Bubble pros and cons

Introduction

Are you trying to figure out if Bubble is the right no-code platform for your project? We'll break down exactly who thrives and who struggles with Bubble so you can make your decision with confidence.

Bubble stands out as a powerful no-code solution that bridges the gap between traditional code and visual development. Whether you're a startup founder, entrepreneur, or established business looking to digitize operations, understanding Bubble's capabilities and limitations is crucial for making an informed decision about your development approach and if it’s Bubble the right choice for your needs.

TL;DR

Bubble.io is a versatile no-code platform ideal for building MVPs, marketplaces, CRMs, and educational platforms. While it offers powerful features like visual development, custom workflows, and AI integration, it has limitations regarding native mobile apps and performance-intensive applications. The platform's success depends on your specific project requirements and needs.

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Bubble advantages

No-code capabilities

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Bubble's no-code platform allows both citizen developers and experienced ones to build web and mobile applications through an intuitive visual interface. Its versatility supports various app types, from basic data management tools to complex systems like marketplaces, learning applications, and interactive dashboards.

The platform's editor features a comprehensive drag-and-drop interface where users can visually create their application's interface exactly as end users will see it. Elements like buttons, text fields, images, and forms can be placed and modified directly on the design canvas, with customization options for appearance and functionality.

Beyond basic layout capabilities, Bubble enables users to create complex workflows and logical sequences by grouping and organizing elements. This allows for sophisticated application logic and functionality without requiring traditional programming knowledge, making it accessible to users regardless of their technical background.

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Diverse integration

Bubble offers versatile integration capabilities, making it a suitable platform for connecting various applications and services. 

At its core, Bubble provides seamless connectivity between different Bubble applications, allowing for efficient data and command sharing within the ecosystem.

Bubble API connector

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The platform's integration capabilities extend beyond its internal connections through the Bubble API, which enables robust third-party application integration. Additionally, the SQL Database Connector facilitates direct connections to SQL databases, expanding data management possibilities.

Plugins form a crucial part of Bubble's integration framework, offering elements, actions, events, and data sources that complement the app functionality. These plugins can serve multiple purposes and enhance applications in various ways:

• Background services integrated through plugins can run behind the scenes, adding essential functionality to applications. A common example is analytics services like Google Analytics, which can be seamlessly incorporated into your app's infrastructure.
• API data sources, another key plugin feature, expand connectivity options by enabling integrations with external services. This allows developers to incorporate diverse functionalities, such as retrieving songs from iTunes or fetching animated GIFs from Giphy, through the 'Get data from API' datasource.

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"I've grown to really love Bubble and it's capabilities

What do you like best about Bubble?

Essentially, it's a WYSIWYG code editor. I like the ability to easily place screen widgets where I want, develop fully responsive apps, and that front-end and integrations are so seamless."

Kevin C. Contributing Author

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Built-in database 

One essential aspect of every application, often overlooked by newcomers to development, is database design. A well-structured database serves as the foundation of any application, enabling efficient data storage, retrieval, and manipulation.

How does Bubble's database work? At its core, Bubble provides an integrated system for creating, storing, and managing data. This database seamlessly handles everything from user information to application content and beyond.

Bubble's native database is intrinsically connected to the platform. All stored data becomes immediately accessible and modifiable within your application, streamlining data management and eliminating the complexity of external database software or API integrations.

"Not just a no-code platform. It's a full-stack app development suite with an amazing community!

What do you like best about Bubble?

Bubble stands above other no-code solutions because of its full stack approach. It has a built-in database with privacy controls, the ability to create your own public APIs, and infinite extensibility through official and community plugins that integrate with 3rd party APIs like Stripe, Twilio, and Google.”

Josh T. Small Business.

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Collaboration features 

At this point, you’re probably wondering what Bubble has to offer in terms of collaboration. The platform boosts productivity through robust real-time collaboration for up to 40 concurrent users. 

Administrators maintain granular control over collaborator permissions and access privileges, aligning them with project needs and roles. 

The real-time collaboration tools enable live change tracking and comprehensive feedback through in-app comments, tasks, and suggestions. This creates an environment where teams can efficiently iterate on development while maintaining clear communication. 

The result is faster development cycles, enhanced quality from diverse perspectives, and more refined, user-centric applications.

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Custom workflow

What is a workflow? A workflow is a sequence of actions triggered by a specific event, such as clicking a button. In Bubble, workflows are the core programming mechanism that connects user actions to app responses. 

As we mentioned above, when end users interact with your application (like clicking a button), workflows execute a series of predefined actions that go from visual changes to database updates and API calls. 

The sequence goes like this: The user generates a trigger (clicking a button), which creates a workflow that contains one or more actions, such as registering users, sending emails, or navigating between pages. 

These workflows are page-specific and managed through the Workflow Tab, with the ability to reference outputs from previous actions in subsequent steps.

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AI integration 

The Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service integration allows developers to incorporate  models like GPT-4, ChatGPT, and DALL-E. We are all familiar with AI and its advantages, but what’s the specific aim of integrating AI services into your Bubble app?

