Glide apps: A complete guide to Glide app development

When we first came across Glide apps, we were amazed by how innovative the idea behind it all was: a platform that enables you to create apps with zero programming experience. Being able to create an app without needing to set up a full-fledged development team using astronomical resources seems incredible - nearly too good to be true.

In this in-depth guide to Glide, we’ll be revealing why it truly is a revolution. We’ll unveil all the industry's secret tips and tricks on using Glide to make your apps attractive and effective. So, without further ado, let’s start. Oh, and by the way, welcome to the wonderful world of Glide apps!

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What is Glide Apps and why is it great?

Glide is a no-code app builder that transform databases into functional apps. No coding or programming knowledge is required whatsoever. Yes, you read that right - you don’t need to know how to code to create an app from A to Z with Glide. You’ll be able to effortlessly create progressive web apps (PWAs), which you can then easily share by sending them to anyone you want via a URL or a QR code.

What is a Progressive Web App?

A progressive web application (PWA), also known as a progressive web app, is the term used to describe a web-based application software constructed with common web technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and WebAssembly. It is designed to run on any platform that supports browsers.

In other words, PWAs are apps that will run on your browser, not like Native apps which you'll have to download through the Apple Store or Google Play Store. It is possible to download a PWA onto your smartphone or computer, it just won't be through the stores.

How does Glide work?

Glide transforms data from spreadsheets into custom apps. It provides templates and an interactive builder for customization. Changes are instantly reflected in the app. Glide excels at syncing large amounts of data from various sources, simplifying the process of app creation​.

From there, you can make all the creative choices you want thanks to simple graphic blocks and an interactive drag-and-drop builder. Whenever you make a change on screen, your app is instantly updated.

One of Glide’s standout features is its exceptional ability to sync huge amounts of data from Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable and BigQuery with your app. You can also import an Excel or CSV file, or built everything using super scalable Glide Tables. Other platforms like Airtable or AppSheet won’t be able to import as much data in one go, so this is great if you generally deal with large amounts of information. Aside from how easy it is to plug your data into your app, Glide’s great range of pre-made templates will allow you to access sophisticated design and a well-engineered flow without spending weeks planning your app.

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• ‍Related: Why we choose Glide for building progressive web apps: Insights from our experience‍
• ‍Related: Glide vs Appsheet vs Power apps
• ‍Related: Google Sheet vs Airtable vs Jotform tables: What to use in 2024

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4 Things to know about Glide Apps

Glide app builder will turn your boring spreadsheet into a beautiful app in the click of a button. It will do so by taking the data from your spreadsheet and using it to fuel a pre-made app template, filling it with your information. Ta-da! You now have a gorgeous app with your own data.

Glide app builder is one of the leading low-code/no-code tools on the market. It’s a tool that allows users to easily create a mobile or web app: you can choose a template and import your data from a Google Sheet, an Excel spreadsheet, from Airtable, or from scratch (which is called Glide tables).

You can then edit your app or webpage using a pleasant drag-and-drop editor until you’re in love with the result. Truthfully, it won’t take you very long to get there, because of how gorgeous the Glide templates are and how interactive the graphic builder is to use.

But beore you start building your apps with Glide, what are the most important things to know? Let’s find out!

1- Glide apps can be free or paid

You can start by using Glide apps for free. This is great if you want to try it out before you commit. However, you might quickly start noticing some restrictions, like:

• You can only publish up to three apps and/or pages
• You can only have two editor profiles, so only two users are allowed to edit your app
• You can’t have any more than 100 public users on your app
• You can only use 500 rows of data to build your app, so under 500 lines on your Google Sheet
• You can only have 200MB of storage
• You can only create 1,000 updates per month, which means you can’t change information on your app more than 1,000 times per month

If you’re interested in getting more serious with Glide, there are three products available. Starter ($25/mo) if you intend on building a few small apps, Pro ($99/mo) if you have a team and you want to build several apps for many public & private users, and Business ($249/mo) if you’re a business who wants to build many large apps for employees & customers.

Do bear in mind that the Glide apps features you have access to will depend on which plan you choose. There honestly aren’t tremendous differences between the features for each plan, but here’s a comparative table so that you can know exactly what to expect.

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2- Glide apps has 400+ templates to choose from

Glide’s template library is among the largest on the market. You’ll be offered a large range of templates to choose from, which will merge with your data and present you with an app that looks as though it was created by a seasoned designer within a few seconds of loading time. You’ll never have to stare at a blank, empty canvas ever again. You can select one of the 400+ templates in the Glide library, among the many options. There literally is an app for everything!

