If you are an Apple user, you have about a variety of 1.85 million apps to choose from. Android users have even more, with 2.56 million apps available to download at the Google Play Store. In other words, the app market is booming, and applications are no longer seen as pure entertainment. Instead, they play a gradually growing part in various businesses across industries, not to mention apps have significantly eased the burden of social distancing and isolation during the recent pandemic.
It sounds like developing an app may be a good idea. However, like everything in our material world, an application's development has a price tag on it. Several main factors determine the eventual outlay, but you can't expect a decent app without finding substantial investments if your budget is limited.
The budget issues are heartrending for startups. But there’s an answer. Nowadays, everyone strives for simplicity, reduced costs, and automation. The domain of mobile development is no exception. Therefore, to meet their application development needs, SMEs have turned to alternative resources, including low-code and no-code development platforms. These platforms target Internet entrepreneurs and startups who want to test their idea's relevance but do not have a five-figure bank account for an app.
Low-Code Platforms
Initially, low code application platforms (LCAP) emerged in response to the complexity and diversity of modern software development tools. Low-code platforms allow you to get a working prototype and form a future system vision with less effort.
When developing apps, the low-code approach is the synonym of speed. You may close routine tasks faster and skip several steps in the process of app development. For example, your design team can come up with an app UI without any help from developers (yet there are low-code platforms that still allow adding custom code manually).
Thanks to their practicality, low-code apps development platforms are at the forefront of the global digital transformation for many companies in various industries. Chris Vanstrat, CEO at GitHub, sums it up perfectly: “The future of programming isn't coding at all.”
In a nutshell, the pros of low-code platforms are:
- fast delivery of applications
- minimal hand-coding.
- saved time and funds
Taking into account the benefits the low-code / no-code approach provides, here at Akveo, we use the platforms such as Draftbit, Airtable, and Firebase for our projects. Such tools cover all parts of the application development and minimize manual coding as much as possible.
Here’s Caroline Lee, the growth marketer and co-founder of CocoSign, on the matter:
“We had to adopt a low-code approach to catch up with competitors who adapt rapidly to industry changes. It provided a perfect opportunity for our non-technical team to initiate changes in business processes. The primary benefit of low-code software development is speed. It eliminates most of the coding tedious and time-consuming processes such as the coding rules, traffic routing, screen size, testing, and scalability. Additionally, many platforms enable modular integration, meaning you can develop numerous smaller applications that can later work in unison and achieve an overall goal.
When development time decreases, it directly translates to cost. Since a low-code approach enables rapid software development, the cost is highly reduced. Despite providing the quickest way to create software, its capabilities are limited. Firstly low-code modular components limit your customization options. Secondly, you’re more likely to encounter integration issues down the road. Above all, vendor lock-in is one of the biggest surrounding low-code platforms. Low-code approaches indeed allow non-technical people to be part of software development, if not making it faster. However, the possibilities are limited to some extent. Maintaining such an application in the future may be risky and unable to meet users’ growing demands.”
Let’s talk about costs. Nate Nead, CEO at DEV.co, comments:
“We consistently use no-code or low-code strategies for saving money and valuable time in iterating toward a solution for our clients. In doing so, we combine open-source and out-of-the-box solutions that make it easier to get to market more quickly at a fraction of the cost. The speed and cost advantages cannot be understated. However, in some cases, the code may not be quite as extensible as desired, and open source may preclude business owners from fully using the software in a commercial setting like they would like. In addition, open-source and low-code solutions are often more prone to outside and third party hacks and security vulnerabilities. Finally, there is typically an extended cost for managing these solutions through on-going support that our team can pass to the client in the form of patch and update work. As a general rule, our team and our clients have had great success in utilizing low and no-code options for fulfilling customized software development needs”.
Jack Zmudzinski, a senior associate at Future Processing agrees:
“This approach does, without a doubt, help to keep costs down. It’s also a good way of speeding up production - even cutting down a six-month project to a matter of weeks in some cases. It also allows for modular integration through multiple platforms. What about the disadvantages, if any? The main disadvantage is the lack of customization options. There are limited integration options. You may find yourself being tied to a low code platform. Besides, there are security issues”.
Anything else?
Bethan Vincent, the Marketing Director at Netsells, a UK product and technology consultancy.
“While it's not low-code, I'd like to put forward the case for using Flutter, Google's new cross-platform mobile development framework. Flutter allows you to build native apps on iOS and Android from a single code base. This allows developers to develop apps at greater speeds and share code from a single base without having to create duplicate apps in two programming languages.
Flutter has dramatically increased the speed of mobile development, alongside reducing the costs associated with delivering new features/platforms across mobile, web and embedded applications. When it comes to downsides, cross-platform apps built-in Flutter may lack a native “look and feel” which feels natural to each platform, e.g. Android users may observe that the app looks like it was built for iOS and simply copied and pasted into the Android ecosystem. This is because Flutter utilizes native components, unlike classic hybrid web view technologies”.
Testing
When testing the application, pay attention to the following things. Here’s how we do it at Akveo (kudos to the head of services and QA Nikolay Vashkevich for the tips). First, you need to prioritize testing and implement automation for regression testing that should be run as often as possible. Try to:
- Minimize efforts for less important tests.
- Test automatically those test scenarios that you run in smoke and also acceptance test runs.
- Resort to automation testing to identify regression bugs quickly and deliver in time (especially for 1+ year development).
Final Words
Undoubtedly, having significant funds at your disposal can contribute to your company’s growth in the short term. However, spending, say, $80.000-100.00 on an app doesn’t necessarily translate into an instant success. That’s when the low-code comes in handy. The market is literally blooming: its size is projected to grow from $13.2 billion in 2020 to $45.5 billion by 2025.