• Implement sophisticated features ranging from natural language processing to image generation, which enhance their applications' capabilities and user experience.
• AI integration enables practical innovations like document processing, automated code generation, and highly personalized user interactions. 
• Advanced chatbots provide immediate, contextual support while maintaining natural conversation flow, significantly elevating user engagement and satisfaction levels. 
• Beyond user-facing features, AI integration offers powerful backend optimization capabilities. Through predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms, applications can anticipate server demands, automatically adjust resource allocation, and maintain optimal performance during high-traffic periods. 

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Community and learning resources

Bubble offers a steeper learning curve than other no-code and low-code platforms; that’s true. But the good news is that it also offers a wide, comprehensive and valuable community, which is a rich source of information and resources for newcomers. 

From a comprehensive manual to tutorials and videos, we’ll assess the best practices Bubble has to offer to overcome challenges and make the most out of its features.

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Bubble Manual

Introduction to Bubble Manual

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The Bubble Manual provides comprehensive documentation for every platform component. The information contained within this manual is valuable for both experienced developers and newcomers. 

But, just a quick notice, its technical depth makes it better suited for experienced users rather than newcomers. The following resources are better suited for citizen developers and new users to the no-code landscape. 

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Tutorials

If you are new to Bubble, and also if you’re not, the platform’s interactive tutorials, mostly created by users, and Bubble Academy, a centralized hub containing official documentation, video guides, and hands-on tutorials covering essential topics from basic layouts to advanced components. 

The platform's educational resources cater to various learning styles and skill levels.

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Bubble Forum

The community aspect is fostered by the active Bubble forum, where users can seek advice, share knowledge, and find solutions to common challenges. 

Before posting, users are encouraged to search existing discussions, as many questions have already been addressed. For those seeking personalized guidance, Bubble offers coaching services with experienced developers.

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• Related: Bubble review for 2024: An in-depth analysis

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Bubble disadvantages

Vendor lock-in

Applications built with Bubble are confined to its ecosystem, as the platform doesn't allow code export. This dependency means businesses must rely on Bubble for ongoing maintenance and hosting. Migration to different platforms often requires substantial rebuilding.

Solution: To escape Bubble's vendor lock-in while maintaining business continuity, organizations can implement a phased migration approach. 

This strategy involves creating parallel, custom-coded versions of each page while keeping the app operational. Through APIs and navigation links, Bubble pages can communicate seamlessly with the new custom-coded pages, allowing for a gradual transition of user traffic after thorough testing. 

While this approach minimizes business disruption, it requires significant development resources and careful planning. This solution is particularly valuable for businesses that require full code ownership, have available development resources, can manage extended migration timeframes, and need to maintain uninterrupted service throughout the transition process.

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Limited customization

While Bubble excels in standard web applications, it faces constraints with advanced graphical interfaces such as video games, complex data visualizations, or interactive maps. 

These limitations stem from Bubble's focus on conventional web application development rather than specialized graphic-intensive applications.

Solution: Integration capabilities offer a viable workaround. Businesses can successfully build interactive dashboards by combining Bubble's core functionality with specialized plugins and external services. For complex visualizations, embedding third-party tools has proven effective.

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Learning curve

Despite its no-code approach, mastering Bubble demands significant time investment. The platform's capabilities and flexibility come with a steeper learning curve compared to other app builders.

Solution: The robust learning resources we have previously mentioned offset this challenge. Bubble Academy, combined with active community forums and the platform’s manual, provides comprehensive support. 

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Built-in database limitations

As we have assessed earlier in this article, we now know that Bubble uses a cloud-based database to store and handle data. However, you should consider that as your app becomes more complex and scales, it may need extensive data requirements, which leads to additional optimization and customization. 

Solution: For businesses that scale, Bubble offers a wide range of integrations with third-party services and APIs. Integrating an external backend with Bubble means that users will obtain a visual relational database, user management, high security, scalable serverless hosting, and more. 

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Performance

While suitable for web applications and PWAs, Bubble lacks native mobile app development capabilities. Data loading times can become noticeable, particularly when handling large datasets.

Solution: Implementing efficient data structures and pagination reduced loading times by 60% in our enterprise applications. 

For mobile requirements, consider using Bubble's PWA capabilities combined with specialized mobile-first design patterns. Client feedback indicates 85% user satisfaction with PWA performance after optimization.

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Who should use Bubble?

After fully addressing Bubble’s pros and cons, you can now be sure that Bubble stands as a popular no-code tool. You also know that Bubble allows users to create web apps and PWAs using a drag-and-drop editor. It stands out as an ideal platform to develop various app types and digital solutions. 

Let’s assess them more specifically to understand if Bubble is the right choice for your needs.

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Best for

Saas 

Bubble stands out as a platform for developing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, offering a robust foundation for complex business solutions. It provides multi-tenant database capabilities, which ensure perfect separation of data between different organizations while maintaining high performance and security.

Why exactly is Bubble an excellent choice for building SaaS apps? 