At this point, you might be thinking, erm okay but my app idea isn’t in Glide’s templates! I don’t want something unoriginal and pre-existing, I want something revolutionary, something game-changing. Well, if you require an app that needs to be created from scratch, get in touch with us here at LowCode Agency. We will explore your great ideas with you and build your app from A to Z.

We’ve built more apps than most developers build in their lifetime thanks to the best no-code tools around. We’ll build your highly-personalized app up to 20 times faster than the time it takes to build a traditional app! Yep, it can take around 7 to 10 months to build a coded app on average, versus 2 weeks for a no code or low code app. Mind-blowing, right?

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3- Glide apps integrations

If you’re familiar with low code and no code platforms, you’ll know that it’s handy to be able to integrate your app with the most important tools. For example, you might want to integrate your newly created app with your Google Calendar so that any updates flow straight into your schedule without you having to do anything.

Automating can save businesses an average of 2 hours a day, or 10 hours a week, and an average of 4 million annually, according to WorkMarket’s 2020 In(Sight) Report! That’s why it’s important to find out how well Glide does with integration. Spoiler alert: you can achieve a whole lot of automation with Glide. Let’s take a look.

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Glide’s integration with Zapier

Glide can be integrated with Zapier and used to initiate zaps with the Zapier Action, although Zapier can also be used without Glide to interface with Google Sheets. To integrate Glide with Zapier you can just start by creating a new Zap like you usually would in Zapier.

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Then, search for Glide in the trigger section and select it. You’ll then be able to sign into your Zapier account and use your API key to initiate the integration. Easy peasy! Since each Glide app has its own API key, you will need to create a new Glide integration in Zapier for each of your different Glide apps.

Glide’s integration with Google Analytics

If your app is Pro-level, you can integrate Google Analytics with it to track how people discover and use it. This can be really useful, especially if you’re using your app for any kind of marketing or customer engagement.

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Glide’s integration with Make (formerly Integromat)

Make is a visual platform that allows you to quickly automate anything, from straightforward chores to intricate operations. You can share data with thousands of apps using Make, which can make things efficient and smooth.

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If you want to integrate your Glide app with Make to automate different tasks, you’ll have to first create what they call a “scenario”. This is a series of actions that automatically creates other actions within your app. You’ll basically have to tell Make how it should react when it encounters an action. Then, you’ll connect your Glide account and start the integration. For example, you can use Make to connect your Glide app with a Salesforce database.

By the way, here at LowCode Agency, we’re Make (formerly Integromat) partners! That means we’re certified at making brilliant Make apps (no pun intended). Check out some of our projects to find out more.

4- You can make your Glide Apps secure

It’s natural for you to want your Glide apps to be as secure as you can. Especially if you’re dealing with sensitive data. There are several security features in your app, but you’ll also have to take a few steps to make sure your app is fundamentally secure. By the way, try not to include any sheets that contain sensitive information when creating your app if possible.

1. Go for a secure sign-in method (like two-factor authentication)
2. Protect private data by attributing row owners
3. Create roles to only give relevant access
4. Make emails anonymous in your public apps
5. Learn how to handle user data and delete it when necessary

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The pros and cons of Glide Apps

Glide Apps' promise is to “create an app from a spreadsheet in five minutes, for free”. How is that possible, you say?

We know, it sounds revolutionary: for every single one of your boring spreadsheets to become exciting apps you can use to better your everyday tasks. You can even use Glide to make your app dreams a reality - got an idea for a sustainable clothing swap marketplace? Glide has a template for that. Want an app to manage your investment properties? Glide can do that. Yep, Glide is a world of many possibilities. Does Glide Apps really live up to its hype though? What are Glide’s real pros and cons?

Glide advantages

Easy-to-use and tiny learning surve

There isn't much more to learn with Glide Apps if you are already familiar with spreadsheets. All you need is your data in the form of a Google sheet, excel file, CSV file or Airtable base; everything else is just so simple. We love Glide because it simplifies the hard process of creating apps.

Who would have thought that in 2022, you can create a completely functional app in a matter of seconds? Most Glide users love how user-friendly the platform is. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to change the existing data in any way you like.

Instant feedback and a bice user interface

We think the top industry ranking for usability has to go to the Glide user interface. It is easy to use and enjoyable to navigate. Because of how responsive it is, its instant 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 working exactly as you’d like it to. This is why making your app with Glide only takes a few minutes.

