Evaluating FlutterFlow: Key advantages and limitations

‍Have you heard about FlutterFlow as a great tool for making mobile apps, and now you want to know more about its key advantages and limitations? The platform promises to simplify the creation of mobile and web applications, but just like any tool, it has its strengths and some areas where it might not be perfect.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at what FlutterFlow can do for you. One of the best things about FlutterFlow is how quick and simple it is to build mobile apps. You can create beautiful, working apps in no time! We'll explore its collaborative features, its ability to span across different platforms, custom code support, and more. However, you may encounter some obstacles if you want to create intricate designs.

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TL;DR

In this in-depth exploration of FlutterFlow's key advantages and limitations, you’ll come across some of its main pros, like its ease of use, the ability to create flawless mobile apps, and its rapid prototyping function. Moreover, if you seek to take one step further and feel super confident, you can also use code, since FlutterFlow is one of the few no-code platforms that provides code export capabilities, allowing developers to download and modify the generated code. 

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What is FlutterFlow?

FlutterFlow is a no-code development platform that allows you to create attractive applications and websites without using a line of code. FlutterFlow, one of the top no/low-code tools out there, distinguishes itself as a visual app development platform that allows users to create appealing, flawless, and effective apps through a drag-and-drop interface and a library of pre-built components and templates. This ease of use, which translates to a no-code platform, is what makes FlutterFlow a fantastic option to create your next app. FlutterFlow's main strength is the ability to develop native mobile applications, both for Android and iOS, as well as responsive web applications.

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FlutterFlow is closely associated with Google's Flutter framework, an open-source UI SDK (software development kit), closely aligns with FlutterFlow. Flutter is known for creating  mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. Google developed the programming language Dart for this SDK. Dart is capable of compiling native code for mobile and desktop to build applications that deliver a native-like user experience.

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FlutterFlow was developed by a team of software engineers and designers who recognized the potential of Flutter for app development and wanted to make it accessible to a broader audience. 

Now, let's take a closer look at the spectrum of development capabilities that FlutterFlow offers. Reviewing all its options will allow you to go through the strengths and limitations of this innovative platform, helping you decide if it aligns with your project requirements.

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What can I build with FlutterFlow?

Mobile app development

As previously mentioned, FlutterFlow specializes in native mobile app development, utilizing a single codebase. Applications specifically designed and optimized for a specific operating system are known as native development apps. Mobile apps offer optimized performance, direct access to device-specific features, a consistent user experience, and enhanced security. FlutterFlow provides the ability to build mobile apps for iOS and Android, using a friendly drag-and-drop interface and pre-made building blocks that make the process of creating mobile apps a lot easier and smoother. 

FlutterFlow stands out for its ability to quickly build "rough drafts" of mobile apps, which allows users to rapidly try out different ideas and layouts. It also offers pre-built screens and simple UI customization that contribute to the speed of your creations. 

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Let’s walk through the specifics of both mobile app options:

• Android apps: You can use FlutterFlow to build Android applications. The platform generates APK files that are compatible with Android devices, ensuring your app runs smoothly on a wide range of smartphones and tablets. You can easily create apps with FlutterFlow, directly from within the builder, and download them from the Google Play Store.
• iOS apps: FlutterFlow also enables the creation of native iOS applications, available for direct download from the App Store. You can compile the Xcode projects it generates into fully functional apps for iPhones and iPads.

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Success case

CakeSchool

CakeSchool, a native app on iOS, Android, and the Web, offers a range of features designed to enhance the learning experience for pastry enthusiasts. This app provides a mobile and web learning experience for mastering the art of pastry making. With FlutterFlow, the developed app was custom-made for a pastry client passionate about offering a new and comfortable learning experience for students. In the app, users will be able to streamline the creation of engaging courses and recipes, making the art of baking accessible to a wider audience.

