Build Applications Without Writing Code
No-code platforms have matured significantly, enabling non-developers to build sophisticated applications with databases, user authentication, and complex workflows. We tested the top platforms on real-world app-building scenarios to find which ones deliver the best results.
How quickly can a non-technical person become productive with the platform?
What level of complexity can you achieve without hitting platform limitations?
How well does the platform handle databases, relationships, and data operations?
Does it provide built-in user accounts, roles, and permissions?
Are costs predictable as your app scales, without hidden usage fees?
We built a project management application on each platform -- featuring task boards, team member assignments, deadline tracking, file attachments, and activity logs. We evaluated from the perspective of a non-technical project manager who has never built software before, measuring learning time, build time, feature completeness, and the quality of the final product.
Learning curve -- hours required for a non-technical user to become productive enough to start building their application.
Application complexity ceiling -- how sophisticated an application the platform can handle before hitting fundamental limitations.
Data management capability -- support for relational data, complex queries, real-time updates, and data validation.
Vendor independence -- ability to export, migrate, or self-host the application if you leave the platform.
Total cost trajectory -- how costs scale from initial build through growth to hundreds or thousands of active users.
The no-code market has split into two distinct approaches. Traditional no-code platforms like Bubble, Glide, and Softr provide visual drag-and-drop interfaces where users assemble applications from pre-built components and configure logic through visual workflows. AI-powered platforms like Fabricate take a fundamentally different approach, accepting natural language descriptions and generating complete applications including the underlying source code. Both approaches eliminate the need to write code manually, but they offer very different tradeoffs in terms of learning curve, flexibility, and long-term ownership.
Traditional no-code platforms have matured significantly. Bubble can now handle remarkably complex applications with sophisticated data relationships, conditional logic, and API integrations. Hundreds of production businesses run on Bubble, processing real transactions and serving real customers. However, this capability comes at a cost: Bubble has a steep learning curve that can take weeks to master, and applications built on the platform cannot be exported or run elsewhere. Your business logic, data structures, and workflows are permanently tied to Bubble's infrastructure.
The emergence of AI-powered no-code has challenged the assumption that "no-code" means "visual programming." Fabricate proves that the most intuitive interface for building software is not a drag-and-drop canvas but plain English. Non-technical users consistently find it easier to describe what they want in words than to learn a visual programming paradigm. The AI handles all technical decisions -- database design, component architecture, API structure -- based on the user's description and software engineering best practices.
Data management is where no-code platforms diverge most sharply. Bubble has a built-in database with relationships, queries, and privacy rules that can handle complex multi-table scenarios. Glide and Softr rely on external data sources (Google Sheets, Airtable) which are intuitive but limited in scale and relational capability. Fabricate generates a proper relational database (Cloudflare D1) with SQL-level capability, though the user never interacts with SQL directly. For applications that need complex data operations, Bubble and Fabricate are the only viable options in this comparison.
The total cost of no-code development extends beyond platform subscription fees. Bubble's pricing scales with usage (workflows, data operations, and traffic), making costs unpredictable for growing applications. Glide and Softr add costs through their data source subscriptions (Airtable paid tiers). Fabricate's pricing is based on generation credits rather than runtime usage, meaning your deployed application runs on Cloudflare's free tier or at a predictable hosting cost. For budget-conscious teams, understanding these different pricing models is essential.
Bubble remains the most capable no-code platform for building complex web applications. Its visual programming model handles intricate workflows, API integrations, and database operations that other no-code tools cannot match.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Building complex, data-heavy web applications without coding
Fabricate bridges no-code and code by generating real applications from natural language descriptions. Unlike traditional no-code tools, it produces exportable source code while requiring zero programming knowledge from the user.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Non-coders who want real code output they can own and modify later
Glide turns spreadsheets into mobile-friendly applications with minimal effort. If your data lives in Google Sheets or Airtable, Glide can transform it into a functional app in minutes with a clean, modern interface.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Teams with spreadsheet data who need a quick mobile-friendly app
Adalo focuses on native mobile app development without code. Its drag-and-drop builder produces apps that can be published to the Apple App Store and Google Play, which most no-code platforms cannot do.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Building and publishing native mobile apps without coding
Softr creates client portals, internal tools, and community platforms from Airtable or Google Sheets data. Its pre-built blocks make assembly fast, though customization depth is more limited than Bubble.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Building client portals and internal tools from existing Airtable data
The no-code landscape offers two distinct paths. Bubble is the most powerful traditional no-code platform, capable of building complex applications that rival hand-coded software in functionality. It is the right choice for users willing to invest weeks learning its paradigm and who accept permanent vendor lock-in in exchange for unmatched visual programming depth.
Fabricate represents the next evolution of no-code: AI-powered generation that produces real source code from plain English descriptions. It requires zero learning curve, handles full-stack complexity, and -- critically -- lets you export and own your application code. For non-coders who value independence and simplicity, Fabricate is the strongest recommendation.
Glide remains excellent for its specific niche: transforming spreadsheet data into clean mobile-friendly applications with minimal effort. Adalo uniquely serves the mobile app market with native iOS and Android publishing. Softr is ideal for quickly building client portals and internal dashboards from Airtable data. The best choice depends on your specific application type and your priorities around complexity, speed, cost, and long-term ownership.
This multi-role application with role-based access, document management, progress tracking, and administrative dashboards would traditionally require a development team and weeks of work. On Fabricate, the entire application is generated from this description with proper user authentication, role-based views, file upload handling, and a database schema that relates employees, tasks, departments, and documents.
Build an employee onboarding platform. HR admins can create onboarding checklists with tasks assigned to different departments. New hires see their personalized checklist with due dates, can upload required documents, complete assigned training modules, and track their progress. Managers get a dashboard showing onboarding status across their team.
“I tried Bubble for two weeks and gave up on the learning curve. Then I described the same app to Fabricate in three sentences and had a working version deployed within the hour. The difference in accessibility is staggering.”
David H.
Operations Manager
Bubble is the most powerful for complex applications, though it has a steep learning curve. Fabricate is best if you want to describe your app in plain English and get real, exportable code. Glide is fastest for turning spreadsheet data into mobile apps.
Yes. Platforms like Bubble power businesses processing thousands of transactions daily. However, performance at very high scale can be a concern. Fabricate addresses this by generating standard code that runs on production infrastructure.
Not inherently. Major no-code platforms implement industry-standard security practices. Bubble includes role-based access control, and Fabricate generates code with built-in authentication patterns. Always review data access rules regardless of how your app is built.
This varies significantly. Bubble and most visual no-code tools have vendor lock-in since your app logic lives on their platform. Fabricate is the exception here, generating standard source code you can export and host anywhere.
No-code platforms typically cost $25-300/month depending on usage. Hiring developers for equivalent functionality would cost $10,000-100,000+ for initial development plus ongoing maintenance. The tradeoff is that no-code has platform limitations and potential lock-in.