Top 10: Cloud app buiding platforms for business

Updated: August 01, 2023

Cloud app builders are specialized platforms that empower individuals and businesses to create and deploy custom applications without the need for extensive coding or development skills. These intuitive tools provide a drag-and-drop interface, pre-built templates, and a wide range of features and functionalities to build web and mobile applications quickly and efficiently. Cloud app builders often support integrations with other cloud services and databases, allowing seamless data connectivity and enhancing application capabilities. With cloud-based deployment, these app builders ensure that applications are easily accessible and scalable from any device with an internet connection. Cloud app builders are invaluable for businesses seeking to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and create tailored solutions that meet their unique requirements, all within a cost-effective and user-friendly environment. Whether for internal process automation, customer-facing applications, or data visualization tools, cloud app builders offer a fast and accessible way to transform ideas into functional and scalable applications. Some of the most popular cloud app builders are listed below.

See also: Top 10 Low-Code Platforms

2018. Zendesk launched customer service app builder



Zendesk has introduced Zendesk Sunshine, a new platform designed for developing customer-centric applications utilizing Zendesk's toolset. This platform enables companies to create custom apps, primarily focused on customer experience and relationship management, which are hosted on AWS and have access to a wide range of AWS services. All applications built on the Sunshine platform rely on it for seamless information sharing. The primary goal of this approach is to empower Zendesk customers to leverage the data they collect within Zendesk as a natural outcome of their workflow. While initially targeted towards Zendesk customers, independent developers may also have the opportunity to work on the platform in the future. Zendesk Sunshine aims to enhance customer service capabilities by providing a flexible and scalable platform for building tailored applications and harnessing valuable data within the Zendesk ecosystem.


2018. Zoho opened a platform for developers



Zoho has introduced the Zoho Office Platform, a new solution that enables seamless integration, connectivity, and development of applications using Zoho's high-quality office editors. This platform offers a range of straightforward and easy-to-integrate APIs, allowing developers to incorporate a built-in document editor into their applications. With this capability, users can create, access, and edit documents directly within their web applications. This is particularly advantageous for businesses that require comprehensive office editors for in-app document management while building web applications. By utilizing Zoho's Open APIs, you can connect your applications to the Zoho Office Suite, empowering your users to create, open, edit, convert, publish, and manage Zoho Office documents directly within your app. To get started, refer to our comprehensive Sheet and Writer API documentation.


2016. Google launched App Maker for G Suite


Google App Maker is an intuitive app development environment that empowers individuals to swiftly create simple applications tailored to specific organizational needs. Utilizing a drag-and-drop interface, users can build basic apps that address specific tasks within their company. These applications operate on the same infrastructure as Google's G Suite apps and can be managed by IT administrators. Common use cases for these apps include time tracking, order and inventory management, and digitizing various internal processes. App Maker enables users to integrate data from G Suite applications, Google Maps, Contacts and Groups, as well as other services offering APIs. It supports widely adopted open standards such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Google's Material Design visual framework. This allows developers to leverage their existing skills and knowledge to rapidly build apps within a development environment that promotes efficiency.


2016. Microsoft launched its no-coding app builder



Microsoft has introduced a new service called PowerApps, enabling individuals to create basic business apps without requiring any coding skills. These apps are compatible with both web and mobile platforms, including the PowerApps apps for iOS and Android. Developing apps in PowerApps primarily involves a drag-and-drop approach. While the service provides an online dashboard, the actual design work is performed using a Windows 10 desktop app. Additionally, PowerApps offers several pre-designed templates for common use cases. Although building new apps from scratch is generally straightforward, it may not be as effortless as portrayed in Microsoft's marketing materials.


2015. Bizness Apps launched a new white-label App Builder



Small business mobile apps builder, Bizness Apps, is introducing Apex, a comprehensive revamp of their app builder platform. The newly developed platform aims to streamline the app development process, integrating design, app building, and marketing into a single web-based platform. In essence, Apex provides web professionals with all the necessary tools to swiftly create interactive apps for their clients. Distinguishing itself from the norm, Apex offers builders the flexibility to effortlessly incorporate interactive modules such as loyalty programs, ordering systems, and location-aware features. Additionally, the platform empowers builders to customize various aspects of the app's appearance, including fonts and colors. Apex also simplifies the submission process to iOS and Android app stores and offers builders post-approval features like push notifications and engagement tracking.


2010. Force.com 2 - already 5 PaaS platfroms



At the Dreamforce conference, Salesforce demonstrated one more time that now it's not so interested in CRM (it was mainly a subject for jokes) as in cloud platforms. Following the release of SaaS database Database.com, the company introduced another big Force.com feature - Heroku - the PaaS startup that Salesforce has recently acquired for $ 212 million. Heroku - is a cloud platform for developing and hosting Ruby-applications (Ruby - is a popular framework for developing Web apps, created by 37Signals). Heroku became one of the five PaaS-services included in the new version Force.com 2. And the new structure of the Force.com platform now looks like this: ***


2010. VMForce.com - cloud Java platform by Salesforce and VMWare



Salesforce and Google are becoming less friends but more rivals. Following the start of the cold war between ChatterExchange and Google Apps Marketplace, the companies will soon compete on the cloud platforms market. Today, Salesforce and VMWare introduced the joint product - VMForce.com - the cloud platform for Java applications, which will compete with Google App Engine. Moreover, compared to VMForce.com, GAE would look like a toy. VMForce.com (theoretically) is the ideal solution for companies using (or developing) Java-applications. On the one hand it's the Force.com's infrastructure, which provides reliable, secure and scalable hosting, database, authentication, interface builder (Visualforce), business process designer, mobile access, integrated collaboration system (Chatter). On the other hand - it's the VMWare's ecosystem for Java applications: open-source Java Springs Framework and the runtime platform vCloud. ***


2009. Zoho takes MS Access online

Zoho today has rolled out plug-in that allows to provide access from Zoho Creator to Microsoft Access. Zoho Creator is web-based platform that lets you ***