Low-Code vs Traditional Development: Which Approach Should You Choose?

Companies continue to turn to low-code development. Some statistics suggest that as many as 75% of all enterprise software engineers will use AI code assistants by 2028.

But how does low code compare to traditional development, where professional developers write custom code from scratch? And more importantly: which one is right for you?

In this guide, we’ll explain low code vs traditional development, outline pros and cons, and help you decide which to choose based on your goals, budget, and timeline.

What Is Low-Code Development?

Low-code development is a modern approach to building software that requires little to no manual coding. Instead of writing lines of code, users can create applications using visual tools, pre-built components, and drag-and-drop interfaces. Low-code development has a few key advantages.

Benefits of Low-Code Development

• Faster time to market: Low-code platforms can reduce development time by up to 50 to 90% compared to traditional coding. A more recent statistic shows that 73% of senior IT decision makers say that low code improves their time to market.
• Lower development costs: With fewer developer hours and reusable components, organizations often achieve up to 30 to 70% cost savings.
• Empowers non-technical users: Allows users to build apps without coding expertise.
• Ideal for prototyping and internal tools: Teams can quickly create minimum viable products (MVPs) or automate internal processes with minimal development effort.
• Simplified updates and maintenance: Visual workflows and centralized configuration allow for easy updates without full redeployment.
• Stronger data integration and management: Low code makes it easier to connect different databases, apps, and systems. This helps everything work together smoothly, avoids duplicate data, and gives teams a single, consistent view of information.

Drawbacks of Low-Code Development

• Limited customization and flexibility: Prebuilt components may not support highly specialized features or advanced logic.
• Scalability challenges: Many low-code solutions are not designed for high-traffic applications or complex enterprise systems.
• Performance limitations: Applications built on low-code platforms may not be optimized for speed or resource efficiency.
• Vendor lock-in: Applications often rely on proprietary frameworks, which makes migration to other platforms difficult and costly.
• Security and compliance risks: Some platforms may not meet strict regulatory requirements or allow full control over security settings.
• Integration limitations: Connecting with legacy systems or custom APIs may require manual development or platform-specific workarounds.

Low-Code Development vs Traditional Development

Low-code development is a visual, component-based approach to coding. It allows people to build apps using drag-and-drop tools and ready-made parts. It makes the process of development faster and easier, and requires far less expertise.

Traditional development involves manually writing code line by line. It offers complete control over the design, functionality, and system architecture. But it requires more time, deeper technical expertise, and a larger investment of resources.

Below is a look at the two approaches and how they compare:

Low-Code Development vs No-Code Development

While both low-code and no-code platforms aim to simplify software development, they serve slightly different purposes and users.

Low-code development still involves some coding. It is typically used by developers or technically skilled users to build more complex applications with faster turnaround.

No-code development, on the other hand, requires zero coding. It is designed to help non-technical users create simple apps using drag-and-drop tools and pre-configured templates.

The 3 Types of Low-Code Platforms

Not all low-code tools are created for the same audience or purpose. Understanding the three main categories can help you choose the right platform based on your technical skills and project needs. Let’s take a look.

No-Code / Citizen Developer Platforms

No-code platforms are built for non-technical users, often called “citizen developers,” who want to create applications without writing code. They rely on drag-and-drop interfaces, visual workflows, and ready-made templates to make app development accessible.

Who it’s for: Business professionals like analysts, operations staff, and project managers with no formal coding background.

What you can build with it:

• Internal tools such as dashboards, approval flows, and data forms.
• Basic websites and landing pages.
• Automated workflows and system integrations.

Examples:

• Webflow: A design-focused, no-code website builder that visually generates clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Ideal for building responsive, professional websites without touching code.
• Zapier: A no-code integration platform that connects more than 8,000 apps using a trigger-and-action model to automate workflows across tools like Gmail, Slack, and Google Sheets. (Learn more in our comparison of Make vs. Zapier.)
• Make: A visual platform for building complex, multi-step workflows and data integrations between apps. Offers optional scripting for advanced logic. (Check out our Make Review to learn more.)
• Airtable: A spreadsheet/database hybrid that allows users to create custom applications, dashboards, and automations. Now expanded with AI-native features through its "Omni" assistant.
• Bubble: A full-featured no-code development platform for building fully functional web applications with custom workflows, logic, and database structures.

