Unless you’re a software developer, the thought of coding your own platform is pretty daunting.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about figuring it out.
There’s plenty of software out there that will allow you to customize your own platform without having to do a single piece of coding.
These are no-code tools.
If you’re not familiar with no-code tools, don’t worry. In this article, we will confirm what a no-code tool is and outline the benefits of using them.
We’ll also look at the difference between no-code and low-code before sharing 6 no-code tools you can use to grow your business.
So let’s start from the top. What is a no-code tool?
What is a no-code tool?
A no-code tool is a piece of software you can visually customize without using coding or machine learning.
Take monday.com, for example.
If you use our work management software, you can design an entire workflow without entering a single piece of code. You can customize templates, create automations, and integrate with third-party platforms.
And how much coding do you need?
None.
Of course, it doesn’t mean there’s no coding at all. There is.
But as the user, you won’t have to use it.
The coding has already been done for you by a software developer. All you have to do is customize the user interface.
No-code vs. low-code: what’s the difference?
If you’ve already heard of no-code, you might’ve also heard the term low-code.
The 2 are often thought of as pretty similar, but they’re not quite the same.
The difference? The target user groups.
No-code platforms are for non-professional developers. Low-code platforms are used by people with some understanding of coding.Let’s break it down.
Despite what the name implies, a no-code platform does have coding.
The phrase is simply a marketing term that describes a platform for non-professional developers. It means there’s a lot of coding behind the scenes; you just can’t see it.
But low-code isn’t as simple as no-code.
There’s still some coding involved. Usually, it’s relatively simple. For this reason, it’s more often used by those who already understand coding.
What are the benefits of no-code tools?
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using no-code tools.
Easy to use
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a complete technophobe, no-code tools are easy to use.
Why?
Because pre-configured software is designed with the user in mind.
The developer has made it easy for you to use on purpose. If it was a low-code tool, it might be slightly different. But no-code tools are made to be as user-friendly as possible.
If you don’t believe us, why not give monday.com a go? You’ll see just how easy it is to use a no-code platform.
Quicker to get going
No-coding tools are ready to use. All you have to do is sign-up and you’re good to go.
If there’s coding involved, it’s going to take time to get moving.
You won’t be able to access the platform as easily, meaning you won’t be able to hit the ground running like you can with no-code tools.
So, if you want to save yourself time and money developing custom code, consider using a no-code platform.
The hard part is done. You just have to customize it.
If you want to see a no-code platform in action, have a look at our customizable templates. They’re pre-designed for you to use, but you can chop and change them however you like.
Maximize your resources
With a no-code tool, you spend less time managing the platform and more time using it.
This means you can put your focus elsewhere and maximize the use of your resources.
Think about it. If you need to create a new platform with code, you or a team member will have to spend time and money doing it.
And if you’re not up to the coding challenge, you’ll need to outsource it to a freelance developer who’s going to charge you for their time.
But with a no-code tool? The only resource will be the cost of the platform and any time spent learning to understand the interface. Because they’re so user-friendly, it shouldn’t take long.
Easily make changes
No-code platforms are easy to customize.
Most platforms offer a variety of features that allow you to customize the interface quickly and easily.
At monday.com, we provide a drag-and-drop function on our boards, which is a pretty common feature for no-code tools. Users can quickly move things around and customize their workflow. Nice and easy.
Are there any downsides of no-code tools?
There are some limitations with no-code tools.
Think about it. They’re all pre-programmed to do certain things, right?
Well, what happens when you need to do something that’s not part of the pre-coded software development?
Then you’re stuck.
Having said that, there are a lot of no-code tools out there that are pretty customizable, like monday.com.
So if you don’t want to be held back by what your no-code tool can’t do, make sure you use a platform that allows you to customize the interface as much as possible.
6 no-code tools and what they can do for your business
Now that we’ve covered the benefits, you’re probably wondering what no-code tools are out there and how they can help your business.
Well, look no further. We’ve outlined 6 business-ready no-code tools for you to take a look at.
1. monday.com
monday.com is a work management platform — or a Work OS if you want to get specific — that helps teams build, manage, and customize their workflow.
With our software, teams can create a workflow that’s perfect for what they need.
Deadlines are easy to manage, project progress is easy to track, and team communication is straightforward. Not to mention, with monday.com, everyone on a team can collaborate from one location. This makes it a whole lot easier for teams to work together.
