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The Best Mobile Application Developer Software of 2021
Our mobile application developer software reviews are the result of over 40 hours of research on 130+ mobile application developer software companies from across the web. These reviews and our mobile application developer software guide help small businesses and startups find the best mobile application developer software for their business.
Founded in 1996, Zoho is one of the world’s largest and most renowned business software development companies. Zoho is committed to crafting powerful and reliable platforms that leverage the latest technology in a seamless fashion. It provides highly scalable solutions that are a perfect fit for businesses large and small.
Zoho Creator is the company’s custom mobile application developer software platform. It’s a flexible tool with very robust capabilities. This low-code app building solution empowers businesses to enact transformative change overnight, powered by custom software. It can build multi-platform apps, integrate with ERPs, automate workflows, and extend existing apps.
A few of Zoho Creator’s most noteworthy features are the following:
Low-code environment
Pre-built app templates
Workflow automation
Rich app ecosystem
Multi-device applications
Helpful software integrations
Cloud functions
SDKs
Widgets
Additionally, Zoho Creator has a vast number of enterprise-level features, including highly detailed reports, native code refactoring, extensive debugging tools, deployment management tools, access controls, and collaboration features. Its visual drag-and-drop interface is simple enough for users of any experience level to master without much effort.
Pros & Cons
You can test Zoho Creator for free for 15 days before committing to a paid subscription. Afterward, you’ll have to choose a paid plan, but they’re very competitively priced. The app offers powerful automation, excellent ERP integrations, and a superb low-code workspace. Documentation for some of the features is often lacking or incomplete, though.
Pros
15-day free trial
Low-code drag-and-drop builder
Powerful software integrations
Cons
Inconsistent documentation
What Customers Are Saying
Zoho Creator is one of the most well-regarded mobile application developer software platforms available today. Users praise the platform for being “flexible,” “easy to use,” and “feature-rich.” In addition, customers note that “it allows to create applications without too much coding experience.”
Some users find Zoho Creator “highly user-interactive,” complimenting its “built-in live chat system” that “eliminates the need to purchase additional chat software.” A few customers complain that “not all features are fully described in the documentation.”
Appian is a global leader in several enterprise technology software markets. The company has years of experience providing innovative solutions for clients across many industries. Today, its primary focuses include intelligent business process management systems, dynamic case management, and low-code development platforms.
The company provides a full-stack mobile application developer software platform. Its interface consolidates over 22 different enterprise tech systems. Moreover, businesses can automate their workflow for every step of the development process.
With a drag-and-drop interface, visual process models, reusable components, and template UIs, developing mobile apps in Appian is a breeze.
Some of the mobile application developer software features available in Appian include the following:
Visual design
Low-code development
Process models
Reusable components
Template UIs
Automatic mobile compatibility
Powerful enterprise integrations
Robotic process automation
Furthermore, Appian packs excellent collaboration tools, simplifying teamwork on the development front. Additionally, the platform features zero-code integrations and can even support systems without APIs through Appian RPA.
Pros & Cons
Customers who want to try Appian can check out a demo version, allowing them to experience the interface firsthand. A free trial version is also available for testing upon request. Template UIs and robotic process automations considerably speed up development workflows. Shortcomings include a lack of code refactoring and debugging tools.
Pros
14-day free trial
Template UIs
Robotic process automations
Cons
No code refactoring capabilities
No debugging tools
What Customers Are Saying
Appian customers online commend the platform’s many features. Users mention that the automatic email task notifications are “very simple with almost no code required.” Other customers comment positively on how “tasks can be automatically escalated on a set schedule,” which is quite convenient. Users also praise Appian for making it “easy to develop applications and re-use code for multiple applications.” Still, some customers find that “the low-code environment is not low-code at all if you need to build UI of relatively medium complexity.”
AppCelerator is a powerful and intuitive mobile application developer platform built by Axway. The company has more than two decades of experience creating software solutions for businesses. Its AppCelerator product is based on the Titanium open-source framework.
