How did we became no-code evangelists
Andrii: Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to today's episode of our podcast dedicated to NoCode. I’m Andrii from Sommo Studio…
Roman: …And I’m Roman. Together, we’re here to help you better understand NoCode and tackle the most common questions we get from our clients.
Andrii: Roman and I both started our careers in traditional coding as developers, and over the past three years, we’ve been building Sommo Studio, focusing entirely on NoCode. It’s been quite the journey, hasn’t it, Roman?
Roman: Absolutely. It’s been an incredible ride. I’ve really grown to love NoCode and the way it’s transformed our expertise from traditional development into something so much more accessible and dynamic.
Andrii: It’s been eye-opening, no doubt. The value NoCode brings to our clients and to us as creators has been incredible. We’ve had our fair share of experiences on both sides—traditional code and NoCode—so today, we’re going to dive deep and show you how you can leverage NoCode for your projects and reap the benefits.
Roman: When we started exploring NoCode back in 2021, it was already powerful but still kind of like the wild west. You could build amazing things, but the tools and communities were limited, and it often felt like we were figuring things out on our own.
Andrii: I remember those early days vividly. Our first project was a marketplace for influencers. One of our traditional coding clients came to us and said, “Can you build this marketplace in a week?” And we thought, challenge accepted! We dove into research, discovered Bubble, and though it took us two weeks instead of one, we pulled it off and got the product live.
Roman: Yeah, it was crazy. We managed to build a fully functioning marketplace without any prior experience in NoCode. We launched it, gained users, and validated our hypotheses with minimal effort. That was the moment we became NoCode believers, and we’ve been evangelizing it ever since.
Andrii: If you’re not convinced about NoCode yet, by the end of this episode, you might just join us in championing it!
Understanding what is no-code
Andrii: So, Roman, how would you explain NoCode to someone who’s completely new to it—like your mom or even your grandma?
Roman: I’d say NoCode is like putting together a puzzle—it’s about visually assembling software using pre-built components, templates, and tools. It’s all about creating something functional without writing code, using intuitive, drag-and-drop interfaces.
Andrii: Exactly! It’s a visual, faster, and more intuitive way to build websites and apps compared to traditional coding. But what really sets NoCode apart?
Roman: It’s all about speed. In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to quickly iterate and adapt is crucial. NoCode allows you to build, test, and modify software faster, keeping your business agile and responsive to customer needs.
Andrii: Speed is definitely a major advantage. We often have clients who come to us saying, “I have this idea; can you launch it in a few weeks?” And while we can’t build a full-scale Facebook or Uber in that timeframe, we can definitely create something functional, testable, and impressive far quicker than with traditional coding.
Roman: NoCode is about saving time and shortening the feedback loop. You can experiment with features, get user feedback, and make improvements much faster than you ever could with traditional development.
Andrii: Right, but let’s challenge that for a moment. As a former developer, I know you can also make quick changes in traditional code, deploy them in minutes, and iterate just as fast. So, what’s the secret sauce behind NoCode that really sets it apart?
Roman: The biggest advantage of NoCode tools is that they let you focus directly on your product without worrying about all the technical stuff like deployment and infrastructure. With traditional coding, you’re immediately faced with decisions like which cloud provider to use—AWS, Google Cloud, or something else. There are so many questions before you even start building. But with NoCode, you get all that taken care of. The tools provide built-in solutions for hosting, scaling, and deploying, so you can focus on creating your product.
Andrii: So, basically, instead of building everything from scratch—choosing a cloud provider, setting up authorization, managing deployments, and figuring out how to distribute your application—NoCode tools handle it all. You get deployment, scalability, and distribution right out of the box. Plus, there are pre-built features like user authentication via email, social logins, or phone numbers, all ready to go.
Roman: Exactly—everything you need is pretty much included.
Andrii: That sounds almost too good to be true. Do you have examples of real projects that gained significant traction using NoCode?
Roman: Definitely! For instance, over 500,000 websites were built with Webflow in 2024 alone. Big companies like General Electric, which operates in aerospace, power, and renewable energy, have built over 60 applications using NoCode. Honeywell, another huge player, created more than 1,000 apps with NoCode solutions.
Andrii: It’s impressive that these large enterprises are adopting NoCode, especially considering how difficult it can be to get anything approved and launched in such big organizations. It really shows that NoCode is gaining traction and proving its value.
