Are No-code Products Successful?

The ‘Dot Com’ explosion of the internet era came with a rise in the popularity of blogs.

Despite their popularity, there posed a significant barrier to entry that prevented just anyone from starting a website: coding.

To start a blog in the internet’s formative years, knowledge of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and HTML were prerequisites. While there were people dedicated enough to learn these languages, this barrier of entry kept many away.

And Then Came No-code Tools!

As far back as 1982, James Martin raised concerns about the ratio of programmers to computers in his 15th book on the software industry, Application Development without Programmers. “The number of programmers available per computer is shrinking so fast that most computers in the future must be put to work at least in part without programmers.”

As the internet grew more complex and mobile applications became more central to our daily lives, more languages needed to be learnt to build the way we interact with the internet. Javascript. Java. PHP. SQL. Ruby. Python, just to name a few

This further broadened the divide in the inaccessibility of websites on the internet, limiting the ability to build websites and applications to a select few who carried a burning passion for coding.

The rise of Web 2.0, however, led developers to take an API-first approach to code, thus paving the way for the integration of third-party tools. This allowed for the development of visual programming language, as opposed to traditional code, which meant it was easier for people to communicate with computers.

What are No-Code Platforms (Tools)?

No-code/Low-code development platforms are special platforms that allow both programmers and non-programmers to create application software and websites using graphical user interfaces and configuration instead of traditional computer programming to expedite the development process (Miller, 2021).

No-code platforms aim to simplify the process as much as possible by providing templates and ways to develop software and websites without bothering about the code underneath.

Remember when WordPress jumped on the scene in 2003? By providing a simpler way to create websites and manage content digitally, WordPress geared the world for a jump in access to the internet by providing global access to the ability to build websites even with a limited understanding of necessary coding languages. Several years later, the launch of Webflow in 2013 accelerated this access providing even more dynamic ways to build websites that fit the growing needs for security, privacy, and plug-ins. And now, no-code will be responsible for more than 65% of all application development by 2024 (Gartner, 2021).

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There’s been a lot of myths and scepticism surrounding no-code tools since their emergence, some of these include :

1. Not everyone can use no-code tools:

On the contrary, no-code tools make it possible for just about anyone to create applications and websites with little to no technical skills.

2. No-code has a limited range to scale:

Every day, no-code products (like the ones we feature in the latter part of this article) are dispelling this myth.

3. No-code means no coding at all:

Yes, it is possible to create products with no coding at all, but for more specific and complex features, one might need to do some coding. This is why no-code and low-code are often used synonymously.

4. Using No-code platforms makes you a lazy developer

No-code is not lazy. It’s an innovative approach to creating relevant products in today’s increasingly complex digital age. It is important to remember that some of the most important discoveries made across the world have been made in a bid to make necessary work simpler. E.g Dropbox was created because Drew Houston forgot a flash drive at home, and wanted to prevent that from being a problem in his life again.

5. Can you even build anything complex with no-code tools?

No-code platforms have a large bandwidth and can be used to build complex business applications ranging from complex customised CRM to HR solutions to IoT enabled applications. As these no-code platforms keep evolving, the range of things developers and non-developers can achieve with them would only get better, especially in the areas of flexibility, speed, customisation and complexity.

Defining Success for No-code Platforms

With no-code defined, the next question is ‘Are Modern No-code Products Successful?’ In highlighting successful no-code products, it is paramount that we first define our metrics of success.

A successful product:

• Solves a problem: Whether it is something as simple as helping people make lists, or a complex CRM tool, a successful product is one that actually solves the problem it was created to solve.
• Is Scalable: A successful product must be scalable and able to expand depending on user needs and actions. It should be easily adaptable to accommodate an influx of users, as the case may be.
• Is Easy To Use And Accessible: A successful product must be easy to use, it’s not a successful product if users can barely understand or are discouraged at the thought of exploring its features. If users find it hard to navigate or end up abandoning the product out of frustration, then it’s a failed product.
• Is Fast and Performs Optimally: Having multiple product features is pointless if the product is prone to frequent crashes/server errors, if users have to wait for aeons for pages to load or to perform an action. A successful product is fast and operates optimally.
• Revenue: The majority of products are built for not just problem-solving, but for profit too. The ability of a product to not just attract potential users, but enable them to see enough value in it to pay to access some of its features, is a nod to the product being successful.

