Part 2 of the “Low-Code in the Real World” Series from Systems iO.
At Systems iO, we’re big advocates for low-code development (of course we are!), and we’re always happy to tell anyone who’ll listen about its benefits. But despite our best efforts, some CTOs remain sceptical, and we do understand why. Many have been burned before by overhyped platforms, vendor lock-in, or tools that promised simplicity but delivered only headaches.
We’ve worked with low-code systems across a range of industries. We know the benefits, but we’ve also been around long enough to see the pitfalls. Here are the five objections that we hear most often from CTOs, and why they merit careful consideration.
1. “It’s just a fancier Access database”
Why this is a fair point: Early low-code tools were often little more than glorified form builders, lacking any real architectural backbone. In fact, some still are. They let people cobble together screens and tables without considering scale or resilience. That’s good if you just want to dabble, but can result in fragile apps that fall apart under pressure.
Our view: Modern platforms like OutSystems can support robust, scalable architecture – if you use them properly. But they don’t force you to. We treat low-code as a robust delivery framework, not a plaything. Our process includes modular design, technical oversight and architectural reviews, just as it would with Python or .NET. And because these platforms run on enterprise-grade infrastructure, we don’t have to worry about deployment pipelines or server maintenance – the platform takes care of that.
2. “We’ll be locked into a platform we don’t control”
Why this is a fair concern: Low-code platforms generate .NET or Java runtimes. But let’s not kid ourselves: the generated code isn’t something anyone wants to maintain. It’s machine-produced, dense and not designed for humans. So while you technically can extract it, practically speaking you won’t. That’s a form of lock-in.
And yes, the bigger risk isn’t the tech at all – it’s on the commercial side. If the vendor changes pricing, strategy, or availability, you feel it immediately.
Our view: Every major platform creates lock-in one way or another. Salesforce, Power Platform, Oracle, even frameworks like Django or Angular – once you lean in, moving off them is painful. Low-code isn’t unique; it just makes the lock-in more visible.
How we deal with reality (not theory):
- We keep critical logic in well-defined app modules so it’s portable conceptually, even if you wouldn’t lift-and-shift the generated code.
- We build external system integrations in standard tech (REST, databases, queues) so those parts are reusable outside of OutSystems.
- We avoid platform-specific gimmicks unless they deliver clear, long-term value.
- We design apps so that, worst case, you can rewrite them in a traditional stack with a clear blueprint already in place.
The simple truth is that you trade some flexibility for speed, stability and managed infrastructure. You get hardened hosting, scaling, CI/CD, monitoring and security baked in. Lock-in isn’t avoidable in modern engineering – the real question is whether the upside justifies it. In OutSystems’ case, for many workloads, it does.
3. “You still need proper engineers”
Why this is a fair point: The idea that ‘citizen developers’ can work magic with low-code tools just isn’t realistic. Low-code still needs solid architecture, clean data models and well-structured logic. Just because someone can build a form or put together a simple workflow, doesn’t mean they can architect an app for 10,000 users.
Our view: We don’t hand projects to non-engineers and hope for the best. Our teams blend software engineers, solution architects, business analysts, UX experts, UI designers and testers – just as you would expect in any good software team. Low-code tools help us speed up the process by around 150%, so our experts can focus where it matters. So yes, you do still need developers – just fewer, and more focused. And since we’re not building or maintaining deployment infrastructure, more of your budget goes into solving real business problems.
4. “It’s not as fast as they say”
Why this is a fair point: The promise of speed often falls apart thanks to platform quirks, poor development practices or customisation headaches. Without the right guardrails, projects slow down as teams start fighting against the tools instead of working with them.
Our view: We treat low-code delivery as a discipline. You have to design for maintainability from the start: reuse components where possible, control the scope and avoid cramming every feature into the visual layer. We can say with confidence that the speed advantages are real – if you know what you’re doing. And with cloud-hosted infrastructure, you skip months of setup and operations overhead.
5. “It’s too expensive”
Why this is a fair point: We’ll admit it: low-code isn’t always cheap. Licensing models can be off-putting for teams used to open-source stacks. If you’re not careful, costs can spiral – especially if the project scope grows.
Our view: We design for licence efficiency from the outset: shared components, isolating low-volume usage and tight scope management. Compared to building and running a traditional stack – including hosting, monitoring, backups and support – low-code often comes out ahead. You’re not just paying for tools; you’re buying speed, stability and a DevOps pipeline you don’t have to build.
Conclusion: healthy scepticism is a good thing
Scepticism is healthy, but the answer isn’t to reject low-code outright – you just need to approach it with proper engineering discipline, strong delivery practices and clear commercial awareness.
That’s exactly what we bring at Systems iO.
Low-code isn’t a shortcut. It’s a tool – and we know that in the right hands, it can deliver genuine value and competitive advantage.
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