15 Essential Insights for Exploring the Limitations & Capabilities of Bubble.io

Meta Description: Exploring the Limitations & Capabilities of Bubble.io – See how this no-code platform empowers app building, and learn where it falls short in performance and scalability.

Outline

Introduction – Overview of Bubble.io as a no-code platform and the importance of exploring its capabilities and limitations.

What is Bubble.io? – Definition of Bubble.io and how it enables building web applications without coding.

How Bubble.io Works – An explanation of Bubble’s visual development approach (drag-and-drop editor, workflows, etc.).

Visual Drag-and-Drop Development – Bubble’s capability for designing user interfaces with an intuitive visual editor.

Custom Workflows and Logic – How Bubble allows complex application logic and workflows without writing code.

Built-in Database & Data Management – The platform’s integrated database system and data handling features.

Extensive Plugin Ecosystem – The large marketplace of plugins and third-party integrations expanding Bubble’s functionality.

Adding Custom Code in Bubble.io – Bubble’s support for inserting custom code (JavaScript, HTML/CSS) for added flexibility.

Responsive Design and PWA Support – Bubble’s ability to create responsive web apps and even Progressive Web Apps for mobile.

Use Cases and Applications – Examples of what you can build with Bubble.io (MVPs, marketplaces, SaaS apps, etc.) and real-world success stories.

Learning Curve for Beginners – Discussing the learning curve and the experience of new users on Bubble.

Performance and Scalability Constraints – Limitations around app performance, speed, and scaling to very large user bases.

No Native Mobile App (Yet) – The inability (until recently) to directly build native iOS/Android apps and the workarounds (wrappers, Beta features).

Vendor Lock-In and Code Export Limitations – The closed nature of Bubble (no code export) leading to platform lock-in.

Limited Customization for Advanced Features – Challenges with deep customization, advanced UI designs, or using external programming languages.

Hosting and Security Considerations – Limitations related to hosting (no on-premise option) and data privacy/security implications.

Overcoming Bubble.io’s Limitations – Tips and strategies to mitigate or work around Bubble’s limitations (optimizations, plugins, external services).

Future Outlook of Bubble.io – Optimistic look at Bubble’s ongoing improvements (e.g. native mobile support in beta) and community growth.

FAQs – Six+ frequently asked questions addressing common concerns about Bubble.io.

Conclusion – Final thoughts on balancing Bubble’s capabilities and limitations for prospective users, with an optimistic note.

Introduction

Bubble.io has emerged as one of the most popular no-code development platforms in recent years. It allows creators to build full-featured web applications through a visual interface without writing a single line of code. In this article, we are exploring the limitations & capabilities of Bubble.io to give you a comprehensive understanding of what this platform can do, where it excels, and where you might encounter challenges. Every tool has its strengths and weaknesses – or as the saying goes, “every rose has its thorn.” By the end of this deep dive, you’ll know the ins and outs of Bubble.io’s features, the trade-offs involved, and how to decide if it’s the right solution for your project. Let’s jump in and leave no stone unturned in evaluating Bubble.io!

What is Bubble.io?

Bubble.io is a no-code platform (a type of visual programming language) that enables users with little to no programming experience to create web applications. In simpler terms, Bubble provides an environment where you can design user interfaces, define database structures, and implement logic using graphical tools and editors instead of traditional code. It was founded in 2012 and has since grown a large community of users ranging from startup founders and entrepreneurs to educators and hobbyists. The platform essentially bridges the gap between an idea and a functional web app – empowering users to build software visually and launch it on the web.

At its core, Bubble.io offers a visual editor for designing web pages and a robust workflow engine to manage application logic. It also includes user account management, a built-in database, and hosting – everything needed to take an app from concept to live deployment. Bubble has often been described as a “startup in a box” because it provides the essential tools to create things like social networks, marketplaces, dashboards, and more, all through configuration instead of coding. This means non-technical founders can prototype and even scale apps without hiring development teams, and developers can use Bubble to accelerate building standard features.

However, as with any platform, it’s important to understand both sides of the coin. Bubble opens new possibilities for fast and affordable development, but it also comes with certain constraints due to its abstracted, all-in-one nature. Bubble.io helps users turn their app ideas into reality by supporting rapid prototyping and validation, making it easier to test and launch new concepts quickly. To use Bubble.io effectively, one should grasp what it’s really good at and where its boundaries lie. In the following sections, we will first highlight Bubble’s key capabilities – the reasons why it’s so powerful and loved – and then discuss its limitations and how to work with or around them.

How Bubble.io Works

To appreciate Bubble’s capabilities, it helps to know a bit about how it works behind the scenes. When you build an app on Bubble, you use a graphical web-based editor. This editor lets you drag and drop interface elements (like text, buttons, input forms, images, etc.) onto pages and arrange them as you wish. You can style these elements with colors, fonts, and conditions – much like designing a slide in PowerPoint or a page in a website builder. But Bubble goes beyond basic design: each element can have dynamic data and can trigger workflows (actions) in response to user events (like a button click). Bubble's visual tools streamline the development process, reducing complexity and allowing users to focus on delivering value quickly.

Bubble’s workflow engine is one of its most powerful features. Instead of writing code, you define “when X happens, do Y” using a visual interface. For example, “When the user clicks the Save button, create a new entry in the database with these fields, then navigate to the profile page.” These workflows can include logical conditions (if/then), loops (scheduled API workflows for recurring events), and can interact with external services (through API calls) – all configured with form fields and dropdowns. Essentially, Bubble’s logic builder is a way to create the backend of your application (the part that processes data and decisions) without scripting. It’s akin to building flowcharts that actually run your app.

Bubble apps are rendered in the user’s browser (client-side) but all the heavy lifting (database operations, security rules, scheduled tasks) is handled on Bubble’s servers. The platform automatically generates the necessary code and database queries based on how you set up your app. When you click “deploy”, Bubble publishes your application to their cloud servers. This means you don’t have to worry about provisioning servers or writing deployment scripts – hosting is taken care of for you. However, it also means you are somewhat tied into Bubble’s way of doing things (we’ll discuss this trade-off later in the Vendor Lock-In section).

In summary, Bubble.io works by providing an integrated environment with visual development tools for every part of app creation: the user interface, the database, the logic/workflows, and the deployment. This approach also supports rapid prototyping, enabling users to quickly test and iterate on their ideas. Now let’s explore each of the platform’s major capabilities in more detail, and see what you can achieve with these tools.

Visual Drag-and-Drop Development

One of Bubble.io’s standout capabilities is its visual drag-and-drop editor for designing app interfaces. This intuitive design tool is at the heart of Bubble’s appeal. Bubble.io’s visual editor is specifically designed for building both web and mobile applications with ease. Instead of writing HTML/CSS code, you simply drag elements (text boxes, buttons, images, form inputs, menus, etc.) onto your page and position them where you want. You can resize elements, choose colors and fonts, and define styles through a point-and-click interface. It’s a What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) approach to UI design – meaning the design canvas shows exactly how your page will look to end users.

Bubble’s editor supports pixel-perfect control over layout. You can align elements, use containers, and even create different layouts for different screen sizes. In fact, Bubble introduced a responsive engine (using flexbox under the hood) that helps your app look good on desktops, tablets, and phones by adjusting element positions and sizes automatically. Designing a responsive web app with Bubble is more straightforward than coding responsiveness manually, because the editor provides tools to preview and tweak how your page adapts to various screen widths. You can have elements collapse or adjust, set minimum and maximum widths, and create hidden elements for mobile vs desktop, all without CSS coding. This makes it possible for a single person to handle both desktop web design and mobile web design visually.

Another neat feature is Bubble’s support for custom styles and theming. You can create reusable styles (for example, a button style that defines font, color, hover effect) and apply them to multiple elements. If you update the style, all buttons using it update automatically, which is great for maintaining a consistent design. Bubble also allows making multi-page apps or single-page apps with multiple hidden/showing groups. You are free to design navigation menus, pop-ups, and dynamic elements. In short, the drag-and-drop builder empowers creators to craft user interfaces with a lot of freedom – similar to design tools – but with the UI being fully functional in the app. The drag-and-drop builder not only supports UI design but also enhances app functionality by allowing integration of dynamic elements and workflows, making it possible to extend features and improve the overall user experience.

That said, while Bubble’s visual editor is powerful, it may not have every UI widget under the sun. It offers all the basics and many advanced elements (sliders, repeating lists for search results, etc.), but extremely custom graphics or highly interactive visuals (like complex games or custom animations) might require workarounds or plugin use. Still, for most standard web application interfaces, Bubble’s visual development capability is more than sufficient and a major productivity booster. It allows founders and designers to directly implement their vision, bringing ideas to life in a matter of hours or days, which is a huge advantage for prototyping and iterating on apps quickly.

