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EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

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CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

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Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

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Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

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People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

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Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

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Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
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How to build an app from scratch

How to build an app from scratch
Step 1: Envisioning your application

Before you start building your app, it’s crucial that you:

  • Identify the business processes that you’d like to organize and automate.
  • Outline the data that each process is based on, as well as the roles or profiles involved.
  • Determine how the roles, customers, or personas involved will interact with the app.

What do you want to achieve from your mobile app? Is it an internal app to streamline tasks or something your customers might use for operational efficiency? These are just a couple questions you can ask yourself before investing the time and money in building an app.

Step 2: Analyzing the benefits of the app

This step in your app building process involves figuring out your problem statement

What problem are you hoping to solve for your organization or your customer? It's ideal if your app is unique and a similar application doesn't already exist on the market. A great way to identify the versatility of your app is:

Market research

Figuring out the scope of your product is essential to making your app a success. Covering everything from marketing strategy to the profitability of your app should be important factors in your market research.

Competitor analysis

If there's a similar app on the market, you can always do a competitor analysis to check the success, pros, and cons of their app, as well as scope the areas of improvement to apply in your own app.

Pain points of the target audience

Delivering an app that addresses your users' needs is crucial. Gaining insights on what your audience is looking for and identifying their problem statements will largely benefit your application.

Analyzing the benefits of the app
Step 3: Building the skeleton of your application

Now that you have the pre-app building process covered, we can move on to the platform-wise building of the application and how Zoho Creator helps.

  • Data management
  • Planning and design
  • Development
  • Integrations
  • Deployment
  • Personalization
  • App governance and user control
  • Reports and analytics
  • Security

Data management

Data management

Collecting and managing data is the first step to creating an application. From importing existing data, to creating built-in digital forms, you have multiple options to get started with the basic layout of your application.

The Creator way:

  • Import Excel data or convert a Google Sheet into an application. Import MS Access, FileMaker, and many other database files. Learn more
  • Collect over 30 types of data, like barcodes, locations, and more, with our advanced forms.
  • When traditional design languages overwhelm you, ZML can be an easier, mobile-friendly way to ensure your dashboard appears and behaves exactly as you want it.

Planning and design

Development

Integrations

Deployment

Personalization

App governance and user control

Reports and analytics

Security

Prototype design testing
Step 4: Prototype design & testing

Test out your app using a sandbox

At this point, you can access the live mode of your application, and then test it yourself. Creating a sandbox application can enable you and your colleagues to test out the app, find any errors, test different use cases, and implement changes before deploying the final result.

Step 5: Launching your app

Launch native multi-platform applications

Applications you build on the web are automatically available as native Android and iOS apps. Publish the entire app, or just a part of it, for internal or external stakeholders. Creating custom mobile and PC applications has never been easier!

Launching your app

Make sure your application stands out

Zoho Creator is a low-code platform that provides you with all the features required to build a first-rate app. Some of the more prominent features that can make a huge difference in the quality of your application are:

Multilingual capability

Zoho Creator, and the applications built on it, automatically translate into a browser’s default language.

Native multi-device apps

Get completely customizable iOS and Android versions of your application. Automatically—no additional programming or effort required.

Payment options

Accept payments in any currency, and consolidate financial data across your company’s various locations.

Prebuilt templates

Creator comes with a suite of 65+ prebuilt model applications catering to a wide range of industry segments and business functions for you to integrate and customize upon.

Build apps 10x faster

A rich ecosystem of intuitive visual builders, ready-to-use code snippets, form and report templates, and built-in connectors help you roll out applications fast. 95% of Creator users have been able to build and deploy an integrated, fully-functioning, advanced business application from scratch in less than 30 days.

Reduced IT complexity and cost

Low-code requires less programming expertise, and since your application lives in the cloud, you’ll also save on overhead expenses like server monitoring and maintenance.

Why choose Zoho Creator?

We've helped 22,000+ brands create bespoke applications and improve their end-to-end operations across a variety of industries. With over 25 years of experience catering to B2B organizations, we have the best tools in the trade to help you improve your business.

Some of our clients around the globe include:

Build your app from scratch now

15 day free trial. No credit card required.

Sign up for free

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build an app by myself?

With a low-code platform, everyone from a business associate to an IT professional can develop and deploy multiplatform applications with little or no coding. Users can jump right in to building the application, as these platforms eliminate typical processes, like creating frameworks, modeling data, and developing user interfaces.

How do I make an app with no experience?

Citizen development is a trend where companies encourage employees with little or no app-building expertise to build applications using low-code and no-code (LCNC) tools.

Citizen developers grew out of a two-fold problem: a shortage of skilled programmers and an increasing hunger for mobile apps. Citizen development bypasses this hurdle of transporting information across an organization by making it available to every individual. Learn more

How can I create an app for free on Creator?

Zoho Creator is a low-code platform that lets you build, deploy, and manage enterprise-grade cloud-based applications. With our intuitive drag-and-drop interface, you can create impressive applications for free, in minutes! Get started with Creator with our 15 day free trial. No credit card details are required. Create your free app in just 5 simple steps. Learn more.

How easy is it to migrate my existing data to Zoho Creator?

Import Excel data or convert a Google Sheet into an app in a few clicks. Run your MS Access or FileMaker databases through our migration tool and get up and running fast. Using a legacy system? Send us an email, and we'll get you set up on a modern platform fast.

What type of applications can be built on Creator?

From everyday tasks to complex process automation, you can build endless scalable solutions with our multiplatform app builder. Create your own app from scratch or get started with our collection of ready-to-use business apps. Click here to learn more.