We’ll be highlighting successful products built using no-code tools. These products are making huge strides without showing signs of slowing down anytime soon:

• Nigerian Mockups: A brainchild of Check DC, Nigerian Mockups is a library of photorealistic mockups, for Nigerian designers by Nigerian designers to enable them to showcase their designs in a relatable and appropriate context. The product was launched in 2021 and has about 10,000 downloads so far. Nigerian Mockups was built with Webflow.

• Dividend Finance: Built entirely on Bubble, Dividend Finance is a technology-enabled provider financing solutions for renewable energy, energy-efficient upgrades, and general home improvement. Founded in 2013, Dividend Finance has become a huge success, with its estimated annual revenue stated currently at $45.4M per year. Dividend Finance also received the Global Capital “Esoteric ABS Issuer of the Year” Award in 2020 and Esoteric ABS Deal of the Year in 2017 and 2020. According to Bubble Blog, Dividend Finance has processed over $1B of loans so far.

• Plato: Also built on Bubble, Plato is a service that connects professionals to willing mentors, allowing them to develop their careers further. Plato runs its entire back office, and created its tracking system and event-specific landing pages with Bubble. With this technology, Plato can accurately match engineers and teams with the most suited mentor in very little time. Founded in 2017, Plato is one of the fastest-growing engineering + product mentoring platforms in the world. Its estimated annual revenue is currently stated to be $62.4M per year.

• Qoins: Qoins is a financial service dedicated to helping underrepresented communities save better and combat debt so they can achieve financial freedom. Qoins also has features such as payroll deductions and daily roundups on everyday purchases that automate the process of getting someone out of financial debt. This social enterprise has helped users pay off over $30,000,000 of debt, and counting. It was founded in 2016 and created on Bubble. It raised $245,000 in its last VC funding.

From financing solutions to a resource repository, the dexterity and success of no-code products are apparent. The list of successful no-code products is inexhaustible. However, it is necessary to mention that no-code isn’t all upside. There can be challenges that arise from building a product using no-code.

The first is fairly obvious: the products that can be developed are still dependent on the skill of the person operating the no-code platform. Like with coding, one still needs some level of proficiency with the tool. In other words, no-code products can definitely be successful. It all depends on the developer using the tool. Similarly, there might be a steeper learning curve for a newcomer to coding. Especially people who originally have no idea how to code exactly what they want to see.

While more and more developers are beginning to see no-code as the future, there is still a perception that no-code is the lite version of the real deal. This perception is slowly being erased, but it does stand as a barrier to entry for future developers that learn and grow their skills solely with these tools.

Finally, it is critical to understand no-code tools are still growing in popularity and flexibility. As a result, there can still be some limitations to what these tools can achieve, and they can often be limited by performance. Thus, they might not be perfect for building ALL types of products. There are still products and ideas out there that just might not be best implemented using No-code tools.

That being said, we must note the power no-code has in the future of product development. Creating websites and coding from scratch can be long, monotonous, and time-consuming. No-code and low-code tools help developers worldwide expedite that process, and use their time more efficiently.

At Check DC, we are fascinated by how much can be achieved with no-code, we’ve been able to quickly build and ship products for startups and organisations of all sizes, helping them tell their stories through unique and unconventional ways.

We’ve been fortunate to champion the no-code movement in Africa by sharing our own no-code story through platforms like the Webflow No-Code Conference and we’re even more fired up for the possibilities in the coming years with no-code.

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