Glide is a no-code app builder that lets anyone create mobile and web apps by connecting to data sources like Google Sheets or Airtable. Its interface uses drag-and-drop components and pre-built templates, making app design accessible to non-technical users. Apps built in Glide automatically sync with their spreadsheet data in real-time, so updates to the data source instantly appear in the app. This simplicity makes Glide attractive for small teams and projects, but it comes at the cost of advanced flexibility.
Rayven on the other hand is primarily a low-code platform that's built for more technical users; providing more features, greater control, and scalability, with a pricing structure that's for companies of all shapes and sizes. Here's the rundown:
| Category | Rayven | Glide |
|---|---|---|
| Backend Logic | Full-code, low-code, no-code. Supports custom scripts, multi-step logic, AI, real-time triggers. | Only basic logic via computed columns and limited workflows. No custom backend coding. |
| Workflow Automation | Advanced real-time workflow engine with AI/ML support and unlimited logic depth. | Basic automations. Limited to preset actions. No looping, branching, or real-time triggers. |
| Customisation & UI Control | Full control. Build custom UIs, inject HTML/JS, tailor dashboards, screens, and app logic. | Limited to prebuilt components. Minimal design flexibility. No full HTML/JS/CSS access. |
| Scalability (Data) | Hybrid SQL + Cassandra engine handles millions of rows and streaming data at speed. | Capped: ~25,000 rows on Sheets/Airtable; 100k with Glide Tables. Performance degrades. |
| Scalability (Users/Usage) | Unlimited users on most plans. High throughput. No forced upgrade based on activity. | Hard user/update caps per plan. 250–5,000 monthly updates. App stops when quota hit. |
| Extensibility / Dev Tools | Full-code extensibility. Add scripts, connect APIs, embed AI. Developer-first architecture. | No access to server-side code. API support limited. No environment control. |
| Performance at Scale | Built for high throughput. Real-time logic, complex joins, streaming, no slowdowns. | Sluggish at scale. Long sync times. Apps slow with more users or data. |
| Deployment Options | SaaS, private cloud, on-prem, or edge. Full control over infrastructure. | SaaS-only. Hosted on Glide’s cloud. No on-prem or hybrid deployment. |
| Reporting & Dashboards | Real-time dashboards with custom widgets, charts, maps, and alerts. | Basic charts only. Limited interactivity. Dashboards not available on free/low plans. |
| Pricing & Value at Scale | Fixed pricing. No per-user fees. Usage-based scale. Affordable even at enterprise volumes. | Tiered plans with hard limits. Charges scale quickly with users, updates, data rows. |
| Support | 24/7 vendor support (on higher plans), onboarding, and expert help included. | Email support only on paid plans. Community/self-help for most users. |
Constrained backend logic: Glide provides only built-in “computed columns” and limited workflow actions. Users cannot write custom server-side code or complex automations. As one review notes, “Glide is good for simple apps but lacks advanced backend tools” and cannot easily handle multi-step automations or dynamic data linkages. A community comparison chart similarly lists “Backend logic complexity” as constrained to Glide’s built-in logic (no custom code). In practice, this means tasks like iterating through data, custom API processing or heavy automation must be done outside Glide (or on higher plans with limited “Workflows” features).
Limited customisation and features: Glide focuses on ease of use, so the UI and functionality are mostly from preset components. Customisation beyond what the builder offers is very restricted. For example, advanced design adjustments or bespoke layouts are not supported (you cannot inject arbitrary HTML or CSS on most plans). The platform only allows limited CSS customisation on premium plans. Reviewers note that Glide’s “customisation options are somewhat limited compared to traditional coding”. Many features common in hand-coded apps - such as custom charting libraries, sophisticated animations, or specialised UI widgets - are absent or only available through workarounds. In summary, Glide trades flexibility for speed: you can build apps fast, but you can’t fine-tune them beyond the provided components.
Scalability and data limits: Glide apps are best suited for small-to-medium datasets. Official Glide docs and experts warn that spreadsheet sources (Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable) perform reliably only up to about 25,000 rows. Once an app’s data approaches that limit, syncs can time out and performance degrades. (Glide notes “25,000 rows is the upper limit of performance”.) Glide offers its own high-capacity data tables (“Big Tables”) to go beyond 25k rows, and paid plans increase the maximum rows (e.g. up to 100,000 rows on Business tier). However, even with Big Tables, extremely large or complex datasets can slow the app and consume update allowance. In general, apps with many users or heavy data processing can outgrow Glide’s capabilities. Glide is not designed as an enterprise-scale back end; performance and responsiveness become concerns as usage grows.