Low-Code / Developer Accelerator Platforms

Low-code platforms are designed for developers and technical teams who want to build applications faster while maintaining control over code, architecture, and integrations. Unlike no-code tools, these platforms support advanced logic, API connections, and full-stack development. They're ideal for complex projects that need both speed and flexibility.

Who it’s for: Skilled developers and technical users looking to reduce repetitive coding, accelerate delivery, and maintain custom logic.

What you can build with it:

• Business-critical web and mobile applications.
• Internal tools with custom workflows and data logic.
• Scalable solutions with third-party APIs and databases.

Examples:

• OutSystems: A full-stack low-code platform with AI-assisted development, one-click deployment, and enterprise scalability.
• Mendix: A low-code platform that lets both developers and business users build and manage apps, with built-in testing and tools to oversee the full app lifecycle.
• FlutterFlow: A drag-and-drop tool to quickly build iOS and Android apps, with clean code you can export.
• Retool: A developer-focused platform for building internal tools quickly using drag-and-drop components combined with custom JavaScript or SQL.

Enterprise Low-Code Platforms

Enterprise low-code platforms are designed for big organizations that need secure, scalable apps with strong compliance. They go beyond basic low-code by adding features like app lifecycle management, monitoring, and deep integrations with existing systems.

Who it’s for: Enterprises and IT departments that handle mission-critical systems, require strict compliance, and need to support large-scale digital transformation.

What you can build with it:

• Core business applications (CRM, ERP, HR, finance portals).
• Enterprise-wide solutions integrated with legacy and cloud systems.
• Regulated apps with strong security, governance, and monitoring.

Examples:

• Microsoft Power Platform: Enterprise suite for apps, workflows, and analytics with Azure integration.
• Appian: Known for process automation, case management, and scalable enterprise apps.
• Mendix: A tool to design apps visually, launch them on any cloud, and handle updates and management all in one place.

Five Questions to Ask If You’re Considering Low-Code Development

When deciding between low-code and traditional development, the most important step is to ask the right questions. These will help you evaluate the trade-offs and identify the best fit for your project.

1. What Are You Building?

Low-code works best for things like internal tools, dashboards, workflows, and quick prototypes. It’s a good choice when you need results fast or don’t have a big development team. For complex apps with custom designs or advanced features, traditional development is usually better.

2. What’s Your Budget?

Low-code can reduce upfront development costs because it minimizes the need for custom coding, allowing teams to deliver work faster. At the same time, licensing fees and scalability limitations may increase costs over the long run. Traditional development typically costs more upfront, but it can be more cost-effective for large-scale projects that will evolve and grow over time.

3. How Soon Do You Need to Launch?

If speed is a priority, low-code platforms allow applications to be launched in days or weeks due to drag-and-drop components and built-in integrations. Traditional development, on the other hand, involves extensive planning, coding, and testing. This means it takes longer, but the results are also more customizable and reliable.

4. How Involved Do You Want to Be?

With low-code, non-technical employees can help create and change apps, which speeds things up and encourages teamwork. But if there isn’t proper oversight, it can cause problems with control or consistency. Traditional development relies on trained developers. That means business users have less say in the process, but it ensures stricter structure and control.

5. What’s Your Long-Term Vision?

While low-code development provides speed and convenience, it may face limitations in terms of customization, performance, or integration as a project scales. Traditional development offers more flexibility. It allows for fully tailored, scalable applications. This often means it’s also better suited for mission-critical, long-term solutions.

Additional Considerations

Beyond these key questions, it's important to evaluate customization, integration, and governance. Some low-code platforms allow custom coding, while others are more restrictive. Integration with existing systems is another critical factor, especially if you rely on legacy infrastructure. Enterprises operating in regulated industries should also carefully assess whether the platform offers adequate governance, security, and compliance features.

5 Examples of Low-Code Development Success Stories

Still wondering what low-code development could do for your business? Low-code platforms are no longer just for simple prototypes. Many businesses are using them to launch real products, streamline operations, and even scale globally. Here are four success stories that show what’s possible.

Dividend Finance

Dividend Finance, a leading provider of renewable energy and energy-efficient financing, was originally developed on a no-code platform, Bubble.io. This enabled the founders to rapidly create an MVP in just six weeks.

