<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"><channel><title><![CDATA[Bubble Blog | What you need to know about building with no-code]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Bubble Blog is the best source for getting started with no-code, best practices, and how to build, design, and launch your app.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/</link><image><url>https://bubble.io/blog/favicon.png</url><title>Bubble Blog | What you need to know about building with no-code</title><link>https://bubble.io/blog/</link></image><generator>Ghost 6.13</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:33:38 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://bubble.io/blog/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Bubble vs. Cursor AI: A 2025 Comparison of Two Popular AI-Powered App Builders]]></title><description><![CDATA[Bubble and Cursor both use AI to speed up app development, but take different approaches to coding, AI use, accessibility, and more. Here’s how to pick the right one for your next project. ]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-cursor-ai-comparison/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682f533aebeb2100018f05ef</guid><category><![CDATA[Tool Reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category><category><![CDATA[The No-Code Industry]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:55:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/05/Bubble-vs-Cursor--1-.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/05/Bubble-vs-Cursor--1-.png" alt="Bubble vs. Cursor AI: A 2025 Comparison of Two Popular AI-Powered App Builders"><p><em><strong>TL;DR:</strong> Bubble is best for anyone who wants to build and launch real apps without code — chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want control, and never get stuck with code you can't read. Cursor is best for experienced developers who want an AI co-pilot to speed up their existing coding workflow.</em></p><hr><p></p><p>If you’ve been exploring the vibe-coding, AI-coding, or no-coding scene for more than a few minutes, you’ve probably heard countless suggestions for the “best” tool to use for your next project.</p><p>The truth is: The best tool depends on your needs, goals, and technical experience. There’s no one “right” tool — just the right tool for you.</p><p>We’re here to break down two popular tools — Bubble and Cursor — side by side, so you can see which is better for your next project.</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/ai-features">Bubble</a> is the only fully visual AI app builder that lets you vibe code without the code to launch real apps to real users. You can chat with Bubble's AI Agent when you want speed and edit directly in <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/visual-programming/#bubble%E2%80%99s-approach-to-visual-programming">the visual editor</a> when you want control — switch seamlessly between them anytime. The AI app generator creates complete apps instantly (UI, database, workflows), and the visual editor lets you fine-tune any detail without code.</p><p>You stay in control the entire time — see exactly how your app works in visual workflows, not thousands of lines of code, and never get stuck even if AI hits its limits.</p><p>Cursor is an AI-integrated, text-based coding environment built by Anysphere that allows software engineers to code faster and speed up workflows through integrated AI assistance. As a fork of VS Code, it provides a familiar development space to write, edit, and debug code, with multiple AI modes including Agent, Tab (autocomplete), and Composer to help support and speed up coding tasks. It relies on the developer’'s knowledge to guide the process, with the AI as an assistant.</p><p><strong>Bubble and Cursor both speed up development but take completely different approaches:</strong> Bubble combines AI-powered development with fully visual editing (no code to read), while Cursor is an AI-powered code editor that generates traditional code for experienced developers. Here are the key differences to help you choose the right tool.</p><h2 id="cursor-vs-bubble-key-differences">Cursor vs. Bubble: Key differences</h2><p>Yes, Bubble and Cursor are both tools that can help you build software faster — but the ways they support builders are completely different. There are four core questions that can help you decide which tool is right for you:</p><ol><li>Do you want to primarily work with code or use a visual, drag-and-drop interface to design and program your app instead?</li><li>Are you looking for a tool to speed up one of your existing workflows or an all-in-one place to build and launch your app?</li><li>How do you want to use AI as you work?</li><li>What’'s your level of technical expertise — are you an experienced developer or a beginner?</li></ol><p>Here’'s how Cursor and Bubble stack up on each of these:</p><h3 id="drag-and-drop-vs-code">Drag-and-drop vs. code</h3><p>The biggest difference between these tools is how they handle code.</p><p><strong>Bubble uses AI + visual editing:</strong> Generate complete apps instantly with AI (UI, database, workflows), then chat with the AI Agent to add features or switch to the visual editor for precise control. The editor is visual, not code-based — you see your app's logic in visual workflows and natural language, never thousands of lines of code.</p><p>For example, instead of writing code for a button, you can ask the Bubble AI Agent to create it for you or drag the "button" element from the sidebar yourself. Pop-up menus let you adjust padding, width, colors, and what happens when it's clicked — or the AI Agent can make these changes for you, all without code.</p><p>Bubble uses this visual programming model for every layer of your app: design, data, and logic. The AI Agent can generate and edit across all layers — creating UI elements, database structures with privacy rules, and workflows — or you can edit anything directly in the visual editor. Either way, the program speaks your language, not code.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfW6XF825d8MLam2jWOzK_SEN7ez7fwXAq7_z2u4T6r_jT1frL33kBLguVihRbSC9U0rGxpyvcniX5A_HwWKYyjHjuuZ8q9O3kim3JRhsduZyLb0gBxIGtstC7wq6dhh-iekS8cpA?key=B0618wgvzUw6g71bPgqYTgG-" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Cursor AI: A 2025 Comparison of Two Popular AI-Powered App Builders" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="671"></figure><p><strong>Cursor is primarily a developer-first tool that focuses on text-based code editing.</strong> As of December 2025, Cursor 2.2 introduced a visual editor for the Cursor Browser that includes drag-and-drop functionality, visual controls, and live preview capabilities, though the core IDE remains code-focused. You need to understand code to use Cursor effectively.</p><p>Cursor has multiple AI modes including:</p><ul><li><strong>Tab:</strong> A proprietary multi-line autocomplete model that predicts your next edits.</li><li><strong>Ask:</strong> Read-only mode that lets you ask questions about your code without making changes.</li><li><strong>Agent:</strong> Explores and writes code for you with autonomous multi-file edits.</li><li><strong>Composer:</strong> Allows for natural language editing to write and refactor code across multiple files.</li></ul><p>While Cursor's AI agent is good at code generation — boasting deep codebase understanding via embeddings — you still need to read and understand that code to test, debug, and add advanced functionality. This creates three critical failure points: getting stuck in error loops when AI can't fix issues, settling for "good enough" because you can't implement precise features, and building tech debt you can't maintain.</p><p>Without any sort of visual support in the core IDE, Cursor is designed to speed up workflows for experienced developers and provide deeply integrated AI support into an environment similar to Visual Studio Code. Cursor particularly excels with JavaScript, Python, and TypeScript due to extensive training data, but it can work with any programming language including Java, C++, C#, Ruby, Go, Rust, Swift, C, and PHP.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/05/cursor--1-.webp" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Cursor AI: A 2025 Comparison of Two Popular AI-Powered App Builders" loading="lazy" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/05/cursor--1-.webp 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/05/cursor--1-.webp 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1600/2025/05/cursor--1-.webp 1600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/05/cursor--1-.webp 2000w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>The real question isn't whether you can code — it's whether you want to understand and control what you're building. Some reviewers claim that you can build complex, functional apps in Cursor without coding knowledge. That may be true to some extent, but you’'ll be flying blind if you can’t understand the code the AI agent is generating for you. With Bubble, you see exactly how your app works — in visual workflows and natural language, not code — so you're never flying blind.</p><p>In the long run, you’ll have a much steeper learning curve and less practical control, since you’ll have to rely on AI to manage and iterate on code you don’'t understand yourself. If and when the AI gets stuck, or you encounter bugs you can’t troubleshoot and the AI can’t fix, you’ll be stuck. This is where Bubble is fundamentally different: The Bubble AI Agent helps troubleshoot issues, but when AI can't help, you can always step in and edit visually yourself—you're never stuck.</p><h3 id="platform-vs-tool">Platform vs. tool</h3><p>Software is more than just code. To build and launch a fully-functional app, you’'ll need a database, a server for hosting and deployment, integrations with other apps, security, and more.</p><p>Bubble is the only platform that combines AI-powered app generation with a full visual development environment and enterprise infrastructure — letting you vibe code without the code to launch real apps, not just prototypes. Cursor is a tool for writing code faster that leaves non-developers stuck with code they can't read or maintain, and doesn't provide the backend, hosting, or deployment needed for a complete app.</p><p>Consider some of the other tools you’'ll need to get to a fully-functional app:</p><ul><li><a href="https://bubble.io/data">Database</a>. Bubble has a built-in database, which means your app’'s data (and your end-user data, like logins, profile info, etc.) are all stored within Bubble. You don’'t need a separate platform to manage the data for your app or connect it to your app’'s frontend or functionality. With Cursor, you need to set up and integrate external services for your database (like Supabase or Firebase), though Cursor provides integration mechanisms through MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers and extensions. You'll also need to understand what to set up, and how, or rely on AI to do so for you.</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/plugins">Integrations</a>. Integrations connect your app to other apps to extend functionality. For example, you might want your app to connect to Stripe to collect payments, or Google Maps to show search results on a map. Bubble has thousands of built-in plugins and integrations that are maintained by experts. On Cursor, you’'ll need to code your own (and keep up with updates manually).</li><li>Hosting and deployment. Once your software is ready to go, you’'ll need somewhere to host your app for end users. On Bubble, the hosting (where your app lives) and deployment (how you move the code to the server hosting your app) process is one-click: Just click Deploy and you’'re ready to go live. On Cursor, you’'ll need to manage hosting on your own or work with a third-party hosting platform, and you’'ll need to export the code and deploy it manually.</li></ul><p><strong>Choose Cursor if:</strong> You're confident managing multiple services and tools to build a full-stack app. It's great for writing, debugging, and iterating on code faster.</p><p><strong>Choose Bubble if:</strong> You want an all-in-one platform that handles design, data, logic, and deployment. You'll get your app live faster with less complexity.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text">P.S. If you want to rely on AI to build your app from start to finish, check out some of our other AI app builder comparisons like <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/lovable-vs-replit-vs-bubble-comparison/" target="_blank">Lovable vs. Replit</a> and <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/v0-vs-bolt-vs-bubble-comparison/" target="_blank">Bolt vs. v0</a> .</div></div><h3 id="target-audience">Target audience</h3><p>Who are you? And we don’'t mean that as a philosophical dilemma — just that Bubble and Cursor cater to very different audiences.</p><p>Bubble allows anyone to build full-stack apps regardless of programming experience because the AI app generator creates complete, working apps instantly, the AI Agent helps you add features and troubleshoot, and the visual editor lets you understand and control everything without code. Cursor is intended for professional software engineers and large engineering organizations who can read and debug the code it generates.</p><p>Non-coders can use Cursor, but it will generate code you don't understand. When you hit errors or bugs, you'll be stuck.</p><p>Bubble works visually with AI assistance — the AI Agent builds in front of you so you see each change as it happens, or you edit directly in the visual editor. You see exactly how your app works in visual workflows and natural language, not code, so you stay in control without wrestling with thousands of lines of code you don't understand.</p><p>It’'s not just about code, either. On Cursor, you need to understand all the complexities of how software works, software architecture, programming languages, and so on to effectively prompt the AI and build your app. Bubble’s visual editor is much more intuitive for nontechnical users, and doesn’t require a programming background to get started.</p><p>Can coders use Bubble? Yes, for sure! Building on Bubble makes you faster by combining AI generation (instant app foundations) with visual editing (precise control without tedious line-by-line coding), without losing any functionality. Many developers find Bubble's visual workflows faster and easier to maintain than traditional code, since Bubble's visual programming follows the same programming rules and logic as coding does. Plus, you can always add custom code if you want.</p><p>Besides how accessible and fast <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/no-code/">no-code development</a> is, Bubble has a huge library of educational resources for all skill levels, from true beginners to experienced developers. If you want to learn the basics of Bubble to build your first app, you can find how-tos, <a href="https://bubble.io/video/course-overview-1711372395041x852382985267970000">getting started guides</a>, and <a href="https://bubble.io/academy">beginner courses</a> to help you build step-by-step. If you’'re an experienced developer, advanced and detailed docs in <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/">the manual</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/BubbleIO">YouTube channel</a> will show you how to get the most out of the Bubble platform.</p><h3 id="ai-capabilities">AI capabilities</h3><p>Both Bubble and Cursor use AI differently.</p><p><strong>Bubble starts with AI-generated apps:</strong> Describe your app and key features, and get a functional V1 in minutes. The <a href="https://bubble.io/ai-app-generator">AI app generator</a> creates frontend UI, backend databases with privacy rules and sample data, and workflows — all visual, never code. Then the Bubble AI Agent helps you keep building: Chat with it to add features, troubleshoot issues, and iterate, or switch to the visual editor whenever you want precise control.</p><p>You can see and test your app immediately, then iterate with AI or visual editing. The AI Agent is your partner throughout: It generates and edits elements, data types, workflows, and expressions; troubleshoots issues by analyzing your app; and teaches you Bubble as you build — all through conversational chat.</p><p>The AI Agent already helps you:</p><ul><li>Iterate on your app by chatting with the AI Agent — it generates and edits UI elements, workflows, data types, and expressions right in the editor</li><li>Ask the AI Agent to troubleshoot issues — it analyzes your app context, identifies problems (like buttons without workflows), and helps diagnose why something isn't working</li><li>Generate native iOS and Android <a href="https://bubble.io/mobile">mobile apps</a> with AI — the AI app generator creates mobile-first UI, data types with sample data, and dynamic expressions (workflows coming soon)</li></ul><p>If you want to <a href="https://bubble.io/ai/">use AI in your app</a> — and not just to build it — Bubble's expert-maintained plugins allow you to integrate OpenAI LLMs like ChatGPT, and other LLMs like Claude, DALL-E, Grok, Gemini, and more into your app.</p><p>Cursor uses AI as a co-pilot for writing, debugging, and iterating on your code. It can serve as a researcher and resource to ask questions about your code (in Ask mode) or it can help you write, debug, and fix your code directly (Agent mode). Cursor's AI is good for:</p><ul><li>Writing and running terminal commands</li><li>Reading linter output and attempting to fix lint errors after making code changes</li><li>Making multi-line edits to your code using its proprietary "Tab" autocomplete model</li><li>Providing autocomplete suggestions with the Tab feature</li><li>Referencing and searching your code to help answer your questions, spot errors, and make improvements using codebase embeddings</li><li>Switching between different models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4o, and others to find the best fit for your task</li></ul><p>So, which approach to AI development do you want: AI that generates code you have to decipher, or AI that generates visual apps you can understand and control?</p><p>If you're looking for an AI assistant for coding, Cursor offers a great option. If you're looking to vibe code without the code — getting AI speed plus the visual control to understand, maintain, and scale what you build — Bubble is the only platform that lets you launch real apps, not just prototypes.</p><h2 id="pricing-comparison">Pricing comparison</h2><p>Cost is a key factor when choosing a platform. Both Bubble and Cursor offer free plans to get started, but their pricing models are designed for different needs.</p><p>Bubble offers a free plan for learning and building, with paid subscription tiers that scale based on your app's usage and complexity. This model supports you from the initial idea all the way to a growing business with many users. You can build for as long as you want on the Free plan, and only upgrade when you're ready to launch.</p><p>Cursor provides a "Hobby" free tier with limited AI features including limited code reviews, unlimited Cursor Ask, and GitHub integration. The Pro plan ($20/month) unlocks more powerful AI usage for individual developers, including unlimited "Tab" completions. For teams, the Business plan ($40/user/month) is billed per user and includes centralized billing, SSO, and admin controls. There is also an "Ultra" tier at $200/month for power users needing higher model usage quotas.</p><p>The key difference: Bubble's pricing scales with your business growth, while Cursor offers both individual pricing ($20/month flat rate for Pro) and team-based pricing ($40/user/month for Business plan) depending on your needs. If you're building a business, Bubble's model aligns your costs with your success. If you're a developer looking to speed up your workflow, Cursor's individual or team pricing is straightforward, though some users have noted friction with billing and cancellation processes on self-serve plans.</p><h2 id="learning-curve-and-getting-started">Learning curve and getting started</h2><p>The time to become productive depends entirely on your background.</p><p><strong>With Bubble:</strong> The learning curve focuses on visual development concepts — no programming language required. The Bubble AI Agent teaches you Bubble while it builds for you, answering questions and providing step-by-step guidance. You get immediate visual feedback as the AI creates elements and workflows in front of you.</p><p>Bubble is also home to both developers and builders without technical experience, so over the years, we've built out a huge library of educational materials for all levels and learning styles. Start with <a href="https://bubble.io/academy">Bubble Academy</a>, where you'll find interactive tutorials, written guides, one-on-one coaching, and bootcamps. If you already have technical experience, bookmark the Bubble manual for <a href="https://manual.bubble.io">detailed documentation</a>. And if you get stuck, reach out to our active community in the <a href="https://forum.bubble.io">Bubble Forum</a> for help.</p><p>Most new users can build and launch a simple app in days or weeks.</p><p><strong>With Cursor:</strong> The learning curve is much steeper for non-coders. While intuitive for experienced developers who are familiar with VS Code (Cursor is a fork of VS Code), beginners need to learn programming principles to understand AI-generated code. Reviewers on platforms like G2 note that while the transition is seamless for existing developers, the tool assumes a level of technical knowledge that can be a barrier for true beginners.</p><p>If you're starting from zero technical knowledge, Bubble gives you a path to launch without learning to code. If you already know how to code, Cursor accelerates the work you're already doing.</p><h2 id="production-examples-and-real-world-use-cases">Production examples and real-world use cases</h2><p>The type of application you can build is a major differentiator.</p><p>Bubble is used to build and launch complete, customer-facing businesses — without coding. The AI app generator and AI Agent help anyone, regardless of technical experience, create marketplaces, social networks, internal tools, and SaaS products that handle real users and transactions. The visual editor gives you the control to iterate and scale from first users to millions without switching platforms or hiring developers. The goal is real apps that grow into real businesses, not just prototypes.</p><p>Cursor is best suited for developers working on specific coding tasks. Use cases include generating a script, building a component for a larger application, refactoring existing code across multiple files, or debugging a complex function. It's a powerful assistant for a developer's day-to-day work, with enterprises reporting over 100 million lines of code written using the tool. However, it is not a platform for building an entire business from the ground up unless you are also managing the infrastructure yourself.</p><p>If you want to launch a product and scale a business, Bubble is built for that. If you want to code faster within your existing development workflow, Cursor is designed for that.</p><h2 id="bubble-vs-cursor-which-is-right-for-you">Bubble vs. Cursor: Which is right for you?</h2><p>AI coding and no-code aren’t replacements for one another — they solve different aspects of the challenges of software development. AI coding tools can be a great way to speed up the process of spinning up V1 of your app, and can give experienced programmers super-speed as they work on code.</p><p>With Bubble, anyone can vibe code without the code to build an app from start to finish and remain in control the whole time. The Bubble AI Agent helps you build and troubleshoot, but when AI can't solve something, you can always step in and edit visually yourself — you're never stuck in prompt loops trying to fix bugs through AI and not getting the results you want.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text">If you don’t understand code, generating a lot of it with AI isn’t going to build you an app or a business you can grow and maintain. No-code gives you an accessible way into programming that meets you where you are and gives you the tools you need to build an app, start to finish.</div></div><p>And for experienced developers, Bubble can still be a game-changer. Combining AI generation (instant app foundations) with visual development (faster iteration, easier maintenance) makes the entire process faster than traditional coding — without losing control or functionality. You don’t have to manage servers, balance loads, do endless debugging, or manage other technical details during iterations. You get the power of code, without the tedious work of coding every element line-by-line. And you can add custom code if you want, too.</p>
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✅ AI + visual development for every aspect of your app (design, data, and logic) makes building apps accessible for anyone — chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want control.
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❌ Developers may prefer traditional coding environments that feel familiar and use code directly.
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✅ AI can spin up the first version of your app in minutes, complete with functionality and sample data.
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❌ The Bubble AI Agent (beta) is still improving — some capabilities like editing complex workflows aren't as strong as others, and it's not perfect yet.
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✅ Stay in control the whole time, even if you don't know code.
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✅ Get built-in security features and automated vulnerability checks, so you can take your app live faster and feel confident your data is secure.
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✅ All-in-one platform gives you everything you need to build, launch, and scale a fully-functional app.
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<th>Cursor Pros</th>
<th>Cursor Cons</th>
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✅ Not locked into a single platform...
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❌ ...but you need to set up and integrate external services for your tech stack (frontend frameworks, database services like Supabase or Firebase, hosting platforms, etc.), though Cursor provides integration mechanisms through MCP servers and extensions.
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✅ Access to the underlying code with deep codebase understanding via embeddings.
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❌ You need to be confident and comfortable working with code to build a scalable app.
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✅ Familiar VS Code environment for experienced developers with multi-model support (Claude, OpenAI, etc.).
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❌ Steep learning curve for non-coders and potential billing friction for individual users.
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✅ Flexibility for any programming language.
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❌ Can be resource-intensive, with some users reporting high memory usage.