Custom Workflows and Logic

Beyond just pretty interfaces, real applications need logic – things like processing user input, calculating results, sending notifications, and enforcing rules. Bubble addresses this need with its workflow and logic engine, enabling you to build complex application behavior without writing code. This is one of Bubble’s core strengths and what truly elevates it from a simple site builder to a full application builder.

Workflows in Bubble are essentially series of actions triggered by an event. For example, a typical workflow might be: “When the Sign Up button is clicked, create a new User account in the database, send a welcome email, and redirect the user to the onboarding page.” Each of those steps is configured visually. Bubble provides a library of actions such as creating/modifying database entries, making changes to an element on the page, sending emails, showing alerts, running custom JavaScript, and so on. You can chain these actions and set conditions (e.g., only run this action if a certain field is not empty, etc.).

Bubble uses a workflow unit-based pricing model, where 'workflow units' measure the number of actions performed within your application. This can impact your app's costs, transparency, and scalability, as more complex workflows may consume more workflow units.

Importantly, Bubble’s logic isn’t limited to simple sequences. You can incorporate conditional logic (if-then-else flows) by using the “Only when…” clauses on actions or by using conditional workflow steps. You can also schedule workflows in the future (like sending a reminder email a day later) or on a recurring basis (cron-job style tasks), using what Bubble calls “backend workflows.” In essence, Bubble can handle branching logic, loops, and scheduled tasks, covering a broad set of use cases for app behavior. Users have built things like marketplaces that calculate fees, education apps that track progress and trigger actions, and complex data processing tasks – all through Bubble’s visual logic builder.

Another highlight is that Bubble allows creating custom events – you can define a reusable set of actions and trigger that event from multiple places (much like writing a function or procedure in code). This encourages modular design of your app’s logic. Moreover, Bubble’s workflows can integrate with external APIs (we’ll cover integrations soon), meaning an action could be “send data to an external service and get a response,” enabling your app to use outside functionality as part of its logic.

When optimizing your workflows, structuring them efficiently is key to achieving optimal performance in your Bubble applications. Well-organized workflows help maximize responsiveness and efficiency, ensuring your app runs smoothly for users.

It’s worth noting that mastering Bubble’s workflow editor can take some time. Even though you’re not writing syntax, you still need to think like a programmer: define data sources, manage state, and debug when things don’t work as expected. Many users report that while Bubble is accessible, it has a learning curve to fully utilize its capabilities. There’s a lot of power under the hood, which means beginners might spend a few weeks learning how to structure more complex app logic. Thankfully, Bubble provides extensive documentation and there’s a very active community forum where you can ask for help. With practice, you can implement sophisticated logic – from simple form validations to multi-step transactions – all within Bubble’s no-code paradigm. This ability to create custom workflows and app logic visually is what makes Bubble.io capable of building real applications rather than just static sites.

Built-in Database & Data Management

Any useful web app needs to store and manage data. Bubble.io comes with a built-in database system that makes handling data quite straightforward for creators. When you start a Bubble app, you essentially have a database ready to use – you don’t need to set up MySQL or any external database unless you want to. In Bubble’s Data tab, you define data types (like tables) and fields (columns) for your application. For example, you might have data types like User, Order, Product, Message, etc., each with various fields. Bubble supports common field types (text, number, date, file, yes/no, etc.) and even relationships between data types (for instance, a Product can have a field that is a Category data type, establishing a one-to-many link). In fact, you can build fully custom data structures with no limits on the number of types or fields, enabling complex data modeling for your app.

What’s great is that once your data types are set, Bubble’s interface allows you to manage data easily. The design elements (like text displays or repeating lists) can be bound to dynamic data sources. For example, you can drag a repeating group element (which creates a list/grid) and tell it “display a list of Product items from the database, sorted by creation date,” and then inside that repeating group, place text elements that display the product’s name, price, etc. This data-binding is done with simple dropdown selections and expressions – no need to write database queries. Bubble automatically fetches the data for you when the page is loaded or when you trigger a search action.

Additionally, Bubble provides tools for modifying data. Through workflows, you can create new entries, make changes to existing ones, or delete entries. There are also import/export features (you can upload CSVs to populate your database, or export data to CSV for analysis). For power users, Bubble even supports integrating with external databases: using the SQL Database Connector plugin, you could connect to an external SQL database (like PostgreSQL or MySQL) if needed. Bubble.io supports direct connections to SQL databases such as Postgres and MySQL via the SQL Database Connector, allowing you to execute queries and manage data seamlessly. This is useful if you have legacy data or want to use Bubble as a front-end on top of an existing database. Third-party plugins from the marketplace can further extend your applications capabilities by enabling advanced data integrations and features, making it easier to customize and enhance your app’s data management.

However, Bubble’s database is a bit different from traditional ones in that you don’t get direct SQL access to it (unless you’re on a very high-tier dedicated plan). You interact with it only through Bubble’s interface and APIs. This is usually fine, but for extremely complex queries or optimizations, you might feel a bit constrained. Also, as your app grows, the performance of database operations depends on how well you optimize your searches and use Bubble’s features (like setting up proper Privacy Rules to limit data sent to the client, or using backend workflows for heavy operations). There have been cases where apps with very large amounts of data needed creative solutions (like using external databases or caching results) for performance reasons.

Overall, though, for small to medium applications, Bubble’s integrated database is convenient and powerful. It abstracts away the technicalities of database management – you don’t manually write CRUD operations; Bubble handles those. And the fact that data is immediately available to use in your app’s logic and UI is a huge plus for development speed. You essentially have a full-stack environment where the database and front-end speak the same language (Bubble’s data objects). This capability means you can concentrate on your app’s functionality rather than server configs or query tuning, at least until you reach a significant scale.

Extensive Plugin Ecosystem

No platform can natively cover every feature imaginable – this is where Bubble.io’s plugin ecosystem comes into play. Bubble has a large and growing marketplace of plugins created by both the Bubble team and the community. These plugins extend Bubble’s capabilities by adding new elements, actions, or data connections that you can use in your app. As of now, there are thousands of plugins available (over 5,000 approved add-ons according to one source), making it one of the largest ecosystems in the no-code space.

What kinds of plugins exist? Almost anything you can think of: integrations with third-party services (for example, a plugin for Stripe payments, one for PayPal, social logins like Facebook/Google, analytics tools like Google Analytics), UI components (sliders, rich text editors, interactive maps, calendars), utilities (QR code generators, image editors), and connections to external APIs for things like weather data, currency conversion, you name it. Bubble.io also integrates seamlessly with AI tools like ChatGPT and other AI plugins, which can enhance app development, automate processes, and improve user experience and data analysis. There are also plugins to extend Bubble’s functionality itself – like enabling custom code execution or connecting to hardware features via JavaScript. Essentially, if Bubble doesn’t do something out-of-the-box, chances are someone has created a plugin or workaround for it.

For example, suppose you want to add payment processing to your app. Instead of building it from scratch, you can install a Stripe plugin and with a few clicks, have a fully functional credit card checkout integrated into your Bubble app. Or if you need charts and graphs, you could use a Chart.js plugin to visually display data. If your app needs AI features (which is increasingly common nowadays), there are plugins that integrate with GPT-4 or other AI APIs, allowing you to leverage artificial intelligence in your Bubble app without heavy lifting. Bubble’s own API Connector can also act like a DIY plugin – it lets you connect to any external REST API by configuring the endpoints and parameters (no code, just form fields). This means even if a plugin doesn’t exist for a service, you can often integrate it yourself using the API Connector. Connecting with third party APIs is crucial for extending your app's functionality and accessing external data sources or services.

The existence of this ecosystem is vital because it ensures that Bubble apps aren’t limited to Bubble’s native features alone. The community constantly introduces new plugins, which effectively means Bubble’s capabilities keep expanding. The extensive plugin marketplace continually expands Bubble's capabilities beyond its native features. For instance, bubble might not natively support a certain fancy image carousel or a specific database type, but a plugin could fill that gap. The platform encourages this extensibility, and they’ve made it possible for experienced users to create and publish plugins (written in JavaScript) to the marketplace.

From an experience perspective, using plugins is generally easy: you find a plugin in Bubble’s directory, click “install”, and then it becomes available as if it were a built-in feature (maybe a new element type, or new actions to use in workflows). Some plugins are free, others are paid (one-time or subscription) set by the developer. This is an important point: while Bubble’s core features come with your Bubble subscription, certain advanced capabilities might require purchasing a third-party plugin. This could be considered a minor limitation if you rely on a lot of paid plugins, but typically the costs are not prohibitive and can be seen as part of the app’s development cost. The plugin ecosystem allows users to easily enhance their app's capabilities with new features and integrations, making it simple to add advanced functionality as needed.

Overall, the plugin ecosystem makes Bubble highly adaptable. It’s like having an app store for features – you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for common needs. As one Bubble expert noted, “you can extend your app without investing in custom software”, because a plugin often already provides the solution. This means Bubble can punch above its weight, handling features that a core platform might not include. It’s one of the reasons Bubble is suitable for a wide variety of projects: you assemble the pieces you need, much like how traditional developers include libraries or SDKs in their projects.