As the company scaled and matured, they brought in a traditional development team to rebuild parts of their platform. Still, the early momentum driven by Bubble played a critical role in helping Dividend Finance reach $50 million in annual revenue.

Teal

Teal is a career platform that helps users track job applications, access resume tips, and manage interview preparation efficiently.

The app was built using Bubble, Typeform, Airtable, Zapier, and Webflow, integrating these tools into a seamless workflow without writing code.

This approach allowed rapid iteration, empowered the entire team to contribute to development, and supported Teal’s growth while maintaining agility and lean operations. The company raised $5M in funding with its no-code tech stack.

FirstBank

FirstBank, a U.S.-based regional bank, needed a solution to deal with all the manual work they were doing around anti-money laundering. They had to review up to 500 suspicious activity cases each month, logging everything in spreadsheets, making separate reports for new cases, and keeping track of who they contacted—all by hand. This was slow and made compliance harder to manage.

The IT team turned to Appian and used its low-code platform to build a tool that would collect all the important information associated with a case in one place.

The platform was rolled out within 12 weeks and now saves the bank 1,000 hours of manual work each year.

Switchboard

Switchboard is a monitoring and incident response platform designed for no-code operators using tools like Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat).

The team built their web app using Bubble, creating a robust infrastructure without writing traditional code.

This approach led to a $4.5 million seed round and positioned Switchboard as a key player in the no-code ecosystem.

Collin Crowdfund

Collin Crowdfund, a Dutch fintech startup, built its own crowdfunding platform using Mendix’s low-code tools.

The team at Collin Crowdfund had a unique vision - one they felt off-the-shelf crowdfunding platforms couldn’t support. So, they turned to Mendix, which allowed them to build a digital mini-bank in just five months.

Since launching, the company has placed €235 million in loans. It’s still powered by an end-to-end low-code platform.

7 Tips to Help You Build No- or Low-Code Apps

Embarking on a no- or low-code development journey can be both exciting and overwhelming. Here are seven tips to guide you through the process:

Start with a Clear Use Case

Before diving into app development, define the problem you're aiming to solve. A well-planned use case will help keep your project focused. It will also help you choose appropriate tools and features. For instance, if you're building an internal tool to streamline team workflows, your use case might be "Automate task assignments and track project progress to improve team productivity."

Choose the Right Tool

Selecting the appropriate no- or low-code platform is crucial. The key is to match your tool to your project requirements. Here's a quick overview of some common use cases and the key tools available in these areas.

Plan Your App Carefully

Thorough planning is the foundation of a successful app. Outline your app's core features, user flows, and design elements. You should also consider creating wireframes or flowcharts to visualize the user experience. This planning phase helps identify potential challenges early and ensures a smoother development process.

Build in Public or with a Community

Building in public holds you accountable and creates some buzz around your app that can help it succeed. Platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and Indie Hackers host active communities where you can showcase your work, ask for advice, and connect with fellow no-code enthusiasts.

Consider Hiring a No-Code Expert

While no-code tools are user-friendly, expert guidance is sometimes the best way forward. Hiring a no-code expert can help in setting up complex workflows, integrating APIs, or optimizing your app's performance.

Validate Before You Scale

Before investing significant time and resources, validate your app idea with a small group of users. Collect feedback on usability, functionality, and overall experience. Tools like Typeform or Google Forms can help in gathering user insights. Validating early ensures you're building something they truly need.

Plan for Scaling

Even if you're starting small, you need to consider scalability. Choose tools and platforms that can grow with your app. For instance, Bubble offers scalable hosting solutions, and Airtable can handle increasing data volumes. Planning for scalability from the outset can save time and effort in the long run. We address the importance of scalability in software selection in How to Compare Software.

Final Thoughts

Building with no- or low-code apps opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs, startups, and even established businesses to launch ideas faster without heavy technical barriers. The key is to start small, stay focused, and choose tools that align with your specific needs.

At Softailed, we can help you navigate the no-code and low-code landscape by guiding you toward the right platforms, including low-code website builders. Check out our list of best website builders, then check out the Comparison Tool to compare website builders side by side based on features. Whether you’re creating an internal tool, a SaaS product, or a simple landing page, the right strategy and support can make all the difference in turning your vision into a reality.