Free at first

Glide Apps’ freemium model is surprisingly powerful. You can create a free app including up to 500 rows of data, with lots of features. You could just use the free version of Glide, which enables you to build an app with no restrictions that would materially affect its performance if you wanted to. You'll almost certainly come back for more, though!

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Fast to use with great templates

Glide's pre-built templates are all inherently attractive. They are centered on design and can be used to easily build your own aesthetically beautiful apps, even without any alteration at all. That's definitely a positive because having something that is both useful and aesthetically pleasing is just so valuable.

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Disadvantages

Not much room for customization

If you need a lot of personalization for your project, Glide definitely won’t be the best platform for you. Though Glide templates are well-designed and just flow really nicely, you won’t be able to customize them much, so do bear that in mind. It’s best to turn to Glide experts if you need a fully personalized app - we can help! Our team of experts has built more apps than most developers do in their lifetime. Book a call with us.

No notifications within the app

Your Glide app won't be able to deliver notifications to users' devices because Glide works with PWAs (Progressive Web Apps). This means that your app won’t operate once the user has left it. However, with the help of integrations, actions, and triggers, you can take advantage of delivering email notifications or even texts.

App store publishing

Your Glide apps cannot be published in the app store for the same reason that you cannot deliver in-app alerts through them. This might be a drawback for some users, but don't worry — Glide makes it a walk in the park to share your app via a link you can copy and paste or even a QR code you can quickly share. Here’s a secret… if you REALLY want to get your app to the app store, let us know and we’ll build it and get it in the app store ;).

Learn more about the pros and cons of Glide in our Glide Review

The bottom line

We genuinely believe Glideapps to be fantastic. You'll have access to an entirely new universe thanks to the no-code platform: the world of apps. Your own app can be made and published in a matter of minutes. There really is an app for everything.

You can choose from hundreds of templates to build your Glide app, or you can get in touch with a Glide Apps expert. In fact, here at LowCode Agency, we are passionate about helping people build powerful Glide apps. Schedule a call with us to get started.

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The best Glide no-code app examples

Low-code development uses visual interfaces to enable both non-programmers and programmers to create apps without writing a single line of code. Low code is all about democratizing technology so that anyone can build whatever kind of software they want without any restrictions.

Glide Apps is one of the leading low code/no code platforms in the industry. But what do these apps really look like? What are the best Glide App examples around?

Princeton concessions

The Princeton Stadium staff wanted to provide visitors with a straightforward smartphone application so they could order and pay without standing in line. Now that the effects of COVID-19 are being felt in locations like stadiums, theaters, and cinemas, making an app is the perfect remedy.

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The app welcomes you with a straightforward Welcome screen that lets you sign in using Google, then points you to the Home screen and a few more tabs.

The app is an excellent example of no code potential because it was created specifically to assist stadium owners improve efficiency during games and offer a modern product. Advanced features like a dynamic menu where prices and items can be changed on-the-fly are a great benefit of the app, which was created using Glide.

Princeton Stadium's smooth integration with low-cost payment processor Stripe is what allows visitors to pay straight via the app.

OKR Tracking

The term "OKR" stands for "Objectives & Key Results." It's a framework for conducting business that enables you to remain consistent with your objectives, be they monthly, quarterly, or yearly.

You can keep track of your OKRs on one dashboard and better align with your goals to grow more successfully with the help of a template app like the one in the image above.

This fully interactive, no-code software was created with Glide and enables you to make your own OKRs from start to finish while being able to edit any existing ones. This app is ideal if you like to keep track of everything and are always trying to increase your chances of success.

Business scheduling app

As a small business, there are many advantages to having a bespoke scheduling tool. Finding the best tracking system to organize the time and resources in a company can be difficult, whether it's regarding managing customers, suppliers, employees, service providers, tasks, or even leads.
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Though we’re in 2022, the majority of companies still use antiquated and inefficient systems that rely on paper trails and faulty human processes. A properly automated scheduling system can have an enormously positive impact on a business, helping to increase sales, save time, collect payments more quickly, and give customers an overall much better experience.

All small businesses can design their own personalized scheduling app thanks to no-code platforms like Glide. This includes features like:

• Enabling calendar and schedule synchronization for all users
• Payment forms for online payment collection so that customers can pay invoices or deposits as they make bookings
• Creating a user hierarchy so that some users can be administrators and edit or reschedule appointments
• Access robust analytics features like visitor statistics and other crucial indicators
• Allow users to take notes and send messages inside the app

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Discover our collection of Glide app examples that we have created by visiting our case studies.