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<p>Whether a feature is a "pro" or "con" depends on your needs and experience.</p><p><strong>Cursor is better for experienced developers</strong> who want AI integrated into their development environment. When you’'re working with existing tech stacks and familiar languages, Cursor provides a flexible environment with an AI co-pilot. It helps speed up workflows and tedious coding tasks.</p><p><strong>Bubble is best for anyone</strong> who wants to build and scale businesses, not just apps. It's the only fully visual AI app builder that lets you vibe code without the code to launch real products, not prototypes. Chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want control.</p><p>Anyone can create production-grade apps without coding. The AI app generator eliminates the blank page, the AI Agent helps you build and troubleshoot as you go, and you get full control through visual editing anytime you need it—switch seamlessly between AI and visual editing.</p><p>Plus, you get built-in hosting, an all-in-one platform with a strong database and integrations, a huge community with tons of resources, and a platform you can understand without a technical background, which makes managing and scaling all aspects of your app accessible for anyone.</p><p>Curious how other no-code AI builders stack up? Check out our other comparisons:</p><ul><li><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-bolt-comparison/">Bubble vs. Bolt</a></li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-vercel-v0-comparison/">Bubble vs. v0</a></li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-replit-comparison/">Bubble vs. Replit</a></li></ul><h2 id="start-building-with-the-right-tool-for-your-needs">Start building with the right tool for your needs</h2><p>Choosing between Bubble and Cursor comes down to a simple question: Do you want to build something you can you can control and understand with the help of AI — or do you want an AI assistant that generates traditional code you have to decipher?</p><p>If you're a founder or builder focused on launching a real app without getting stuck in code — or stuck with code you can't read — Bubble provides the complete platform: AI generation for speed, visual editing for control, and enterprise infrastructure for scale. If you're a developer looking to speed up your coding tasks, Cursor is a powerful sidekick.</p><p>The best way to know for sure is to try it yourself. See how you can vibe code without the code and <a href="https://bubble.io/pricing">get started for free</a> on Bubble today.</p><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions-about-bubble-vs-cursor">Frequently asked questions about Bubble vs. Cursor</h2><h3 id="is-cursor-good-for-beginners-with-no-coding-experience">Is Cursor good for beginners with no coding experience?</h3><p>Cursor is designed for developers who already know how to code. While a beginner could use it to generate code, they would struggle to debug, customize, or maintain it without understanding the underlying programming language — leading to the three failure points of AI coding: getting stuck, the good enough trap, and tech debt. With Bubble, you see exactly how your app works in visual workflows, the AI Agent helps you build and troubleshoot, and you can always edit visually yourself — you're never stuck.</p><h3 id="can-bubble-handle-complex-enterprise-level-applications">Can Bubble handle complex, enterprise-level applications?</h3><p>Yes. Bubble is built on enterprise-grade infrastructure and is SOC 2 Type II compliant. It's used by startups and Fortune 500 companies to build and scale mission-critical applications with complex databases, workflows, and security requirements.</p><h3 id="which-tool-has-better-long-term-scalability">Which tool has better long-term scalability?</h3><p>For scaling a full application and business, Bubble is the clear choice. It includes auto-scaling infrastructure, database management, and security from day one. Cursor's scalability depends on the developer's ability to build and manage a scalable architecture using the code it helps generate.</p><h3 id="how-do-the-ai-features-compare-in-practical-use">How do the AI features compare in practical use?</h3><p>Bubble's AI generates a complete, functional first version of your app — including the database, UI, and workflows — then the Bubble AI Agent continues helping you: add features via chat, troubleshoot issues, or switch to visual editing for precise control. You see exactly how your app works in visual workflows. Cursor's AI acts as a co-pilot within a code editor, generating and debugging code you have to read and understand yourself.</p><h3 id="what-happens-if-i-outgrow-my-chosen-platform">What happens if I outgrow my chosen platform?</h3><p>With Bubble, you can scale from a free plan to a dedicated enterprise cluster that can handle millions of users without ever switching platforms. With Cursor, you own the code generated with AI assistance and can host it anywhere, but you are also responsible for managing all infrastructure and migration yourself.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Bubble is the only fully visual AI app builder that lets you vibe code without the code to build web and native mobile apps. Vercel gives you an AI assistant for code generation, iteration, and debugging. Which is right for you? We analyzed key factors to help you decide. ]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-vercel-v0-comparison/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">67f578ae17444f00013bf7ce</guid><category><![CDATA[Tool Reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[The No-Code Industry]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/Bubble-vs-Vercel--1-.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/Bubble-vs-Vercel--1-.png" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?"><p><em><strong>TL;DR: </strong>Bubble is best for anyone who wants to build production-ready web and native mobile apps without code — chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want precision, and ship real apps to real users. Vercel v0 is best for developers who want an AI coding assistant to speed up frontend prototyping but are comfortable debugging code themselves.</em></p><hr><p></p><p>AI has made app building more accessible, but most vibe coding tools leave you stuck with code you can't read or edit. We put two platforms head to head: Vercel v0 (AI that generates code) and Bubble (AI that generates apps you can understand and control visually).</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/ai-features">Bubble</a> is the only fully visual AI app builder that lets you vibe code without the code to build web and native mobile apps. You can chat with AI when you want speed, or edit in plain language and a drag-and-drop interface directly when you want precision — Bubble lets you switch seamlessly between AI and visual editing throughout the entire build process.</p><p>Vercel v0 is an AI-powered coding platform which brands itself as an “always-on pair-programmer.” It features a generative AI chat alongside a visual preview and traditional code editing capabilities. The AI can generate UI with basic functionality, write code primarily in React and Next.js (with support for other frameworks like Svelte, Vue, and Remix), execute simple JavaScript snippets, and provide guidance and suggestions for debugging and code refactoring. Developers can write, edit, collaborate, and deploy code through v0's code editing interface or through GitHub repository integration (limited to repositories created by v0).</p><h2 id="bubble-vs-vercel-v0-key-factors">Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Key factors</h2><p><strong>Bubble is better for building production-ready apps, while Vercel v0 excels at rapid prototyping.</strong> The key difference comes down to control: what happens when you need precision that prompting can't deliver.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Control Gap:</strong></b> Most vibe coding tools leave you stuck with code when AI can't deliver. Bubble removes this barrier — chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want precision.</div></div><p>The platform that gives you full control throughout wins for production use — not just fast generation, but the ability to iterate, customize, and launch:</p><ul><li>How easy does the platform make it to customize your app and iterate over time?</li><li>Do you ever have to deal with code, or can a non-coder understand their app at every point?</li><li>Does the AI cause builders to get “stuck” or do you have full control throughout the whole process?</li><li>Is scaling or building an app on this tool cost-prohibitive due to hidden fees related to AI usage?</li></ul><p>If you’re not a developer, these questions are especially important to consider. Users with technical expertise can easily download code and make manual changes as needed when the AI gets stuck, while non-technical users may find themselves endlessly prompting the AI but not getting the results they want.</p><p>Here’s a quick look at some key factors and comparisons:</p>
<!--kg-card-begin: html-->
<div class="article-table-container">
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Feature</th>
<th>Bubble</th>
<th>Vercel v0</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Initial output quality</th>
<td>⭐⭐⭐⭐</td>
<td>⭐⭐</td>
</tr>
<th>Design capabilities</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Fully visual editor for pixel-perfect control — edit directly when you want precision, chat with AI when you want speed.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Responsive design with visual design mode and code editing.</p>
</td>
<tr>
<th>Native mobile app support</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Build truly native mobile apps and deploy to the Apple App Store and Google Play. (Currently in beta.)</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐</p>
<p>No native mobile app support — requires a wrapper to approximate the native experience.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Collaboration</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Real-time collaboration with manageable permissions.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Real-time collaboration capabilities.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Backend and database support</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Native backend and database that doesn’t require technical expertise or extra costs to set up.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Can generate frontend and backend logic with database integration support (via marketplace integrations like AWS databases, Neon, Supabase).</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Security and compliance</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Custom privacy rules, security dashboard to catch vulnerabilities, and enterprise-grade security features, including SOC 2 and GDPR compliance, and advanced encryption and monitoring.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Strong security, but requires more technical expertise to set it up.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Deployment/hosting</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>One-click deployment and native hosting.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>One-click deployment to Vercel with built-in hosting.</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Technical expertise</th>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Best choice for non-coders.</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>⭐⭐⭐</p>
<p>Requires technical knowledge.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<!--kg-card-end: html-->
<p><strong>Vercel v0 is an AI assistant for developers</strong> who want to speed up frontend development. It excels at rapid prototyping but requires manual backend setup, creating roadblocks for non-technical builders.</p><p><strong>Bubble lets you vibe code without the code to ship production-grade apps.</strong> It gives you a built-in backend, databases, and hosting to go from idea to launch in one platform. You don't pay anything until you're ready to launch, and you get enterprise-grade security and scaling built in.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">⚠️</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Notice something amiss?</strong></b> This space is changing rapidly! We’re keeping our eyes out for new features, but if you notice something has changed since we last updated this article, please <a href="https://vvfjwgmf6a1.typeform.com/to/iJ3qfH6p" target="_blank">let us know here</a> so we can update it.</div></div><h2 id="how-ai-app-builders-work">How AI app builders work</h2><p>AI app builders translate natural language descriptions into applications. The AI interprets your request, plans the pages and database structure, then generates your app. This output might be traditional code (React, Next.js) or, with Bubble, a fully visual application. On Bubble, you can continue using the AI Agent to iterate, or edit directly in the visual editor.</p><h2 id="what-you-can-actually-build-with-ai-app-builders">What you can actually build with AI app builders</h2><p>AI app builders are powerful tools for creating a wide range of applications, from simple landing pages to complex marketplaces and internal tools. You can build customer-facing products like social networks or booking platforms, or create custom software to streamline your business operations, such as dashboards and project management systems. AI-generated apps provide a complete foundation with working UI, database, and workflows. From there, you can continue building with the Bubble AI Agent (beta) or switch to visual editing for precision control — both work together throughout your entire build process. The best platform lets you build how you want — chat with AI when you want speed, edit visually when you want precision, switch between them anytime.</p><h2 id="required-technical-expertise">Required technical expertise</h2><p>While AI makes app building more accessible, different platforms require different levels of expertise. The key question: when you need to customize beyond AI generation, do you face code or visual tools?</p><p>In this section, we compare how technical each platform is beyond the initial code generation.</p><h3 id="bubble-technical-approachability">Bubble technical approachability</h3><p>Bubble is designed for everyone, regardless of your technical expertise — and we've seen developers, project managers, founders, hobbyists, and everyone in between build successfully on Bubble.</p><p>That's a result of Bubble's unique combination of a visual development platform with the option for custom coding (although it's never required). It offers the best of both worlds to every skill level, and allows anyone to have full control of their app without needing code.</p><p>Bubble is an especially great choice for non-developers who want to ship production-grade apps. On Bubble, every part of app development is fully visual and accessible — not just the design, but also the backend database, privacy rules, and workflow logic that makes your app work.</p><p>AI generation gives you a massive head start, and Bubble keeps that momentum going. The AI Agent helps you iterate and add features, while the visual editor gives you precision control whenever you need it — both work together throughout your build.</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-technical-approachability">Vercel v0 technical approachability</h3><p>Vercel v0 was initially designed for developers but now serves users across skill levels, from developers to product managers, designers, and other non-technical professionals. While it excels at rapid prototyping and frontend development, it can also generate backend functionality through marketplace integrations, though more complex customizations may benefit from technical knowledge.</p><p>v0 works best for smaller projects like landing pages and dashboards. The platform lacks beginner-focused guides and assumes technical knowledge throughout the development process.</p><h3 id="which-requires-less-technical-expertise">Which requires less technical expertise?</h3><p>Bottom line: v0 is built with developers in mind, while Bubble is designed for both developers and non-developers. If you're a technical developer, v0 provides a strong AI assistant in a built-in IDE, while Bubble provides visual programming that's accessible to anyone.</p><h2 id="initial-output-quality">Initial output quality</h2><p>The first — and perhaps most obvious — point of comparison between AI app builders is the quality of their initial output. Of course, there’s always room for iteration and improvement, but how far does the AI app generator get you? Does it need lots of debugging and refactoring, or does the code mostly “just work”? How well does the AI interpret prompts?</p><p>That’s what we tested and reviewed first.</p><h3 id="bubble-ai-generated-apps">Bubble AI-generated apps</h3><p>We asked eight different users building AI-generated apps with Bubble to analyze output quality in seven core areas:</p><ul><li><strong>Spacing and layout:</strong> 4.5/5</li><li><strong>Readability and typography:</strong> 4.5/5</li><li><strong>Copy, content, and context:</strong> 4/5</li><li><strong>Navigation and orientation:</strong> 4/5</li><li><strong>Feature completeness:</strong> 3.5/5</li><li><strong>Color, branding, and consistency:</strong> 3/5</li><li><strong>Feature functionality:</strong> 3/5</li></ul><p><em>Note: Bubble AI's LLM models have been upgraded since these scores were recorded, which has led to significant improvements to output quality.</em></p><p>In our testing — and based on feedback from these users — Bubble consistently delivered excellent UI, with high rankings across the board for elements like spacing and layout, navigating, readability, and copy. Users agreed that Bubble’s AI accurately interpreted their prompts without too much effort and the frontend looked great from the first try.</p><p>Where Bubble really stood out compared to other apps we tested was with the backend and functionality it generated. For example, Vercel’s v0 didn’t generate real functionality, logic, or anything backend-related. Bubble’s built-in databases meant the AI could effectively add working functionality from the first go, not just UI elements.</p><p>This is the tricky part, though, and our testers were split on how well Bubble's AI performed with feature completeness and functionality. Some gave Bubble top scores in these areas, saying that Bubble’s AI generated all the features their app needed and they worked perfectly. Others said that their app needed more iteration for feature functionality after prompting.</p><p>More complex apps naturally need more iteration. That's where Bubble's advantage becomes clear: the AI Agent helps you add features and iterate, while the visual editor gives you precision control — you're never stuck with code you can't edit.</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-ai-generated-app-quality">Vercel v0 AI-generated app quality</h3><p>v0 app quality was not as impressive compared to Bubble or <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/tag/reviews/">other apps we tested</a>.</p><p>For one thing, it took several tries to get v0 to generate error-free code that would load in the visual preview. At first, we got a bunch of code and simply a 404 page in the preview.</p><p>We asked v0 to fix this via the AI chat, and this was the initial output we got:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-4.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/04/vercel-4.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/04/vercel-4.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-4.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>Only the very, very basics would load, despite hundreds of lines of code. After several rounds of iteration and more detailed prompting (and several more error pages), we finally got this output:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-3-2.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/04/vercel-3-2.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/04/vercel-3-2.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-3-2.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>The UI is fine, but nothing special. v0 eventually did give us the UI of most features we asked for, but many features and pages were still missing (i.e., the restaurant cards wouldn’t open to show details, there weren’t profile pages or list pages, etc.).</p><p>One of our testers said:</p><blockquote>“v0 didn’t do a great job following my prompts. In some versions, [the output] was okay, in later, more complicated versions, there are obvious issues. [For example,] not all buttons link as expected, it didn’t come fully baked, some features “work” in terms of the UI updating while on that page, but there was no backend, and other features aren’t fully implemented.”</blockquote><h3 id="which-has-better-initial-output-quality">Which has better initial output quality?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble’s app output quality was much more complete and functional than v0’s. v0 had inconsistent output (sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t), while Bubble generated strong UI and mostly functional workflows and logic on the first try.</p><h2 id="app-development-workflow">App development workflow</h2><p>What’s the actual process of creating an app with Bubble AI vs. Vercel v0? That’s what we look at in this section.</p><h3 id="how-to-create-an-app-with-ai-on-bubble">How to create an app with AI on Bubble</h3><p>Creating an app with Bubble AI has three basic steps:</p><p>Step 1: From the <a href="https://bubble.io/ai-app-generator">AI app generator</a>, input a prompt that provides a concise description of your app along with key features.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-step-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/03/bubble-step-1.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/03/bubble-step-1.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-step-1.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>Step 2: Bubble AI will interpret your prompt and double-check with you by giving you an outline of key features. If it didn’t quite capture your vision, you can edit this or add additional features at this stage. When the outline looks good, click Generate to generate your actual app.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/07/bubble-step-3---updated-2.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/07/bubble-step-3---updated-2.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/07/bubble-step-3---updated-2.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/07/bubble-step-3---updated-2.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>Step 3: It takes Bubble AI about 5–7 minutes to generate your app. You’ll get a functional app that includes frontend UI, backend databases with sample data, and workflows. The app is ready to use, launch, or iterate on with the AI Agent or visual editor.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-output.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/03/bubble-output.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/03/bubble-output.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-output.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>You can see individual pages, workflows, and databases — and everything that’s been created in each — by toggling between editor sections on the left-hand toolbar. Everything is edited and managed visually, so you have full visibility and control of every piece of your app, without having to dig into the code.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-data.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/03/bubble-data.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/03/bubble-data.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/03/bubble-data.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><h3 id="how-to-create-an-app-with-ai-in-vercel-v0">How to create an app with AI in Vercel v0</h3><p>Vercel v0 had a similar app development workflow as other builders. Here’s how it works:</p><p>First, you’ll input your prompt as usual.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-1.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/04/vercel-1.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/04/vercel-1.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-1.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>v0 immediately starts spinning up the code. It spent less time thinking and delivered the first iteration faster compared to other apps.</p><p>Visually, the development environment looked very similar to Replit and Bolt. Like those platforms, v0 uses a unified, browser-based workspace where an AI agent generates code alongside a live preview — a setup similar to Bolt’s WebContainer environment or Replit’s online IDE. On the left-hand side, you see the AI chat and on the right-hand side, you have a coding environment and a visual preview.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-2.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/04/vercel-2.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/04/vercel-2.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-2.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">v0 writing code based on a prompt</span></figcaption></figure><p>Once we’d gone through a few rounds of iteration and got the AI to generate functional output for us, you could see both the code and the visual preview, and continue iterating either directly in the code, manually, or via the AI chat.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-3.png" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/04/vercel-3.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/04/vercel-3.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/04/vercel-3.png 1280w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>The process was fine on the surface, but we found that it took a significant amount of prompting and iteration to get close to Bubble’s initial output. And even then, the output still wasn’t as complete as Bubble’s. For instance:</p><ul><li>Some pages and features were still missing, even after several rounds of prompting. Many links didn’t go anywhere (i.e., the restaurant cards didn’t open, and there were no profile pages built.)</li><li>The UI “worked” visually, but there was no database or logic set up. It was more of a sandbox or MVP tester than a fully-functional app builder.</li></ul><h2 id="design-functionality">Design functionality</h2><p>Beyond the initial output of your app, we wanted to test how each platform stacks up in terms of design.</p><ul><li>Can you create responsive designs?</li><li>Is there a drag-and-drop visual editor?</li><li>Can you use AI to generate design elements or edit them visually?</li><li>Do you get full control without code?</li></ul><h3 id="bubble-design-features">Bubble design features</h3><p>Bubble offers strong design features via the visual editor to make for a truly no-code experience. For starters, Bubble supports responsive design automatically, making it easy to create designs that look flawless on web, mobile, and any screen size. If you want, you can also set manual breakpoints and layouts for additional control, without having to code.</p><p>Bubble's visual editor is a game-changer. The flexibility you get without code allows anyone to have complete design control, which speeds up development and prevents you from getting stuck in AI prompting loops. Even complex customizations and pixel-perfect designs can all be created and managed visually.</p><p>Plus, if you already have designs in Figma or another tool, you can import those designs directly into Bubble and convert them seamlessly into a functional app.</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-design-features">Vercel v0 design features</h3><p>v0 supports responsive design and offers design mode with some visual controls for fine-tuning details. Design and UI changes can be made via the AI chat, code editing, or through the limited visual design mode interface.</p><p>v0 does integrate with Figma to allow you to upload mockups or screenshots for it to turn into code. However, our testers had mixed reviews on the accuracy of this feature. One of our testers noted that “Vercel didn’t do a great job following my prompts. I gave it an image to use as guidance for the style and it sort of did it, but also used the image itself as the background.”</p><h3 id="which-has-better-design-features">Which has better design features?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble offers stronger design features. v0 isn’t built as a design-heavy tool, so while it allows for design through the code, and minimally, through the AI chat or some visual controls, Bubble provides a robust visual editor to give you complete design control without code.</p><h2 id="mobile-app-development">Mobile app development</h2><p>Responsive design is a good first step to capturing some mobile traffic, but being able to offer native mobile apps is a much better solution for most brands. We looked at which platforms support mobile app development and what capabilities are available.</p><h3 id="mobile-app-development-on-bubble">Mobile app development on Bubble</h3><p><a href="http://bubble.io/mobile">Native mobile app development</a> is in public beta and available to all Bubble users. Bubble’s familiar visual no-code editor supports both web and mobile apps, eliminating the need for multiple platforms and reducing the learning curve and time needed for building.</p><p>Bubble’s mobile app editor includes the ability to create React Native apps without code and adding native mobile elements, gestures, and functionality all from the Bubble editor. For example, you’ll be able to:</p><ul><li>Build from mobile-specific building blocks, rather than working from web pages and designing responsively.</li><li>Develop common mobile navigation patterns, like stack navigation (swiping or tapping), modal screens (pop-up screens over the main view), and bottom sheets (elements that slide up from the bottom of the screen).</li><li>Add mobile-friendly interactions like swipe, long-press, and tap.</li><li>Incorporate native device features, such as access to the camera, microphone, photo library, push notifications, and more.</li></ul><p>Plus, you can preview and test everything using BubbleGo, our app for mobile testing. Then, publish your app directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store right from the Bubble editor.</p><h3 id="mobile-app-development-on-vercel-v0">Mobile app development on Vercel v0</h3><p>v0 doesn’t specifically support mobile app development yet. It also doesn’t support React Native frameworks, meaning you won’t be able to create specific mobile features or functionality directly through v0.</p><p>You can use v0 to generate React or Next.js code, which can then be converted to native mobile app frameworks like React Native with some technical expertise. But if you’re looking to build true mobile apps with v0, you’ll need to export your code and iterate on the code manually to create a native mobile app based on the existing functionality.</p><h3 id="which-is-better-for-mobile-app-development">Which is better for mobile app development?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble has the clear advantage for mobile app development with AI, given it's native mobile app builder. While both platforms support responsive design for mobile web, v0 doesn’t offer true native app development.