9 Bubble Alternatives for Building Professional Web-apps in Minutes

Mariam Ispiryan • August 17, 2022 • 13 min read

You can have 99 problems, but building a web application without coding knowledge shouldn’t be one of them. At least not when there are tons of no-code app builders.


Bubble is one of the most popular no-code development tools. It’s certainly great for building advanced apps, but it can be tricky to use if you don’t have coding experience. Before even using their web apps, some users spend months creating and perfecting them.


If you’re looking for less complex Bubble alternatives that have a more manageable learning curve, review the nine no-code and low-code software development tools we’ve summarized below.



Table of contents


  1. Softr - best for developing internal web apps and portals
  2. Adalo - best for building native no-code mobile apps
  3. QuickBase - best for process and workflow automation
  4. Webflow - best for creators that want an eye-catching design
  5. FluidUI - best for creating prototypes
  6. Betty Blocks - best for taking development practices in-house
  7. Retool - best for developers building company apps
  8. WaveMaker - best for building enterprise software solutions
  9. Glide - best for personal use


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Top 9 no-code and low-code Bubble alternatives comparison chart


Bubble is a great no-code app builder that allows you to customize the front- and back-end of your application. It also lets you produce high-quality software that might serve as your MVP or SaaS product. 


However, Bubble users usually find it difficult to adjust and understand the platform. And unless you’re looking for funding, you probably need an effective yet simpler solution. Here are some Bubble alternatives that are worth a try.

Most acclaimed feature Most common use case Pricing (based on yearly plans) Platform type
Bubble The ability to deploy to different AWS regions Creating powerful and highly specialized apps From $32 to $399 per month No-code
Softr Zero learning curve Developing internal web apps and portals From $49 to $269 per month No-code
Adalo Native mobile app development Building native no-code mobile apps From $36 to $160 per month No-code
QuickBase Simplifies audit processes Building dashboards, and process and workflow automation From $600 to $2000 per month Low-code
Webflow Beautiful pre-built design assets Designing beautiful websites From $12 to $36 per month No-code
FluidUI UI kits with over 2,000 pre-built components Creating prototypes From $99 to $499 a year No-code
Betty Blocks Allows visual data modeling Taking development requirements in-house From $1,425 per month No-code
Retool Lets you host apps on-premise Developing company apps in less time From $10 per user per month Low-code
WaveMaker Lets you edit prefab blocks Improving developers' productivity From $500 per developer per month Low-code
Glide Templates are beautifully designed Turning spreadsheets into apps From $25 to $249 per user per month No-code

1. Softr - best for developing client portals and internal web apps


softr features

Softr is a no-code web app builder that allows you to create powerful, responsive, and SEO-friendly websites and web apps in just a few minutes using Airtable, Google Sheets, and other data sources (coming soon). 



Features and benefits

  • It has a shallow learning curve, you can build your first app as soon as you sign up.
  • Set up memberships, gate pages for members only, and collect payments with Stripe without manually integrating with third parties.
  • CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionality for users
  • You don’t need to pay extra for customer support, you get live chat support with any of our plans.
  • Add a search box and filters to your web app without needing to pay for an additional plugin. 
  • Softr comes with a large template library to make your job easier when creating similar web applications. Some common use cases include:
  • Building a client portal to manage third-party relationships
  • Organizing your contacts and orders with a sales CRM 
  • Creating a team Wiki to have all your company resources in one place
  • Since Softr is a PWA builder—have a native mobile app experience from a web app—it’s SEO-friendly and helps you reach a wider audience



Who is Softr for

Softr.io is best for founders, individuals, tech, and non-tech teams who want to do web app design, create MVPs, automate internal processes, build portals to streamline communication between groups, and simplify their daily work.  



Main drawbacks

  • Softr is great for building web apps but isn’t the best option for creating highly specialized SaaS apps. 
  • You can’t fully customize the building blocks or the back-end. This is done intentionally to simplify web app creation for non-developers. 
  • The free trial only supports 200 Airtable records.


Pricing

Softr offers a free plan for individual users with Airtable records limitations. Then, prices go from $49 to $269 a month—on a yearly basis.

Build your next web app without any effort.

Use Softr to come up with powerful software solutions in under a few hours!

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2. Adalo - best for building native no-code mobile apps

adalo features

Adalo is a no-code app builder that allows you to drag and drop pre-built features like navigation bars, filters, and images to create an app. This platform lets you create responsive and native mobile apps for different operating systems. 



