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No-Code · head to head

OutSystems vs Stacker

OutSystems logo

OutSystems

No-Code

Enterprise low-code platform priced by application complexity units, not just users

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stacker logo

Stacker

No-Code

Permissioned portals over data that stays in Airtable, Salesforce or Postgres

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: OutSystems application Objects grow with every screen, table and API an app gains, so a successful app that keeps adding features can push the account into AO overage charges that were not modelled at initial budget time.; Stacker there is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
  • They diverge on capability: OutSystems covers Visual application modelling, Stacker covers Per-record permissions.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OutSystems and Stacker actually diverge.

Attributes where OutSystems and Stacker differ
AttributeOutSystemsStacker
Pricing modelApplication Object consumption plus internal and external user packsquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 OutSystems

  • Visual application modelling
  • Generated deployable code
  • One-click deployment
  • AI-assisted development
  • Application Object governance
  • Prebuilt integrations

Only in Stacker

  • Per-record permissions
  • External user portals
  • Live connection to the source
  • Page and layout builder
  • Workflow actions
  • Custom domains and branding
  • User onboarding
  • Role based navigation

What people use each for

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

OutSystems

  • An enterprise replacing custom .NET or Java application development with a governed low-code platform at scalenot Stacker
  • A company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal usersnot Stacker
  • An IT department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtimenot Stacker
  • An organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teamsnot Stacker

Stacker

  • Giving clients a login that shows only their own records inside an internal Airtable basenot OutSystems
  • Contractor or franchisee portals where each account must see one slice of a shared datasetnot OutSystems
  • Replacing a spreadsheet emailed to partners with a permissioned live view of the same datanot OutSystems
  • Putting a usable interface on a Salesforce or Postgres dataset for users who should never see the underlying systemnot OutSystems

Where each one falls short

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

OutSystems

  • Application Objects grow with every screen, table and API an app gains, so a successful app that keeps adding features can push the account into AO overage charges that were not modelled at initial budget time.
  • Internal users are sold in packs of 100 and external users in packs of 10,000, so a company just over a pack boundary in either category pays for a full additional pack rather than a handful of extra seats.
  • Entry-level ODC pricing starts around 36,300 US dollars a year before any AO overage or extra user packs, which puts it out of reach for smaller teams evaluating low-code options.
  • Cloud infrastructure and hosting costs are frequently separate from the platform licence, so the all-in bill is higher than the headline subscription figure suggests.
  • Migrating a large application portfolio off OutSystems once built is difficult, since the generated code and platform-specific patterns are not designed for a clean export to standard frameworks.

Stacker

  • There is no source export and no self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding the entire interface and permission model elsewhere, even though the underlying records remain yours.
  • Performance is bounded by the data source, so an Airtable base near its row limit or an API under rate limiting produces a slow portal that no amount of Stacker configuration will fix.
  • Pricing distinguishes internal editors from external portal users, so a portal that succeeds by adding hundreds of light-touch external users can end up costing more than the internal system it fronts.
  • Custom logic is limited to the actions and conditions the builder exposes, so anything resembling a calculation engine or a branching multi-step approval hits a wall and needs an external automation tool bolted on.
  • It is a portal and CRUD tool by design, with no offline mode, no native mobile application and no real reporting layer, so it will not be the only system a growing operation runs.

Pricing, plan by plan

OutSystems

On request
  • ODC Entry$undefined/year
    • Entry-level Application Object allowance included
    • Internal users sold in packs of 100
    • External users sold in packs of 10,000
  • ODC Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Custom AO, user pack and environment volumes
    • Negotiated multi-year enterprise agreements
    • Premium support and dedicated infrastructure options

Stacker

On request
  • Stacker$undefined/month
    • Priced by workspace tier with caps on apps and users
    • External portal users charged differently from internal editors
    • Higher tiers add permission depth and support

Which should you pick?

Choose OutSystems if

  • You need visual application modelling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want generated deployable code.
OutSystems review

Choose Stacker if

  • You need per-record permissions.
  • You also want external user portals.
Stacker review

Questions people ask

Is OutSystems or Stacker better?
Neither clearly leads. OutSystems starts at On request and Stacker at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OutSystems or Stacker?
OutSystems starts at On request and Stacker at On request.
Does OutSystems or Stacker run on more platforms?
OutSystems runs on Web, iOS, Android. Stacker runs on Web.
What is OutSystems best used for?
OutSystems is most often used for an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale, a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users, an it department that wants generated, inspectable code rather than a proprietary black-box runtime, an organisation with a large existing application portfolio needing centralised governance across many apps built by different teams. Of those, an enterprise replacing custom .net or java application development with a governed low-code platform at scale and a company building customer-facing portals where the external-user pricing tier (packs of 10,000) is materially cheaper than licensing customers as internal users are not what Stacker is typically brought in for.
What can OutSystems do that Stacker cannot?
OutSystems covers Visual application modelling, Generated deployable code, One-click deployment, AI-assisted development. Stacker covers Per-record permissions, External user portals, Live connection to the source, Page and layout builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OutSystems: What is an Application Object?

A unit OutSystems uses to measure application complexity, counting elements such as screens, database tables and exposed APIs; more AOs mean a bigger licence requirement.

Stacker: Where does my data live?

In the source you connect: Airtable, Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Sheets or your own Postgres. Stacker reads and writes to it rather than becoming the system of record.

OutSystems: Is there a free tier?

OutSystems has offered free or trial tiers historically for evaluation, but production use at any scale runs on paid ODC plans.

Stacker: Can I export the app if I cancel?

No. The data stays in your source system, but the interface, permissions and workflows are Stacker configuration and do not come with you.

OutSystems: How does external user pricing work?

External users, typically customers or partners, are sold in packs of 10,000 at roughly a hundredth of the per-seat cost of internal (employee) user packs.

Stacker: Is it suitable for hundreds of external users?

Technically yes; check the pricing arithmetic first, because external portal users are charged separately and that is where the bill grows.

Stacker: Will it replace Airtable?

No, it sits in front of Airtable. If the base itself is at its limits, the fix is moving the data to Postgres rather than changing the portal.

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