Top 10 Low Code Backends

No-code or low-code development framework enables businesses worldwide to build and deploy applications with lower development effort and using pre-built features. According to Statista, the revenue of the low-code platform will reach 65 billion by 2027.

This article will review some of the best low-code backend platforms. The list includes Back4app, Firebase, Backendless, Parse, Xano, and many more.

Top 10 Low-Code Backends

Here is a comparison table with some of the best low code backends.

Please keep reading to know more about each provider.

Back4app

 If you are looking for a value-added and open-source solution that can support an easy-to-use data model, authentication, file storage, Admin App, REST, and GraphQL APIs, Back4app can meet your requirements. 

It is an open-source and low-code platform that helps businesses or independent developers build robust applications. Back4app is a platform to build mobile apps and web applications much faster versus coding the backend from scratch.

Using this, you can create a datamodel in the form of a spreadsheet. This data model contains data storage, RESTful and GraphQL APIs, file storage authentication, and push notifications.

Pricing

Back4app works with two different pricing tiers. The first one covers shared hosting and the second one dedicated hosting.

Shared Hosting

• Free Tier
• Basic Plan at $25/mo
• Standard Plan at $50/mo
• Pay as you go Plan at $100/mo

Dedicated Hosting

• Silver Plan at $250/mo
• Gold Plan at $400/mo
• Platinum Plan at $100/mo

Firebase

If you want a faster solution that can ensure the security and user management of the backend, you can try Firebase. Software developers and development teams use Firebase to accelerate digital transformation.

It is a good solution for nailing a few learning curves. Firebase is a backend service introduced by Google. It can also be defined as a well-organized database that is intended to employ serverless application development. With a wide array of features, it also offers NoSQL. 

A NoSQL framework enables you to store data in the form of a series and documents. Each document possesses fields and each field’s data type is unique.

This type of database helps you move fast while building applications. To leverage all of its benefits, you need to implement a REST API.

Pricing

Firebase works with two different pricing tiers. The first one is a limited free tier. The second one is a Pay as you go plan that users will pay by the usage.

Backendless

It is a suitable solution for that can host their apps in the cloud. If you are looking for integrated services including file storage, API builder, authentication you can consider Backendless.

It is a cloud-supported platform that creates apps without using server-side code. It provides programmable services to supply standard server functions.

Additionally, it supports authorized user management, authenticated API requests, push notifications, message subscriptions, etc. 

REST API offers access that can be used by deploying any front-end tool. Also, it supports native SDKs for iOS, JavaScript, and Android. 

Pricing

Backendless Cloud is ideal for individuals and SMB.

• Free Tier
• Cloud 9: $25/mo
• Cloud 99: $99/mo

Backendless Pro and Managed Backendless are ideal for medium to large organizations. The pricing for these two options is not available on the pricing page, and it is required to request a quotation.

Kinvey 

It is a serverless application development platform that offers tools to develop multi-channel and robust applications, which are made of cloud backend and front-end SDKs.

Also, it offers many solutions that meet common development needs including data store, single sign-on integration, and file storage. 

While using Kinvey, developers feel free to focus on building what adds value to the app they are making. It increases the productivity of the developer by offering Kinvey’s pre-built components. 

Pricing

Product pricing is not available on the website. According to SaaSworthy, pricing starts at $2,500/year.

Heroku

Heroku is one of the effective cloud platforms that enable businesses to develop, deliver, monitor, and scale mobile and web apps.

This platform provides the fastest way to turn an idea into an URL and eliminate all infrastructure-related hassles. It has enabled many businesses to earn a reputation as reliable app companies. 

Heroku mainly focuses on apps and the developer’s experience revolving around apps. It adds value to big, mid-level, and large-sized companies. The best thing is- it does not distract the hardware or the servers. 

Pricing

• Free Tier
• Hobby starting at $7/mo
• Standard starting at $25/mo
• Performance starting at $250/mo
• Private quotation required

Google App Engine

Google app engine is used for developing applications on a fully managed and serverless platform.

Some of its unique features include- scaling the apps from zero to planet-scale and the businesses do not need to manage its infrastructure.

It eliminates the requirements of server management and zero-configuration deployments, providing continuous support for commonly used development languages, and proffers a range of development tools, offering flexibility, etc. 

Many other features have made Google Engine App one of the best choices for all businesses across the globe. 

Pricing

• Free Tier
• Pay as you go

Digital Ocean App Platform

Digital Ocean App Platform intends to help businesses develop and deploy a simple and fully managed solution.

They manage the infrastructure, app runtimes, and dependencies to enable the businesses to push their codes for making the production a matter of only a few clicks. 

Top-notch features of this platform include- fully optimized solutions, secure apps, and an outstanding user experience. It maximizes the productivity of the developers and boosts the performance of the application.  

Pricing

• Free Tier
• Basic at $5/mo
• Professional at $12/mo

Parse 

Parse is another popular open-source framework that helps the development of an app’s backend.

This framework helps the developers speed up the app development process to a considerable extent. It also reduces the effort required for developing an application. The majority of developers prefer this platform as it offers cost-effective development solutions. 

Parse is more suitable for applications such as puzzles, strategy, educational, and trivia games, content management systems, social networking applications like LinkedIn and Facebook, food apps, real-time chatting apps, cab apps, fitness apps, e-commerce applications, and stores, and IoT applications. 

Pricing

• Free to download and self-host

Airtable 

It is a cloud collaboration service that is a hybrid database spreadsheet. It has an interface of a spreadsheet but features of a database.

However, its benefits are not limited to this. Airtable has API support, and it allows the developers to create a database in the form of a spreadsheet. It is very useful for organizing and maintaining data tables or bases. 

Pricing

• Free
• Plus for $10/mo
• Pro for $20/mo
• Enterprise – Quotation required

Xano 

It is a scalable back-end platform that is known for its front-end agnostic feature. It offers a hosted and flexible database based on Postgres. 

It backs the REST API framework to ensure the data consumption of a front-end tool. It automatically produces ready-to-use REST API endpoints for each data table based on the schema.

Xano is a better option for developers as it is easy to use and learn. 

Pricing

• Free
• Launch for $67/mo
• Scale for $225/mo
• Enterprise – Quotation required

Conclusion

With the rising emergence of no-code and low-code applications these days, a wide range of options is available. This article explores some of the best ten low-backends available worldwide.