You do not need to be a developer to build mobile applications.
Who wouldn’t like to create apps without writing any code? With online services like Appscend now you can. Appscend is one of the few service providers that allow companies to create smartphone apps on a budget. They compete with appsbar, Mobile Roadie, Google’s App Inventor, and others.
DIY apps, while affordable compared to apps developed exclusively for a certain company, the recurring fee could mean more costs in the long term, although it would take years to match a minimum 2000 USD fee usually charged by a professional developer. There is also a question of reliability – a DIY app usually resides on a third party platform, meaning that, if the service providers were to go out of business, your app will most likely go down with them. This is why free services are less reliable than those that charge a monthly fee. Fees cover a variety of costs, such as setup, maintenance, App Store integration and more.
As it always happens with any new trend in the industry, most service providers that offer DIY apps platforms are startups – and Appscend is no exception to the rule. The company offers several packages for those interested in giving Appscend a go, including a free module pack, ideal for companies that want to test the service first, before committing a monthly budget to support their app.
Some of the most interesting features of the platform include:
- drag-and-drop user interface;
- Ignite Markup – a markup language that will reduce development time from weeks to hours without making any compromises on quality and user experience;
- free to build your app and test it on your device;
- cloud based CMS and CDN;
- built in statistics combined with Google or Flurry Analytics;
- powerful app CMS that can integrate news feeds, photos or videos galleries directly from the web’s most popular services such as Facebook, Flickr, Picassa, YouTube and many more;
- social sharing that allows customers to distribute app content via social networks as well;
- Google maps integration, user generated content and in app search function
- integrated Ad Whirl ad server that allows you to run own house ads or ads from top networks such as: iAd, Greystripe, AdMob, Millenial Media, MdotM and many more;
On top of all, Appscend allows customers to brand their apps, to deliver a more unique experience to their users. Every app built with Appscend is different, unique and customized to reflect each individual brand and its core values. Businesses that could benefit from Appscend’s services include publishers & bloggers, local businesses, entertainment companies, record houses, artists and VIPs, online stores, and others.