2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms
When it comes to cranking out simple applications that can track team vacations or reset passwords, most low-code tools will work just fine. But when you need to build mission-critical apps or implement a rapid platform to address portfolio requirements, how do you evaluate your low-code platform options?
This is the critical enterprise software development question that analysts at Gartner recently explored. They evaluated 17 leading low-code vendors out of hundreds to assess each platform based on nine platform functional capabilities, along with how fit the platforms are for common business use cases. The nine platform functional areas that matter to CIOs, tech leads, and enterprise architects for requirements are:
- UX design
- Developer experience
- Application logic and workflow
- DevOps practices
- Governance
- Integration and APIs
- Platform extensibility
- Security
- Quality of service
Assessing 17 vendors based on 153 technical proof points and 9 critical capabilities is no small endeavor—so the goal of this blog is to save you some time (and money!) by summing it up for you. (You may also want to check out the Gartner Critical Capabilities for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms report.)
TL; DR: No time to read the report?
No problem! Here some of the key findings:
- Specialists are better for enterprise needs: While the Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms (LCAP MQ) is muddled with SaaS+, business process management (BPM), and no-code vendors, in this technical and functional evaluation, the results are clear: the specialist low-code platforms (OutSystems, Appian, and Mendix) are ahead of the pack (quite above Microsoft, Salesforce, or ServiceNow).
- A portfolio approach delivers more value: Business needs vary by organization, but most are engineering new processes and platforms for rapid app dev. The vendors with the highest scores in technical capabilities are typically the best options for enterprise functional and non-functional requirements.
- The highest scoring vendor from the 17 in the MQ is OutSystems, both in the five use case rankings and the nine critical capabilities. Gartner recognizes that OutSystems, as a co-founder of low-code and a market leader for 7 years, offers “out-of-the-box platform engineering.”
We still encourage you to read the full Gartner Critical Capabilities report because it has even more useful information on the market.
Diving into 5 common use cases that Gartner identified
Let’s look at each of the five use cases Gartner evaluated and see how real enterprises use OutSystems to meet those needs.
Use case: Composing B2E departmental and enterprise apps
OutSystems ranking: 1st
By reducing the need for manual coding, low-code platforms enable IT teams and business leaders to collaborate more effectively. This accelerates app delivery and transforms manual, time-intensive processes into highly engaging experiences that employees love.
The US Department of Defense discovered the power of low-code when it overhauled its Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP). Designed to support employees who have family members with special needs, the EFMP is a noble effort. But an outdated, paper-based enrollment process frustrated employees and undermined the program’s effectiveness.
BAM Technologies, a veteran-owned software development company and an OutSystems partner, used OutSystems to turn the EFMP process into a seamless app experience. The app — which would’ve taken years to develop otherwise — was up and running in six months, providing military families with the support they deserve.
Read the full US Department of Defense and BAM Technologies case study.
Use case: Multiexperience applications
OutSystems ranking: 1st
Choosing the right low-code platform can help even the smallest IT teams accomplish more. Both professional and citizen developers can build and deploy web, mobile, and chat applications seamlessly across various devices and touchpoints, delivering tangible business value.
Belgian brewer Duvel Moortgat shows what’s possible. Its IT “team” consists of just 1.25 full-time in-house developers. But that didn’t stop it from creating modern digital experiences. Since partnering with OutSystems in 2019, Duvel has launched five sales portals, a safety portal, and a complaints portal. It’s also built two accompanying mobile apps, increasing delivery speed with each new release.
The end result? Improved global distribution of Duvel’s beer brands from its 11 breweries.
Read the full Duvel Moortgat case study.
Use case: Business digitization, prototyping, and innovation
OutSystems ranking: 1st
Low-code platforms enable the type of rapid prototyping and experimentation that brings the business and IT together to accelerate innovation and business digitization. Companies today are using low-code for everything from experimenting with new payment options and pioneering self-service capabilities to building sophisticated, full-stack apps.
Ricoh is a global enterprise focused on digital services, information management, print, and imaging solutions. To grow its Intelligent Business Platform product line, it identified a need to develop new customer-facing SaaS and business-process-as-a-service (BPaaS) solutions. And it needed a platform that could harness document imaging, artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, and robotic process automation.
It chose OutSystems and created Ricoh Claims Management, a purpose-built integrated-as-a-service (IaaS) application that expedites claims intake, validation, and resolution. The app has vastly improved Ricoh’s customer satisfaction and retention.
Read the full Ricoh case study.
Use case: Business workflow automation with integration
OutSystems ranking: Top 2
Legacy systems slow down organizations. By choosing the right low-code platform, you can modernize at scale and make your enterprise more adaptable.
Leading reinsurer Gen Re was under pressure to optimize its complex application landscape, which included custom-developed software and legacy Lotus Notes apps. By partnering with OutSystems, Gen Re defined a reference architecture and established a foundation of reusable modules. Then, Gen Re began tackling its IT backlog, launching 30 applications in the first nine months.
Today, Gen Re is accelerating the retirement of Lotus Notes and delivering strategic business value to the organization.
Read the full Gen Re case study.
Use case: Automating B2E departmental and workgroup processes
OutSystems ranking: Top 3
Low-code elements like reusable visual code models, screen components, and business logic help expedite process automation. So, too, does efficient and effective data sharing between apps.
These key capabilities are among the reasons why Kent State University chose OutSystems from its list of low-code platform options. Since implementation, Kent State has formed a 10-person digital factory that it calls the Systems Development and Innovation Team (SD&I).
The university currently benefits from more than 40 OutSystems applications used by students, staff, academics, and university administrators. These apps help students manage their course loads more effectively and save staff valuable time.
Weigh your low-code platform options
So, which low-code platform can help you build mission-critical apps faster and better? For key findings, recommendations, and detailed analysis that you can use to make the right choice for your enterprise, read the full Gartner Critical Capabilities report. As you compare vendors, keep these points in mind:
- Every business is unique; therefore, a static dot in a box alone does not capture your organization’s needs over time.
- What’s desirable for your organization is that you come up with your own definition of your rapid software development platform use cases.
- Not only can you consider Gartner's use case weights, but you can also create new ones.
For further evaluation, check out Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms.
