Mendix is one of the best-known low-code platforms. It is also the most prepared platform for businesses. Did you know that Mendix validates flows and is open, flexible, intuitive, scalable, and robust?
One downside of Mendix is its pricing model. Mendix is free to try, but if you want to build and use a simple application (like automating a spreadsheet), you will need the basic plan. Most companies opt for the Standard because it offers all the key features for the application lifecycle. You can also deploy the application to the cloud. The Standard Plan starts at € 800 per month for 1 application or € 2,000 per month for unlimited applications. You also pay per user (€ 10 or € 25).
There are many Mendix alternatives, but the best-known alternative is OutSystems. OutSystems has an intuitive development environment. Templates, sample data, and building blocks allow a user to quickly build an application. Elements are also easy to use, such as text and “if-else” statements. We also find the automated error testing works very well. There are some downsides, though. The startup costs are slightly higher, but they don’t rise quickly after scaling. Another disadvantage is the lack of a local testing environment. Working in the cloud can be a bit slower, so the development of an application will take longer.
Microsoft PowerApps is also a competitor of Mendix. PowerApps is the best choice if you want to develop simple applications (e.g., an app to book a meeting room), but there are limits when you want to build a more complicated application. Often, you have to purchase a more expensive Microsoft product to design an app. Debugging can be tricky at times, there aren’t many templates, and the documentation isn’t great. A pro of PowerApps is the fact it can be used by most business users. It’s not just for skilled programmers.
Pega is another low-code development platform and competes with Mendix. Pega is a stable and reliable multidimensional platform that can automate customers’ digital journeys. Pega is somewhat hard to understand and might require some training to be productive. However, processes, procedures, data models, and user interfaces are automated in such a way that software components can be reused efficiently. Another downside is it isn’t as fast as Mendix.
Appian is an integrated low-code platform that allows for the creation of applications and digital transformation for any kind of business or company. The pros of Appian are flexible local integration, strong features for the financial sector, and easy setup. There are some downsides. The graphical user interface could be simplified, it’s not easy to learn, the SQL database connection could be improved, and the authoring tool is slow to use. Both Mendix and Appian allow developers to create enterprise-level applications that can be connected to many third-party apps and data sources.
The last competitor is Zoho Creator. It’s a good solution for small businesses and is easy to learn. Its online IDE supports smart debugging, drag-and-drop code blocks, and code correction. Zoho Creator also supports HTML and JavaScript code import options. However, you need to be familiar with Deluge to use Zoho Creator. Also, there isn’t any application to be installed on Mac or Windows.
Do you find it hard to make a choice? Please get in touch with the developers at GDK Software. We’re happy to assist and advise you!
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