Mendix vs OutSystems: An In-Depth Comparison of Leading Low-Code Platforms

Have you been searching for the perfect low-code development platform to supercharge your digital transformation journey? Then you must have come across two of these low-code development platforms: Mendix and OutSystems. 

Mendix and OutSystems are two popular low-code development platforms to transform the way you build applications, but each has its unique strengths and approaches. Both platforms offer robust features, scalability, and enterprise-grade solutions. With this, it becomes difficult to choose the right platform between them.  

But, don't worry, here we bring you a detailed blog on Mendix vs OutSystems. We’ll give you detailed insights into these low-code platforms based on features, pros, and cons.

Mendix is one of the most popular low-code application development platforms that enables both professional and citizen developers to develop mobile and web applications with minimal coding. The visual modeling tools of Mendix enable application development without any traditional coding. 

With Mendix, you get the opportunity to connect with various data sources, third-party apps, services, and APIs’ to expand your business apps ecosystem.  Mendix offers solutions for various industries like healthcare, enterprise, and government. This platform enables users to create web, desktop, mobile, and embedded apps without programming skills. Currently, they have over 300k+ developers, 50M end users, and over 200,000 applications built using Mendix.

Mendix's philosophy focuses on bridging the gap between business and IT by empowering everyone as a maker. Mendix offers an Integrated Development Environment, facilitating straightforward development and seamless integration with other software platforms and technologies.

OutSystems is one of the leading low-code development platforms that enables organizations to build, deploy, and manage enterprise-grade applications rapidly. Its intuitive interface combines drag-and-drop functionality with the ability to add custom code when needed, creating a balance between ease of use and flexibility. 

OutSystems provides a visual development environment that allows both professional developers and citizen developers to create complex, scalable applications with minimal hand-coding. OutSystems has grown to serve over 80 countries and across 21 industries, demonstrating its global impact and versatility in various industries.

When compared to other top low-code platforms, OutSystems is capable of handling complex and scalable applications. The architecture of this platform is designed to handle millions of users and integrate seamlessly with existing systems and databases. It also supports mobile app development, and large-scale enterprise systems, and can manage portfolios of hundreds of apps simultaneously. 

Mendix and OutSystems are both exceptional low-code development platforms that have established themselves in the competitive landscape of application development solutions. However, it's important to recognize that no single platform can meet the different needs of every business.

In comparison, Appsmith becomes a compelling alternative with its open-source, low-code platform designed to build internal tools and admin panels. Appsmith’s flexible architecture, extensive integrations, and robust community support make it an ideal choice for organizations looking for a cost-effective and customizable solution. 

After analyzing their pricing plans, feature sets, and user reviews on platforms like G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and platform users, we’ve identified the types of businesses each solution is best suited for.

As we have seen the low-code platform's suitability for a wide range of users and industries, it's important to consider how the platform performs in real-world scenarios. Let's take a closer look at ratings on G2 to know their performance in a real-world scenario. 

Both Mendix and OutSystems receive high ratings on review platforms like G2, showcasing their popularity among users. However, each platform comes with its own set of strengths and challenges.

In contrast, Appsmith, as an open-source low-code platform, is appreciated by users for its ease of use and extensive customization options.

This combination of user-friendly features and flexibility, along with its cost-effectiveness, makes Appsmith a strong alternative for building internal tools and dashboards without the high costs associated with other platforms.

While G2 ratings can help shape an opinion of low-code platforms, they might not give you the full picture. 

Hence, to make up for that difference, we have compared the features and functionalities of  Mendix and OutSystems to help you establish a solid understanding of what each platform offers and which one best meets your business needs.

The pros and cons added below are from real users who have already used the platform. This is what users say about  Mendix, OutSystems, and Appsmith.  

• The rapid development cycle of Mendix enables users to deploy applications quickly and effortlessly. 

• The visual modeling and reusable components of Mendix help you accelerate application development and reduce time to market.