</p><h2 id="customizability">Customizability</h2><p>Building great apps requires ongoing iteration and customization. The key question: Can you customize using AI, visual tools, or both — and can you switch seamlessly between them?</p><h3 id="customization-on-bubble">Customization on Bubble</h3><p>Customization has always been a huge strength for Bubble. And now with AI, builders get even more tools to leverage the flexibility, control, and customization Bubble is known for.</p><p>On Bubble, you get nearly limitless customization options, plus the flexibility to work in a way that makes sense for you. Chat with the AI Agent when you want to iterate quickly, edit visually when you want precision control, or write custom code if you really want to — switch between them anytime. If you would rather start with a template to just move forward quickly, that’s supported too.</p><p>You always have the option of using Bubble’s visual, drag-and-drop editor to make everything exactly as you envisioned it, from the look and feel of your app down to complex logic and workflows. Bubble’s visual editor gives you full control over UI design, workflows, triggers, actions, data types, database structure, conditionals, and more. Plus, you can add reusable styles and elements to further speed up your design and development.</p><p>The great thing about Bubble is that the AI tools never lock you in to a single way of working — instead, they work with the visual editor to give you more ways to speed up your workflow and overcome the initial blank page.</p><p>In short: Bubble gives you full control and customization options in every part of your app’s frontend and backend, and supports all of it visually — no code needed.</p><h3 id="customization-in-vercel-v0">Customization in Vercel v0</h3><p>v0 offers complete customization via manual coding, but that’s not unique to the platform — you could achieve that by writing code traditionally too. So where do v0’s customization options show up?</p><p>v0 offers some customization via the AI chat, but as with any LLM right now, it can be difficult to prompt it and consistently get the output you’re expecting. One benefit they do offer is that you can select specific elements to customize or change, focusing the AI’s output on a specific area and reducing the likelihood that the AI will break something else in the process.</p><p>However, it’s currently pretty difficult to achieve something complex in v0 without technical expertise. v0 isn’t designed to be an all-in-one, full-stack app builder. Most of the use cases showcased in their templates and on their community pages are dashboards, landing pages, portfolios, and simple tools.</p><p>v0 doesn’t claim to be more than an assistant, either. Vercel describes v0 as a great way to support debugging, plan new features, streamline development, spin up landing pages or demos, or create interactive mockups or prototypes.</p><p>So in short: There’s some customization offered, particularly if you have the technical expertise to manipulate the code directly, but v0 isn’t a full-stack platform designed to help you customize and create anything you can imagine.</p><h3 id="which-offers-stronger-customization">Which offers stronger customization?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble wins on customization by far. Bubble is designed for anyone to be able to build anything you can think of without needing traditional programming — and without having to rely on AI for every customization. AI + Bubble gives you speed, but the visual editor is still there for you to have complete control and customization without code.</p><p>v0 offers some level of customization via AI or traditional coding, but the platform isn’t designed to support complex app development or complete customization. It’s more designed as an assistant for larger development projects or quick prototypes.</p><h2 id="collaboration">Collaboration</h2><p>With AI, building apps as a team of one is easier than ever.</p><p>But if you’re looking to build, launch, and scale a customer-facing product or enterprise tool for your internal team, you’ll likely want more than one person to be able to work on it, iterate, and help you improve the app. This section compares how each of these tools support collaboration.</p><h3 id="collaborating-on-bubble">Collaborating on Bubble</h3><p><a href="https://manual.bubble.io/help-guides/maintaining-an-application/collaboration">Collaborating on Bubble</a> is super simple. Bubble is designed for professional use, so you’ll find all the collaboration tools you need, depending on your plan, including:</p><ul><li>Adding as many users as you need to collaborate on apps with you.</li><li>Inviting different users to different apps you own.</li><li>Setting individual access permissions for each users, including managing edit access to different elements of your apps.</li><li>Collaborating and working together on an app in real-time.</li></ul><h3 id="collaborating-in-vercel-v0">Collaborating in Vercel v0</h3><p>v0 also offers some collaboration features. Keep in note that you do need to be on a Team or Enterprise plan to have access to these.</p><p>v0 allows you to connect your code to a Git repository for collaboration via GitHub. Changes made through AI chat are synced to your Git repository when you deploy, helping you and your team stay coordinated.</p><p>Vercel's platform offers commenting functionality on preview deployments. You can share preview deployments with team members, friends, shareholders, or anyone you'd like, and they can add comments that you can view from the Vercel dashboard.</p><h3 id="which-is-better-for-collaboration">Which is better for collaboration?</h3><p>Bottom line: Both tools provide good collaboration options. v0 uses a more traditional programming setup, with shared Git repositories and commenting features. Bubble takes a simpler collaboration approach, allowing you to add anyone you’d like to your apps to either view or edit as you wish, right in the Bubble platform.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">🚀</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The easiest way to see how an AI builder works?</strong></b> Try it out for yourself. After all, it only takes a few minutes. <a href="https://bubble.io/ai-features/?utm_content=post-bubble-vs-vercel-v0-comparison&utm_medium=blog" target="_blank">Test out Bubble</a>’<a href="https://bubble.io/ai-features/?utm_content=post-bubble-vs-vercel-v0-comparison&utm_medium=blog" target="_blank">s AI app builder with a simple idea and see how quickly you can go from idea to functional app →</a></div></div><h2 id="iteration-and-optimization">Iteration and optimization</h2><p>There are two types of performance improvements a tool might offer for your app: code optimization and code iteration.</p><p>Platforms handle iteration and optimization differently. Code-based tools require refactoring and debugging code. Bubble uses visual workflows and tools you can understand and optimize directly — no code involved.</p><p>Code iteration is changing or adding new code to include additional features or updated functionality in your app. Some AI app builders allow you to iterate on your code and add new features with AI, some require you to do this manually, and others offer multiple options for code iteration.</p><h3 id="bubble-optimization-and-iteration">Bubble optimization and iteration</h3><p>On Bubble, refactoring isn’t necessary. Since your app’s logic is handled through Bubble’s visual programming language, traditional code refactoring isn’t part of the process. This can be a big time-saver! Sometimes, as businesses grow and scale on Bubble, they want to find ways to make their app run more efficiently to optimize costs. If and when you reach this point, you’ll find plenty of ways to do this from our community or through our resources — but it’s not a must from day one like it is with code.</p><p>Iteration happens through the AI Agent or visual editor. The AI Agent can help you add features, troubleshoot, and continue building, while the visual editor lets you manually add and adjust functionality, features, UI, UX, workflows, logic, and everything else related to your app.</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-optimization-and-iteration">Vercel v0 optimization and iteration</h3><p>v0 offers both AI-driven iteration and some optimization capabilities.</p><p>AI-powered code iteration on v0 happens via the AI chat. You can prompt the AI with additional features or changes to the UI that you want. In our experience, the output of these prompts was mixed. In some cases, the AI iteration broke code that was previously working or misunderstood the prompt, while in other cases it worked well.</p><p>You can also use v0’s AI chat to help with code optimization, such as asking for assistance with debugging, finding and fixing errors, or providing code suggestions and best practices. For example, Vercel touts that v0’s AI assistant can help optimize code with prompts like, “Optimize the performance of this React component that’s re-rendering too often.”</p><p>Of course, this does require some technical knowledge to accurately analyze the code and understand how to prompt the AI, but having the AI assistant can provide speed and support for experienced developers.</p><h3 id="which-offers-better-iteration-and-optimizations">Which offers better iteration and optimizations?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble offers both AI-powered iteration via the AI Agent and visual editing for precision control. v0 only offers AI prompting — when it can't deliver, you're stuck with code. Bubble lets you switch seamlessly between AI and visual.</p><h2 id="security">Security</h2><p>Solid security is an absolute must if you want to build and launch a production-grade app. For this section, we compared how well each platform protects your app data and customer data, what security certifications and features are built-in to the platform, and how easy it is to set them up — even without technical experience.</p><h3 id="bubble-security-features">Bubble security features</h3><p>Bubble offers <a href="https://bubble.io/security">strong security</a> out of the box with built-in, enterprise-grade security features that protect both your app data and your end-users’ data. Bubble is SOC 2 Type II compliant, meets GDPR standards, and provides enterprise-grade infrastructure (AWS) and data encryption (HTTPS with SSL encryption and encrypted at rest with AES-256 via AWS RDS).</p><p>Put simply: On Bubble, your data is automatically encrypted both when it’s stored and when it’s being sent between users and your app.</p><p>Bubble also allows builders to easily set up app-level privacy rules and restrictions, again using the visual editor — so you don’t have to code. Bubble doesn’t define privacy rules automatically, but it guides you through the process of creating and defining <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/core-resources/data/privacy">privacy rules</a> to make sure that end users are never exposed to app data they shouldn’t have.</p><p>Plus, Bubble's security dashboard allows you to run automated security checks that scan your app for potential vulnerabilities and alert you before they become problems.</p><p>Other built-in security features include:</p><ul><li>Built-in user authentication with options for 2FA, SSO, and more.</li><li>Vulnerability testing</li><li>DDoS protection and Cloudflare blocking to prevent attacks</li><li>Flusk monitoring to identify vulnerabilities and get proactive alerts</li></ul><p>Not to mention that Bubble has a strong, established track record of hosting and maintaining apps with thousands of users around the world — a testament to Bubble’s security, stability, and production-grade environment.</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-security-features">Vercel v0 security features</h3><p>v0 offers strong security features as well. When you build on v0 and launch with Vercel, you get access to Vercel’s security, including:</p><ul><li>SOC 2 Type II compliance and GDPR compliance</li><li>Built-in DDoS mitigation for all apps</li><li>SSO available for Pro and Enterprise users (as an add-on for Pro)</li><li>2FA available for all users</li><li>Encrypted storage on Vercel's cloud servers (AES-256 encryption at rest, HTTPS/TLS 1.3 in transit)</li></ul><p>However, the process of securing your own app and privacy settings requires a bit more technical expertise. Generated code isn’t secure by default, and v0 doesn’t have guides or settings to walk you through the process of making it secure. You’ll need to understand how to set up user authentication, database security features, and other privacy rules on your own. You’ll also need to review the code manually for security and vulnerability checks.</p><h3 id="which-has-stronger-security">Which has stronger security?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble and v0 both offer strong security features, but Bubble makes it easier to set them up, while developing a fully secure app with v0 requires some technical knowledge. Bubble's visual privacy tools and security dashboard also allow non-programmers to set up and test custom privacy rules for their apps with just a few clicks — no code needed. With v0, the responsibility is on the builder to understand and implement privacy features.</p><h2 id="deployment-and-hosting">Deployment and hosting</h2><p>Ideally, a great AI platform will also make it easy to deploy (“push live”) and host your app or website. After all, you don’t want a super easy, no-code building process only to get stuck with a bunch of technical steps at the end trying to share your app with others!</p><h3 id="deploying-and-hosting-bubble-apps">Deploying and hosting Bubble apps</h3><p>Bubble makes deployment and hosting super easy — everything is built-in, so you can publish your site in one click and host it on Bubble’s servers.</p><p>When you're ready to publish your app, just click the Deploy button in the header nav bar.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf2CZjrl4HSWt21MtuVGwah93BuBr-TF3XHB6FYgkaSJdd5wDLwOyuE56yqFbgDZE5HjbAmdiYLNtCw02oOwGhP39rZDHB2XHayF7bEaqme2P46zqPfgmznMBYwpfYovASd4sCV?key=WR52VYfNAnIlnFBpNDCVtwc4" class="kg-image" alt="Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which Is the Best AI-Powered App Builder?" loading="lazy" width="1151" height="145"></figure><p>All-in-one hosting makes updates and iterations faster, while giving you less platforms to juggle (and pay for!).</p><p>And of course, Bubble doesn't stop at web apps. With Bubble's native mobile capabilities, you can publish directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store right from the editor — no Xcode, Android Studio, or mobile development expertise required. Bubble handles the packaging, configures your app settings (like icons and splash screens), and validates everything before you submit. Need to push a quick fix after launch? Over-the-air updates let you ship changes instantly without waiting for app store resubmission. Early adopters have gone from idea to live app store listing in just one to two weeks, building web and native mobile apps from a single platform with a shared backend.</p><h3 id="deploying-and-hosting-vercel-v0-apps">Deploying and hosting Vercel v0 apps</h3><p>v0 makes deployment and hosting straightforward through integration with the Vercel platform. With marketplace integrations, v0 can generate both frontend and backend functionality, including database setup, allowing you to deploy fully-functional apps. The deployment process involves clicking 'Deploy' to create a staged deployment, which can then be promoted to production.</p><p>When you’re ready to go live, you can deploy your v0 app by clicking the 'Deploy' button to create a staged deployment, which can then be promoted to production. Deployments are managed through the Vercel platform.</p><h3 id="which-is-better-for-deployment-and-hosting">Which is better for deployment and hosting?</h3><p>Bottom line: Both Bubble and v0 have built-in deployment and hosting, which makes the final “go live” process pretty straightforward. Bubble’s deployment process is slightly more geared toward non-developers, while v0’s will feel more familiar to those used to traditional deployment lifecycles.</p><h2 id="education">Education</h2><p>AI is making software development more accessible, but most vibe coding tools still require technical expertise to handle the generated code. Bubble is different — fully visual throughout, with the AI Agent helping you learn as you build. Still, educational resources to learn any platform and help troubleshoot are key.</p><p>In this section, we evaluated the level and quality of education each platform provided.</p><h3 id="bubble-education-materials">Bubble education materials</h3><p>Bubble is home to both developers and builders without technical experience, so over the years, we've built out a huge library of educational materials for all levels and learning styles. Between our academy, resource library, technical manual, and more, you'll find everything you need in a variety of formats.</p><p>If you're new to Bubble, start with <a href="https://bubble.io/academy">Bubble Academy</a> — we recently redesigned it to make it easier to browse, evaluate, and start learning. Each course now has its own landing page where you can see what you'll learn, how long it takes, and what skill level it's designed for before you dive in. Once you start a course, you'll see the full lesson list from the beginning, so you can plan your time and understand how everything fits together. You'll also find interactive tutorials that walk you through every step, one by one, plus step-by-step written guides, one-on-one coaching, and bootcamps.</p><p>If you already have a lot of technical experience, just bookmark the <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/new-start-here">Bubble manual</a>, where you'll find detailed documentation on just about every aspect of the platform.</p><p>You can also learn as you build with the Bubble AI Agent. Instead of digging through documentation, ask the Agent your questions directly and get targeted answers specific to what you're trying to accomplish. It can provide step-by-step guidance for tasks like API integrations or plugin setup, explain how different parts of your app work, and help you troubleshoot issues — all while teaching you Bubble along the way.</p><p>If you get stuck at any point, you can always reach out to our active and engaged community in the <a href="https://forum.bubble.io/">Bubble forum</a> for help!</p><h3 id="vercel-v0-education-materials">Vercel v0 education materials</h3><p>v0 offers documentation covering getting started, prompting techniques, iteration tools, integrations, and deployment. It includes guides for various skill levels, though it is more developer-focused. Additional resources include prompting guides, community forums, and Vercel Academy courses.</p><p>We did find some helpful third-party resources on YouTube for beginners and non-developers looking to build on v0, but you’ll have to expect a steep learning curve and be prepared to invest more time into finding your own resources.</p><h3 id="which-offers-better-education">Which offers better education?</h3><p>Bottom line: Bubble offers far more educational materials and resources compared to v0. There’s very little technical documentation or guidance on using the v0 platform, and what documentation exists is written for a technical audience. Bubble has a wealth of resources for all skill levels to make it easy to get started and go beyond the basics of the Bubble platform.</p><h2 id="bubble-vs-vercel-v0-which-is-right-for-you">Bubble vs. Vercel v0: Which is right for you?</h2><p>Bubble and Vercel v0 take fundamentally different approaches: v0 generates code you have to read and debug, while Bubble generates visual apps you can immediately understand and control. This difference determines who they're suited for.</p><p>Vercel v0 is designed as an AI assistant for creating frontends or quick mockups and interactive prototypes. It’s best suited for experienced developers who are comfortable coding but want to speed up their work with AI. It provides a coding environment, GitHub and backend integrations, and strong collaboration tools, but it would be challenging for a non-developer to build a fully functional app on v0.</p><p>Bubble is the only fully visual AI app builder that lets you vibe code without the code. Even if you’re a beginner, you get full control through seamless AI-visual workflow: chat with the AI Agent when you want speed, edit directly when you want precision, switch between them anytime.</p><p>Plus, you get a full-stack platform that includes frontend, backend, and logic, a huge community with tons of resources, and a platform you can understand without a technical background, which makes managing and scaling your app accessible for anyone.</p><p>Curious how other no-code AI builders stack up? Check out our other comparisons:</p><ul><li><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-replit-comparison/">Bubble vs. Replit</a> (an AI-powered cloud IDE)</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-lovable-comparison/">Bubble vs. Lovable</a> (an AI builder for React and Supabase apps)</li></ul><p>Of course, the best way to get a feel for a platform is to test it out for yourself. See how Bubble AI works and <a href="https://bubble.io/ai-features">start building in our visual editor for free</a> →</p><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions-about-ai-app-builders">Frequently asked questions about AI app builders</h2><h3 id="how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-an-app-with-ai-app-builders">How much does it cost to build an app with AI app builders?</h3><p>Costs vary widely — some platforms charge based on AI usage credits, while others like Bubble include AI features in standard plans. Always check for separate fees for AI generation, hosting, and database usage.</p><h3 id="can-i-switch-between-ai-app-builders-if-im-not-satisfied">Can I switch between AI app builders if I'm not satisfied?</h3><p>Switching is difficult — code-based platforms may allow exports, but visual platforms like Bubble build apps within their ecosystem. Choose a platform you're confident in for the long term.</p><h3 id="how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-an-ai-app-builder">How long does it take to learn an AI app builder?</h3><p>You can generate your first app in minutes on most platforms. The real difference: platforms like v0 leave you to figure out code yourself, while Bubble's AI Agent teaches you as you build, and the visual editor shows you how everything works in natural language. Platforms with visual editors, like Bubble, are designed to be learned by non-technical users in weeks, while code-based platforms may require a background in programming to master.</p><h3 id="do-ai-app-builders-work-with-existing-business-tools">Do AI app builders work with existing business tools?</h3><p>Most do, but the method varies. Some offer a marketplace of pre-built plugins for popular services like Stripe or Google Maps. Others require you to connect to external tools via APIs. Bubble offers both a large plugin marketplace and a powerful API Connector, giving you the flexibility to integrate with almost any service.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[January Founder AMA Recap: How We Ship Features, the New Podcast, and 2026 Priorities]]></title><description><![CDATA[Emmanuel kicked off the new year with our latest AMA, covering AI Agent updates, the new podcast, mobile development, and more.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/january-2026-founder-ama/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696fcb27feab1f0001acc418</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><category><![CDATA[The No-Code Industry]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emmanuel Straschnov]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:00:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2026/01/Emmanuel-AMA-1.15_blog.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2026/01/Emmanuel-AMA-1.15_blog.png" alt="January Founder AMA Recap: How We Ship Features, the New Podcast, and 2026 Priorities"><p>Earlier this week, Emmanuel hosted our third monthly Ask Me Anything session to kick off 2026. He opened by explaining how Bubble thinks about shipping new features — why we release things in beta, how we gather feedback, and what users can expect from the process. From there, he announced the new Bubble podcast, shared updates on AI and mobile development, and answered questions about where the platform is headed this year. Below you can watch the full AMA or read a summary of the key topics discussed.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fBepCtckFY0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen title="[LIVE] January AMA with Emmanuel (Bubble Co-Founder Q&A)"></iframe></figure><hr><h2 id="how-bubble-thinks-about-beta-releases">How Bubble thinks about beta releases</h2><p>Emmanuel opened the AMA by addressing a question that came up often in December: why Bubble sometimes releases features—like the new property editor—while they’re still evolving.</p><p>He started by acknowledging the role of power users and beta testers. “The feedback we get from early testers is incredibly valuable,” he said. “It helps us catch issues early and push the product forward.”</p><p>At the same time, Emmanuel explained that beta testers often represent a specific set of advanced workflows. “They tend to use Bubble in very deep ways, which is great—but it’s not the only way Bubble is used,” he noted. He pointed to two other groups the team needs to account for: founders building businesses who aren’t active in the community, and new users who experience the property editor simply as ‘how Bubble works.’</p><p>The goal isn’t to ship something broken—it’s to combine expert feedback with real-world usage across a broader set of users, so the team can prioritize the right fixes. “We need to see how different people actually interact with these changes,” Emmanuel said.</p><p>Functionality always comes first. “The last thing we want is for anyone—especially our most experienced users—to be less productive,” he added. That’s why users can opt out if needed, and opt back in over time as improvements roll out.</p><hr><h2 id="announcing-the-new-build-a-new-podcast-by-bubble">Announcing The New Build, a new podcast by Bubble</h2><p><a href="https://forum.bubble.io/t/tune-in-to-our-new-podcast-the-new-build-podcast/389117"><u>Bubble is launching a podcast</u></a> this month, hosted by Emmanuel and video producer Abhinav.</p><p>The focus won’t be on Bubble as a product. Instead, the show will feature founders sharing their stories and how they’re scaling their businesses online. “We want them to share stories to create both knowledge and inspiration for a lot of other people that are thinking about starting business online,” Emmanuel said.</p><p>Most guests will be Bubble users, but the goal is broader: helping entrepreneurs learn from people who are a little further along in their journey. “[Hearing from other entrepreneurs] teaches me a lot of lessons and hopefully prevents me from making some mistakes,” Emmanuel said of why he has always personally valued the kind of learnings the podcast aims to provide.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">🎧</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/the-new-build-01-elita/"><u>Listen to our first episode with Elita, a pet health startup that pitched (and won) at SXSW Sydney →</u></a></div></div><hr><h2 id="questions-about-ai">Questions about AI</h2><h3 id="what-new-ai-features-are-coming">What new AI features are coming?</h3><p>The AI Agent is getting weekly updates. Since the October launch, the team has shipped:</p><ul><li>UI element creation and modification</li><li>Dynamic expression editing</li><li>Data type creation (released last week)</li><li>Front-end workflow generation (going live "any day")</li></ul><p>Initial app generation, which was previously web-only, now works for mobile apps too.</p><p>“The theme for us for the next three or four months is ensuring everything that can be done traditionally — with a mouse and a keyboard in our editor through clicks — should be done in natural language,” Emmanuel said.</p><h3 id="is-it-normal-to-prefer-bubble-without-ai">Is it normal to prefer Bubble without AI?</h3><p>“I think it’s totally fine," Emmanuel said. Some experienced users are faster building manually, which isn’t surprising — once you know where to click, things can move extremely fast.</p><p>That said, AI will continue improving. “Our job is to make it better at automating a few tasks. And so I still think you will end up eventually saving time with some AI. But it’s really up to you.”</p><h3 id="can-the-bubble-agent-write-custom-code">Can the Bubble Agent write custom code?</h3><p>Not today, but Emmanuel doesn’t see why it wouldn’t eventually. “It’s honestly not very high on the list because there are many other things,” he said. The priority is enabling the Agent to do anything you can currently do manually. But since underlying LLMs already know how to generate code, “it’s probably something [that wouldn’t be very] hard for us to do.”</p><h3 id="are-there-plans-to-integrate-ai-providers-directly-into-bubble">Are there plans to integrate AI providers directly into Bubble?</h3><p>Some vibe coding platforms let you connect to AI services with one click rather than setting up API calls yourself. Emmanuel confirmed this is something the team discusses. “I would love to go there because I think it's a better experience for everyone. But we need a little bit of time and it’s not the first thing on the list right now.”</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-mobile-development">Questions about mobile development</h2><h3 id="when-will-in-app-purchases-be-available">When will in-app purchases be available?</h3><p>Early February — specifically, the first week. “Very excited about this one,” Emmanuel said. For context, in-app purchases let native app builders use Apple’s and Google’s payment SDKs for subscriptions and purchases, which is a requirement for many consumer apps.</p><h3 id="what-about-mobile-plugins">What about mobile plugins?</h3><p>Emmanuel acknowledged that plugin availability is a current limitation. “Plugins are definitely something that’s important and that we’re actively working on right now." But the team is focusing on getting in-app purchases out the door first.</p><p>On the fact that many mobile plugins cost money to use: “Mobile development is more expensive than web development in the world. If you’re looking for a mobile engineer, it’s going to be harder to find them than a web engineer.”</p><h3 id="could-ai-translate-a-web-app-into-a-native-app-or-vice-versa">Could AI translate a web app into a native app (or vice versa)?</h3><p>“Yes, that’s definitely the type of thing we’re talking about [the AI Agent eventually being able to do].” It’s not the immediate priority — the Agent needs to first cover everything you can do manually — but Emmanuel sees clear value: “If someone wants a native mobile app and they’ve already built a web app, if we can come up with the first draft of that first version in a couple of minutes, why not?”</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-pricing-and-workload-units">Questions about pricing and workload units</h2><h3 id="how-is-bubble-making-apps-more-cost-efficient">How is Bubble making apps more cost efficient?