Adding Custom Code in Bubble.io

Despite being a no-code platform, Bubble.io doesn’t put up walls for those who have some coding knowledge and want to use it. In fact, one of Bubble’s capabilities is that it allows injecting custom code (primarily JavaScript) into your application when needed. This feature acknowledges that sometimes you may need a level of control or a specific functionality that isn’t provided out-of-the-box or via plugins, and having the option to write a bit of code can save the day. While Bubble lets you add custom code in JavaScript, some other platforms allow developers to integrate custom code in multiple programming languages, offering even more flexibility for advanced project customization.

There are a few ways to add custom code in Bubble:

• HTML elements: Bubble provides an element where you can drop any HTML code or scripts. This can be used to include custom HTML markup or embed third-party widgets by pasting their embed code (for example, a custom video player, or a chatbot widget from another service).
• JavaScript in workflows: There is a plugin called “Toolbox” (commonly used by Bubblers) that provides an action to run JavaScript inside a workflow. This means on some event, you can execute a snippet of JS that can interact with the page. For instance, if you need to use a small JavaScript library for a special effect or calculation, you can do so.
• Plugins (for code): If you have more extensive needs, you could even develop a custom plugin for your app. Bubble’s plugin editor allows writing JavaScript to create new elements or API calls. Essentially, advanced users or agencies often create plugins to package custom code and reuse it across projects.

Bubble recently introduced (for paid plans) the ability to write server-side code in Node.js. This means you can add a server script (in JavaScript/Node) that runs on Bubble’s server, useful for tasks like complex calculations or processing data without exposing it to the client. It’s somewhat similar to writing a cloud function.

Why is adding custom code important? Because it removes constraints for those edge cases. If Bubble’s visual tools hit a limit, you don’t necessarily have to give up; you can often bridge the gap with a few lines of code. For example, maybe you want to integrate a unique algorithm or connect to a hardware device or do something like generate a custom PDF with a specific library – these might not be available in core Bubble, but custom code lets you implement them. As an example, agencies have used custom code to improve Bubble app performance or integrate external services that had no pre-made plugin. However, the lack of access to underlying code restricts the ability to implement certain advanced functionalities and can limit how much you can futureproof your digital product compared to platforms that offer deeper customization.

However, it’s important to mention that Bubble only supports web technologies for custom code – specifically JavaScript (and by extension HTML/CSS). You cannot directly run Python, Ruby, PHP, or other languages within Bubble’s environment. This is a deliberate design choice: Bubble is a web platform, so it sticks to web languages. If you absolutely need to use Python or something else, you’d have to host that externally and connect via API. For 99% of front-end needs, JS is enough, but for heavy data science or specialized libraries in other languages, this could be a limitation.

In summary, Bubble’s custom code capability gives power users a “back door” to extend functionality beyond what’s possible with pure no-code. It strikes a nice balance: you can do most of your app without code, but in the few places you might need a snippet, Bubble accommodates it. This is great for ensuring you’re not completely locked if a requirement is very specific. It also means as you grow more proficient, Bubble grows with you – allowing a gradual transition from no-code to “low-code” for those advanced scenarios.

Responsive Design and PWA Support

In today’s multi-device world, any app builder needs to handle mobile and varied screen sizes. Bubble.io provides robust responsive design features to ensure your app looks good and functions well across devices. As mentioned earlier, Bubble’s editor uses a flexbox-based responsive engine. By using groups and setting responsiveness rules, you can create layouts that adjust dynamically. For instance, you might design a form in two columns for desktop, but on a narrow mobile screen you want those columns to stack vertically – Bubble can do this automatically if set up, or you can define different visibility for mobile vs desktop elements. The platform gives a real-time responsive viewer where you can drag a slider to shrink the screen and watch how elements reflow. With a bit of practice, you can achieve a mobile-friendly design without separate coding. Many Bubble users successfully create single applications that work on phones, tablets, and desktops simply by leveraging these responsive settings.

However, one historical limitation is that Bubble was focused on web applications (delivered via the browser). While those web apps can be accessed on a mobile browser and even saved to the homescreen as a pseudo-app, they were not native mobile apps you install from app stores. Bubble addressed the mobile need in two ways historically: Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and hybrid app wrappers.

Progressive Web Apps: A PWA is essentially a web app that can behave like a native app in some ways (offline access, install to home screen, push notifications, etc.). Bubble apps can be configured as PWAs by adding a manifest file and using service workers. In fact, the community created a plugin for service workers to help Bubble apps cache resources and function offline to some extent. This means you could let users “install” your Bubble app from their browser. While this doesn’t give you all native features, it covers many use cases and can work offline for cached content. It’s a powerful approach for delivering a mobile-friendly experience without separate native development.

Hybrid Wrappers: For scenarios where you needed a presence in the Apple App Store or Google Play, Bubble developers often used wrapper solutions like PhoneGap/Cordova, Ionic, or third-party wrapper services (e.g., BDK Native or Natively). These basically take your Bubble web app and put it inside a thin native shell, allowing it to be uploaded as a native app. The wrapper can also provide some native integrations (like accessing the camera or sending push notifications) via plugins. While this workaround allows Bubble apps to be distributed on app stores, it was known that performance might not be as smooth as a truly native app, and some native UI interactions (like default swipe gestures or navigation patterns) aren’t automatically achieved. It’s essentially the same web app running in a WebView. This approach has been used successfully by many, but it’s a compromise – you get a native app, but not with all the benefits of one built specifically for mobile.

Exciting Update – Native Mobile Beta: The big news is that as of mid-2025, Bubble.io is actively working on native mobile app capabilities in public beta. This means Bubble is extending its platform so you can build actual native mobile interfaces (for iOS and Android) using Bubble’s tools, and have them packaged as real mobile apps. Bubble.io is expanding its support for building mobile applications alongside web apps, making it easier for users to create both types of projects from a single platform. The company has introduced the concept of “Projects” where a project can contain a web app and a mobile app sharing the same backend, database, and logic. Early announcements boast that you can design once and deploy to both web and mobile, with Bubble handling the heavy lifting of compiling to native. While at the time of writing this feature is in beta (so not everything is fully polished and some mobile-specific features are still being added), it signals a major shift: Bubble will no longer be web-only.

For someone evaluating Bubble in an “exploring capabilities” mindset, this is huge. Historically you could not build native apps on Bubble – you’d have to use PWAs or wrappers as described. But going forward, Bubble aims to let you have the best of both worlds: a unified platform for web and native development. For example, early beta users were able to get their Bubble-made apps approved on the App Store and Play Store within weeks, which is quite impressive for a no-code tool. Of course, it still comes with a learning curve (mobile design has its own nuances, and Bubble’s mobile editor is new), but it’s an optimistic development that addresses one of Bubble’s long-standing limitations. When considering performance and scalability for mobile, keep in mind that handling high traffic applications on mobile devices may require careful optimization and infrastructure planning to ensure smooth user experiences.

In summary, Bubble’s responsive web design capabilities ensure your web app can serve mobile users well, and with the new native app support on the horizon, the line between web and mobile is blurring. If having a true native app is critical for you, Bubble is actively evolving in that direction. In the meantime, using Bubble as a PWA or via wrappers has been a viable path for many projects to reach mobile users.

Use Cases and Applications

Given all these capabilities, what can you actually build with Bubble.io? The answer: a wide variety of applications. Bubble is a general-purpose app builder, so it’s been used in many domains. Let’s highlight a few common use cases to illustrate Bubble’s capabilities in action:

• Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and Prototypes: Bubble is famous for enabling founders to launch MVPs quickly. If you have a startup idea, you can build a functional prototype or even a production-ready first version on Bubble in a fraction of the time (and cost) it would take with traditional coding. Many entrepreneurs validate their ideas with a Bubble app because it’s fast to iterate – you can adjust features or UI on the fly based on user feedback. For example, the TEN event production platform and several others got their start as Bubble prototypes. The ability to test ideas without significant investment is a big win.
• Marketplaces: Bubble shines for multi-user platforms like marketplaces (think Airbnb-like or Etsy-like apps). It has user account management, the ability to handle complex data (listings, user profiles, transactions), and integrates with payment systems like Stripe for processing payments. In fact, creating a marketplace with search filters, user reviews, and secure payments is entirely feasible with Bubble. There’s even a notable example of a real estate marketplace built on Bubble.
• Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) apps: Many internal tools or B2B SaaS apps (like CRMs, project management tools, analytics dashboards) have been built on Bubble. The platform supports the concept of multiple user roles, data privacy rules (so each client’s data can be isolated), and recurring payments for subscriptions. For instance, Bubble’s multi-tenant database capability allows creating SaaS where each customer organization only sees their data. Combine that with Bubble’s strong support for building forms, reports, and automations, and you can deliver quite complex business applications.
• Internal Tools and Business Process Apps: Companies have used Bubble to create custom internal software – like a tool for managing inventory, an employee directory with workflow approvals, or an internal dashboard combining data from different sources. Because Bubble can integrate with external APIs (Salesforce, Google Sheets, etc.), it’s great for stitching together different systems into one coherent interface. As an example mentioned by an agency, a solar financing company ran a lot of their operations on a Bubble app integrated with Salesforce. This shows Bubble’s capability to handle mission-critical apps in a company environment. Additionally, bubble applications can be seamlessly integrated within the Bubble ecosystem, allowing for smooth connectivity between multiple apps. However, this tight integration can also lead to vendor lock-in concerns, which may affect flexibility and scalability if you need to move outside the Bubble platform.
• Educational Platforms and Communities: Some have built online learning platforms on Bubble, complete with user progress tracking, content management, and interactive features. Bubble’s flexibility with data and user-generated content makes it possible. Also, community forums or social networks can be made – Bubble’s own forum (though they use an external forum software for that) could theoretically be implemented, as Bubble allows creating posts, comments, real-time updates (with some tweaks), and notifications.
• Hybrid apps and Niche Solutions: Because you can mix custom code, people have crafted unique solutions. For example, a Bubble app paired with a little JavaScript was used to generate personalized weekly emails for an e-commerce site’s users based on their preferences (essentially a marketing automation tool). Others built FinTech prototypes, job boards, travel planners, etc. If you browse Bubble’s showcase or forum, you’ll find everything from simple hobby projects to startups that have raised significant funding all built on Bubble.

It’s also worth highlighting some experience stories: Many non-technical founders have shared that Bubble allowed them to become creators rather than just idea people. Learning Bubble gave them the experience of building a product themselves and the expertise to tweak it without always needing a developer. There are reports of Bubble apps handling thousands of users successfully, some even reaching tens of thousands of daily active users when optimized and put on higher-tier plans. For example, a music startup scaled to 50k daily users by using Bubble’s dedicated infrastructure and optimizing their app’s logic, demonstrating that Bubble can handle significant load when used properly.

Of course, not every type of app is ideal for Bubble. Highly graphics-intensive games or apps requiring extreme low-level device control are not a natural fit. For example, platform games and other graphics-heavy, interactive applications are not well-suited to Bubble's current capabilities due to its limitations in complex animations and advanced visual features. But for a large class of web applications we use in everyday life (marketplaces, business apps, social platforms, etc.), Bubble’s capabilities are usually up to the task. The range of use cases indicates Bubble’s flexibility – it’s a bit like digital clay that you can mold into various shapes given the fundamental building blocks it offers.

Now that we’ve seen what Bubble can do, it’s time to flip the coin and discuss the limitations and challenges you need to be mindful of. Knowing these will help manage expectations and plan accordingly if you decide to build on Bubble.

Learning Curve for Beginners

One might assume that a no-code tool is instantly easy for everyone, but the reality is a bit more nuanced. Learning Bubble.io has a steep learning curve for beginners, requiring significant time and effort to master its features and workflows. While Bubble is absolutely more accessible than learning a programming language from scratch, it still requires understanding of how applications work and how Bubble expects you to configure things. Some beginners jump in expecting an experience as simple as dragging elements and magically having a full app, and they can get frustrated when things don’t immediately click.

Why is there a learning curve? First, Bubble’s power means there are a lot of concepts and options to learn. For example, you need to grasp database design (what data types to create, how to structure relations). You also need to learn Bubble’s terminology and editor interface: things like “repeating groups”, “states” (Bubble’s way to hold temporary page data), “option sets”, etc. Setting up workflows requires logical thinking – you’re not writing code, but you are effectively programming with visual blocks. Beginners may find they have to think through conditions and debug why a workflow isn’t producing the expected result.

Additionally, Bubble has its own quirks. For example, because it’s a declarative environment, sometimes one action might not execute immediately when you expect (some things are asynchronous or batched). As a new user, figuring out why your page isn’t updating or why a certain element is invisible can be puzzling until you learn how Bubble processes events. As the LowCode Agency folks noted, “mastering Bubble demands significant time investment” despite the no-code approach. They compare it to other simpler app builders and observe that Bubble’s flexibility comes at the cost of being a bit more complex to learn thoroughly.

However, Bubble provides a lot of learning resources to help overcome this curve. There are interactive Bubble lessons you can take (built into the platform), a comprehensive Bubble Academy with tutorials, and detailed reference documentation. The community forum is extremely active – usually, if you have a question, someone has likely asked it before, and you can find answers by searching. There are also video courses and even entire books on Bubble development. Many users say the key is to start with a small project or follow tutorials to learn the basics, and gradually take on more complex tasks. Once you “get” Bubble’s way of thinking, building more intricate apps becomes much easier.

It’s important to set the right expectation: Bubble is easy to get started with (you can have a simple page and form up in an hour), but it’s harder to master for very complex functionality. Think of it like learning to drive a car – automatic transmission makes it easier than a manual, but you still need to learn the rules of the road and practice before you can drive in heavy traffic confidently. Bubble has a supportive on-boarding, but you’ll still put in time to become truly proficient.

On the optimistic side, many non-tech founders who were initially intimidated by the idea of building software have successfully learned Bubble. They often describe a moment where it “clicked” and they could suddenly build features rapidly. And unlike learning a programming language which can take months or more, learning Bubble to a functional level often takes a few weeks of dedicated practice. The result is empowering – you can translate your thoughts into a working app on your own, which for a lot of people is a game-changer. So, while the learning curve is a limitation to be aware of, it’s one that can be overcome with the wealth of resources available, and the journey itself gives you valuable experience in product development.

Performance and Scalability Constraints

Now we get to some of the technical limitations of Bubble.io – primarily around performance and scalability. This is an area where one must remember that Bubble is an abstracted platform: you’re trading off some low-level control for ease of use. In many cases, Bubble apps perform well enough for their intended purpose, but there are scenarios where performance can become a bottleneck, and scaling to a huge number of users might require special planning or might not be as cost-effective as hoped. Additionally, certain advanced bubble capabilities, such as source code export or access to the underlying code for deep customization, are not available. This can impact the flexibility, control, and future scalability of applications built on Bubble.

General Performance: Bubble apps run as web applications in the browser, with a lot of the logic executed client-side (in the user’s browser) and database interactions happening over the network. If your pages have very large lists or heavy images, or if you’re doing complex real-time computations in the browser, users might notice slowness. For example, loading a repeating list of thousands of entries at once could be slow, just as it would be on any platform without virtualization. Bubble does allow techniques like pagination or filtering on the server, but a novice builder might inadvertently design something inefficient (like doing a search without constraints and trying to display huge data sets).

Large Data and Workflows: As your app grows, handling big datasets or heavy workflows can be challenging. The platform has to balance multiple users and operations on a shared infrastructure (unless you move to a dedicated plan). It’s noted that “data loading times can become noticeable when handling large datasets”. So, if your app expects to manage millions of records or extremely high throughput transactions (like a stock trading platform or a massively multiplayer environment), Bubble may struggle or require a very high-tier setup. The LowCode Agency content mentions that Bubble faces performance limitations with high-performance computing needs and real-time operations. For instance, anything needing millisecond-level latency or constant real-time sync (such as a fast-paced game or real-time collaborative editing) is not Bubble’s forte.

Concurrent Users: Bubble can handle a decent number of concurrent users, but at very high scale (like tens of thousands of simultaneous users), you might run into limits. Bubble’s standard plans have something called capacity (units of server capacity that your app can use). If you have spikes in usage that exceed your capacity, your app might slow down unless you’re on a plan that auto-scales or you’ve purchased extra capacity. The Airdev agency explicitly notes that running “massively scalable applications (e.g., 1 million Daily Active Users) is not possible” on Bubble’s normal setup. Realistically, few apps reach that level, and by the time they do, they might consider moving to a custom-coded solution or Bubble’s enterprise offerings.

Workload and Processing Limits: There are also some hard limits, such as how large an API call response can be (Bubble has documented limits like 50 MB for an API response), or how long a server-side action can run before timing out. These rarely affect typical apps, but they are there. Bubble recently introduced a new pricing model with “workload units” which essentially meter how much processing your app does. Very heavy apps might incur higher costs. This was a controversial change (as evidenced by community discussions), but it’s aimed at ensuring Bubble can support scaling apps by aligning usage with pricing.

Despite these constraints, many Bubble apps run with moderate to high performance for their use cases. The key is to optimize your Bubble app: use search constraints to limit data loaded, leverage Bubble’s option to run things on the server side (backend workflows) for heavy tasks, and take advantage of new features like Cloudflare caching that Bubble added for asset delivery. The LowCode Agency gave an example solution: implementing efficient data structures and pagination reduced loading times by 60% in an enterprise app they built. This shows that with the right approach, you can mitigate some performance issues.

