Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service comparison

Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Oracle Application Express ...

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

3rd

Ranking in Low-Code Development Platforms

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Development Platforms (2nd)

Oracle Visual Builder Cloud...

Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software

21st

Ranking in Low-Code Development Platforms

21st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 5.0%, down from 8.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service is 1.6%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rapid Application Development Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Oracle Application Express (APEX)	5.0%
Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service	1.6%
Other	93.4%

Rapid Application Development Software

Featured Reviews

Dominik Grabiński

Oracle APEX Developer at Pretius

Fast low-code web development has transformed how I build complex data-driven business apps

Oracle Application Express (APEX) is a very great tool that is easy to learn but hard to master. The level of entry is very low, but the longer I work with this platform, the more I understand how it works and the great things I can create. For example, I can create report graphs and handle a lot of data across many levels. It's a great application to start with, and when I have experience in Oracle databases, I can utilize Oracle Application Express (APEX) as a front-end tool for the Oracle database. Oracle Application Express (APEX) helps me create reports and graphs by providing a plethora of out-of-the-box solutions that I can use. For example, I can upload data to and from the database, upload photos, create maps, and create various report types such as Interactive Report and Interactive Grid where I can manage, edit, and delete data. I have many solutions that are very helpful and ready to use right away from Oracle Application Express (APEX). My favorite feature of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is the Interactive Report because it's a straightforward report that I can create using a simple query or by selecting a particular table from the database. In the action button behind it, I have many great features that I can use out of the box, including graphs and download options for Excel files. There are many sorting functionalities and accounting features. The Interactive Report is a very great tool for quickly displaying interesting data to clients. Oracle Application Express (APEX) has positively impacted my organization by being very fast compared to other languages and products. For example, I don't have to build a site from the ground up, nor do I have to create tons of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because Oracle Application Express (APEX) offers many built-in solutions. When I want to create a button, in another language, I would need to create it from scratch. In Oracle Application Express (APEX), I can simply use what's available out of the box. It's a very fast platform with many built-in components that I can utilize right away.

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Sherif Bashar

Head Of Digital Solutions at Aptec Ingrammicro

Offers low-code/no-code concept makes development much easier and faster and offers good community support as the development team actively answers questions on the community every day

There are very minor things, like the feature called "action chains," that could use a bit of enhancement. But the team is perfect; they're working on it. An action chain is a sequence of actions triggered by a button or an event. It executes code in order, from top to bottom. For example, it could call a code, call a REST service, and then insert data into a database. It needs enhancement because it can be a bit complex for fresh grads or new developers to understand. It would be better if it was made more readable. That's the main point. But if you have experience, you'll understand it easily. One more thing I want to add about Visual Builder: up until two years ago, it supported native mobile development. That's not available anymore. They replaced native mobile development with progressive web apps, and most customers are complaining about that. We need native mobile development back – the ability to put apps on stores like Google Play or the App Store. That feature is not available right now, and they deprecated it starting in 2024. It's very important. Otherwise, clients go with Flutter or other mobile development tools. It would be good for Oracle to regain that capability. We need the native mobile development feature back.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product is easy to use."

"You don't have to know a lot of PL because it's built on PL/SQL. You don't need developers. You only need to design a good application that resolves a problem, or many problems, for companies and you're ready to go."

"It has a well-designed architecture and is a simple 3rd party application."

"Building dashboards with the solution is easy and quick."

"The most valuable features of Oracle Application Express (APEX) are the ease and speed of development. Instead of engaging a large team of middleware, front-end, and database engineers, we can have professional look at the front end and have the user interface up and running in a matter of days. However, if you want to go far and implement very custom features, it doesn't require a lot of knowledge of front-end development, such as HTML, JavaScript, or other aspects."

"It is a free product; install it and start having fun, as APEX out of the box is pretty good and very easy to get started, and you can get your data out in five minutes."

"Time saved is the most critical benefit that comes to mind when thinking about Oracle Application Express (APEX) because I can develop applications very quickly."

"What I like best about Oracle Application Express (APEX) is that it doesn't require hard coding for reporting and building applications. It's a GUI-based application builder that even end-users with little development and language knowledge can develop applications on Oracle Application Express (APEX). The software is also very user-friendly, which I find valuable."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) pros

"The tool is very easy to use."

"The most valuable feature was the visual drag and drop on the components."

"VBS is another tool that allows users to create enterprise applications without needing to store their projects in traditional databases like SQL."

"You don't need a dedicated IDE to develop. You can work from any browser, which is very convenient. And, with the cloud concept, your code is stored in the cloud, so you can modify it from anywhere, at any time."

"The action chains are really helpful, and the trigger event, along with those action chains, has been very helpful."

"You can avoid costly React developers that are required for building advanced UI."

"The initial setup is easy."

"The most valuable feature was the visual drag and drop on the components."

Cons

"It has a bit of a strict framework, you have to make all the time adjustments in their JavaScript. Another downside is that it's only available for Oracle databases."

"Oracle is more of a database-oriented solution and is not very flexible in app development."

"It has been reported that the technology is tough to learn, and the service is expensive."

"We will never use this solution for a productive environment with 500 to 1000 users because this would be a bit difficult in my opinion."

"Maybe there are other technologies that offer what APEX cannot."

"The main drawback is that APEX doesn't talk with other databases."

"Occasionally when trying to run a page, I would be faced with an error number; however, not much information would be provided on the error itself outside of the programming language."

"It should have the functionality to develop mobile applications."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) cons

"I would improve the license structure as, for some companies, it may seem a little bit expensive, depending on what they're doing."