• The steep learning curve for new developers makes it difficult to handle complex integrations.

• The styling applications of Mendix can be tedious for users lacking CSS understanding which limits the design flexibility.

• The platform's active community and robust customer support help users resolve their issues effectively.

• OutSystems offers a variety of resources like pre-built templates and components, advanced security features, and visual development tools that make the application development process much more fluid for the users. 

• When you compare it to other low-code platforms, OutSystems has high licensing costs, along with additional expenses for platform maintenance, support, and training.

• The development environment within OutSystems, Service Studio, responds more slowly compared to higher code IDEs.

• The drag-and-drop interface of Appsmith helps you transform your workflows and enable quick setups with minimal coding. 

•  Appsmith’s ability to connect to various data sources enables you to perform swift data analysis for business and analytics teams.

• With Appsmith’s 45+ pre-built widgets, which you can easily integrate into your applications, you save valuable development time.

• Appsmith has limited mobile responsiveness which users have noted while using this tool. Despite these minor issues, many developers find Appsmith an essential tool for their development needs.

Mendix, OutSystems, and Appsmith offer multiple pricing modules for different scales of organizations.  Check the following table to understand the pricing of each platform. 

Here is an in-depth look at the pricing of Mendix and OutSystems, providing detailed insights into what each brings to the table.

Mendix pricing is different for single-application and multi-application licenses. The platform also offers a free tier, but this includes significant feature restrictions. This low-code BPM facilitating platform offers a tiered pricing structure for optimizing business processes and creating workflows as well as applications.

The single app licenses start from $75 to $998 per month, plus user fees. With a multi-app license, users can build unlimited applications and complex workflows for $2,495 per month plus users. All plans mentioned here are billed on a fixed fee plus an additional $15 per user per month.

Mendix offers a "Premium" plan for organizations that require a higher level of support and capabilities. This plan is custom-priced based on specific enterprise needs and includes features like dedicated support, custom cloud deployment options, and advanced analytics.

Note: The exact pricing may differ based on several factors such as the number of users, apps, and specific requirements.

When compared to Mendix, the OutSystems pricing seems a little simple, but when you dive in deep, you understand that it is less transparent. 

OutSystems offers free tier options that allow users to deploy apps to a development environment for up to 100 users.

The next pricing option is the paid license—OutSystems Developer Cloud (ODC), which starts at $36,300 per year for the cloud version of the platform. This plan comprises various features like professional support during business hours (8x5),  starts with 100 internal users, and enables the development of one medium-sized production application along with AI Agent Builder included with an ODC license.

Mendix and OutSystems have different offerings in terms of integration capabilities, user interfaces, and scalability features. These distinctions are often reflected in their pricing, with Mendix generally being more cost-effective for smaller projects and OutSystems providing value for larger, more complex enterprise needs.

But if you're still unsure about which platform to choose, consider Appsmith. It offers a specialized solution for building internal tools and admin panels, at the most economical costs. 

Appsmith’s pricing structure is designed to accommodate a wide range of users, from individual developers to large enterprises. This pricing model is based on the principle of offering value while ensuring accessibility for different scales of operation.

Appsmith offers a free-tier plan. This plan consists of various features like 3 standard roles for access control, unlimited users, embedding public apps, and community support. This plan is suitable for individual developers and small teams.

Another one is the business plan. It costs $0.4 per hour of usage and is billed for at least 100 hours each month. This plan offers everything included in the free edition plus additional features such as granular access controls by roles and attributes, versioning with Git, audit logs, and priority support. This plan is suitable for growing business teams that require enhanced collaboration features and customization options.

Appsmith also offers an enterprise plan which is a great option for large organizations with complex needs. This plan is custom-priced based on specific needs and comprises all the business plan features including dedicated support, custom deployment options, and custom integrations. The users opting for the enterprise plan benefit from increased security and scalability. 