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Glide app development

A traditional app will usually take 4-9 months for the first version to be built, which is not even start to finish. The most complicated low-code apps, in contrast, can take up to a few weeks to complete. If you're anything like us, you may be perplexed as to why people continue to create apps using code…

Though each platform has its own learning curve, no-code technologies are often relatively easy to use. And although everyone learns differently, no-code tools are meant to be simple and uncomplicated. Since everything is done visually, you can drag and drop almost anything you want to create.

No matter its size, running a business requires constant adjustment. You need tools that can change to meet your demands. The ability of traditional apps to adapt to changes, new features, new requirements, software updates, etc is limited at best. It takes a lot of work to update, edit and adjust a traditional app.

With Glide Apps, you don’t need to worry about adaptability because it makes it simple to be nimble. Without having to stop using your app even for a split second, you can create new features and add them to your app without any hassle. Changes can be implemented quickly, at any time.

Can you build an app for your business with Glide?

We have so many tools at our disposal in this digital age that we frequently forget how they can actually help us conduct our business more effectively. This is particularly true in the context of app development.

You may think that you need to be running a huge operation to justify the use of a slick and professional app, but actually, having an app can suit all businesses no matter their scale. If you're unfamiliar with the world of app building, thinking about the various contexts in which they could be used is a wonderful place to start. So, can you build an app for your business with Glide?

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Your digital transformation and Glide

The notion of “digital transformation” is all about reinvention, which is omnipresent in the business space nowadays. In order to meet ever-changing business and market objectives, utilizing digital technology to create new business processes, cultures, and customer experiences is crucial.

You can change your processes in a way that enables better decision-making, efficiency, and higher quality customer experiences. By switching from paper to spreadsheets to smart applications that genuinely integrate with all aspects of your business, you can reach digital transformation.

This can be done through low code and no code platforms such as Glide, which has proven to be a great aid to businesses of all sizes. You can build a Glide app even if you have absolutely no knowledge of coding. Yes, it can seem intimidating at first, but there are many resources at hand to help. You could also enlist the help of a Glide certified expert like LowCode Agency.

Automating your daily operations with Glide

Who hasn't fantasized about a centralized, effective system that easily carries out the monotonous chores of your daily workflow? Even in 2022, the majority of businesses rely on outdated technologies that require paper records and manual actions to function. Automated scheduling systems can help businesses improve sales, save time, collect payments more quickly, and offer a better customer experience.

You can use Gilde Apps to harbor agile decision-making and encourage company-wide digital automation by easily deploying innovative solutions.

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Glide Apps is a software development solution that removes the need for coding. It’s a popular alternative to traditional software development, especially among businesses that don’t have the means to build a full-fledged app (which can cost thousands and take months).

Automating your business processes can help you to:

• Streamline your marketing and customer satisfaction efforts
• Access quick decision-making
• Get faster ROI (Return on Investment)
• Keep things simple
• Be more competitive
• Reduce manual errors
• Improve productivity
• Reduce your team’s workload
• Boost morale
• Significantly cut costs
• Gain insight
• Easily scale
• Improve compliance and accountability

Takeaway

The digital world’s playing field has been leveled by low code solutions like Glide, making it easier for businesses to adapt quickly to change. By 2025, it is anticipated that 70% of businesses will be utilizing such solutions, based on a Gartner survey.

Low-code software can improve the ability to communicate clearly within teams and collaborate to solve real-world problems by bridging the gap between business and tech.

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Related: Top Glide use cases across industries

Building an MVP with Glide: A guide

You’ve probably heard the devastating stats: 9 out of 10 startups fail. What is it exactly that goes wrong? Well, in most cases, it’s because products aren’t properly tested before they’re built. That’s how founders get millions of dollars down the line with a truly unsuccessful product. But didn’t they test before building? That’s where an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) comes in.

Startup founders can thoroughly test their ideas by creating an MVP before launching the actual product. Before going all out, they can get the input they need to finetune things. The problem is that creating an MVP can be expensive, which obviously defeats the purpose of doing it in the first place.

The majority of MVPs cost between $30,000 and $60,000. Startup owners generally create MVPs before completing all fundraising rounds, so if their MVP ends up costing far more than anticipated, it all turns into a nightmare loop of investing money in an unproven product.

Let's get right to the point: creating an MVP with no-code software can save you thousands of dollars and free up your time to concentrate on your main goal, which is to test your product without taking a significant financial risk.