Features and benefits 

  • Adalo allows you to build web, native Android, and iOS apps that you can access through a browser or download from each operating system marketplace (App store and Google Play).
  • It contains several templates that simplify the app creation process. 
  • Drag and drop previously coded building blocks to create the software that you need.
  • Lets you set up dynamic actions for your users like push notifications and linking pages together.



Who is Adalo for

Individuals, founders, small businesses, and enterprises who need to build no-code apps for different platforms and OS. 



Main drawbacks

  • Adalo doesn’t let you edit the back-end of their pre-built features or write custom code. 
  • Unlike Bubble apps, software products created with Adalo don’t have the ability to sign in using Facebook, Google, Apple credentials, or any form of third-party authentication.



Pricing

Adalo has a freemium plan for individual users that doesn’t include a published app. Then, prices go from $36 to $160 with a limit of five published apps.

3. QuickBase - best for process and workflow automation

quick base low-code platform

QuickBase is a low-code development platform that allows teams to find solutions to their inefficient workflows and come up with automated project management solutions. It also lets them use their common databases and transform them into dashboards, forms, and portals.



Features and benefits 

  • QuickBase lets you set granular security access to users to ensure data protection.
  • It uses Sandbox to push changes to deployment without having to take the app down for a period of time.
  • Saves the log-in information, location, and time for each one of your users to simplify audit processes.



Who is QuickBase for

QuickBase is an excellent solution for mid-sized companies that grew faster than they could handle and now need to reduce the number of manual processes. It’s also great for enterprise-level businesses that need to act faster.



Main drawbacks

  • It has a steep learning curve. If you’ve never tried building an automated app, QuickBase might be hard to understand.
  • It’s hard to customize and adjust the dashboard to what you really need.
  • Many users say QuickBase UI feels outdated and reminds them of the 90s clunky websites.



Pricing

QuickBase offers a 30-day free trial. Then prices go from $600 to $2000 a month, billed annually.

4. Webflow - best for creators that want an eye-catching design

webflow home page

Webflow is a no-code website builder with high-quality designs to support marketing initiatives. Since it contains an HTML CSS editor, it is more complex than other website builders, such as Wix.



Features and benefits 

  • Webflow offers a high-quality content management system (CMS).
  • It comes with a design tool to create beautiful websites. Their customizing options and templates are eye-catching. 
  • It provides various template options, and customization is easy to implement.



Who is Webflow for

Freelancers and marketing agencies. If you need to create branded landing pages, webinar signup forms, or blogs without changing your branding, Webflow is right for you.



Main drawbacks

  • Steep learning curve, some features like predefined headers or footers are harder to edit than others.
  • Some users report that their technical SEO control isn’t reliable.
  • Site optimization for mobile and other platforms needs some work.



Pricing

They offer a free plan that has space, domain, and CMS item limitations. Then, prices go from $12 to $36 per month. The price is based on their yearly billing method.

5. FluidUI - best for creating prototypes


fluidui features

The best thing about prototypes is that they don’t need to be perfect, they need to work. And FluidUI is perfect for helping you achieve that. This no-code builder helps you create prototypes and get feedback directly from users without switching apps.



Features and benefits 

  • FluidUI offers UI kits for web design that contain more than 2,000 pre-built components from Windows, Material Design, iOS, or Wireframe libraries.
  • It allows you to add custom graphics to your prototype by simply uploading them to the app.
  • It has a review mode that allows you to gather feedback from users in the same place. 
  • FluidUI fosters collaboration. You can invite others to work on the same project with you by accessing the files on a shared cloud.



Who is FluidUI for

Creators and founders that want to build, test out ideas, and get feedback from users without hassle. 



Main drawbacks

  • Since this app is meant for prototyping, the end result isn’t necessarily ready to promote and use—for example, the design isn't fully responsive.
  • You can only create one project when using the free version.
  • It can take some time to adapt to the interface and features.



Pricing

FluidUI offers a free forever option for one project. Then, prices go from $99 to $499 a year. All plans support unlimited reviews.

6. Betty Blocks - best for developers that need to build complex enterprise applications 

betty blocks feautres

Betty Blocks is a no-code app builder that allows people like citizen developers to build apps with a simple drag and drop functionality.



Features and benefits 

  • Betty Blocks allows visual data modeling to ensure that the information stored in databases is represented properly.
  • It supports a large number of integrations with renowned apps like Slack, Twitter, Salesforce, Google Maps, Google Sheets, and Calendly.
  • It has an ISO 27001 security certification.



