousand people had benefited from it, and 47% of what was realized came from donations.

No Code Tools that Made Ensemble19 Possible

The money donated was transferred to the target businesses through Stripe, after which the donor received a voucher that could be used at such markets post-CoVID. Furthermore, the entire project was built with No Code, relying only on Bubble.

6.   Plato

Currently based in San Francisco, California, this company was founded in 2017 by French entrepreneurs Quang Hoang and Jean-Baptiste Coger. Plato ran a team that, in 2016, got accepted into YCombinator. 

It was Quang's experience at YCombinator that ultimately resulted in the founding of Plato the next year. 

Plato is for engineering

The company was able to raise $13 million in funding through YCombinator. The fundraising success of Plato illustrates the fact that companies that build MVPs based on Bubble can get funding through startup accelerators.

Plato's stated mission is to help engineering clients and other product leaders to learn soft skills as a channel toward goal orientated outcomes such as building better teams. To do this, Plato connects engineers with specific challenges to mentors from the best companies in the world.

Plato runs its entire back office on Bubble's No Code platform. Furthermore, the back office contains event-specific landing pages and a tracking system. 

The landing pages were created using Bubble, enabling Plato to match engineers with the most suitable mentors hyper quickly.

7.   Qoins

Qoins is a financial application that offers financial coaching to people to assist them to pay off their debts faster. This app also offers daily roundups on everyday purchases in addition to payroll deductions, all geared at easing the process of getting clients out of their financial debts.

Qoins used Bubble

Qoins's co-founder, Nate Washington, has stated that the company uses Bubble plugins throughout major parts of their business processes. This eventually enables them to impact their target market community more efficiently without need for a large team of developers.

Closing Thoughts on No Code Startups

No Code development has the potential to change how startups are built and funded. With no need for a team of programmers, founders can get their products off the ground quickly and cheaply. This could lead to an increase in the number of successful startups and more investment in early-stage companies.

Thus, It's not a stretch to say that if you have a start up underway, and you can successfully integrate No Code philosophy as effectively as the above-discussed start up projects, yours should eventually enter this list as well.

Is Low Code Data Science the Future of Data?

Data Science as a discipline has evolved and got itself placed as the most employable skill in 2022 [1] in almost every list. Data is crucial for everything from making business decisions to framing national policies. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are two of the top components involved in the domain of Data Science.

Since it is a highly employable skill, the demand for a Data Scientist is increasing globally. To bridge the talent gap of Data Scientists, we can see Low Code Platforms making Data Science more accessible and easier for citizen developers. 

In this blog, we will talk about the scope of Low Code Data Science with practical application-based use-cases and platforms that help you deploy it.

What is Data Science?

It is a field of study encompassing high volumes of data and the tools to derive meaning from it. Data is used to find patterns and solutions to make better decisions or understand something to a deeper degree. 

Data Scientists train complex machine learning models to forecast future trends and sentiments.

A few years ago, we used Data Science only for research purposes as it was a new field and in a development stage. Now it has use cases across all the industries and business functions. 

You can see the HR department using Data Science to find valuable traits in a candidate that would be a perfect fit for the company. Marketing and Sales professionals use machine learning models for data analysis and generating customer experience insights.

ux designers looking at graphically expressed data
Photo by UX Indonesia

What is Low Code Data Science?

It is the same field of study as regular Data Science, albeit accessible to citizen Data Scientists (Non-technical business users who want to perform the same functions as Data Scientists). 

Low Code and No Code platforms have democratized AI so that one can use drag and drop tools for model training, data visualizations, and customized application development. We will talk about specific Low Code tools that you can use to build these models.

Data Science Terminologies

Let’s have a look at some terminologies for context throughout the blog.

What is the Data Science Life Cycle?[2]

Data Science Life Cycle
Data Science Life Cycle

To solve any kind of problem through Data Science, you will have to go through these five stages of the Data Science Life cycle.

  1. Capture

The first stage involves capturing and extracting the raw unstructured data according to your requirements.

  1. Maintain

At the maintenance stage, you perform different functions on your data like staging, cleansing, and processing. In short, you give structure to your data.

  1. Process

Once the data is cleansed, you process it to make it machine-readable and feed it to your model. Data Mining, Clustering/Classification, Data Modeling, and Data Summarization are a part of this process.