Leveraging Titanium, AppCelerator users can develop natively cross-compatible apps for multiple platforms. The system packs many convenient features, including a development community with over half a million mobile coders. It’s ideal for rookie developers and seasoned programmers alike, with powerful capabilities.
Some of the features you can find in the AppCelerator mobile application developer software include the following:
JavaScript SDK
Debugging tools
Code refactoring
Performance analytics
Access to native APIs
API Builder framework
devRant social network
Mobile-optimized integrations
Custom access controls
Collaboration tools
Adding to that, AppCelerator has excellent reporting capabilities. Through the marketplace, developers can add countless custom modules and build apps with unique functionality. Thousands of APIs make all mobile apps created in AppCelerator natively cross-compatible.
Pros & Cons
Axway offers an AppCelerator demo where you can test the environment and key features. Companies and individual devs can also evaluate the full range of pro features during a 60-day trial period. One of its strongest features is the Titanium open-source framework, providing effortless built-in cross-platform compatibility.
Pros
Robust collaboration tools
Powerful API Builder
Seamless cross-compatibility
Cons
Pro service rather costly
What Customers Are Saying
AppCelerator customers generally praise the platform, positively commenting on its “cross-platform based hybrid app development API” capabilities. Furthermore, users appreciate how the software “adds structure to your code through Alloy framework” tools. Customers note that AppCelerator makes it “easy to integrate with iOS SDK and to build and run iOS apps.” On the negative side, some users find it “very hard to debug your code,” having to “rely on log statements to debug.”
Swiftic is a DIY mobile application developer software company based in Israel. Founded in 2014, Swiftic has quickly become a leader in the industry, focusing on small business applications. It’s perfect for entrepreneurs and innovators who want to turn ideas into functional, polished mobile apps with sophisticated features.
The software packs a broad range of helpful features and convenient tools. It’s designed to help brands engage their mobile audience, foster loyalty, and drive up sales. With Swiftic, the little guy can compete with major players on an even field. Power tools include advanced analytics, marketplace publication assistance, and app promotion.
Some of the mobile application developer software features include:
Automated product catalogs
In-app menus & ordering
Custom branches
Scheduling system
Powerful notifications
Customer engagement
App promotion
Social media feeds
Advanced analytics
Swiftic also provides excellent customer support through an expert success team. With dozens of custom loyalty-building features, it’s the perfect mobile application developer software for restaurants and stores. Using the app requires virtually no technical background or previous development experience.
Pros & Cons
Unlike many competitors, Swiftic doesn’t offer a demo or free trial. Instead, it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee. However, it’s a relatively inexpensive service compared to the competition. It does lack many key features, like enterprise software integrations, code refactoring, and debugging tools. However, its ease of use is unparalleled.
Pros
Extremely easy to use
Dozens of loyalty-enhancing features
Many useful templates
Cons
No free trial
No software integrations
What Customers Are Saying
Swiftic customers describe the app as “super easy to design” and capable of delivering “really beautiful UX.” Some users mention that apps built on Swiftic “look like you custom coded” them. Many customers found it useful for “building mobile apps in-house instead of farming out the work to designers.” Reviewers praise Swiftic as “great for small businesses that want to promote their organization” using mobile apps. However, some users complain that “communication with customer support was inconsistent” and that the platform can be “a bit buggy.”
Founded in 2010 by Andrew Gazdecki, Bizness Apps is a company devoted to providing mobile application developer software solutions. Its software targets small and medium-sized businesses looking to create their own mobile apps. Today, it’s a leader in the industry, working alongside hundreds of businesses in thousands of apps.
The platform provides developers with a host of advanced features. It combines an intuitive visual design engine with powerful CMS tools and mobile marketing solutions. Bizness Apps empowers smaller companies to deliver polished, professional and high-quality mobile apps.