Plan-based usage caps: Every Glide plan imposes strict quotas on users, data, and activity. For example, the Free tier allows only 10 personal users and one published app. Paid “Explorer” and “Maker” plans raise user limits (100 or unlimited personal users) and expand data sources, but still cap spreadsheet rows (25k), high-scale rows (up to 50k–100k), file storage (10–500 GB) and the number of data sync updates per month. Specifically, lower plans include only a few hundred to a few thousand “updates” (data-sync operations) per month (e.g. 250–500 for individual plans). Exceeding any limit triggers a block: the app’s users will see an alert and must upgrade or pay for additional usage before the app can continue. In short, frequent data changes or large teams can quickly hit these ceilings, requiring a higher plan or more spend.
Platform dependency: Unlike custom code you run on your own servers, Glide apps live entirely on Glide’s infrastructure. This brings the risk that any Glide outage or change could disrupt your app. As one reviewer cautions, building on Glide means you “become dependent on the platform’s infrastructure”. If Glide experiences downtime or discontinues a feature (or its integration like Google Sheets breaks), your app could temporarily or permanently stop working. This is a general risk with third-party no-code platforms, but it’s especially acute for mission-critical tools.
Glide’s a great tool for quick wins. But when things get serious - more users, more data, more logic - it starts to crack. Fast.
Here’s where Glide breaks down, and how Rayven’s built differently:
Glide offers simple logic: computed columns, basic workflows, maybe a webhook. That’s fine for personal to-do apps. But try building multi-branch logic, API chaining, AI decisions, or conditional loops? You’ll hit a wall. Rayven lets you build powerful, real-time workflows using drag-and-drop tools, custom scripts, or even AI prompts. Need full-code? Drop into Python or JS. Want real-time decisioning? It’s built-in.
No 30-second timeouts. No sandbox limits. No compromises.
You’re stuck with their UI components, their layout engine, their limits. No injecting HTML, no CSS styling beyond the basics - unless you pay more.
Rayven gives you full control over front-end screens, dashboards, and visual components. Customise flows, widgets, logic, and visuals to fit your exact use case - not what’s possible in Glide’s template library.
Glide starts to degrade beyond ~25,000 rows - even with Big Tables. Large datasets cause sync delays and sluggish apps. Rayven’s hybrid SQL + Cassandra architecture was built for this. Whether it’s 1,000 rows or 10 million, performance stays sharp. Real-time queries. No sync bottlenecks. No arbitrary row caps. More info: Rayven’s hybrid data engine.
Glide’s plans are full of ceilings: 100 users, 25k rows, 5,000 updates/month. Go over, and your app breaks until you upgrade.
Rayven plans include unlimited users, generous transaction throughput, and scalable infrastructure; with a plan that's free forever, guaranteed. No “record exceeded” popups. Just performance that grows with you.
Glide’s for non-tech teams. It’s visual, fast, but you can’t really develop with it. No testing environments. No multi-user branching. No complex integrations. Rayven speaks dev. APIs, webhooks, version control, scripting, staging - it’s all there. You can build internal tools, production apps, or automation platforms without handcuffs."
Taken together, these constraints mean that Glide is optimised for rapid prototyping and simple apps - think inventories, schedules, or small internal tools – but it is not suitable for highly-custom, computation-heavy, or very large-scale applications. In practice, teams often find that once an app needs complex logic, deep customisation, or handles large volumes of users/data, they must migrate to more flexible platforms (or traditional development). For example, compared to a coding environment or even some other no-code tools, many tasks in Glide simply “aren’t possible” without workarounds. Developers note that tasks requiring data architecture or custom code must be handled outside Glide, whereas Glide automates these but with limited control.
Glide excels at letting non-developers build simple apps quickly through spreadsheets and a visual editor. Its trade-offs, however, include limited backend logic, restricted design flexibility, performance limits on data size, and hard usage caps tied to subscription plans. These factors mean that, relative to full custom development or more advanced no-code platforms, Glide can feel very constrained once an app’s needs grow. All of the above limitations should be carefully considered when deciding if Glide is the right tool for your project.
Basically, Glide is great - until you need more: more users, more control, more backend logic. That’s where it stops, and where Rayven takes over.
Rayven isn’t just a low-code app builder. It’s a full-stack, real-time automation + application platform built for developers and IT teams. You get power and flexibility - without sacrificing speed or simplicity. Build complex workflows, customise everything, scale without limits, and deploy anywhere.
If you’ve hit the ceiling with Glide, Rayven is your way up. Start a free trial here or book a demo with one of our team to find out how Rayven can help you.