Many businesses use Appian because the app-building platform offers considerable power and enterprise functionalities. However, the platform doesn’t appeal to everyone because of its enterprise-only pricing and technical skill requirements.
Read on to learn more about:
- Top 8 competitors to Appian
- Features limitations of each one
- Choosing the best Appian alternative
What Is Appian?
Appian provides a low-code app-building platform tailored to the unique needs of larger organizations and enterprises. While it offers tools to help you create automated workflows, you can weave several other processes into your app, including artificial intelligence (AI), data management, and even robotics.
The platform particularly appeals to those in sectors such as financial services, government, insurance, and manufacturing. Appian excels at rapid app development and productivity-boosting workflow automations.
Ultimately, Appian is a low-code app builder, so users must have technical experience before using the platform. While you won’t need to be a full-stack developer, you should have a basic understanding of logical constructs (like conditions and loops), data management, an idea of how APIs work for integrations, and some SQL knowledge.
Conveniently, Appian offers training and certification programs so you can develop the necessary skills to get the most out of its platform. Each certification costs $200.
Why Look for Appian Alternatives?
While large organizations in specific industries might jump at Appian, the platform doesn’t appeal to everyone. Here are a few reasons why some people and businesses might want to go with an app-builder other than Appian:
- Appeals to large organizations only: Entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small and medium businesses most likely won’t need any of Appian’s enterprise-level features, such as the need for extensive automation of complex processes.
Most smaller organizations can build the app or tool they need with a smaller, easier-to-use platform.
- Appian requires some technical skills: Appian is a low-code platform, not a no-code platform. Learning Appian will be a struggle if you don’t have any experience with tech or tech concepts.
- Enterprise pricing only: While Appian doesn’t publish its pricing, and you’ll need to contact its sales department through its website, its cheapest plans most likely cost in the $1,000s per month, depending on how many features you need to be customized to your business.
This is quite a tall order for smaller and medium-sized businesses, which will most likely not be able to afford these steep monthly costs.
- Not flexible: As we mentioned earlier, Appian shines at creating sector-specific apps. If you want to make an app to manage your company’s real-estate listings or one to take bookings and payments for your tattoo business, you’ll probably be better served looking elsewhere.
The Top 3 Appian Alternatives at A Glance
Top 8 Appian Alternatives
#1 Adalo
Overview
Adalo is a no-code native mobile app-building platform that provides the perfect blend of power and simplicity to build nearly any app.
Who It’s Best For
Adalo appeals to nearly anyone because it requires no technical knowledge or programming skills. You can develop an app for almost any small business using the super-simple building interface, which gives you nearly pixel-perfect design freedom. This allows you to configure an on-brand app that meets your needs and tastes.
While easy enough for nearly anyone, Adalo doesn’t sacrifice power for simplicity. With 1,000s of integrations and dozens of third-party plugins, Adalo provides enough tools to give your app the oomph it needs to help your business succeed.
Unlike many app-building platforms, Adalo lets you publish your app on the web, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store.
Limitations
While Adalo works great for smaller and medium-sized businesses, it doesn’t provide an enterprise version. So, large-scale organizations that need large-scale features like being able to keep your source code, patch in custom commands, or run on-prem might need something else.
Pricing
Get started with Adalo for only $45/month.
#2 Retool
Overview
Retool is an Appian low-code competitor. It offers a robust environment for connecting your databases, APIs, and more to your app.
Who It’s Best For
Retool has a version for businesses of all sizes — from fresh startups to large-scale enterprises. It’s specifically built for companies looking to create their internal business tools, such as CRM boards, project management tools, accounting software, and more.
While Retool has a straightforward drag-and-drop frontend builder, you’ll need a database before building your front end. You can connect your own, as Retool has over 70 database integrations to Mongo DB, several SQL databases, and many others.
If you don’t have a database but know your way around one, you can build your own with Retool’s internal database builder. This makes it easy for folks who know what they want to build out all parts of their app in one easy place.
Limitations
Because it’s a low-code platform, Retool requires some technical knowledge. Additionally, the platform is designed to create internal business tools like CRM boards, project management tools, and more. So, if you need to make an app for your cafe, Retool might not be a good option.
