Appsheet vs PowerApps: Which Is The Better App Maker?

With AppSheet and PowerApps, you can quickly build applications without coding. These no-code app platforms offer different features to help you build custom solutions. This post provides an in-depth comparison of AppSheet vs PowerApps.

What is Google AppSheet?

AppSheet is a no-code platform allowing users to create powerful applications and automation without writing code. It integrates with Google Workspace and other third-party applications, allowing users to easily connect their data.

What is Microsoft Power apps?

PowerApps, part of the Microsoft Power Platform, is a low-code development platform that allows users to create custom applications tailored to their business needs. It provides a variety of tools and features to simplify application development.

Appsheet vs PowerApps Features

Both AppSheet and PowerApps are popular low-code/no-code development platforms for building mobile and web applications. Here’s a breakdown of their key features to help you compare:

PowerApps Features

AI-Powered Development:

• Create apps with AI assistance through Copilot, which can design apps based on descriptions.
• AI-generated suggestions for controls and components to speed up app development.

Flexible Development Options:

• Start from various sources such as tables, sketches, sentences, or custom code.
• Use prebuilt templates and drag-and-drop functionality for quick app building.

Governance and Security:

• Enterprise-grade governance to manage and control apps across the organization.
• Leading governance tools to set up environments and mitigate IT risks.

Integration and Extensibility:

• Interoperability with Microsoft Azure, Visual Studio, and GitHub.
• Over 1,200 connectors to integrate with various data sources.

Low-Code and Custom Code Development:

• Utilize Microsoft Power Fx, a low-code programming language, across the platform.
• Option to see and modify underlying code (YAML) directly in Power Apps Studio.

Data Management:

• Built-in Microsoft Dataverse for secure data management and compliance.
• Ability to create apps from data models with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

AI and Automation Integration:

• Incorporate predefined AI models and custom AI solutions with AI Builder.
• Enhance productivity with Copilot features for natural language queries and automated data insights.

Mobile and Offline Capabilities:

• Develop mobile apps optimized for various devices.
• Offline-first architecture to enable app functionality without a network connection.

Appsheet Features

Adapt to Workflows

• Create apps tailored to business needs.
• Publish Google Chat apps with one click.
• Capture data using various formats (forms, barcodes, signatures).
• AppSheet is ideal for building custom business solutions.

Automation Capabilities

• Automate email, SMS, and push notifications.
• Build workflow logic with triggers, conditions, and branches.
• Incorporate AI for document processing and OCR.

Data Integration

• Connect with Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Sheets, Apps Script, Chat).
• Integrate with third-party apps like Office 365, Dropbox, Salesforce.
• Support for Big Query, SQL databases, Apigee, REST APIs, and OData.

Security and Governance

• Built-in security controls and encryption.
• Manage developers, users, and data governance.
• Zero Trust approach to data security.

Templates and Resources

• App templates for various industries and use cases.
• Tutorials and help center for learning and support.
• Community and partner resources for collaboration.

Integration with Google Workspace

• Enhanced collaboration and connectivity with Google tools.
• Customizable and scalable applications within Google Workspace environment.

Appsheet vs PowerApps Pricing

PowerApps Pricing

Developer Plan

• Cost: Free
• Includes: Build and test unlimited apps, Full-featured Power Apps and Power Automate tools, Three environments for experimentation.

Power Apps Premium

• Cost: $20.00/user/month
• Includes: Unlimited applications, Modernization and deployment features, and Comprehensive app management tools.

Appsheet Pricing

Starter Plan

• Cost: $5 user/month
• Includes: Basic application and automation features, Connection to spreadsheets and cloud file storage providers, AppSheet database.

Core Plan

• Cost: $10 /user/month
• Includes: Advanced application and automation features, Connection to spreadsheets and file storage providers, Application security controls, Email customer support, AppSheet database.

Enterprise Standard Plan

• Cost: Request a quote
• Includes: Advanced application and automation features, Connection to spreadsheets, cloud file storage, cloud databases, APIs, and SaaS services, Application security and team management controls, Machine learning modeling, Priority customer support, AppSheet database

Enterprise Plus Plan

• Cost: Request a quote
• Includes: Advanced application and automation features, Connect to spreadsheets, cloud file storage, cloud databases, APIs, SaaS services, and enterprise data services, Enhanced application security, team management, and governance controls, Machine learning modeling, Priority customer support, AppSheet database.

AppSheet vs PowerApps: User interface & design capabilities

AppSheet

• Focuses on Simplicity: AppSheet leans towards a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface ideal for citizen developers. It prioritizes ease of use over extensive design customization.
• Limited Code Control: While some logic and workflow customization is possible with expressions and scripting, complex UI modifications might require coding expertise.

PowerApps

• More Design Flexibility: PowerApps is made for users who want more control over the look and feel. It allows for deeper UI customization with features like custom controls and layouts.
• Learning Curve: The additional design power comes with a bit of a learning curve. Users may need some experience with design principles or coding to fully utilize these features.

Target Audience

• AppSheet: Businesses needing quick app creation from data sources (e.g., spreadsheets, databases). Citizen developers with little coding experience can get started easily.
• PowerApps: Enterprises that need deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem (e.g., Office 365, Azure). Users who are comfortable with Microsoft products and potentially have some coding experience might find it a better fit.

PowerApps vs AppSheet: App stability and performance

Both PowerApps and AppSheet are generally considered stable platforms for building and deploying business applications. However, there are some factors to consider:

Power Apps:

• Pros: Backed by Microsoft’s infrastructure, Power Apps offers a reliable foundation for enterprise-grade applications. Microsoft continuously invests in improving its cloud services.
• Cons: Complex apps with heavy integrations or data workloads might experience occasional slowdowns.

AppSheet:

• Pros: AppSheet is known for its speed and efficiency. Apps built with AppSheet tend to be lightweight and perform well on various devices. Additionally, AppSheet apps perform well on Android devices.
• Cons: Relatively smaller platform compared to Microsoft.

Appsheet vs PowerApps Overview

When choosing between AppSheet and PowerApps, consider your business needs and technical skills. AppSheet is ideal for those who need a quick, no-code solution with strong Google Workspace integration. It’s easy to use and has solid automation capabilities. PowerApps is more flexible and has deeper integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. It’s better for organizations that need advanced customization and extensive policy management tools.

AppSheet and PowerApps have different user interfaces and design capabilities. AppSheet is simple and easy to use, while PowerApps has more design flexibility but a steeper learning curve.

Final thoughts

AppSheet and Power apps are not the most popular platforms but excel in their specific areas. You can get the most out of them using Google Workspace or Microsoft applications.

But if you do not use Google or Microsoft tools extensively, you may not get the most out of AppSheet, Power Apps. So consider keeping your options open and using other tools like Bubble or Flutterflow.