  1. Analyze

This stage is the lifeblood of Data Science. You put the processed data through analyses like Predictive Analysis, Regression, Text Mining, and Qualitative Analysis.

  1. Communicate

The Data Scientist finally submits the data findings through visually appealing charts or reports to make them more palatable.

Use Cases for Low Code Data Science

Low Code platforms cover various operations to solve your problems. Visual programming has enabled everyone to perform these functions. Here are some specific use-cases that can be accomplished through Low Code.

Collecting the Data

Data Science starts with the collection of data. You can use Low Code platforms to integrate APIs to collect data from your sources on the web. Data scraping has become relatively more effortless, and these platforms have zero infrastructure requirements. 

If you are a new business with a smaller team, you don’t need to worry about developing in-house servers and databases to facilitate data collection. Low Code helps you with pre-built connectors to access a higher number of data sources on the internet.

Low Code Tools we recommend:

Giving Structure to Data

Most of the data you find on the internet is unstructured. To gain insights, you need to structure your data by removing incorrect, incomplete, improperly formatted, or duplicated data. This process is also known as data scrubbing. 

Low Code platforms can be used to cleanse and make the data readable through automation. Drag and drop interface lets you build visual automation for constantly keeping your data clean through bots.

Photo by Pietro Jeng

Low Code Tools we recommend:

Training and Deploying Machine Learning Solutions with Visual Automation

Data Science is not just limited to collecting, organizing, and reading the data. The discipline involves many complex functions with the help of Deep Learning, Machine Learning, and AI. 

Low Code has made it possible for non-developers to train and deploy ML solutions. These solutions can be used for many tasks like analyzing trends across the industry or training your Low Code chatbot to interact with the customers.

Low Code Tools we recommend:

Gathering Business Insights and Data Visualization

This is the most attractive aspect of Data Science for co-founders and business users. Low Code platforms can enable you to generate business insights from the scrubbed data and trained Machine Learning models. 

Although it is never the core functionality of any Low Code app, it is a powerful supporting function. Visualize your business data and insights in a sleek format derived from your dataset.

Here are some top ways to visualize and communicate your data:

Data Visualization
Types of Data Visualization through Low Code

Low Code Tools we recommend:

Build a recommendation system

When you watch a show on Netflix or listen to a song on YouTube, they recommend another you might like. That is made possible through a ‘Recommendation System’. 

These are complex software systems that suggest relevant items of interest given a specific application domain to user.[3]

Although it seems simple, you would need to have an intermediate understanding of logic and math to develop a highly efficient recommendation system through Low Code.

Low Code Tools we recommend:

Limitations of Data Science using Low Code Vs Traditional Approach

Nothing is perfect or flawless. The traditional approach of programming has some advantages over Low Code platforms when it comes to Data Science.

Can you be a Low Code Data Scientist?

digital data visualisation
Photo by Stephen Dawson

Since the future of tech is data, we predict a rise in demand for Data Scientists over the years. Becoming a Low Code Data Scientist is not a matter of days. It takes a lot of research and understanding of Data Science, Math, and Logic to deploy solutions. 

Here are some resources that would help you get started in the world of Low Code Data:

Theoretical articles: KNIME is a thought leader in Advanced Data Science through Low Code. They have a series of articles that will help you understand the theory of machine learning algorithms and the capabilities of Low Code solutions.

AutoML beginner's guide: This guide will help you navigate Google’s AutoML. It is an introductory guide that covers the basics. You can find more resources on the vertex-ai page.

Introduction to Sagemaker: It will teach you how to Build, Share, and Deploy a Machine Learning model with Low Code/No Code.

Low Code Data Science will be the future of data as it makes data management and analytics more accessible to people. We can see the potential to make the entire process more efficient and faster for Data Scientists. Let’s see how much impact can it create on the data landscape in the future. 

Follow us on Twitter to stay tuned with trends and updates in the Low Code/No Code industry.

8 Best Low Code Platforms For Building Apps Fast Without Coding

According to a Gartner report[1], it is estimated that Low Code application development platforms will be responsible for over 65% of application development by 2024. This projection shows just how important low-code development is today and how massive it could be in the future. 

Low Code development refers to the act of using a visual approach to build apps and optimize the software development process with the goal of accelerating delivery. 

By using a Low Code[2] platform instead of writing software code from scratch, enterprises can automate various steps in the application development life cycle. This allows them to develop solutions to meet specific business needs faster, more efficiently, and at a much lower cost. 

