Coding is hard, and app development is no easy feat. But Gilde is here to change that. It claims to offer the easiest way to create an app from Google Sheets in just a fraction of time! Cutting costs, saving resources, and requiring no code!
It sounds like a dream! Doesn’t it? So let’s dive into this review to see if it’s really what it claims or too good to be true.
What is Glide?
Glide is a powerful platform designed to create elegant apps through Google Sheets. It is simple and easy to use and allows users to efficiently create apps for their business and bring their creative ideas to life.
Without having to write any code, non-technical users may create appealing, useful mobile and desktop apps with this app builder. It offers customers the choice of creating from scratch or using predesigned app templates in its user-friendly drag-and-drop editor. With Glide, you can add logic and functionality to your app by importing data via Google Spreadsheet.
How Does Glide Work?
With Glide apps you have complete control of your data through a visual interface. And it uses Google Sheets as a database. Without writing any code, you can interact with your database just like you would with any spreadsheet. Unless you took the time to create your visual interface, traditional databases force you to manipulate data through the command line rather than a visual interface.
With Glide, you can access a wide range of tools, including a map view, calendar view, user list, and even more sophisticated components like a chat interface. It indeed does have a lot of the fundamental elements that are required in mainstream apps.
How to Get Started with Glide Apps?
Getting started with building an app through Glide is easy. There isn’t much more to learn to use this platform. If you are already familiar with Google Sheets, all you need is your data in the form of a sheet.
Who would have thought that in 2022, a completely functional app might be made in a matter of seconds? The majority of Glide users adore how user-friendly the platform is. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to change the existing data in any way you like.
For those that are unsure about where to start, Glide apps also provide various templates that highlight the building blocks you can use and serve as an easy starting point.
What Makes Glide Worth Using
Let’s highlight the advantages of Glide Apps and what makes it a great choice for developing your app.
Predesigned Templates
The app offers pre-designed templates for creating apps. Glide templates are geared toward design, and can be easily utilized to produce aesthetically beautiful applications. That’s a positive because having something that is both useful and gorgeous is always a plus.
The platform’s hundreds of ready-made templates make it incredibly quick to use. On the Glide app, there are now 407 templates available. You can rapidly develop an app in just a matter of days if not hours just by selecting one that fits your needs.
Great User-Interface
The platform UI is easy to navigate and use. This is why it is one of the top apps in industry rankings for usability. Because of how responsive it is, its rapid visual feedback makes designing your app a piece of cake. Once you’ve dragged and dropped something in, you’ll be able to see how it appears right away and decide if something isn’t quite working properly. This is why making the ideal app simply requires a few minutes.
Where Glide Apps Need Improvement
Here we will discuss some of the aspects of Glide Apps that can use some improvements.
Limited Customization
If you need a lot of design modification for your project, Glide isn’t the best platform for you. Due to the template structure, you may not be able to find the template that matches your exact needs. However, building through Glide will be highly profitable if customisation isn’t a big deal.
No In-App Notifications
Apps designed on Glide can’t deliver notifications to users’ desktop computers. This is because Glide develops PWAs (Progressive Web Apps).
Who Should Use Glide Apps?
Glide simplifies app development. And while it may not be for everyone there are a few instances where using this platform will be highly feasible for the company.
Glide apps are excellent for building internal company applications and tools. It can be used to develop expense reporters, internal issue tracking software, or other apps that help improve the company’s workflow and processes.
One other example of apps that can be built through Glide is early MVP for beta testers. You can implement changes based on user feedback with startling speed as well as cut costs drastically.
If your MVP features and requirements are met through Glide and its offerings that building the app through this platform instead of from scratch through code may save you manhours, time, and money.
Glide Apps Pricing
Glide Apps offers four pricing plans: Free, Starter, Pro, and Business. And while all plans have their perks, the free version isn’t a joke either. It has a lot to offer for app creation. Here are some of its features:
- Up to 3 Apps and Pages
- 500 Rows per Project
- 100 Public Users
- 3 Private Users
- All Data Sources
- 1,000 Updates
- Glide Branding
- Community Support
You can create a fully usable app with up to 500 rows of data with freemium. However, once you are hooked you’ll probably buy a plan because of its capabilities.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Glide is a very capable no-code app builder. And it is bound to improve over time. The platform is a powerful tool to improve workflow as well as basic MVPs. However, there are still a few improvements to be made. And we don’t recommend Glide for creating applications that need complex databases. Nevertheless, Glide represents a significant advance in improving software accessibility. It is a great step forward to making app development accessible for all.
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