Roman: Absolutely. What’s even more impressive is that these companies, known for their focus on security and scalability, are choosing NoCode. It shows that these tools aren’t just for small projects—they’re capable of supporting enterprise-level needs.
Andrii: That’s a crucial point, especially since scalability and security are some of the most common concerns we hear about NoCode. We’ll dive deeper into those topics in a bit. But it’s also worth noting that NoCode platforms themselves are getting major traction. Webflow, for instance, is a leading platform for websites and e-commerce, and Bubble, one of our favorites, raised $100 million in 2021.
Roman: That’s right. The NoCode movement is like a gold rush right now, and the platforms are thriving. We’ve tested countless NoCode tools—probably over 50 by now—and it’s clear that while there are dominant players like Bubble and Webflow, there’s also a wide range of specialized tools that are excellent for specific use cases. For instance, Glide is great for simple mobile apps, Stacker works well for internal dashboards, and Airtable is fantastic for forms and tables.
Bubble, Webflow and other no-code platforms for your business
Andrii: So, Roman, what’s your favorite NoCode tool?
Roman: I’m a huge fan of Bubble. When we first tried it three years ago, it was love at first login. It’s incredibly versatile. Another tool that’s really taken off recently is FlutterFlow, which launched around 2022 and is now a go-to for building native mobile apps.
Andrii: For me, it’s Webflow. I love how user-friendly it is and how easy it is to create stunning websites. While you can build beautiful sites on other platforms like Bubble, Webflow really excels in design-focused projects. It’s nearly impossible to create something that doesn’t look good, thanks to their templates and design-centric approach.
Roman: And Webflow’s performance, especially for SEO, is just outstanding.
Andrii: Webflow handles most of the SEO essentials like tags, titles, and other requirements that Google and other platforms look for when ranking websites. Its performance may not be the absolute best compared to custom-coded sites, but it’s still excellent for a general builder. For 99% of websites, you won’t face major issues using Webflow, Wix, or similar NoCode platforms. And just to clarify, we’re not getting paid by Webflow, Bubble, or any other platform—we’re just speaking from our own experience using them.
Roman: Yeah, and we’re not afraid to be honest about their downsides too. For instance, Bubble’s SEO capabilities aren’t nearly as polished as Webflow’s. We often use a combination of Webflow and Bubble to create fully functional SaaS products for our clients—Webflow for the front-end and Bubble for the application itself.
Andrii: Exactly. Even though we love these platforms, none of them are a one-size-fits-all solution. You often need a combination to get the best results. For example, you might use Webflow for a beautiful, high-converting landing page, Bubble for your main application, Natively to wrap it into a mobile app, and Retool for your admin dashboard. That’s a pretty typical NoCode stack for a SaaS startup.
The NoCode trend isn’t just a passing fad—it’s here to stay. It’s been gaining traction since 2020 and has only accelerated. According to a recent Gartner report, by 2026, 75% of new enterprise applications will be built using NoCode or LowCode platforms. That’s a staggering number and shows just how much this approach is reshaping the development landscape.
Roman: It’s a huge shift, and it’s likely to disrupt traditional development roles. Many developers will need to adapt to NoCode to stay relevant. We’re lucky we made the switch a few years ago and don’t have to worry about losing our jobs to AI!
Security of no-code solutions
Roman: Let’s dive into one of the hottest topics in NoCode: security and scalability. These are the main concerns we hear from people exploring NoCode for the first time. The big question is always, "Is it secure?"
Andrii: Absolutely, but it really depends on choosing the right platforms. When clients ask about security, they’re usually worried about where their data is stored and who has access to it. Most leading NoCode platforms allow you to choose where your data is stored—whether that’s in the U.S., Europe, Asia, or elsewhere. This flexibility helps you comply with local regulations like GDPR or similar laws in other regions.
Roman: Right, and you also have control over who can access your data. NoCode platforms often include built-in features that let you manage permissions, ensuring that data is encrypted and accessible only to authorized users.
Andrii: Your data is typically encrypted by default, and no third-party can access it from outside the platform. Only authorized users within your organization can access sensitive data, and critical information like credit card details and passwords are always encrypted. In many ways, using NoCode is actually more secure than building your own app from scratch because these platforms take care of security protocols that individual developers might overlook.
