12 Best Low Code Development Platforms for 2025: A Deep Dive

The promise of low-code development is clear: build and deploy applications faster, with less reliance on specialised coding skills. But with a crowded and often confusing market, how do you move from a promising idea to a scalable, secure, and maintainable application that truly meets your business objectives? Choosing the wrong tool can lead to wasted resources, technical debt, and projects that never get off the ground.

This guide is designed to cut through the noise. We provide an in-depth, comparative analysis of the 12 best low code development platforms available today, focusing on real-world use cases, honest limitations, and practical implementation advice. For those new to the concept, a foundational understanding of the core principles is beneficial. To gain a foundational understanding of the core concept, consider exploring this quick guide on what is low code development and how it speeds app creation.

Inside this comprehensive resource, you will find a detailed breakdown of each platform, complete with direct links and screenshots. We will explore who each platform is truly for, from UK startups needing rapid internal tools to large enterprises launching complex, customer-facing web applications. We will also touch on how these tools can integrate with powerful web platforms like Webflow, a speciality of ours at Derrick.dk, to create seamless digital experiences. Our goal is simple: to equip you with the insights needed to select the one platform that will genuinely accelerate your business goals, helping you build better and faster. Let's find your perfect fit.

1. Microsoft Power Apps

Microsoft Power Apps is an enterprise-grade solution for building custom business applications with minimal coding. It shines particularly within organisations already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, offering unparalleled integration with Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure. This makes it one of the best low code development platforms for creating internal tools, such as expense reporting apps, project management trackers, or customer service portals that connect directly to your existing data sources.

The platform's core strength lies in its powerful data layer, Dataverse, and its vast library of over 1,000 pre-built connectors. These allow you to securely connect to data across various services, both within and outside the Microsoft suite. To understand the broader ecosystem around Microsoft Power Apps, read our detailed guide on the Microsoft Power Platform explained.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Internal Business Apps: Ideal for creating task-specific tools for teams, such as inventory management or employee onboarding workflows that integrate with SharePoint and Teams.
• Data Integration: Excellent for unifying data from multiple systems (like Salesforce, SQL Server, and custom APIs) into a single, functional application interface.
• Enterprise Governance: System administrators benefit from robust governance controls, including environment management and data loss prevention (DLP) policies, ensuring security and compliance.

Pricing & Suitability

2. Salesforce Platform (Lightning Platform)

The Salesforce Platform extends the world's leading CRM into a powerful low-code development environment. It is designed for businesses that need to build custom applications, automations, and portals that are deeply integrated with their Salesforce data. Using tools like Lightning App Builder and Flow Builder, teams can create sophisticated apps that leverage Salesforce's robust security, data models, and extensive ecosystem without writing significant code. This makes it one of the best low code development platforms for organisations centred around the Salesforce ecosystem.

Its main advantage is the ability to build directly on top of your customer data, ensuring a single source of truth. The platform's AppExchange is a massive marketplace of pre-built components and third-party applications, which can dramatically accelerate development. This allows businesses to create anything from complex operational workflows to customer-facing portals that feel like a natural extension of their core CRM.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• CRM-Centric Applications: Perfect for building apps that enhance sales, service, or marketing processes, such as custom quoting tools, field service management dashboards, or partner community portals.
• Complex Automation: Flow Builder allows for the creation of sophisticated, multi-step business process automations that can interact with Salesforce records and trigger actions across the platform.
• Extending Salesforce Functionality: Ideal for customising and extending the core Salesforce CRM to meet unique business requirements that are not covered by standard features.

Pricing & Suitability

3. OutSystems

OutSystems is an enterprise-grade platform engineered for building complex, mission-critical web and mobile applications. It stands out by offering a full-stack visual development environment that covers everything from front-end UI to back-end logic and data models. This makes it one of the best low code development platforms for organisations that need high performance, scalability, and robust security without sacrificing development speed. Its integrated DevSecOps and CI/CD capabilities streamline the entire application lifecycle, from creation to deployment and management.

The platform’s strength is its ability to handle sophisticated requirements, including complex integrations and high-performance demands. With new generative AI features like the Agent Workbench, OutSystems allows developers to orchestrate AI agents for advanced automation. To get a foundational understanding of the technology, explore this guide on what is low-code development. Its flexible deployment options-cloud, self-managed, or hybrid-cater to specific enterprise governance needs.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Mission-Critical Applications: Perfect for building core business systems like customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, internal ERP extensions, or field service management apps that require high availability.
• Complex Web & Mobile Apps: Its full-stack capabilities are well-suited for consumer-facing portals and B2B applications with intricate workflows and data processing requirements.
• Legacy System Modernisation: Organisations can use OutSystems to gradually replace outdated legacy systems with modern, scalable, and more maintainable applications.