</h3><p>Emmanuel emphasized that a large portion of Bubble’s engineering resources go toward platform optimization. “A lot of what they do is ensuring that we do things efficiently. And usually what happens when we do things efficiently on the backend is that [everything’s]  more scalable, but it also gets cheaper for people because we just don’t waste resources.”</p><p>He was clear about the company's incentives when it comes to usage-based pricing: “We’re not trying to make money when people make mistakes in the way they build their application. We’re trying to make money when they’re really scaling and having success.”</p><p>No pricing changes are currently planned, but the team continuously monitors the market.</p><h3 id="can-workload-units-roll-over-month-to-month">Can workload units roll over month to month?</h3><p>Not currently, and there are no active plans to change that. “It’s usually not how things work when you pay, basically, for an allotted usage,"" Emmanuel said. Some services offer rollovers at a premium, but it’s not necessarily more economical. The team is monitoring for opportunities, but nothing is planned.</p><h3 id="will-there-be-regional-pricing-for-countries-with-lower-purchasing-power">Will there be regional pricing for countries with lower purchasing power?</h3><p>Not yet. “The challenge is that our entire business is US-based,” Emmanuel explained. Bubble’s employees are paid US salaries and all our overhead and operational expenses are in US dollars at US costs.</p><p>He noted that even much larger companies like Zapier don’t localize pricing yet — it typically requires local support teams and careful implementation to prevent abuse. “It’s something we’re thinking about [for someday]. But frankly, when I look at our peers and the cost and all the infrastructure we would have to do to do that cleanly, it’s something that would take a lot of work and we can’t really do today.”</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-platform-and-infrastructure">Questions about platform and infrastructure</h2><h3 id="what-about-code-ownership-and-vendor-lock-in">What about code ownership and vendor lock-in?</h3><p>Emmanuel acknowledged this question has resurfaced with the rise of vibe coding. His response: lock-in exists everywhere.</p><p>“If your backend is running on Firebase with Google, you’re going to be locked in with Firebase from Google,” he said. “This idea that code prevents you from being locked in is not entirely true."</p><p>For Bubble specifically, the commitment is stability. The platform team — nearly half of Bubble’s engineering resources — focuses on ensuring applications can scale and don’t need to move off-platform. And the company's longstanding promise remains: If something ever happens to the business, Bubble will release its source code so applications can continue running.</p><h3 id="are-there-plans-for-hosting-outside-the-us-without-an-enterprise-plan">Are there plans for hosting outside the US without an Enterprise plan?</h3><p>Someday, but it’s a major project. "Bubble is a complicated system. It’s not like you just have one server and that’s it. We have the web server, the database, caching. We have a lot of things going on and everything needs to be moved at the same time.”</p><p>Emmanuel confirmed that some work toward this eventual goal will happen in 2026, though he wouldn’t commit to a specific timeline. In the meantime, he encouraged anyone with data residency requirements to reach out to the sales team — custom configurations may be possible even outside a full Enterprise plan.</p><h3 id="what-about-improving-page-load-speeds-and-server-side-processing">What about improving page load speeds and server-side processing?</h3><p>Speed optimization is ongoing work, not a one-time project. “That’s one of the key KPIs the platform team is looking at every day,” Emmanuel said.</p><p>On server-side rendering specifically: “We’ve talked a lot about that over the years, trying to figure out when is the right time. I’m not going to commit on anything here.” It’s being discussed but isn’t where the team sees the highest leverage compared to other platform work.</p><h3 id="are-there-plans-to-improve-nested-searches-and-joins">Are there plans to improve nested searches and joins?</h3><p>Yes, this is something the platform team actively monitors. “They’re going to look at a dashboard where they see latencies when it comes to database queries. And if they see some queries being slow, they’re going to look at why that happens.”</p><p>Optimization work happens continuously, though Emmanuel couldn’t speak to specific use cases without more detail.</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-enterprise-and-compliance">Questions about enterprise and compliance</h2><h3 id="is-hipaa-compliance-coming">Is HIPAA compliance coming?</h3><p>Yes, and hopefully not too far in the future. “That’s something we’re actually very actively thinking about,” Emmanuel said. It's a major undertaking — “we take security and compliance seriously, and being HIPAA compliant and doing it in a clean way is a major piece of work" — but the team is working on it.</p><p>HIPAA will be an enterprise feature. Emmanuel encouraged anyone interested to reach out to the sales team for updates.</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-learning-and-professional-development">Questions about learning and professional development</h2><h3 id="whats-your-recommendation-for-professional-web-developers-to-be-most-successful">What's your recommendation for professional web developers to be most successful?</h3><p>Two things: learn the platform, and learn product thinking.</p><p>On platform expertise: “It’s tempting to just throw yourself in the platform and start building something. And it feels cool at first, especially now with AI.” But <a href="https://bubble.io/academy"><u>investing a few hours in learning</u></a> will differentiate you when it comes to product quality. “We [often see that] when people start having issues with their applications, it’s usually because they paid someone [to build it] that was not particularly good.”</p><p>On product thinking: Consider questions like, “How should I structure an application to make sure it makes sense for the user, that it's easy to maintain? How many pages is a good number of pages?” These questions aren’t Bubble-specific — you’d face them in any development environment. So it pays to invest some time into learning about product development and product thinking, too.</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-bubble%E2%80%99s-direction">Questions about Bubble’s direction</h2><h3 id="why-focus-on-ai-when-there-are-bugs-and-long-awaited-features">Why focus on AI when there are bugs and long-awaited features?</h3><p>Emmanuel was direct: “We <em>are</em> working on bugs.” The team has dedicated triage resources and is forming an editor quality team.</p><p>But the question of why not pause AI work entirely comes down to market relevance. “When people who didn’t know about us before start using Bubble today, they expect to have this natural language experience where you can start typing and conversing with a piece of software that’s going to start doing things for you. And if we don’t have that, people will not even engage with our product.”</p><p>He framed the stakes clearly: “If we don’t invest in AI, we will not be relevant. And ultimately, everybody in the Bubble community has a very high vested interest in Bubble being around for a long time.”</p><h3 id="what-would-you-say-to-former-bubble-developers-who-left-for-alternatives-like-claude-code">What would you say to former Bubble Developers who left for alternatives like Claude Code?</h3><p>“We miss you — and we think you will come back.”</p><p>Emmanuel’s view is that visual development is the future. “If you’re a web application, the fact that you have to deal with ‘if then else’ is not right. You should have a layer to do that, a visual abstraction. That’s precisely what Bubble is."</p><p>He acknowledged that Bubble is currently behind on AI-powered code generation compared to tools like Claude Code. “I can see why people would do that. But I do think something like Bubble, like a visual language, is the future versus code.”</p><h3 id="does-bubble-actually-use-bubble">Does Bubble actually use Bubble?</h3><p>Yes, extensively. Bubble.io itself is a Bubble app, built by a team of about five internal Bubble Developers. Other examples: The success team uses Bubble-built tools for gathering feedback and managing a CRM. The strategic accounts team built their own CRM for enterprise client workflows and application auditing.</p><p>Emmanuel noted a challenge: “Engineers building the product are not the ones using the product naturally because they’re in code.” To address this, the company runs regular internal Bubble hackathons, and every new hire builds an application on Bubble as part of onboarding.</p><hr><h2 id="rapid-fire-answers">Rapid-fire answers</h2><p><strong>Will the property editor opt-in be permanent?</strong> No — eventually it will be the default experience for everyone. Emmanuel encouraged users to opt in periodically to get comfortable with changes and provide feedback.</p><p><strong>Is it possible to see real-time workload unit usage when testing?</strong> The best way to do that right now is to look at server logs, which show consumption for each action. But Emmanuel cautioned against optimizing too early: “Focus on the experience, making sure that you have something that works well, and then focus on cost.”</p><p><strong>Are there plans to improve Flexbox properties for the responsive engine?</strong> Not actively being worked on and hasn’t surfaced as a major limitation. If it’s important to you, submit feedback through the <a href="https://bubble.io/ideaboard"><u>ideaboard</u></a>.</p><p><strong>Are there plans to incorporate AI into the help docs?</strong> Emmanuel found the idea interesting and will surface it to the team. In the meantime, LLMs like ChatGPT already know a lot about Bubble.</p><hr><p>Thanks for joining us for the January AMA. We’ll see you next month — and don’t forget to subscribe to The New Build podcast on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoNVJrdvQQYnspOK4NkUSkzZkRYfrVQle"><u>YouTube</u></a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3StQMmYoczlfimD3yAjOZ6?si=GgfGVxo8TG6IjCfU3k6AnA"><u>Spotify</u></a>, or <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-build/id1868805926"><u>Apple Podcasts</u></a>!</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Episode 1: 6 Weeks to Pivot, Build, and Win SXSW With Elita]]></title><description><![CDATA[A pandemic puppy sparked a pet health startup. Here's how Elita’s co-founders pivoted, built on Bubble, and won at SXSW Sydney.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/the-new-build-01-elita/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696aab4e9d1dd50001f2569e</guid><category><![CDATA[The New Build Podcast]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:01:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2026/01/The-New-Build_Ep-1-Thumbnail_blog.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2026/01/The-New-Build_Ep-1-Thumbnail_blog.png" alt="Episode 1: 6 Weeks to Pivot, Build, and Win SXSW With Elita"><p>Paloma Newton and Jackson Gritching had six weeks to completely pivot their business strategy, build an MVP on Bubble, and craft a three-minute pitch — and they won their category at SXSW Sydney. In this episode of The New Build, they break down exactly how they did it — from selecting a Bubble agency in three days to practicing obsessively until they could perform, not just recite.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z2cotxAir3o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen title="The Pitch That Won SXSW: Building Elita in 6 Weeks"></iframe></figure><ul><li>Watch it on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/45Lzts7lmHuPE43QPGEvYC?si=ys29d83ZQZ2Y-Zi5rjoCLQ" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Spotify</u></a></li><li>Listen on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pitch-that-won-sxsw-building-elita-in-6-weeks/id1868805926?i=1000745872444" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Apple Podcasts</u></a></li></ul><hr><h2 id="about-paloma-newton-and-jackson-gritching">About Paloma Newton and Jackson Gritching</h2><p>Paloma Newton is the co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.elita.pet/"><u>Elita</u></a>, bringing a background that spans restaurant management, advertising at major brands like Nestlé, startup marketing, and venture capital. Jackson Gritching is the co-founder and CTO, with a biomedical engineering background and experience in deep tech, including work on stem cell-derived neurons for biological computing. Together, they turned their concern for their pandemic puppy Edgar Allen Paws into the world’s first pet longevity platform.</p><p><strong>Connect with Paloma:</strong> <a href="https://linkedin.com/in/palomanewton"><u>LinkedIn</u></a> |<a href="https://twitter.com/palomanewton"><u>Twitter/X</u></a></p><p><strong>Connect with Jackson:</strong> <a href="https://linkedin.com/in/jacksongritching"><u>LinkedIn</u></a></p><hr><h2 id="about-elita">About Elita</h2><p><a href="https://www.elita.pet/"><u>Elita Blueprint </u></a>is the world’s first pet longevity platform, helping pet owners connect the dots of their pet’s health and act proactively rather than waiting for annual vet visits. The platform aggregates longitudinal health data — from clinical records to advanced diagnostics — to create personalized health profiles that account for breed-specific variations. Elita started as a stem cell bank before pivoting to a digital-first approach that makes preventive pet care accessible and affordable.</p><p><strong>Try it:</strong> <a href="https://elita.pet"><u>elita.pet</u></a></p><p><strong>Follow Elita:</strong> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elita.pet/"><u>Instagram</u></a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@elita.pet"><u>TikTok</u></a> | <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/elitapet/"><u>LinkedIn</u></a></p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">🐶</div><div class="kg-callout-text">Sign up to be an <a href="https://install.page/elita"><u>Elita Blueprint Beta user</u></a></div></div><hr><h2 id="what-you%E2%80%99ll-learn-in-this-episode">What you’ll learn in this episode</h2><p>This conversation covers the specific decisions that took Elita from a stem cell bank to a digital platform — and onto the SXSW Sydney stage in just six weeks. Paloma and Jackson share how they evaluated 15 agencies in three days to find the right Bubble development partner, and why they chose to build on Bubble despite having no software development experience.</p><p>You’ll hear about Paloma’s approach to pitch preparation, including why she spent more time iterating on the story than practicing it, and why she believes being nervous shows you care. Jackson explains the technical challenge of building personalized pet health tools that account for massive breed variation — and why knowing when something is “good enough” is one of the hardest skills for a founder to develop.</p><p>Whether you’re preparing for your first pitch competition or figuring out how to validate a complex idea quickly, this episode offers a practical look at what it takes to pivot, build, and win under extreme time pressure.</p><hr><h2 id="episode-timestamps">Episode timestamps</h2><p>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o">00:00</a>] Introduction to the episode and the Elita founders<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=119s">01:59</a>] The origin story: how a pandemic puppy named Edgar sparked a pet health startup<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=359s">05:59</a>] How stem cell banking for pets actually works<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=554s">09:14</a>] Why everything pointed toward building a digital platform — despite no software experience<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=849s">14:09</a>] The SXSW Sydney deadline and getting investor buy-in on the pivot<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=1157s">19:17</a>] “Being the robot” — why Paloma manually handled the first 50 concierge requests<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=1409s">23:29</a>] The Cindy Gallup moment: telling a hero “I’m about to quit my job and start a company”<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=1851s">30:51</a>] The hardest part of crafting a three-minute pitch for a complex business<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=2167s">36:07</a>] Pitch day nerves and why being anxious shows you care<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=2456s">40:56</a>] The moment they knew they had won — when the audience booed a judge<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=2752s">45:52</a>] The playbook for pitching: iteration before practice, and knowing when to play<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=3177s">52:57</a>] Hot take: entrepreneurs aren’t paying enough attention to their customers<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=3467s">57:47</a>] Most memorable career feedback: “You have an unhealthy bias toward action”<br><br>[<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2cotxAir3o&t=3821s">1:03:41</a>] Bubble updates, Academy refresh, and Bubble Tip of the Week</p><hr><h2 id="key-insights-from-this-episode">Key insights from this episode</h2><h3 id="be-the-robot-before-you-automate-it">Be the robot before you automate it</h3><p>Paloma personally handled the first 50 vet concierge requests before automating the process. This hands-on approach revealed edge cases — like discovering that vet records must be kept for seven years, which allowed her to push for archived records. The lesson: Running manual processes yourself before automating them teaches you things no amount of planning can surface.</p><h3 id="strategy-is-deciding-what-you-won%E2%80%99t-do">Strategy is deciding what you won’t do</h3><p>With just weeks to build, Paloma and Jackson ran a ruthless prioritization process: what are table stakes, what can wait, and what do we need to get our first 100 users? They defined success not as a perfect product but as a foundation they could test and iterate on. This clarity let them ship something real instead of getting stuck in scope creep.</p><h3 id="pitch-preparation-is-mostly-iteration-not-practice">Pitch preparation is mostly iteration, not practice</h3><p>Paloma spent three and a half weeks iterating on her pitch script and only two weeks practicing it. She tested it constantly — with her co-founder, team, strangers, and friends over the phone — using feedback to refine the story. Only once she knew the material inside out did she allow herself to “play” with delivery and respond to the energy in the room.</p><h3 id="obsession-is-the-underrated-founder-trait">Obsession is the underrated founder trait</h3><p>When asked what made the strongest pitches at SXSW Sydney, Paloma didn’t point to traction or metrics. She pointed to obsession — founders who had done “weird things” to get where they are and who cared deeply enough to keep pushing. In her view, early-stage traction matters less than a founder’s genuine, sustained commitment to solving a specific problem.</p><hr><h2 id="resources">Resources</h2><ul><li><a href="https://elita.pet"><u>Elita Blueprint</u></a> — Elita’s pet longevity platform</li><li><a href="https://sxswsydney.com"><u>SXSW Sydney</u></a> — The pitch competition where Elita won their category</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/academy"><u>Bubble Academy</u></a> — Refreshed learning platform mentioned in the episode outro</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/newsletter"><u>Bubble Newsletter</u></a> — Stay updated on product releases and builder stories</li></ul><hr><h2 id="listen-and-subscribe">Listen and subscribe</h2><p>The New Build is a bi-weekly podcast exploring how solo founders and small teams are building products that reach millions of users. New episodes drop every other week.</p><p><strong>Subscribe:</strong> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoNVJrdvQQYnspOK4NkUSkzZkRYfrVQle"><u>YouTube</u></a> · <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3StQMmYoczlfimD3yAjOZ6?si=GgfGVxo8TG6IjCfU3k6AnA"><u>Spotify</u></a> · <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-new-build/id1868805926"><u>Apple Podcasts</u></a>  </p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">🚀</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><b><strong style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Have a story to share?</strong></b> We’re always looking for founders building something real. <a href="http://bble.io/story"><u>Submit your story →</u></a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[9 Best Replit Alternatives in 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Explore nine Replit alternatives ranging from AI coding assistants to visual development platforms. We compare features, pricing, and ideal use cases to help you find the right tool for your project.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/best-replit-alternatives/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6924a6499ee908000157907b</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category><category><![CDATA[Tool Reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Programming]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:30:29 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/replit-alternatives.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="heres-what-you-need-to-know">Here's what you need to know:</h2><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/replit-alternatives.png" alt="9 Best Replit Alternatives in 2026"><p>Replit alternatives include:</p><ol><li>Bubble</li><li>Ona</li><li>Cursor</li><li>Bolt.new</li><li>StackBlitz</li><li>GitHub Copilot</li><li>Zencoder</li><li>Lovable</li><li>Vercel v0</li></ol><p><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-replit-comparison/"><u>Replit</u></a> is a coding platform that offers an integrated development environment (IDE)—essentially a complete workspace where developers write, test, and run code—and an AI chatbot that helps generate code. While Replit works well for learning to code and quick prototypes, you might need an alternative if you're building production apps that require enterprise security and compliance, working on complex projects that need more control than AI chat provides, building without coding knowledge, or looking for tools optimized for specific workflows like frontend development or visual app building.</p><p>Alternatives to Replit include both pure developer tools like Cursor and AI visual development platforms like Bubble. Below, we'll cover nine options across both categories.</p><p>In this blog, we’ll cover nine Replit alternatives that fall in both camps.</p><p><em>Disclaimer: Please note that AI development tools evolve fast. For the latest information on features and capabilities, always refer to the official website of each tool.</em></p><hr><h2 id="1-bubble">1. Bubble</h2><p><a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble</u></a> combines AI-powered app development with visual editing. You start by prompting <a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><u>Bubble AI</u></a> with your app idea. Within minutes, you get a functional app with frontend UI, backend database, and working workflows. </p><p>Once generated, switch to the <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/2025-state-of-visual-development-ai-app-building/"><u>visual editor</u></a> to refine every detail without needing to know how to code. You can see how design connects to logic and data by toggling between pages, workflows, and databases. </p><p>Bubble also lets you build native mobile apps for iOS and Android (not web wrappers), so you can ship directly to app stores from the same project. Plus, the <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/ai-agent/"><u>Bubble AI Agent</u></a> (currently in beta) acts as your development partner throughout the process. It explains what it built, troubleshoots issues, and helps you understand how your app works without digging through documentation.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://bubble.io/for-founders"><u>Non-technical founders</u></a> who want to launch functional, scalable web or mobile apps without learning to code—starting with AI to generate an MVP, then customizing with visual editing while Bubble handles the infrastructure, security, and scaling behind the scenes</li><li>Small teams building custom tools without hiring developers</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/agency-account"><u>Agencies</u></a> and consultants building solutions for multiple clients who need unlimited dev apps, the ability to transfer projects seamlessly, and access to Bubble's agency directory to attract new business</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/for-enterprise"><u>Enterprises</u></a> that need compliant, secure apps built faster than traditional development allows</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> The visual development approach might require some learning time compared to pure AI chat interfaces. While Bubble handles most use cases, applications requiring custom technical implementations may benefit from traditional code in specific scenarios.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A <a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u>free plan</u></a> is available, while paid plans start at $59 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="2-ona-formerly-gitpod">2. Ona (formerly Gitpod)</h2><p><a href="https://www.ona.com"><u>Ona</u></a> is a cloud development platform built around AI agents that autonomously generate, test, and review code. It's designed for enterprise software engineering teams rather than non-technical builders. </p><p>The platform handles multi-step workflow automation using frameworks like LangChain, with vector databases for context and memory.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Enterprise development teams with existing engineering resources who want to automate repetitive tasks and parallelize development work</li><li>Organizations looking to scale their development capacity without proportionally increasing headcount</li><li>Teams working on complex, multi-step workflows that can benefit from AI agent automation</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Ona requires substantial technical expertise and is designed specifically for engineering teams, which might not be suitable if you're a non-technical builder. The platform's enterprise focus means it may be more complex than needed for simpler projects or individual developers.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free tier is available, while paid plans start at $20 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="3-cursor">3. Cursor</h2><p><a href="https://cursor.com"><u>Cursor</u></a> is an AI-powered code editor designed for developers who want to speed up existing workflows. Its features include advanced autocomplete, multi-line edits, codebase answers, and command execution.</p><p>The AI acts as an assistant rather than taking the lead, which means you need to guide the process and know what questions to ask.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experienced developers who want AI assistance integrated into their existing workflows</li><li>Development teams comfortable with traditional IDEs who want to speed up manual coding tasks</li><li>Those working within established tech stacks who need flexibility across programming languages</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Cursor requires coding knowledge and assumes you can guide the AI with the right questions. You'll need to manage your own deployment, hosting, and infrastructure outside the editor.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A limited free plan is available, while paid plans start at $20 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="4-bolt">4. Bolt</h2><p><a href="https://bolt.new"><u>Bolt</u></a> generates code quickly and gives you a visual preview alongside an AI chat for iterations.</p><p>It's designed as an AI assistant for developers who want to speed up familiar tasks, prototype quickly, or clone common apps to build upon later.</p><p>The code is fully accessible for manual editing, and Bolt supports popular frameworks like React, Angular, Next.js, and Tailwind CSS.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experienced developers who want AI assistance speeding up development</li><li>Teams comfortable with code who need quick prototypes or want to clone existing app patterns</li><li>Beginner developers looking for an AI coach to help them learn frameworks</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Bolt is optimized for prototyping and might face challenges with production-scale applications that require enterprise features. The platform assumes some coding familiarity to effectively edit and deploy the generated code.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free plan is available, while paid plans start at $25 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="5-stackblitz">5. StackBlitz</h2><p><a href="https://stackblitz.com"><u>StackBlitz</u></a> is a browser-based development platform that runs entirely in your browser using WebContainers technology.</p><p>The platform powers Bolt (covered separately as alternative #4), which is StackBlitz's AI agent for generating full-stack apps from natural language prompts. StackBlitz itself provides the instant development environment, while Bolt adds the AI generation layer on top. It also allows you to turn Figma designs into live websites.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Developers who want instant development environments without local setup or remote server delays</li><li>Teams doing rapid prototyping for web apps or AI models</li><li>Educators and learners who need shareable, collaborative coding environments</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> StackBlitz requires coding knowledge to work with the generated environments effectively. The browser-based approach might have limitations for applications requiring specific system-level access or custom server configurations.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>You can get started with a free plan. Paid plans start at $18 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="6-github-copilot">6. GitHub Copilot</h2><p><a href="https://github.com/features/copilot"><u>GitHub Copilot</u></a> is an AI coding assistant that works directly inside your existing IDE. </p><p>It helps developers write code faster by providing context-aware suggestions, multi-line completions, and explanations without switching tools.</p><p>Copilot also offers chat assistance for documentation questions and instant edits. In agent mode, you can assign GitHub issues and it will autonomously write code, create pull requests, validate files, and respond to feedback.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Developers who want AI assistance integrated into their existing IDE without changing workflows</li><li>Teams using GitHub who want AI agents that understand their specific codebase and organizational knowledge</li><li>Enterprises needing governance controls, audit logs, and IP indemnity protections</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> GitHub Copilot requires an existing IDE setup and coding expertise to use effectively. The assistant works within your development environment, so you'll still need to manage deployment, hosting, and infrastructure separately.