"There was an attempt to enable front-end development, it did what it intended to do, but the side effects were too bad."

"The feature called "action chains" could use a bit of enhancement."

"My honest opinion is: do not use this solution — there are plenty of free options out there that will do the trick."

"The initial setup of Oracle VBCS can be challenging for those unfamiliar with DBS."

"The tool has minor bugs."

"There are some bugs in VBCS."

"If you're doing some, for example, extremely responsive applications for the web, it's not as good."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's a free solution with no additional costs."

"The solution is free if you are using on Oracle database."

"When you have a licensed database in an Oracle environment, APEX is free."

"The pricing is very good and less expensive than Mendix or OutSystems."

"There is a trial version available that can be used free of charge."

"APEX itslelf is a free product, but you will need to license peripheral components."

"Oracle Express comes with the Oracle license, it is a bundle."

"I believe that the solution's pricing is high."

More Oracle Application Express (APEX) pricing and cost advice

"Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service is much too expensive."

"It's not expensive when you consider what it provides: low-code/no-code development, faster development time, good quality, and good stability."

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893,438 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

10%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

12%

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	30
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	28

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

I don't have a straightforward answer regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Oracle Application Express (APEX) because the clients pay for this, not me. I'm the developer hired by one co...

What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

I chose to rate it a 9 out of 10 because no application is perfect for everything. For instance, if I want to create an application for mobile or offline use, Oracle Application Express (APEX) migh...

What is your primary use case for Oracle Application Express (APEX)?

My main use case for Oracle Application Express (APEX) is to create web applications for companies across various industries like banking, aviation, and pharmacy. A specific example of an applicati...

What do you like most about Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service?

The tool is very easy to use.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service?

I actually don't have much experience with pricing, so I can't comment on it right now.

What is your primary use case for Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service?

There was a requirement to build a custom form to raise AI invoices, using Oracle Fusion. We created a form, and another use case was that users wanted to create and update customers.

Microsoft Power Apps vs Oracle Application Express (APEX)

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Product Reports

Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Download Oracle Application Express (APEX) product report

Oracle Application Express (APEX) report

Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service

Download Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service product report

Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service report

Also Known As

Oracle APEX

No data available

Overview

Oracle Application Express (APEX) offers rapid development with user-friendly design, built-in solutions, and efficient data handling in a low-code environment, integrating seamlessly with Oracle databases.

Oracle Application Express provides robust capabilities for developing web applications, featuring an intuitive interface and seamless Oracle database integration. It facilitates complex process simplification through Interactive Reports and smart sheets. Although it demands a continuous database connection, challenging integration with third-party applications, and workflow enhancements, APEX supports low-code development, making it suitable for swift application deployment. Users mention the requirement for better mobile and offline usage, enhanced reporting features, and improved Oracle Cloud integration.

What are the main features of Oracle Application Express?

Rapid Development: Enables fast application development through an intuitive interface and low-code environment.
Interactive Reports: Simplifies data presentation and management with customizable reports.
Seamless Database Integration: Integrates smoothly with Oracle databases for efficient data handling.
Graphical Capabilities: Offers powerful tools for data visualization and graphical representation.
Security and Stability: Provides robust security features and stability across applications.

What benefits and ROI should users expect from Oracle Application Express?

Efficiency: Speeds up application deployment and reduces development time with low-code tools.
Cost Reduction: Lowers costs by integrating existing Oracle technologies.
Scalability: Supports scalable solutions adaptable to diverse environments and business needs.
User-Friendly: Offers a straightforward design that simplifies user interaction despite being customizable.
Process Optimization: Helps streamline and modernize internal processes, replacing outdated systems.

Companies leverage Oracle Application Express for creating web applications in banking, healthcare, and government sectors. It aids in rapid application development, integrating with Oracle technologies, and updating obsolete systems. Organizations employ it for HR platforms, healthcare portals, complaint management, ERP systems, and interactive reporting tools, emphasizing low-code capabilities for prompt application delivery.

Oracle

Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service delivers a low-code environment featuring drag-and-drop capabilities for seamless development without vendor locks, ensuring scalability and versatility.

Offering drag-and-drop functionality and a low-code environment, Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service supports both beginners and experienced developers by integrating JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, enhanced with Oracle JET packages. This service facilitates browser-based development and easy integration with existing systems. However, improvement is needed in its licensing structure, functionality for less experienced developers, and native mobile development support. Performance can be affected by minor bugs, especially with complex tasks.

What are the key features?

Drag-and-Drop Builder: Simplifies UI/UX development with intuitive design tools.
Low-Code Environment: Accelerates application development with minimal coding.
Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS for complex scenarios.
Scalability: Adapts to growing business needs with robust architecture.
Comprehensive Documentation: Provides detailed resources for assistance and learning.
Action Chains & Trigger Events: Enhances application interactivity and functionality.

What should users consider for ROI?

Development Speed: Reduces time to market with efficient design tools.
Cost Effectiveness: Offers long-term savings compared to custom coding solutions.
Flexibility: Supports diverse business applications from case management to AI invoices.
System Integration: Works seamlessly with Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP.

Businesses leverage Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service in industries like legal, healthcare, and enterprise resource planning. It aids in developing software for case management, creating worklists for medical companies, and extending Oracle SaaS applications. Companies also benefit from its capability to build custom forms and streamline business processes.

Oracle

Sample Customers

Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne

Transcom Worldwide, Latham Pool Products

Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. Oracle Visual Builder Cloud Service