Pricing & Suitability

4. Mendix

Mendix is a high-performance, enterprise-grade low-code platform backed by Siemens, designed for building everything from simple departmental apps to complex, core business systems. It excels in offering a collaborative, visual development environment that supports the entire application lifecycle, making it one of the best low code development platforms for organisations demanding both speed and scalability. Mendix provides extensive support for creating native mobile and progressive web applications with a focus on delivering exceptional user experiences.

The platform is recognised for its flexibility in deployment, allowing businesses to host applications on the Mendix Cloud, any major public cloud provider, or on-premises infrastructure. This choice provides the control necessary for meeting specific security, compliance, and governance requirements. Furthermore, Mendix fosters a strong community and offers the Mendix Academy, an extensive learning resource for developers of all skill levels.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Enterprise Core Systems: Suitable for modernising legacy systems or building new mission-critical applications like ERP extensions, customer portals, or operational dashboards.
• Native Mobile Applications: Develop true native iOS and Android apps with offline capabilities, camera access, and other device-specific features using a single, visual model.
• Collaborative Development: Its integrated environment supports fusion teams, where business analysts and professional developers can collaborate effectively on the same application model.

Pricing & Suitability

5. Appian

Appian is a high-end, enterprise-focused platform designed for complex process automation, case management, and workflow applications. It excels in highly regulated industries like finance, insurance, and the public sector, where robust security, compliance, and process orchestration are critical. The platform unifies data, automation (including RPA and AI), and process modelling into a single environment, positioning it as one of the best low code development platforms for orchestrating complex, end-to-end business operations.

A key differentiator for Appian is its “Data Fabric” technology, which allows developers to build applications on top of existing enterprise systems without moving the data. This simplifies integration and accelerates development while maintaining data governance. For those looking to trial its capabilities, Appian offers a generous, no-time-limit Community Edition, which is perfect for learning the platform and building proof-of-concept applications before committing to a significant investment.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Complex Workflow & Case Management: Ideal for building applications for loan origination, insurance claims processing, or regulatory compliance tracking that involve multiple stages, departments, and systems.
• Process Automation: Combines low-code app development with RPA, AI, and process mining to automate and optimise core business processes, from customer onboarding to supply chain management.
• Flexible Deployment: Supports cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment models, providing the flexibility needed for large organisations with specific data residency or infrastructure requirements.

Pricing & Suitability

6. ServiceNow App Engine

ServiceNow App Engine empowers organisations to build custom business applications directly on the Now Platform, leveraging its powerful workflow and automation capabilities. It excels in environments where deep integration with existing ServiceNow modules like ITSM, HR Service Delivery, or Customer Service Management is paramount. This makes it one of the best low code development platforms for creating enterprise-grade applications that streamline and automate internal processes with robust governance and security.

The platform’s App Engine Studio and Flow Designer provide a guided, visual development experience, while the recent inclusion of Now Assist introduces generative AI to accelerate development and improve user experiences. Its core appeal lies in extending the value of an organisation's existing ServiceNow investment, enabling citizen developers and IT professionals to collaborate on building and deploying applications within a controlled and familiar framework, ensuring consistency and compliance across the enterprise.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Process Automation: Perfect for automating complex, cross-departmental workflows, such as employee onboarding that touches HR, IT, and Facilities, all within a single platform.
• Extending ServiceNow Functionality: Ideal for building custom applications that fill gaps in existing ServiceNow products, like a specialised asset tracking tool for the IT department or a project intake portal for the PMO.
• Enterprise-Grade Internal Tools: Suitable for creating secure, scalable, and compliant applications for regulated industries, thanks to built-in governance, security, and data management features.

Pricing & Suitability

7. Zoho Creator

Zoho Creator is a highly accessible low-code platform designed primarily for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to digitise their internal operations. It excels at helping teams quickly build custom applications for specific needs like data collection forms, approval workflows, and simple operational dashboards. Its strength lies in its balance between a simple drag-and-drop interface for beginners and its proprietary scripting language, Deluge, which allows for more complex logic and customisation as skills develop.

As part of the wider Zoho ecosystem, Creator offers seamless integration with other Zoho products like CRM, Books, and Projects, making it a powerful choice for organisations already using these tools. This positions it as one of the best low code development platforms for businesses seeking an all-in-one solution to manage their processes without a significant initial investment or steep learning curve. The platform also helpfully provides UK-localised pricing and tax handling.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Internal Tooling for SMBs: Perfect for creating bespoke apps to manage inventory, track orders, or handle HR requests, replacing cumbersome spreadsheets.
• Rapid Prototyping: The drag-and-drop builder and extensive template library enable users to build and deploy functional applications in hours, not weeks.
• Workflow Automation: Ideal for automating multi-step business processes, such as lead-to-sale pipelines or expense claim approvals that require notifications and data updates.

