FlutterFlow VS Bubble 2024: Best Low-Code/No-Code tools

When it comes to building low-code/no-code applications in 2024, the choice between FlutterFlow and Bubble can be crucial. Both platforms offer powerful features and capabilities, but they cater to different needs and preferences. This blog post will provide a detailed comparison of FlutterFlow and Bubble, focusing on their key features, pricing, and which platform might be the best fit for your project.

What is FlutterFlow?

FlutterFlow is a low-code platform designed to help developers build native mobile applications quickly and efficiently. If your goal is to create native mobile apps with excellent performance and user experience, FlutterFlow is a top contender.

What is Bubble?

Bubble is a full-stack no-code platform that allows users to build a wide variety of applications. From marketplaces and internal tools to Chrome extensions and Shopify apps, Bubble provides the flexibility and power needed to create virtually any type of application.

Key Differences and Features

Integrated Database vs. Separate Backend

One of the key differences between FlutterFlow and Bubble is how they handle databases:

• Bubble: Integrates the database directly into the no-code tool. When you’re building in Bubble, you handle the front end, logic, and data storage all within Bubble. This integration simplifies the development process and makes it easier to get started.
• FlutterFlow: Does not have an integrated backend. Instead, you use a separate backend service like Supabase or Firebase for your database. This separation can make initial setup more complex but offers the advantage of flexibility. You can move your database to another service without being tied to FlutterFlow.

Native Mobile Experience vs. Web Apps

• Bubble: Optimized for building web applications. While Bubble is working on adding direct support for mobile app deployment, currently, it excels in creating web apps accessible from any browser. You can still publish apps to mobile stores using third-party wrappers, but this might not perform as well as native solutions.
• FlutterFlow: Specializes in building native mobile applications. You can publish directly to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store from the platform. This makes FlutterFlow ideal for projects where a native mobile experience is crucial.

Visual Development and Customization

• Bubble: Offers extensive visual development tools, allowing users to design applications without extensive coding knowledge. It supports custom database integration and various plugins to enhance functionality.
• FlutterFlow: Also provides visual development tools but includes advanced AI integration to assist in building front-end and back-end components. Users can integrate custom code with a code co-pilot, offering more control and flexibility.

Community and Support

Both platforms have strong communities that offer support and resources:

• Bubble: Has a more established community due to its longer presence in the market. This means more questions and answers are available in their forums, providing a wealth of information for troubleshooting and learning.
• FlutterFlow: Despite being newer, FlutterFlow has a robust and active community. This can be incredibly helpful for finding solutions and getting advice on building applications.

Pricing Comparison

FlutterFlow Pricing

• Free Plan: Includes visual application builder, hundreds of templates, API and data integration, and web publishing.
• Standard Plan: At $30 per month, offers features like code download, APK downloads, custom domain web publishing, and more.
• Pro Plan: At $70 per month, includes app store deployment, source repository integration, one-click localization, and GitHub integration.
• Teams Plan: At $70 per user per month, provides real-time collaboration, project-level access control, audit logs, and centralized billing.

Bubble Pricing

• Free Plan: Provides a development version, API connector, component library, one editor, and 50k workload units per month.
• Starter Plan: At $29 per month, suitable for launching apps with custom domains, reoccurring workflows, and basic version control.
• Growth Plan: At $119 per month, includes two app editors, premium version control, two-factor authentication, and more workload units.
• Team Plan: Offers multiple app editors, sub-apps, custom branches, and 500k workload units per month.

Choosing Between FlutterFlow and Bubble

Why Choose FlutterFlow?

• Native Mobile Apps: Ideal for creating high-performance native mobile applications.
• Quick Development: Features like pre-built flows and AI tools help speed up development.
• Code Export: Allows you to download your code and move away from the platform if needed, providing flexibility and control.

Why Choose Bubble?

• Versatility: Suitable for a wide range of applications, from simple tools to complex platforms.
• Ease of Use: Visual development and strong community support make it accessible even for those with limited coding experience.
• Scalability: Flexible pricing plans and extensive customization options make it suitable for both small and large projects.

Database Handling and Long-term Flexibility

• Bubble: Integrates all aspects of app development, including the database, which can simplify initial development but may limit flexibility if you decide to switch platforms.
• FlutterFlow: Requires a separate backend, offering more flexibility in database management and potential future migrations.

Publishing Capabilities

• Bubble: Primarily focused on web apps, with mobile app store publishing still under development.
• FlutterFlow: Directly supports publishing to mobile app stores, making it a strong choice for mobile-first projects.

Conclusion

Both FlutterFlow and Bubble offer powerful tools for building applications. FlutterFlow is excellent for mobile-first projects that require native performance and quick development, while Bubble provides unmatched versatility and ease of use for a wide range of applications.

Consider your project’s specific needs, your team’s capabilities, and your long-term goals when choosing between these platforms. Both have their strengths and can help you create successful applications.

EXTRA THOUGHTS

If you are at the stage of comparing these two technologies, you cannot overlook the potential of creating applications using multi-platform and cross-platform technologies such as Flutter or React. You can take advantage of our estimate generator to read more about a comparison specifically tailored to your idea.