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Responsive web application development

FlutterFlow mainly focuses and excels at creating simple mobile apps, but it also extends its capabilities to deploy applications on the web. A responsive web app is designed to adapt and function across various screen sizes and orientations; this is, the app should smoothly work for any user that has access to it, whether it is on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

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When it comes to web applications, FlutterFlow offers:

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• Fluid layouts, utilizing flexible grids and layouts that automatically adjust to the screen size. 
• Users can adjust images based on the device’s capabilities and support.
• FlutterFlow ensures rapid loading times and smooth performance across all devices, especially on mobile networks.

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By understanding and leveraging FlutterFlow's web deployment features, creators can make responsive applications that provide a fluid user experience across the full spectrum of devices.

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Success case 

SuperQueer

SuperQueer owners approached us with a clear goal: to provide a free app for the community where they feel safe, can support others who are part of it, and can find shared interests. 

We came up with a SuperQueer: a comprehensive global hub for the LGBTQ+ community, developed using FlutterFlow for web and native iOS applications. It offers a rich events section powered by Interpride, a vibrant community voice feed, a "Voices" feed for sharing stories, and a dedicated space for queer-owned businesses. The app boasts user-friendly profile management and a robust admin section, supporting over 440 global partners. This beautifully branded platform replaces a previous Glide app, providing an enhanced user experience with improved UI and fully functional features tailored to the community's needs.

This application, which is both web and iOS supported, was entirely created with FlutterFlow. And it helps boost a community that seeks to be connected and constantly sharing their own interests. 

If you want to create your app with us, get in touch and we’ll help you throughout the process.

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Red Zone

Matthew Misera came to us when he discovered he needed a more efficient way to manage sewer inspections and maintenance. He reached out to LowCode Agency because he wanted an app to replace their outdated, paper-based system. 

The app he envisioned to help in field operations had to work offline, given the frequent loss of connectivity. It also had to connect with their resource planning software to maintain centralized and organized operations. Furthermore, the app had to be connected to their ERP so that field ops agents could sync their work orders in the morning, download their schedules into the app, work offline, and then sync the data back to their system when they regained internet access.

The solution we came up with was to use FlutterFlow, which supports offline capabilities, to develop a highly advanced and customized app for our client. Our team concentrated on creating numerous forms that directly transfer data to the client's database via a client-built custom API.

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Our FlutterFlow-built app combines offline capabilities, frequent data synchronization, and a highly customizable interface to deliver a powerful solution that has made sewer maintenance and inspection processes much more efficient. After completing a work order, our client's workers no longer need to transcribe data from paper to the system. Instead, data is directly reflected in the client’s database in real-time.

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FlutterFlow advantages

Native app development

As we previously mentioned, FlutterFlow excels in creating native apps, which are mobile platforms for Android and iOS, using a single codebase. In contrast, some alternative no-code platforms rely on third-party wrappers to create apps that can run on multiple platforms. While these approaches also offer faster development and code reusability, they may not provide the same level of performance, features, or consistency as FlutterFlow.

Rapid prototyping

FlutterFlow is particularly good for quickly building "rough drafts" of mobile apps since it allows you to try out different ideas and layouts fast thanks to its intuitive, no-code interface. FlutterFlow offers easy UI customization that contributes to the prototyping speed. This feature allows users to easily create and experiment with their app ideas. It serves as an ideal platform for brainstorming and visualizing concepts before diving into the actual development. 

Customization and design features

To make your design process even faster, FlutterFlow offers a marketplace with pre-made templates and components. These resources can give users a head start on their projects. While the marketplace might have a relatively smaller selection of templates compared to some other no-code platforms, it still provides a wide range of options, both free and paid.

Collaboration features

In FlutterFlow, you have complete control over project access and editing permissions, making it a powerful tool for collaborative app development. You can manage who can access and edit your projects, including team members within your organization and external users. 

These are FlutterFlow’s collaboration features:

• Access control: You can fully control who can view and edit your projects. This means you can share your project with everyone in your team, invite external collaborators, and assign them roles that match their responsibilities.

• Role-based permissions: For effective collaboration, you can assign roles with appropriate permissions. For instance, you can grant editing privileges to team members actively working on the project, while others can have read-only access to observe progress and provide feedback.

