Tool Comparison

Heisenware vs. Mendix: The pragmatic comparison

Compare the Low-Code/No-Code-Tools Heisenware and Mendix. Learn about their target groups, use cases, capabllities, features and much more.

mendix vs. Heisenware

Summary: Heisenware vs. Mendix

Heisenware is purpose-built for manufacturing — from shopfloor dashboards to IoT apps, asset management and complete industrial applications. It is designed for process engineers and "makers" who need to connect machines, visualize data, and automate workflows in a fraction of the usual time. It removes the need for complex IT infrastructure, offering native industrial connectivity (Siemens, OPC UA, MQTT) and a zero-maintenance environment. It is the best choice for companies that want fast, practical results in production without writing code.

Mendix is a general-purpose enterprise platform designed for large IT departments across all sectors. It excels at building complex, organization-wide software for sectors like Banking, Insurance, Retail, and more. It focuses on heavy governance, collaboration between professional developers and business units, and legacy system modernization. It is the right choice for massive, multi-departmental IT initiatives where development time and budget are less critical than architectural scope.

In short: Even though both are low-code platforms, Heisenware is for the shopfloor experts who want to build industrial applications instantly without IT dependency, while Mendix is for the CIOs who need to build large-scale, general-purpose enterprise architectures.

Detailed comparison of Heisenware and Mendix

 

Heisenware

Mendix

Target Group

  • is designed for manufacturers and machine builders (OEMs), especially small- and mid-sized companies, that want to build custom IoT or shopfloor apps without relying on internal IT resources or external developers.

  • Personas: Process engineers, OT experts, manufacturing managers, and "citizen developers" who understand the factory process but do not write code. Also software engineers that want to skip the repeating infrastructure tasks.

  • is designed for medium to large enterprises seeking to accelerate digital transformation, modernize legacy systems, and enable seamless collaboration between business and IT.

  • Personas: CIOs, Software Engineering Leaders, Enterprise Architects, citizen developers, and IT Teams.

Key Use Cases

  • End-to-End Apps: Building complete custom applications for production monitoring, reporting, and asset tracking.

  • Process Automation: Automating machine-related tasks like monitoring, tracking, and reporting.

  • Connectivity: Live machine data acquisition via OPC UA, Siemens S7, MQTT, and more.

  • Visualization: Real-time production & shopfloor dashboards (OEE, status, utilization).

  • Asset Management: RFID-based asset tracking and digital tool management.

  • Enterprise Applications: Building complex web and mobile applications for customers and employees.

  • Digitization: Automating business processes and workflows across multiple departments (HR, Finance, Logistics).

  • Legacy Modernization: Replacing or extending old enterprise systems with scalable, modular applications.

  • Collaboration: Enabling IT and business teams to co-create applications efficiently using agile methodologies.

Key Capabilities

  • All-in-One Builder: Create complete end-to-end applications—from data acquisition and business logic to the final user interface—all in one platform.

  • Visual Development: Build complex logic and intuitive UIs with a drag-and-drop app builder.

  • Maintenance-Free: Operate custom applications as zero-maintenance configurations; there is no code to maintain and no IT overhead.

  • Instant Integration: Connect systems instantly with native connectors for industrial protocols and databases.

  • User Management: Manage users and access rights for each app from a central, no-code dashboard.

  • Multi-Channel Development: Enables rapid, scalable application development for both web and mobile from a single code base.

  • Dual IDEs: Offers Mendix Studio (web-based for citizen developers) and Mendix Studio Pro (desktop-based for developers).

  • Extensibility: Supports full code extensibility, allowing developers to use Java and JavaScript for custom logic.

  • Governance: Built-in DevOps, version control, and governance tools for managing large-scale enterprise software lifecycles.

  • Maintenance: Requires lifecycle management, version control, and DevOps practices.

Key Differentiators

  • Specialized for Shopfloor: Focused specifically on manufacturing and industrial needs, unlike generic low-code tools.

  • Speed: Speeds up app development by eliminating complexity and reducing time-to-solution dramatically.

  • Accessibility: Empowers process experts—the people who know the problem best—to build solutions themselves without programming knowledge.

  • Simple Connectivity: A unique on-premise Agent creates a secure bridge between the factory network and the cloud without complex VPNs or additional hardware devices.

  • Enterprise Scale: Built to support large, complex business applications with high performance and scalability requirements.

  • Code Integration: Unlike pure no-code platforms, Mendix allows professional developers to inject custom code (Java/JS) directly into the platform.

  • Siemens Ecosystem: Deep integration with Siemens Industrial Edge and the wider Siemens digital portfolio.

  • Collaboration: Strong focus on "Fusion Teams," bridging the gap between professional developers and business stakeholders.

Integrations & Connectors

  • Industrial PLCs & Interfaces: Siemens S7, Modbus, Heidenhain, Allen-Bradley, RS-232/485.

  • Industrial & IoT Protocols: OPC UA (Client & Server), MQTT, HTTP / REST, GraphQL.

  • Databases: Timeseries Database, Relational Database (SQL), File I/O.

  • Enterprise Systems: SAP, Hydra MIP.

  • Hardware: Zebra RFID, Kuando Busylight, Label Printers.

  • System: Email, Operating System (OS) access.

  • Local Connection: A secure, downloadable on-premise Agent bridges your private factory network to the cloud for seamless, secure data transfer.

  • Enterprise Software: SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, IBM, Microsoft Dynamics, ServiceNow, SharePoint.

  • Web Services: REST, SOAP, OData, JDBC.
    IoT & Events: MQTT, Kafka, Siemens Industrial Edge, OPC UA (via marketplace).

