If you have ever worked in a digital tech company, particularly a startup and done any modicum of market research, your biggest competitor is most often people DIYing a spreadsheet. When you think about it this way, tech companies are deluding themselves if they think they are "tech" — they are User Interface/User Experience design company layered onto a spreadsheet architecture.
So, if we are simply just rebuilding spreadsheets all the time, it seems like we may just need a better spreadsheet to build something usable on top that is more usable. In that sense, tech is indeed useful because we do this by leveraging database tech, html/css/js, and application frameworks as a system to reinvent a spreadsheet in a way that provides a better UX through its web front-end.
In my opinion, this is technology moving forward for businesses AND individuals that value power over their own data, not just in possession but in programmability and interoperability. As currencies, like Bitcoin, become adopted and coexist in this programmable ecosystem, this is more important than ever.
Categories
These category names are either standard, or I made a word for them myself.
No code app builders are intended for people who don't want to code. Low code is something that exists, in my opinion, because programmers can't possibly fathom that most standard interfaces don't need custom code and that they should instead be creating a blackbox API for whatever it is that's so damn special that it can't exist in a no-code app builder.
Enterprise app builders appear to be more powerful, but neutered in terms of how boring they box you into your designs. This is likely for an enterprise context where usability is far more important for stakeholders than taking a chance on personality.
Would Try - this means out of all the options I've found and looked into, I would try these ones.
Here are the current attempts at "a better spreadsheet" that I am aware of:
DISCLAIMER: I have not tried any of these because I don't have the time. I have signed up where I can and saw the internal bits but haven't launched anything. This is where my "Would Try" category comes from.
Airtable - No Code
Airtable is known for its form building, so it makes sense that they would make something like this. In a sense, most web2 apps are forms for submitting data into a spreadsheet easier.
https://www.airtable.com/platform/app-building
BuilderAI - No Code
In my opinion, any and all no-code apps should have an AI chat module to hand-hold users through the app creation process.
https://www.builder.ai/
Bubble - No Code, Would Try
Open Blocks - Low Code
Microsoft Power Apps - Enterprise
Quickbase - Enterprise
DronaHQ - Low Code, Enterprise
Betty - Enterprise
WaveMaker - Low Code, Enterprise, Would Try
ReTool - Low Code, Enterprise
For full transparency, I am writing this because I am building my own version of "better spreadsheet" that I posted about in my debut post on this platform. But, until it is fully finished, I wanted to share all the alternates I've found for people to try out under this paradigm of thinking.
What sets what I am doing apart from the options below is that I am rolling out all of my works as free and open source software. I do this because it is the only way I can make it public while being in alignment with my moral impetus to empower others in a self-sovereign digital foothold. I will be posting about this later.