• Real-time collaboration: FlutterFlow facilitates real-time collaboration, where all changes are instantly visible to everyone involved. Multiple team members can work simultaneously on the same page or design system without causing interference. It's important to note that this feature is available exclusively for Teams and Enterprise Plans.

Our developers can get the most out of FlutterFlow for your project. Learn more about our services!

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FlutterFlow limitations

Customization limits  

While FlutterFlow offers a range of pre-designed components, customization can be limited for complex app designs. While FlutterFlow is excellent for basic and prototype mobile apps, it might not be the best choice for super complex apps with very unique designs. For really fancy or unique mobile apps, you might need more coding freedom.

• ‍Tip to mitigate it: For more advanced customization, developers can include custom code. We’ll go through this in more detail in the next section.

Code export 

FlutterFlow offers this advanced feature for experienced users that have coding knowledge. FlutterFlow allows users to export their app's code, allowing them to work on it in external development environments. This is, to create modifications using code.

However, it's important to note that there is no direct means of importing modified code back into FlutterFlow. This one-way process can potentially create challenges, especially if you want to continue using FlutterFlow's visual development features or collaborate within the platform.

Adding custom code is quite tricky, and the platform sometimes adds an excessive amount of steps for its final implementation. The custom code requires a long analysis time from the software, and it’s limited in several aspects.
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• ‍Tip to mitigate it: FlutterFlow offers a custom-code editor feature as an alternative to code export. Let’s see what it is about:

Custom-code editor

As we have just mentioned, more experienced users in the field may want to experiment, or create certain customizations, using code. The code export option could be a little bit tricky. That’s why FlutterFlow offers its custom-code editor feature. Although users won’t be able to directly import modified code into FlutterFlow, as we have just seen, the platform provides a custom code editor within the main.dart file of your app. 

FlutterFlow’s custom-code editor will allow users to add specific functionalities and customize their app following specific requirements. With this feature, users will be able to:

• Use custom actions: FlutterFlow's editor allows users to add code snippets in the form of custom actions. While these custom actions must have no arguments, they provide a means to insert your custom code directly into the main.dart file, enhancing the functionality of your app.

• Edit the main.dart file: The main.dart file is a crucial component of your project, serving as the entry point for the application. You can edit this file to include anything in the main() function that FlutterFlow doesn't yet support. This includes initializing third-party plugins, and libraries, and setting up system-level configurations like adjusting the status bar color or orientation.

Learning curve

Despite being a no-code platform, there is still a learning curve associated with FlutterFlow, especially for those completely new to app development. If developers are new to Flutter, there might be a learning curve associated with understanding the framework and its specific approaches to web development. And the learning curve may also get steep when it comes to understanding the framework and its specific approaches to web development. If you want to make FlutterFlow your go-to no-code creating tool, and your goal is to extend your reach and deploy both on web and native apps, then it’s worth riding the wave of the learning curve and keep acquiring skills. 

• ‍Tip to mitigate it: Take advantage of the available tutorials and documentation to ease the learning process. Consider starting with smaller projects to gain confidence and skills.

Dependence on Flutter updates 

As FlutterFlow is based on the Flutter framework, it is subject to changes and updates in Flutter. This can raise some issues: 

• When we assess compatibility, as Flutter updates, older FlutterFlow projects may face compatibility problems, potentially requiring significant changes. 
• Regarding the learning curve Flutter may present, creators need to stay updated with both FlutterFlow and Flutter changes, which can sometimes take too much time to learn.
• Feature lag may also be an issue. This is, when new Flutter features are not immediately available in FlutterFlow, limiting access to cutting-edge capabilities.

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• Tip to mitigate it: Keep your FlutterFlow and Flutter framework up-to-date and regularly check for any updates or changes in the ecosystem that might affect your project.

‍Bugs and error fixing challenge

Identifying and resolving bugs and errors in FlutterFlow can be a significant hurdle for developers. This can sometimes make debugging more time-consuming and complex compared to traditional coding environments.

