You built your Mvp on Bubble.io and got it moving. Then pricing tiers no longer fit your budget, or performance starts to degrade as the app gets real users during the MVP Development Process. If you’re searching for a hub keyword and a target keyword, you’re probably looking for Bubble.io alternatives that feel less fragile and easier to ship on.
That’s where an AI app builder comes in. You describe what you want, and AI handles the build work that usually eats your week, like flows, data, auth, and fixes when something breaks. If you want to see how that workflow looks in practice.
Summary
- Bubble.io has a loyal fanbase for a reason. In Bubble’s 2025 State of Visual Development and Vibe Coding report, 71.5% of builders said they trust visual platforms for production apps. That trust comes from years of people shipping real products on it, including marketplaces, internal tools, and AI-style workflows. If you’re trying to get an MVP out the door without hiring a full-stack team, Bubble can absolutely get you there.
- The catch is that scale problems often show up later and quietly. An app that feels instant with 100 users can start dragging at 10,000. Then you’re suddenly spending nights reorganizing workflows, rethinking database relationships, and trimming logic just to keep pages loading at a reasonable speed. It’s hard to plan for because everything looked fine early on, and by the time it isn’t, you’re already deep in the build.
- Lock-in makes that moment even tougher. Bubble controls hosting, infrastructure, and export capabilities. You can export your data, but your workflows, app logic, and UI live within Bubble’s system. If you decide to move, you’re rebuilding the product's core elsewhere, which makes the cost of switching feel larger than the day-to-day pain you’re dealing with.
- The broader market is only getting louder. Gartner has been tracking steady growth in low-code development technologies as more teams try to ship faster without adding specialist headcount. The promise sounds great, but it only holds up if you can stay productive as the project gets more real. Some tools feel friendly on day one and messy by week six. Others ask you to learn more up front, but stay consistent when the edge cases arrive.
- Pricing is where a platform’s philosophy shows up fast. Per-user pricing can work fine for internal tools where headcount is predictable. For customer-facing products, costs can increase once adoption begins. Usage- or capacity-based pricing can track growth more naturally, but it also means you need to monitor limits, especially when small usage jumps trigger large pricing steps rather than a smooth ramp.
- Anything is built to remove a lot of that platform-specific friction. You describe what you’re building in natural language, and it generates production-ready code with payments, authentication, databases, and 40+ services already set up. The goal is simple: less time learning a tool’s quirks, and more time getting a real product deployed and stable.
What is bubble.io, and why isn’t it always the best fit?
Bubble.io is a visual development platform that lets you build web and mobile apps without writing code. Founded in 2012, it’s grown into one of the more capable no-code builders on the market, with over 400 employees and $150 million in funding. You get a built-in database (where your app stores info), a drag-and-drop page builder, and a workflow tool for backend logic, all in one place.
Bubble earned its reputation by making a big promise: you can build almost any app, from marketplaces to AI tools to internal dashboards, without hiring developers. According to the Bubble Blog 2025, State of Visual Development and Vibe Coding Survey, 71.5% of builders trust visual platforms for production apps. That number tracks with what Bubble has shown for years: if you set it up right, it can handle real complexity.
Why teams choose Bubble
The appeal is simple. You can go from idea to working screens fast, sometimes in a single afternoon. The workflow builder also makes logic feel visible. You can see exactly what happens when a user clicks a button, what data is saved, and what comes next.
Plugins help you move even faster. Instead of wiring up a bunch of separate tools, you stay inside Bubble for most of the build. That usually means fewer integrations to babysit and fewer places for things to break.
For MVPs and internal tools with moderate complexity, Bubble can be a solid trade. You avoid hiring a full-stack team while still having room to iterate based on real user feedback. And because Bubble has been around a while, you get a big community, lots of docs, and plenty of templates to start from.
Where the cracks start to show
The problems usually arise when your app grows beyond Bubble’s comfort zone. Performance can get weird as your database scales. A page that felt instant at 100 users can start dragging at 10,000. Then you’re spending time tuning workflows and reshaping data just to keep things snappy.
The learning curve also catches people off guard. Bubble looks easy at first, but production work asks more from you. You need to learn how to structure data, avoid expensive workflow patterns, and handle conditional logic without turning your app into a maze.
