If you ever worked with Oracle Application Express (Apex), you know that this is one of the leading low-code, rapid application development platforms made for developers to speed up the development process.
As a fully-supported, web-based tool, Oracle Apex is a fully-supported, web-based tool that is packed with Oracle databases and is accessible through any web browser. This platform has long been chosen because of its cost-effectiveness, integrations, high scalability level and customizable themes and templates.
However, since its launch in 2004, the low-code market has become much wider, offering similar or even better solutions. With users' concerns about the platform's limited flexibility for complex apps and tight integration with the Oracle database only, it's unsurprising that most teams seek more up-to-date solutions with more features to benefit from.
We collected 3 best alternatives to find the best one in terms of price/feature ratio:
UI Bakery
UI Bakery is an intuitive web app builder that suits both citizen developers and designers.
From building simple CRM and admin panels to complex apps, UI Bakery contains a large number of rich components that work with the data fetched from most well-known SQL databases, HTTP APIs, and third-party systems.
Drag-and-drop builder, comprehensive template library, customizable UI components, AI-powered development, and predefined action types to perform CRUD operations or use custom code are only a few features you can find within this tool.
Best for:
UI bakery is a versatile choice, so users can build simple to moderately complex internal tools using data sources like SQL databases, HTTP APIs, and Google Sheets.
The platform can also be connected to CRMs like Salesforce and Hubspot, so it also works great for crafting tools around customer support and operations use cases.
Pricing:
Free version is available. Pricing starts at $10 per 1 developer/month when billed annually. Enterprise plan pricing is request.
Pros:
- Customization allows users to build apps that match their branding
- Offers API integration and data connection
- Allows users to deploy and host applications on UI Bakery or custom domains up to their choice
- The integration list includes SQL databases, REST APIs, and 3-rd party systems
- Allows developers to write code JavaScript and SQL in actions
- Pre-made templates for almost any purpose
- Automation feature helps run scheduled jobs or create webhooks
- Custom roles and user permissions system
Cons:
- The free plan doesn't include an end-user mode
- Requires a learning curve to use advanced features
- Branding and custom domains are available in an enterprise plan
- UI Bakery isn't an open-source platform
Mendix
Mendix is another low-code development platform built by developers who want to deliver enterprise-level internal tools and apps faster and easier.
Suitable for users with different skill levels, Mendix allows teams to build a rich UI using a drag-and-drop interface with numerous pre-made components. Combined with the WYSIWYG page editor in Mendix Studio, this UI builder makes the no-code part of the UI builder.
Seasoned developers who want to build sophisticated custom solutions can opt for Mendix Studio Pro. This program allows for a high customization level with the JS programming language. Hosting and deployment is available almost everywhere, including the tool's hosting environment called Mendix Cloud.
Mendix can automatically map the incoming JSON, XML, or MSDL message structures to craft domain models and data mappings, which can later be transformed into Mendix app models.
Best for:
Mendix can be used for almost any client-faced and internal app, but complex and customized ones will require strong programming knowledge.
Pricing:
Free version is available. Pricing starts from € 52.50 per month. Premium plan pricing is per request.
Pros:
- Offers enterprise-level security and integrations;
- Provides flexible hosting and deployment
- In-built AI-assisted custom components;
- It has a no-code part for non-developers
- Multi-channel and multi-device applications
- Contains developer collaboration tools
Cons:
- Lags can occur when processing large amounts of data
- Requires a learning curve
- Beginners may get lost in the app's functionality
- Software with complex logic is harder to deploy
- Requires coding knowledge to explore the full potential of the tool
- Better for large companies
Appsmith
Appsmith is an open-source framework used to build admin panels, crud interfaces, and workflows, hosting them in your own domain. This tool isn't as feature-heavy as others in the list, and this makes it an attractive option for teams looking for a free solution to give a try.
Appsmith can be connected with REST APIs, popular databases, and third-party applications. This app isn't suitable for non-coders as it requires some coding experience.
The tool also allows for building applications through its pre-configured user interface widgets (GUI components) combined with your databases and APIs. With its user-friendly interface and how-to guides available online, Appsmith allows developers to build customized internal tools for their websites.
Best for:
Appsmith can be used to build applications, admin panels, crud interfaces, and workflows at a moderate customization level.
Pricing:
Free version is available. Pricing starts from $40 per month. Enterprise plan pricing is per request.
Pros:
- A drag-and-drop interface with predefined widgets that include charts, checkboxes, modals, images, and tables
- The integration list includes REST or GraphQL API (PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, MongoDB, Firebase, etc.)
- Open Source, now free to use
- User roles management
- In-built real-time collaboration tools
- Offers an unlimited number of internal apps you can build
Cons:
- Allows only to design applications without them being responsive
- Support is mostly from the community
- Requires coding skills to use
- Does Not allow you to build your own UI components
- Lacks several features compared to other tools on the list
Last thoughts
Oracle Apex has been a reliable choice for many developers, but as the low-code market expands, it’s crucial to consider alternatives that might better suit your evolving needs. UI Bakery, Mendix, and Appsmith each offer unique strengths, whether you're seeking customization, ease of use, or cost-effectiveness. By evaluating your specific project requirements and team skills, you can select the platform that will maximize your productivity and deliver the best results.
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