Detailed Full Review of Bubble.io: All you need to know (2024)

What is Bubble io?

With these four verticals in mind, let's look at how they affect software development and why that's important.

Bubble io's main mission is to help anyone create web applications without writing code. But while this mission statement is easy to remember, it doesn't take much of the story into account. The path from idea to market is more complex than simply writing lines of code. Traditional development requires a team of highly specialized experts working on specific segments of application production, growth, and maintenance. Think about it. What does each application need?

• A pleasant user interface that makes the app easy to use and appealing.
• A database to save and retrieve information such as products, articles, and social messages.
• The safety to ensure that no one can access data that they are not supposed to be able to see.
• Scalability to enable the growth of the user base and data volume without problems.
• Connectivity with other services and systems.

Although this list is not exhaustive, the message is clear: Bubble io replaces much more than just a developer. It offers all these services in a visual and highly automated way that makes it possible, even easy, to manage them all by a single person.

While other code-free platforms (and older ones) have attempted to replace code writing in a variety of ways, the philosophy behind Bubble io is to remove every possible barrier to bringing an application to market, taking care of everything from responsive design and animations to hosting, release deployment, security, and database operations.

Extending the native features of Bubble io with plugins

Technically speaking, Bubble io combines modules coded in JavaScript, CSS and HTML in a working node.js application. The language specific to Bubble io is based on JSON. While you don't have to master these terms to build apps, they do signal one important thing: Bubble io follows reliable and accepted web standards, allowing developers to greatly extend its native features.

This can already be seen in the Bubble io plugin store, which offers hundreds of free and paid extensions with basic functionalities. It also means that if the basic functionalities of Bubble io are not enough for you, many developers are ready to implement a custom solution in JavaScript.

Connecting Bubble io to other services via the API connector

The most important plugin in the store is undoubtedly the API connector by Bubble io. As the name suggests, it allows you to connect to other applications and services and exchange actions and data. Instead of explaining how that happens, we're going to give you a few examples of what APIs can do:

• Get up-to-date weather data from anywhere on the planet.
• Get contact information, phone number, address, photos, logo, and reviews of Any venture on Google Maps.
• Exchange information between different systems, for example by creating a lead in your CRM or an appointment in your Google calendar when an event is triggered in Bubble io.
• Access to machine learning algorithms like reconnaissance and the translation ofpictures
• Book a flight or a hotel room in any corner of the world

Ease of use

The platform has a perfect blend of drag-and-drop features and a workflow-based programming approach.

In other words, you have total control over the application's workflow and hierarchy, without the need for coding skills.

Bubble has a fairly simple editor with all the tools you may need to create a cutting-edge web or mobile application. The main characteristic is that it is the user who defines the logic of the future application. Let's see how it works.

Get started

It is free to use the platform itself. So you won't need to look for a free trial to test how the system works. To access Bubble instruments, simply enter your email address and password, without having to provide your billing information. Users will also be able to log in using their GitHub or Google accounts. The software will automatically take you to your personal dashboard where you can choose the next step to take, whether it's a new application or a template to create for the future project.

Users can also access interactive bubble lessons from here. They describe all the steps of the construction process right here on the dashboard, without the need to move from screen to screen. You can also access your account to update or change your personal data if necessary. To start the new project, click on the “New Application” button and find Bubble's intuitive control panel.

User interface builder

Welcome to the user interface design and creation dashboard. Newbies might be a bit overwhelmed from the start due to the multitude of tools placed in the left sidebar. However, it will take you a few minutes to get used to the tab and start implementing various sections and blocks for your future application.

The frame uses the “drag and drop” function. It makes it easy to organize your own structure and hierarchy of elements. In other words, you can feel like a web architect and put specific elements where they are needed. Users are free to choose a ready-to-use template or start building an application from a blank canvas. Additionally, you are free to create a template and associate it with the application.

The items can be changed according to your needs. Simply click on it and use the new tab to change the size of the blocks, change the texts, choose the background style, change the colors, select the content type for the entire block, set new conditions, etc. When you are done with the layout of the application, you can use the review mode to check how it looks in real conditions in your browser.

Bubble offers total control over the creation process. Users can reinvent the logic of their applications or websites. If you want to create a timeline of actions, you can add a new block and define a specific action for it by defining a new condition. The framework also provides access to a database where you can collect the necessary information through a contact or registration form and automatically store it in the appropriate database.

The software is very flexible in terms of customization. It offers more than 800 different plugins. Users will be able to integrate payment options, video and music streaming services, different marketing instruments, customer support tools, etc.

Live

Bubble is a cloud-based solution that not only allows you to create efficient applications but also to host your projects. You don't need to look for a separate hosting provider. The system combines all the advantages in a single package. Some users will have the option to choose from various plans based on their business needs or simply upgrade to a more resource-rich plan at any time.

We'll discuss pricing a bit later in the Plans and Prices section. What should be emphasized is that the framework is delivered as a fully functional cloud platform, with its own assets and a scalable infrastructure to deploy, support, and maintain your sites or applications with backend and integrated services connected via the API.

• Powerful user interface editor.
• Drag and drop functionality.
• Large selection of blocks and elements.