Mendix and OutSystems are two of the top available solutions offering robust features that enable organizations to quickly build custom applications with minimal coding and visual interfaces. 

Mendix:

• Praised for its visual development environment and collaboration between business and IT teams.

• A steep learning curve, especially for beginners.

• Higher pricing may be a concern for smaller organizations.

OutSystems:

• Known for its user-friendly interface and rapid application development.

• Intuitive design and quick setup process are key advantages.

• High pricing can be a barrier for smaller businesses.

As an alternative, Appsmith offers unique advantages that Mendix and OutSystems do not. Appsmith specializes in building low-code-based ERP solutions and internal tools with minimal effort. Its open-source nature provides full access to source code, eliminating vendor lock-in and allowing for extensive customization.

With its cost-effective, usage-based pricing and the ability to self-host, Appsmith is an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes looking to build powerful internal applications without incurring the high costs associated with other platforms.

Ultimately, the choice between Mendix and OutSystems will depend on your organization’s specific needs and priorities.

After comparing Mendix and OutSystems based on various parameters like user reviews, features, and pricing, you might now have a better understanding of the strengths of these platforms and their suitability for your app development needs. 

• User-friendly interface and robust integration capabilities

• Collaborative features that bridge the gap between businesses and IT teams

• Limitations include a steeper learning curve and higher pricing, which may not be suitable for smaller organizations or businesses with lower budgets

• Known for robust performance, scalability, and ability to create low-code enterprise-grade applications

• Offers advanced security features advantageous for larger organizations

• Quite expensive and might have a longer implementation period due to its comprehensive feature set

If you prioritize flexibility and robustness in a low-code platform without vendor lock-in concerns, Appsmith emerges as a compelling alternative. Its open-source nature, coupled with a cost-effective pricing model, addresses key pain points for many organizations.

Appsmith stands out with its extensive UI-building toolkit,  including powerful integrations, and scalable architecture. These attributes make it an attractive option for businesses aiming to streamline their application development process and meet specific organizational goals efficiently.

• Open-source nature offers greater flexibility, full access to source code, and eliminates vendor lock-in at a lower cost than more comprehensive platforms

• Power-packed with 18+ integrations and 45+ drag-and-drop widgets

• Built-in JavaScript editor and React components enable developers to create customized solutions

• Features like air-gapped environments and custom JS libraries are often missing from most other alternatives

• Usage-based pricing offered by Appsmith is a great option when compared to other available options

• Git-based version control for development teams enables efficient teamwork and iterative development

OutSystems is considered to be a better option for beginners due to its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and extensive pre-built modules. The user-friendly interface and comprehensive learning resources make it a great choice for people who are new to low-code development. Even Mendix offers a user-friendly user interface, but it might require more technical knowledge for advanced customizations. 

Both Mendix and OutSystems can handle enterprise-level applications, but OutSystems is power-packed with advanced enterprise features. OutSystems is widely known for its capability to handle complex and large-scale applications with high-performance requirements. 

Nevertheless, Mendix has also been used in several enterprise environments with its strong integration capabilities that can be of great importance for enterprise applications.  

Well, Appsmith stands out as an enterprise-level application development platform, offering robust capabilities for organizations seeking to create sophisticated internal tools and admin panels. 

Appsmith’s open-source nature provides the flexibility and customization options that large-scale businesses require. Appsmith's enterprise-grade features include advanced security measures, role-based access control, and audit logs, ensuring compliance with stringent corporate standards.  

Appsmith offers a more specialized and streamlined solution for building internal tools and admin panels. It is power-packed with various features like usage-based pricing, better security, air-gapped features, pre-built components, and open-source nature. These features enable faster development of data-driven applications, even for users with limited coding experience.

After considering all the factors, Appsmith turns out to be the best alternative to Mendix and OutSystems. If you are looking forward to building internal tools, Appsmith is the best option with its additional features like rapid prototyping, easy data integration, and cost-effectiveness for specific use cases.