  • Databases: relational databases, MongoDB, Timeseries databases 
    Files and Document Management: File I/O , Document generators (PDF, Excel),

  • Identity: SSO, LDAP, OAuth 2.0, Microsoft Entra ID.

  • Industrial and Manufacturing: Siemens Industrial Edge, OPC UA, S7, and PLC connectivity through marketplace modules

  • Marketplace: Access to 200+ pre-built connectors and widgets.

Setup & Onboarding

  • Instant Start: Browser-based platform with a free trial. Sign up online and start building immediately.

  • One-Click Deploy: Deploy apps to any device (desktop, tablet, smartphone) instantly as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

  • Heisenware focuses on fast, browser-based start with one-click deployment to any device — ideal for industrial or simple app setup

  • Resources: Built-in tutorials and basic collaboration features included.

  • Development Environment: Requires Mendix Studio Pro (desktop download) for full enterprise capabilities.

  • Deployment: One-click deployment to Mendix Cloud

    • Third-party cloud or on-premises deployments require additional configuration before they can be deployed.

  • Onboarding: Comprehensive training via Mendix Academy, certifications, and guided learning paths.

Hosting Options

  • Standard (SaaS): Fully hosted and managed by Heisenware on secure EU servers.

  • Optional (On-Premise): Self-host as a Docker application in your data center or on a standard Industrial PC (IPC) for complete data sovereignty.

  • Mendix Cloud: Public cloud hosting.

  • Private/Hybrid: Supports deployment to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, SAP BTP, or OpenShift.

  • On-Premise: Full control hosting on local servers.

Support & Community

  • Professional Support: Dedicated service and support packages are available directly from Heisenware, ensuring you have direct access to product experts rather than anonymous ticket queues.

  • Partner Network: A growing network of certified system integrator partners is available for hands-on implementation, project support, and optional services.

  • Service Level Agreements (SLA): Offers two support tiers: Standard (business hours, 5 days/week) and Premium (24/7 availability with faster response times).

  • Extended Support: A paid option to continue receiving support for older major versions for 6 to 12 months after their official end-of-support date.

  • Mendix Community: An active user forum acting as an additional support channel for Q&A and knowledge sharing.

  • Mendix Marketplace: A shared library of ready-made components and widgets that help developers extend and accelerate application development.

  • Mendix Academy: Provides official training, professional certifications, and webinars to help developers master the platform.

Business Model

  • Subscription (SaaS):

    • Starter Plan: Low-cost entry (starting below €200 / month). Includes up to 2 active apps, unlimited users, and EU cloud hosting.

    • Professional Plan: For scaling teams. Includes up to 5 active apps, unlimited users, EU cloud hosting, and enhanced support.

    • Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing. Flexible app volume, enterprise integrations, and choice of hosting (Cloud/On-Prem).

  • Complete Service Package: One-time fixed-price offer including process analysis, turnkey app development, and training.

  • Subscription (SaaS):

    • Single App: Starts around €900 / month for one specific application.

    • Unlimited Apps: Starts around €2,200 / month for department-wide use.

    • Premium: Custom pricing for enterprise-wide usage.

  • Note: Hosting costs (Cloud infrastructure) are often not included in the base license fees and may incur additional charges.
FAQ

Questions and answers about how Heisenware is comparing with Mendix

How do Heisenware and Mendix compare in terms of ease of use?

Heisenware is designed for speed and simplicity, featuring a "Visual Development" environment with a "drag-and-drop app builder". It allows users to operate applications as "zero-maintenance configurations" with "no code to maintain".

Mendix is more complex, offering "Dual IDEs" (a web-based Studio and a desktop-based Studio Pro) and requires "lifecycle management, version control, and DevOps practices" to manage the software lifecycle.

Can non-IT professionals also build apps with Heisenware and Mendix?

Heisenware explicitly targets non-IT experts, specifically "Process engineers, OT experts, manufacturing managers, and 'citizen developers'" who understand the process "but do not write code".

Mendix targets a mix but leans toward IT professionals, including "CIOs, Software Engineering Leaders," and "Professional Developers." While it supports collaboration, full enterprise capabilities require professional developers and the desktop IDE.

Can both Heisenware and Mendix process real-time machine data and dashboards?

Yes, but differently.
Heisenware provides "Instant Integration" with "native connectors" for "Live machine data acquisition" (via OPC UA, Siemens S7, MQTT) and built-in "Real-time production & shopfloor dashboards".

Mendix handles this through integration with the "Siemens Ecosystem" (specifically Siemens Industrial Edge) and connectors available via its marketplace.

Which platform, Heisenware or Mendix, supports offline or edge computing better?

Heisenware offers a "Local Connection" via a secure "on-premise Agent" and allows users to "Self-host" on a standard Industrial PC (IPC) for "complete data sovereignty".

Mendix supports on-premise deployment but notes that it requires "additional configuration," often relying on the Siemens Industrial Edge for industrial contexts.

Are cloud hosting, storage, and support included in Heisenware and Mendix?

Heisenware: Cloud hosting is included. The Starter and Professional plans explicitly include "EU cloud hosting".

Mendix: Hosting costs are often separate. 

In which situations should I choose Heisenware or Mendix?

Choose Heisenware if you are a manufacturer or machine builder (OEM) wanting to build shopfloor apps, asset tracking, or dashboards quickly using existing process experts without relying on internal IT or external developers.

Choose Mendix if you are a Medium to Large Enterprise aiming for digital transformation across multiple sectors (HR, Finance, Logistics) or legacy system modernization that requires heavy governance, code integration, and agile collaboration between IT and business teams.