A few of the features you’ll find in the Bizness Apps platform include:
Monetization
Customer loyalty rewards
Reputation-boosting campaigns
Powerful communication features
Many third-party integrations
Visual design engine
Industry-specific app templates
Vast icon sets
Native iOS/Android apps
Progressive web apps
Additionally, Bizness Apps offers a range of powerful enterprise software integrations. Your apps can easily integrate with third-party systems like social media, cloud storage, payment gateways, e-commerce, reservations, and food ordering. It’s a perfect tool for small business owners with no previous development experience to craft unique and functional mobile apps.
Pros & Cons
Bizness Apps offers its mobile application developer software on a trial basis. It’s a good way for companies to familiarize themselves with the platform before committing to a paid plan. However, the trial has an unspecified duration and is only available upon request.
Other notable features include the intuitive drag-and-drop design engine and the abundance of templates. The software does lack code refactoring and deployment management tools.
Pros
Free trial
Drag-and-drop visual engine
Many app templates
Cons
No code refactoring
No deployment management tools
What Customers Are Saying
Bizness Apps users find the platform “very beneficial for start-up businesses who do not have the in-house expertise available to them.” Customers praise how “the platform allows for the easy integration of third-party services via the web view option.” Furthermore, some clients note that “the support they offer is unmatched” in the industry, available around the clock. Other customers mention finding “all the tools needed for any company to succeed” within the platform. However, some users find the system “buggy” and complain about “no full GDPR compliance.”
Founded in 2009, Phunware has over a decade of experience helping Fortune 500 companies reach mobile audiences. The company specializes in creating engaging mobile applications and monetizing mobile audiences. Phunware provides a complete mobile ecosystem with a fully integrated enterprise cloud platform through its mobile application developer software.
The software has a very easy-to-use interface, packing powerful features under the surface. Businesses use Phunware to leverage customer app data, drive up engagement, deploy advanced location-based services, and more. With a built-in content management system and out-of-the-box monetization, Phunware is perfect for small to mid-sized content publishers.
A few of the features offered by Phunware are the following:
Software integrations
Full-stack mobile development
Insightful reports
Code refactoring
Powerful SDKs
Debugging tools
Deployment management
Access controls
Collaboration tools
Furthermore, Phunware packs impressive mobile audience targeting tools based on your customer data. It’s a highly scalable platform that can tackle the needs of many specific industries and sectors. For added convenience, Phunware also presents many industry-specific application templates. They can save you significant amounts of time on development.
Pros & Cons
Phunware provides customers with both a demo version and a free trial evaluation upon request, allowing companies to test its features and capabilities before spending a dime. However, pricing information is unavailable, which is a small inconvenience. To get a price, you need to request a custom quote. Phunware’s polished templates are another major plus.
Pros
Rich built-in SDKs
Full-stack mobile dev platform
Helpful app templates
Cons
No pricing information
What Customers Are Saying
Phunware is building a decent reputation among programmers and mobile application developers. Customers praise the product’s quality, described as a “great app” that “makes the job easier.” Furthermore, users note that everything in the platform “works as it should,” which is ideal for mobile application developer software. Customers find that the interface is “not hard to figure out” at all, regardless of experience levels. Still, some users note that they feel that customer support could use some work.
Skuid is an enterprise software development company focused on providing business solutions rooted in humanizing technology. It highlights the importance of bringing technology to a human scale. Its products empower people to leverage the perks of sophisticated technology regardless of their background. The system’s intuitive, easy to use, and very powerful.
Its mobile application developer software platform hosts a range of impressive features. Skuid offers a remarkably quick platform, delivering full custom apps in a matter of hours or even minutes. A visual interface with drag-and-drop elements streamlines and speeds up UI building. Custom logic flows allow you to integrate external data into actionable workflows.
