Directual vs. Bildr: Who is the Boss of all things Web3?

TL;DR

Bildr is a decent UI-centered visual web development platform with poor database customization and no API builder, no-frills. As for Web3 elements, they are mostly limited to NFTs, NFT contracts, and metadata.

Directual is a full-stack solution that packs a punch in general and when it comes to Web3. It offers integration with different networks, wallet management, transaction processing, sending and converting crypto, accepting payments, transferring NFTs, and more.

Bildr + Web3

Bildr is a wide-open canvas with infinite pages… Where there are no mistakes, just happy accidents.

‍

Now all kidding aside. 

Bildr is a platform that allows users to build anything for the web... visually. From web apps, SaaS products, and Chrome extensions to token gating, DAO tooling, and NFT mint sites. It can also be extended in any direction with custom JavaScript (including 3rd party libraries), APIs to anything, and smart contract interaction. It has been around since 2006.

Wait, but what about Web3? 

Sure, NFTs are great and all, and we are not going to lie, we like the idea of “minting a Studio Pass NFT” (even though it requires 0.24 ETH) as it supports one of the core ideas of Web3, but where is the rest? Unfortunately, Bildr has nothing much else to offer at the moment.

So, what is Bildr, exactly? 

Bildr is a UI-centered web3 no-code/low-code platform. Thus, it has limitations when dealing with large, complex projects.

• Scenarios are a page add-on of some sort. They are triggered by JS events such as clicks, hovering over an element, and so on. Also, these workflows can generally be nested, but their complexity is severely limited.

• There is no event processing. Bildr does not have CEP (Complex Event Processing). There are no reports.

• Databases are also, in fact, some kind of support for components. You can play with permissions a little and that's about it.

• Bildr has no API-bildr (pun intended).

Directual + Web3

Directual is a no-code/low-code full-stack solution designed to build software that scales without relying on third-party solutions. Directual has fantastic capabilities for building internal applications, creating backend functionality for existing software, automating data processing, and more.

And what about Web3? 

Directual offers a ton of Web3 features:

• You can integrate your app with different networks by using plugins (Ethereum L1/L2, Polygon, NEAR, and others) and interconnect your data using links and arrays of links between different objects.

• You can get transactions and send crypto. Directual supports historic and real-time transaction monitoring. Our scenarios allow you to perform any event-based logic, as well as build sophisticated reports based on transaction history. Send crypto directly from your scenarios. Either by schedule, based on events, or based on user actions from the application UI.

• Manage crypto wallets by storing wallet information. Our database allows you to save and store wallet credentials to receive crypto, get transaction data, and send crypto from the wallet. You can also create new wallets and assign them to users.

• You can even manage your NFTs using Directual scenarios.

Directual has little to no limitations. We are not going to list all the things it can do here because, you know, we also have other things to do. We will just leave this case study here. Don’t be shy, take a look!

Directual vs. Bildr: Summary

In conclusion, Bildr is a decent no-code platform for visual web development with Web3 elements. It's somewhat easy to use (even though I had some troubles with the overall responsiveness of the platform), reasonably priced, and offers a good selection of customization options. As far as the Web3 part is concerned, these features are limited mostly to NFTs and are hidden behind the paywall.

Directual, on the other hand, is more versatile and has a lot more to offer. From powerful features like API builder, standard and synchronous scenarios with customizable triggers, and configurable databases to fancy Web3 features like integration with different networks, transaction monitoring, and sending and converting crypto, we have you covered! And, unlike in Bildr, they are available from the start.

Oh, and we almost forgot. Another big difference between Bildr and Directual is the way we build interfaces. Unlike Bildr, which uses a classic per-element approach where you have to manually assemble all the puzzle pieces together, Directual uses larger UI components that can be placed within the adaptive layout. Each of these components has a number of settings that you can use to customize the look and feel of the component to your needs.

And yet, at their core, both platforms allow users to create without having to learn how to code. Both have their pros and cons, but ultimately it comes down to your needs. Give them both a try and see for yourself.

If you’d like to learn how Directual works and how to get started with it, you should begin right here.

Afterword

In case you’d like to ask us a question personally, don’t hesitate to reach out to hello@directual.com. 

That will be all, folks! Until we meet again!