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>You can get started for free on a limited plan. For more functionality, team accounts start at $4 per user per month.</p><hr><h2 id="7-zencoder">7. Zencoder</h2><p><a href="https://zencoder.com"><u>Zencoder</u></a> is an AI coding agent platform. It can analyze your entire repository to deliver context-aware code completions and suggestions tailored to your project's structure and coding standards. </p><p>The platform can detect bugs during test runs or compilation and automatically fix them through agentic review loops. </p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Development teams who want AI assistance that understands their entire codebase</li><li>Enterprises needing governance, compliance, and audit trails alongside AI automation</li><li>Teams running complex CI/CD workflows who want agents that can handle multi-step tasks autonomously</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Zencoder is designed for experienced development teams and might be more complex than needed for individual developers or simpler projects. The platform assumes you have existing CI/CD workflows and technical infrastructure in place.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>You can try Zencoder for free. Paid plans start at $19 per user per month.</p><hr><h2 id="8-lovable">8. Lovable</h2><p><a href="https://lovable.dev"><u>Lovable</u></a> is an AI platform that allows you to build apps and websites without needing to code. Prompt the AI with your idea, and within minutes, you get a visual preview of your app. You make changes and add features by continuing to chat with the AI</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Designers and non-developers spinning up quick landing pages or MVPs to share with stakeholders or investors</li><li>Anyone who needs a polished prototype fast</li><li>Projects where visual aesthetics matter more than complex features</li></ul><p>​​<strong>Limitations:</strong> Lovable relies entirely on conversational AI for changes, which might lead to prompt loops when trying to achieve precise specifications. The platform is optimized for prototypes and may face challenges with production-scale applications requiring custom backend logic or enterprise features.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free plan is available, while paid options start at $25 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="9-vercel-v0">9. Vercel v0</h2><p><a href="https://v0.dev"><u>Vercel v0</u></a> is an AI coding platform that features generative AI chat alongside a visual preview and traditional coding environment.</p><p>The AI can generate UI with basic functionality, write and execute code in several frameworks, and provide debugging guidance and code suggestions.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experienced developers who want AI assistance speeding up frontend work</li><li>Teams comfortable with traditional development who need quick interactive prototypes, landing pages, dashboards, or portfolios</li><li>Developers looking for an AI coding assistant to help with familiar tasks rather than a complete app-building solution</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> v0 focuses on frontend development and requires React knowledge to use effectively. You'll need to manage your own backend infrastructure, database, authentication, and hosting separately.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>Individual plans include a free option, while the Premium plan costs $20 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="find-the-right-app-builder-for-your-ideas">Find the right app builder for your ideas</h2><p>There are many AI app builders available, but most tools fall into two camps: they're either developer-focused coding assistants (like Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Zencoder) that speed up traditional development, or AI chat interfaces (like Lovable and Bolt) that get you 80% of the way there but leave you cycling through endless prompts when you need to finish the last 20%.</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><u>Bubble</u></a> takes a different approach. We combine AI with a full visual development platform, so when AI gets you started, you switch to visual editing instead of endless re-prompting or manual coding. </p><p>Plus, you get enterprise-grade security, built-in hosting and database, and infrastructure that scales with your app—all in one platform, so you're not managing multiple tools and vendors as you grow.</p><p>Check out our <a href="https://bubble.io/showcase"><u>success stories</u></a> for inspiration or get started with a free account.</p><hr><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently asked questions</h2><h3 id="is-github-copilot-better-than-replit">Is GitHub Copilot better than Replit?</h3><p>GitHub Copilot is more suitable for professional development, complex codebases, and team workflows. On the other hand, Replit offers strong entry-level AI features for prototyping and in-browser editing.</p><h3 id="what-is-the-difference-between-replit-and-bubble">What is the difference between Replit and Bubble?</h3><p>Replit is a development platform that combines an AI chatbot with a traditional IDE. Bubble takes a different approach by combining AI app development with a full visual editor, so it can be used by non-developers to build and launch apps.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[7 Best Lovable Alternatives for AI App and Web Development]]></title><description><![CDATA[Discover seven Lovable alternatives for AI app development, from platforms with full visual control to specialized coding tools. We break down features, pricing, and ideal use cases to help you choose the right platform.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/best-lovable-alternatives-ai-app-development/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6924942e9ee908000157904a</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Tool Reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Programming]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:26:42 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/lovable-alternatives.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="heres-what-you-need-to-know"><strong>Here's what you need to know:</strong></h2><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/lovable-alternatives.png" alt="7 Best Lovable Alternatives for AI App and Web Development"><p>The top Lovable alternatives include:</p><ol><li>Bubble</li><li>Bolt.new</li><li>Webflow</li><li>v0</li><li>Cursor</li><li>Base44</li><li>Anything</li></ol><p><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-vs-lovable-comparison/"><u>Lovable</u></a> is a popular AI app development tool that generates polished interfaces quickly through conversational prompts. However, you might hit limitations when you need to go beyond what AI can understand through chat alone. </p><p>Common pain points include getting stuck in prompt loops when trying to fine-tune specific features, limited control over backend logic and database structure, and challenges scaling from prototype to production. If you need precise visual control, custom workflows, or enterprise-grade security and hosting, you'll want to explore alternatives that offer more than AI chat-based development.</p><p>Below, we’ll cover eight Lovable alternatives to consider for building your app or website.</p><p><em>AI development tools evolve fast. For the latest information on features and capabilities, always refer to the official website of each tool.</em></p><hr><h2 id="1-bubble">1. Bubble</h2><p><a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble</u></a> combines AI development with full visual editing, which solves a problem most AI builders struggle with: <strong>what happens when AI gets you 80% of the way there, but you need to refine the last 20%?</strong></p><p>With Bubble, you start by prompting AI to generate your app, complete with frontend user interface (UI), backend database, and working features. </p><p>Then you switch to the visual editor to customize every detail of your app without needing to use code.</p><p>You can adjust workflows, modify database fields, refine designs, and add features, all through visual editing.</p><p>Unlike with Lovable, you also get everything in one place: database, hosting, security, version control, and deployment. You also have access to over <a href="https://bubble.io/plugins"><u>6,000 plugins</u></a> to expand your app's capabilities, connecting to services like Stripe, OpenAI, and HubSpot. It works for mobile apps, too: Build once and <a href="https://bubble.io/mobile"><u>deploy to web, iOS, and Android</u></a> from the same project, with your backend and database working across all platforms.</p><p>Security is built in at the enterprise level. Bubble is SOC 2 Type II compliant and GDPR-compliant, with built-in SSL and automatic scaling that works whether you're testing with 10 users or running at scale with millions.</p><p>The platform also supports real-time collaboration, so teams can work together on the same app with different permission levels.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://bubble.io/for-founders"><u>Solo founders</u></a> who need to iterate quickly without getting stuck in prompt purgatory or managing code</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/agency-account"><u>Agencies</u></a> and consultants building solutions for multiple clients who need unlimited dev apps, the ability to transfer projects seamlessly, and access to Bubble's agency directory to attract new business</li><li>Small teams building custom internal tools or customer-facing products without fragmented tech stacks</li><li><a href="https://bubble.io/for-enterprise"><u>Enterprises</u></a> that need compliant, secure apps built faster than traditional development allows</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> The visual development approach might require some learning time compared to pure AI chat interfaces. While Bubble handles most use cases, applications requiring extremely custom technical implementations may benefit from traditional code in specific scenarios.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free tier is available, with <a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u>paid annual plans</u></a> starting at $59 per month for both web and mobile.</p><hr><h2 id="2-bolt">2. Bolt</h2><p><a href="https://bolt.new/"><u>Bolt</u></a> takes a code-first approach with more accessible traditional coding tools. </p><p>You describe your app, and Bolt generates the code alongside a visual preview so you can see what you're building. The interface is beginner-friendly and offers more guidance than pure code editors.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experienced developers doing rapid prototyping or learning new frameworks</li><li>Teams collaborating on private projects with connected GitHub repositories</li><li>Weekend experiments where you're not concerned about production-level features</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Bolt requires familiarity with code and development concepts, which might be challenging if you're new to programming. The platform is optimized for prototypes rather than production-ready applications with enterprise features.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>Free plan available with usage limits. Paid Team plans starting from $25 per month include collaboration features and higher AI token rates.</p><hr><h2 id="3-webflow">3. Webflow</h2><p><a href="https://webflow.com/"><u>Webflow's AI site builder</u></a> generates professional marketing sites. You describe your business in a few sentences, and the AI creates a multi-page site with a complete design system.</p><p>The platform is great at visual design and gives you granular control to customize everything the AI creates. Unlike rigid template systems, you can manually tweak every design element. </p><p>This makes Webflow popular with freelancers, agencies, and small businesses who want attractive, customizable websites without starting from scratch.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Marketing websites, company blogs, and landing pages where you need robust CMS capabilities, localization features, and design control</li><li>Agencies building scalable content-focused sites for clients with sophisticated publishing workflows</li><li>Businesses that need powerful website management but don't require app functionality like user authentication, complex backend logic, or custom databases</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Webflow focuses on marketing websites and might not be suitable if you need app functionality like user authentication, complex workflows, or custom databases. The platform's learning curve can be steep when customizing beyond pre-built components.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>Starts at $14 per month on an annual billing cycle.</p><hr><h2 id="4-vercel-v0">4. Vercel v0</h2><p><a href="https://v0.dev/"><u>Vercel v0</u></a> is designed as an AI coding assistant for experienced developers. You describe what you want, and the AI generates React code alongside a visual preview.</p><p>The interface is straightforward: AI chat on the left, code and preview on the right.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Frontend developers with existing backend infrastructure who want AI assistance speeding up their workflow</li><li>Creating landing pages, dashboards, portfolios, or interactive prototypes with React</li><li>Debugging, code suggestions, and optimization tasks like improving component performance</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> v0 requires React knowledge and assumes you'll handle backend infrastructure separately. You'll need to manage your own database, authentication, and hosting solutions outside the platform.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free plan is available. Paid plans start at $20 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="5-cursor">5. Cursor</h2><p><a href="https://cursor.com/"><u>Cursor</u></a> is an AI-powered code editor built for experienced developers who want to speed up their existing workflows. It integrates AI into traditional development, acting as a coding assistant rather than taking the lead.</p><p>The AI chat sits alongside your code files, and you'll need to download and manage dependencies yourself (Node.js, MongoDB, etc.). The AI can help walk you through setup, but it expects you to know what you're doing and guide the process.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experienced developers who want AI assistance integrated into their established workflows and tech stacks</li><li>Speeding up repetitive tasks like error detection, writing boilerplate code, and debugging</li><li>Development teams already comfortable with traditional coding environments</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Cursor requires substantial technical knowledge and assumes you can manage development dependencies, deployment, and infrastructure. The AI assistance might not be as helpful if you're unfamiliar with coding concepts and best practices.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free plan is available, while paid plans start at $20 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="6-base44">6. Base44</h2><p><a href="https://base44.com/"><u>Base44</u></a> is an AI-powered app builder that generates full-stack applications from text prompts. It's designed for rapid prototyping of MVPs, dashboards, and internal tools.</p><p>The platform includes curated templates and "prompt recipes" to help you get started faster, along with integrations for services like Stripe, Slack, Gmail, and OpenAI.</p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Early-stage startups and founders testing ideas quickly</li><li>Product managers building internal dashboards, signup flows, or SaaS portals without hiring developers</li><li>Technical teams who prefer schema-driven, backend-first architecture and need strong access control and security features</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Base44's schema-driven, backend-first architecture may require adjustment if you're accustomed to design-focused workflows. The platform might have fewer community resources and templates compared to more established alternatives.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>A free plan is available, and paid plans start at $16 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="7-anything">7. Anything</h2><p><a href="https://anything.world/"><u>Anything</u></a> (formerly Create.xyz) is a conversational AI app builder that generates full-stack mobile and web applications from text prompts. </p><p>The platform includes built-in infrastructure: Postgres database, user authentication, Stripe payments, file uploads, analytics, and error correction, all without manual setup. You can preview apps instantly on your device, publish to iOS and Android, or deploy as a web app. </p><p><strong>Best for:</strong></p><ul><li>Experimental projects and quick prototypes where you're testing ideas</li><li>Internal tools and simple productivity apps</li><li>Rapid idea validation without concern for long-term scalability</li></ul><p><strong>Limitations:</strong> Anything is optimized for rapid prototyping and might face challenges with complex, production-scale applications. The conversational AI approach may require multiple iterations to achieve precise results for detailed specifications.</p><p><strong>Pricing:</strong></p><p>The free plan includes 3,000 credits, while paid plans start at $16 per month.</p><hr><h2 id="start-building-your-project-today">Start building your project today</h2><p>Most AI builders get you started quickly but leave you stuck when you need to go beyond the initial output. </p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><u>Bubble</u></a> solves this by combining AI development with full visual control. Generate your app with AI to get past the blank page, then use the visual editor to refine every detail without needing to use code.</p><p>The platform includes everything you need in one place: database, hosting, security, deployment, and thousands of integrations, so you don't have to switch between multiple tools or manage a fragmented tech stack. You can build for web, iOS, and Android from a single project, with real-time collaboration for your team. </p><p>Enterprise-grade security comes built in, meaning your app can scale from testing with a few users to serving millions without requiring infrastructure changes or additional vendors.</p><p>Start building for free and see how Bubble's approach works for your project.</p><hr><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently asked questions</h2><h3 id="is-there-a-free-version-of-lovable">Is there a free version of Lovable?</h3><p>Yes, there is a free version of Lovable. It includes five daily credits, five lovable.app domains. All projects are public on the free plan.</p><h3 id="what-is-an-open-source-alternative-to-lovable">What is an open-source alternative to Lovable?</h3><p>Open-source alternatives to Lovable include Dyad and Appsmith.</p><h3 id="how-are-bubble-and-lovable-different">How are Bubble and Lovable different?</h3><p>Lovable creates polished UI quickly and works well for MVPs, but customization happens through AI chat. Bubble combines AI with a visual editor, so when AI reaches its limits, you switch to visual editing. The database, hosting, security, collaboration, and mobile development are included in the platform.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Build an Employee Portal With AI]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn how to build a complete employee portal with AI, including a dashboard, staff directory, knowledge base, and AI chatbot. We walk you through database setup, workflow automation, permissions, and launch—all without writing code.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-build-employee-portal-with-ai/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69246bac9ee9080001578fb9</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Starting a Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:12:43 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-to-build-an-employee-portal.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="here%E2%80%99s-what-you-need-to-know">Here’s what you need to know:</h2><ul><li>An employee portal allows staff to access information, submit requests, and connect with colleagues.</li><li>Building your own portal cuts costs and provides more flexibility compared to off-the-shelf platforms.</li><li>You'll need a database to store information, workflows to automate approvals, AI features for instant answers, and permission levels for different user roles.</li><li>AI visual development platforms like Bubble let you generate and customize your employee portal using natural language prompts to build the structure, while the visual editor lets you refine the details without writing a single line of code.</li></ul><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-to-build-an-employee-portal.png" alt="How to Build an Employee Portal With AI"><p>An employee portal is your company's digital hub where staff access information, submit requests, and connect with colleagues. </p><p>While purchasing off-the-shelf platforms seems convenient, they often lack flexibility and can cost thousands per month. Building your own cuts license costs while delivering exactly what your team needs.</p><p>In this guide, we’ll explain how to build an employee portal with AI, so you can build and deploy faster than traditional development approaches.</p><hr><h2 id="1-set-up-the-database">1. Set up the database</h2><p>A database is the foundation for your employee portal, storing and organizing all information from employee profiles to company policies. </p><p><em><strong>Note: </strong>If you’re building with </em><a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><em><u>Bubble AI</u></em></a><em>, you’ll have access to a </em><a href="https://bubble.io/data"><em><u>built-in database</u></em></a><em>. </em></p><p>A database consists of data types (similar to tables in traditional databases) that hold specific categories of information and define <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/design-relational-database/"><u>how they relate to each other</u></a>. This structure determines the performance and functionality of your entire portal.</p><p>You need at least four data types:</p><ul><li><strong>Employees</strong>: Name, role, department, manager, avatar</li><li><strong>Documents / knowledge articles</strong>: Title, file, tags, last-reviewed date</li><li><strong>Requests</strong>: Category (PTO, expense, IT), status, approver, linked employee</li><li><strong>Announcements</strong>: Headline, body, publish date, target audience</li></ul><hr><h2 id="2-design-core-pages">2. Design core pages</h2><p>We suggest at least five core pages that handle most daily interactions: a personalized dashboard, staff directory, knowledge base, request hub, and announcements section.</p><p>The <strong>dashboard</strong> serves as your command center, greeting employees with personalized widgets for upcoming time off, company news, and quick links.</p><p>For the <strong>staff directory</strong>, include photos, roles, and brief descriptions in every profile. By linking the directory to your Employees data type and implementing search functionality, you’ll encourage users to browse profiles, which leads to higher engagement.</p><ul><li>The <strong>knowledge base</strong> houses all your articles, SOPs, and videos.</li><li>Your <strong>HR request hub</strong> centralizes all PTO requests and expenses. Design each form with a simple "Submit" button that maps directly to your Requests table.</li><li>The <strong>announcements</strong> section covers policy changes, birthday celebrations, and company news.</li></ul><p><a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble AI</u></a> allows you to build all of these pages using natural language prompts and a visual editor.</p><hr><h2 id="3-configure-workflows">3. Configure workflows</h2><p><a href="https://bubble.io/logic"><u>Workflows</u></a> automate repetitive tasks, send notifications, update records, and connect different parts of your portal. They turn your employee portal from a static website into an interactive business tool that handles approvals, sends reminders, and keeps data synchronized across systems.</p><p>For an employee portal, workflows might handle PTO request approvals that notify managers and update vacation balances automatically, or expense submissions that route to the right approver based on amount and category, or IT ticket assignments that escalate unresolved issues after a set timeframe.</p><p>Let's look at how a PTO request workflow functions in practice. When an employee clicks "Submit PTO," this single action triggers a chain reaction. The system first validates your business rules:</p><ul><li>Are all required dates filled?</li><li>Is the end date after the start date?</li><li>Does the employee have sufficient vacation days available?</li></ul><p>If any rule fails, an inline alert appears and the process stops.</p><p>When validation succeeds, the next action creates a new "PTO Request" record with status set to "Pending." The system automatically identifies the employee's manager and sends notifications through your preferred channels, such as email or messaging platforms like <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/core-resources/bubble-made-plugins/slack"><u>Slack</u></a>. Bubble’s <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/core-resources/api/the-api-connector"><u>API Connectors</u></a> allows you to connect your app to any external services.</p><p>Managers might not approve requests right away, so you can customize <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/help-guides/workload/optimizing-workload/optimization-checklist/backend-workflows"><u>backend workflows</u></a> to send reminders. For example, three business days after creation, the system automatically rechecks the request status. If it is still "Pending," it sends a reminder to the manager. If "Approved," it automatically deducts hours from the employee's balance and logs the change. These <a href="https://www.bubbleiodeveloper.com/blogs/bubble-backend-workflow-basics-a-complete-guide/"><u>backend processes</u></a> run server-side, remain invisible to users, and scale without additional infrastructure.</p><p>You don't have to stop at PTO requests. For example, <a href="https://bubble.io/showcase/seagate"><u>Seagate built</u></a> an internal portal with 11 micro-apps on Bubble, resulting in 5x time savings and reducing costs by 50%. Their workflows handle everything from order fulfillment to device provisioning.</p><hr><h2 id="4-add-ai-features">4. Add AI features</h2><p>AI features use machine learning models to automate tasks, generate content, or provide intelligent assistance based on your app's data. </p><p>For an employee portal, this might mean a chatbot that answers policy questions instantly by reading through your company handbook, or a smart search that understands "when can I take parental leave?" instead of requiring exact keyword matches.</p><p>Here’s how to add an <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/integrate-ai-app"><u>AI feature to your employee portal</u></a>:</p><h3 id="step-1-define-the-ai-feature">Step 1: Define the AI feature</h3><p>Start by clearly outlining what you want the AI to accomplish. For example, it could be a ChatGPT-style assistant that answers policy questions.</p><h3 id="step-2-create-and-gather-the-inputs">Step 2: Create and gather the inputs</h3><p>The chatbot needs data to work with. In this case, that's your Knowledge Base articles: the policy documents, handbooks, and FAQs you've already added to your portal.</p><h3 id="step-3-connect-to-an-ai-model">Step 3: Connect to an AI model</h3><p>Install the <a href="http://integration"><u>ChatGPT plugin</u></a> from Bubble's marketplace and connect your OpenAI account. Bubble handles the technical setup automatically. The plugin uses natural language processing to understand employee questions and generate relevant responses based on your Knowledge Base content.</p><h3 id="step-4-bring-the-ai-response-to-your-app">Step 4: Bring the AI response to your app</h3><p>Now configure how the chatbot accesses and returns information. <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/help-guides/data/the-database/protecting-data-with-privacy-rules"><u>Privacy rules</u></a> control what the chatbot can access, so employees only get answers based on their role.</p><p>Learn more about how to build AI-powered features in this tutorial:</p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k9eF2ZbgzNM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen title="Build AI-powered features for mobile (Lesson 5.12)"></iframe></figure><hr><h2 id="5-set-permissions">5. Set permissions</h2><p>An employee portal typically requires four distinct permission levels:</p><ul><li><strong>Administrators</strong>: Full system access to manage all portal functions and data</li><li><strong>Department mManagers</strong>: Approval rights for direct reports and department-specific information</li><li><strong>Employees</strong>: Personal information access with limited view of organizational data</li><li><strong>Contractors</strong>: Temporary access with expiration dates and strictly limited permissions</li></ul><p>Bubble AI lets you create different types of <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/help-guides/data/user-accounts"><u>user accounts and permissions</u></a> for your app, with the ability to control how long users stay logged in to your portal.</p><hr><h2 id="6-brand-your-portal">6. Brand your portal</h2><p>Your employee portal should feel like it belongs to your company. Bubble<a href="https://bubble.io/design"><u> makes it easy to design</u></a> a professional, branded experience.</p><p>You can either import directly from Figma using Bubble's Figma converter or use a pre-built style library for professional layouts and components to speed up the design process. <a href="https://bubble.io/responsive-design"><u>Responsive design</u></a> is built in, so your portal will automatically adapt layouts for any screen size without requiring a separate mobile development project.</p><hr><h2 id="7-launch-and-iterate">7. Launch and iterate</h2><p>Before a full launch, <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/usability-testing/"><u>test the employee portal</u></a> with a small group of users to catch issues before they impact the entire team. Once you’re confident rolling out the portal to the company, track:</p><ul><li>Login frequency to see if employees are using the portal</li><li>Request resolution time to measure how much faster approvals happen</li><li>Search success rates to confirm people can find what they need</li><li>Feature usage to understand which parts of your portal deliver the most value</li></ul><p>You can add feedback forms directly in the portal so employees can tell you what's working and what isn't. This real-time input helps you keep improving the experience.</p><hr><h2 id="generate-your-employee-portal-with-bubble-ai">Generate your employee portal with Bubble AI</h2><p>Describe your employee portal in a prompt and watch as Bubble builds a complete solution with dashboards, directory, knowledge base, and an AI chatbot. </p><p>Where other tools might leave you stuck with what they generate, Bubble lets you immediately refine everything visually. You can resize elements, add approval steps, and instantly see your changes across web and mobile devices.</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/security"><u>Security</u></a> comes built-in with configurable privacy rules that protect sensitive data. You maintain complete control over AI-generated content, and the responsive engine automatically adapts layouts for all devices. </p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u>Try Bubble AI</u></a> for free today.</p><hr><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently asked questions</h2><h3 id="can-i-build-an-employee-portal-without-knowing-how-to-code">Can I build an employee portal without knowing how to code?</h3><p>Absolutely. Bubble's AI visual development platform generates a complete portal structure with AI, then lets you visually edit everything.</p><h3 id="is-the-data-in-my-employee-portal-secure">Is the data in my employee portal secure?</h3><p>Yes. Bubble is SOC 2 Type II compliant and encrypts data at rest and in transit. Authentication options include SSO and two-factor authentication.</p><h3 id="can-my-portal-work-on-mobile-devices-too">Can my portal work on mobile devices too?</h3><p><a href="https://bubble.io/mobile"><u>Yes</u></a>. Bubble allows you to build an app for web, iOS, and Android devices. The responsive design engine includes mobile view previews so you can test before deploying.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Keep Track of Inventory: 9 Proven Methods for Business Owners]]></title><description><![CDATA[Discover nine proven methods to track inventory, from simple manual ledgers and spreadsheets to AI-powered custom apps. We compare costs, setup time, and ideal use cases to help you choose the right system as your business grows]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-track-inventory/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69248b0c9ee9080001579015</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Starting a Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:09:54 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/track-inventory.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="here%E2%80%99s-what-you-need-to-know">Here’s what you need to know</h2><ul><li>Manual ledgers and spreadsheets get you started for free. A notebook works fine for 50 SKUs or less, and Google Sheets can handle small to medium inventories with some basic formulas, though performance and data management become more challenging as you scale.</li><li>Regular small counts work better than one big annual inventory.</li><li>Phone barcode scanners save tons of time. Print some basic barcodes and use a free scanner app instead of typing everything manually.</li><li>Databases make sense once you outgrow spreadsheets. You can build your own inventory tracking app with tools like <a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble</u></a>.</li></ul><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/track-inventory.png" alt="How to Keep Track of Inventory: 9 Proven Methods for Business Owners"><p>Poor inventory tracking drains cash from your business. Stockouts mean lost sales. Overstocking ties up capital you need elsewhere. Manual counts eat up hours that could go toward growing revenue.</p><p>You need a tracking system, but enterprise resource planning (ERP) software often costs thousands per month — more than many small businesses spend on operations. The good news: you have options that start free and scale with your business.</p><p>This guide covers nine methods to keep track of inventory, from simple notebooks to <a href="https://bubble.io/template/inventory-app-1737598684553x961213195694899200"><u>AI-powered apps</u></a>. You'll learn what works at each stage, when to upgrade, and how to build exactly what you need without breaking your budget.</p><hr><h2 id="compare-all-methods-at-a-glance">Compare all methods at a glance</h2>
