10 Open-Source Low-Code Platforms (Tried and Tested)

Jan 5, 2025 by Joe Johnston

Low-code and no-code are the latest phenomena to take over our strategy meetings and development chats. These solutions are not new, but the emergence of new technologies and a shift in how we work has accelerated their need within the workplace.

The statistics below provide an overview of the scale of the low code market:

  • Forrester states that as much as, 75% of application development uses low-code platforms.
  • Gartner places worldwide low-code market growth at 23% in 2021
  • According to the market research study published by P&S Intelligence, the global low code market will witness a 31.1% CAGR during 2020–2030 to reach $187.0 billion by 2030.

With every emerging market comes a plethora of new tools and several open source alternatives. Adopting an open source low code platform takes time and resources. Thankfully, we have gone through this pain for you. As creators of the fastest growing open source low code platform, we have tried and test over 50 other tools. We spent days gathering this knowledge and decided to share our thoughts with the world in the spirit of openness.

However, before we begin, let us make sure we are on the right page.

What is low-code?

Low-code is a visual approach to developing software using a low-code platform. While no-code development involves zero coding, low-code accepts minor coding as part of the build process. It is this balance of abstraction and flexibility that provides the user with a fast and extensible experience.

What is open source?

Open source is a term used to refer to something that can easily be accessed, inspected, modified, and shared. Therefore, the code behind open source software is publicly accessible—anyone can inspect, modify, and distribute the code.

The opposite of open source software is proprietary software. Proprietary software is often referred to as closed source. The primary difference between open source and proprietary software is that the user cannot see the code base and must agree to a license that prohibits them from doing anything to the software that the author has not permitted.

The pros and cons of an open source low code platform

Deciding between open-source and proprietary software can be a tricky decision. To help with this, we have listed the pros and cons of low-code open-source platforms.

Pros of open source platforms

  • Transparency: Open source software allows users to monitor progress and fix problems directly.
  • Control: Companies can change parts of the software to meet their needs.
  • Reliability: Peer review ensures that open source code is tested and maintained effectively.
  • Flexibility: Users can modify the code to suit unique business processes.
  • Peer review: Engaged communities improve the quality of the software.
  • No vendor lock-in: Users can utilize the code freely as needed.
  • Community: A strong community often surrounds open source tools, promoting development and support.

Cons of open source platforms

  • Support: Community-driven support may be insufficient.
  • Orphan software: Projects may lose support if community members leave.

Low-code platforms: pros and cons

Pros of low-code platforms

  • Speed: Rapid application development is a key feature.
  • Cost: Lower costs with reduced lead times.
  • Ease-of-use: Accessible to non-technical users.
  • Consistency: Uniform experiences across different devices and users.
  • Integrability: High levels of compatibility with existing systems.
  • Reliability & support: Enhanced stability compared to fully custom built tools.

Cons of low-code platforms

  • Unsupported functionality: Specific needs may not be met.
  • Learning curves: Teams will need time to adapt to the new tools.
  • Internal roll-out: Larger organizations may face bureaucratic challenges.
  • Internal resistance: Skepticism among decision-makers may pose hurdles.

The top 10 open source low-code platforms

  1. Budibase - best open-source, low-code app builder.
  2. Huginn - best for process automation.
  3. WordPress - best for building drag-and-drop websites.
  4. Node-Red - best for IoT apps.
  5. PyCaret - best for machine learning and real-time applications.
  6. Manifest.Build - best for low-code backends.
  7. StackStorm - best for DevOps automation.
  8. GrapeJS - best for building HTML templates.
  9. Flowise - best for LLM orchestration.
  10. AppFlowy - best for collaboration and project management.

How to choose an open-source low-code platform

When choosing a platform, consider your end users, developers, hosting and deployment needs, costs, functionality, and integration capabilities. Understanding these aspects will help to match a low-code platform to your organization's specific requirements. Extensibility is critical for reducing technical debt in the future.