Who is Betty Blocks for

Citizen developers, startups, and companies who want to build complex enterprise application software and have coding experience.



Main drawbacks

  • There’s no freemium version, only a time-sensitive free trial with limited functionalities.
  • Betty Blocks can be expensive compared to similar solutions.
  • Some users complain about their support team not being responsive or helpful.



Pricing

Betty Blocks doesn’t advertise plan prices on their website, but users online report it starts at $1,425 per month.

7. Retool - best for developers building company apps

retool low-code platform

Retool lets you use building blocks to create powerful applications with a simple drag-and-drop feature. This low-code platform focuses on improving user interface and experience—a huge factor in web development—their pre-built blocks reflect those efforts.



Features and benefits 

  • You can use predefined building blocks to create forms, lists, tables, wizards, and maps.
  • Retool integrates with many databases and tools, and if they don’t have a native integration, you can use REST, GraphQL, or gRPC API to sync your app with other tools.
  • It gives you the power to host apps on-premise.



Who is Retool for

Developers working in medium to large companies that need to build internal tools fast. 



Main drawbacks

  • You can only brand your app if you pay for the enterprise plan.
  • Some users complain that Retool takes time to load and save changes.



Pricing

Retool offers a free version with some limitations. Then, prices start at $10 per user per month and vary according to your specific requirements.

8. WaveMaker - best for building enterprise software solutions

wavemaker features

WaveMaker is an open-source low-code platform for web and mobile development that has a React Native Studio. It includes a number of pre-fabricated UI blocks.



Features and benefits 

  • WaveMaker allows you to edit prefab blocks and write custom code.
  • It offers previewing features like API mock-ups, 1-click preview, and IntelliSense editor.
  • It works online and on-premise so you can choose the hosting form that suits you best.



Who is WaveMaker for

WaveMaker is a superb solution for enterprise-level businesses that want to simplify their developers' work and improve team productivity.



Main drawbacks

  • WaveMaker has a steep learning curve for non-developers.
  • It’s expensive compared to other similar alternatives.
  • It doesn’t come with a free version, only a 30-day free trial.



Pricing

Pricing isn’t disclosed online, but some users report it costs $500 per developer per month.

9. Glide - best for personal use

glide features

If you’re a spreadsheets lover, then, Glide will help you turn that data into powerful apps without writing a single line of code.



Features and benefits 

  • It’s very intuitive and easy to use, you can create apps in just a few minutes.
  • Every app Glide makes is a progressive web app (PWA)—it can be used on a desktop or on any mobile device.
  • Glide’s templates have a beautiful design so your apps always look nice without any additional effort.



Who is Glide for

Glide is great for personal use and small businesses that want to turn spreadsheet data into apps.



Main drawbacks

  • Glide lacks customization, you can only use the designs they provide.
  • Since Glide makes PWA, the app is only accessible through a browser.
  • The free version limits the number of data you can access and manage.



If any of these drawbacks area. deal-breaker for you, check out some Glide alternatives.



Pricing

Glide has a free version that allows you to create three apps. Then, prices go from $25 to $249 per user per month.

Which Bubble alternative is right for you?


Bubble is an excellent option for when you have to build powerful and highly-specific SaaS products, and can wait at least three to six months to have a final product. But if you’re looking for a truly no-code solution that can help you simplify the way you work on a daily basis, then, you need to find a different solution. 


If you’re looking for a low-code tool that can help you streamline the development process in your company and make them more productive, WaveMaker sounds like the perfect solution for you. 



However, if you’re looking for a truly no-code platform that’s highly intuitive, easy to use, and helps you come up with client portals, websites, internal web apps, and custom CRMs in just a few hours, then, Softr is your only choice.

Frequently asked questions about Bubble alternatives

Bubble is one of the best no-code platforms for users that want to build an app that has enough quality to look for funding. But if you want to build a simple web app, there are other similar platforms that are easier to understand and use. Some of these are: - Softr - Adalo - Glide

Bubble offers a free version with limited features and functionalities. The free version creates apps with Bubble branding, and only offers community support. Whereas paid plans let you customize your design and domain, and get email support.

Bubble alternatives vary depending on what you need to build. But if you want to create internal web apps, portals, and any other web app using Airtable data, Softr is the simplest and most powerful alternative to Bubble.

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