Roman: Exactly. For example, we worked with a German startup called WeShift, which needed a highly secure platform for creating sustainability reports and managing supply chains. They used Bubble’s enterprise plan, which allowed them to store data specifically in Germany, meeting strict local compliance standards. They were able to iterate quickly, launch new features, and eventually raise a successful pre-seed round of half a million dollars—all while maintaining high security standards.
Andrii: If big companies and enterprises are trusting these platforms with sensitive data and aren’t facing legal issues, it’s a strong endorsement of the security NoCode platforms offer.
Roman: And for industries like healthcare, you can even achieve compliance with regulations like HIPAA. With the right configuration, NoCode tools can support healthcare applications, making them compliant with stringent privacy and security standards.
Roman: Absolutely. As we mentioned earlier, the Bubble community is large and active, constantly creating new tools and add-ons. We’ve had several requests from clients to build HIPAA-compliant applications, and we found a variety of solutions that make it possible to meet these requirements. One approach is to ensure data is encrypted in such a way that only the end user can access it, even admins can’t peek into the data.
Andrii: So, no sneaking a look at users' personal data, huh?
Roman: Nope, no sneaking allowed—it’s encrypted. That’s how it works.
Andrii: Just to clarify, Bubble itself isn’t fully HIPAA compliant yet as of 2024. However, there are third-party integrations available that can help achieve compliance. We’ll add some of those tools in the show notes. These solutions allow you to store sensitive information securely in an external, HIPAA-compliant database. The end-user experience remains smooth, and the data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, only accessible to the user when they log in. So if even HIPAA and GDPR have no issues, and major enterprises trust it, what more security concerns could there possibly be?
Roman: Exactly, no questions left.
Scalability of no-code
Andrii: Great, let’s move on to another hot topic: scalability. Can these NoCode platforms handle hyper-growth if my startup suddenly takes off and reaches millions of users?
Roman: Yes, scalability is a major concern for startups, and we often get asked when it’s time to move away from NoCode. The good news is, platforms like Bubble are built to scale. Bubble’s new pricing model is usage-based, meaning you pay according to what you use. Unlike before, where limitations on users, database records, and performance were more rigid, the new plans allow you to scale infinitely. You can handle anything from a few users to millions.
Andrii: Are you talking about the controversial pricing update Bubble made that got the community all fired up?
Roman: Yeah, the one where some users even threatened the founders! But in the end, no one really stopped using Bubble. The new model actually allows for much better scalability.
Andrii: Exactly. Bubble’s shift to a usage-based plan means that as your app grows, so do your capabilities. Yes, you’ll pay more as your app scales, but it’s still comparable or even cheaper than what you’d pay with AWS for a custom-built solution, and you get all the added benefits like a visual builder, automatic deployment, and more. You don’t need to juggle scaling each individual part of your app—Bubble handles it all. And when you reach capacity, you simply upgrade your plan with a click.
Roman: We talk a lot about Bubble, but Webflow has a similar approach. Their pricing is also usage-based. As your website or application grows, your costs will increase, but it’s still manageable and scales smoothly. For most projects, this incremental pricing is much more predictable and less risky compared to custom cloud services like AWS, where unexpected configurations can lead to sky-high bills.
Andrii: Right, AWS bills can spike unexpectedly due to misconfigurations, which is something you won’t experience with NoCode platforms. They offer predictable, manageable scalability.
Roman: True, but it’s also crucial to have a skilled developer familiar with these tools. Even with NoCode, poor setup can lead to performance issues, so working with someone experienced ensures your app remains efficient as it scales.
Andrii: And speaking of skilled NoCode developers, do you know where you can find great ones? There’s this agency called Sommo—maybe you’ve heard of them?
Roman: Yep, not to promote too much, but Sommo Studio, based in Ukraine, specializes in NoCode. Their founders have a traditional coding background, which they’ve brought into the NoCode world, making them experts in optimizing performance for NoCode tools. They even have a blog at sommo.io/blog where you can find tips on performance optimization.
Andrii: Having the best of both worlds—leveraging NoCode and LowCode for speed and simplicity while integrating custom code when necessary—is a powerful approach. It’s about using the right tool for the job, and Sommo Studio has mastered this balance.
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