Pricing
Retool’s pricing starts at $10/month per user, which Retool defines as people who can build and edit your app and $5/ month per all end users who log into and use it. This version lets you connect nearly any database to your app and run advanced tests to ensure it runs smoothly.
You can grant special permissions for certain folks for $50/month per user and $15/month per end user. This version also lets you send push notifications to get information out to your team quickly.
#3 Bubble
Overview
Bubble is a no-code web app builder with one of the most robust ecosystems in the app-building space.
Who It’s Best For
Bubble is a no-code tool that doesn’t require any tech knowledge. This means that nearly anyone can learn the platform — unlike Appian, you won’t need to know tech concepts or how to markup database schema.
It’s also flexible enough to create nearly any web app you can imagine — an internal business tool of all shapes and sizes or an external, client-facing tool for your business. When you start building with Bubble, you’ll have access to thousands of premade templates and add-ons, which can power up your app.
Limitations
The great power that comes with Bubble must be earned: The platform has a steep learning curve that takes a few months to nail down. Additionally, the Bubble platform only lets you build web apps — you won’t be able to create native mobile apps that you can put in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store directly with Bubble.
Pricing
Publish your first app with Bubble for $32/month (billed monthly), and get 50GB of file storage and unlimited database entries. The next version, at $134/month (billed monthly), provides 100GB of file storage and up to 14 days of database backups.
#4 Noloco
Overview
Noloco is an app builder that leverages no-code ease and lets businesses build their internal web apps.
Who It’s Best For
Noloco has a pricing tier for businesses of all sizes looking to build their internal app or tool. Because it boasts a no-code drag-and-drop interface, you won’t need to bring any tech skills.
Like most app-building platforms for creating internal business tools and software, you’ll be best served with a pre-existing database. Noloco integrates with popular database providers like SmartSuite, Airtable, Postgres, Google Sheets, and more.
Limitations
While Noloco harnesses the power of no-code simplicity, you can only use it to create web apps — you won’t be able to publish your apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Additionally, Noloco is used for building internal business tools only, so if you want to make an external, client-facing app like a booking or e-commerce app, you might want to look elsewhere.
Pricing
For $49/month (billed monthly), you can connect up to 5,000 rows of data. The $149/month (billed monthly) version is made for businesses with more extensive databases, providing up to 50,000 data rows.
#5 Draftbit
Overview
Draftbit is a low-code platform for building web and native mobile apps. It can also publish apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Who It’s Best For
Like Appian, you’ll need some technical background to use Draftbit. Unlike Appian, Draftbit allows you to create external, client-facing apps. So, if you’re a techie and want to use your computer skills to develop an app for your small cafe, Draftbit might be a great option.
Draftbit also comes with developer-friendly features to supercharge your app. You can patch your unique code to create particular functionalities, share your app on GitHub for developer feedback, and keep your source code if you want to develop it on another platform or with code.
Limitations
Like any other low-code platform, you’ll need to have technical experience to use Draftbit. And even if you are a techie, you might not need some of Draftbit’s advanced features, like the ability to patch in your own lines of code.
Pricing
Draftbit offers 3 pricing tiers, each appealing to different needs.
The first tier's pricing starts at $29/month (billed monthly), allowing for Apple App Store and Google Play Store publishing. You’ll also be able to connect unlimited API endpoints for data transfer.
The second pricing tier is geared towards teams. It starts at $249/month (billed monthly) and lets you publish up to 15 apps with 5 different editors who can work together in real time.
Starting at $2,000/month (billed monthly), the third tier lets you hand off your app development to Draftbit’s internal team. As the client, you’ll set the building pace and communicate with the team via Slack.
#6 Glide
Overview
Glide is a no-code web app builder that emphasizes aesthetics.
Who It’s Best For
If you prioritize a sleek and modern design, you should shortlist Glide. You can choose from over 100 free and paid templates for building various apps, such as HR, Portals and Dashboards, Project management, and more. Every template crushes the eye test.
While you can make a web app for nearly any application, Glide excels at building internal business applications. While you can create your database using Glide Tables, Glide also integrates with several database providers, like Airtable, Google Sheets, and more.
Limitations
You won’t be able to create apps for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, as the Glide platform only supports web app publishing.
You’ll also need to start building your frontend from your database — this means you’ll need to create your database first. This makes Glide less customizable than other no-code and low-code platforms.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $60/month (billed monthly), allowing you to make 1 app with 5GB of storage capacity. You’ll also get Glide’s slick AI features to add extra power to your app.
