Backendless

Backendless splits cleanly into two halves: a backend with a database, file storage, geolocation, and codeless business logic flows, and a UI builder for assembling the screens on top. Developers can drop into actual code (Java, JavaScript) for logic that’s awkward to draw as a flowchart, which makes it more of a hybrid than a pure no-code tool, and a natural fit for a team with at least one technical person on it.

Pricing scales with API calls, database size, and concurrent users, with a free tier generous enough for a real prototype before you hit a wall. You can self-host the backend on your own server or Backendless’s managed cloud, which is a genuine lock-in relief compared to fully closed platforms. The ceiling appears in the UI builder itself, which is less refined than the backend and often gets swapped out for a native mobile SDK once an app matures. It fits teams building a mobile-first app who want a real-time database without standing up their own server infrastructure.