Scaling Up: If your app starts small and grows, Bubble does allow scaling by upgrading your plan. For instance, if you outgrow the personal or professional plan, you might move to a production plan or even a dedicated cluster (where your app runs on isolated infrastructure). Some successful companies have run on Bubble to a point and then either stayed on Bubble’s enterprise setup or migrated off once they had the resources to rebuild in code. Bubble themselves have stated that most apps will scale fine on their platform up to a point, but extremely large-scale systems (like an app with millions of users) might eventually need a specialized solution. In comparison, some competitors allow users to export code, giving developers greater control and flexibility for high-traffic or data-intensive applications.

In summary, performance and scalability are areas where Bubble has limitations compared to fully custom-built, optimized code. You trade some maximum efficiency for the convenience of no-code. For many applications, this trade-off is worth it, and you won’t hit the limits. But for apps that anticipate heavy usage or require ultra-fast performance, it’s crucial to plan and possibly use Bubble as a prototyping tool or a mid-term solution. The optimistic view is that Bubble is continuously improving performance (they optimize the engine and infrastructure over time) and you can get quite far with it – there are Bubble apps handling significant traffic out there. Just approach large-scale aspirations with a bit of caution and realistic expectations, possibly consulting with Bubble experts on how to optimize your build.

No Native Mobile App (Yet)

We touched on this earlier in the context of capabilities, but let’s underscore it as a limitation: Bubble.io historically could not publish native mobile apps for iOS or Android. This has been one of the most commonly cited drawbacks of the platform. If your goal was to have an app listed on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, Bubble alone couldn’t accomplish that (until the recent beta). You either had to use the aforementioned wrappers or simply settle for a mobile-friendly web app.

Why is not having native support a limitation? Because native apps can access device features more deeply (camera, GPS, push notifications, offline storage, etc.) and often provide a smoother user experience tailored to mobile conventions. While Bubble’s web apps can be quite mobile-friendly, there were differences: for example, native mobile interactions like the typical iOS swipe gestures, pull-to-refresh, or certain UI components (like a native picker wheel) weren’t available out of the box. Additionally, performance-wise, a native app is usually faster and more fluid than a web app in a wrapper, since it can leverage the device’s hardware more directly.

Bubble users who needed a mobile presence would either use PWAs (which don’t require app store distribution but also don’t fully feel native) or one of the wrapper solutions. Wrapping, as mentioned, can introduce some performance overhead and limitations. For instance, Bubble apps in a wrapper might have slightly slower screen transitions or the need for internet connectivity (unless PWA tech is combined) to work fully. There could also be issues ensuring the UI fits all phone screens perfectly, because you’re essentially loading web pages.

However, the limitation is on the way to being resolved with Bubble’s new native mobile beta. It’s important to emphasize: at the time of writing, the native capability is in beta, which means it’s not yet available to all or not completely polished. But once fully rolled out, this will cease to be a limitation. Bubble’s team even added mobile-specific workflow actions (for things like native transitions or in-app purchases) as part of their beta. So they’re actively closing the gap.

For now, if you are evaluating Bubble (as of mid-2025), you might still consider that pure native app development with Bubble is in its infancy. If you needed a production-ready native app today, you might have to supplement Bubble with native dev or a third-party wrapper. For instance, some companies have built their web app on Bubble and then commissioned a simple native app that basically loads the Bubble app and adds native push notification support. This hybrid approach can work but requires extra effort.

One more nuance: Even with native support emerging, some features like very fine-tuned native UI or certain native-only functionalities might not be fully covered initially. So patience and understanding of the beta’s scope are needed.

In conclusion, “No native mobile output” has been a limitation that is rapidly diminishing. It used to be that Bubble was a web-first platform and you had to accept that. Now, the platform is evolving into a web-and-mobile builder, aiming for the best of both worlds. We should credit Bubble for listening to the community’s biggest request – their announcement explicitly said they’re answering the consistent request for native apps. It’s an optimistic sign for the future, but as an explorer of Bubble’s current state, you should still plan for the fact that fully matured native support is a work in progress. In the meantime, the web capabilities and alternative solutions have been the go-to path.

Vendor Lock-In and Code Export Limitations

Perhaps the most significant limitation to be aware of with Bubble.io is the issue of vendor lock-in. Bubble is a closed platform, meaning the application you build on Bubble essentially lives on Bubble’s servers and ecosystem. You do not have the option to export the code of your Bubble application and host it elsewhere or edit it outside the Bubble environment. In simpler terms, if you build an app on Bubble, you are tied to Bubble for running that app – you can’t one day decide to download your app’s source code and move it to your own server or to another service.

This limitation has several implications:

• Migration challenges: If down the road you find that Bubble no longer meets your needs (due to scale or needing a feature it can’t provide), migrating off Bubble can be a major project. In most cases, it means rebuilding the app from scratch using a traditional tech stack, because you can’t directly convert a Bubble app to code. Your data can be exported (you can get your database out, since you can export to CSV or via the API), but the application logic and UI would need to be recreated. This is an important consideration for long-term planning. The lack of code ownership means you have limited ability to customize, futureproof, or migrate your app independently, making you more reliant on Bubble’s platform.
• Reliance on Bubble’s uptime and policies: Since you must host on Bubble’s cloud, you are trusting that Bubble’s service remains stable and secure. Bubble generally has good uptime (they report 99.95% uptime on high-tier plans), but any cloud can have outages. You also are subject to Bubble’s pricing model changes. We saw in 2023 a controversial pricing change attempt – if Bubble changes how they charge (e.g., introducing limits or raising prices), you have limited recourse except to adapt or migrate (which as noted is tough). This dependency on one vendor is the classic definition of vendor lock-in.
• Limited customization at the system level: Because you can’t access the underlying code, you can’t fine-tune things at a very low level. For instance, if there’s an efficiency issue in how Bubble processes something, you can’t directly optimize that beyond what Bubble allows. You also can’t integrate Bubble’s engine into another system; you must use it as a whole. Some compare this to using a proprietary framework that you can’t modify.
• Skill transfer: Another subtle point, especially for developers: building in Bubble doesn’t improve your coding skills in a traditional sense, since you aren’t writing code. If someday you needed to transition the project to a coding team, they can’t directly use what’s been built – they’d have to interpret and rebuild it. This is why some recommend that Bubble be used in tandem with traditional learning, so you don’t stagnate on one proprietary tool. However, you do gain a lot of general product development and design experience, which is valuable in its own right.

Now, vendor lock-in is not inherently a deal-breaker. Many SaaS products have vendor lock-in (if you build on, say, Salesforce’s platform, you’re also locked in to an extent). It’s a trade-off: Bubble gives you tremendous speed and ease of development, and in exchange, you accept being within their ecosystem. For many startups, that trade-off is worth it in the early stages – it lets you prove out the idea quickly. The hope is that by the time you might outgrow Bubble, you’ll have the resources (funding, traction) to handle a migration if necessary. Some companies never outgrow it and stay on Bubble long-term, which is fine if the limitations don’t bite.

Bubble is aware of the lock-in concern, but they haven’t provided code export likely because it’s technically very complex (the way Bubble apps run is tied to their engine). Interestingly, some other no-code platforms like FlutterFlow offer code export (FlutterFlow can export Flutter code for mobile apps). But those platforms might require more coding or have their own trade-offs. A Reddit thread even notes that FlutterFlow’s code export is a plus that Bubble lacks. Bubble’s approach as of now is to mitigate lock-in by continually improving the platform so you might not need to leave. There’s community speculation whether Bubble might ever allow some form of export, but currently it doesn’t seem likely in the near term.

For an optimistic spin: one strategy if you worry about lock-in is to use Bubble in a modular way. For example, build your front-end and basic CRUD on Bubble, but keep some critical algorithms or data in external APIs that you own. That way, if you transition later, those parts are already independent. Another strategy (as mentioned in the LowCode source) is a phased migration: gradually recreate pages in code while still running others in Bubble, linking them via APIs, until you’ve replaced everything. It’s not trivial, but it’s a path some have taken to reduce downtime during a move.

In conclusion, vendor lock-in is arguably Bubble’s biggest limitation from a strategic perspective. Anyone building on Bubble should go in with eyes open about this. It’s not a reason to avoid Bubble altogether, but rather something to plan for. If your project is experimental or at an MVP stage, lock-in might not matter right now. If your project is destined to scale massively or needs long-term independence, you’ll need to weigh the benefits vs. the eventual cost of rewriting. Many have navigated this successfully – for instance, building up to a point on Bubble and then migrating once they had a solid user base. The key is to avoid being caught off guard by the fact that you can’t simply download your app and leave. As long as you know that, you can make informed decisions and have contingency plans. If you require more extensive customization, code ownership, or support for programming languages beyond JavaScript, it may be wise to explore alternatives that offer source code access and greater flexibility.

