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No-Code · head to head

Appian vs Mendix

Appian logo

Appian

No-Code

Low-code process automation platform priced per user, per app, per month, with tier limits on data and AI volume

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mendix logo

Mendix

No-Code

Siemens-owned low-code platform priced by app count, with cloud infrastructure billed separately

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Mendix has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Appian cost multiplies on three axes at once, users, apps and month, so deploying several apps to overlapping user populations produces a bill that is not obvious from any single per-user headline figure.; Mendix the platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • They diverge on capability: Appian covers Low-code process designer, Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Appian and Mendix actually diverge.

Attributes where Appian and Mendix differ
AttributeAppianMendix
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user, per app, per month, escalating across Standard, Advanced and Premium tiersPer application tier (One App vs Unlimited Apps), cloud infrastructure billed separately
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (No-Code).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Appian

  • Low-code process designer
  • Robotic process automation
  • AI process automation
  • Data fabric
  • Portals
  • Process mining

Only in Mendix

  • Visual app and process modelling
  • Free tier
  • Multi-cloud deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Native mobile builder
  • Marketplace connectors

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Appian

  • A regulated enterprise (financial services, government, insurance) automating case management processes that need a full audit trailnot Mendix
  • A company deploying RPA bots alongside low-code apps and wanting both in one licensed platformnot Mendix
  • An organisation whose process data volume is large enough that the Standard tier's 4 million row cap is a real constraint worth planning fornot Mendix
  • A business wanting embedded AI actions inside workflow steps rather than bolted on separatelynot Mendix

Mendix

  • A Siemens industrial software customer extending into application development on a platform already inside its vendor ecosystemnot Appian
  • A company building exactly one production app that wants the lower One App tier rather than paying for unlimited apps it does not neednot Appian
  • An enterprise standardising on Mendix across many departments where the Unlimited Apps tier amortises wellnot Appian
  • A team wanting to evaluate low-code at zero cost before committing to a paid production tiernot Appian

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Appian

  • Cost multiplies on three axes at once, users, apps and month, so deploying several apps to overlapping user populations produces a bill that is not obvious from any single per-user headline figure.
  • Each tier has hard caps on data rows, RPA bots and monthly AI actions, so a workload can force a tier upgrade purely from data or automation volume growth, independent of user count.
  • No dollar figures are published anywhere on Appian's own site; every real price point comes from a sales negotiation, making early-stage budget comparison against OutSystems or Mendix difficult.
  • The platform's strength in process orchestration and case management is less useful for teams that mainly want simple departmental data apps, where the pricing and capability are overkill.
  • Exceeding the 200,000 (Standard) or 1,000,000 (Premium) monthly AI action allowance requires a renegotiation, so AI-heavy workflows carry real usage risk beyond the base subscription.

Mendix

  • The platform fee explicitly excludes compute and infrastructure costs, so the real all-in bill is the subscription plus a separate, less predictable cloud hosting charge.
  • The jump from a free or One App tier to Unlimited Apps is a large discrete price step (roughly 918 to 2,295 euros a month at published starting rates), not a gradual scale-up, which punishes a team that grows from one app to two.
  • Being a Siemens business unit means Mendix roadmap priorities can be shaped by Siemens' broader industrial software strategy rather than purely by low-code market demand.
  • Deployment flexibility across Mendix Cloud, Azure, Kubernetes and SAP BTP is a strength on paper but means the actual infrastructure cost and complexity vary significantly by choice, complicating like-for-like vendor comparisons.
  • Premium-tier features and enterprise governance capabilities are quote-only, so a buyer cannot fully compare Mendix's top tier against OutSystems or Appian without entering a sales process.

Pricing, plan by plan

Appian

On request
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Per user, per app, per month
    • 4 million data row capacity
    • 5 RPA bots included
  • Advanced$undefined/month
    • Per user, per app, per month
    • Higher data row capacity than Standard
    • More RPA bots than Standard
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Per user, per app, per month
    • 50 million data row capacity
    • Unlimited RPA bots

Mendix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited users on one deployment environment
    • No commitment or credit card required
    • Suitable for evaluation and small-scale use
  • Standard, One App$undefined/month
    • Licenses a single application in production
    • Cloud deployment and standard support options
    • Compute and infrastructure costs billed separately
  • Standard, Unlimited Apps$undefined/month
    • Licenses unlimited applications under one subscription
    • Per-user cost declines as user volume grows
    • Discounted external (B2B/B2C) user rates available
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Custom quote
    • Enterprise-grade governance and 24/7 support
    • Advanced deployment and compliance options

Which should you pick?

Choose Appian if

  • You need low-code process designer.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want robotic process automation.
Appian review

Choose Mendix if

  • You need visual app and process modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free tier.
Mendix review

Questions people ask

Is Appian or Mendix better?
Neither clearly leads. Appian starts at On request and Mendix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Appian or Mendix?
Mendix has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Appian and Free for Mendix.
Does Appian or Mendix run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Mendix for free?
Yes. Mendix has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Appian starts at On request.
What is Appian best used for?
Appian is most often used for a regulated enterprise (financial services, government, insurance) automating case management processes that need a full audit trail, a company deploying rpa bots alongside low-code apps and wanting both in one licensed platform, an organisation whose process data volume is large enough that the standard tier's 4 million row cap is a real constraint worth planning for, a business wanting embedded ai actions inside workflow steps rather than bolted on separately. Of those, a regulated enterprise (financial services, government, insurance) automating case management processes that need a full audit trail and a company deploying rpa bots alongside low-code apps and wanting both in one licensed platform are not what Mendix is typically brought in for.
What can Appian do that Mendix cannot?
Appian covers Low-code process designer, Robotic process automation, AI process automation, Data fabric. Mendix covers Visual app and process modelling, Free tier, Multi-cloud deployment, AI-assisted development.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Appian: Does Appian publish its prices?

No dollar figures are public. It discloses the pricing mechanism, per user per app per month across three tiers, but actual rates are negotiated.

Mendix: What is the difference between One App and Unlimited Apps?

One App licenses a single application in production; Unlimited Apps covers any number of apps under one subscription, at a materially higher starting price.

Appian: What happens if we exceed the data row cap?

Exceeding a tier's data row, RPA bot or AI action cap requires upgrading to the next tier or negotiating an add-on, regardless of user count.

Mendix: Does the licence include hosting?

No. Mendix states explicitly that compute and infrastructure resources are billed separately from the platform licence, regardless of deployment target.

Appian: Is Appian a general app builder like OutSystems?

It can build general apps but is oriented more toward process automation and case management, with RPA and AI embedded as core features.

Mendix: Who owns Mendix?

Siemens, which acquired Mendix in 2018 and runs it as part of its industrial software portfolio.

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