Pricing can rise quickly as usage increases. What starts cheap can get expensive when you need more capacity, server resources, or additional environments. For data-heavy apps, the cost per user can end up higher than you expected.
The platform lock-in problem
You’re building on rented land. Bubble controls the hosting and the underlying setup. If you outgrow it, moving off can hurt.
You can export your data, but the real work remains in Bubble: workflows, UI structure, and app logic. That means migration often turns into a rebuild.
Customization can hit walls, too. If you need an API integration that doesn’t exist as a plugin, you’re either writing custom JavaScript or hoping a third party builds what you need. If you want deeper control over database behavior, you only get what the platform allows.
Offline use is another weak spot. Bubble is built for always-online web apps. If your product needs to work offline or requires mobile-first features that native apps handle well, you’ll be fighting the platform rather than building the product.
When visual workflows become bottlenecks
Visual workflows feel clean early on. Then the project grows. Suddenly, you have hundreds of workflows, each with conditions, triggers, and edge cases.
Debugging turns into detective work. You’re clicking through layers of logic, trying to remember why something was built a certain way. Collaboration can also be more challenging, as version control is limited compared to code repositories.
This is also where some modern AI workflows feel like a better fit. If you can describe what you want in plain English and generate working code, you skip a lot of the visual wiring. Platforms like AI app builders let you describe features in natural language and generate functional code directly, shortening the path from idea to a working prototype without requiring fluency in a visual system.
Plugins add another risk. You’re trusting third-party builders to keep things up to date. Sometimes a plugin breaks, gets abandoned, or introduces issues you can’t easily diagnose. That can stack up over time.
The hidden cost of optimization
The costs do not always show up on day one. They show up when you are live.
Load times stretch. Users start dropping off mid-flow because the experience feels slow. Your team burns hours trying to shave time off page loads, when that time could have gone into new features.
Bubble’s all-in-one setup is great early, but it can feel tight later. You can’t swap out one part of the stack when it is the bottleneck. Fixing one area often means refactoring bigger parts of the app.
Integrations can also get messy when you need enterprise systems or complex APIs. Basic API calls are fine, but features such as complex authentication flows, webhook handling, and real-time sync can lead to workarounds.
When familiarity stops being sufficient
Many teams stick with Bubble because it is familiar and they have already invested time. That sunk cost is real. Switching means retraining, rebuilding, and risking disruption, even when the current setup is slowing you down.
The issue is not that Bubble is bad. It is that Bubble fits a certain range of apps and teams. Once you move beyond that range, growth and complexity become friction. You end up managing the tool more than building the product.
But recognizing these limits is only half the equation. The harder question is knowing what to prioritize when you're evaluating alternatives.
Related reading
- How To Estimate App Development Cost
- Custom MVP Development
- MVP App Development For Startups
- MVP Development Cost
- How Much For MVP Mobile App
- MVP App Design
- React Native MVP
- MVP Development Challenges
- Mobile App Development MVP
Key features to look for in a no-code platform
Choosing the right platform comes down to one thing: will it hold up when real users show up? Speed is nice, but only if your app stays fast when usage grows. Integrations look great on a pricing page until you need one that is missing. And the “optional” features you skip during evaluation tend to become the stuff you scramble for six months into production.
Speed and performance under load
Most platforms perform well with 50 users and a small database. The real test comes when traffic spikes or your data grows beyond a few thousand records. Load times usually worsen gradually, then all at once. A page that used to load instantly starts taking three seconds, then five, and people bounce.
Kovaion Blog reports a 70% reduction in development time with no-code platforms. That speed is real, but it stops mattering if your app crawls under normal usage. You want platforms where you can tune performance without ripping everything apart, like separating front-end rendering from back-end work, and having control over caching, indexing, and server-side rendering.
Slow apps do not just feel annoying. They feel untrustworthy. People will tolerate missing features way longer than they will tolerate lag.
Integration flexibility and API access
Your app must integrate with other tools. Payments, email, CRM, analytics, auth, webhooks. Pre-built integrations are helpful when they match your needs, but they only cover the happy path.
What matters is what you can do when the integration you need is not there. Can you call any API with full control over headers, auth, and error handling? Can you receive webhooks and run your own logic? Some platforms hide integrations behind plugins, and you are stuck with whatever the plugin supports. Others give you direct access so you can build exactly what your app needs.
