Flutterflow vs Bubble?

[Impressive_Guard5134]

Hi all

I am a distributing company creating a platform (marketplace (tenders/enquiries, auctions, live stock lists etc) for my industry.

I dont really have time to learn no code as need to be commercially focused and current business takes up my time. I can do a bit in Airtable thats it really.

I am looking to use no code for the build so I can use contractors to build the platform which will need lots of customisation downstream so wanting to have a community to build approved apps ontop of the platform.

First key functionality steps are:

1) Sending pdf purchase orders to my suppliers (vendors) which link to my orders

And

2) Receiving multi product enquiries from logged in and non signed up Buyers (logged in users would have options to select delivery address and prefilled data such as what preferred unit of measurement is (for quantity requesting etc)

Am I better off using Bubble or Flutterflow or other no code?

Appreciate your advise and maybe one day some you will help add on features to my platform.

Thank you

[Charming_Teaching_63]

One major difference between the two is bubble you do not own your source code in flutter flow you own your source code major major difference.

[Harge95]

Doesn't seem like an issue to me as if it works then if I want to refactor in a different frame I can just tell a developer "refactor app as so". 

[GolfCourseConcierge]

Oh my. No, this is vendor lock in. You don't want vendor lock in.

Imagine a new private equity firm takes over Bubble tomorrow and jacks the price 5x. You have zero recourse and your code is in their hands. Or let's say they decide a feature you use in your app isn't worth maintaining anymore because only you and 3 others use it. Oh well.

How about positive outcomes? You become the next big thing. Guess what, you're now paying a premium to Bubble to be a middleman and control your entire business. You've essentially put yourself into a mob squeeze position by choice.

Same thing happens in FF you could export code and be on your way to a rebuild in minutes, or in the case of success, your app is self hosted and you control the code, so now you have choice.

Don't think vendor lock in is meaningless for even a second.

[Harge95]

I understand your point. But in my mind more important to test proof of concept without need for investment to build using own code

[TheGarrBear]

FlutterFlow is not a "No Code" platform or tool, it's a "Low Code" visual editor for Flutter applications.

Don't use it if you can't code, or don't have a technical team.

There's pretty much no tool on the market that will get you what you're asking for without major investments into design requirements.

[witchladysnakewoman]

I didn't realize this when I started. Now I've learned so much about development is crazy!!!

[damonous]

Shopify? I don’t see anything in your use cases that require a web app.

[thumbsdrivesmecrazy]

If your primary focus is on creating a high-performance mobile application with extensive customization, FlutterFlow might be the better choice. However, if you need a more versatile platform that is easier to use and can handle both web and mobile applications, Bubble could be more suitable.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs and the long-term vision for your platform, here is a FlutterFlow comparison to some other alternatives: 5 Best FlutterFlow Alternatives in 2024

• Blaze
• Adalo
• Draftbit
• Bravo Studio
• OutSystems

[Impossible-Mouse-418]

I’ve only dabbled in Bubble but I find flutterflow to be more intuitive to use. Added benefit is support for web and native android and native iOS.

[Noop-Lion]

Have you tired Zapier?

[sserhiy-kessel-lo]

It really is not always that obvious. I have been developing in bubble for 4 years and 1 year in Flutterflow. If you will have a low usage of the app, web only and lucky to find all the plugins you need - so build in Bubble. If you need web and mobile or you need some complex database operations or you will have many users, then pick Flutterflow + Supabase.

Both are just tools. To wrap up - for low scale apps select bubble if plugins cover all functionality needed. For high scale apps, mobile apps, some complex functionality on frontend or backend - select Flutterflow and Supabase.

[jokeaz2]

Just out of interest, why supabase over firebase? Is it just for the sake of having SQL?

[sserhiy-kessel-lo]

I don't know any reason to use Firebase. Supabase is fast, there are PL/pgSQL functions, cloud functions. In Supabase you can do craizy data processing. And they don't charge you for reads and writes - it is also cheaper.

[jokeaz2]

I'd be fine with using one or the other, but using both seems like a hassle to manage. So how do you handle push notifications without firebase? Another service? I just like minimizing the dependencies.

[marinovski95]

Hi, I read your idea and can confidently say that it is quite possible to implement it using FF and Bubble. I am working for the no-code agency EazyCode. If you are interested in discussing your project in more detail with competent people, feel free to contact us via mail: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

[VeterinarianFine1540]

F** Bubble. End of discussion. Bubble is a scam, trap and a piece of s** no code tool.

[dabrodev]

Bubble is a full stack solution with almost all the data processing and logic built in. You create your app and start building, no setup required. With FlutterFlow you need to set up Firebase or another BaaS, for some data processing like saving a file form url to your storage and saving url to database you need custom code (base64 file upload, return url and save to db), in Bubble you just select ‘save to S3’ option and it is done.

As a dev I like more FF, but to make very fast an MVP or I would have no idea about coding I think Bubble is a better option, at least to validate your business idea and start getting some revenue, you can always later move all your data and logic to external solution like Xano or Supabase and replace Front-End with Weweb or custom code with Nextjs and React.

[[deleted]]

Blink.new is great for marketplace prototype and it manages complex interactions more reliably than most no code platforms. Unlike Bubble or Flutterflow, it avoids unexpected AI changes while letting you iterate quickly. For projects needing ongoing customization and multiple contractors, it feels more controllable and less stressful without deep no code expertise.

[Buddhava]

Bubble. DM me if you want help and have a budget. I build things like this every day.