Up till a few years ago, the concept of Low Code development did not exist. Today, professional software developers as well as regular business users[3] can now create fully-functional apps using drag and drop tools that do not require them to write a single line of code. 

There are several platforms built for this purpose that facilitate Low Code development. In this article, we review some of the top development platforms out there for building and deploying Low Code applications:

PlatformUsePricing FromBusiness Size Free Trial
Appian Smart automation platform for developing business process management apps$90/user/monthSmall, medium and large enterprises Yes
MendixBuilding cross-platform application with visual modeling tools $1875/month Medium and large enterprises Yes
OutSystems Rapid app development platform for building web apps, mobile apps and enterprise tools Free Medium and large enterprises Yes
Zoho Creator Create fully-functional cross platform apps $25/user/monthSmall, medium and large enterprises Yes 
KissflowDigital workplace for building workflows and process management apps $9/user/month Small, medium and large enterprises Yes
Salesforce Lightning Process builder for creating apps out of complex workflows$25/user/month Small, medium and large enterprisesYes
Microsoft PowerappsBuild and deploy custom business apps quickly$7/user/monthMedium to large Yes
QuixyNo code development platform to build tools for automating work processes$10/user/monthSmall to large enterprises Yes

1. Appian 

Appian low code platform

Appian is a smart automation platform with Low Code development capabilities. The platform is designed to help organizations build and deploy smart applications that can help improve their business processes, drive customer engagement, and improve their overall work efficiency.

Appian can be used by businesses of all sizes and its most well-known use case is the development of Business Process Management (BPM) Applications. 

The platform comes equipped with drag and drop tools, AI capabilities and No Code integration of various enterprise data management tools to further expand its functions. 

The standard licensing for this Low Code platform costs about $90 per user per month. Appian has a free trial option for those looking to get familiar with the platform before buying a license.

2. Mendix 

Mendix low code platform

Mendix is a versatile Low Code platform for building functional applications for any device. The platform has tools and features for building, testing, and deploying apps and is currently being used by more than 4000 companies. 

The Mendix platform can be deployed on a private or public cloud. There is the possibility of deploying it on-premises as well. Medix uses a mode of development known as model-driven engineering (MDE). 

The platform has visual modeling tools and reusable components for rapid app development. It makes it easy for enterprises to adopt an Agile project management method to manage their app development process from start to finish. 

The cost of this platform depends on the number of users. Pricing is tiered into three groups namely Single App, Pro, and Enterprise starting at a monthly fee of $1875, $5375, and $7825 respectively. There is a community version as well which is free of charge. 

3. OutSystems 

OutSystems low code platform

OutSystems is a Rapid Application Development Platform designed to make it easier for developers to build, edit and deploy apps at an unbeatable speed. OutSystems is an omnichannel Low Code development platform. 

This means enterprises can build apps for various mediums including mobile apps, web apps, and enterprise tools to manage their business processes. 

OutSystems can be deployed on-site or on the cloud. Some of the platform’s most notable features include a real-time performance dashboard to monitor app development and promote error-free deployment. 

Using OutSystems enterprises can deploy highly secure and scalable apps that can be integrated easily with a wide range of systems. 

Unlike other Low Code platforms, OutSystems has a free plan which is free forever. There’s also an Enterprise plan starting at monthly and a Universal plan which costs $15000 per month.

4. Zoho Creator 

Zoho Creator low code platform

Zoho is popular as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. However, the platform also has a minimalist Low Code development platform with visual features that make app development possible known as Zoho Creator. 

The Zoho Creator platform allows developers to build fully-functional cross-platform apps and publish them directly from the web. So far, more than 6 million apps have been created with this Low Code development platform. 

In addition to creating apps faster, Zoho Creator also has features for team collaboration, business data management, and intelligent reporting. 

The platform also offers a broad range of ready-to-use business application templates that enterprises can install and customize for their specific business needs. 

Pricing for the Zoho Creator Professional plan starts at $25 per user per month and is billed annually. This plan is only limited to 5 apps. For unlimited app development and full access to all of the platform’s features, the ultimate plan costs $400 per month. 

5. Kissflow Low Code

Kissflow low code platform

Kissflow is a digital workplace primarily used for workflow and process management across various industries. To facilitate effective business process management, the platform allows users to create apps using rule-based models instead of custom coding from scratch. 