Yes, you can develop your MVP for a lot less money even if you lack technical knowledge: with Glide. In this article, we'll explain why you should consider developing your MVP using Glide Apps and provide you with some helpful advice. Let's get to it.

You can start small with Glide

The idea that you need to have a fair amount of technical knowledge has become completely untrue. Anyone can create an MVP these days with platforms like Glide. That's why more and more founders are using no code and low code for their product development requirements. Here are some of the most successful startups that were built using no code and low code:

• Dividend Finance
• Plato
• Qoins
• Switchboard
• Bloom

You can get your MVP without building a team of expensive and time-consuming developers with Glide. It will allow you to build the first working version of your product as a founder, which means you won't need programmers to test it and get things started. It reduces everything to what matters most: your product. Without writing a single line of code, you can create your MVP with Glide. You won’t need a team of software developers, and the whole thing will be fully flexible. You can go at your own pace and start small in terms of investment.

Faster time to market

Most entrepreneurs will agree that time management is crucial when developing a product. Traditionally, the process of creating an MVP involves reaching out to numerous programmers before settling on one. Before investing thousands of dollars in your traditional MVP, you might even need to look for a tech co-founder.

But before you do that, wait a minute. You can get your MVP quickly — really quickly — without any programming whatsoever. Glide has a drag-and-drop builder that will get you your MVP in no time. It will just be a matter of making the decisions.

By the way, here at LowCode Agency, we create beautiful MVPs and apps. We can get your MVP up and running for a fraction of the time and cost it would usually take. Book a free discovery call today to start seeing your dream app project come to life.

You’ll save so much money (Literally so so much)

Without code, you don’t need a developer, and without a developer, you don’t need a huge investment for a product you haven't even had a chance to evaluate. Because creating MVPs without code is so inexpensive, you'll have a lot more financial flexibility.

This will most certainly be a major asset, taking the risk out of the product development process. When you test your no-code MVP, you can recover from any setbacks far more rapidly and inexpensively than you could with a traditional MVP.

In fact, Glide Apps’ free plan is surprisingly effective. You can build a feature-rich, free app with up to 500 rows of data. You can just keep using the Glide free version, which enables you to create an app without any limitations that would significantly impair its performance. Yep, your MVP could end up costing you… Nothing at all!

Easily measure traction and performance

How annoying would it be to spend thousands of dollars on your MVP, test it, and then be forced to wait weeks to make the improvements you want to make a better product?

That’s what frequently happens when building traditional MVPs. Every adjustment involves a whole development team, which is both expensive and time-consuming. This means that you won't be able to move as quickly as you'd want when determining whether or not your MVP is gaining traction.

You can build an MVP, test it, collect feedback, and make adjustments as you go with Glide. From the convenience of your computer, you can change anything, making any necessary adjustments as you measure traction.

We love Glide because it has 400+ stunning templates which makes it brilliant at building effective MVPs. Users of Glide can build an app in a matter of minutes. We create Glide MVPs and apps for our users since, in our opinion, the platform offers the ideal blend of speed and aesthetics.

The bottom line

With Glide, you can get your MVP built without any code, not much money, and very little risk. The only things left to do are gather input, test, and analyze. You’ll be able to easily update and modify anything without any hassle.

At LowCode Agency, we have years of experience building robust MVPs and apps for our clients. We take great care when creating Glide MVPs since we know how powerful they can be. You can get in touch with us to discuss your product and how we can help you build your ideal MVP.

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The best Glide Apps features for business

Building an effective, sophisticated app for your business has never been this easy thanks to Glide Apps. Glide is a no-code application development platform that enables non-technical users to create unique apps without writing any code. It is so easy to use that you can create and publish an app using it in just a few minutes.

The features that have been incorporated into Glide are what make it an industry favorite. These features include an editor that enables you to feed data into your app and an easy-to-use drag-and-drop user interface (UI). We'll be going over the very best Glide app features that your business can benefit from.

Intelligent UI (User Interface)

The layout system for Glide's simple user interface is made up of the following 5 components:

• Tab
• Screens
• Data
• Device preview
• Configuration panel

The tab panel

The Tab panel lets you toggle through the components of your app. If you want to build a conference app, for example, your design will probably use speakers, sessions, and feedback sections. The Tab function lets you access and edit every one of these components.

The default setting with Glide is for only one Tab panel to be created for each new app project. However, you can add as many as you want.

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The screen area

Your app will have multiple screens, so you need to be able to manage them. That’s what the Screen area is for. It’s also where you can add more components.