Pricing & Suitability

8. Pega Platform

Pega Platform is a sophisticated low-code solution engineered for large-scale enterprise automation, focusing on complex workflow, decisioning, and case management. It distinguishes itself with a model-driven development approach, allowing organisations to design and orchestrate intricate, multi-departmental processes visually. Its architecture is built to handle the complexities of regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and insurance, making it one of the best low code development platforms for mission-critical operations.

The platform’s standout feature is its powerful combination of AI-powered decisioning and end-to-end case lifecycle management. It enables businesses to build applications that not only automate tasks but also intelligently guide user actions and decisions. Recently, Pega has integrated GenAI Blueprint, a tool that helps teams rapidly design application workflows by describing them in natural language, significantly accelerating the initial development phase.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Complex Case Management: Ideal for building applications for processes like insurance claims processing, loan origination, or customer complaint resolution that involve multiple stages, stakeholders, and data sources.
• Intelligent Automation: Superb for creating systems that require sophisticated business rules and AI-driven decisioning, such as personalised customer engagement or real-time fraud detection.
• Large-Scale Process Orchestration: Suitable for unifying disparate legacy systems and automating cross-functional workflows across an entire enterprise, ensuring consistency and compliance.

Pricing & Suitability

9. Retool

Retool is a developer-centric low-code platform designed for building internal tools with exceptional speed. It differentiates itself by allowing engineers to write SQL queries and JavaScript directly within the interface, combining the efficiency of a drag-and-drop UI with the power of actual code. This makes it one of the best low code development platforms for creating data-heavy admin panels, dashboards, and internal workflows without the typical constraints of purely visual builders.

The platform offers a library of over 50 pre-built UI components and connects to nearly any database or API. Its architecture is particularly appealing to technical teams who need to build and deploy custom operational software quickly, from customer support dashboards to inventory management systems. For organisations requiring maximum control, Retool also provides a self-hosted deployment option.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Custom Admin Panels: Ideal for building interfaces to manage application databases, view user data, or handle customer support tickets by connecting directly to your production database or APIs.
• Data-Driven Dashboards: Excellent for creating real-time operational dashboards that pull data from multiple sources like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Stripe into a single, interactive view.
• Internal Workflows & Automation: With features like Retool Workflows and the new AI-powered Agents, it's perfect for automating multi-step business processes, such as user onboarding or order fulfilment.

Pricing & Suitability

10. Bubble

Bubble is one of the most powerful and popular no-code platforms, enabling entrepreneurs and developers to build complex, interactive web applications without writing a single line of code. It distinguishes itself by providing an all-in-one solution that includes a visual drag-and-drop editor, a fully managed database, and a sophisticated workflow system. This makes it a top choice for creating SaaS products, marketplaces, and social networks from scratch.

The platform's core appeal lies in its flexibility and the vast ecosystem of user-created plugins, which extend its functionality significantly. Users can design, develop, and launch production-ready applications, handling everything from user authentication to payment processing within the Bubble environment. For a deeper analysis of how it stacks up against other visual development tools, see this detailed comparison of Webflow vs Bubble.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• SaaS & Marketplaces: Ideal for building fully functional software-as-a-service products, two-sided marketplaces, or complex internal tools that require custom logic and data management.
• Rapid Prototyping (MVPs): Allows founders to quickly build and test a minimum viable product (MVP) with real users before committing to expensive custom development.
• Custom Web Applications: Perfect for creating bespoke web apps with unique workflows, API integrations, and user-generated content features that go beyond standard websites.

Pricing & Suitability

11. Airtable

Airtable brilliantly merges the familiarity of a spreadsheet with the power of a relational database, making it a uniquely accessible low-code development platform. It excels at building operational applications, such as content calendars, project trackers, or CRM systems, by allowing users to structure data in flexible tables and then build custom front-ends using its Interfaces feature. This approach empowers teams to create visual, interactive apps directly on top of their core business data.

The platform's strength lies in its intuitive data organisation combined with powerful Automations and expanding AI capabilities. Users can trigger workflows between Airtable and other tools or use AI to summarise information and generate content within their apps. For those looking to connect it to a front-end website, you can explore our guide on the Webflow and Airtable integration.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Operational Hubs: Perfect for creating a central source of truth for marketing campaigns, product roadmaps, or sales pipelines that teams can interact with through custom interfaces.
• Data-driven Workflows: Use Automations to streamline processes like sending notifications when a status changes or creating weekly summary reports, reducing manual admin work.
• Rapid Prototyping: Quickly build and test functional internal tools or database back-ends for web applications without writing complex code, validating ideas faster.