By adding conditions to workflows, users can automate processes and build custom enterprise applications. It also has drag-and-drop functionality which can be used to build, customize and deploy apps easily. 

This Low Code platform has more than 45 pre-installed app templates that further facilitate this process. Kissflow is completely cloud-based which makes it quite adaptable to businesses of all sizes. 

The Standard edition of Kissflow will cost $9 per user per month. Enterprise users can request a quote for bulk pricing. There is a free trial available as well. 

6. Salesforce Lightning 

Salesforce Lightning low code platform

This is one of the most popular Low Code platforms out there. But more than its use for marketing purposes, Salesforce has a tool for component-based app development known as Salesforce Lightning. 

This is a Low Code visual app builder[4] for building and deploying mobile apps using simple drag and drop functions. Another unique feature of this app is the possibility of creating instant apps directly from a spreadsheet. 

The platform also has a process builder for creating apps out of complex workflows in addition to other tools for deploying and managing business apps from the same place. 

Professional developers can make use of this Low Code platform to customize or build apps from scratch using any programming language. Additional features that accelerate the application production process include robust AI and IoT integrations. 

Monthly Pricing for Salesforce Lightning starts at $25 per user for the Starter plan. The Plus plan costs $100 per user. There’s also the Heroku Enterprise Starter plan with more advanced features. You’ll have to contact Salesforce to get a quote for this. 

7. Microsoft PowerApps

Microsoft PowerApps low code platform

PowerApps is a Microsoft product for building custom business apps and deploying them quickly. Compared to other Low Code platforms, it has features that make it easier to extend the capabilities of existing apps with custom code. 

You can easily create, share and run apps from this platform. PowerApps can also be used for enterprise workflow automation. The platform uses a simple point-and-click process for designing functional apps. 

In addition to building from scratch, there are also several predefined templates that can be customized to meet specific business needs. Apps can also be integrated with more than 200 disparate data and systems to further boost their functionality. 

Microsoft PowerApps is one of the most affordable Low Code development platforms with straightforward pricing. The first plan costs $7 per user per month while the second plan costs $40 per user per month. There’s a free trial available as well. 

8. Quixy

Quixy is a visual No Code development platform that empowers citizen developers and professional developers with tools for automating business processes. It is primarily designed for the quick and easy creation of custom enterprise apps without writing a line of code. 

These apps can be used to automate workflows and business processes. 

Quixy helps users turn their innovative ideas into fully functional apps using a simple and straightforward process. Users can build functional apps from scratch using drag and drop widgets. 

This platform also has a visual builder that can be used to model business processes and build complex workflows complete with automated escalations, notifications, reminders, and so on. 

The Quixy platform has integration capabilities, allowing you to extend the functionality of your custom apps with API integrations, Webhooks, and ready-to-use connectors. 

Quixy offers 3 pricing plans for users. The Solution plan starts at $500/month while the Platform plan is billed at $10 per user per month with a minimum of 10 users. Pricing for the Enterprise plan is available on request. 

Notable Mentions 

Conclusion 

As an enterprise, the easier you can build working applications, the more efficiently you can navigate and resolve various business issues that are likely to arise in your day-to-day operations. 

The Low Code platforms listed above can help your app development team and business users[5] work more efficiently and super-charge your app development process. 

7 Reasons Why Users Love Low Code Platforms

Low Code development platforms have been around for quite some time now. We have seen a rise in the adoption of Low Code tools across industries. A common question that arises amongst new readers is “Why use Low Code platform?”. If you are just scratching the surface of the Low Code and No Code industry, you must see some key problems that Low Code development is aspiring to solve. This blog is a compilation of the top benefits of Low Code platforms.

Before we jump into the top benefits of Low Code, we must address two of the top questions related to it, so we can debunk any myths regarding the subject.

Will Low Code Platforms ever Replace Traditional Development?

Low Code is not designed to replace traditional programmers or the development process. The entire vision of Low Code development is to make software development becomes more accessible to non-technical people (AKA citizen developers). It does not mean, however, that custom code will be unnecessary in the future. Low Code will function as a support system for programmers so they can focus on innovation.

Low Code takes all the menial work away from programmers to citizen developers. For example, programmers don’t need to waste their time writing long codes for creating a form. We have beautiful form templates available with visual development functionalities.