Limited Customization for Advanced Features

While Bubble.io is quite flexible for most standard app needs, it does have limitations when it comes to very advanced or unique requirements. Essentially, because you’re using pre-built components and a fixed platform, there might be cases where you hit a wall trying to implement an unconventional feature or a highly customized UI/UX element.

Some areas of limited customization include:

• Advanced UI/UX components: Bubble provides many UI elements and you can achieve a lot with them. But if you need something very custom – say a complex interactive visualization, a drag-and-drop canvas like a whiteboard, or a real-time multiplayer game interface – Bubble isn’t really geared for that natively. As Keenethics noted, “Bubble offers multiple UI elements, but they may be insufficient for your goals” if you need something very complex. You often have to get inventive or use custom code for these cases, which can be cumbersome. Traditional coding might handle such custom UI with fine-grained control, whereas in Bubble you’re constrained by what the editor allows.
• Precision and Performance Tuning: If you’re a developer, you might be used to tweaking algorithms for performance or writing code in a specific way to optimize speed. In Bubble, you can’t optimize the underlying code since you can’t see or change it. You only can adjust how you use Bubble’s features. For heavy computations, Bubble might not let you implement them as efficiently as a custom-coded solution tailored to that problem. For example, a complex mathematical simulation or video processing would be beyond Bubble’s intended use (you’d likely call an external service to do that).
• Use of other programming languages: We mentioned this in the custom code section – Bubble only supports JavaScript for custom code within the platform. If you have specialized libraries in Python/R/Go, etc., you can’t run them in Bubble. You’d have to run them externally and use Bubble as the interface. This is workable but adds complexity. In a traditional code environment, you could incorporate any library you want directly.
• Low-level control: Sometimes developers want to control things at a low level – like memory management, threading, or custom network protocols. Those are obviously not accessible in Bubble (which is fine because it’s very high-level), but it’s a limitation for certain categories of applications. For instance, you wouldn’t write a real-time IoT device controller in Bubble or a high-frequency trading bot – those require lower-level control and often non-web languages.
• Integrations that Bubble can’t do: Although Bubble integrates with a lot, there might be some external systems or protocols that aren’t easily connected. Bubble works great with web APIs, but if you needed to, say, handle raw TCP socket connections or embed an entire external app within it in a non-web way, you might not succeed.
• UI styling and effects: Bubble has good styling options, but if a designer has a pixel-perfect unique design, sometimes achieving that in Bubble can be a bit of a challenge. There might be slight differences due to how Bubble renders things. Also, advanced CSS effects or filters might not be readily available (though you can inject custom CSS if needed). It’s generally fine, but purists might feel a lack of total control.

It’s worth pointing out that a lot of advanced needs can still be met with creativity. For example, if Bubble’s built-in elements aren’t enough, a plugin might exist to offer more. Or you could embed a third-party component via HTML. A case in point: some users wanted a richer text editor than Bubble’s default, so they embedded something like TinyMCE or used a plugin to get that. Or for charts beyond Bubble’s simple charts, use a plugin for Chart.js or Google Charts. Essentially, there are often workarounds, but they might require stepping outside the pure no-code comfort zone.

Another perspective: If you find that you’re constantly needing to bend over backwards to implement a feature in Bubble, that might be a sign that the feature is an edge case for the platform. At that point, evaluating if Bubble is the right tool or if a hybrid approach (Bubble + some custom microservice) is better could save headaches.

However, for the majority of “typical” app features, Bubble provides a solution. It’s mostly the edge cases or very bleeding-edge tech (like perhaps integrating a new technology that doesn’t have an API yet, etc.) that are problematic. The optimistic angle is that because Bubble is improving and community-driven, some limitations today might be solved tomorrow by a new plugin or an update. For example, real-time features were once limited, but now we have some options like Bubble’s “listening to events” or using external services (there are plugins for WebSockets).

In summary, Bubble isn’t ideal for every possible feature – if your vision includes something highly specialized, you have to consider if it’s feasible on Bubble. Sometimes slight compromises in feature set can allow you to stay within Bubble and reap its productivity benefits. Other times, for that one critical feature, you might integrate code or choose to code that part externally. It’s all about weighing trade-offs. If having complete freedom in customization is crucial, traditional coding might be the way – but you then lose the fast development Bubble offers. Many creators find that Bubble provides all the tools they need for, say, 90% of their app, and the remaining 10% can be handled via small code additions or adjusted requirements. This balance is part of the design decisions when using a no-code platform.

Hosting and Security Considerations

When you use Bubble.io, you are also outsourcing your hosting and server management to Bubble. This is a great convenience (you don’t have to maintain servers or configure AWS instances), but it introduces some limitations regarding where and how your app is hosted.

Firstly, Bubble does not allow on-premises or self-hosting. All Bubble apps are hosted on Bubble’s cloud (which runs on top of AWS, with Bubble managing it). For many users this is fine or even preferable, but for some organizations, especially those with strict IT policies, this is a limitation. For example, certain companies or government agencies require their applications to be hosted on their own servers or a specific cloud for compliance reasons. With Bubble, you currently can’t take the platform and install it on your company’s private servers. Keenethics highlighted that not being able to host on private servers could be a deal-breaker if a company has stringent data privacy requirements. On-premise is often seen as safer or mandatory in regulated industries (like healthcare or finance in some jurisdictions).

Because you’re on Bubble’s infrastructure, you relinquish some control over server configuration and security measures. Bubble manages security at the platform level (they handle things like OS updates, firewall, DDoS protection via Cloudflare, etc.), and they have built-in security like SSL (all apps are HTTPS) and database privacy rules that you define. But if you wanted to implement a custom security layer or specific compliance measure at the server level, you might not be able to. For instance, you can’t decide to use a different encryption algorithm for data storage – you rely on what Bubble provides. Similarly, if you wanted to keep data in a specific geographic region, you’d need to check if Bubble’s hosting allows that (Bubble does have options for setting the region in some enterprise cases, but not on lower plans as far as I know).

Another security aspect: Data privacy and compliance. Bubble gives you tools to enforce data privacy within your app (like who can see or modify certain data types), but ultimately the data is stored on Bubble’s servers. If your app deals with highly sensitive information, you have to trust Bubble’s security protocols. Bubble has measures like hashed and salted passwords, and you can enable features like two-factor authentication for user logins (via plugins or custom flows). However, Bubble’s platform logs some info for debugging (though they try to keep things secure) and you can’t opt out of certain logging. The Airdev security section notes that every sensitive action is logged by Bubble and you can’t disable logging for certain things – likely for accountability and debugging, but some high-security apps might prefer no logs for certain operations.

Scaling and uptime on hosting: Bubble’s cloud is scalable, but on the shared cluster, you share resources with other apps. If you need guaranteed performance, you might need to go to a dedicated plan (which is significantly more expensive). Also, while Bubble’s uptime is strong, any downtime on their end affects all their customers. That said, any cloud service has this risk – if AWS goes down, many apps go down. Bubble being a single point of hosting does concentrate that risk a bit.

From a Trustworthiness perspective (tying into E-E-A-T: Trust), Bubble needs to be reliable and secure. They do invest in this because their reputation depends on it. Many businesses trust Bubble for production apps, and Bubble has been around long enough to establish some credibility. They’ve likely undergone security audits and such (especially for enterprise clients). But they might not have formal certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC2 publicly available, which larger enterprises sometimes look for in a platform.

For most small to medium applications, Bubble’s hosting and security are perfectly adequate and in fact liberating (you don’t have to worry about DevOps). The limitations come if you have a unique need in hosting (like private cloud or country-specific hosting) or extremely high security compliance (where not having direct server control is an issue).

On a positive note, Bubble’s approach to security at the app level is quite robust if used correctly. They allow you to set Privacy Rules on data types, ensuring that, for example, a user can only see their own records, etc. This is important to configure in any app; Bubble apps have gotten in trouble when builders neglected to set these and accidentally exposed data, but that’s user error, not Bubble’s fault. If you follow best practices, your app’s data will only be accessible as you intend. Also, Bubble recently improved features like content security policies to prevent things like XSS attacks, and you can limit what iframes or scripts run.

In summary, hosting and security limitations with Bubble boil down to a lack of flexibility: you must use Bubble’s hosting environment and trust their security provisions. You can’t customize environment-level settings or host it yourself. For the vast majority, this trade-off is fine given the convenience and the fact that Bubble handles a lot of complex security stuff for you (like encryption in transit, etc.). But if your project demands a custom infrastructure setup, Bubble might not meet that requirement. Always consider the nature of your data and users: if it’s a simple app or even a moderately sensitive one, Bubble likely has you covered; if it’s extremely sensitive or regulated data, do due diligence on whether Bubble’s compliance meets your needs.