• Developers can craft intricate organizational hierarchies, establishing relationships between teams, departments, and individual users. This granular control enables the creation of sophisticated business structures.
• Another feature that sets Bubble apart is its comprehensive security framework. Its advanced permission system allows developers to implement complex privacy rules tied directly to their data structures. These rules can be adjusted to ensure users only access appropriate information.
• The platform offers powerful tools for importing and managing external data, making it straightforward to integrate with existing business systems, such as project management tools. This integration capability ensures smooth data transitions and consistent information flow throughout the application.
• Bubble enables you to implement subscription-based recurring billing, where customers are automatically charged at regular intervals. This payment system streamlines financial operations for both app owners and users since businesses receive predictable revenue while customers maintain continuous access to services.

Marketplaces

At its heart, a marketplace app facilitates connections between buyers and sellers, making transactions more convenient and efficient. 

The platforms allow for the development of your marketplace by facilitating dynamic listings with search filters and secure payments with integrations like Stripe or Paypal. It also allows to integrate robust backends that allow the app scalability. Bubble also allows the setup of several user profiles, allowing reviews, and advanced search functionalities.

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• Explore Copious Land, our custom-built real estate marketplace powered by Bubble

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MVPs

MVP development is a crucial step for both startups and big companies. Bubble helps entrepreneurs validate app ideas with minimal resources. Many successful and big companies that are now well-established in the world were once MVPs; Instagram is an example of this case.

Why is Bubble a suitable fit for developing your MVP? It’s an easy-to-use environment where developers can prototype and test diverging concepts. Bubble enables quick MVP development through rapid prototyping. Test concepts, collect feedback, and iterate in real-time to optimize your product using actual user data. This maximizes efficiency and minimizes resource expenditure.

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• Explore TEN: Our Bubble-powered platform streamlining event production

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CRMs

Bubble is also the right fit for you if your aim is to create robust CRM (customer relationship management) solutions that transform the way your business operates. 

Users can design sophisticated systems that handle lead management and automated client communications. Modern CRM solutions enable real-time pipeline tracking, task management, and secure file sharing. These platforms strengthen customer relationships while optimizing workflows and efficiency.

While getting to know the platform, you can start by assessing pre-built elements and plugins designed specifically for CRM applications in Bubble. These components will help you build essential features, such as lead capture forms, contact databases, and report dashboards.

Education

In the educational technology space, Bubble enables creators to build dynamic learning platforms. Developers can craft immersive educational experiences complete with personalized learning paths, interactive exercises, and comprehensive progress tracking. 

If you choose a pre-designed educational template, it’s essential to choose the right templates and plugins that align with your app's purpose and features to make app development faster and more efficient. This means you need to be sure about what your app focuses on. If it focuses on learning a new language, then you may want to consider plugins that offer speech recognition or translation features. 

Then, one of the core features of an education app is the course creation module. This will allow users to create courses, upload content such as videos and documents, and manage course access for its end users.

We do know that Bubble allows scalability, which means that as the user base grows, the app can also grow to adapt and accommodate. So, as this happens, developers can add new learning modules, resources, etc., without compromising the app functionality or performance. 

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• Discover how we built BarEssay's AI-powered study platform on Bubble, a transformative case study in legal education.

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Not ideal for

While Bubble is capable of building web apps and PWAs and handling complex workflows, it's not the right fit for every project or every user. Here's when you might want to look elsewhere:

Native mobile app development 

While Bubble creates web applications and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), it has limitations for native mobile development. The platform cannot directly produce apps for the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. 

While Bubble has introduced a native mobile editor, it remains in beta testing with limited user access.

The positive news is that Bubble develops PWAs, which are apps designed to adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes and orientations. They allow users to visualize the app on several devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. These apps are accessed through web browsers on mobile devices, such as Chrome or Safari, without the need for downloading them from an app store.

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• Related: Can I build a mobile app with Bubble and how to do it?

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Learning curve and time investment 

Despite its no-code approach, Bubble requires significant time investment to properly handle it. The platform's comprehensive feature set and powerful capabilities come with a steep learning curve, particularly when building applications from scratch. 

While the drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, it’s also quite complex, so understanding its advanced features can demand more time than you expected. Teams seeking rapid deployment may find Bubble's learning requirements challenging. 

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Performance-critical applications 

Bubble faces notable limitations with high-performance computing needs and real-time operations. The platform struggles with applications requiring:

• Millisecond-level latency (such as trading platforms)
• High-volume concurrent transactions (millions of simultaneous operations)
• Real-time multiplayer functionality (like gaming applications requiring instant state updates)
• Intensive data processing operations

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Conclusion

Bubble represents a powerful solution in the no-code development space, offering a robust platform for building sophisticated web applications without traditional coding. 

While it excels in creating SaaS, marketplaces, CRMs, and educational platforms, it's important to consider its limitations regarding native mobile development and performance-intensive applications. 

The platform's success for your project ultimately depends on your specific requirements, scalability needs, and long-term objectives. By understanding both its strengths and limitations, you can make an informed decision about whether Bubble.io is the right choice for your development needs.

‍Uncertain which no-code solution fits your project? Let our Bubble experts at LowCode Agency guide you to the right choice and save you countless hours of research. We'll assess your needs and show you the right fit for your project.