What is the Difference between Low Code Platforms vs No Code Platforms?

Simply put, No Code platforms are developed for users with absolutely zero background in programming. Whereas Low Code development platforms are developed to extend the support of developers and automate the repetitive processes. You can develop a product with Low Code even though you don’t know how to code but using No Code would be ideal in that scenario.

You can customize and scale your product to a higher degree when you are using Low Code development over No Code. If you want to know more, we have written a separate article on the differences between Low Code vs No Code.

Gartner found Low Code application building would gather more than 65% of all app development functions by the year 2024[1]. There are 6 reasons why Low Code development is going to paint the canvas of IT in the next decade.

6 Benefits of Low Code Development

Reduced Expense

Why Use Low Code platforms - Cost Benefits

It reduces your overall cost of developing a product. Initially, when Low Code was introduced, the low expense was the selling point and the biggest reason why companies started adapting to it.

The technology promises higher returns at low expense. Low Code development fundamentally saves you hours of time spent on coding repetitive programs and features. Hence, your cost reduces marginally. By democratizing programming, Low Code platforms have made it inexpensive.

Developers are usually paid by hours. Since new startups are led by 2-3 people, they don’t have money to spend on hours of development. They started using Low Code to create products. You can at least create a prototype and run some functions. Once you start generating revenue, you can pay the programmers to scale it.

Most of the top Low Code tools have free trials. Here’s a list of Low Code platforms and their pricing[2] structure.

Low-code development platformFree TrialPrice
Visual LANSAAvailableAs low as $8.34 per user/month.
RetoolAvailableAfter the free plan -Team: $10 pm/user,Business: $50 pm/user,Get a quote for Enterprise.
QuixyAvailablePlatform: $10/user/month, billed annually.Solution: Starts from $500/month billed annually.
CreatioAvailable for 14 days.Enterprise Edition: $25 per user per month.
GeneXusAvailableStartups: Starting $100/monthIndependent.Software Houses: Starting $250/month.Enterprise: Starting $900/month.
Zoho CreatorAvailableProfessional: $25/user/month billed annually,Ultimate: $400/month billed annually.
Web.comNoOffer Starter Package - $1.95/month, Full price of $10/month after the first month.
AppianAvailable$90 per user per month.
KiSSFLOWAvailable$9 per user per month.
MendixThe community version is free.Single App: Starts at $1875/month.Pro: Starts at $5375/month, & Enterprise: Starts at $7825/month.
OutSystemsFree planEnterprise: Starts at $6250/month.Universal: Starts at $15000/ month.
Salesforce LightningAvailableStarter: $25/user/ month.Plus: $150 /user/ month

Faster Deployment

Deploy Products Faster with Low Code

Low Code platforms allow you to deliver and deploy products much faster than coding. The acceleration in development provides you with faster validation and feedback from the market. The whole process of idea to execution is shortened. 

“Low Code tools have the potential to accelerate software development as much as 10 times compared to traditional methods”

John Rymer from Forrester[3]  

Some functionalities like Drag-and-drop, easy integrations, and pre-built templates are available on every Low Code platform. These features allow you to quickly deploy your products through Low Code.

Reduces/Eliminates the Risk of Shadow IT

Shadow IT is a huge bottleneck and slows down business processes. When a user goes to the IT department with a request, they often have a lot of pending work in the pipeline. Hence, the user installs third-party apps to solve their problems. 

The problem with these third-party apps is that they aren’t verified by the IT team. It puts sensitive data at risk. Users can develop business apps with Low Code development to solve their problems and avoid putting their data at stake.

For example, the Marketing team(citizen developers) wants to create a portal to track and manage their content marketing efforts. They can use Low Code platforms like Airtable to create an internal application.

Higher Customer Satisfaction

Higher Customer Satisfaction With Low Code

Low Code development helps you create an Omnichannel Customer Experience for all your customer requirements. These touchpoints are connected to every step of the customer journey from onboarding to support. Low Code platforms equip you with everything you need to delight your customers on their user journey. 

Tools that are directly in communication with customers like Chatbots and Virtual Assistants can be created within a short span of time. This is one of the top actionable strategies to improve customer satisfaction.

Increased Automation by Business Users

Although it sounds far-fetched, Low Code Automation has become mainstream. Rather than relying on complex code for automating small processes, business users have started using Low Code tools to visually develop and deploy the automation.