The benefits of using Low-code/No-code platforms are obvious: programmers do not need to start creating software from scratch. By eliminating the extra coding, the development process becomes much faster. This is especially valuable today - many companies and startups lack development speed and thereby lose competitive advantages. Equipped with the expertise in low-code / no-code development, we’re positive that such tools can be used in any business area to make the entire development process much less resource- and time-consuming. Feel free to reach out to us: we can consult you on specific questions or perform the entire process.
Building Reconciliation Tool for e-commerce company
Our client was in need of streamlining and simplifying its monthly accounting reconciliation process – preferably automatically. But with a lack of time and low budget for a custom build, development of a comprehensive software wasn’t in the picture. After going through the case and customer’s needs, we decided to implement Retool. And that was the right choice.
The scope of work
Our team developed a custom reconciliation tool designed specifically for the needs of high-volume transaction environments. It automated the processes and provided a comprehensive dashboard for monitoring discrepancies and anomalies in real-time.
The implementation of Retool significantly reduced manual effort, as well as fostered a more efficient and time-saving reconciliation process.
Creating Retool Mobile App for a Wine Seller
A leading spirits and wine seller in Europe required the development of an internal mobile app for private client managers and administrators. The project was supposed to be done in 1,5 months. Considering urgency and the scope of work, our developers decided to use Retool for swift and effective development.
The scope of work
Our developers built a mobile application tailored to the needs of the company's sales force: with a comprehensive overview of client interactions, facilitated order processing, and enabled access to sales history and performance metrics. It was user-friendly, with real-time updates, seamlessly integrated with existing customer databases.
The result? Increase in productivity of the sales team and improved decision-making process. But most importantly, positive feedback from the customers themselves.
Developing PoC with Low Code for a Tour Operator
To efficiently gather, centralize, and manage data is a challenge for any tour operator. Our client was not an exception. The company was seeking to get an internal software that will source information from third-party APIs and automate the travel itinerary creation process. Preferably, cost- and user-friendly tool.
The scope of work
Our experts ensured the client that all the requirements could be covered by Retool. And just in 40 hours a new software was launched. The tool had a flexible and easy-to-use interface with user authentication and an access management system panel – all the company needed. At the end, Retool was considered the main tool to replace the existing system.
Testing New Generation of Lead Management Tool with Retool
Our client, a venture fund, had challenges with managing lead generation and client acquisition. As the company grew, it aimed to attract more clients and scale faster, as well as automate the processes to save time, improve efficiency and minimize human error. The idea was to craft an internal lead generation tool that will cover all the needs. We’ve agreed that Retool will be a perfect tool for this.
The scope of work
The project initially began as a proof of concept, but soon enough, with each new feature delivered, the company experienced increased engagement and value.
We developed a web tool that integrates seamlessly with Phantombuster for data extraction and LinkedIn for social outreach. Now, the company has a platform that elevates the efficiency of their lead generation activities and provides deep insights into potential client bases.
Building an Advanced Admin Portal for Streamlined Operations
Confronted with the need for more sophisticated internal tools, an owner of IP Licensing marketplace turned to Retool to utilize its administrative functions. The primary goal was to construct an advanced admin portal that could support complex, multi-layered processes efficiently.
The scope of work
Our client needed help with updating filters and tables for its internal platform. In just 30 hours we've been able to update and create about 6 pages. Following features were introduced: add complex filtering and search, delete records, styling application with custom CSS.
Together, we have increased performance on most heavy pages and fixed circular dependency issues.
Creating MVP Dashboard for Google Cloud Users
Facing the challenge of unoptimized cloud resource management, a technology firm working with Google Cloud users was looking for a solution to make its operations more efficient. The main idea of the project was to create an MVP for e-commerce shops to test some client hypotheses. Traditional cloud management tools fell short.
The scope of work
Determined to break through limitations, our team of developers turned Retool. We decided to craft an MVP Dashboard specifically for Google Cloud users. This wasn't just about bringing data into view; but about reshaping how teams interact with their cloud environment.
We designed a dashboard that turned complex cloud data into a clear, strategic asset thanks to comprehensive analytics, tailored metrics, and an intuitive interface, that Retool provides. As the results, an increase in operational efficiency, significant improvement in cost management and resource optimization.
Elevating CRM with Custom HubSpot Sales Dashboard
Our other client, a SaaS startup, that offers collaborative tools for design and engineering teams, was on a quest to supercharge their sales efforts. Traditional CRM systems were limited and not customizable enough. The company sought a solution that could tailor HubSpot to their workflow and analytics needs.
The scope of work
Charged with the task of going beyond standard CRM functions, our team turned to Retool. We wanted to redefine how sales teams interact with their CRM.
By integrating advanced analytics, custom metrics, and a user-friendly interface, our developers provided a solution that transformed data into a strategic asset.
In 40 hours, three informative dashboards were developed, containing the most sensitive data related to sales activities. These dashboards enable our customer to analyze sales and lead generation performance from a different perspective and establish the appropriate KPIs.
Building a PDF Editor with Low-Code
Our client, a leading digital credential IT startup, needed a lot of internal processes to be optimized. But the experience with low-code tools wasn’t sufficient. That’s why the company decided to hire professionals. And our team of developers joined the project.
The scope of work
The client has a program that designs and prints custom badges for customers. The badges need to be “mail-merged” with a person’s info and turned into a PDF to print. But what is the best way to do it?
Our developers decided to use Retool as a core tool. Using custom components and JavaScript, we developed a program that reduced employees' time for designing, putting the data, verifying, and printing PDF badges in one application.
As a result, the new approach significantly reduces the time required by the internal team to organize all the necessary staff for the conference, including badge creation.