Announcing the Top Rated Rapid Application Development / Low Code Software for 2018

Today, we awarded the 2018 TrustRadius Top Rated badges for Rapid Application Development / Low Code Software. The TrustRadius Top Rated awards are unique in that they are an unbiased reflection of customer sentiment, based solely on user satisfaction scores.

Here are the winners in each segment, listed in order of research frequency on TrustRadius. We have also provided insights on how to pick the right rapid application development software based on your needs and current industry trends.

Overall Top Rated

• Appian
• OutSystems
• Nintex Workflow Platform
• Mendix
• Oracle Application Express
• KiSSFLOW

Top Rated by Enterprises

• Quick Base
• Nintex Workflow Platform
• Oracle Application Express
• Mendix
• KiSSFLOW

Top Rated by Mid-Sized Companies

• OutSystems
• Mendix
• Oracle Application Express
• KiSSFLOW
• Nintex Workflow Platform

Top Rated by Small Businesses

• OutSystems
• Mendix

What is low code software?

Traditional code-centric software development is complex with long development cycles that inhibit development agility. Both low code and no code platforms are designed to solve this problem.

Low code / no code application development framework options rely on graphical user interfaces (GUIs) allowing business users to design complex applications without having to learn complex computer languages. The ability for non-coders to build powerful applications without having to learn complex computer languages is big shift in the industry that will help compensate for the shortfall in skilled programmers available to develop new applications.

Choosing the right low code tool

The proliferation of available platforms makes choosing one especially difficult.

The first thing to clarify is who will be using the tool. The distinction between low code and no code is that low code tools typically streamline the work of professional developers, while no code platforms allow business users to build complex, self-service applications without having to write any code. Usability can be a very important criterion in choosing between platforms for both developers and business users, but this is particularly important for non-coders.

Some platforms are tailored towards large enterprises with more extensive capabilities and the flexibility required to fit into a specific IT infrastructure and integrate easily with existing tools. Other tools are oriented more to SMBs with reduced feature sets, and less flexibility.

Platforms may also be designed for specific kinds of apps, or vertical markets. Some platforms are mobile first, while others focus on web apps.

Finally, integration with the existing IT infrastructure is very important. For this reason, a strong partnership with the IT organization can be a critical success factor. Integration with IT systems for things like single sign-on and integration with corporate data stores requires collaboration with the IT team. Also, if business users get stuck, they may need help with some custom code from IT developers.

Reviews on TrustRadius can be a very useful source of information about things like usability, difficulty of integrating with other resources, particularly data sources, and overall suitability for specific use cases like mobile app development.

Top Rated Criteria

Products included in the 2018 Top Rated Rapid Application Development / Low Code Software list must have been in the top tier of their category TrustMap on April 27, 2018, to earn a Top Rated badge. To qualify for the Rapid Application Development / Low Code Software TrustMap, products must have 10 reviews and ratings on TrustRadius. Every reviewer is verified and every review is vetted before publication. Products are plotted on the map based on end-user data, including users’ likelihood to recommend scores as well as buyer research patterns. To learn more about TrustMaps and Top Rated methodology, check out this page.