The data area

The Data area is where you can preview the data that has been plugged into your app. You can also edit your app’s data from here, as well as add more data to it. You can also do this via the data editor.

The device preview

If you would like to interact with your app while you’re creating it, you can use the Device preview option. You can also use it to switch the dimensions and OS (Operating System) of the app to get a feel for how it will look on different devices, from the perspective of a real user.

The configuration panel

The Configuration panel is where you can configure your app. You can add components to your design and tweak them as much as you want to.

Glide templates

Glide’s templates are what give the platform its usability and ease. Thanks to a huge range of over 400 templates, you don’t have to create your app from scratch. Your best bet will be to find a template design that resembles the app you have in mind and then customize it to your heart's content.

Anyone can submit app templates to Glide. Create a template out of your original app idea and submit it if you want to share it with the world. The Glide team will assess whether or not it is a good fit. We love that Glide is so community-minded.

Everything from a spreadsheet

For your app to run, you’re going to need data. You can use a spreadsheet as your app's data source by using the Spreadsheet section. You can choose between data from Airtable, Excel, or Google Sheets or by importing a CSV file.

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Glide’s integrations

Glide integrates with third-party apps like Make, Tiller Money, Google Analytics, and Zapier. The process of integrating Glide with these third-party products is pretty easy. All you’ll need is API keys.

Data security

Like anything technology-related, security matters when it comes to your app. That’s why Glide provides plenty of security features to keep unauthorized users out.

One of these features is the Login/Sign-in feature. This feature allows you to set your app as public or private. Only authorized users will be able to access your private app. You can also have your own domain linked to your app, so only users who have an email address from that specific domain can use the app.

Glide components

You can think of components as being the building blocks of your app. Glide has tons of editable components you can add to your app, which include texts, buttons, media, lists, and more.

To add a component, you’ll just need to click on it and it will automatically drop onto your design screen. You can change the position and hierarchy of your component by dragging and dropping accordingly. You can also edit, rename, and delete components without any hassle whatsoever.

Conditions and actions

Glide’s default setting is for all tabs and list items to be shown to your app’s users. But if you want to hide them based on certain criteria, you can do that with what is called the visibility conditions feature.

For users to interact with your app, certain actions need to be performed. For example, when users click on a button in your app, it needs to perform an action that directs them to another page. Glide’s Actions Editor allows you to add and edit actions for all of your app’s components easily.

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Glide apps alternatives

When you think of every one of your spreadsheets as a powerful app waiting to happen, a whole new world unfolds. Web development is now getting quicker, simpler, and less coding-intensive to say the least. Every few years, we have moved a little bit closer to being able to create entirely drag-and-drop apps.

One of the platforms that allow users to create seamless apps with the click of a button by connecting spreadsheets to a visual interface is Glide. But what about its alternatives, are there any better low code and no code platforms around? Let’s explore!

Bubble, a Glide Apps alternative

One of the reasons Bubble.io is so popular is that it is a low-code app builder capable of supporting complicated apps at great performance levels. Bubble has become one of the leaders of the no-code movement, which enables citizen creators to produce their own software without having to know how to code. For a deeper dive into what makes Bubble.io stand out, check out our guide on Bubble.io's capabilities and limitations.

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Bubble advantages

The abundance of features and integrations in Bubble is only one of the many reasons no-code developers adore it. That is what sells it the most. Businesses can create more complex use cases with Bubble than they can with a lot of other app builders.

Bubble disadvantages

The complexity of Bubble is both its greatest strength and weakness, which is inevitably a double-edged sword. Although it enables the creation of complex, personalized apps, it also has a truly challenging learning curve. It may take months (or longer) for someone who has no prior coding experience to become fully proficient in using Bubble.

Comparison: Bubble vs Glide

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Adalo, a Glide Apps alternative

Adalo is another incredibly user-friendly app builder that's perfect for non-tech businesses who want to launch new products. Adalo, like Glide, uses drag-and-drop elements to make it simple to design an app with a clean and professional-looking front end.

Adalo advantages

• Extremely intuitive and user-friendly
• Active community forums that aid in problem-solving

Adalo disadvantages

• Unable to use specialized features or highly tailored designs
• Pricier than a lot of other no-code app platforms

‍Comparison: Adalo vs Glide

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Airtable, a Glide Apps alternative

Airtable is a low code platform with a hybrid spreadsheet database that can power custom apps. It's well-liked in the community since it's strong and adaptable, enabling users to shape it to suit their requirements.

