Microsoft PowerApps vs. Alpha Software

Compare PowerApps and Low-Code App Development Software

Empower business app builders without handcuffing your developers.

Office 365 includes PowerApps, so it's a tempting product to use to power apps, but can it really build robust business applications? Alpha Anywhere is also available for free and is worth taking a careful look at before making your decision.
At first glance, rapid app development platforms like Alpha Anywhere and PowerApps may look similar. While both allow business users to build powerful apps for iOS and Android devices, if your apps need to work offline, leverage device memory, and integrate with a wide range of data sources, PowerApps may not be a fit.
The comparative chart below -- PowerApps vs. Alpha Anywhere -- shows how each app builder works and identifies questions you should ask to make an informed decision.

Alpha Anywhere Community Edition is a Free Product.
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3,000+ businesses around the world rely on Alpha Anywhere to tackle their mobile enterprise challenges.
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With Alpha Anywhere, users of all skill levels can speed the development and delivery of web and mobile business apps that work offline.
Front-End to Back-End

Integrate with Data Sources
Deploy Everywhere

Build Once, Deploy Everywhere
Offline

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Alpha Anywhere receives near-perfect scores from serious users on top product review sites.
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Microsoft PowerApps vs. Alpha Anywhere
Why Customers Choose Alpha Anywhere Over PowerApps

Deciding between PowerApps and Alpha Anywhere to deliver custom web and mobile enterprise applications? Take a look at some key differences to consider before making your final decision. For example, only Alpha Anywhere can produce cross platform mobile apps that work offline, can be deployed to Apple and Android App stores, can be deployed on-premise, and can take full advantage of mobile device hardware.

Capability 

Alpha Anywhere

Microsoft PowerApps

No-Code/Low-Code Architecture

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Rich Client and Server Programming Environment (if needed?)

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Builds Mobile and Web Apps

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Built-in Robust Offline Support and Conflict Resolution

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Client- and Server-side Report Writer

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Robust Workflow/Business Logic

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PowerApps has limited features and does not include any workflow capabilities.

Robust Connectivity to Other Systems

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Cross-platform App Development

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Alpha Anywhere produces cross-platform web and mobile apps that perform like native apps on any device, the web and the desktop, and are intuititive to use.

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Build Multi-table Rich Media Data Capture Apps in Minutes

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One Button Deploy to the Cloud or Host Where You Want

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Create Apps for Free

 

Build Professional Apps with Low-Code App Development from Alpha Software

Alpha Anywhere speeds app development for all users. This low-code software does the routine coding for experienced developers, and builds apps for citizen developers without code. The software also has built-in genies that speed data integration, offline capability and security. But, Alpha Anywhere rapid mobile app development always gives developers the ability to add code, if needed. 
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Alpha Anywhere is the emerging standard for enterprises looking to help IT developers increase their pipeline while empowering business users to build professional web and mobile business apps fast. 

Why does Alpha Anywhere consistently get perfect scores from customers?

  • Standards Based - Allows a wide range of developers to dramatically increase productivity.
  • Full-stack Development - Control over the front-end and back-end of apps enables built-in offline capability, rich data integration, security, as well as prototyping and deployment in a single environment.
  • No-Code/Low-Code – A coding optional approach allows a wide range of non-technical users to develop mobile apps, while insuring that seasoned developers can always add code, if needed.
  • Outstanding UX - Uses a single code base to drive responsive apps with the latest mobile features (voice, images, video, ink, mapping and more) and an outstanding user experience on all size mobile devices & the desktop.
  • Predictable Pricing - Offers cost-effective pricing and flexible deployment models that saves on development and deployments costs, while enabling future scalability. (Understand the hidden costs in Power Apps pricing)

Ask the Right Questions When You Evaluate PowerApps

When you're evaluating these systems you'll hear a lot of good things, but you're not always getting the full story. Here are some questions you should ask to be sure you're getting all the facts.

When you hear: "We do offline."

Understand that all "offline" capabilities are not equal. Be sure to ask: 

  • Can your solution do data synchronization and intelligent conflict resolution (aside from "last-in wins")? 

If the answer is "No," then it means your apps will likely have severe limitations that could hurt your ability to intelligently capture store and sync data.

When you hear: "We can do that."

You can't expect a no-code product to handle some of the complex business requirements of enterprise apps, like workflow or user authentication. Be sure to ask: 

  • If needed, can our users or IT staff add code?

If the answer is "No," you'll likely burn a lot of time and money on data integration and security issues or hit severe limits as you build new apps and mobilize business processes.

When you hear: "It's easy to deploy your apps."

Understand that having to deploy mobile apps to the app stores can take extra time. Be sure to ask: 

  • Do you offer an app container that allows me to instantly distribute apps and updates to users?

If the answer is "No," then expect frustrating delays when you launch new apps or update existing apps.


Evaluate Alpha Today
Sagrika Mehta
Sagrika Mehta, Oxford Superconducting Technology

"The platform has shown me how easy it can be to build enterprise-grade, mission-critical apps. My colleagues are telling me I deserve a 'Best Programmer Award,' but the real honor goes to Alpha Software."
Nikos Kazantzis
Nikos Kazantzis, Hayat

"Alpha Anywhere ticked all the boxes. It offered numerous out-of-the-box advantages, of which offline-capability on mobile devices was the most significant --- most other platforms didn't have that capability built-in."
John Azzara
John Azzara, Fast Mirror

"If I had used a tool rather than Alpha Anywhere, it would have taken me twice as long to launch Fast Mirror, and possibly miss a market opportunity."

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“Alpha Software has robust enterprise integration capabilities & 
rich client-side workflow & custom logic creation in its coding-optional development tool...”
– Gartner Magic Quadrant, Mobile Application Development Platforms
Both PowerApps and Alpha Anywhere let you build apps for free!
Build Apps for Free
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70 Blanchard Rd.
Burlington, MA 01803
781-229-4500

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The Alpha platform is the only unified mobile and web app development and deployment environment with distinct “no-code” and “low-code” components. Using the Alpha TransForm no-code product, business users and developers can take full advantage of all the capabilities of the smartphone to turn any form into a mobile app in minutes, and power users can add advanced app functionality with Alpha TransForm's built-in programming language. IT developers can use the Alpha Anywhere low-code environment to develop complex web or mobile business apps from scratch, integrate data with existing systems of record and workflows (including data collected via Alpha TransForm), and add additional security or authentication requirements to protect corporate data.

Alpha Software Corporation, based in Massachusetts, produces award-winning software that speeds mobile and web app development and deployment for business and IT. The core technology includes two components. Alpha Anywhere®, a full-stack low-code app development platform for building and deploying web and mobile apps. In just hours, Alpha TransForm® turns complex paper forms into powerful mobile forms that speed data collection.

Alpha Software is an InfoWorld Technology of the Year award winner, and scores near-perfect reviews from customers on crowdsourced review sites.
Customers rate Alpha Software highly for its speed of development, flexibility, offline apps, rich feature set and ability to scale predictably. For more information, visit https://www.alphasoftware.com/

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