Pricing & Suitability

12. Nintex

Nintex positions itself as a low-code platform dedicated to process intelligence and automation. It excels at helping organisations map, manage, and automate complex business processes from start to finish. This process-centric approach makes it one of the best low code development platforms for companies looking to streamline operations, such as contract lifecycle management, customer onboarding, or sophisticated approval chains that require document generation and e-signatures.

The platform is renowned for its visual workflow designer and powerful form builder, which allow users to create sophisticated, logic-driven applications without deep technical expertise. Its strong historical ties to the Microsoft ecosystem, particularly SharePoint, make it a natural fit for businesses already invested in those technologies. Nintex offers various entry points, including cloud and Salesforce-native options, along with a 30-day free trial to explore its capabilities.

Core Strengths & Use Cases

• Process Automation: Perfect for building end-to-end workflow solutions that involve multiple departments, document generation, and digital signatures.
• SharePoint and M365 Enhancement: Ideal for extending the capabilities of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 with advanced forms and custom workflows beyond what Power Automate offers out-of-the-box.
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Suitable for automating repetitive, manual tasks involving legacy systems or applications that lack modern APIs.

Pricing & Suitability

Top 12 Low-Code Platforms Comparison

Making Your Choice: From Platform Selection to High-Performing Application

Navigating the landscape of the best low code development platforms can feel overwhelming, but this detailed exploration should have illuminated the distinct strengths and ideal use cases for each contender. We've journeyed from enterprise-grade powerhouses like OutSystems and Mendix, perfect for complex, mission-critical applications, to more specialised tools such as Retool for internal dashboards and Bubble for launching no-code web applications. The key takeaway is that there is no single "best" platform, only the platform that is best suited to your specific challenge.

Your final decision should be a strategic one, balancing immediate needs with long-term vision. The ideal choice aligns with your organisation's existing tech stack, technical expertise, budget, and most importantly, your growth trajectory. A startup's requirements for rapid prototyping are vastly different from a large enterprise's need for stringent governance, security, and scalability.

Synthesising Your Decision: Key Factors to Re-evaluate

Before you commit, consolidate your findings by considering these critical factors in the context of your own organisation:

• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Look beyond the initial subscription fees. Factor in potential costs for premium integrations, additional user licences, developer training, and ongoing maintenance. A platform that seems cheaper initially may become more expensive as your usage and complexity grow.
• Scalability and Performance: Will the platform support your user base in one year? Five years? Scrutinise performance limitations and understand the architectural ceiling. Platforms like Salesforce Platform are built for massive scale, while others may be better suited for department-level solutions.
• Governance and Security: How will you manage a growing portfolio of applications built on the platform? A robust governance framework is crucial to prevent "shadow IT" and ensure data security and compliance. Enterprise-focused solutions like Appian and Pega often have superior, built-in governance features.
• Integration Capabilities: Your low-code platform will not exist in a vacuum. Evaluate the ease and depth of its integration capabilities, particularly with your core systems (CRM, ERP, etc.). The strength of its API and pre-built connectors can be a significant differentiator.

Beyond the Platform: Implementation and the User Experience

Selecting from the best low code development platforms is merely the first step. The true measure of success lies in a thoughtful implementation that prioritises not just functionality but also the end-user experience. This is where combining a powerful low-code backend with a best-in-class front-end solution becomes a game-changer.

Many of the platforms we've discussed excel at business logic, data processing, and workflow automation but offer more limited front-end customisation. By pairing a tool like Zoho Creator or Airtable with a dedicated front-end platform like Webflow, you achieve the best of both worlds. You get the robust, scalable backend logic from your low-code tool, seamlessly integrated with a pixel-perfect, highly optimised, and conversion-focused user interface built in Webflow. This "headless" or decoupled approach is a modern strategy for building high-performing web assets that are both powerful and beautiful. It allows your marketing and development teams to work in parallel, leveraging the strengths of each platform without compromise.

Ultimately, low-code is about empowerment. It’s about enabling your team to build, innovate, and respond to business needs faster than ever before. By making a well-informed choice and planning for a strategic implementation, you can transform this potential into a tangible competitive advantage that drives real business results and accelerates your digital transformation journey.

Ready to pair the power of a low-code backend with a world-class Webflow front-end? At Derrick.dk, we specialise in helping UK businesses architect and build high-performing marketing sites that integrate seamlessly with the very platforms discussed in this article. Book a discovery call today to discuss how we can help you create a powerful, scalable, and beautifully designed digital experience.