<!--kg-card-begin: html-->
<div class="article-table-container">
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Method</th>
<th>Cost</th>
<th>Biggest benefit</th>
<th>Key limitation</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Manual ledger</td>
<td>Free</td>
<td>Zero cost</td>
<td>Handwriting errors, no calculations</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Spreadsheet template</td>
<td>Free for Google Sheets or Excel users</td>
<td>Flexible calculations and cloud sync</td>
<td>Data entry errors pile up fast</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FIFO stickers</td>
<td><$10 for color dots</td>
<td>Reduces waste</td>
<td>Requires strict staff discipline</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cycle counts (ABC)</td>
<td>Cost of labor</td>
<td>Keeps books accurate without shutdowns</td>
<td>Time-consuming for Category A items</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Safety-stock sheet</td>
<td>Free with your spreadsheet</td>
<td>Prevents stockouts during demand spikes</td>
<td>Needs reliable sales history</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Barcode + phone app</td>
<td>Free scanner + printed codes</td>
<td>Speeds up updates, reduces typos</td>
<td>Battery life and glare issues</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Freemium apps</td>
<td>$0 to start, scalable</td>
<td>Mobile app, barcodes, reports</td>
<td>Surprise fees when you scale</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>E-commerce export</td>
<td>Included with most e-commerce platforms</td>
<td>Uses data you already have</td>
<td>SKU mismatches across channels</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bubble database</td>
<td>
Free for a small table, Starter plan required for launch
and unlimited databases
</td>
<td>Real database power without code</td>
<td>Light learning curve</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<!--kg-card-end: html-->
<hr><h2 id="method-1-record-stock-in-a-simple-manual-ledger">Method 1: Record stock in a simple manual ledger</h2><p>A pocket-sized notebook and pen give you zero-cost inventory control when you're carrying fewer than 50 SKUs. </p><p>The key is recording every movement the same way, every time.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-manual-ledgers">How to implement manual ledgers</h3><p>Start with a lined notebook or printed log. Dedicate one page per SKU and create five columns: “Item/SKU”, “Quantity in”, “Quantity out”, “Date”, and “Running balance.” Here's what it looks like:</p>
<!--kg-card-begin: html-->
<div class="article-table-container">
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Item/SKU</th>
<th>Qty in</th>
<th>Qty out</th>
<th>Date</th>
<th>Running balance</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>RED-MUG</td>
<td>24</td>
<td>-</td>
<td>4/2</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RED-MUG </td>
<td>-</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>4/5</td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<!--kg-card-end: html-->
<p>Each time stock moves, add one line. There's no software cost and no learning curve, which makes this perfect when every dollar counts. That said, paper logs work best as a starting point. Digital tracking methods generally prove more cost-effective once you factor in total expenses and efficiency as your business grows.</p><hr><h2 id="method-2-spreadsheet-template">Method 2: Spreadsheet template</h2><p>Spreadsheets give you the fastest, cheapest way to upgrade from pen-and-paper tracking.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-spreadsheet-based-tracking">How to implement spreadsheet-based tracking</h3><p>Start by creating two tabs. The first tab is your master list with columns for SKU, description, on-hand quantity, safety stock, cost, and supplier. The second tab logs every movement: date, SKU, quantity in or out, and a running balance that references the master list. Keep data entry simple with one row per transaction and one source of truth for quantities.</p><p>Next, let the spreadsheet handle the calculations:</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-text">Stock turnover = COGS / AVERAGE(OnHand)<br>Days of inventory = 365 / Stock Turnover<br>Stockout rate = (Stockouts / TotalOrders) * 100</div></div><p>You can drop these formulas into hidden columns if you prefer clean tables over visible calculations. Then add conditional formatting so any item where the on-hand quantity falls to or below safety stock lights up red.</p><hr><h2 id="method-3-fifo-labeling-with-colored-stickers">Method 3: FIFO labeling with colored stickers</h2><p>First In, First Out (FIFO) prevents product spoilage and waste with nothing more than a $10 pack of colored stickers and five minutes of training.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-fifo">How to implement FIFO</h3><p>Assign one color per week or month: January gets red dots, February gets blue, March gets green. Your staff can spot older stock from across the room and pick accordingly. For perishables with tight expiration windows, switch to daily colors or clear date labels for more precision.</p><p>The workflow takes seconds to learn but requires consistency to work. When you receive a shipment, physically place newer items behind existing stock, then apply your color system. </p><p>Post a simple chart near the storage area showing current and previous colors: "This week: BLUE stickers, Pick first: RED stickers."</p><hr><h2 id="method-4-periodic-cycle-counts-abc-approach">Method 4: Periodic cycle counts (ABC approach)</h2><p>Periodic cycle counts are scheduled mini-audits where you count a small portion of your inventory on a regular basis instead of doing one massive count at year-end.</p><p>ABC-based cycle counts take this further by giving you near-real-time accuracy without closing your stockroom.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-the-abc-approach">How to implement the ABC approach</h3><p>ABC classification starts with a value. Group your items by their share of total inventory value: 'A' items are the small percentage that account for 70–80% of total value, 'B' items represent the next 15–20%, and 'C' items make up the remaining 5–10%.</p><p>Shrinkage on an 'A' SKU hurts far more than the same loss on a 'C' item, so you should count them on different schedules. Count A items weekly, B items monthly, and C items quarterly. </p><h2 id="method-5-safety-stock-calculator">Method 5: Safety stock calculator</h2><p>Safety stock is the extra inventory you keep on hand to buffer against demand spikes and supplier delays. A safety stock calculator helps you maintain just enough cushion to prevent stockouts without tying up too much cash in excess products. </p><p>You can set one up in Google Sheets or Excel.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-a-safety-stock-calculator">How to implement a safety stock calculator</h3><p>The safety stock formula is straightforward:</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-text">Safety stock = (MAX_Daily_Sales * MAX_Lead_Time) - (AVERAGE_Daily_Sales * AVERAGE_Lead_Time)</div></div><p>This calculation tells you how much extra product to keep on hand to absorb uncertainty without bloating your shelves.</p><p>Here's how to set it up:</p><ol><li>Create headers in Row 1: SKU, Avg daily sales, Max daily sales, Avg lead time (days), Max lead time (days), Safety stock, On hand.</li><li>Enter 60–90 days of sales and supplier data. If you're short on history, use your busiest week for "Max" figures and a typical week for "Avg".</li><li>Paste the formula in the Safety stock column, pointing to each row's numbers.</li></ol><p>Apply conditional formatting so you can't miss shortages: <em>When on hand falls to or below safety stock</em>, turn the cell red.</p><p>How much buffer do you actually need? Risk-averse founders or those with unreliable suppliers often keep higher safety stock levels, while cash-tight operations may settle for lower levels to balance cost and risk.</p><p>You should revisit these numbers monthly because seasonality or viral social posts can swing daily sales, and new vendors can deliver faster.</p><hr><h2 id="method-6-barcode-sheet-and-free-phone-scanner-app">Method 6: Barcode sheet and free phone-scanner app</h2><p>A DIY barcode system paired with a free smartphone scanner app gives you near-real-time tracking without spending money on dedicated hardware.</p><h3 id="how-to-implement-barcode-based-inventory">How to implement barcode-based inventory</h3><p>Start by downloading a free barcode generator online. Enter each SKU, export the codes, and print them on standard label paper. </p><p>Stick the labels on your products, then place duplicate codes on a single "master sheet." Every time stock moves, you can scan the master sheet instead of typing entries manually.</p><p>Next, install a free phone scanner app that outputs directly to a Google Sheet. Most apps let you assign which column to update for additions (receipts) or subtractions (sales and adjustments). Because the sheet lives in the cloud, your numbers update the moment you tap "save."</p><hr><h2 id="method-7-build-your-own-inventory-tracking-app-with-ai">Method 7: Build your own inventory tracking app with AI</h2><p>Spreadsheets start breaking down as your inventory grows, especially when multiple people need access at the same time. Version conflicts pile up, formulas break, and finding the right data takes longer than it should.</p><p>At that point, you need database software that can handle concurrent users, prevent data conflicts, and scale without performance issues. Traditional custom development typically costs tens of thousands of dollars and takes months to build. Bubble's AI <a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>visual development platform </u></a>lets you build a custom inventory tracker with prompts and visual editing, then deploy it on web, iOS, and Android from a single platform<strong>.</strong></p><h3 id="how-to-set-up-an-ai-powered-inventory-tracker">How to set up an AI-powered inventory tracker</h3><p>Start by describing what you need to <a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><u>Bubble AI</u></a>: "Build a tracker with item name, SKU, quantity, and reorder alerts." The AI generates your data structure and basic interface. From there, you can switch to visual editing to refine every detail of your app without needing to write code.</p><p>If you want mobile scanning, you can build <a href="https://bubble.io/mobile"><u>native iOS and Android apps</u></a> alongside your web dashboard. Everything runs from one platform with one database and no separate codebases. </p><p>Your warehouse staff can scan items on their phones while you check dashboards from your laptop, and everything updates in real time.</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u>Bubble paid plans</u></a> start at $59 per month for both web and mobile apps (annual billing). To launch your app, you’ll need the Starter plan, which includes unlimited database entries, allowing your inventory to grow significantly as your business scales. You can always start building on the free plan.</p><hr><h2 id="method-8-freemium-inventory-tracking-apps">Method 8: Freemium inventory tracking apps</h2><p>Freemium apps offer basic features for free with the option to upgrade to paid plans as your needs grow. </p><p>For inventory tracking, you can unlock barcode scanning, mobile updates, and real-time dashboards at no cost, then upgrade later when you need more advanced features or higher limits.</p><h3 id="how-to-choose-a-freemium-platform">How to choose a freemium platform</h3><p>Popular freemium inventory apps include <a href="https://www.sortly.com/"><u>Sortly Lite</u></a> (100 active items) and <a href="https://www.inflowinventory.com/"><u>inFlow Starter</u></a> (100-item combined limit for products and customers on the free plan). These free tiers offer more capability than you might expect.</p><p>Sortly's visual catalog uses photos and QR codes to help you distinguish between similar SKUs. The free plan includes mobile scanning and basic inventory tracking, though you'll need to upgrade for low-stock alerts. </p><p>inFlow adds sales workflows like quotes, invoices, and basic reporting so your product and revenue data live in one place.</p><p>For data portability, Sortly Lite and inFlow Starter offer limited CSV export in their free versions, and you may need to upgrade for full export capability. </p><p>You can use these exports to run quarterly analysis in Google Sheets or test different scenarios.</p><hr><h2 id="method-9-pull-data-from-your-e-commerce-platform">Method 9: Pull data from your e-commerce platform</h2><p>If you're selling online through Shopify or similar platforms, you already have inventory data captured with every transaction. </p><p>By exporting this data regularly and setting up automated alerts, you can avoid the manual-entry mistakes that lead to stockouts.</p><h3 id="how-to-track-inventory-using-exported-data">How to track inventory using exported data</h3><p>Download the CSV file from your e-commerce platform and upload it into your Google Sheet.</p><p>From there, you can set up automation using a free tool like Zapier. Connect it to watch your Google Sheet, and when your quantity on hand hits your reorder point, it can send an email or Slack notification. </p><h3 id="how-to-maintain-your-inventory-across-platforms">How to maintain your inventory across platforms</h3><p>The biggest issue you'll face is mismatched SKUs. Shopify might list an item as "TSHIRT-BLK-M" while WooCommerce calls it "TEE_BLACK_M," which causes problems when you're trying to merge data. You should standardize one SKU naming scheme across all platforms, then batch-update each system before setting up automations. </p><p>For timing, you can schedule nightly exports or set Zapier to pull fresh data every hour if you're moving significant volume.</p><h2 id="build-your-inventory-tracker-in-a-couple-of-hours">Build your inventory tracker in a couple of hours</h2><p>Spreadsheets work well for small businesses with low stock volumes. Freemium apps offer quick setup but often lack the customization options you need as you grow. And traditional inventory software can cost thousands per month and takes months to implement.</p><p>Bubble offers a middle ground by allowing you to <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-create-a-mobile-app/"><u>build exactly the app</u></a> you need. You can use AI to generate the initial structure of your inventory tracker, then switch to visual editing to customize it exactly how you want. </p><p>The platform lets you deploy your tracker on web, iOS, and Android from a single backend, so your warehouse staff can update inventory from their phones while you check dashboards from your laptop.</p><p>Explore <a href="https://bubble.io/showcase"><u>how other businesses have used Bubble</u></a> or <a href="https://bubble.io/login?mode=signup"><u>sign up for a free account</u></a> today.</p><hr><h2 id="frequently-asked-questions">Frequently asked questions</h2><h3 id="when-should-i-move-inventory-tracking-from-spreadsheets-to-a-database">When should I move inventory tracking from spreadsheets to a database?</h3><p>Consider moving when you hit around 200 SKUs, need multiple people accessing the data simultaneously, or find yourself dealing with version control issues.</p><p>A good rule of thumb: if you're spending more time managing the spreadsheet itself than actually managing your inventory, you've probably outgrown it. At that point, a database solution can help. You can import your existing spreadsheet as a CSV and add features like automated low-stock alerts, barcode scanning, and real-time updates that are difficult to implement in spreadsheets.</p><h3 id="how-much-does-it-cost-to-track-inventory-with-bubble">How much does it cost to track inventory with Bubble?</h3><p>Bubble offers a free plan to help you get started with your project. Paid plans for both mobile and web apps start at $59 per month (annual billing). The recommended tier for team collaboration costs $209 per month.</p><h3 id="can-i-build-an-inventory-tracker-without-any-coding-experience">Can I build an inventory tracker without any coding experience?</h3><p>Yes. Bubble AI can generate a basic tracker structure based on what you describe ("Build a tracker with SKU, quantity, and reorder alerts"), and then you can use the visual editor to customize it. You can drag elements onto the page, adjust fields, and set up workflows like automated email alerts when stock runs low.</p><p>The visual editor shows you how everything works without requiring you to read or write code. Inventory tracking is one of the simpler types of apps to build on the platform, so it's a good starting point if you're new to Bubble.</p><h3 id="what-happens-when-my-inventory-system-needs-to-scale">What happens when my inventory system needs to scale?</h3><p>A Bubble app can grow with your needs. You can start tracking 50 SKUs and scale up to thousands using the same database and workflows. If you need to add features like barcode scanning, you can install plugins. If you want mobile apps for warehouse staff, you can build iOS and Android versions alongside your web dashboard without creating separate codebases.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Build an App for Your Business: 8 Simple Steps]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn how to build a professional app for your business in eight practical steps using AI and visual development. We cover everything from validating your idea to launching and scaling — no coding required.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-build-an-app-for-your-business-8-simple-steps/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">692476ae9ee9080001578fda</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Starting a Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:04:35 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-to-build-an-app-for-your-business.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="here%E2%80%99s-what-you-need-to-know">Here’s what you need to know</h2><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-to-build-an-app-for-your-business.png" alt="How to Build an App for Your Business: 8 Simple Steps"><p>To build an app for your business, follow these steps:</p><ol><li>Define your app's core purpose and business goals</li><li>Research the market and validate your idea</li><li>Map out features and user flow</li><li>Design an intuitive UX/UI</li><li>Build your app in Bubble</li><li>Test, refine, and prepare for launch</li><li>Launch and drive user adoption</li><li>Iterate and scale</li></ol><p>Building an app for your business used to mean long timelines, complex coding, and big budgets. Your team needed developers. Your timeline stretched to months. Your costs ballooned into six figures.</p><p>That's changed. AI app development platforms let you design, build, and launch professional-grade apps without writing code. You can turn business problems into working solutions faster than ever.</p><p>This matters now because your competitors are already moving. Internal tools that automate workflows save hours daily. Customer-facing apps create new revenue streams. The businesses building apps today gain advantages that compound over time.</p><p>This guide walks you through <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-build-an-app-with-ai/"><u>how to build an app for your business</u></a> in 8 simple steps using Bubble's AI visual development platform. You'll use AI to generate your app's foundation, then customize it visually to match your exact needs. No technical background required. By following these steps, you'll go from concept to a working app in as little as 2–4 weeks for lightweight tools, or 8–12 weeks for more complex applications. You'll finish with a production-ready app that solves real business problems, ready to launch to your first users.</p><hr><h2 id="step-1-define-your-apps-core-purpose-and-business-goals">Step 1: Define your app's core purpose and business goals</h2><p>Before you start designing screens or choosing features, you need to answer one question: <strong>What single problem does this app solve?</strong></p><p>A useful framework for this is Jobs-to-Be-Done. It forces you to think about the outcome your users actually want:</p><ul><li>Who's using the app?</li><li>What outcome are they trying to achieve?</li><li>How will they know it worked?</li></ul><p>Try writing it as a single sentence: <em>"As a warehouse manager, I want real-time inventory counts so I can cut stockouts by half."</em> The more specific and measurable, the better.</p><p>Your success metrics will depend on what type of app you're building. Internal operations tools should track time saved per task and error rates, while customer-facing apps need to measure user acquisition and retention.</p><hr><h2 id="step-2-research-the-market-and-validate-your-idea">Step 2: Research the market and validate your idea</h2><p>To validate your idea, you need clear evidence that people will actually pay or use the app you're planning to build.</p><p>Start with a short survey focused on three things: the pain point, current alternatives, and willingness to pay. Ask questions like: </p><ul><li>"What's the hardest part of [problem]?" </li><li>"How are you solving it now?"</li><li>"What would you pay for a better solution?" </li></ul><p>Share the survey in Reddit threads or LinkedIn groups where your target users actively discuss this problem.</p><p>Follow up with five deeper interviews. Give prospective users 20 minutes to walk you through when this problem has hit them hardest. Ask about their current workarounds and their budget for fixing it.</p><p>Then build a <a href="https://bubble.io/template/startup-landing-page-1483671955341x791794467244867600"><u>simple landing page in Bubble</u></a> with a clear headline, your value proposition, and a "Get early access" button that you can share with your network to build interest before app launch.</p><hr><h2 id="step-3-map-out-features-and-user-flow">Step 3: Map out features and user flow</h2><p>Your MVP should focus on three to five core features that work together to solve the main problem.</p><p>Write each feature as a user story: "As a [role], I want to [action] so I can [outcome]." If you struggle to complete that sentence, the feature probably isn't clear enough yet.</p><p>Use <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/moscow-prioritization-method/" rel="noreferrer">MoSCoW prioritization</a> to sort your ideas:</p><ul><li><strong>Must-have</strong>: Core features that solve the main problem</li><li><strong>Should-have</strong>: Important but not critical for launch</li><li><strong>Could-have</strong>: Nice polish that can wait</li><li><strong>Won't-have</strong>: Explicitly ruled out to keep scope manageable</li></ul><p>Next, sketch out the user journey. A simple diagram should show how someone lands on your app, completes the main task, and exits successfully. Look for any gaps or confusing paths.</p><p>Once you have that mapped, open Bubble and translate your sketch into data types using our <a href="https://bubble.io/data"><u>built-in database designer</u></a>. Define the main objects your app needs (User, Order, Ticket, etc.) and connect them based on your user flow.</p><hr><h2 id="step-4-design-an-intuitive-uxui">Step 4: Design an intuitive UX/UI</h2><p>To design an intuitive user experience, use consistent navigation patterns across every page. Give clear feedback when users take actions: confirm saves, show loading states, and explain errors. Strip out any interaction that doesn't move the user closer to their goal. </p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-create-a-mobile-app"><u>Design for mobile</u></a> from the start—most users will access your app on their phones, so build touch-friendly interfaces with appropriately sized buttons and simplified navigation. Build for accessibility from the start by designing for keyboard navigation, screen readers, and high-contrast displays.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text"><i><b><strong class="italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Learn more:</strong></b></i> <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/build-responsive-nav-bar/"><u><i><em class="italic underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">How to build a responsive navigation bar</em></i></u></a></div></div><p>On the visual side, make sure your body text is at least 16px, use color contrast ratios of 4.5:1 or higher to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) AA standards, add whitespace to reduce cognitive load, and create layouts that work on both desktop and mobile.</p><p>Bubble makes these rules easy to follow. Our AI app builder creates responsive layouts for every screen size.</p><hr><h2 id="step-5-build-your-app-in-bubble">Step 5: Build your app in Bubble</h2><p>Traditional app development requires coordinating frontend developers, backend engineers, and DevOps teams. Bubble consolidates that entire stack into one interface where you can build your app, starting with a simple prompt.</p><p>The <a href="https://bubble.io/ai-agent"><u>Bubble AI Agent</u></a> (beta) will create the app using your instructions, and you can refine it in the visual editor. There are also <a href="https://bubble.io/plugins"><u>thousands of plugins</u></a> available for things like payment processing, analytics, maps, and advanced charts.</p><p>Bubble also builds <a href="https://bubble.io/mobile"><u>native iOS and Android apps</u></a> from the same editor. For integrations, the <a href="https://manual.bubble.io/core-resources/api/the-api-connector"><u>API Connector</u></a> lets you hook into any REST endpoint, while privacy and security features are built into the platform so you can handle sensitive data without specialized expertise.</p><p>Typical timelines for building apps include 2–4 weeks for a lightweight internal tool, 4–8 weeks for a SaaS MVP, and 8–12 weeks for a multi-sided marketplace.</p><hr><h2 id="step-6-test-refine-and-prepare-for-launch">Step 6: Test, refine, and prepare for launch</h2><p>Thorough testing before launch prevents the bugs and UX issues that drive users away on day one. The goal is to find and fix problems before your users do.</p><p>Start by clicking through every button and form in Bubble's preview mode to verify that everything works correctly. When something breaks, open the debugger and step through each action to see exactly where it failed.</p><p>Test your app on desktop, tablet, and phone. Also, check different browsers to catch any compatibility issues. Bubble uses a unified codebase, so you can fix issues once and they'll update everywhere.</p><hr><h2 id="step-7-launch-and-drive-user-adoption">Step 7: Launch and drive user adoption</h2><p>A smooth launch builds trust, and good onboarding turns first-time visitors into regular users.</p><p>To drive early traffic, start with the people who've already shown interest. Email everyone who signed up during validation, and cross-promote with complementary products that share your audience. </p><p>Get influencers or industry voices to demo your app on LinkedIn or X. Paid search ads can also help you reach people actively looking for solutions like yours. You can also list launch deals on platforms like AppSumo to get initial traction.</p><p>When new users arrive, guide them through your app with a short in-app tour, an automated welcome email sequence, and a visible feedback button. These onboarding elements help reduce early churn. Bubble's visual workflow builder makes setting up these flows straightforward.