Platforms like AI app builder handle this in a more builder-friendly way. Instead of wiring everything by hand, you can describe what you want in plain English. The system generates the integration, sets up auth, and maps the data flow. And if you need to tweak it, you can still inspect and adjust what it built.
Also, watch how failures show up. Rate limits, expired tokens, weird payloads. If an integration fails silently in production, it will cost you more than a missing integration ever would. You want clear logs and errors that tell you what broke and where.
Scalability and hosting control
Scalability is not about a million users on day one. It is about confidence that your app will not fail when you scale from 100 users to 1,000, or from 1,000 to 10,000. At some point you hit the ceiling of vertical scaling, and you need the platform to handle load in a smarter way.
Some platforms fully manage hosting, which is simple, but you give up control. You live with their infrastructure choices, limitations, and pricing decisions. Other platforms let you deploy to your own setup, which can be great for cost and control, but you are taking on more responsibility.
A solid middle option is managed hosting with transparent usage. You should be able to see what you are consuming, like database load, compute, and bandwidth, and make changes based on that. Surprise pricing jumps turn “growth” into stress.
Learning curve and onboarding efficiency
Many teams choose low-code because they need to ship faster with fewer specialized developers. A Gartner forecast cited by industry coverage projects the low-code market will exceed $30B in 2024. That only helps you if your team can get productive quickly.
Some platforms feel easy for an hour, then hit you with edge cases that slow everything down. Others start harder but stay consistent once you learn the patterns. Either way, onboarding should be measurable.
Look at basics like:
- How long until someone can safely change an existing feature?
- How long until they can build a new flow from scratch?
- How quickly can they understand limits before they ship something fragile?
Documentation matters here more than most people admit. Good docs are searchable, up to date, and full of real examples. Forums can help too, but only when they are active and answers are practical.
Customization depth for UI and workflows
Generic UI makes your app feel generic. People can tell when something is a template with a logo slapped on it. Customization is not just about making it pretty. It is about making workflows feel natural, so users do not have to fight the product.
Some platforms offer themes and templates, but lock layout and components into rigid structures. Then simple changes turn into hacks that break later. Other platforms give you deep control, but that can feel like you are building your own design system from scratch.
Workflow flexibility matters just as much as UI. Conditional logic, dynamic forms, multi-step flows, approvals, notifications. You want a platform that makes common patterns easy, and still lets you handle the weird cases without begging for custom code.
The best setups keep UI and business logic separate. That way, you can redesign screens without breaking workflows and update rules without wrecking the interface. It accelerates iteration and prevents teams from stepping on each other.
Cost structure at scale
Pricing tells you what a platform is built for. Per-user pricing can be fine for internal tools, but it can get ugly fast for customer apps. Per-app pricing can work until you need multiple environments, like dev, staging, and production. Usage-based pricing tracks actual usage, but you need visibility so it doesn't surprise you.
Do the math on total cost, not just the subscription. Time spent working around platform limits costs money. Plugins cost money. Extra environments cost money. Migration costs money if you outgrow the tool.
Also watch for pricing cliffs. If the next tier doubles your cost for a small bump in limits, you will feel it right when you start growing.
Security, compliance, and data governance
Security needs to match what you are building. A hobby app has different needs than a healthcare product or anything touching payments. The platform should support the standards your space requires, such as SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, if applicable.
Encryption should be the default. It should include role-based access control, audit logs, and robust account security. You also want clarity on data ownership, where your data is stored, and how exports work if you ever leave.
Backups matter most when something goes wrong. Automated backups and point-in-time recovery protect you from bad deployments, accidental deletions, or data corruption. Manual “remember to export” processes usually fail eventually.
But knowing these criteria still does not tell you which platforms actually deliver on them.
Related reading
- AI MVP Development
- MVP Development For Enterprises
- MVP Development Strategy
- Stages Of App Development
- No Code MVP
- MVP Testing Methods
- Best MVP Development Services In The US
- Saas MVP Development
- MVP Web Development
- MVP Stages
- How To Integrate Ai In App Development
- How To Build An MVP App
- How To Outsource App Development
Top 25 bubble.io alternatives to consider in 2026
Some want you to move fast, even if you lose control. Others offer depth, but you pay for it with setup time and mental overhead. And now there’s a newer category that skips the visual builder completely. You explain what you want, and the system generates the structure for you. The right pick depends on what you’re shipping: internal tools, customer-facing products, mobile-first experiences, or prototypes you want to keep and scale.