Features

The framework offers a variety of ready-to-use features. They are provided to allow startups and businesses to create end-to-end solutions without hiring professional developers. Besides being an all-in-one solution with hosting facilities for deploying projects, Bubble provides tools to customize the application and make it more user-friendly.

Plugins and add-ons

Users can choose from over 870 different plugins available on the local market. They include analytics services such as Google Analytics or Segment, payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, various payment subscription models, or tools for managing transactions with third parties.

You can connect the project to an existing API or publish your own API in order to allow your partners and customers to connect to you effortlessly. The Bubble Plugin Market isn't just a place where you can find add-ons for yourself. Users can also share or sell some of their own Javascript based plugins there.

Collaboration

There are several ways to allow others to participate in your project. The collaboration feature allows up to 40 colleagues to be added. An administrator can define specific roles directly from the dashboard. In addition, Bubble makes it easy to interact with the target audience through chats, news feeds, etc. Create a registration form for users to connect through their social accounts.

Customizable workflow logic

As we said before, Bubble is a high-end framework that offers all the coding power to the end user. You need to create the logic for the application by defining conditionals. In other words, the user tells the system what should happen next if a visitor takes a specific action.

SEO and security

You can define how search engines and social networks will see your future project. A simple tab allows you to manage all the SEO parameters: meta tags, customizable URLs, etc. Here, you can also generate the site map.

When it comes to security, all websites and applications created using Bubble have SSL encryption. Additionally, you can create a unique password to hide the app until it's ready to go live. An administrator can define specific rules that define how data is displayed to users. All Bubble accounts are secured using two-factor authentication.

All-in-one framework

With Bubble, you have a fully hosted platform for creating websites and applications, with a ready-to-use infrastructure. The system takes care of the maintenance, security, and management of the server solution. Once a project has grown well beyond current assets, you can scale it in one click by opting for more resources that come with a higher plan.

• Collaborative technology.
• Wide choice of plugins.
• Third-party integration.

Design and templates

Bubble does not have its custom themes as we are used to. At the same time, it offers a variety of responsive templates created by Bubble users. Some of them are free and others are chargeable. The price ranges from 0 to 199 dollars, depending on layout style and features.

All models are divided into specific categories. Here we have blogs, distinct CRM layouts, building blocks, landing pages, digital stores, marketplaces, and more. Sort them by niche and choose the model that fits your needs. In addition, you are free to create your own model and share it for free or sell it on the Bubble marketplace.

• Free and paid templates.
• Responsive design.
• Mobile preview and editing.

Customer Support

While Bubble is very easy to use, it has powerful support thanks to its growing community of nearly 351,000 active users and over 314,000 applications already built. The bad news is that the platform doesn't have a live chat function or a phone to get in touch instantly. However, newbies will never be lost thanks to an active social media community, local forum, and blog.

So the ways to solve possible problems are as follows:

• Emails - contact the support team using a typical ticketing system.
• Forum - join the Bubble community and ask experienced users for help. Access to the forum is free. You can open a new thread to find a topic that addresses the same issue.
• Bubble Blog - it contains a variety of articles, company news, and lots of other insider information.
• Social accounts - the Facebook page has more than 12,000 subscribers and allows you to contact Bubble administrators directly via Facebook Messenger.

There is also a Twitter account official that highlights the latest news, updates, and other information that may be useful.

• A social community in full expansion.
• Local forum and blog.
• Plugin and template marketplace.

Pricing

It is free to use the frame itself. You don't need to pay a cent to start building your application. The Hobby plan is available to all users at zero cost.

However, paid plans will be required to access additional features and host your project. The prices are as follows:

• Personal expenses are at $25 per month and include white tagging, data export, etc.
• The professional version costs 115 dollars. It will meet the needs of start-ups thanks to its 2 application editors, 3 server capacity units and more.
• Production costs $475. It's designed for businesses that want maximum server capacity. You have 15 application editors and 20 development versions.

Corporate clients can also benefit from dedicated solutions based on a scaled payment model.

• Free Hobby Plan.
• SSL and hosting included.
• Up to 20 development versions.

Who created Bubble io?

With the recent and explosive interest in no-code, it may feel like Bubble io is a recent invention, but it has actually been around for some time. It was founded in 2012 when Joshua Haas (a graduate of Harvard philosophy) saw the potential to solve a well-known challenge: how to make it easier for a non-technical entrepreneur to create a technological product? He met his co-founder, the French Emmanuel Straschnov, a graduate of the Harvard Business School, through a friend and the two men talked about his vision. It would not be another website builder, but a platform flexible enough to create any type of application based on a database.

According to their own account of the early days, the workflows and the tabs of data were a core element of the first prototype - an interesting illustration of how faithful Bubble io was to its original idea. This dedication, ironically, is also part of the reason why they stayed hidden for so long. When the two men got to work and started to transform the prototype into a real functional product, there were several discussions about raising funds to finance development and make the team grow.

Listening to investors who wanted to influence Bubble io's strategy from the start, the team made an unusual decision: rather than taking the risk of a well-meaning investor diluting the vision of Bubble io, they decided to start developing until their product spoke for itself.

