2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms
All low-code platforms allow users to build software applications without writing tens of thousands lines of code—but not all low-code platforms are created equal, and that’s one of the reasons low-code is frequently misunderstood. Because low-code platforms are often used for specific tactical or departmental challenges, it’s not uncommon to think of that as their only use case.
But, if you’re using the right low-code platform, it isn’t the only use case. Read on for details about when to use low-code and some examples of real apps that will inspire you to get rid of your low-code preconceptions and start thinking big.
When should you use low-code?
The short answer is: Whenever you need a custom application.
Custom application? Who needs those when there are so many ready-made applications out there that you can buy (or subscribe to)? I’ll save the build or buy discussion for another time, but here’s the bottom line: custom applications are the only way to get the most important jobs done right.
And when you’re dealing with standard SaaS or COTS systems, even if they’re the best in the world, they don’t change easily. They were made to satisfy generic business needs, not the uniqueness of your business.
Then there are the uncontrollable SaaS sprawls created by adopting all kinds of applications in a time of need. They have created IT ecosystems of disconnected applications in many companies. And it impacts employee and customer experiences tremendously.
The time has come to embrace in-house development so you can meet customer and employee needs—and reduce costs in the long run.
The time has come for custom software. And here’s the good news: when you use low-code, it’s easy to do.
What can you build with low-code?
Pretty much anything. At OutSystems, we group all the apps you can build into four broad categories:
- Experience: These apps delight your users: customers, employees, and anyone else.
- Core systems: This software supports mission-critical, core business operations.
- Extensions: These apps connect other apps and systems for interoperability, extend the functionality of existing systems, or both.
- Efficiency: These applications make work easier by simplifying and automating workflows and processes.
But when these custom applications require high-level security and extreme scalability—can you still use low-code? And, even more importantly, can you build apps that deliver your unique business value? You know—the ones that impact your top line (revenue) and bottom line (saving and profit) and help you manage risk?
If you use an enterprise low-code platform, the answer is yes. So make sure you’re selective when choosing the right low-code platform.
Low-code use cases based on platform capabilities
You can group the different low-code solutions into essentially three categories based on their capabilities and the use cases they cover:
| Type of low-code platform | Capabilities | Low-Code App Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Low-code/no-code platforms for citizen developers |
|
Simple, departmental applications like vacation requests, approvals routing, and employee onboarding |
|
Workflow-based low-code platforms |
|
Anything that can be solved with automation and workflows, such as expense approvals, claims handling, shipping and distribution, and case management. |
|
Enterprise low-code platforms |
|
Complex, strategic, mission-critical consumer and internal software, from user interfaces, frontends, backends, and automation to cloud-native applications and microservices, |
If you’d like more details about these use cases, this blog about low-code and the market can help you out.
An enterprise low-code platform can address a robust set of needs and requirements. You can create and rapidly evolve the key applications for pretty much everything your organization needs, including generating revenue.
Enterprise low-code app examples
If you’re wondering how this all plays out, here are some real-life low-code app examples. (Hint: they're all built with an enterprise low-code platform.)
Experience: Western Union builds next-gen mobile digital banking app
With new fintech players joining the market, Western Union wanted to boost its agility and accelerate innovation to remain competitive.
In less than a year, the new digital banking app was launched in Germany and Romania, and it’s already rolling out to other countries. Read the full Western Union story.
Core system: Vopak builds a terminal management system and escapes ERP lock-in
Vopak, the world's largest independent tank terminal operator, needed to replace its JD Edwards ERP system but all the alternatives they considered had a major problem. They didn't meet Vopak’s needs.
So the company made the game-changing decision to build a complete terminal management system themselves with OutSystems. With this new custom-made core system, terminal operations are smoother and more seamless and customers have a portal where they can view details about their tanks. Read the full Vopak story.
Extension: Cengage boosts the power of Salesforce
Cengage is a global technology company that creates digital learning experiences. A Salesforce customer, Cengage decided to use OutSystems to extend the power of its CRM and provide its employees with a seamless experience.
Efficiency: Monadelphous builds MonaWork—An employee mobile app with everything in one place
Realizing there was a significant opportunity to improve employee efficiency, Monadelphous used OutSystems to build an employee mobile app, MonaWork, that unifies all work-related communication and scheduling.
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The app handles 20,000 workforce mobilizations per year and has improved the employee experience and communication. Read the full Monadelphous story.
OutSystems: Deliver the software that matters most
With OutSystems enterprise low-code, you can build whatever custom applications your business needs, no matter how complex and strategic.
Discover the boundless possibilities of what you can build by exploring our app library, brimming with incredible apps built by our customers.