Overcoming Bubble.io’s Limitations

Reading about limitations might be daunting, but the good news is that many of Bubble’s limitations can be mitigated or worked around with the right strategies. Here are some tips and approaches to get the most out of Bubble while minimizing potential downsides:

Optimize Performance: If you design your app thoughtfully, you can avoid most performance issues. Use techniques like pagination or infinite scrolling instead of loading giant lists all at once. Take advantage of Bubble’s search filters to retrieve only needed data (for example, don’t pull an entire dataset if you just need the top 20 items). Compress images and use Bubble’s built-in image processing to resize for thumbnails to reduce load. Also, implement caching where possible – Bubble has an option to save things to the browser’s local storage or use states to avoid repeating heavy calculations. As noted earlier, something as simple as adding pagination improved performance dramatically in a real app.

Leverage External Services: Bubble is great as a central hub, but you don’t have to do everything inside Bubble. For instance, if you need to generate a complex PDF report, consider using an external API for PDF generation and then let Bubble fetch the result. If you need intensive computations, you can create a microservice (perhaps a small Node.js or Python script on AWS Lambda) to handle it, and Bubble can communicate with it via API. This way, you push beyond Bubble’s limits by offloading tasks. Similarly, if real-time communication is critical (like a chat or live collaborative editing), you might integrate a service like Pusher or Firebase for those features, while Bubble manages the rest of the app logic.

Use Plugins and Custom Code Wisely: The Bubble plugin ecosystem is your friend when you hit a wall. Before concluding something can’t be done, search the plugin library – someone might have solved your problem. And don’t be afraid to inject a bit of custom code for polish. For example, adding a small JavaScript snippet can enable a fancy animation or a custom field validation that Bubble’s native features don’t cover. If the thought of coding is intimidating, remember it’s optional; but it’s nice that the door is open for it. A small snippet in the right place (like using the Toolbox plugin’s Run JavaScript action to scroll to a specific element smoothly, or to integrate a third-party widget) can make a difference.

Plan for Scalability: If your app is starting to gain users, monitor its performance (Bubble provides logs and metrics for capacity usage). You can raise your plan to get more capacity or consider Bubble’s dedicated plan if you have an enterprise-scale need (that gives you your own cluster). Also, structure your Bubble database and workflows in a scalable way: avoid heavy operations in the client, use backend workflows for things that can run asynchronously, and clean up any inefficient processes. The LowCode Agency’s solution for vendor lock-in (phased migration via parallel pages) is an extreme case, but it’s something to keep in mind for long term – you could gradually replace parts of your app with custom code if needed without doing it all at once.

Security Best Practices: Ensure you set Privacy Rules on all data types so that users only retrieve what they should. Use secure password policies and enable two-factor auth if appropriate (there are plugins for sending OTP codes or integrating Authy/Google Authenticator). Bubble allows you to enforce all pages to be HTTPS and even allows content security policy settings; use those to your advantage. Although you can’t control the underlying hosting, you can make your app robust by following Bubble’s security guide. Also, regularly back up your data (Bubble has automated backups and you can manually export data too).

Community and Support: The Bubble community is an invaluable resource. If you encounter a limitation, often someone on the forum might suggest an ingenious workaround. For example, people have figured out how to implement things like real-time drag-and-drop reordering of lists, complex regex matching, or even integrating machine learning via APIs. Tapping into shared knowledge can help overcome what initially seems like a dead-end. Bubble’s team also sometimes provides advice on how to achieve something or might release an update if a limitation is causing widespread issues.

Prototype and Test: If you’re unsure how Bubble will handle a particular requirement, build a small prototype of that feature first. Test its performance and feasibility. This experience can guide you – maybe you find it works fine in Bubble, or you discover you should handle that part differently. For example, if your app needs to process a list of 10,000 records in one go, try a mini version to see if scheduling workflows can handle it, or if you need an external script.

It’s encouraging to know that many successful Bubble apps exist despite these limitations. Founders have managed to raise investment and scale with Bubble as their backbone. When limitations arose, they adapted: some upgraded their Bubble setup, some refactored their app logic, and some decided when the time was right to migrate off Bubble. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but the flexibility of Bubble plus some creativity can solve most problems.

Finally, always keep user experience in mind. If a limitation of Bubble might degrade UX (for example, a slow page load due to heavy data), focus on the user’s perspective and find a way to improve it (maybe load data in chunks or show a loading state). Users ultimately care about a smooth experience, not what technology you used. In many cases, you can deliver a perfectly smooth experience with Bubble by working within its sweet spots and augmenting it when needed.

Future Outlook of Bubble.io

Bubble.io has come a long way, and its trajectory suggests an optimistic future. The platform is continuously evolving, often influenced by community feedback and the broader trends in technology. Here are some aspects of Bubble’s future outlook that instill confidence:

• Native Mobile Development: The most groundbreaking development is Bubble’s push into native mobile apps. As we discussed, they launched the beta for native mobile capabilities, turning Bubble into a unified platform for web and mobile. Once this matures, it will erase one of Bubble’s former limitations entirely. It also opens Bubble up to a huge new audience and use cases (mobile-first startups, etc.). The fact that Bubble is not resting on its laurels and is tackling this complex feature shows a commitment to staying relevant and competitive.
• Improved Performance: Over time, we can expect Bubble to get faster and more efficient. They have a team of engineers working on the Bubble engine. For example, they introduced a new responsive engine in recent years that significantly improved how apps handle different screen sizes. They’ve also worked on things like server-side processing (allowing some Node.js code) and likely will keep refining how data is loaded or how workflows execute. As hardware and cloud technology improve, Bubble can leverage that to offer better performance to users. We might see more options for scaling apps seamlessly or features that automatically suggest performance improvements.
• Ecosystem Growth: Bubble’s ecosystem of plugins, templates, and agencies is growing. This means more pre-built solutions for future Bubblers. If someone builds a great plugin for a currently difficult feature, that raises the capability for everyone. Also, more learning resources are emerging (blogs, YouTube channels, courses specifically teaching Bubble). With every passing year, new users will have an easier time learning and solving problems thanks to a richer knowledge base. We could also anticipate integration with emerging tech – for instance, as AI continues to be big, Bubble might integrate AI assistance in development (imagine an AI helper that suggests how to build a feature in Bubble), or more AI plugins for things like text analysis, etc.
• Enterprise Features: As Bubble gains adoption, they have been catering more to professional and enterprise use cases. This includes things like version control (Bubble introduced basic versioning for development vs live), better collaboration (multiple editors working on an app), and perhaps in the future more robust testing/QA tools. If Bubble can show that large organizations can trust it, that expands its user base significantly. The 2024 acquisition mentioned in the Wikipedia snippet (Flusk) might hint that Bubble is investing in talent or tech to bolster the platform (though Flusk was a template marketplace, which might strengthen Bubble’s template offerings).
• Community and Support: Bubble’s community is one of its strengths, and it’s likely to remain active and helpful. Bubble hosts conferences, and as of 2025, they had an event (Create With Bubble) focusing on visual development. This indicates an ongoing effort to build a movement around no-code. A strong community means problems get identified and solved quicker (either by Bubble or by community members).
• No-Code Industry Trend: On a broader scale, the no-code/low-code movement is growing. More professionals are open to using no-code tools. This gives Bubble a tailwind – more potential users and more integration into business processes. We might see Bubble taught in more schools for entrepreneurship or included in corporate innovation labs. As the concept of no-code becomes mainstream, Bubble stands to gain as one of the pioneering platforms in the space.
• Addressing Criticisms: Bubble has shown that when there are major criticisms (like the pricing controversy or the pleas for native mobile), they respond. For example, after community backlash on pricing, they adjusted their plans and communicated more openly. This responsiveness is important for trust. It suggests that if some of the current limitations become bigger issues, Bubble will strive to find solutions. It’s not a static platform; it’s a living product.

In essence, the future of Bubble.io looks bright. It’s positioned at the intersection of technology democratization (empowering more people to create software) and agile development. Many startups that began on Bubble have proven that the platform can be a launchpad to success. Bubble itself raised significant funding (including $100M in 2021) which means they have resources to invest in their growth and stability. We can expect more features, possibly better export options or bridges to code, and overall refinement of the user experience.

For someone considering Bubble now, it means you’re not just using what exists today, but also what’s coming down the line. The platform you start with will likely improve even as you’re building on it. That said, always keep an eye on official announcements and roadmap updates. Bubble’s transparency about what’s in beta or what’s planned can help you plan your app’s evolution. If, for instance, you know native mobile full release is around the corner, you might decide to delay implementing a wrapper and wait for the official support.

Overall, combining Bubble’s current capabilities with its forward momentum, it’s an exciting time to be a no-code creator. The limitations are gradually shrinking, and the power available to everyday creators is growing. As Bubble continues to enhance experience, expertise, authority, and trust (E-E-A-T) in its domain, users can feel more confident in building serious, scalable apps on the platform.

