I want to discuss what I have found in using and researching various no code application builders and picking a product that could work for you.
Let me start out by saying I don’t consider no code application builder products to include website only development tools. You can find web site development tools on hosting sites like WiX and Blue Host. I think of no code application builders are platforms that allow you to create a mobile app that generates code that can be uploaded to Apple or Google app stores. And yes, the product should generate code for both app stores.
Learning Curve
While there are many tools that help non-technical founders build no code applications, not all of them give founders enough technical power to build the exact app they want. Some of the products have steep learning curves.
Ease of Use
Are you a non-technical founder that hasn’t written any code in ages? If so, then ease of use should be top of your list of considerations when evaluating an app development tool? Look on You Tube and search for tutorial type videos to get a feel for the app builder tool. Are there multiple quality videos that demo how to use the tool and how someone created a specific app? Look on the vendor website at the tutorials and documentation. Are they easy to follow?
Robust
Not all products will allow you to create mobile app code for all mobile devices with a responsive design element. Will the app work on both phones and tablets and for various sized screens. Various products will also create web apps as well as mobile apps. What are your needs?
Flexibility
How flexible is the app builder? Can I create something as simple as an if then conditional statement? For example, if a field in the database has a particular value then display a link to another page or video.
Database
You need to think about your database requirements. How robust of a backend database are you going to need? What is the cost of the database storage and user access? Is the database part of the design package in the no code application?
Does the no code app builder have integration for various database backends? Can I connect to Firebase, Air Table and Xano. How easy is that integration? Several of the products give good instructions to easily connect your database API for CRUD operations (create, read, update, delete).
How well do you like the database functionality if it provided as the no code builder? Would you prefer to you the Airtable database but are locked into the provided no code database?
Uploadability
I call it “uploadability”. Can I upload the generated code to the App Stores? Are the instructions and process easy to follow? Does the uploaded code work in the App Stores? I talked with one developer who loved their no code app until they got ready to go live. They could never get their code uploaded and working in the app stores. They had to abandon all the work they had done in the app tool.
How easily can I update the app after I have published it in the app stores? Check the vendor documentation.
Testing
How do I test the mobile app before I try and upload the code? Does the no code app builder include an easy means of testing during the development process? Some builders have the testing built into the no code app builder while others have a separate free product you download from the app store to test with right on your mobile device. Does the generated code work well on both an Apple and Android device? Does the generated code work correctly on both a phone and tablet?
Pricing
As a small business I am concerned with pricing. Do I get a free development license to see if the app builder product will handle what I want? What do I have to pay when I go live to remove an app builder logo and screen and get full functionality?
Support
What is the support model? Do I have to abandon my free development environment to get any support? In other words how much more do I pay for the possibility of support? How robust is the community of developers that can provide some help and assistance without additional costs.
Integrations
Provided integrations can include many things depending on your needs. Does the product allow you to include Chat functionality easily and cheaply? Can you accept payments through a third-party platform like Stripe? Can you add e-commerce functionality into your app? Can you use the Firebase authentication database functionality?
Troubleshooting
Some products have better troubleshooting/debugging tools engineered into the product. I found it helpful to turn on debugging in one product to see why the database API write request was not working.
User Authentication
Can I easily create authentication sign ins for Firebase, Google and Facebook? Some users like to use their Google log in information. As a development I like all the functionality the Firebase authentication provides such as confirmation email and password resets. Can you create any Anonymous sign in with the app product so users don’t need to log in?
Maturity
What does the future functionality list look like or is one provided by the vendor? Are users pushing for some functionality that you will need? Is the app builder robust enough for your needs.
Summary
I have supplied a list of questions that you should consider when picking a no code application builder platform. Depending on your needs some items may be more important than others. Some No Code App Builders you should consider are AppGyver, Adalo, Bravo Studio, Backendless, Bubble, Wappler, Bildr, Draftbit and FlutterFlow just to name a few.
I created my mobile app which is in the app stores which is call Rx Laughter using the no code app builder Bravo Studio, Figma for design and Airtable for the database. They are work together to create the app. Check it out. I was able to accomplish many of the things I talk about here with these products.
Hopefully this was helpful.