Some of Skuid’s most notable mobile application developer software features include:
Powerful visual composer
Design System Studio
Custom data integrations
Action Framework logic builder
Extensible through JavaScript code snippets
Deployment management tools
Access controls and permissions
Collaboration tools
Beyond these features, Skuid offers a host of handy resources for building great mobile apps. They include detailed tutorials, an extensive video library, thorough documentation, dozens of webinars, and an active dev community. Its convenient integrations are ideally suited for organizations that rely on platforms like Salesforce or REST.
Pros & Cons
The company offers full access to the Skuid platform on a free trial basis for a 30-day period. It also provides a simple demo for a glance at its features. One of its finest functions is the low-code visual Composer workspace. It puts sophisticated capabilities within reach in a codeless environment. Unfortunately, it lacks code refactoring and debugging tools.
Pros
30-day free trial
Low-code visual workspace
Custom workflow logic
Cons
No debugging tools
No code refactoring
What Customers Are Saying
Skuid has thousands of happy customers all over the world. Users consider it a “robust,” “very flexible,” and “easy to learn” platform with “excellent documentation.” Many customers report reliable performance when used to “by pass Salesforce customization limits.”
Users praise its intuitive “UI component drag-and-drop builder” as well as its “conditional rendering” features. However, some customers note that when a “new version of Skuid is released, upgrading can be a dubious task.” Other users have pointed out that the feedback system is “somewhat confusing to use.”
Kony is a leading U.S.-based SaaS company specializing in low-dev development platforms and digital banking software solutions. Recently acquired by one of its largest clients, Temenos, Kony has split its mobile application developer software into two options: Temenos Quantum offers digital banking SaaS design services, while Volt MX presents nonbanking services.
The nonbanking side of Kony’s Quantum platform is now supported by HCL Software. HCL Volt MX hosts all the perks of Kony Quantum’s low-code mobile application developer software in a sleek new package. Its natively multichannel approach simplifies cross-platform development in a low-code environment. It’s perfect for delivering apps to multiple devices, including wearables.
Some of the platform’s most salient features include:
Cloud-native platform
Multichannel deployment
Limitless integrations
Advanced VR and AR
AI and NLP chatbots
Low-code environment
Secure back end
In-store wayfinding
Furthermore, the platform packs a host of key strengths. It includes detailed reports, code refactoring, debugging and deployment tools, access permissions, and collaboration tools. It’s a complete software development package that can easily fit the workflow of companies of any size and scope. It lets businesses leverage new technologies in a short time.
Pros & Cons
While Kony Quantum offered a 14-day free trial, HCL Volt MX is only available as a demo upon request. It lets users familiarize themselves with the platform and interface before making a commitment. Pricing information is only available as a custom quote. Beyond these limitations, though, the platform has a surprising amount of features and powerful tools.
Pros
Free demo
Low-code environment
Multichannel deployment
Cons
No free trial
No pricing information
What Customers Are Saying
Kony Quantum was broadly well-regarded. Customers praised it as an “easy to use platform” and “a good application for developing your UI.” Some users found it a “very powerful integration tool” for app development. Other customers noted that “Kony’s technical support needs to be significantly improved,” and that “documentation sometimes misses a couple of points from the procedure.” Nevertheless, most users report that they were “able to rapidly develop our apps and keep our development costs reasonable.”
Founded in 1999, QuickBase is one of the most experienced companies in the low-code mobile application developer software industry. It has a unique focus on empowering citizen developers to craft professional-quality apps regardless of experience level. It’s an industry leader when it comes to providing low-code platforms for business developers.
The QuickBase platform allows companies of any size to speed up innovation and scale processes, powered by effective mobile apps. It’s a perfect environment for IT and business teams to collaborate, allowing employees of any background to assist in development. The platform incorporates a full ecosystem of applications offering impressive capabilities.
Some of the most interesting features that QuickBase mobile application developer software offers include:
Low-code environment
Workflow orchestration
Enterprise integrations
Continuous deployment
Real-time insights
Powerful security
Governance compliance controls
Application life cycle management
Developer sandbox
Beyond these features, QuickBase offers agile capabilities for software development companies and departments to increase efficiency. It’s a uniquely flexible platform, designed for citizen developers but scalable for enterprise-level needs. The software also incorporates multiple templates for specific usage cases and industries, which are huge time savers.