1. Anything
Anything builds apps through conversation, not a canvas full of boxes and arrows. You describe the app in plain language, and it generates production-ready code that includes payments, authentication, databases, and over 40 preconfigured services. According to NxCode's comprehensive 2026 guide, this signals a broader shift: less “assembly” and more intent-first building, with natural language as the primary interface.
Core benefit vs bubble
Reduces the learning curve associated with visual workflow builders. Instead of spending days learning drag-and-drop logic and database relationships, you describe the requirements and get working code you can ship to app stores or the web quickly.
Ideal for
Founders and product managers who want real feedback fast, without weeks of platform learning first. Teams that ship, learn, and update based on user behavior tend to prefer conversational changes over rebuilding workflows.
Pros
- Claimed 500,000+ builders suggest real adoption [TKTK: verification pending]
- Direct App Store deployment with fewer export headaches
- Access to GPT-5 and other modern models inside the build flow [TKTK: verification pending]
- No proprietary visual logic to untangle later
Cons
- Newer platform compared to established visual builders
- Community resources sare till growing relative to longer-tenured alternatives
- Conversational building works best when your requirements are clear
2. Appy pie
Appy Pie delivers straightforward web and mobile app creation through templates and pre-built components. The platform targets users who need functional applications quickly, without extensive customization.
Core benefit vs bubble
Lower complexity threshold. You're selecting from existing patterns rather than building logic from scratch, which compresses initial setup time.
Ideal for
Small businesses creating simple customer-facing apps, event organizers needing registration systems, or service providers building basic booking interfaces.
Pros
- Intuitive template library reduces decision fatigue
- Popular service integrations work out of the box
- Predictable monthly pricing without usage-based surprises
Cons
- Limited workflow customization compared to Bubble's flexibility
- Template-based approach constrains unique interface designs
- Scaling beyond basic use cases requires platform workarounds
3. Quick base
Quick Base specializes in database-driven business applications. The platform provides robust data modeling capabilities, with plugins that extend functionality across industries, from manufacturing to healthcare.
Core benefit vs bubble
Better data relationship handling for complex business logic. Quick Base was built for enterprise data structures, not consumer applications, as evidenced by its database flexibility.
Ideal for
Operations teams managing inventory, project portfolios, or compliance tracking. Organizations that need granular permissions and audit trails for sensitive data.
Pros
- Highly customizable database schema supports intricate relationships
- Strong reporting and dashboard capabilities for data analysis
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance certifications
- Established a plugin marketplace for industry-specific needs
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than simpler alternatives
- Pricing scales aggressively with users and applications
- Interface design feels utilitarian compared to modern web apps
- Mobile experience secondary to desktop functionality
4. Caspio
Caspio focuses on database-driven applications with tools for building forms, reports, and dashboards. The platform serves businesses that need data collection and analysis without extensive custom development.
Core benefit vs bubble
Integrated database management with visual query builders. Caspio abstracts away SQL complexity while preserving relational database capabilities.
Ideal for
Healthcare providers managing patient data, educational institutions tracking student information, or government agencies handling permit applications.
Pros
- HIPAA-compliant hosting for protected health information
- Visual query builder reduces SQL knowledge requirements
- Flexible form creation with conditional logic
- White-label options for branded applications
Cons
- Limited frontend customization restricts unique designs
- Pricing based on data records can become expensive at scale
- Mobile responsiveness requires additional configuration
- Smaller community compared to mainstream platforms
5. Kissflow
Kissflow centers on workflow automation and business process management. The platform enables users to design approval workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and integrate with existing business systems.
Core benefit vs bubble
Purpose-built for process automation rather than general application development. Workflow templates accelerate common business processes.
Ideal for
HR departments managing employee onboarding, finance teams handling expense approvals, or procurement groups tracking purchase requests.
Pros
- Pre-built workflow templates for common business processes
- Visual process designer makes logic transparent
- Integration with popular business tools (Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)
- Mobile apps for approval workflows on the go
Cons
- Not designed for customer-facing applications
- Customization beyond workflows requires workarounds
- User interface feels corporate rather than consumer-friendly
- Pricing per user makes large deployments expensive
6. Ninox
Ninox provides a flexible database application built with collaboration features. The platform emphasizes data-modeling flexibility while maintaining accessibility for non-technical users.
