What is Bubble.io? Is it the best No-Code App Builder? - 2024 Guide.

Introduction: What is Bubble.io?

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When it comes to the no-code industry, Bubble.io is a game changer. You might be wondering, what exactly is Bubble.io, why is it so popular, and is it even the best no-code app builder out there.

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In a nutshell, Bubble.io is a no-code development platform that allows users to create robust web and mobile applications without needing to write a single line of traditional code. By "no-code," we mean you can create complex web or mobile applications entirely without writing a single line of code. Everything is done through a visual editor, including dragging and dropping elements, configurations of workflows, and designing an application's user interface.

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That's right, traditional coding/development is no longer a barrier, it just got knocked off its throne! With Bubble, you can design, develop, and deploy powerful web apps using only Bubble’s visual interface – think drag-and-drop! Pretty cool, right?

But there’s more. As Nerdheadz, we’re not just here to explain Bubble to you—we’re recognized as a top-17, Gold-tier Bubble.io agency with a track record of helping businesses bring their app ideas to life. 

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We know the ins and outs of the platform, and our experience means you're getting expert guidance, not just some other review blog. We’ve successfully developed a wide range of apps using Bubble, and you can read more about how we’ve become one of the best Bubble.io agencies in the industry. 

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Now that you have a feeling of being in good hands, let's proceed to more detail about what makes this tool, Bubble.io, so revolutionary in building web and mobile applications.

Why is Bubble So Popular?

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You may argue for several reasons as to why Bubble.io is such a big name in the world of no-code. Of course, there are many other quite famous no-code platforms out there like; Flutterflow, Adola, Glide, and so on. But, here is why Bubble stands apart and why its popularity keeps on soaring.

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1. Accessibility for Non-Developers 

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Bubble.io empowers non-technical users to build sophisticated web applications without needing to write any code. This opens up app development to a wider audience, from entrepreneurs to small businesses, who might not have the budget to hire traditional developers. This no-code platform allows almost anyone to take an idea and turn it into a functional application with ease, using drag-and-drop simplicity.

2. Full Customization and Flexibility 

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Unlike other no-code platforms that might limit a maker to some sort of template or restricted feature set, Bubble offers full customization. Makers have total control over the design, functionality, and backend workflows of an app. Whether you're creating a simple app or a complex SaaS platform, Bubble gives you the freedom to build it your way.

3. Rich Feature Set

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Bubble provides a wide variety of features in database management, dynamic content, user authentication, payment integrations, and API connections. This alone justifies how versatile the tool can be for almost any kind of web or mobile application.

4. Scalability for Growing Businesses

Another key feature of Bubble is scalability: the more users, the bigger your application, the greater the complexity. Bubble scales with you. You can start small, scale-up without needing to make a move to a custom codebase. This has made it one of the main solutions for startups in order to scale long-term, with no need to consider technical debt or platform limitations.

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Here are some examples of apps we built in Bubble, which started as MVPs: 

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1. Ace Tuition
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   A no-code MVP platform to connect students to tutors, simplify class management, and provide integrated finance tools.
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2. What A Idea
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   AI + no-code MVP for streamlining business analysis and cybersecurity research.
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3. UG Video
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   A no-code MVP for brands to access UGC to connect with their audience and for creators to secure paid work opportunities.

5. Strong Community and Support 

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A big plus is the invaluable support from an increasingly growing and active user community at Bubble. For tutorials, forums, and third-party plugins, the platform can boast of numerous options for users to quickly find any sort of help or resources. This, in turn, makes it an even faster process of learning and developing applications for both beginners and advanced users alike.

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Did You Know?

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In the Bubble community, there is a event called “BubbleCon”, a annual user conference hosted live in NYC and virtually that showcases the latest innovations and features from Bubble, bringing together creators, developers, and enthusiasts. At the recent BubbleCon24, attendees experienced a range of announcements. We’ll share a few of those with you in this article.