The $125/month (billed monthly) version, catering to the needs of teams or app-building agencies, lets you build multiple apps with up to 5 editors, allowing for up to 100GB of storage space.
#7 Softr
Overview
Softr is a no-code platform that lets you create a web app from an existing database.
Who It’s Best For
If you’re a business with a database and want to transform it into an app fast, you should check out Softr. Softr integrates with databases like Airtable, SmartSuite, Hubspot, and others, allowing you to connect your data when signing up for Softr.
Once your database is connected, Softr leverages a simple building interface that lets you cobble your app together by dragging and dropping blocks, which visualize your data. This allows you to create a robust app without much fuss or the need for technical knowledge.
Limitations
If you don’t already have a database, you won’t be able to use Softr, so bringing a database is an absolute must. Because of the database requirements, Softr mainly supports developing database-driven internal business tools, not external, client-facing apps.
Additionally, the Softr platform doesn’t support publishing on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. So, if you’re looking to build an app you can get in front of the 1 billion+ combined app-store crowd, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Pricing
The first tier, at $59/month (billed monthly), allows you to create unlimited apps with a total of 5,000 database records for every block (charts, tables, graphs, etc.). To remove the Softr branding and get up to 25,000 database records per block, try the $167/month (billed monthly) version.
#8 Salesforce Lighting
Overview
Salesforce Lightning is a low-code CRM app builder designed to streamline sales team productivity and improve collaboration.
Who It’s Best For
Salesforce Lightning is ideal for teams that work at all marketing funnel stages — from generating leads to dealing with established clients. The intuitive user interface allows you to customize your CRM tools and workflows.
Additionally, Salesforce Lightning features tools that provide AI-driven insights to increase sales, accelerate marketing campaigns, and simplify workflows.
Limitations
While some of the features are simple and no-code, customization requires some technical knowledge. Overall, the platform has a higher learning curve, which creates additional challenges when onboarding.
Pricing
Salesforce Lightning offers several different pricing tiers that accommodate teams of all sizes, starting at $7/month (billed annually at $84) and going up to around $40,000/month (billed monthly). For more information, access the pricing plans on the Salesforce Lightning website.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between No-Code and Low-Code?
No-code and low-code are very different platforms. In a nutshell, anyone can learn and use a no-code platform without having any background knowledge in tech. While some no-code platforms, like Bubble, have a learning curve, you’ll be able to learn everything you need to know within the ecosystem itself, meaning you won’t need general external knowledge like the logic behind coding or how to decipher JSON.
However, you’ll need some of the general tech knowledge we mentioned above to leverage a low-code platform.
Can I Switch Platforms After Starting with One Low-Code Provider?
Many low-code platforms allow you to keep your app’s source code. So, theoretically, if you’re unsatisfied with the platform, you can download your app’s source code, sign up with a new low-code app builder, and upload your old source code.
However, you’ll need to check with the platform you aim to switch to before guaranteeing you can use source code from another low-code platform. There’s a good chance that you might have to jump through a few hoops before successfully uploading your source code and resuming app development.
Which Appian Alternative is Cheapest?
Most of our competitors to Appian are cheaper than Appian’s enterprise-level tiers, which we mentioned most likely cost in the $1,000s per month. For techies, Retool and Draftbit offer very wallet-friendly entry-level tiers for as little as $10/month (billed monthly) and $29/month (billed monthly).
Folks looking for a no-code platform should check out Adalo and Bubble. Bubble’s first tier only costs $32/month (billed monthly) but has a significant learning curve and doesn’t allow for app store publishing.
Adalo, however, is $45/month (billed monthly), much easier to learn, and allows you to publish to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Adalo: A No-Code Appian Alternative
If you don’t call yourself a techie and your business isn’t on the enterprise scale, we have the perfect app-building platform for you: Adalo.
Adalo is a no-code Appian alternative that meets the needs of freelancers and small and medium businesses. It provides robust power, including 1,000s of integrations, connections to database providers like Airtable and Xano, and more.
However, Adalo doesn’t sacrifice simplicity for power: The app-building platform is so simple that you can use it right out of the box. Adalo is one of the few alternatives to Appian that lets you publish to the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and the web.
