No-Code/Low-Code vs Traditional Software Development: Battle of Opinions

Recently, no-code/low-code development tools have become popular among businesses. And this is not surprising: These platforms are cheaper than traditional development, they provide quite a lot of functions, and they can be used by people without much experience in software development.

A perfect solution, right?

Wrong.

No-code/low-code tools have their place and there are definitely suitable use cases for them, but they cannot be a full-fledged replacement for traditional development. Why? This is what we will answer in our article. In addition, we surveyed traditional and no-code/low-code developers and found out their opinions on this dilemma. Stay tuned!

What is no-code/low-code development?

Let’s start with the basics. Traditional development doesn’t really need an introduction. It involves writing software code from scratch using suitable programming languages (JavaScript, Python, C#, Kotlin, Swift, and more). Hence, no-code/low-code development means that the process involves minimum or no hand-coding and manual programming. These platforms use drag-and-drop elements, templates, and visual interfaces that help you with the development process. The only difference is that low-code platforms allow for custom code writing for more complex features and integrations.

Source: ColorWhistle

Popular no-code/low-code platforms

There are plenty of low-code/no-code solutions that you can use for your project depending on your goals and needs:

No-code tools:

1. Bubble: A versatile no-code platform for building web applications with drag-and-drop functionality.

2. Webflow: A tool for designing and launching responsive websites without coding.

3. Airtable: A spreadsheet-database hybrid for creating custom workflows.

4. Adalo: A no-code platform for building mobile apps with a visual interface.

5. Carrd: A simple tool for building one-page websites.

Low-code platforms:

1. OutSystems: A powerful platform for building enterprise-grade applications.

2. Microsoft Power Apps: A Microsoft ecosystem tool for building custom business apps.

3. Appian: A low-code platform focused on process automation and enterprise solutions.

4. Salesforce Lightning: A low-code platform for building apps within the Salesforce ecosystem.

5. Betty Blocks: A low-code platform for citizen and professional software developers.

No-code/low-code vs. traditional development: Quick comparison

The following table compares no-code/low-code platforms and custom-built solutions across key factors:

Advantages and disadvantages of no-code/low-code development 

Now let’s move to more detailed descriptions. No-code/low-code development can provide plenty of benefits to business. But you also should be mindful of possible drawbacks and challenges you can face during the development process.

Benefits of no-code/low-code development

• Faster development: No-code/low-code platforms provide pre-built components that accelerate the development process so you can bring your solution to the market faster.

• Reduced costs: With this type of development, you can significantly reduce development costs by minimizing the need for highly skilled developers and simplifying maintenance and updates.

• Increased agility: These platforms enable agile development practices by allowing for quick iteration and adjustments.

• Democratization of development: No-code/low-code platforms democratize application development by empowering citizen developers—individuals with limited coding experience—to create functional applications.

Challenges of no-code/low-code development

• Limited customization and scalability: Businesses with unique or complex requirements may find these platforms too restrictive, as their components and templates are designed for more general use cases.

• Security and compliance: No-code and low-code platforms provide limited visibility and control over the underlying infrastructure which can pose security and compliance risks, especially if your business handles a lot of sensitive data.

• Integration difficulties: Integrating no-code/low-code apps with existing systems (like legacy software or enterprise-level databases) can be troublesome. While many platforms offer pre-built connectors, these may not fully align with your unique architecture.

• Risk of vendor lock-in: Using no-code/low-code platforms can create a risk of vendor lock-in, where you become dependent on a single provider for updates, pricing, and feature availability. Migrating applications to another platform or transitioning to custom-built solutions can be costly and time-consuming.

Advantages and disadvantages of traditional development

Traditional software development that involves manual coding is a proven way to create the app of your dream. However, it doesn’t mean that every part of this approach is perfect. Here’s how custom development can benefit your business and what possible drawbacks you can face: 

Benefits of custom development

• Flexibility: Custom software development offers truly unmatched flexibility which will help you build a solution tailored to your exact needs.

• Ownership: With custom-built software, you have full ownership of the code and architecture. This eliminates reliance on third-party platforms and provides complete control over future updates and maintenance.

• Tailored functionalities: Traditional development will help you build unique features and customize every aspect of your app down to the smallest detail.

Challenges of custom development

• Higher initial investment: Building software from scratch requires a significant upfront investment. However, this investment can pay off in the long run through tailored functionality and better scalability.

• Longer development timelines: Unlike no-code/low-code platforms that enable fast development, custom software takes time to plan, design, and build. Businesses must account for longer timelines, particularly for complex projects requiring extensive testing and refinements before launch.

Best no-code/low-code use cases

Even though traditional development is still more trusted and more versatile than no-code/low-code platforms, these tools have plenty of opportunities to shine. Here are the most popular use cases where no-code/low-code development will win:

• Prototyping: No-code/low-code tools will help you quickly build a prototype or the first version of your minimum viable product (MVP) to validate your ideas.