Pros & Cons
A QuickBase demo version is available to check out the platform. Customers can also request a 30-day free trial and test the full range of features. Some of its most powerful functions include enterprise-grade governance and a modern integration platform. It does lack code refactoring and deployment management tools, though.
Pros
30-day free trial
Enterprise-grade governance tools
Modern integrations platform
Cons
No deployment management tools
No code refactoring
What Customers Are Saying
QuickBase is widely regarded as one of the best mobile application developer software on the market today. Customers praise QuickBase for making “building, deploying, and maintaining custom business applications faster and easier.” Many users find that their employees are “able to build and manage apps” without “a lot of coding knowledge.”
Clients find that the platform shines as “a database application which allows many customizations through open HTTP APIs.” It makes QuickBase endlessly extensible. Some users note that “the reporting capability needs to evolve more.”
Premier: starting at $500/month; up to 50 custom apps
Platform: Custom quote
Enterprise: Custom quote
Code Refactoring
No
Debugging
No
Deployment Management
No
Integrations
Yes
Reports
Yes
Features
Deployment: Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, Android
Enterprise software integrations
Convenient access controls
How We Chose the Best Mobile Application Developer Software
Mobile application developer software provides businesses with environments and libraries to create professional mobile apps. They empower companies to turn their brightest ideas into engaging applications for a range of devices. There are many platforms out there, but finding the best options that fit your budget can be daunting.
In a bid to make things a tad easier, we’ve crafted a list of the best mobile application developer software. To determine which providers offer the most competitive platforms, we used objective testing criteria specific to the industry.
Mobile App Development Features
There’s considerable overlap between the features presented by different providers. However, the best mobile application developer software platforms have unique selling points and impressive capabilities that separate them from the competition. The right software for you should have features matching your needs.
The following are some of the most salient features you might find:
Visual builder
Codeless development
Debugging tools
Deployment management
Code refactoring
App templates
Collaboration tools
Integrations
The best mobile application developer software has a broad range of integrations with helpful services and platforms. That includes convenient integrations with business and development software tools, web-based services, social media platforms, and more.
A few key software integrations you may encounter include the following:
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.)
Instant messaging (Messenger, WhatsApp, etc.)
Help desk management software (Zendesk, Jira Service Desk, etc.)
App marketplaces (Google Play, Apple App Store, etc.)
Version control tools (Git, CVS, etc.)
Reports
Reports are a crucial feature for companies leveraging mobile application developer software. Detailed reports help a business easily keep track of the app development process. Furthermore, it simplifies collaboration between devs across different teams.
Standard reporting features present in the best mobile application development software include:
Detailed reports
Insightful metrics
Automated analytics
Powerful dashboard
What Is Mobile Application Developer Software?
Building a mobile app is a crucial part of any 21st-century business strategy. Mobile users dominate most growth markets, and they’re a vital funnel in many verticals. However, creating a mobile app from scratch is prohibitively expensive for everyone but the largest tech companies. Virtually every organization leverages preexisting frameworks to speed things along.
Mobile application developer software systems are specialized workspaces for creating modern, functional apps optimized for mobile devices. They’re toolkits that combine a host of libraries, features, resources, and capabilities essential for app building into a single package. Companies and entrepreneurs rely on these platforms for several purposes.
There are many different mobile application developer software options, each aimed at specific audiences. Certain platforms are best for very technical users and companies. Other platforms prioritize “low-code” development features, instead. Low-code development software allows users with virtually no technical background or experience to craft professional-quality apps.
Different platforms are optimized for different types of applications. Some providers offer excellent integration with sales enterprise software, while others are best for human resources. Certain companies specialize in manufacturing sector solutions, while others provide tools ideal for service sector apps.