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Related: FlutterFlow best practices

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Comparative analysis

We introduce a breakdown of how FlutterFlow Glide, Bubble, Adalo, and Webflow compare:

Support across different platforms

• FlutterFlow supports Android, iOS, web, and desktop platforms. As we have already mentioned through this article, its main strength is native apps, which means that desktop platform support may require additional design adjustments.
• Glide primarily focuses on mobile app development, lacking extensive web and desktop support.
• Bubble.io is primarily designed for web applications but has limited mobile app development capabilities.
• Webflow primarily focuses on web design and development, making it a suitable choice for web-based projects. While it offers responsive design for various screen sizes, it does not provide native app development capabilities.
• Adalo specializes in mobile and web app development, offering support for both Android and iOS. This allows users to create applications that work on a range of devices.

Collaboration and access control

• FlutterFlow supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple team members to work together. It is available for Teams and Enterprise Plans.
• Glide provides basic collaboration features but lacks real-time collaboration for extensive team projects.
• Bubble.io offers collaboration features, including sharing and access control.
• Webflow provides basic collaboration features but lacks real-time collaboration for extensive team projects.
• Adalo supports collaboration and offers access control options to manage permissions and roles within teams.

Design resources

• FlutterFlow provides a marketplace with pre-made templates and components. It offers both free and paid resources.
• Glide offers a marketplace where it provides app templates and components, although the selection may not be as extensive as on other platforms.
• Bubble.io offers a marketplace with a lot of templates, plugins, and reusable elements.
• Webflow provides numerous templates for different website niches and e-commerce solutions.
• Adalo offers a marketplace with a variety of pre-made templates, components, and data sources to kickstart app development.

Custom-code support

• FlutterFlow offers the ability to add custom code directly into the main.dart file of your app using FlutterFlow’s editor, providing flexibility for specific functionalities and customizations. Users can integrate custom code to implement advanced features. Code export is also supported for more extensive coding outside the platform.
• Glide is primarily focused on data-driven app creation, but it does offer code extensibility. It provides a custom code editor to insert code snippets, allowing for more advanced customizations. 
• Bubble.io supports custom code integration through its backend workflows, allowing developers to extend functionality beyond the visual builder. It provides an extensive set of plugins and actions to implement complex logic and integrations.
• Webflow allows the insertion of custom code into the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript of their web projects.
• Adalo provides custom actions that allow for adding custom code to enhance app functionality. While it may not offer the same level of code extensibility as some other platforms, it still offers customization options for implementing specific features and integrations. The extent of custom code implementation in Adalo is somewhat more structured compared to more code-centric platforms.

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If you want to keep navigating the low-code world, and learn more about other options to create no-code native and web apps, check our related posts:

• ‍Glide Vs FlutterFlow
• FlutterFlow vs Adalo vs Buble
• FlutterFlow vs Flutter

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Conclusion

As we've explored throughout this article, FlutterFlow emerges as a powerful platform in the no-code development landscape, particularly excelling in:

• Native mobile app creation, using a single codebase, which supports both Android and iOS platforms.
• Presents an intuitive interface, with rapid prototyping capabilities. This  translates into the platform's drag-and-drop interface and pre-built components, which allow for quick ideation and creation of app "rough drafts."

However, it's important to consider some limitations:

• Customization constraints may arise for highly complex or unique app designs, including native apps.
• There's a learning curve, especially for those new to app development or the Flutter framework.
• The platform's dependence on Flutter updates can sometimes lead to compatibility issues or feature lags.

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So, to wrap it up, FlutterFlow could be an excellent choice if your primary focus is creating native mobile apps efficiently. However, you might consider alternatives if your project is primarily web-focused (platforms like Webflow or Bubble might be more suitable). Or, also, if you require extensive customization beyond what FlutterFlow's visual builder and custom code options offer.

With its balance of simplicity and power, FlutterFlow presents an exciting option for those looking to dive into the world of app development or streamline their existing processes. For app success, trust the experts. Reach out to us, an experienced FlutterFlow no-code development company, for a consultation tailored to your project's specific needs. Let's build your app together!