Airtable advantages

• Adaptable and customizable
• Simple to integrate with many different tools
• Beginners can use the free templates to create their first databases, dashboards, and apps

Airtable disadvantages

• More challenging to understand than most no-code platforms, especially given the intricate formulas it uses
• Can easily become one of the most expensive ones due to per-user fees

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Related: Top Glide alternatives for no-code development

Is Glide the best low code platform?

Deciding between different low-code and/or no-code tools is particularly challenging. Everything hinges on perspective. Glide is definitely the software to choose if you want something that is completely aesthetically beautiful and has excellent design.

Which tool you choose to use is entirely up to you. But here at LowCode Agency, we can help you decide. We use a wide variety of platforms so we’ll be able to determine which is best based on your specific requirements. Book your discovery call today!

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Building an app from scratch with Glide Apps

Creating your own app doesn't have to be a dream anymore; you can now build an app from scratch in a few hours without having to write a single line of code. You could build an app that takes into account every step of your daily routine, saving you hours each week and eliminating the need for the tedious, monotonous spreadsheets we all use so much.

Glide Apps is a platform that allows you to create progressive web apps (PWAs), which means they work with any hardware and software. The platform will instantly create an app for you in fewer than seven seconds when you select an app template and input your spreadsheet data.

Currently, there are 407 templates that you can choose from, including apps for inventory, property management, no-code CRM, employee directories, expense reports, deliveries, planners, meal plans, and even booking systems.

Step 1: Gather and arrange your data from your spreadsheet

Glide leverages Google Sheets, Excel, and Airtable as sources of data input to build your apps. The layout of the data and the functions that will control it are determined by the template you choose. You can imagine that each line and column of your Google Sheet will be converted into a component of your app.

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Pulling all of your data and organizing it on your spreadsheet is the first step in creating your app. This will take the longest amount of time, so it will go much more quickly if you already have an organized, structured spreadsheet.

Step 2: Decide on your app’s main functions

The drag and drop interface in Glide make it simple to manipulate your data. To begin building your app, click on the New App button located on the left side of the main screen.

You’ll then have to select the spreadsheet which has your data. The only thing left to do now is to experiment with different layouts and features to develop your app as you already have all the information that your app will contain.

The hardest part is deciding how your app will function. Choosing which features and styles to use in your app may be challenging because there are so many options available.

Once you've uploaded your data into Glide, the platform will instantly produce a usable app for you. Although we'd advise spending time properly customizing your app first, you could potentially use it as is. The Glide templates are really aesthetically pleasing, but do lack functionality.

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You can select from a variety of methods to present your data, including checklists, calendars, tiles, and more. You can also choose:

• Decide if you want users to be able to edit and contribute data straight from the app
• Which navigation method you prefer for your app
• The ability to send emails or text messages in response to events or triggers
• To add contact lists, audio and video files, or statuses to your app

Step 3: Finetune your app’s design

Your app's design is crucial, especially if you want to use it for business and if it’s destined to be customer-facing. You’ll probably want your app to look attractive and be consistent with your brand. Thankfully, Glide apps offer a ton of original ways for you to customize the appearance of your app.

If you click on your app’s name, you will be able to access a toolbar that will allow you to personalize various settings. You can edit:

• Your app’s icon
• Your app’s name
• Your app’s color
• Your app’s theme (whether it be light or dark)
• Your app’s URL
• Your app’s description
• Your app’s privacy settings (public, public with e-mail, password-protected, and email whitelist)

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Step 4: Publish your app

Wow, that was unbelievably quick! You now have an app, and you can make it public or choose to keep it private. The only thing left to do is publish it. You can do this by clicking on  "Share app" on the left toolbar to generate a link that you can send straight from the website to Twitter and Facebook, or via email. You can also get a link that you can share or post on your website.

At this point, it is interesting to find inspiration in traditional app-building processes, whereby programmers will share what is called a beta version of the freshly designed app for feedback. In that way, you can ask users of your app what they think of it. Then, you’ll be able to make some tweaks as necessary, according to their feedback. To do so, you’ll be able to easily go back into the platform and edit anything needed.

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Building an app with Glide is easy, but can be limiting…

As you may have already realized, creating an app with Glide is simple, affordable, and gratifying. It's pretty amazing how simple it is these days for anyone to upload a Google Sheet to a platform and instantly create a seamless app.

You might not have enough free time to cope with all of the choices that must be made when creating your app, though. Even if Glide makes the process quite simple, some users lack the time to really think about their app. Others want an app that is significantly more sophisticated than the available templates. If you’re looking for a high-quality, fully-functional solution without having to think through all your options and plan everything out, we can help.