Some providers present “full-stack” solutions, which means that the platforms integrate front-end and back-end features. Apps built with back-end support can have more powerful features than front-end-only solutions, which are somewhat limited. You can even find solutions that integrate customer support, IT services, back-end integration, and polished UIs.
Benefits of Mobile Application Developer Software
Mobile app development software is a very accessible way for any business to join the digital age. It’s a thriving segment of the larger business software market, powering a technological revolution at the SMB level. Using these platforms offers a broad range of benefits to small and midsize businesses in general.
Keep up with the times at affordable rates: The cost of licensing a MADS platform is typically an order of magnitude lower than building from scratch in-house. It’s also significantly less expensive than outsourcing the work to design, software or marketing firms.
Compete with large corporations in the mobile arena: Mobile application developer software solutions drastically increase the agility of small business organizations. They can respond to changing market conditions with effective, functional mobile apps that quickly capitalize on new developments.
Increase brand recognition: The software boosts customer loyalty and enhances audience engagement. Coupled with powerful reporting tools, mobile apps provide endless amounts of valuable customer data and insightful analytics. The best mobile app development platforms can provide real-time reports on all sorts of relevant data.
Automate critical workflows for SMB: This can increase speed and customer satisfaction while driving down costs and downtime. From handling support tickets to inventories and scheduling, custom mobile apps are the digital backbone of modern business.
Must-Have Features for Mobile Application Developer Software
When shopping for mobile application developer software, you’ll see many different features available. A lot of them are fantastic, while some of them are mostly “marketing talk.” Being able to tell the difference can be difficult. However, the best strategy is to know what features are important for your business and usage cases.
Code refactoring, debugging mode, and deployment management tools: These features make it much easier to create, publish, and maintain your apps for multiple mobile platforms over time. They streamline the app development process, saving you time and money.
Low-code visual design environment: The best mobile application developer software for SMB incorporates simple but powerful drag-and-drop visual interfaces. They make customizing a sophisticated UI a quick and simple task. Many platforms include convenient app templates and UX models to jump-start your app creation process.
Pre-built and extensible software integrations: Depending on your industry and intended usage case, different software integrations will be ideal for you. In any case, though, you should be looking for software that integrates with your current systems. If that isn’t available, look for extensible open APIs that could integrate with your software.
Integrated reporting capabilities: Detailed reports are one of the most valuable assets you can leverage in a mobile app. They allow companies to assess customer satisfaction, engagement, sales, and other custom insights. With this data, SMB can improve their mobile app development, customer funnels, support systems, and much more.
Beyond these features, always try to ponder your actual business needs. Don’t make your decisions based on what software can do but what it can do for your company.
The Cost of Mobile Application Developer Software
Mobile app development software is available at a vast spectrum of prices. Solutions range from entirely free to enterprise-level custom packages in the tens of thousands of dollars. The right software for you should cover your needs while managing to stay within your budget. Fortunately, businesses can find a diversity of options at every price level.
At the free level, there are many platforms offering professional-quality tools and products for app development. They do tend to have significant limitations, though, driving users towards paid subscription plans. Often, free plans have no back-end support or limited integrations with your database. Such restrictions can render many potentially game-changing apps useless.
Several apps are available for around $10-$100 per month for a small number of users. For some platforms, this can be enough to access all premium features, as prices scale with user numbers. However, other providers only offer certain services for the highest-tier plans, such as full-stack integration. Lesser plans can prove too limiting for complex usage cases.
Many platforms offer their full premium services for monthly subscriptions between $100 and $500. These solutions tend to be very polished, with live customer support around the clock and extensive documentation. Some of them are geared towards a more technical crowd, but a few prioritize low-code environments.
In the higher price range, the most expensive plans can range from $1,000 to $2,000 per month and beyond. Many of these packages are billed annually, adding another hurdle for SMB. Custom enterprise solutions can have annual prices in the tens of thousands of dollars. Usually, these solutions tend to be overkill, offering features you won’t need with a very high price tag.