Core benefit vs bubble
Database-first architecture with scripting capabilities. You're building data structures that drive application behavior rather than visual interfaces that connect to databases.
Ideal for
Consultants building client-specific data management tools, research teams tracking experimental data, or creative agencies managing project portfolios.
Pros
- Flexible data modeling supports evolving requirements
- Scripting language (NQL) lets you add advanced customization
- Real-time collaboration on shared databases
- Desktop and mobile apps with offline sync
Cons
- Learning NQL scripting adds complexity
- Limited pre-built components compared to visual builders
- Smaller marketplace of templates and extensions
- Interface customization requires technical knowledge
7. AppGyver
AppGyver offers visual development for web and mobile applications with data binding and logic capabilities. The platform balances no-code accessibility with low-code extensibility.
Core benefit vs bubble
Native mobile app generation with professional-grade UI components. AppGyver produces apps that feel native rather than web-wrapped.
Ideal for
Agencies building client applications, startups creating mobile-first products, or enterprises developing internal mobile tools.
Pros
- Professional UI component library
- Logic flow editor for complex interactions
- Multiple data source connections
- Free tier with substantial capabilities
Cons
- Acquired by SAP, creating uncertainty about long-term direction
- Steeper learning curve than simpler builders
- Community resources are less extensive than established platforms
- Performance optimization requires platform-specific knowledge
8. Makerpad
Makerpad is an educational platform that teaches the use of no-code tools rather than serving as a builder itself. The community provides tutorials, courses, and project breakdowns across various no-code platforms.
Core benefit vs bubble
Learning resource rather than development platform. Makerpad helps you understand which tools fit specific use cases.
Ideal for
People exploring no-code possibilities, teams evaluating platform options, or individuals learning to build without traditional development skills.
Pros
- Comprehensive tutorials across multiple platforms
- An active community sharing real project examples
- Regular updates covering new tools and techniques
- Helps match problems to appropriate platforms
Cons
- Not a development platform itself
- Requires separate tool subscriptions to build
- Content quality varies across contributors
- Learning still requires time investment
9. Thunkable
Thunkable specializes in mobile app development with cross-platform deployment for iOS and Android. The drag-and-drop interface is designed for users who need mobile-specific functionality.
Core benefit vs bubble
Mobile-native features such as camera access, GPS, and push notifications work seamlessly. Thunkable was designed for mobile rather than adapting web tools.
Ideal for
Educators creating learning apps, fitness coaches building workout trackers, or event organizers developing attendee apps.
Pros
- True cross-platform mobile deployment
- Mobile-specific components (camera, GPS, accelerometer)
- Visual interface builder with live preview
- Free tier for learning and prototyping
Cons
- Web application support is limited
- Complex logic requires visual workflow management
- Performance can lag with data-heavy applications
- Limited backend customization compared to full-stack platforms
10. Glide
Glide creates mobile apps directly from Google Sheets, transforming spreadsheets into functional interfaces. The platform excels at rapid prototyping when data already exists in spreadsheet format.
Core benefit vs bubble
Instant app generation from existing data. If your information lives in Google Sheets, Glide converts it to an app in minutes.
Ideal for
Teams managing data in spreadsheets who need mobile access, small businesses creating simple customer tools, or individuals building personal productivity apps.
Pros
- Zero setup time with existing Google Sheets
- Automatic UI generation from spreadsheet structure
- Real-time data sync between the sheet and the app
- Free tier for personal projects
Cons
- Limited to relatively simple applications
- Google Sheets becomes a bottleneck for complex data operations
- Customization constrained by spreadsheet structure
- Not suitable for applications requiring reliable databases
11. Wix velo
Wix Velo extends the Wix website builder with low-code development capabilities. The platform bridges visual design with code-level customization for web applications.
Core benefit vs bubble
Combines Wix's design tools with JavaScript extensibility. You get visual design freedom plus coding flexibility when needed.
Ideal for
Web designers building client sites with custom functionality, creative professionals showcasing portfolios with interactive elements, or small businesses needing e-commerce customization.