</p><p>Track the metrics that matter most: daily sign-ups, your DAU/MAU ratio (daily active users vs monthly active users), and which features people actually use. These numbers show you where users get stuck so you can address friction points quickly.</p><hr><h2 id="step-8-iterate-and-scale">Step 8: Iterate and scale</h2><p>Your first launch is just the starting point. Bubble lets you ship new features, bug fixes, and pricing tests quickly based on user feedback.</p><p>Set aside time each week to review key metrics: active users, conversion rates, and churn. Bubble's version control system allows you to test changes, then merge them to production when you're ready.</p><p>When users request features, sort them using an impact-versus-effort grid. High-impact changes that require minimal effort should ship first. Because everything in Bubble is visual, you can test ideas yourself before committing team resources to build them out.</p><hr><h2 id="start-building-today">Start building today</h2><p>You now have a repeatable framework for building an app from concept to launch using modern tools. With Bubble, you can iterate quickly, manage real-time updates, and scale without technical overhead.</p><p>Your business doesn’t need a large team or heavy funding to move forward. <u>Create</u><a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u> a free Bubble account</u></a>, enter your prompt, and watch your app take shape in minutes.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Much Does It Cost to Create an App in 2026?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Discover how much it costs to build an app in 2026, from traditional development ($5,000–$300,000) to AI-powered platforms starting at $59 per month. We break down cost drivers, hidden expenses, and when each approach makes sense for your project.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-create-an-app/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69247ed19ee9080001578ff6</guid><category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category><category><![CDATA[Starting a Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:00:29 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-an-app.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 id="here%E2%80%99s-what-you-need-to-know">Here’s what you need to know</h2><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/11/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-an-app.png" alt="How Much Does It Cost to Create an App in 2026?"><p>The cost to build an app in 2026 depends on your approach:</p><ul><li>Hiring a developer to build your app can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $300,000, depending on your location and app complexity.</li><li>If you use the <a href="https://bubble.io/ai"><u>Bubble AI app builder</u></a>, the Starter plan costs $59 per month on annual billing and gives you all the features you need to launch your app. You can also start with a free plan to explore the platform before committing.</li><li>Features include hosting, database, security, and deployment to web, iOS, and Android.</li><li>The main cost drivers are feature complexity, platform coverage, team location, and maintenance.</li></ul><p>You have a great app idea and you’re excited to bring it to life. However, the potential costs of development are holding you back.</p><p>Traditionally, app development hasn’t been cheap. But with new AI tools, <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/how-to-build-an-app-with-ai/"><u>creating and launching your app</u></a> has become much easier and more affordable.</p><p>This guide explains how much it costs to create an app in 2026 by comparing real build options such as custom code, AI-only generators, and Bubble’s combined AI + visual development.</p><hr><h2 id="traditional-app-development-costs-in-2026">Traditional app development costs in 2026</h2><p>The average cost of building an app depends on its complexity and where your development team is located. Here are the <a href="https://www.businessofapps.com/app-developers/research/app-development-cost/"><u>average costs</u></a> for US-based development teams:</p><ul><li><strong>Simple app:</strong> From $5,000 to $50,000</li><li><strong>Medium complexity:</strong> From $50,000 to $120,000</li><li><strong>Complex app:</strong> From $100,000 to $300,000</li></ul><p>In addition to location and app complexity, the main cost drivers of app development include:</p><ul><li><strong>Platform coverage</strong>. Separate iOS and Android builds require two codebases, while cross-platform frameworks trim 20–40% of the cost but still require maintenance. The <a href="https://bubble.io/features/ai-builder"><u>Bubble AI app builder</u></a> allows you to build your app visually and share a single backend across web and mobile. However, web and native mobile apps still require separate builds.</li><li><strong>Security and compliance.</strong> SOC 2 audits and GDPR requirements add weeks of work.</li><li><strong>Integrations</strong> such as linking with payment gateways, social logins, APIs, analytics, or third-party services significantly impact final app costs. Third-party API maintenance typically costs between $3,000 and $20,000 per year for each integration.</li></ul><h3 id="cost-breakdown-by-phase">Cost breakdown by phase</h3><p>Nearly half of every budget goes to development labor. The rest covers planning, testing, and deployment that ensure your app works reliably for users. If you are calculating how much it costs to create an app, this phase overview clarifies where the money actually goes:</p><ul><li><strong>Discovery (10%)</strong>: User stories, stack decisions, early prototypes</li><li><strong>Design (15%)</strong>: Wireframes, visual mock-ups, interaction specs</li><li><strong>Development (45%)</strong>: Frontend, backend, integrations</li><li><strong>Quality assurance (15%)</strong>: Manual and automated testing</li><li><strong>Deployment (5%)</strong>: Store submission and CI/CD configuration</li><li><strong>Project management (10%)</strong>: Sprint planning and status updates</li></ul><h3 id="hidden-costs-of-traditional-development-that-impact-your-budget">Hidden costs of traditional development that impact your budget</h3><p>Traditional development proposals often focus on the upfront build cost while downplaying ongoing expenses. In reality, your quoted build cost typically doubles before launch, and maintenance costs keep climbing from there.</p><p>Maintenance alone consumes 15–25% of the original budget every year. A $120,000 app becomes a $180,000 commitment within twelve months.</p><p>Every iOS or Android update triggers additional paid development sprints. Third-party services like map tiles, payment gateways, and AI models charge you <strong>per API call</strong>, meaning these fees can quickly exceed initial estimates.</p><hr><h2 id="how-ai-development-impacts-app-costs">How AI development impacts app costs</h2><p><a href="https://bubble.io/blog/tag/reviews/"><u>AI development tools</u></a> made app building more affordable and accessible by automating tasks that used to require hours of manual work. Platforms like <a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble</u></a>, for example, allow non-technical builders to generate apps with a simple prompt.</p><p>There are also more advanced AI tools that generate code, catch bugs, and optimize features faster, which means smaller development teams and shorter timelines.</p><p>The cost savings show up in several areas:</p><ul><li>AI coding assistants help developers build standard components faster and with fewer errors.</li><li>Automated testing platforms detect errors, which reduces the time spent on debugging and fixes.</li><li>Instead of building custom AI features from scratch, developers can integrate pre-built models and APIs for things like language analysis, image recognition, or chatbots.</li></ul><p>Plus, AI allows you to launch faster. <a href="https://www.bain.com/insights/scaling-ai-while-controlling-costs/"><u>Industry reports</u></a> estimate that AI shortens software development cycles by 20–30% on average, while <a href="https://bubble.io/solutions/ai-apps-builder"><u>Bubble users ship 3–10X faster</u></a> than traditional development, saving anywhere from $300,000 to $1 million a year.</p><hr><h2 id="how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-your-app-on-bubble">How much does it cost to build your app on Bubble?</h2><p>Bubble offers <a href="https://bubble.io/pricing"><u>a free plan</u></a> that lets you explore the platform and build and preview your app before upgrading to the plan that makes the most sense for your needs and budget.</p><p>Here are the different pricing options for mobile and web development:</p><ul><li><strong>Free:</strong> Get access to the AI page builder to build and test both web and native mobile apps at no cost. Preview your app in real-time as you build, experiment with features, and validate your concept before spending money. Use this to figure out if Bubble works for your project.</li><li><strong>Starter ($59/month)</strong>: Includes custom branding, live website with custom domain, 3 live app versions, 5 build submissions per month, and 175 thousand workload units per month.</li><li><strong>Growth ($209/month)</strong>: Everything in the Starter plan, plus Bubble app API, access to plugins, changelog, 250 thousand workload units, 10 builds per month, and more.</li><li><strong>Team ($549/month):</strong> Includes 20-day version backup and restore, 500 thousand workload units, 20 builds per month, and more.</li><li><strong>Enterprise:</strong> Our most advanced plan with custom pricing and numerous customizable features.</li></ul><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text">Don’t need a web and a mobile app? Pricing for web-only projects starts at $29/month (billed annually). <a href="http://bubble.io/pricing">Learn more →</a></div></div><hr><h2 id="when-to-go-with-traditional-vs-ai-powered-development">When to go with traditional vs. AI-powered development</h2><p>Not every project fits the same approach. Start by listing your non-negotiables: budget, launch deadline, compliance requirements, and any hardware or regulatory constraints. These factors will point you toward the right path.</p><h3 id="when-traditional-development-makes-sense">When traditional development makes sense</h3><p>Traditional code works best for device-specific integrations or heavily regulated industries like healthcare and fintech. </p><p>If you already have an in-house engineering team working with existing tools and a familiar tech stack, building incrementally might be more cost-effective than switching platforms mid-project.</p><h3 id="when-ai-app-development-makes-sense">When AI app development makes sense</h3><p>AI-powered development works best when you need to move fast, control costs, iterate frequently, or build without learning to code.</p><p>It makes the most sense when you're:</p><ul><li><strong>Building an internal app</strong>: If you're creating a tool like a <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/crm-guide/"><u>custom CRM</u></a>, you can generate one with AI and polish it over time.</li><li><strong>Testing different product ideas quickly</strong>: Generate variations of your core concept and validate ideas without rebuilding everything each time.</li><li><strong>Running a lean team</strong>: One person can build production-ready apps, which eliminates the need for a full development team.</li><li><strong>Iterating based on user feedback</strong>: When users request changes, you can update the app directly rather than waiting on developer sprints.</li></ul><hr><h2 id="start-working-on-your-app-idea-today">Start working on your app idea today</h2><p>AI-powered visual development has made app building more accessible for non-technical founders, small business owners, and solo entrepreneurs who were previously priced out. What used to require large engineering teams and six-figure budgets can now be built by small teams on modest budgets.</p><p>When using <a href="https://bubble.io/"><u>Bubble</u></a>, AI generates the app from your prompt, visual editing lets you refine it, and the platform handles hosting and security automatically. You don’t need a large engineering team or a big round of funding to move forward. </p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">💡</div><div class="kg-callout-text">Explore our<a href="https://bubble.io/showcase"> <u>Showcase</u></a> to see what other builders have created, or <a href="https://bubble.io/login?mode=signup"><u>sign up to get started</u></a> →</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bubble Wrapped 2025: Recap of Our Year of Building Together and Community Awards]]></title><description><![CDATA[From AI agents to native mobile apps, 2025 was a year of serious building. Explore our building stats, celebrate Community Awards winners, and see what we’ve accomplished together.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-wrapped-2025-year-in-review/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69402c2e7652ba0001f61443</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[The No-Code Industry]]></category><category><![CDATA[Using Bubble]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:09:36 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Bubble-Wrapped_Blog-Image.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Bubble-Wrapped_Blog-Image.png" alt="Bubble Wrapped 2025: Recap of Our Year of Building Together and Community Awards"><p>Another year of Bubbling has wrapped up, and what a year it’s been. In 2025, you shipped products that real people use every day. You answered questions on the forum that helped someone get unstuck. You experimented with AI, tested mobile features, and built workflows that showed how powerful visual development can be — especially with great ideas behind it.</p><p>This is our moment to celebrate that. Whether you launched your first app or scaled to thousands of users, whether you helped one person on the forum or mentored dozens, you made this year what it was.</p><p>Let's look at what we built together.</p><hr><h2 id="bubble-wrapped-the-year-in-numbers">Bubble Wrapped: The year in numbers</h2><p>The Bubble community continued to grow and build at an incredible pace in 2025. Here's what we achieved together:</p><ul><li><strong>7.2 million apps</strong> launched by builders worldwide</li><li><strong>28.6 billion workflows</strong> run across all Bubble apps</li></ul><p><strong>The most active building cities in 2025:</strong></p><ol><li>São Paulo </li><li>Paris </li><li>New York</li><li>Tokyo</li><li>London</li></ol><h3 id="your-personal-bubble-stats">Your personal Bubble stats</h3><p>If you were active on Bubble in 2025, we also pulled together stats about your building journey. Check your email to see your editing streak, apps built, favorite day to Bubble, total app views, and more. Plus, if you spent time with AI or mobile this year, those milestones are waiting for you too. </p><p>Don’t forget to screenshot and share your stats on social media with #BubbleWrapped2025 so we can celebrate your building milestones.</p><hr><h2 id="celebrating-the-2025-community-awards-winners">Celebrating the 2025 Community Awards winners</h2><p>Every year, we ask the Bubble community to help us recognize the builders who go above and beyond to make this community what it is. The nominations and voting was open to the entire community — anyone with a Bubble account — and more than 1,000 of you cast your votes across four categories, with each person voting for one favorite per category.</p><p>The community voted, and we're happy to share the winners of the 2025 Bubble Community Awards with all of you.</p><h3 id="agency-of-the-year-rapiddev">Agency of the Year: RapidDev</h3><p>A Bubble Gold Agency that's been consistently delivering exceptional work for years. Clients from around the world rallied behind them to help secure this year's win. Congrats, <a href="https://bubble.io/expert/rapid-dev"><u>RapidDev</u></a>!</p><h3 id="freelancer-of-the-year-sarah-esteve">Freelancer of the Year: Sarah Esteve</h3><p>A veteran Bubbler who's highly respected across the community. You'll inevitably find Sarah involved in the big moments happening with Bubble in Europe, from conferences to summer hacker retreats. Congrats, <a href="https://bubble.io/expert/sarah-esteve"><u>Sarah</u></a>!</p><h3 id="founder-of-the-year-david-bressler-founder-of-formula-bot">Founder of the Year: David Bressler, Founder of Formula Bot</h3><p>David turned an idea into a thriving business that's now served over a million users — all built on Bubble. From a laptop and a viral Reddit post to where Formula Bot is today, his journey shows what's possible when you commit to your vision. Congrats, <a href="https://bubble.io/showcase/formula-bot"><u>David</u></a>!</p><h3 id="community-champion-of-the-year-george-collier">Community Champion of the Year: George Collier</h3><p>George's reputation precedes him: Always helping in the forum, sharing Bubble build tips on social media, and being the kind of dependable, friendly developer everyone's lucky to have around. Congrats, <a href="https://forum.bubble.io/u/georgecollier/summary"><u>George</u></a>!</p><p>Congratulations to all of this year's winners. Your work inspires us all.</p><hr><h2 id="bubble-tour-and-other-events-connected-builders-around-the-world">Bubble Tour and other events connected builders around the world</h2><p>We took Bubble on the road in 2025 with events in São Paulo, Rio, London, and Paris. Hundreds of builders came together to see product announcements first, hear from successful founders, and connect with fellow Bubblers. We also saw Bubblers join watch parties and community meetups across the globe.</p><p>In fact, we listed 59 events on our community page this year, most of which were organized by the community itself — that’s more than one per week all year!</p><p>The energy at these events reminded us why we do this work. There's something special about meeting the people behind the apps and seeing this community come to life beyond the screen.</p>
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<hr><h2 id="we-focused-on-helping-you-build-and-scale">We focused on helping you build and scale</h2><p>Apps built on Bubble transacted over $1 billion in the last year. That's real businesses serving real customers, and we wanted to make sure our platform could keep up with where you're headed. This year, we focused on combining AI speed with the visual control you need to actually finish what you start and scale to real users.</p><h3 id="building-faster-with-ai-that-doesnt-leave-you-stuck">Building faster with AI that doesn't leave you stuck</h3><p>In October, we introduced <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/bubble-tour-founder-keynote-2025/"><u>the Bubble AI Agent</u></a>, a building partner that understands your specific app. To celebrate this launch, we ran the <a href="https://forum.bubble.io/t/join-the-bubble-x-anthropic-ai-hackathon/383260"><u>Bubble AI Hackathon with Anthropic</u></a>, where builders created AI-powered apps and competed for prizes.</p><p>The Agent can troubleshoot your workflows, generate elements that follow Bubble best practices, and walk you through the steps for anything it can't build yet, all the while without leaving your project.</p><p>Everything stays visual and editable, so you're never trapped by code you can't understand. We also brought AI generation to native mobile apps, making it faster to get your iOS and Android apps into app stores.</p><h3 id="reaching-users-on-every-device">Reaching users on every device</h3><p>Since <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/native-mobile-beta/"><u>launching native mobile development</u></a> in June, you've created more than 180,000 mobile apps on Bubble. Just like with the AI hackathon, we marked this milestone with our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBUqOlGHT4s"><u>Summer Mobile Challenge</u></a>, where builders competed to publish their first native apps and show what's possible with mobile development.</p><p>This year also brought AI generation for mobile, in-app purchases that work with your app's logic, and a clearer path from building to publishing. Whether your users are on web, iOS, or Android, we want you to be able to reach them without rebuilding your apps from scratch.</p><h3 id="supporting-builders-at-every-stage">Supporting builders at every stage</h3><p>Whether you're just learning Bubble, building your MVP, or ready to launch, we focused on giving you the resources to succeed at each step.</p><p>The redesigned <a href="https://bubble.io/academy"><u>Bubble Academy</u></a> makes it easier to start learning and understand what you're building toward. Each course has clear landing pages showing what you'll learn, how long it takes, and your full lesson path from the start (with more, like progression tracking, to come soon!).</p><p>We also unified all professional Bubble services under one<a href="https://bubble.io/experts"> <u>Experts hub</u></a>. Freelancers, agencies, and coaches now have better visibility and clearer positioning, making it easier for them to connect with the right clients and showcase their work.</p><p><a href="https://bubble.io/immerse"><u>Immerse Cohort 8: AI for Good</u></a>, our fully-funded, eight-week pre-accelerator, brought together 11 socially conscious founders who built AI-powered apps focused on social impact. We concluded the program with a <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/immerse-ai-cohort-demo-day/"><u>Demo Day</u></a> where finalists presented their projects in front of a panel of judges and the community.</p><p>And we introduced <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/introducing-launch-lab/"><u>Launch Lab</u></a> to help select founders turn their launches into professional campaigns. If you're accepted, you get storytelling support, video content, and help getting your app in front of the right audience, because building the app is hard enough without having to figure out marketing.</p><hr><h2 id="whats-ahead-in-2026">What's ahead in 2026</h2><p>We're not slowing down. The roadmap ahead includes more AI capabilities, better infrastructure, and features you've been asking for. But more than any specific feature, 2026 is about making sure Bubble continues scaling with you, whether you're launching your first app or running a business that serves thousands of users.</p><p>Thank you for making 2025 an incredible year. Here's to building without limits in 2026.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[AMA Recap: Emmanuel on AI Agent Expansion, Mobile Priorities, and Platform Updates]]></title><description><![CDATA[Emmanuel answered questions on the AI Agent roadmap, including when it's coming to existing apps, plus updates on mobile, workload units, and what's ahead for Q1.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/december-2025-founder-ama/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">693c63417652ba0001f61418</guid><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Emmanuel Straschnov]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 19:41:44 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Emmanuel-AMA-12.4_YT-thumbnail--2-.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Emmanuel-AMA-12.4_YT-thumbnail--2-.png" alt="AMA Recap: Emmanuel on AI Agent Expansion, Mobile Priorities, and Platform Updates"><p>Last week, co-CEO Emmanuel hosted our second Ask Me Anything session <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/ai-agent-ama-recap/"><u>in two months</u></a>, covering everything from the AI Agent roadmap to mobile development priorities and platform improvements. Below you can watch the full AMA or read a summary of the key topics discussed.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-embed-card"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K6IZXckY7WU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen title="[LIVE] AMA with Bubble Co-Founder Emmanuel Straschnov"></iframe></figure><hr><h2 id="questions-about-the-ai-agent-and-roadmap">Questions about the AI Agent and roadmap</h2><h3 id="what%E2%80%99s-the-ai-roadmap-for-the-next-few-months">What’s the AI roadmap for the next few months?</h3><p>Emmanuel broke down the team’s AI focus into three parallel workstreams:</p><p><strong>Overall system performance:</strong> Ongoing improvements to response speed and quality. “Every day we’re making some releases and pushes and patches that do lead to a better experience,” Emmanuel said. Things have already improved significantly since the Bubble Tour London launch in October.</p><p><strong>Extending capabilities:</strong> The team just shipped <a href="https://forum.bubble.io/t/the-ai-agent-can-now-create-dynamic-expressions/386632"><u>AI-generated expressions</u></a> (as of the day before the AMA), allowing the Agent to create elements with dynamic expressions through natural language. Next up: creating and editing data types and workflows (early January). Mobile app editing through the Agent (for UI, at least) is planned to launch in Q1.</p><p><strong>Expanding adoption:</strong> Mobile app generation is rolling out to 100% of new mobile apps by end of year. (Ed. note: Since the event, this has rolled out to everyone!) And the big one everyone’s been waiting for — using the Agent on apps that weren’t AI-generated — is targeted for the end of Q1.</p><h3 id="when-can-i-use-the-agent-on-my-existing-app">When can I use the Agent on my existing app?</h3><p>End of Q1 is the goal for most applications. The main challenge is app size — when you download the JSON from some larger apps, it can be hundreds of megabytes, which creates complexity for the Agent.</p><p>“I won’t tell you that every single application will be able to use the Agent by the end of Q1, but most of them,” Emmanuel said. The team is exploring whether they can unlock access earlier for simpler, well-built applications while continuing to work on support for larger ones.</p><h3 id="will-a-good-bubble-developer-always-be-better-than-ai">Will a good Bubble Developer always be better than AI?</h3><p>Emmanuel flipped the question back: “Is a good writer going to always be better than an LLM when it comes to writing? It’s a complicated question.”</p><p>His take: AI is here to make you more efficient and multiply what you can do. But the human using the editor will always be the one making sure everything works well at scale. “The combination of our visual editor with AI is a winning combination,” he said, “because even though the Agent will give a sense to people that things can be easily done, learning the platform along your Bubble journey is always going to be critical.”</p><h3 id="is-ai-financially-beneficial-for-bubble">Is AI financially beneficial for Bubble?</h3><p>Emmanuel shared that apps built with AI show significantly higher retention — new users who go through the AI flow stick around longer. Revenue impact isn’t meaningful yet (Bubble’s biggest customers started their apps years ago, before AI existed), but the early indicators are positive.</p><p>“For Bubble to be relevant and thrive as a platform, we need to get AI right,” he said. “The fact that we’re seeing these early signals right now is very encouraging.”</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-mobile-development">Questions about mobile development</h2><h3 id="what%E2%80%99s-the-product-roadmap-for-mobile">What’s the product roadmap for mobile?</h3><p>Current priorities are stability, performance, and in-app purchases. The team recently upgraded to the latest version of React Native, and in-app purchases will start rolling out in January with full availability targeted for February.</p><p>For new features and widgets, the focus is on enabling the community through the plugin editor. “Once we’re done with in-app purchases and plugin editor, we’ll see what we do,” Emmanuel said. “The goal is that at some point we get the community to be able to take a lot of things on their own.”</p><h3 id="will-in-app-purchases-sync-with-existing-stripe-subscriptions">Will in-app purchases sync with existing Stripe subscriptions?</h3><p>No — and this isn’t a Bubble limitation. In-app purchases go through Apple and Google, not Stripe. “This is not something that we don’t want to do,” Emmanuel explained. “We’re working with what Apple and Google are telling us.”</p><h3 id="can-we-deploy-apps-without-using-app-store-connect-or-google-play-console">Can we deploy apps without using App Store Connect or Google Play Console?</h3><p>Probably not. Apple requires knowing who the developer is for each submitted app, and when you build on Bubble, you’re the developer, not Bubble. “If one day we can, we will,” Emmanuel said, “but we have to deal with what the two platforms allow us to do.”</p><h3 id="when-will-the-mobile-plugin-editor-be-available-to-everyone">When will the mobile plugin editor be available to everyone?</h3><p>It’s on the roadmap, but not the immediate focus — the team is prioritizing stability, performance, and in-app purchases. Plugin editor access for mobile will likely come later in Q1 or Q2, though Emmanuel noted this isn’t a firm commitment.</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-platform-and-pricing">Questions about platform and pricing</h2><h3 id="will-workload-unit-pricing-change">Will workload unit pricing change?</h3><p>“We’re still in the monitoring phase,” Emmanuel said. The team needs to see patterns across tens of thousands of applications over time before making changes. “One application having issues might be because it’s not being built properly.”</p><p>He emphasized that incentives are aligned: “Our goal is not to make money off people designing [inefficient] applications. Our goal is to make money because applications are thriving.” When the platform team improves backend performance, it often leads to more efficient consumption and lower costs for users.</p><h3 id="will-the-option-to-opt-out-of-the-new-property-editor-be-permanent">Will the option to opt out of the new property editor be permanent?</h3><p>No. The team learned from the workflow tab rollout — waiting for people to opt in meant they didn’t get enough feedback from heavy users to fix issues quickly.</p><p>The new approach is to roll out progressively, ask people why they opt out, monitor opt-out rates, fix issues, and eventually remove the opt-out option once the new experience is clearly better. “It is important for us to have everyone on the same version of the product,” Emmanuel said.</p><h3 id="how-do-i-protect-my-bubble-app-from-hackers">How do I protect my Bubble app from hackers?</h3><p>Use the security dashboard at scan.bubble.io. Emmanuel’s biggest recommendation: don’t put API keys in option sets (they get sent to the browser and can be found by anyone).</p><p>“Whenever we find vulnerabilities, we add a test to our test suite that is exposed to users," he said. “Not enough people use it today.”</p><h3 id="can-you-help-manage-privacy-rules-for-large-applications">Can you help manage privacy rules for large applications?</h3><p>Security is a priority, and the security dashboard provides automated testing. AI-assisted privacy rules are something the team has considered but hasn’t prioritized yet — it requires extreme care since mistakes would be serious.</p><hr><h2 id="questions-about-bubble%E2%80%99s-direction">Questions about Bubble’s direction</h2><h3 id="is-there-a-bubble-fund-that-invests-in-bubble-startups">Is there a Bubble fund that invests in Bubble startups?</h3><p>Not today. Emmanuel would love to do this eventually — similar to how Slack had a Slack fund — but managing other people’s money requires raising capital specifically for that purpose. “After we raise our next round, I’d like to try to negotiate to carve out a special fund,” he said.