You need to have an intermediate level of understanding to build effective automation for their workflow. We have seen a lot of Low Code innovation in the field of Business Process Management. It also depends on the complexity of your automation. For example, if you want to automate Gmail with AppSheet, you will find tons of blogs and YouTube videos that will give you a step-by-step process of automating it. But if you have a specific requirement, you might have to build custom logic, define databases and test it for errors.

Higher Agility and Productivity

Low Code development tools give your business users the flexibility to respond faster to the market. The application development process becomes much more agile compared to traditional development. Most Low Code Platforms consist of pre-tested modules to deliver faster results in the application development process. 

Due to the high scope of collaboration, multiple business users can work on the same app development project. This helps business users interact easily with context on processes increasing overall productivity.

Wrap Up

These were the top reasons why people choose Low Code development over traditional development. Although Low Code isn’t flawless, it is evolving to become more secure and scalable as each day passes. It has made rapid development a reality. If you are confused about whether to choose Code, No Code, or Low Code for your next project, you can take our CodeorNoCode quiz and get clarity on the subject.

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:

ComparisonNo Code AutomationLow Code Automation
Programming KnowledgeDevelopers 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/UsersThe 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 DesignUsers 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 ResourcesNo 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.
TimeIt saves time, as all necessary tools are already in place.Does not save so much time compared to No Code platforms.
UsersCitizen 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 UseVery 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-EffectivenessLess 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.
AccessibilitySince 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.
SecurityNo 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.

Photo by Agefis

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:

Best Low Code Automation Tools

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

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.

Photo by Myriam Jessier on Unsplash

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.

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

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.

Thunkable, No Code Mobile App Development Platform Raises $30 Million

Thunkable is one of the leaders of the No Code Movement. It was launched by Arun Saigal (CEO) and WeiHua Li (CTO) with the idea of democratizing digital innovation for non-technical developers. Since its launch, Thunkable has evolved its functionalities and created a No Code community of 3 million users from 184 different countries creating mobile apps with No Code development.

No Code Mobile App development is about to take a huge leap in innovation as they have raised $30M in their Series B round of funding led by Owl Ventures. This is another benchmark in the ever-growing space of No Code tech.

Amit Patel, MD at Owl Ventures said, “From students learning computer science concepts to enterprises empowering employees to accelerate innovation, Thunkable is making app creation more accessible in a world where the majority of web traffic is coming from mobile devices and mobile apps are expected to play an even more critical role in global online activity.”

What are the Future Plans of Thunkable?

The company has announced their latest blog that they aim to make mobile app development accessible to everyone, everywhere. The focus of innovation at Thukable would be developing the app and the community. They have made a plan with emphasis on three areas:

Expanding No Code App Creation Capabilities

Thunkable is equipped with a tech stack for creating mobile apps. They want to expand the horizon of this stack. The Co-founders believe that they have only scratched the surface of what the team can accomplish. They are going to unlock more capabilities and expand the functionality of the platform. The product updates will be shared regularly with the users.

Co-Founders of Thunkable

Growing the Team

They plan to aggressively hire across all the teams. This expansion would help them achieve their mission of expanding the functionalities and delivering better products to the users.

Empowering the Community

The last area of their focus is to grow and empower the global community of No Code creators. To execute this plan, they have two initiatives lined up:

Thunkable Academy

It would be a certification program providing end-to-end training on mobile app development with Thunkable. Initially, they will have a trial round before they launch the academy for everyone later this summer. You can pre-register if you want to be one of the pre-launch beta users.

Thunkable Drag-and-Drop UI for creating Mobile Apps

Thunkable Freelancer Network

If you are an expert at creating mobile apps with Thunkable, this is great news for you. They plan to launch an Expert Freelance Network where you can connect with companies who need your app development assistance. 

We are excited to see what Thunkable has in store for us. They have been one of the most innovative No Code development platforms when it comes to mobile apps. The year 2022 is proving to be great for the future of No Code. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news, tips, and trends in the Code and No Code industry.