Pros
- Professional design tools from the Wix platform
- JavaScript access for custom functionality
- Integrated hosting and domain management
- Large template library for starting points
Cons
- Primarily website-focused, not full application development
- Mobile app creation is not supported
- Code and visual elements can conflict during updates
- Velo-specific APIs require learning platform patterns
12. Zeroqode
Zeroqode provides templates and tools to accelerate development on platforms such as Bubble, Adalo, and others. The service offers pre-built components, templates, and development services.
Core benefit vs bubble
Acceleration layer for existing platforms rather than a standalone builder. Zeroqode solves the "starting from scratch" problem with production-ready templates.
Ideal for
Teams using Bubble or similar platforms who want faster initial setup, agencies building multiple client projects with similar patterns, or individuals learning platform capabilities through examples.
Pros
- High-quality templates across multiple platforms
- Pre-built components save development time
- Active marketplace with regular updates
- Development services available for custom needs
Cons
- Requires underlying platform subscription (Bubble, Adalo, etc.)
- Template customization still requires platform knowledge
- Quality varies across marketplace offerings
- Additional cost on top of platform fees
13. Airtable
Airtable combines spreadsheet simplicity with database power, creating a flexible system for managing data, projects, and workflows. The platform excels at structured data with relationships.
Core benefit vs bubble
Database-first approach with intuitive interface. Airtable makes relational databases accessible without technical database knowledge.
Ideal for
Project managers tracking multiple initiatives, content teams managing editorial calendars, or operations teams coordinating complex workflows.
Pros
- Intuitive interface familiar to spreadsheet users
- Powerful relational database capabilities
- Extensive integration marketplace
- Collaboration features built in
- API access for custom development
Cons
- Not designed for customer-facing applications
- Interface customization is limited compared to app builders
- Pricing scales with records and features
- Mobile experience is secondary to desktop
14. Webflow
Webflow provides professional web design and development capabilities without traditional coding. The platform emphasizes visual design control with clean code export.
Core benefit vs bubble
Superior design flexibility and visual control. Webflow produces websites that match custom designs precisely while generating clean, performant code.
Ideal for
Designers creating client websites, marketing teams building landing pages, or agencies producing multiple sites with unique designs.
Pros
- Professional design tools matching traditional design software
- Clean code export for further customization
- Powerful CMS for content management
- Excellent performance and SEO capabilities
- Large community and learning resources
Cons
- Focused on websites and content, not full applications
- Backend logic is limited compared to application platforms
- Learning curve for mastering design tools
- E-commerce capabilities are less advanced than dedicated platforms
15. UI bakery
UI Bakery generates full applications from natural language descriptions, including UI, data bindings, workflows, and deployment. The platform targets internal tools, dashboards, and portals with AI-assisted generation.
Core benefit vs bubble
An AI agent generates multi-page applications with complete logic from descriptions. You're articulating requirements rather than assembling components.
Ideal for
Development teams building internal tools quickly, operations groups creating dashboards, or enterprises developing employee portals.
Pros
- Natural language generation creates complete applications
- Workflow automation with scheduled jobs and webhooks
- Git integration for version control
- Granular role-based access control
- Per-developer pricing includes AI usage credits
Cons
- Free plan functionality is limited
- Powerful interface requires onboarding time
- App scaling may require plan upgrades
- Newer platform with a growing marketplace
16. Retool
Retool positions itself for enterprise internal tool development with strong data integration and component libraries. The platform serves large organizations that need custom internal applications.
Core benefit vs bubble
Enterprise internal tool creation with extensive data source connections. Retool optimizes for developers building admin panels, dashboards, and operational tools.
Ideal for
Engineering teams creating internal tools, operations groups building custom dashboards, or enterprises connecting multiple data sources into unified interfaces.
Pros
- Feature-rich component library accelerates development
- Connects to virtually any database or API
- Reusable code blocks for data manipulation
- On-premises deployment option for security requirements
- Unlimited applications within plans
Cons
- Free plan limited to editor mode only
- Per-user pricing increases dramatically with scale
- Focused on internal tools, not customer-facing apps
- Learning curve for mastering full capabilities
17. WaveMaker
WaveMaker supports enterprise web and mobile app development with responsive design capabilities. The low-code platform targets modern application development teams and fusion teams.
Core benefit vs bubble
Enterprise focus with one-click deployment to any cloud provider. WaveMaker handles complex deployment scenarios that Bubble abstracts away.