</p><h3 id="will-bubble-ever-open-stock-to-the-public">Will Bubble ever open stock to the public?</h3><p>Emmanuel looked into this in 2021 and decided against it for legal reasons related to US securities laws. “I wish we had done that for a seed round,” he said. “It would be fantastic if we had some Bubble fans part of the Bubble story as stakeholders.”</p><p>For now: “Just wait for us to go public and then you can have Bubble stock once we’re a public company.” </p><h3 id="can-i-get-dark-mode-in-the-editor">Can I get dark mode in the editor?</h3><p>Emmanuel was direct: “When I look at all the things we can be doing on Bubble right now, this is not the highest thing on the list.” A new property editor, improved API connector experience, and AI capabilities all take priority. Some people use Chrome extensions as a workaround — “at your own risk.”</p><h3 id="is-the-launch-lab-program-open-to-existing-apps-launching-major-new-features">Is the Launch Lab program open to existing apps launching major new features?</h3><p>Emmanuel wasn’t sure of the specifics but encouraged reaching out to the marketing team. The broader vision behind <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/introducing-launch-lab/"><u>Launch Lab</u></a>: “We think our marketing resources are better spent on marketing our users and ensuring they grow than us doing Bubble-specific messaging in the noise of all the app builders and vibe coding tools out there.”</p><p>If you’re doing something major with your application, reach out.</p><hr><h2 id="what-emmanuel-is-most-excited-about">What Emmanuel is most excited about</h2><p>“Definitely integrating AI into our product and finally making the platform accessible to everyone.”</p><p>Emmanuel reflected on Bubble’s founding vision. “We’ve said since 2012 that our goal is to create a platform that anyone can use. I used to say I would want my mom to be able to use Bubble to create an application."</p><p>The honest assessment: “I don’t think we’ve succeeded yet.” Building an application is complicated, and Bubble’s product reflects that complexity because it prioritizes power and flexibility.</p><p>But AI changes things. “With the emergence of AI and LLMs and this ability to interact with a machine in natural language, I think there is an opportunity to actually make it accessible to everyone.”</p><p>He gave a shoutout to the AI team for shipping quickly — expressions went live just the day before the AMA. “To finally create a language that not only is visual and easier to manipulate than code, but also can understand you in your own language — that’s something I find extremely exciting.”</p><hr><p>Thank you to everyone who joined and asked questions. This was the last AMA of 2025 — we’ll see you in 2026 for the next one.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[See How We Redesigned the Property Editor for Better Building]]></title><description><![CDATA[The redesigned property editor makes Bubble more intuitive for new builders and more efficient for experienced ones. Learn what changes to expect.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/property-editor-redesign/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6939d4977652ba0001f613c9</guid><category><![CDATA[Using Bubble]]></category><category><![CDATA[Programming]]></category><category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Bubble]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 19:46:17 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/blog_PE-Announcement.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/blog_PE-Announcement.png" alt="See How We Redesigned the Property Editor for Better Building"><p>When we first launched Bubble, we wrote about a fundamental principle:<a href="https://bubble.io/blog/no-code-manifesto/"> <u>Computers should speak humans’ language</u></a>, not the other way around. That vision has guided every decision we've made since, from how we think about visual development to how we approach AI-powered app generation today.</p><p>But we've also learned that truly accessible technology needs to be easy to learn, intuitive from the start, and built to support how you actually work. That's why we rebuilt the property editor from the ground up.</p><p>Starting today, we're rolling out the <strong>redesigned</strong> <strong>property editor</strong> <strong>(beta)</strong>in phases, starting with 25% of users. Our goal is to make Bubble more approachable for new builders while streamlining workflows for experienced ones.</p><hr><h2 id="a-powerful-editor-that-had-grown-complex">A powerful editor that had grown complex</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/dynamic-content.png" class="kg-image" alt="See How We Redesigned the Property Editor for Better Building" loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/dynamic-content.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/dynamic-content.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1600/2025/12/dynamic-content.png 1600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/dynamic-content.png 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>The property editor is where you control every aspect of your app, from visual design to workflows to data. But as we added capabilities over the years, the interface became denser and harder to navigate, especially for new users.</p><p>Builders would quickly generate apps with AI, then slow down trying to customize them. Properties were scattered across tabs that didn't match how people actually build, and important features were buried behind unlabeled icons. </p><p>Even straightforward actions felt more complicated or time-consuming to learn than they needed to be, so we decided to rebuild it.</p><hr><h2 id="what-our-redesign-changed">What our redesign changed</h2><p>Over the past several months, we've redesigned the property editor based on ongoing user research and feedback and testing from our power user community.  All of these changes are built on a rearchitected codebase that sets the foundation for faster updates and future AI-powered features.</p><p>The changes span everything from updating the property editor’s codebase to better tab organization and property naming, and more welcoming visual design.</p><h3 id="clearer-organization-that-matches-how-you-build">Clearer organization that matches how you build</h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/layout.png" class="kg-image" alt="See How We Redesigned the Property Editor for Better Building" loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/layout.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/layout.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1600/2025/12/layout.png 1600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/layout.png 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>The old property editor scattered related properties across different tabs in ways that didn't match how builders actually work. You'd adjust an element's size on one tab, then switch to another tab to set its layout, then switch back to make visual tweaks. All that tab-switching added up to wasted time.</p><p>We reorganized the entire structure based on user research showing how builders actually approach their work. Properties you typically use together now live on the same tab. To better reflect what’s actually inside them, we renamed tabs from <em>Appearance </em>and<em> Layout </em>to<em> Visual </em>and<em> Interaction</em>.</p><p>When you drop an element onto your page, the first thing you typically do is adjust its size and position. Both properties are now together on the first tab. We also added clearly labeled sections within each tab and made them collapsible, so you can focus on what matters for your current task. </p><h3 id="language-and-design-that-feel-more-intuitive">Language and design that feel more intuitive</h3><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/workflow.png" class="kg-image" alt="See How We Redesigned the Property Editor for Better Building" loading="lazy" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/workflow.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/workflow.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1600/2025/12/workflow.png 1600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/workflow.png 1920w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>We designed the interface to speak more natural language instead of technical terms. When you're just getting started, you see essential properties. As you build more, you can expand sections for deeper options. This keeps things approachable if you’re just starting out with Bubble while maintaining full power for experienced builders.</p><p>Throughout the editor, we've replaced confusing phrasing with straightforward, action-first language. For example, instead of <em>This element isn't clickable</em>, you'll see <em>Make element clickable</em>. We’re also surfacing important information with workflows attached to elements appearing in the property editor, and custom states prominently displayed in the header.</p><p>The visual design now follows patterns from modern design tools, with familiar icons and clear hierarchy.</p><hr><h2 id="foundation-for-working-with-ai">Foundation for working with AI</h2><p>These changes work hand-in-hand with Bubble's AI capabilities. You can <a href="http://bubble.io/ai-features"><u>generate apps with AI</u></a>, then use the redesigned interface to understand exactly what was created and refine it to match your vision. </p><p>And because the interface now uses clearer language and better organization, it's much easier to understand what the AI generated and how to modify it to match your vision exactly.</p><hr><h2 id="start-building-with-the-redesigned-property-editor">Start building with the redesigned property editor</h2><p>For new builders, the redesigned property editor makes it easier to get started on Bubble. Everything you need is where it makes sense, helping you build more intuitively from day one. The goal is to reduce the learning curve so you can focus on launching your product instead of getting stuck trying to understand a confusing interface. We’re rolling this beta out in phases, starting with 25% of users, so you may not see it in your editor right away.</p><p>To learn more about how it works, check out the full <a href="https://bble.io/property-editor-guide" rel="noreferrer">migration guide</a> to see what's changed and where everything has moved.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meeting the Moment: What It Actually Takes to Evolve in the AI Era]]></title><description><![CDATA[We asked every employee to recommit to our vision of replacing code with AI visual development. 95% chose to stay. Here's why that matters.]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/meeting-the-moment/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">692e053de78fa5000192add0</guid><category><![CDATA[Announcements]]></category><category><![CDATA[The No-Code Industry]]></category><category><![CDATA[Life at Bubble]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Josh Haas and Emmanuel Straschnov]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 19:43:53 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Meeting-the-Moment-4-01.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Meeting-the-Moment-4-01.png" alt="Meeting the Moment: What It Actually Takes to Evolve in the AI Era"><p>Every tech company right now is wrestling with the same question: How do you evolve when AI has rewritten the rules of the game — without losing what made you special in the first place?</p><p>Two weeks ago, we stopped hedging and gave our answer.</p><p>We gathered every employee at Bubble and did something that felt both necessary and uncomfortable. We laid out our complete vision for the next five years — not the sanitized external version, but the real one, with all its potential and all its demands. We were honest about where we’ve been, what needs to change, and why the next few years will define whether we fulfill our mission or watch someone else do it.</p><p>Then we asked everyone to make a choice.</p><p>We’re sharing this publicly because we believe every builder on our platform deserves to know: The team behind Bubble is all in. And we think our story might matter to anyone else navigating this moment of transformation.</p><hr><h2 id="the-opportunity-we%E2%80%99re-building-for">The opportunity we’re building for</h2><p>Thirteen years ago, we had an audacious idea: <a href="https://bubble.io/blog/no-code-manifesto-revised/">build something fundamentally better than code</a>. Not code that’s easier to write, but an entirely different way of communicating with computers‌ — ‌a visual language that anyone could understand without a computer science degree.</p><p><strong>Today, 6 million builders have created on Bubble. This year alone, over $1.1 billion in transactions has moved through apps built on our platform.</strong> These aren’t prototypes gathering dust. They’re real businesses creating real economic value.</p><p>We built something that worked. But we also learned an uncomfortable truth: What works at one stage can constrain you at the next.</p><p>The early years taught us incredible discipline. Seven years bootstrapped created real strengths — customer-centricity, fiscal discipline, doing more with less. But those same years also embedded habits that no longer served us: conservatism where we needed boldness, slow-and-steady where the market demanded acceleration, homegrown systems where we needed world-class infrastructure.</p><p><strong>The market changed faster than we did.</strong></p><p>Vibe-coding tools exploded onto the scene in 2025, and suddenly every founder could generate a working prototype in minutes. Describe what you want, and AI handles everything — not just the initial build, but every iteration thereafter.</p><p>We watched this happen and knew something important: We didn’t want to compete with vibe-coding on its terms. We needed to offer something fundamentally better. Not just the speed of AI-driven development, but the ability to create exactly what you want‌ — ‌real, deployable, secure, and scalable applications, not prototypes hiding technical debt and security vulnerabilities.</p><p><strong>Because our real competitor has always been code.</strong></p><p>If we want visual development to become the standard over the next five, 10, even 20 years, we have to keep our vision focused there. We can’t allow ourselves to be distracted by inadequate, albeit flashy, challengers. We have to build something so clearly better that the choice becomes obvious.</p><p>That opportunity — making Bubble the standard for how the world builds software — is sitting in front of us. But opportunity doesn’t equal success. Execution does.</p><p>And that execution requires more than product roadmaps and feature releases. It requires an honest conversation about who we are and who we need to become.</p><hr><h2 id="the-uncomfortable-conversation">The uncomfortable conversation</h2><p>World-changing ideas remain just ideas without the hunger and action to make them reality. And sometimes, when you’re rewriting the rules of the game you created, you have to evolve not just your product but your entire culture.</p><p>That’s where we found ourselves. We had the right team. We had the right vision. But we also recognized the uncomfortable truth: our execution had been too slow, with inconsistent quality, in a market that's accelerating faster every day.</p><p>As leaders, we own everything we love about our current culture and everything that's been holding us back. Any change had to start with us.</p><p>So we started by taking a hard look at ourselves as a leadership team and beginning the work of changing our own mindset: moving faster without sacrificing quality, chasing more after every achievement, ruthlessly prioritizing the work that makes Bubble the only choice.</p><p>Then we gathered the team and laid it all out. We were clear on the upsides of achieving our goals. We were equally clear on the work required to get there. We didn’t hold back — ‌our team is sharp and can handle the truth.</p><p>And then we asked them to make a decision.</p><p>We asked everyone to reflect on whether they were truly confident and excited about the future of this company, and whether they could commit to doing what it takes to make Bubble everything it can be.</p><p>If the answer was yes — if they wanted to be part of building the future of software development here with us — then let’s do this together.</p><p>If the answer was no — if their career priorities had shifted or this level of commitment wasn’t the right fit anymore — we accepted that with respect and gratitude for their contributions. We provided financial support so that anyone who chose a different path could find something better aligned with where they are in their career right now.</p><p>This wasn’t about forcing anyone out, and it wasn’t about reducing headcount — in fact, we’re going to be aggressively hiring in 2026. It was about ensuring that everyone who stayed was genuinely choosing to be here.</p><p><strong>95% of our team chose to stay.</strong></p><p>What that means is profound: Everyone at Bubble now knows that every single person around them has made the same commitment they have. That clarity and collective commitment changes everything.</p><hr><h2 id="what-this-means-for-our-users-and-our-community">What this means for our users and our community</h2><p>For our team, rising to this moment means reigniting our hunger for challenge. It means moving faster, pushing ourselves on deadlines, and challenging one another with hard questions. It means working harder to deliver what our community needs.</p><p>This doesn’t mean we’re sacrificing the things that make our culture special — the thoughtfulness, the customer focus, the genuine care for craft and respect for one another. It means we’re channeling those strengths with renewed intensity and urgency.</p><p><strong>For our community, it means you can build with confidence.</strong></p><p>You can trust that the team behind Bubble is fully committed to supporting you and stewarding this platform’s continued growth. We’re not hedging our bets. We’re not playing it safe. We’re investing everything we can into making Bubble a powerful place to build.</p><p>We’re sitting on top of one of the biggest opportunities in the history of software, and we're not going to sleep on this moment.</p><p><strong>For the market, it means we’re not playing catch-up to vibe-coding tools. We’re defining what comes after them.</strong></p><p>We’re building the future of software development in a way that stays true to our original mission: making building accessible to everyone, not just those who can understand and edit code.</p><hr><h2 id="here%E2%80%99s-our-bet">Here’s our bet</h2><p>One year from now, we’ll look back at this moment and know with certainty whether we rose to meet it.</p><p>We’re betting we will.</p><p>We’ve been here before. We invented a new way for people to talk to computers thirteen years ago. Now we’re doing it again.</p><p>If you're a founder or builder, know that Bubble is committed to being your platform of choice. If you're a leader in a similar place, remember that intentional transparency with your team allows them to truly join you on the journey. And if you’re a prospective employee inspired by this mission and ready to build the next era of software development, <a href="https://bubble.io/careers">we welcome you to join us</a>.</p><p>The opportunity is here. The team is committed. And we’re just getting started.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines]]></title><description><![CDATA[We're unveiling our latest brand evolution — one that speaks to builders everywhere, matches a massive shift in our industry, and allows Bubble to evolve into the AI visual development platform it was born to be. ]]></description><link>https://bubble.io/blog/how-we-built-brand-guidelines/</link><guid isPermaLink="false">692f58b7a31d1f0001d450d3</guid><category><![CDATA[Life at Bubble]]></category><category><![CDATA[Community]]></category><category><![CDATA[Building a Startup]]></category><category><![CDATA[Web Design]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Eve Spears]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:24:00 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Brand-Guidelines-2025-----Blog-Image-05.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/Brand-Guidelines-2025-----Blog-Image-05.png" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines"><p>I'm Eve, Creative Lead at Bubble and head of our brand team. I'm responsible for how Bubble shows up in the world — defining, protecting, and evolving our brand identity.</p><p>Over the past few years, we've been experimenting with small but impactful incremental changes to the brand, exploring different edges of our core visual identity. Our experiments paid off and it’s now time to make it official and document the elements that make up <a href="https://bubble.io/brand/intro"><u>our new identity system</u></a> — an interactive experience where anyone can learn about the brand and download approved assets. </p><p>With new visual elements and a vibrant color palette, we're unveiling our latest brand evolution — one that speaks to builders everywhere, matches a massive shift in our industry, and allows Bubble to evolve into the AI visual development platform it was born to be. </p><hr><h2 id="a-house-with-good-bones">A house with good bones</h2><p>When I joined Bubble in 2022 as the first brand hire, it felt like purchasing a house that needed a little bit of fixing up. The foundation was solid, so the work was in breaking down walls to open up rooms and create a better flow. Discovering hardwood floors underneath an old carpet. Staying true to the history and personality of the house and updating what was no longer serving it. The house knew what it wanted to be, and it was my job to listen to it and tend to it.</p><p>And of course, the work is never truly done. As a custodian of the brand at Bubble, my job is to listen to what the product wants the brand to be, what the community needs it to be, and what the moment demands it to be. And build an identity system that will help express that. </p><p>We started by aligning on what this initial launch would include and what we would save for future iterations. This helped limit scope creep and have us laser-focused on what was attainable in a short space of time. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-ff99502c-ed05-4b58-b50e-d2da3038b602.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-ff99502c-ed05-4b58-b50e-d2da3038b602.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-ff99502c-ed05-4b58-b50e-d2da3038b602.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-ff99502c-ed05-4b58-b50e-d2da3038b602.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A slide from our project kickoff deck</span></figcaption></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-1d370806-bca1-4e0e-8064-e19f5749009d.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-1d370806-bca1-4e0e-8064-e19f5749009d.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-1d370806-bca1-4e0e-8064-e19f5749009d.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-1d370806-bca1-4e0e-8064-e19f5749009d.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"><figcaption><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">An early sitemap our product designer </span><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><u><span class="underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul Davis</span></u></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> created to map out a scaleable framework</span></figcaption></figure><p>One of our mantras on the creative team is “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” Meaning, prioritize progress. The future sections will come in time, so why wait? We knew we could easily put together the first four sections: logo usage, color palette, typography, and product imagery. At the same time, we could create a modular UX design with the capacity to hold more sections as we make them. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-5dffec0b-85d9-41f0-a89b-5e69d342ae1c.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-5dffec0b-85d9-41f0-a89b-5e69d342ae1c.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-5dffec0b-85d9-41f0-a89b-5e69d342ae1c.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-5dffec0b-85d9-41f0-a89b-5e69d342ae1c.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><p>Then it was time for the nitty-gritty work of auditing our existing brand system and Marie Kondo-ing what no longer brought us joy. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-0b0c288e-6668-4860-8c24-d8c857b123ed.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-0b0c288e-6668-4860-8c24-d8c857b123ed.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-0b0c288e-6668-4860-8c24-d8c857b123ed.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-0b0c288e-6668-4860-8c24-d8c857b123ed.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-12f20fbd-9a76-47c4-9cb7-85e8ab7cc9ec.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-12f20fbd-9a76-47c4-9cb7-85e8ab7cc9ec.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-12f20fbd-9a76-47c4-9cb7-85e8ab7cc9ec.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-12f20fbd-9a76-47c4-9cb7-85e8ab7cc9ec.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><hr><h2 id="our-moodboard-was-ourselves">Our moodboard was ourselves</h2><p>The first place we needed to look was right under our noses — we started by examining all our latest and greatest pieces from our product launch videos, web updates, and user conferences. Each of these projects helped level up our brand storytelling, and this would inform what the interactive experience should look like. </p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-94e9ced6-2400-4f1b-9194-9397b5161ef7.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-94e9ced6-2400-4f1b-9194-9397b5161ef7.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-94e9ced6-2400-4f1b-9194-9397b5161ef7.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-94e9ced6-2400-4f1b-9194-9397b5161ef7.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><hr><h2 id="the-glow-up-of-the-century-a-one-stop-brand-shop">The glow up of the century: A one stop brand shop</h2><p>I’m almost hesitant to include this but it’s probably worth mentioning what the page <em>used</em> to look like — it was our most outdated page on the entire site, completely pared back to just legalese and logos. Needless to say it was going to be fairly easy to improve this page.</p><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-32ed4393-0298-4342-8c6c-526e1ece9ebc.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-32ed4393-0298-4342-8c6c-526e1ece9ebc.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-32ed4393-0298-4342-8c6c-526e1ece9ebc.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-32ed4393-0298-4342-8c6c-526e1ece9ebc.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><hr><h2 id="a-visual-language-built-for-transformation">A visual language built for transformation</h2><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-0f8ccd6f-ae27-4f21-a1b9-d243ef0575bd.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-0f8ccd6f-ae27-4f21-a1b9-d243ef0575bd.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-0f8ccd6f-ae27-4f21-a1b9-d243ef0575bd.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-0f8ccd6f-ae27-4f21-a1b9-d243ef0575bd.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><h3 id="color-inspired-by-nature">Color: Inspired by nature</h3><p>We designed an expanded color palette that’s bright and vibrant, just like our product and community. We created an official gradient palette so decisions like “orb placement” and levels of layer blur are no longer guesswork. We drew inspiration from iridescence, sunrises, and sunsets — giving a sense of movement and possibilities, with a balance of warm and cool tones. </p><h3 id="typography-a-flexible-font-for-a-flexible-brand">Typography: A flexible font for a flexible brand</h3><p>We designed a robust type scale for our brand font Manrope so we could easily roll it out across every webpage. It’s a flexible, variable font that's free to download — embodying our ethos of building in public and making every piece of our brand accessible. No gatekeeping. </p><h3 id="imagery-showing-the-full-range">Imagery: Showing the full range</h3><p>We created an illustration system for product screens ranging from abstract to detailed. Showcasing our full range of product features and functionality — the Bubble AI agent, native mobile apps, design, data, and logic. </p><p>Bubble enables everything from simple prototypes to complex, production-grade applications. Our imagery represents that spectrum.</p><hr><h2 id="the-team">The team</h2><p>A fun fact about Bubble is that we build every page of our website <em>on</em> Bubble. The brand guidelines page is no exception — we wanted it to be a shining example of what’s possible on the platform. And we were able to accomplish that with an incredible duo of internal Bubble Developers, Maria and PJ, and product manager Elisabeth. </p><p>Paul, leading UX design, brought this vision to life with site architecture and interactive experiences that feel intuitive and exploratory. He ensured that each section had a unique interactive moment — from a beautiful hero animation, to copying a hex code, to seamlessly switching between a mobile and desktop product screen.</p><p>Our brand designer Dani curated every piece of imagery and animation on the site — each one a testament to how far our brand has come. </p><p>And Sara, our content strategist, helped put all of this into words that make it fun to learn about the brand. </p><p>Together, we created a beautiful home for our work.</p><hr><figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-1bd43508-6dce-418a-8243-a9a5cecd9269.png" class="kg-image" alt="How We Designed Bubble's New Brand Guidelines" loading="lazy" width="1600" height="900" srcset="https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w600/2025/12/data-src-image-1bd43508-6dce-418a-8243-a9a5cecd9269.png 600w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/size/w1000/2025/12/data-src-image-1bd43508-6dce-418a-8243-a9a5cecd9269.png 1000w, https://bubble.io/blog/content/images/2025/12/data-src-image-1bd43508-6dce-418a-8243-a9a5cecd9269.png 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 720px) 720px"></figure><h2 id="a-flexible-system-for-whats-next">A flexible system for what's next</h2><p>We are living through a massive shift in how software gets made. Bubble is at the forefront of that and our brand system is flexible to match the moment we are in. </p><p>Our new brand guidelines represent thousands of decisions — bold and subtle — all in service of creating a foundation that can support where we’re going.</p><p>A system that is collaboratively built, and tended to with care.</p><div class="kg-card kg-callout-card kg-callout-card-blue"><div class="kg-callout-emoji">🎨</div><div class="kg-callout-text">Explore the full guidelines at <a href="http://bubble.io/brand"><u>bubble.io/brand</u></a> →</div></div><hr><h3 id="article-credits"><em>Article credits:</em></h3><ul><li><em>Creative Direction and Brand Strategy: Eve Spears</em></li><li><em>UX Design: Paul Davis</em></li><li><em>Imagery and Animation Curation: Dani de los Santos</em></li><li><em>Animation: Matt Dunne</em></li><li><em>Copy: Sara Merg </em></li><li><em>Development: Maria Posa and PJ Yancey</em></li><li><em>Built on: Bubble (of course)</em></li></ul>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>