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Overall, BubbleCon serves as a platform for community engagement and feedback, fostering a collaborative environment for all users to explore the potential of no-code development.

Wait! What's New in Bubble? You Need to Know This.

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We would like to share some exciting updates from Bubble.io, especially if you’ve been following the platform primarily for web app development. For years, Bubble has been the go-to platform for building powerful, custom web apps without code, but now it’s stepping into even bigger territory.

1. Introducing Native Mobile App Development (Both Android & iOS)

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A brand new capability to create full-stack native mobile applications directly within Bubble and publish them straight to the Apple App Store or Google Play!

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That’s right! No longer are you limited to web apps. With this new feature, you can now design, develop, and launch a fully functional mobile app straight from Bubble. Imagine turning your idea into a mobile app without having to write a single line of code—and once your app is live, your audience can download it directly from their app store of choice.

Well, this feature is currently in Beta and was just been announced at BubbleCon24. It drove the whole no-code community crazy. Native mobile is really a game-changer, especially for startups, entrepreneurs, and businesses that want to get a piece of the still-growing mobile market without the high cost and complexity associated with traditional mobile development.

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Being one of the early adopters of this advanced technology, Nerdheadz is equipped to provide you with state-of-the-art no-code mobile solutions. Whether you have an existing web app you want to convert or a brand-new mobile app idea, we can help you bring your vision to life.

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Explore the possibilities of no-code mobile app development with us Today.

2. Bubble AI Builder

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We're also very excited to share with you another new feature that's recently been released in Beta within Bubble: the Bubble AI Builder.

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Here's how that works: Just imagine, you've described the functionality and the purpose of each page in plain English. Then, Bubble AI Builder takes your natural language description and builds a complete page for your application or website, prepopulated with any text, buttons, and imagery where applicable.

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This may save countless amounts of time, especially if one is just starting to develop applications or has limited design experience.

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For further information about the Bubble AI Builder, see this official Bubble blog post: How to Build with AI in Bubble. 

If you have any more questions, either about the Bubble AI Builder or even about how it can be used in your next no-code project, please let us know.

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Talking of AI, we’ve built an estimation tool to help you on your next no-code project with a quick and accurate cost estimate. All you have to do is answer a few question about your project. ‍Try our Free AI estimator today!

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Who Can Use Bubble.io?

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Well, Bubble.io can be used by almost any person, with or without a technical background. Whether it is an idea you want to shape into something real, or a business in need of bespoke software, Bubble has a pretty wide reach. Let us examine who this Bubble works for, and why it is thus versatile for different user types:

1. Small Business Owners 

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Perfect for building custom business apps affordably. You can create booking systems, customer portals, or any tool your business needs—without hiring a big team of developers.

2. Startups

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Ideal for building an MVP with speed and at a low cost. It equips startups to launch an idea, and then make quick iterations to scale as it grows, without consuming much resource.

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3. Enterprises 

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Large companies can leverage Bubble for enterprise-grade scalable solutions, such as internal tools, CRMs, ERPs or customer-facing apps, without the need for a large development team.

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4. Freelancers & Non-Technical Founders 

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Bubble empowers you to build and launch your app yourself. With Bubble’s easy-to-use interface, freelancers and founders can focus on design and user experience without worrying about code.

What is Bubble Best Used For?

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A tool is only as good as the solutions it produces, right? Well, Bubble.io shines when it comes to building a wide range of powerful applications. Though famous for creating no-code web applications, that too is changing fast with the introduction of native mobile app development and AI capabilities, as mentioned earlier. Let's now look at some of the best use cases across different industries:

1. Building Marketplaces: 
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Be it a platform of products or services, Bubble makes it so quick to create double-sided marketplaces where buyers and sellers connect seamlessly.
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2. Building E-Commerce Platforms:
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‍Bubble makes it easy to build fully functional e-commerce platforms where businesses can list products, manage inventory, and integrate payment gateways.
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3. Building CRMs: 
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‍With Bubble, you can create tailored CRM systems to suit just about any need that a business could have- from client management to sales tracking. Read more on how to build a custom CRM in Bubble in our guide.
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4. Building SaaS Products: 
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‍If you want to launch a Software as a Service product, Bubble lets you build subscription-based platforms with user accounts, payment gateways, and automated workflows. Want to see how this can be done? Check this article: How To Build a SaaS with No-Code, Bubble.
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5. Building Internal Business Tools: 
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‍Bubble is great for building tools like dashboards, employee portals, and operational systems that can help businesses streamline their internal processes.
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6. Building Education Tools: 
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‍Bubble can be used in making business tools, such as Dashboards, Employee portals, operational systems, and streamlining a lot of their internal work.

In short, Bubble is capable of creating many types of web and mobile applications; it is ideal for just about any business application. We have a rich portfolio of projects built with Bubble. We're sure you'll find something interesting there, and possibly get inspired by Bubble's capabilities. 

What Can’t Be Built with Bubble?

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You really can't build anything too complex with Bubble.io, requiring high-performance processing or intensive graphics. As powerful as Bubble is for most business applications, there's a limit to what kind of apps it can be used for. These include:

1. Games with Intensive Graphics:

 
If your project is to build a fast-paced high-resolution game, then Bubble is certainly not the tool for it. Also, games intended for the implementation of complex animations, 3D rendering, or graphics processing in real time are not the best fit for the current capabilities of Bubble.

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2. High-Performance Real-Time Apps: 
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Applications that require real-time data at lightning speed might not be the perfect candidate to be built in Bubble. For instance, stock trading applications or any application that uses a live data feed and involves thousands, or even millions of users can be costly. Great for many things, but this kind of heavy real-time processing takes its toll on performance.

Apps requiring deep integrations with hardware components, such as large IoT devices or applications that demand direct control over hardware, are out of the scope of Bubble. It is more fitted to web and mobile applications rather than hardware-centric solutions.

Bubble does an excellent job of building functional and scalable apps for many industries, but very demanding performances or hardware requirements might need other solutions.

How Does Bubble.io Work?

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Now, let's see how Bubble really works. Here is a quick overview:

Visual Programming:

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You build in your application visually, not coding by hand. Just drag and drop the various elements like; buttons, forms, and images onto the canvas to design the interface of your application. This way, it's faster and more intuitive to create the interface of an application for a beginner or professional.

Workflows:

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These "instructions" explain to your app how it should react when a user interacts with it. Workflows take care of anything from clicking a button down to firing processes right in the background so that your app runs easily without personally coding anything.

Database Management: 

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Every app needs data. In Bubble, there's an integrated database (in-built database that uses PostgrSQL) that will allow you to create, store, and manage different kinds of data-like user profiles, orders, or product details-without necessarily having to write SQL queries. It is flexible, scalable and can be customized to your advantage in whatever way best works for your app.

Backend Integrations: 

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Need to connect your app with other services, for instance, payment gateways or third-party APIs? Bubble allows for easy integration of your app with a number of tools and services, extending the potential of what your app can do beyond what you are able to create on the platform.

Well, that's a quick look! For further information on how Bubble works and building an app from scratch, please see our article: How to Build the Perfect Project on Bubble.io. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to build something complex in Bubble, this guide will help you every step of the way!

Key Benefits of Using Bubble.io 

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At Nerdheadz, we simply love how Bubble empowers us to build great no-code applications in record time. And when we build, clients simply love the results! Here are the key benefits of using Bubble, such a wonderful no-code platform:

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1. Cost Efficiency: 
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With Bubble, businesses can save a lot on development costs. Without having to code much and without having to invest in full-fledged development teams, startups and small businesses use their resources effectively while at the same time not compromising on quality.

2. Custom API Integrations: 
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One of the strong suits for Bubble has to do with complex third-party integrations using APIs. This level of flexibility will let you connect your application to a variety of services. Whether that be payment processors, analytics tools, or other software, Bubble allows you to have the functionality tailored towards your needs.