Top 6 Platforms to Build a Customized Low Code Chatbot

Chatbots are more than just simple applications to assist users through FAQs. Chatbots understand human problems with artificial intelligence & natural language processing. They guide customers to their solutions and keep your support staff from getting cluttered with repetitive problems. Chatbot acts as a virtual assistant for your customer experience touchpoints. It creates a true win-win situation for businesses and customers. It becomes crucial to develop intelligent and customized Chatbots for business automation and customer satisfaction. As software development becomes more accessible to citizen developers, we are seeing a significant rise in the Low Code Chatbot development platforms. This blog is a collection of top Low Code platforms to build a Chatbot that matches your requirements.

Why Choose Low Code Platforms for Chatbot?

If you have read our blogs, you’d know we are the biggest fans of No Code (probably in the known universe). But Low Code is sort of a way toward True No Code. 

Market research[1] by Gartner found Low Code application building would gather more than 65% of all app development functions by the year 2024 and with about 66% of big companies using a minimum of four Low Code platforms. Here’s why we see a rising trend of Low Code Platforms specifically for Chatbot development.

Cost Advantage

The price of these Low Code platforms is flexible. After reading this blog, you will find out the range of pricing available for building your Chatbot. Due to its increased accessibility, you end up saving up a lot of software development costs. 

Also, some of these platforms have a pay-as-you-go model, where you can add conversations at a small price if you cross the monthly threshold. Many businesses don’t want to spend a lot of money on a Chatbot until they truly see the results. These pricing models help us solve that problem.

Natural Language & AI Capabilities

Although it sounds like rocket science, it is pretty achievable. Natural Language and AI-driven Chatbots can be created with Low Code development platforms. When you are starting with bots, you don’t need to focus on NLP-based bots. Yet it becomes an important feature as you gather more data and scale.

Integrations

Low Code development platforms would easily integrate your Chatbot with popular SaaS tools and even on-premise enterprise tools. Developing a Chatbot that perfectly fits your team's current tech stack would decrease the burden on the support team and increase overall customer satisfaction.

For example, if your team is using Slack for internal communication and Hubspot as a Sales CRM, you can integrate the Chatbots to set up automation across these channels.

Increased Customization

New businesses can work around with a templatized Chatbot. As the business grows, you need to personalize it. Low Code gives you the ability to micro customize your Chatbot without increasing the load time of your website/app.

For example, a media company would require its Chatbot to have a funky logo animation. Low Code Chatbots are a perfect fit for them.

In a nutshell, Low Code has democratized innovation by becoming a bridge between citizen developers, programmers, and domain experts.

Best Low Code Platforms to Create a Chatbot

Here is the list of top Low Code solutions for building a customized Chatbot for your business.

Botpress

Botpress, AI Chatbot platform

Botpress is an open-source AI platform for creating text and pattern-based bots. It is for developers who want to build AI-powered bots without a team of data scientists and machine learning experts. The platform is hosted on Github and offers a visual development UI for creating smart Chatbots. 

In Botpress, channels are installed and configured individually and locally, giving you complete control over the data transmitted between your Chatbot and the chat platforms. Botpress does not proxy the messages to a 3rd party service. 

Price

Channels

Power Virtual Agents

Power Virtual Agent, Low Code Chatbot platform

Power Virtual Agents aka PVA is Microsoft’s latest AI innovation for building Chatbots. You can build powerful Chatbots using a guided, No Code graphical interface that can be deployed for your team. Their comprehensive use cases cover sales, HR, finance, customer service, and virtually all channels where internal or external customers need to be engaged. 

Also, the cost of deploying and hosting the bots reduces as Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Services provides a conducive environment to host the application. But even after considering that, it is pretty expensive.

The tool is vastly popular. If your budget allows, PVA could be a great fit for you. To top everything off, Microsoft has created all of the documentation (with videos) required to understand and use the platform.

Price

Channels

Flow XO

Flow Xo, Low Code Chatbot platform

This Low Code platform enables users to build a range of Complex AI Chatbots. You can connect these bots with 100+ cloud apps. It is essentially a No Code platform so you can create your Chatbot without code. 

But if you want to add customization, they have a Code[2] option in their platform. It allows custom JavaScript to be executed and the result passed back into the flow. Scripts are executed in the Node.js JavaScript runtime. Their top use cases include accepting payments through Chatbots and providing an onboarding experience to new users.

Price

Channels

Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, SMS.

Tars

Tars, Automated Chatbot Platform

It is another Low Code platform to build automated Chatbots. The specialty of Tars lies in its templates. They have 1300+ predesigned templates for major industries such as Government, Insurance, Real Estate, Mortgage, Legal, and Education. 

