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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Appian

    Score7.9 out of 10
    N/AAppian is a low-code development and business process management platform. It features drag-and-drop design for app building, automated work processes, unified data management, and cloud-based deployment.

    $0

    Fortra’s Automate

    Score8 out of 10
    N/AFortra's Automate (formerly HelpSystems Automate) is a robotic process automation platform for desktop applications. According to the vendor, it offers the ability to automate almost any business process, and no technical expertise is required—IT and business users alike can understand the drag-and-drop interface.N/A

    Quickbase

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AQuickbase helps users tackle any project, no matter how complex. Quickbase helps customers see, connect and control complex projects. Whether it’s raising a skyscraper or coordinating vaccine rollouts, the no-code software platform allows business users to custom fit solutions to the way they work – using information from across the systems they already have.

    $700

    per month

    Pricing
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Editions & Modules
    Appian Community Edition
    $0
    Application - Input-Only
    $2
    per month per user
    Application - Infrequent
    $9
    per month per user
    Application - Standard
    $75
    per month per user
    Platform
    Custom Quote Priced per user with unlimited apps.
    minimum 100 users, no maximum
    Unlimited
    Custom Quote Priced per development with unlimited apps.
    unlimited
    No answers on this topic
    Enterprise
    Full Customizable
    per month/billed annually
    Business
    Starting at $2,200
    per month
    Team
    Started at $700
    per month
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Free Trial
    YesYesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesYesYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptionalOptional
    Additional DetailsQuickbase offers three key plans, with feature distinction, simple and consistent entitlements, and a flexible licensing model, giving users the option of either user based or usage based licensing across all 3 plans.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Considered Multiple Products
    Appian
    Chose Appian
    Appian is much more complex than Quickbase, another low-code platform. Quickbase development is much simpler and the platform is much more stable, but Appian has much more functionality.
    Incentivized
    Chose Appian
    Appian has more functionality and features which I can use but it is difficult to achieve same in QuickBase. Again it depends on the requirement we have but Appian is surely the future because i can see its evolution.
    Incentivized
    Chose Appian
    We using this from long time. We're quite familiar with them. it's easy to use and understand. and it's documentation is quite helpful.
    Incentivized
    Chose Appian
    much easier to navigate and design-centric.
    Incentivized
    Fortra
    No answer on this topic
    Quickbase
    Chose Quickbase
    Quick Base allows easy customizations and involves less maintenance and support. Also, application development time is very less compared to Appian.
    Incentivized
    Chose Quickbase
    We like Quickbase because it is truly low code and easy to learn. We are able to quickly get new staff up to speed using the Quickbase University. The price is also much more reasonable than other options.
    Incentivized
    Chose Quickbase
    QuickBase stood out in front of them in terms of time to market, maintenance cost, and expertise required to build applications. QuickBase was better in terms of our standard requirements meeting against these other products. It was also better in terms of flexibility of the …
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    95%
    Would buy again
    38 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Would buy again
    141 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    32 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    122 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    37 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    142 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    25 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    99%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    106 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    30 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    95%
    Implementation went as expected
    107 Answers
    Features
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Appian and Fortra’s Automate and Quickbase
    Feature
    Appian
    8.1
    9 Ratings
    4% above category average
    Fortra’s Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Quickbase
    -
    Ratings
    Dashboards8.29 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports8.59 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Custom reports7.69 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process Engine
    Comparison of Process Engine features of Appian and Fortra’s Automate and Quickbase
    Feature
    Appian
    7.4
    9 Ratings
    2% above category average
    Fortra’s Automate
    -
    Ratings
    Quickbase
    -
    Ratings
    Process designer7.99 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process simulation6.49 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Business rules engine6.49 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    SOA support8.29 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process player7.39 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Form builder7.69 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Model execution8.59 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Small Businesses
    Bizagi
    Score8.3 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    IBM Robotic Process Automation
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Microsoft Project Server
    Score5.1 out of 10
    Enterprises
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    UiPath Automation Platform
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Planview PPM Pro
    Score8.9 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.4
    (139 ratings)
    10.0
    (4 ratings)
    7.5
    (521 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.5
    (19 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.9
    (54 ratings)
    Usability
    8.7
    (95 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.4
    (40 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (16 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (15 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.4