Ideal for
Enterprise development teams building customer portals, IT departments creating business applications, or agencies developing client projects with specific hosting requirements.
Pros
- Unlimited applications within any plan
- One-click deployment to public cloud providers
- OWASP Top 10 security compliance
- Predefined widgets and themes
- Source code repository integration
Cons
- No free plan, only a trial available
- Expensive compared to alternatives
- Steeper learning curve than simpler platforms
- Requires more technical knowledge
18. Betty blocks
Betty Blocks serves enterprise-focused application development for both IT departments and citizen developers. The browser-based platform enables the creation of web and native apps with an emphasis on collaboration.
Core benefit vs bubble
Enterprise security with ISO 27001 certification and pricing based on application complexity rather than user count. Betty Blocks aligns costs with value delivered.
Ideal for
Large enterprises building multiple applications, IT departments enabling citizen developers, or organizations requiring stringent security compliance.
Pros
- Combine UI with JavaScript frameworks (Angular, Vue.js)
- Visual data modeling for complex structures
- Integration with enterprise systems (Salesforce, Oracle)
- Application complexity pricing rather than user-based
- ISO 27001 certified security
Cons
- No free plan available
- Expensive relative to competitors
- Enterprise focus may overwhelm smaller teams
- Learning curve for full platform capabilities
19. Fluid UI
Fluid UI focuses on rapid prototyping with instant sharing for design collaboration. The platform emphasizes speed and feedback over production application development.
Core benefit vs bubble
Prototyping speed with over 2,000 built-in components. Fluid UI excels at validating ideas before committing to full development.
Ideal for
Product designers creating interactive mockups, UX teams gathering stakeholder feedback, or founders validating concepts before investing in development.
Pros
- Extensive UI kit library (Material Design, iOS, Windows)
- Mouse and touch gestures for interactive prototypes
- Integrated review and feedback system
- Desktop client for performance
- Mobile preview apps for iOS and Android
Cons
- Prototyping only, not production development
- Cannot create responsive web applications
- Free plan limited to one project
- No backend functionality
20. DronaHQ
DronaHQ delivers low-code development with emphasis on mobile experience while expanding into comprehensive internal application development. The platform supports both web and mobile with usage-based pricing.
Core benefit vs bubble
Usage-based pricing with unlimited end users removes scaling anxiety. DronaHQ charges for builder seats, not application users.
Ideal for
Businesses building internal tools with large user bases, teams needing self-hosted deployment, or organizations requiring specific compliance standards.
Pros
- Public link sharing without user accounts
- JavaScript extensibility for custom components
- Role-based permissions for secure sharing
- Visual SQL query builder
- Self-hosting supported
- ISO 27001 and SOC-II certified
Cons
- Free plan lacks end-user mode
- Not HIPAA compliant (requires on-premises deployment)
- White-labeling only in a business plan or higher
- Not open source
- Custom domains are limited by plan tier
21. inBOLD
inBOLD empowers business professionals to build online database applications without coding, with a focus on financial and business management use cases.
Core benefit vs bubble
Financial management focus with ready-made templates for accounting, budgeting, and business operations. inBOLD optimizes for business data rather than general applications.
Ideal for
Finance teams managing budgets, small businesses tracking operations, or consultants building client-specific financial tools.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Business-focused templates
- Free database management
- Report builder for data analysis
Cons
- Basic plan limited to one user and one standalone app
- Each additional app costs extra
- Customization is only available in expensive plans
- Limited to business management use cases
22. Power apps
Power Apps by Microsoft simplifies the creation of custom business applications through strong Microsoft integration. The platform uses the Microsoft 365 tools that many enterprises already pay for.
Core benefit vs bubble
Deep Microsoft 365 integration and Common Data Service for unified business data. Power Apps works naturally within Microsoft-centric organizations.
Ideal for
Enterprises using Microsoft 365, IT departments building employee tools, or organizations with existing Microsoft infrastructure investments.
Pros
- Built-in Microsoft 365 integration
- Power Automate for workflow automation
- Common Data Service for secure data storage
- Over 200 connected data sources
- Pre-built templates for common scenarios
Cons
- Cannot export application code
- No free tier, only trial available
- Best value requires Microsoft commitment
- Learning curve for platform-specific patterns
23. Softr
Bubble Blog research identifies Softr as excelling at simplicity with a near-zero learning curve. The platform generates apps from Airtable and Google Sheets with minimal configuration.