FAQs

Q1: What are the main limitations of Bubble.io?
A: The primary limitations of Bubble.io include its vendor lock-in (you cannot export your app’s code, so you’re tied to Bubble’s platform) and the lack of direct native mobile app publishing (Bubble apps are web-based, though you can use wrappers or Bubble’s new beta for native mobile). Additionally, Bubble can struggle with performance at very large scale – for apps handling extremely heavy computations, real-time multiplayer interactions, or millions of records, you may hit performance constraints without careful optimization. There’s also a learning curve despite the no-code approach, meaning beginners need to invest time to master the platform. Finally, advanced customizations (like using programming languages other than JavaScript, or implementing very complex UI components) are not possible or require workarounds due to Bubble’s closed environment.

Q2: What are Bubble.io’s greatest strengths or capabilities?
A: Bubble’s biggest strengths are its ability to let you build full-stack web applications visually and rapidly. It provides an all-in-one platform with a drag-and-drop UI builder, a built-in database, and a workflow engine for logic, which means you can create everything from the front-end design to backend processes without writing code. It’s extremely flexible for building things like MVPs, marketplaces, SaaS apps, and more. Another strength is the extensive plugin ecosystem – there are thousands of plugins that add features or integrate with external services, so you can extend your app easily. Bubble also excels in enabling complex workflows and integrations: you can connect to almost any API and orchestrate multi-step processes. Plus, Bubble handles deployment and hosting for you, so once you build, you can go live with one click.

Q3: Can Bubble.io scale to support a large number of users?
A: Bubble can scale to a point, but there are practical limits. Many apps have successfully scaled to thousands of daily users on Bubble. Bubble offers increased capacity on higher-tier plans and even dedicated server options for very high-demand apps. For example, an app on a dedicated plan handled 50k daily active users by optimizing logic and upgrading infrastructure. However, attempting to scale to hundreds of thousands or millions of daily users could be challenging on Bubble’s shared infrastructure. In those extreme cases, performance might degrade, or costs might rise significantly due to Bubble’s pricing model. It’s also worth noting Bubble’s architecture isn’t suited for ultra-low latency needs (e.g., high-speed gaming). In summary, Bubble can handle moderate to moderately large scale well (especially with optimization), but truly massive scale might require partitioning the app or considering a custom solution eventually.

Q4: Is Bubble.io suitable for building mobile apps?
A: Bubble is primarily designed for web applications, but it can be used for mobile in a few ways. Out of the box, Bubble apps are responsive web apps that work in mobile browsers. You can also create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) with Bubble, which users can install on their mobile home screen and use offline to some extent. Historically, if you wanted a presence in the App Store or Play Store, you’d use a wrapper (third-party tools to wrap your Bubble web app into a native shell). The user experience via wrappers is decent for many app types, though not as smooth as a fully native app for certain interactions. The exciting update is that Bubble has introduced native mobile app capabilities in beta. This means Bubble is actively working to let you build real native iOS/Android apps directly on the platform. While in beta, it’s already possible for some to build and publish Bubble-made native apps. So, if your timeline is flexible, Bubble will soon (or already) be directly suitable for native mobile development. If you need a mobile app right now, you can use Bubble for the backend and a wrapper or wait for the beta to fully launch.

Q5: Do I need to know how to code to use Bubble.io effectively?
A: No, you don’t need to know traditional programming to use Bubble – that’s the whole idea of a no-code platform. Everything can be done with visual interfaces and configurations. Many successful Bubble users have little to no coding background. Bubble’s design and workflow tools are meant to be understood by non-programmers. That said, having a logical mindset (understanding concepts like data structure or conditional logic) is very helpful. You will essentially be “programming” with Bubble’s visual language, so being methodical and willing to learn is important. If you do happen to know coding, it can be a bonus in some scenarios: for instance, you can extend Bubble with some custom JavaScript or better understand how to optimize things. But it’s absolutely not a requirement. Bubble also provides a wealth of learning resources to guide beginners through building apps, so you can pick up the skills as you go. In short, Bubble is designed so that non-coders can build complex apps, and any coding knowledge is purely optional for advanced use cases.

Q6: How secure are apps built on Bubble.io?
A: Bubble takes care of many security aspects at the platform level. Every Bubble app by default is served over HTTPS (secure encryption for data in transit). Passwords for user accounts are stored hashed and salted, following good security practices. Bubble provides a robust Privacy Rules system that lets you control who can see or modify each piece of data in your database – you should use these to enforce data security within your app. The platform also has built-in protections like preventing SQL injection (since you never write SQL) and offers content security policies. However, security also depends on the app creator: you must configure things properly (for instance, set privacy rules so that Users can’t see others’ private data). On hosting, since your app is on Bubble’s cloud, they handle server security, updates, and firewalls. One limitation is that you cannot host data on-premise – so you are trusting Bubble’s security and compliance. Bubble has a good track record, but for highly sensitive applications, you’d want to inquire about their certifications or consider a dedicated environment. In summary, Bubble provides a secure framework and tools, but it’s crucial that you use those tools correctly to keep your app and user data safe.

Q7: How much does Bubble.io cost?
A: Bubble has a range of pricing plans including a free tier. The Free plan lets you build and test apps (with some limitations like Bubble branding and limited capacity) – it’s great for learning and prototyping. For launching a real app with a custom domain, you’d move to a paid plan. As of 2025, Bubble’s paid plans were roughly: Starter (around $30/month) for basic apps, Growth (around $130/month) for scaling apps, and Team (around $400/month) for apps with higher demands, according to a recent pricing guide. There are also higher Enterprise or dedicated plans with custom pricing if you need your own infrastructure or advanced support. These plans mainly differ in the amount of server capacity (speed and workload your app can handle) and feature access (for example, version control and multiple collaborators come with higher tiers). It’s also worth noting some costs can include domain registration (handled separately) or paid plugins if you choose to buy any. Overall, Bubble’s pricing is subscription-based and can scale as your application grows. While it might seem pricier than basic web hosting, remember that it includes the whole platform (database, server, etc.). Many find it cost-effective compared to hiring developers for an equivalent output, but you should choose a plan that fits your stage and upgrade as needed.

Conclusion

Exploring the Limitations & Capabilities of Bubble.io reveals that this no-code platform is a powerful catalyst for turning ideas into functional software. Bubble.io empowers creators with an impressive array of capabilities – from visual UI design and custom workflows to integrated databases and plugins – enabling solo entrepreneurs and teams alike to build complex web applications without writing code. We’ve seen how Bubble’s strengths make it possible to launch MVPs in record time, iterate quickly based on feedback, and even run full-fledged businesses on a foundation crafted in a visual editor.

At the same time, we’ve navigated through the flip side of those capabilities: the limitations that come with operating in Bubble’s ecosystem. Performance considerations, scalability limits, vendor lock-in, and the (historically) missing native mobile support are all factors to weigh in your decision. Yet, it’s encouraging to note that many of these limitations can be mitigated – through smart app design, use of external services, community plugins, or simply by leveraging Bubble’s ongoing improvements. In fact, the platform’s evolution (like the new native mobile beta and continuous optimizations) shows that Bubble’s scope is ever-expanding, chipping away at past constraints.

For prospective users of Bubble.io, the takeaway is one of balanced optimism. On one hand, you should approach your project with due diligence: understand Bubble’s fit for your specific needs, implement best practices, and be mindful of the trade-offs. On the other hand, you can be optimistic that Bubble provides a reliable, tested, and innovative environment to bring your application to life. Countless creators have achieved what once seemed out of reach – building tech solutions independently – thanks to Bubble’s capabilities. Its focus on experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (both in the platform and within its community) means you’re not alone on the journey; there’s a wealth of guidance and support available.

In the end, choosing Bubble.io is about embracing a new way of building: one that values speed and creativity, while also recognizing that no single tool is a silver bullet. If you go in with realistic expectations and a problem-solving mindset, Bubble can truly offer the best of both worlds – enabling you to materialize your app vision quickly, and adapt as you grow. The limits are steadily fading, and the capabilities are on full display. Now it’s up to you to leverage them and perhaps become the next success story born from the no-code revolution.

Next Steps: Now that you’ve gained a comprehensive understanding of Bubble.io’s pros and cons, you might consider the following steps for further action:

Translate this article – If you’d like to share these insights with a non-English-speaking audience or team, you can translate the content into your preferred language for better accessibility.

Generate blog-ready images – Enhance this article or your Bubble-based documentation with relevant visuals. For example, screenshots of the Bubble editor or infographics of Bubble’s workflow can make the information more engaging.

Start a new article or project – Feeling inspired to dive deeper? You could begin a new article focusing on a related topic (such as comparing Bubble with another no-code tool, or a tutorial on building a specific app with Bubble), or jump into Bubble.io and start building your own app to put this knowledge into practice. Happy creating!