    (118 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.4
    (44 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.9
    (4 ratings)
    Online Training
    6.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (5 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    1.0
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.8
    (22 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (10 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.4
    (10 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (15 ratings)
    Professional Services
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (10 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (10 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    AppianFortra’s AutomateQuickbase
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Appian
    Appian works great for automating manual processes and integrating multiple systems through its toolset. It gives great flexibility for establishing rules for approvals, routings, escalations, and the like. Because of the low code toolset, it's very easy to deploy and make changes as needed as processes evolve and as the organization learns to utilize the system better. Minimal maintenance is required to support the applications build on the platform. Some of the automated testing integration with tools like Jenkins is limited so that may be an issue for some.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    It's great for repetitive or regularly scheduled activities like reports or file transfers. However, it's not so good for on-demand activities. It doesn't support task shortcuts to run specific tasks. If it did it would be perfect.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    I no longer think that Quickbase is the way of the future. They do not fix major bugs in a timely manner, and are releasing basic functionality behind a paywall. I believe that Enterprise Level Tier should be given certain things, like SLAs on Support and up-time. However, as a low-code no-code platform the majority of the accounts, "builders", and users are not going to be able to justify the cost of an Enterprise Tier Plan, and won't be able to use the features that Quickbase continues to advertise.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Appian
    • Allows at a glance workflow documentation which assists in the need we have for information readiation.
    • Drag and drop interface for workflow development greatly speeds our apps time to market.
    • Using the advanced features of Appian, we are able to create working sites in a fraction of the time it would take to do so using "traditional" development.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • Very detailed task builder. Easy to read step by step a task's operation even if you don't have much programming knowledge.
    • Scheduling for automation jobs is very flexible. Allows us to create all kinds of job schedules as needed.
    • Organization of jobs, tasks, conditions is done well. Allows us to easily manage our items.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    • Rapidly bring new ideas to life
    • Great authentication and authorization system out of the box
    • Connects with many major third-party services (via Pipelines)
    • Reporting and Dashboards are awesome
    • Excellent emails notification system to keep us in the loop when data changes
    • Intuitive UI for building forms and reports
    • Nice playground to test new ideas
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Appian
    • Search issues when type ahead and database search are used in the same field.
    • Buttons implementation where user is require[d] to click on the button description - if clicks on the button outside that text - button will not work.
    • Problems with using certain off-the-shelf performance tools like WebLoad or Neoload. That is because of different dynamic variables being used internally in Appian - which these tools are unable to correlate. We are still investigating using other tools like Jmeter to overcome dynamic correlation problem for performance testing.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • A reporting capability on tasks: enabled, disabled, by folder, by trigger, etc. Currently there is none.
    • An "OR" in their conditional statements - currently there is only "AND".
    • Some kind of temporary backup when changing a task - separate from the current back up/restore functionality (which works well).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    • I'd like to see a link on email notices that take you directly into said notice. On an app that only has 1 or 2 email notices firing, there's no issue. However, we have some tools that are so complex that they have about 20 email notices firing at any given time based on the action users take. In this case, if we have to go in to modify a notice, we have to guess or scroll down the long list of notices to see which one we need to customize. It would be great if Quickbase had the URL of said notice somewhere at the footer of that notice so when Administrators click on it, it takes them into the exact notice they need to update.
    • When filling out or reviewing a lengthy form, I'd like to see the Save & close button, as well as a Save & next option at the bottom of the form rather than having to scroll back up to the top of those forms just to click on those choices.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Appian
    We recently renewed our license with Appian. We are convinced that its flexibility, relative ease of use, the support they provide, there mobile advancements and their general willingness and desire to see us succeed all contributed to our reason to renew our agreement with Appian
    Read full review
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    For our use-case of QuickBase, there really aren't any other products out there that can offer us the same out-of-the-box solutions they provide to us. We're also so integrated with it in our daily processes that to move away from it abruptly would cause mass chaos, so it's going to be renewed for at least the next several years.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Appian
    Appian is a low code environment, because of this, a very good visual interface is required. Appian is providing a feature-rich dashboard [that] we can use for building the dashboards and other interfaces. Appian also provides patches and releases to enhance these features. A developer can start off development just by going through a basic course from the Appian learning community.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    It's just very easy to use, extremely versatile, and very reliable. It's hard to find use cases where it won't work.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    Quick Base has done everything we have asked it to do and then some. Our original goal was to have one system for CRM that encompassed both the sales process and the customer management. We have gone w-a-y beyond that with analytics, project management, system bug logging, and historical effort reporting.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Appian