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3. Speed: 
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Building apps with Bubble is extremely fast, taking you from an idea to a launch in a fraction of the time compared to traditional development methods. The drag-and-drop interface and prebuilt components in Bubble quickly ramp up your design and make it perfect for rapid prototyping and MVPs. Building with Bubble is becoming even more faster with the Bubble AI Builder we learned about earlier.

4. Control: 
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With Bubble, you have complete control of every part of your app in design and functionality. By this visual programming approach, almost everything can be customized in your application to meet unique requirements needed for your brand identity. This control is helpful, especially for founders who want to make distinctive solutions in the market.

If you’re a founder or you own a startup, you might want to explore how Bubble can assist you, especially in building your MVP app efficiently. We have covered this in one of our articles entitled, Is Bubble Best for Startup MVP? which speaks to most of the advantages of why one would want to do any sort of startup development in Bubble.

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So, is Bubble the best no-code builder?

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We can't definitively say that Bubble is the best no-code platform, even though it’s certainly one of the biggest names in the no-code industry. Every no-code platform has its strengths and limitations, depending on what you're looking to build. 

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However, Bubble offers an unmatched level of flexibility for building a wide variety of web and mobile applications—from MVPs to full-fledged marketplaces, SaaS, CRMs, you name it—without writing a single line of code. Bubble really provides an impressive toolkit to bring sophisticated ideas to life with no-code.

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It remains a powerful option for those looking to build complex applications quickly and efficiently. Its strong community support and continuous updates further enhance its appeal in the evolving no-code landscape.

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Bubble.io Learning Curve: Is It Easy to Learn and Build?

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One may appreciate that Bubble is a no-code platform - one that provides enormous possibilities to build web and mobile applications all without having to write code. You cannot, however, go straight into the platform and start dragging and dropping from word go. There has got to be some learning curve. The question, then, remains how easy it is to learn and build on Bubble. Let's find that out.

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Manageable Learning Curve: 

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With some practice and proper guidance, it can be pretty manageable even with Bubble. The great features and functionalities of the system are reasons why new users find it very overwhelming in the first place. Most users, however, adapt quite fast with practice and exploration; soon they are able to obtain certain results themselves. 

Rich Learning Resources: 

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Bubble provides a wealth of learning resources to help users. From official documentation to tutorials and community forums, there’s no shortage of information out there. More important, though, is probably the very active community at Bubble where you can always ask questions, share insights, and learn from others' experiences. Whether you like structured courses or self-guided exploration, there's something for everyone.

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Expert Support from Nerdheadz: 

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At Nerdheadz, we understand that there are a lot of pains associated with learning Bubble. This is why expert support becomes part of our offer for you, as a client, to hasten the learning process and ensure that you focus on what really matters: building your app. Our experience as one of the top-tier agencies on Bubble.io, we will be able to guide you through complicated processes and help you avoid common pitfalls.

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Learning Bubble.io may require some time and effort, but the journey is well worth it. With the proper support and resources, you will be well on your way to building your applications in no time!

Get Started with Bubble.io Today! + Free Consultation Call

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We have covered quite a lot in this guide, from the amazing capability of Bubble.io as a no-code platform to the growing popularity among all kinds of user groups. We have been able to explore who can use Bubble best, what it is best suited for, and how it works. We even touched on the learning curve and the support that Nerdheadz offers to you on how to navigate your way through it.

Sure, you can try to pick it all up yourself; that would be quite okay. But why not skip this steep learning curve and let Nerdheadz do the work? We're the experts, and we love helping clients turn their ideas into reality!

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From creating a marketplace, to a SaaS product, to an internal business tool, Bubble is flexible enough to answer all your needs. Let us take the reins while you sit back and enjoy the process.

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Ready to bring those app ideas into reality? Book your free consultation with us today and let's bring your vision into reality!