Core benefit vs bubble
Extreme simplicity at the cost of flexibility. Softr abstracts complexity through pre-built blocks that work immediately with minimal tweaking.
Ideal for
Non-technical founders validating ideas, small businesses creating simple tools, or teams needing quick internal apps without development investment.
Pros
- Zero learning curve with intuitive interface
- Native integrations for popular data sources
- Auto-generated CRUD functions
- Ready-to-use functional UI blocks
- Straightforward per-user pricing
Cons
- Limited UI customization compared to granular builders
- No drag-and-drop builder (vertical block stacking)
- No workflow builder for complex logic
- Small community relative to established platforms
- No release management or version control
Most visual platforms make you learn their way of thinking before anything feels easy. That can be fine when you’re building for the long haul. It's frustrating when you’re trying to ship something people can use, and you’re spending your time wiring workflows instead of testing the idea.
Platforms like AI app builder remove that translation step. You describe what you need in plain language, and the system produces working code with the usual blockers already handled. That’s why the feedback loop gets shorter. You can ship, monitor user behavior, update the app, and keep going without treating the builder itself as a second job.
24. FlutterFlow
FlutterFlow builds native mobile applications on the Flutter framework, with support for web applications. The platform emphasizes mobile-first development with code export capabilities.
Core benefit vs bubble
True native mobile apps with advanced features like camera access and smooth animations. FlutterFlow produces mobile experiences that feel professional rather than web-wrapped.
Ideal for
Mobile-first startups, developers familiar with the Flutter ecosystem, or teams building applications where mobile experience determines success.
Pros
- Native mobile builder with advanced features
- Source code export in the lowest paid tier
- Access to Flutter marketplace (pub.dev packages)
- Better performance for complex animations
- Separate backend and frontend architecture
Cons
- Limited database integrations (Supabase, MySQL, Firebase)
- Requires more technical knowledge than pure no-code
- Smaller marketplace than established platforms
- 90% no-code, 10% requires coding for edge cases
25. Jet admin
Jet Admin specializes in secure client portals and internal tools with a focus on data integration and blending. The platform provides over 60 native integrations with automatic API generation.
Core benefit vs bubble
Data-centric architecture with the ability to blend multiple data sources without a separate infrastructure. Jet Admin optimizes for applications where data integration complexity exceeds interface complexity.
Ideal for
Agencies building client portals, operations teams creating dashboards combining multiple data sources, or enterprises needing white-labeled customer interfaces.
Pros
- Clear user-based pricing for cost forecasting
- Separate backend and frontend architecture
- Native integrations are maintained in-house
- Open-source on-premise agent for local deployment
- Extended authentication options
- Data separation for multi-tenant applications
Cons
- Cannot build PWAs or mobile apps
- Not suitable for public-facing websites
- Limited marketplace compared to larger platforms
- Smaller community for troubleshooting
Choosing the right platform means being honest about what you’re optimizing for. Speed. Control. Scale. Or a specific capability, such as mobile-first UX or deep data integration. The best option usually isn’t the most powerful or the simplest. It’s the one that aligns with how your team thinks and with what the app needs to do next.
But there’s a different question worth asking: what if the platform itself wasn’t the constraint?
Build your app faster with anything the smart bubble.io alternative
What if you could skip the platform learning curve entirely and just describe your needs?
That changes everything. Instead of spending days learning someone else’s builder language, you stay in yours. Platforms like Anything let you turn a plain-English description into a real app with payments, authentication, a database, and 40+ integrations already wired up. You are not dragging components around or babysitting workflows. You tell it what the app should do, and it generates working code you can ship to the web or to app stores.
Some builders move from idea to a live, usable product much faster with this approach, because you are not stacking up duct-tape fixes as the app gets more complex. The build stays clean, and the “last mile” stuff, like login, payments, and that, does not become the thing that stalls you out.
The bottleneck usually is not your product thinking. It is the translation layer between your vision and a platform’s rules. Remove that layer, and the building starts to feel like writing a clear spec instead of fighting the tool.
Related reading
- Airtable Alternative
- Mendix Alternatives
- Retool Alternative
- Carrd Alternatives
- Thunkable Alternatives
- Uizard Alternative
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- Glide Alternatives
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