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Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs ServiceNow Now Platform comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 18, 2024

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
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
61
Ranking in other categories
Development Platforms (2nd)
ServiceNow Now Platform
Ranking in Rapid Application Development Software
14th
Ranking in Low-Code Development Platforms
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
No-Code Development Platforms (4th), Business Orchestration and Automation Technologies (14th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Rapid Application Development Software category, the mindshare of Oracle Application Express (APEX) is 6.1%, down from 8.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ServiceNow Now Platform is 1.9%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rapid Application Development Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Oracle Application Express (APEX)6.1%
ServiceNow Now Platform1.9%
Other92.0%
Rapid Application Development Software
 

Featured Reviews

Rodrigo-Mesquita - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Software developer at QV Systems
Rapid application development empowers big projects in months
The ability to quickly develop applications without needing to code a lot is very valuable. It is very quick to create a page, and one can use AI to speed up software development. It is easy to learn. In my company, we could develop a very big application in a couple of months.
Mayur Patil - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager at Wipro Limited
Has supported day-to-day operations through reporting, ticketing, and automation features
I am still using ServiceNow Now Platform. I have worked with Qualys in one of my customers, but not much. I wanted to know whether there is any module of Rubrik in ServiceNow Now Platform. I am an end user and do not work with the solution provided for ServiceNow Now Platform separately. I work with ServiceNow Now Platform. I have not worked with app development capabilities. Regarding the integration capability of ServiceNow Now Platform, I can say it is compatible with most of the technologies for my connectivity with other systems. I cannot comment on analytics insights, as I have not worked on it, so I cannot say it improved my service efficiency. I do not remember if I have worked with something different for the same purpose. My overall rating for this review is eight out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The autonomous database is valuable and provides the main structure for code development."
"In our experience with Apex, we find that minimizing reliance on HTML and JavaScript is preferable, especially considering our background as seasoned programmers adept in PL/SQL. Incorporating HTML and JavaScript can pose challenges due to potential compatibility issues when updates are made to JavaScript. We also make use of JAPER report integration for generating reports, a practice integral to our reporting procedures."
"The solution's most valuable aspect is its Graphics Form Design."
"Oracle APEX's reporting features are simple yet powerful. The ability to quickly create CRUD screens has simplified many RAD discovery processes, while the APEX environment allows the product owners and dev teams to quickly understand the complex solutions and employ usage statistics to identify areas requiring improvement. The option to add external JavaScript tools in screen development enables the development of complicated mobile or web usage scenarios in rare cases where the APEX UX is not enough."
"I like that Oracle Application Express (APEX) is powerful and attractive, allowing my organization to modernize forms within two months. I also found its PWA feature very powerful because you can produce substantial mobile applications."
"It helps us create web pages quickly."
"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."
"This is a good application for quickly creating public applications."
"The integration feature has simplified our multi-tool ecosystem. The inbuilt integrations significantly improve our solution delivery timelines. Also, standardized adapters and integration adapters reduce failure rates due to compatibility. This boosts productivity and eases maintenance."
"It can integrate anywhere, and you can make any kind of workflow."
"Assignment Group history is really important to me."
"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."
"The solution is fast enough for our workflow automations and has integration capability. It aligns with many use cases in our organization and for others we have planned."
"The most valuable features are the ease of use, stability, and the ability to change or upgrade seamlessly."
"ServiceNow Now Platform has a workflow automation feature that I have worked with, and it was helpful to streamline my processes since I worked with the integration of NetBackup and a monitoring tool for creating tickets and auto-resolutions."
"What I like most about the ServiceNow Now Platform is the flexibility of using JavaScript. I also like that the platform allows custom scripting, server-side scripting, and client-side scripting. Another valuable feature in the ServiceNow Now Platform is the Flow Designer which allows dragging and dropping code, and low code activities."
 

Cons

"It can be modern and more user-friendly."
"The solution does not support the Linux platform."
"There is one disadvantage. When facing problems, it can be difficult to find solutions online (Google/YouTube), unlike with Java coding, where solutions are readily available on Google."
"Oracle should implement vertical and horizontal data segmentation in APEX's security framework, so Dev teams don't need to do any heavy lifting in the APEX screens. This is a common issue in enterprise apps. It would be nice to seamlessly integrate Git repositories into the development process since the current solution can result in overlapping work or an eventual overwrite. The provided example apps are great, but they could benefit from some added documentation in the "explanation screens"."
"The product's stability has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The solution's layout could be improved for report generation to allow more configuration."
"There is a problem with security because the applications store passwords in the configuration files."
"There is a bit of a learning curve involved when first using the solution."
"Simplifying the user interface for both users and administrators is key. It is not very intuitive."
"ServiceNow is not open source, so there is a license you must pay. As for how much it costs, what I have observed is that it often depends on your subscriptions. Suppose that you go with some subscriptions such as IDSM or any type of package like it, then the license cost will be impacted accordingly. Similarly, the cost is also adjusted based on your headcount of how many users will be using it."
"What I didn't like in the ServiceNow Now Platform is testing, particularly with Visual Studio. It had a bad integration with Visual Studio because you can't compile and run it from there. You have to debug on your own and then find out where the error is through test scripts. The testing component in the ServiceNow Now Platform isn't that great. What I'd like to see in the next version of the ServiceNow Now Platform is an improvement in testing and writing scripts, and if there was a feature to just run it from the modules, then that would be great, instead of finding the error manually and checking where it is."
"The analytics should be more readily available on the base product."
"The basic reporting system is rather static."
"The cost has room for improvement. It is currently expensive."
"The pricing model is complex and needs to be both lowered and simplified."
"Bug and defect management are not available in ServiceNow."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Oracle Express comes with the Oracle license, it is a bundle."
"It is expensive, but I don't know what the licensing cost is."
"I do not think this would be an ideal option for a small sized company or a startup when considering the salary requirements for Oracle DBA'a and developers."
"The pricing is very good and less expensive than Mendix or OutSystems."
"To my understanding, my organization is using the free version of Oracle Application Express (APEX), but I'm unsure because I haven't checked the pricing or licensing cost for it."
"The tool is not expensive."
"The solution is free."
"The solution is free if you are using on Oracle database."
"It's expensive and if you need some analytical views of your activity, there is an additional cost."
"From what I heard, the license for the ServiceNow Now Platform is paid monthly, and on a scale of one to five, I'm rating it a three in terms of pricing, so it's on the cheaper side. I don't know of any additional costs associated with the ServiceNow Now Platform, apart from the standard licensing fees."
"The solution is expensive."
"The solution is expensive, and I rate it a ten for pricing."
"It is expensive only."
"I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with ten being very expensive solution."
"Price-wise, I would describe the product's cost to be more than the average, but it compensates for that with the functionalities that it provides."
"The pricing of this solution is done annually and it is very expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise28
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business15
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise34
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Oracle Application Express (APEX)?
I have only tried it with an Oracle database, not with other databases. For beginners, understanding the installation process can be challenging because documentation is limited. It is hard to unde...
What do you like most about ServiceNow Now Platform?
The integration with other tools is pretty good.
What needs improvement with ServiceNow Now Platform?
I do see some negative sides and room for improvement. I think there may be some integration with AI and a smart way of reporting, reporting mechanisms, and automation mechanisms on the inputs from...
 

Also Known As

Oracle APEX
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Hepart AG, pharmasol, SATLOG, Collège Bois-de-Boulogne
experian, beachbody, health partners
Find out what your peers are saying about Oracle Application Express (APEX) vs. ServiceNow Now Platform and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.