Over the next few years, Josh and Emmanuel worked to improve Bubble io, gradually adding key members to their team, supported only by revenue from user growth. When the fundraising discussions resumed, Bubble io already had 250,000 registered users and $1 million in annual revenue. As the saying goes, don't look at the VC like a beggar, go like a king. The team was now in a much stronger position to ensure that Bubble io could stay true to its roots, even with seasoned investors on board. You can find out more about deciding not to accept money in This blog post (in itself, an interesting insight into corporate culture, since it was written in 2015).

The next seed round attracted leading investors whose portfolios include Facebook, Dropbox, Lyft, Lyft, AirBnB, Notion, Behance, and Lean Startup.

Reading the story by Josh and Emmanuel is highly recommended and interesting, and the article's comments section reflects the dedication of their early user base. You can also find out more about the company and consult the list of its investors on Crunchbase.

How do I start using Bubble io for my project?

One of the eternal challenges for a solo entrepreneur or a small team is the chicken and egg question: you have to create the software to validate the idea in order to raise the necessary funds to create the software in order to validate... you get the idea. Without a technical co-founder or without the budget to hire developers, most ideas go unheeded. Most investors don't invest in good ideas, but in concepts that have proven their value in the market and need funds to grow.

Bubble io offers you the possibility to create the software yourself, quickly and at low cost, and to test it with real users. Let's look at the pros and cons of this solution, as well as the various paths you can take to get there.

Build yourself

The first thing you can consider is creating the app yourself. A good starting point for learning Bubble io is the official Bubble io Academy, where you'll find the workbook updated official, a long list of video tutorials and very useful interactive courses. While these only teach the most basic features, I highly recommend them as the quickest way to get familiar with navigating the tabs in the Bubble io editor.

It's useful to keep in mind that while Bubble io is relatively easy to learn, there is still a learning curve. Expect to make a lot of mistakes in the coming weeks, some of which will require time-consuming corrections. Most professional developers agree that a fully functional MVP can be built in two to five weeks (depending on the complexity of the application). As a new developer, you should reasonably expect to at least double that time frame.

In many cases, it's also helpful to make your first app a pure experience, not the app you're investing in. Think of it as a blank canvas that you can touch up as much as you want. As you learn to work with Bubble io, you'll find that it's a lot slower to go back and correct the work you did yesterday than to do it right the first time - and nobody does that without experience. YouTube is also becoming a great source of tutorials and lessons. and can sometimes provide solutions to very specific problems. Overall, the no-code community - and the Bubble io official forum in particular - is my favorite place to ask questions. You will be amazed at how helpful the people are and there are already a large number of questions answered over the years.

Hire an agency

Over time, many agencies have emerged and have become mature around Bubble io. Bubble io maintains a list of agencies on its website, but it should be noted that this is not a selected or verified list, but simply a catalog of businesses that have purchased a Bubble io agency license.

Today, most agencies require a minimum budget of between 4 and 6,000 euros, and you can expect most projects to be between 8,000 and 15,000 euros, depending on the project and the agency.

Hiring a freelancer

For smaller projects, hiring a freelancer can be an alternative to more expensive agencies. You can post projects and find workers on the Bubble io forum, but I recommend that you consult a platform like Upwork. It allows you to find workers with a history of work and evaluations, and takes care of Of the payment in an orderly manner, thus guaranteeing the interests of both parties. In short, it is the safest choice.

How can Bubble io help you?

The absence of code significantly reduces the cost and time to market of new applications, and allows start-ups and SMEs to invest in custom software, previously reserved for businesses with deep pockets. While the idea of creating MVPs naturally caught the attention of the startup scene, Bubble io's flexibility paves the way for creative uses across a much wider spectrum than that.

In a few years, it's likely that most businesses will rely on no-code to streamline, automate, and organize their work.

Let's look at different scenarios where the absence of code can give your business a significant competitive advantage:

The MVPs

Bubble io can take an MVP from sketch to launch in a matter of weeks, allowing you to quickly test and iterate ideas with real users and actual transactions.

Why spend time on a business plan when you can validate your assumptions in a real market?

Custom software

The low cost of development gives every business the opportunity to supplement or replace standard software with custom systems.

Sell products, manage staff, manage inventory, solve problems, and streamline processes.

Automation

Implement automations to replace manual work, gather data, and communicate effectively. Remove silos between departments and software.

With API connections, you can trigger workflows and sync information across systems.

Final Verdict

Bubble is a powerful web development engine for creating robust and high-end applications. This platform is perfect for you if you need to create internal software to boost business productivity or provide innovative applications to your end users. The system comes as an all-in-one package with scalable hosting facilities that can be updated as your business grows.

Don't think of Bubble io as a new tool or technology, but rather as a sudden and drastic reduction in the price and development time of custom software. What competitive advantage could that give you? New commercial projects? A reduction in process costs? More effective communication or project management? More usable data?

In a few years, using the power of Bubble io's flexible no-code approach will not only be trivial, but also common. The ability to create fully functional production applications at a fraction of the cost is not going away anytime soon. She is here to stay.