If you don’t want to dedicate a lot of time to creating your Chatbot, Tars would be the apt choice for you. They also have smooth integrations with Zendesk, Google Calendar, and Hubspot. Apart from that, Tars provides 24/7 live chat support to paid users helping you set up and build automation.

Price

Channels

Website and WhatsApp.

Landbot.io

Landbot, Low Code Chatbot Platform

It is a Low Code platform that allows you to easily build rule-based bots. The interface uses AI to train your bot to solve the surface-level queries and lets a human jump into the conversation mid-way if the queries are getting too complicated. 

Although it offers a drag-and-drop interface, you can add a custom code block to write Javascript. If you plan to add a lot of custom code, it might increase the load time. Ensure you add whatever is necessary for the functioning of your Chatbot, not more. 

You can personalize your Chatbot according to your brand element. If you’re a small business owner, Landbot is best suited for your needs.

Price

Channels

Liveperson

Liveperson, Conversational AI Development Platform

It is a conversational AI platform that serves both technical and non-technical people. Their Conversation Builder offers a point-and-click interface with a guided assistant that walks users through the process of creating the Chatbot. They have a huge library of templates with a variety of use cases across multiple industries. 

In addition, there is a sub-domain dedicated to developers. You can add APIs and use the built-in scripting functions[3] to access variables and manipulate data. Their lack of free trial makes it less popular for new businesses. They compensate for this with the number of integration channels available. If you have a huge scope of automation and Chatbots in your business, you should go for it.

Price

Channels

Wrap Up

Chatbots have evolved into conversational AIs. They have helped companies deepen their understanding of customer behavior. With data, we can analyze and listen to customers as never before. When you integrate these conversational AI into your workflow, you realize the true potential of business automation. We hope we were able to help you choose your Low Code platform to build a Chatbot. 
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Introducing RAMPP, a No Code Platform to Build NFT Communities

The year 2022 has finished a quarter, we can see the popularity of No Code tech increasing [1] exponentially. Apart from No Code, there is another buzz going on in the investment and digital artwork industry. Non-Fungible Tokens aka NFTs. There are still extreme views on whether it’s just a fad or an investment opportunity. But early adopters and crypto enthusiasts are ready to roll the dice. Today, we are going to talk about a start-up that is trying to decentralize artists’ NFT projects. A team from the US has created Rampp with a vision to bring innovative No Code tools for NFT creators and community managers.

What is Rampp?

Rampp is an all-in-one NFT launch platform to create and manage your NFT community at scale without code. With Rampp, you can generate a customizable smart contract, upload your images and manage your whole project within no time.

While you can’t create your images through Rampp, they have partnered with NFT-Inator. It is an awesome tool to create NFT from layers. You can also add metadata without code. The images will be generated in the .png format and the metadata would be in the .json format.

Note - It is advised to have metadata with your NFTs to let your customers track their rarity.

screenshot of Rampp.xyz, a No Code platform for building nft communities
Image Credit: Rampp

How does Rampp Work?

Assuming that you followed the first step and created your NFT images, here Rampp comes into play. They have created a step-by-step process with images and video tutorials on each stage to guide you through your first NFT project.

The founder of Rampp, Timothy Carambat has created a YouTube playlist where you visually learn to create an NFT collection and use Rampp.xyz to launch your smart contract on OpenSea and other marketplaces.

What Makes Rampp So Great?

Here are some top features offered by the company:

Ownership

When you use Rampp, you own everything related to your NFT project from the IPFS node to the smart contract. Rampp only makes money when you do. They charge a 5% commission fee [2] on your revenue to set up your contract and provide all these services for the success of your NFT project.

Minting Button

Rampp provides a feature to turn any website into a Web3 site for your community to mint with a click. This feature saves a lot of time and effort.

Rampp, a No Code tool for building nft communities
Image Credit: Rampp

Lowered Deploy Cost

Rampp will send you 10% once you launch on Ethereum mainnet with Rampp. It is aligned with their vision to decentralize the NFT projects and give back to the artists and creators.

Final word

We are all excited to see how Rampp will unfold the new features expanding the No Code toolkit for NFT managers. If you are planning to build an NFT community, we strongly suggest you check out Rampp and their future plans. With such awesome advancements, we can predict that the Future of No Code is going to be exhilarating.

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