• Internal tools: If you need to create lightweight software for internal use, like simple automation processes, custom dashboards, training tools, or CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) apps, these platforms will come in handy.

• Small-scale customer apps: Customer portals, booking systems, and small e-commerce websites can be built with no-code/low-code tools.

• Proof of Concept (PoC): You can demonstrate the feasibility of your idea to stakeholders before wasting time and money on a full-scale project.

• Niche industries: No-code/low-code tools are good for building small projects for niche communities like forums, hubs, and membership sites.

Battle of opinions: What do developers think?

To make the game fair, we asked for opinions on this dilemma within our own team. We talked to a traditional engineer with 15 years of experience and a Bubble engineer with 4 years of experience in software development. During the interviews, we asked them several questions about software development and its future. Here is what they think:

Q: What are the key advantages and disadvantages of using no-code/low-code platforms compared to custom-built software solutions?

Traditional software development engineer: “Low-code development is a pretty niche solution that doesn’t fit every project. Sure, it speeds up development and cuts costs thanks to pre-built components, but it works best for MVPs and small, standardized projects—like appointment booking apps for specialists. The more complex your solution’s features get, the harder it becomes for no-code/low-code platforms to keep up. Plus, even if you’re using a no-code/low-code platform, you’ll still want someone who knows their way around it to maintain your application. And let’s not forget—developer tools are evolving fast. New AI solutions and frameworks are popping up, offering solid alternatives to no-code/low-code platforms.”

Bubble engineer: “The advantages include faster development (no-code platforms allow you to build much faster than traditional coding), lower costs (development is usually more affordable since you don’t need a large team of developers), and flexibility (it’s easy to update or adjust your app as your needs evolve). As for the downsides, I can mention limited built-in features (while most common functionalities are covered, some specific features might not be available out of the box) and performance (in some scenarios, custom-built solutions can offer better speed and reliability).”

Q: Some argue that no-code platforms empower non-technical teams, but do they create friction or resentment with developers who are used to greater control?

Traditional software development engineer: “No-code/low-code platforms pose no real threat to traditional developers. This niche can be seen as a separate part of the software development market, with its own ecosystem, major players, and competition.”

Bubble engineer: “Typically, no, there isn’t much friction. For example, I’ve often worked with JavaScript developers, and it has been quite productive. It also depends on the platform being used, as some platforms have a lot of limitations and few ways to work around them, but Bubble.io isn’t one of those.”

Q: How do no-code/low-code platforms perform when scaling applications compared to custom-built solutions?

Traditional software development engineer: “Poor scalability is a common issue with most no-code/low-code platforms. There are enterprise-level solutions that have made progress in this area, but they still require solid development knowledge. When it comes to more accessible platforms, their scalability falls short compared to custom software development.”

Bubble engineer: “Bubble’s database can filter and display data from millions of records in fractions of a second. Additionally, with the highest-tier plan offering unlimited server resources and a database with no record limits, scaling is highly efficient. There are also successful cases of Bubble-built applications handling hundreds of thousands of users daily, which demonstrates that scaling on the platform is not an issue.”

Q: How well do no-code/low-code platforms integrate with existing legacy systems or third-party tools?

Traditional software development engineer: “Integration can be a real headache for no-code/low-code platforms. When it comes to legacy systems, integration is usually not an option. But for third-party solutions, there are connectors that help bring everything together. Some platforms even let you create a custom connector if needed.”

Bubble engineer: “No-code platforms like Bubble integrate well with third-party tools through API connectors and pre-built plugins. These integrations are easy for services with existing APIs, but connecting to legacy systems can be more complex, especially if the system lacks modern APIs. In such cases, middleware tools or custom API development may be needed. Overall, integration is straightforward for popular tools, but more work may be required for custom or older systems.”

Q: Do you foresee a future where companies leverage a blend of no-code tools for speed and custom solutions for depth? If so, what might this balance look like?

Traditional software development engineer: “This future is already here. The no-code/low-code approach has been around for quite some time, so this niche has solidified within the broader software development landscape. Some companies are already using a hybrid approach—managing certain processes through no-code solutions while still having custom apps or websites for other parts of their business.”

Bubble engineer: “Yes, many companies already use a combination of no-code and custom development. For example, they often build MVPs or test hypotheses quickly with no-code platforms like Bubble, and then switch to custom coding when scaling or adding complex features. Some also develop the frontend with no-code tools while handling the backend with custom code, allowing them to combine the speed of no-code with the flexibility of custom solutions. This hybrid approach helps companies save time and resources while maintaining the ability to meet long-term needs.”

To sum up

The no-code/low-code platforms vs. traditional development dilemma is likely to evolve as technology continues to advance. Things like AI-assisted coding are already bridging the gap with faster, smarter development and fewer technical barriers. The main thing we need to remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You should assess your goals, resources, and plans to determine the right approach.

If you want to create a custom software application or get some help with no-code/low-code development, we are here to help you! Just contact us and we will help you turn your idea into reality.