No-Code is the Fastest Path to MVP
No-code tools have matured dramatically. Here are the 15 best platforms for building your MVP in 2025.
Web App Builders
1. Bubble
The most powerful no-code platform for complex web apps.
• **Best For**: Full-featured SaaS, marketplaces, dashboards• **Pricing**: Free tier, £29-£529/month• **Learning Curve**: Steep but worth it• **Pros**: Extremely flexible, scales well• **Cons**: Proprietary, can get expensive2. Webflow
Beautiful websites with CMS and e-commerce capabilities.
• **Best For**: Marketing sites, content sites, portfolios• **Pricing**: Free tier, £14-£39/month• **Learning Curve**: Medium• **Pros**: Design freedom, great hosting• **Cons**: Limited web app functionality3. Softr
Build apps from Airtable data without coding.
• **Best For**: Client portals, directories, internal tools• **Pricing**: Free tier, £49-£169/month• **Learning Curve**: Low• **Pros**: Fast to build, Airtable integration• **Cons**: Airtable dependency, template-basedMobile App Builders
4. Glide
Create mobile apps from Google Sheets or Airtable.
• **Best For**: Internal tools, simple apps, directories• **Pricing**: Free tier, £25-£99/month• **Learning Curve**: Very low• **Pros**: Incredibly fast, great templates• **Cons**: Limited customisation, not native5. Adalo
Visual mobile app builder with database.
• **Best For**: Consumer apps, MVP mobile apps• **Pricing**: Free tier, £50-£200/month• **Learning Curve**: Medium• **Pros**: True mobile apps, good customisation• **Cons**: Performance limitations6. FlutterFlow
Visual builder using Flutter for native apps.
• **Best For**: High-quality mobile MVPs• **Pricing**: Free tier, £30-£70/month• **Learning Curve**: Medium-High• **Pros**: Native performance, export code• **Cons**: More technical than alternativesBackend & Database
7. Airtable
Spreadsheet-database hybrid with powerful features.
• **Best For**: Data management, simple backends• **Pricing**: Free tier, £10-£20/user/month• **Learning Curve**: Low• **Pros**: Familiar interface, great integrations• **Cons**: Record limits, not a true database8. Supabase
Open-source Firebase alternative.
• **Best For**: Apps needing real databases• **Pricing**: Free tier, £25/month+• **Learning Curve**: Medium• **Pros**: PostgreSQL, real-time, auth built-in• **Cons**: Requires some technical knowledge9. Xano
No-code backend with APIs.
• **Best For**: Complex backends without coding• **Pricing**: Free tier, £85-£250/month• **Learning Curve**: Medium-High• **Pros**: Powerful API building, scales well• **Cons**: Learning curve for non-technicalAutomation & Integration
10. Zapier
Connect apps and automate workflows.
• **Best For**: Connecting tools, simple automation• **Pricing**: Free tier, £20-£99/month• **Learning Curve**: Low• **Pros**: Huge app library, reliable• **Cons**: Can get expensive at scale11. Make (formerly Integromat)
Visual workflow automation.
• **Best For**: Complex automation scenarios• **Pricing**: Free tier, £9-£16/month• **Learning Curve**: Medium• **Pros**: More powerful than Zapier, cheaper• **Cons**: Steeper learning curve12. n8n
Open-source automation (self-hosted option).
• **Best For**: Technical teams, privacy-conscious• **Pricing**: Free (self-hosted), £20/month (cloud)• **Learning Curve**: Medium• **Pros**: Self-hosted option, no limits• **Cons**: Requires more setupSpecialised Tools
13. Memberstack
Add authentication and payments to any website.
• **Best For**: Adding memberships to Webflow sites• **Pricing**: £25-£49/month + transaction fees• **Learning Curve**: Low• **Pros**: Easy to add to existing sites• **Cons**: Limited to membership features14. Typedream
Super simple website builder.
• **Best For**: Landing pages, simple sites• **Pricing**: Free tier, £15-£30/month• **Learning Curve**: Very low• **Pros**: Beautiful defaults, very fast• **Cons**: Limited functionality15. Carrd
One-page website builder.
• **Best For**: Landing pages, simple portfolios• **Pricing**: Free tier, £19/year• **Learning Curve**: Very low• **Pros**: Cheap, fast, easy• **Cons**: Single pages onlyChoosing the Right Stack
**For SaaS Products**: Bubble + Stripe
**For Marketplaces**: Bubble or Sharetribe
**For Mobile Apps**: FlutterFlow or Glide
**For Internal Tools**: Softr + Airtable
**For Landing Pages**: Carrd or Typedream
**For Content Sites**: Webflow
No-Code Limitations to Consider
1. **Scalability**: Some tools struggle with high traffic2. **Customisation**: You're limited to what the platform allows3. **Lock-in**: Your app lives on their platform4. **Cost at Scale**: Monthly fees can exceed code costs5. **Performance**: May be slower than custom codeWhen to Graduate to Code
Consider moving to custom development when:
• Monthly no-code costs exceed development costs• Performance becomes a problem• You need features the platform can't provide• You're ready to scale significantlyThe Hybrid Approach
Many successful startups combine no-code and code:
• **No-code** for landing pages and admin panels• **Code** for core product features• **APIs** to connect everythingThis gives you speed where you need it and power where it matters.