Now let’s take a look at some of our features in more detail:
- Automations: with monday.com, you can automate your entire workflow. Whether that’s moving a task along when a certain action is taken or notifying a team leader when a task is complete, we’ve got you covered. You can use any of our pre-made automations or create your own from scratch.
- Integrations: already using some third-party platforms as part of your workflow? No worries. With our software, you can easily integrate existing platforms. From Slack and Zoom to a Google Sheet and Mailchimp, we’ve got various integrations for you to choose from.
- Customizations: as we’ve already mentioned, we’re pretty big on customization here at monday.com. As a result, you can customize your workflow in more ways than one. We let you change the way you view your project, add new columns to your board, and even create custom dashboards. And this is all without a single piece of coding.
2. Bubble
Bubble is an app builder.
In other words, it allows businesses to create a web app without using code.
The website provides users with total design freedom for the application development process. And you don’t need any knowledge of CSS or HTML. If you’re not familiar with what these are, don’t worry. This is just coding talk.
Bubble takes care of this for you.
And just like a lot of no-code platforms out there, Bubble uses a responsive editor to help you structure the layout.
This includes the simple drag-and-drop feature, which allows you to move sections around easily.
So, if your business wants to build apps like Facebook or Airbnb, Bubble can help you out.
3. Webflow
Webflow is a website builder. It helps businesses build and design responsive websites without having to use code.
This means it’s pretty easy to build and customize your website from scratch, but without the hassle of having to use any coding.
Here are some of the features the platform offers:
- Built-in SEO tools: with Webflow, you can manage the technical SEO elements of your website. This includes metadata, XML sitemaps, redirects, and canonical tags. And yes, there’s no coding involved.
- Integrations: integrate your external marketing tools to track the performance of your website.
- Easily update content: Webflow provides users with an internal tool for editing website content. This makes it super easy for you to update content quickly. All you have to do is launch the editor and make edits there and then, right on the page.
4. Memberstack
Memberstack is a website development platform that helps businesses manage membership plans, pricing, and permissions.
As a result, you control what your consumers see and when they see it. This is pretty helpful if you’re trying to nurture consumers down the sales funnel.
Here’s a bit more information about the features it provides:
- User sign-up and log in: add user authentication to your website so business users can log in to their accounts.
- Gated content: encourage users to sign-up for your website by restricting their access. For example, if you’ve created an industry report, you can ask users to provide their contact information to gain access.
- Secure payments: add secure subscription payments for users to pay for your product, service, or digital content. This includes recurring payments, one-time payments, and coupons. You can choose from over 150 currencies too.
5. Obviously AI
With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), Obviously AI allows businesses to analyze data and make informed business decisions.
And the best part? There’s no coding involved.
The platform also allows you to customize the data you see.
Here are a few of its customizable features:
- Drag-and-drop columns: Obviously AI is on the drag-and-drop bandwagon, allowing you to move and change information easily.
- Filters: you can set filters on the platform to customize the data you see.
- Create automations: with Obviously AI, you can save yourself time reviewing data and automate predictions.
6. Zapier
Zapier helps businesses automate work and integrate different platforms.
The website allows you to link your web apps and pass information between platforms. You can also create your own ‘Zaps’ to automate the process.
Here’s an example of a Zap:
Put simply, Zapier allows you to build automations between platforms without any coding.
Not to mention the platform integrates with over 3,000 apps. So you can pretty much guarantee that you’ll be able to automate processes between all the platforms you use.
Let’s take a look at some more of the features Zapier offers:
- Pre-made templates: Zapier has created thousands of pre-made automation templates for you to choose from. All you have to do is select the ones you want to use, and you’re away.
- Customize Zaps and templates: if the Zapier templates don’t quite suit your needs, you can tweak them or create your own.
- Automate multiple tasks: you can automate multiple tasks with a single trigger.
Fun fact: monday.com offers a Zapier integration.
Take control of your workflow with monday.com
Now you know the ins and outs of no-code tools. You understand how they work, the benefits of using them, and you’ve got a full list of platforms to get your teeth stuck into.
If you’re thinking about using a no-code work management platform, why not give monday.com a try?
Take a look at our work calendar template to see what you think. And remember, it’s totally customizable.