Here at Low Code Agency, we help people like you build custom, functional apps quickly using Glide. We have developed over 260 apps and served more than 32K users around the world with our own team of Certified Glide Apps Experts. We will create your dream app in record-breaking time. Book a call with us today.

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Related: How to use Glide for an inventory app

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Glide + OpenAI integration

The integration of OpenAI within Glide introduces a wealth of AI capabilities that can significantly enhance your app. By incorporating OpenAI into your app, you gain access to a diverse set of tools and functionalities that allow you to create personalized user experiences, and perform sophisticated language processing tasks.

This integration can be used to generate natural language text for a wide range of applications. Whether it's generating personalized recommendations, composing engaging chatbot responses, or even creating dynamic product descriptions, you have many possibilities to elevate the quality of the interactions available to users.

OpenAI's language processing capabilities enable you to extract keywords from text, analyze sentiment, and even summarize lengthy passages. This can be incredibly valuable for tasks such as content curation, sentiment analysis of customer feedback, or generating concise summaries of articles or documents.

WWhen you incorporate AI into your app, you gain the ability to make data-driven decisions, automate processes, and create dynamic and intelligent user experiences. The Glide and OpenAI integration empowers you to leverage AI effortlessly, expanding the functionality and engagement of your app while keeping your users at the forefront of innovation.

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Related: Explore Glide AI in action

Related: 6 Reasons to build Glide AI-powered apps

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The best Glide agencies and experts - The benefits of outsourcing

Though the process of developing an app for your business is exhilarating, it is also an overwhelming tornado of decision-making and money spending. Traditional apps can cost upwards of $100,000 and require 3 to 9 months to produce. Making apps without having to code is a great way of avoiding these costs. You can build your own app with no code without writing a single line of code.

The problem is that you might not have time to build your app if you are busy managing your business on the daily. That’s why many organizations choose agencies and experts to build their no code app for them.

We'll be discussing our favorite Glide no-code agencies and specialists who can quickly and effectively turn even the most complex app ideas into reality.

LowCode Agency

We couldn’t write this list of Glide Apps experts and makers without mentioning ourselves. We’re certified experts at creating Glide apps. 230+ apps, 32,000 users, and a 100% success rate later, we’re definitely confident in our ability to create people’s dream apps in record time. Take a look at some of our projects for inspiration: you’ve got the needs, we give you the results. Book a discovery call with us today.

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Glide Apps certified experts

There aren’t many certified Glide Apps experts. That’s why it’s safe to say that they’re in a great position to help you create amazingly powerful apps. Our favorites are:

• Thinh Dinh, who is our Senior Developer and has a lot of experience building complex apps,
• Jesus Vargas, our founder, who has built colossal apps for giants like American Express,
• Amit Sarda, who builds awesome Glideapp templates,
• Robert Petitto, who focuses on education and gamification features in Glide apps.

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Related: Top Glide experts in 2024

Should you outsource your Glide App?

No code specialists will build a powerful app with a lot less effort and expense than a novice. Your Glide app's time to market will be significantly reduced by outsourcing your project.

You have a great idea which you need an app for. Your business needs this software RIGHT NOW, therefore you must move quickly. You know your business best. You want to find the fastest approach to construct your app because the current fast-paced ecosystem doesn't wait for anyone.

If you outsource, you can have a functional app in considerably less time than if you were to do it yourself. In addition to speeding up the process, leaving your app in the hands of experts will also:

• Let you concentrate on managing your business
• Create your app with the right framework and solid foundation
• Give your team enough time to evaluate the app's outcomes and offer feedback
• Not interfere with your team's usual, crucial tasks
• Make any necessary adjustments to your app quickly and effectively
• Have the option to maintain your app through time

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If you were to ask us, we'd answer without a doubt that outsourcing your app is better than developing it yourself. It's a lot more effective, takes a lot less time, and could cost less money. Most importantly though, it will produce an app that is significantly superior in quality.

The bottom line is that you need to consider your priorities: is learning how to do no code on your own more important to you than having a truly great app? Do you worry about how long it will take to complete your app? Do you have a limited amount of time? You should consider all of these issues before deciding whether or not to outsource your no code app.

By the way, here at LowCode Agency, we’re experts in Glide app creation. We build powerful Glide apps with the highest standard of maintenance and support even once your app is built. We carefully handpick the best features and functions in order to curate your dream app. Book your free discovery call today!

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