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    Once we did get Quick Base configured and customized it was reliably available when we needed it. We may have had one or two occasions when the product was inaccessible but those were few. The greatest challenge with its availability was its difficulty with integrating with our systems.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Appian
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    Some of our tables that hold over a million records are starting to perform poorly, with some summaries taking over 20 seconds to load. This may be an indication that it is best to archive old data when reaching large volumes like this.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Appian
    Appian is one of the leading low code business automation platforms that support RPA, decision rules, case management, workflow automation, and machine learning all in a single bundle. But it is also harder to implement and replace the traditional business process.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    Support is very helpful and responsive, although using the tool is very user-friendly, so I hardly use the service.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    If you utilize the community, the support is amazing. Unfortunately, I find their actual support system a bit underwhelming. They don't seem to have a great process for interacting directly with an issue and often sweep significant issues under the rug by categorizing them as "Enhancement" ideas or legacy items.
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Appian
    As analyst I participated in a developer boot camp. At times it was hard to keep up but most of the time it made sense. Trainer took the time to explain and slowed pace down to answer questions etc.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    It is very easy to get training from their University portal and still if we don't know their, then we can ask their support too.
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Appian
    Very boring; hard to get through quickly, but rather effective in demonstrating the use of the platform.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    Quick Base already is having a separate portal of providing training to customers and it is very easy to use and updates as per the new features added in to the application
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Appian
    It was really seamless. SaaS in the true definition of the word. We logged on and started using the product. Very easy.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    I was not directly involved with the initial account implementation, only a bystander. For the app I directly implemented for my department only, I wish I had know to create an app diagram first. I don't remember if that was suggested. I think that would be a great help tip tool when a new app is created, to have a page with a check list of what is needed or how to get started. If you are a regular app builder, then you can bypass it or have the ability to turn it off in the app settings.
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Appian
    Appian has enormously transformed and keeps on updating the product every quarter to meet the latest needs of the world with new innovations & technologies being integrated within the platform. What gives more pleasure than a product that keeps on continuous[ly] improv[ing]?
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    Well, there's a plethora of low-code tools out on the marketplace and, you know, there's a reason that we've decided to partner with QuickBase because it has all the right balance of the ability to integrate with the ability for a citizen developer to create apps successfully. So if you look at something like Zo Ho's low-code offering, for example, yes, there are some similarities there, but they're really dependent on all of their other licensed products to get you where you want to be, where with QuickBase you have the ability to truly create something custom.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Appian
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    It has evolved really well with our company, but there is a hard limit to the table size that has begun to affect us and not let us grow. The table size limit is set at 500 MB and we have had to jump through quite a few hoops to be able to get by.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Professional Services
    Appian
    No answers on this topic
    Fortra
    No answers on this topic
    Quickbase
    For clients we use Qucik base to develop application
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Appian
    • I believe it has negatively impacted our release dates. There may have been a misunderstanding as to the learning curve, even though it is "low code."
    • The look and feel of the applications created using Appian have uniformity and it's easier to have "reuse" between applications.
    • There is less developer control when it comes to features. I think this mainly has to do with the amount of plugins available. I would think there should be many more available plugins. But again, our use case is probably different than most others.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Fortra
    • It's been a net positive as AutoMate requires less eyes on specific tasks so that people can focus attention elsewhere and do more analysis.
    • Less manual work also decreases the chances of mistakes and/or missed jobs. Since Automate can schedule everything, send email notifications, etc., there is less time wasted.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Quickbase
    • ROI is HUGE. Our company saved over 3.5 million in one year alone based on developments that year in Quickbase that saved time for many teams
    • Less user error - implementing automations and standardized workflows has led to less user error as was previously seen by maintaining spreadsheets or Smartsheets
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Appian Screenshots

    Screenshot of Low-Code DevelopmentScreenshot of Business Process Management SuiteScreenshot of Dynamic Case ManagementScreenshot of Mobile App DevelopmentScreenshot of Appian RPA with Blue Prism

    Fortra’s Automate Screenshots

    Product screenshotProduct screenshot