Top E-commerce Business Ideas for New Entrepreneurs
Discover top e-commerce business ideas for new entrepreneurs with market insights, revenue potential, and how to stand out using fresh approaches
TABLE OF CONTENTS
There are over 250 no-code platforms to build apps, and by 2025, organizations will be creating 70% of their new apps using low-code or no-code solutions. Amazing data, isn't it? This shows the popularity and capabilities of no-code / low code platforms compared to traditional development methods.
Among these, two popular no-code platforms are Bubble.io and Flutterflow. It's easy to say that Bubble is best for web apps and Flutterflow is best for mobile apps, but there's more to it. Bubble has introduced native mobile editor and AI features, so things are definitely changing.
But which one is best? It really depends on the type of app you want to create. Whether it's just a mobile app or you need both web and mobile solutions, other factors to consider include budget, user experience, and app scalability.
So in this article, we will explore some of the features provided by both Bubble and Flutterflow. We will compare them, and by the end of the article, you will be able to decide which one is best for your app idea.
What is Bubble?
Bubble.io is a no-code platform that lets you build fully functional web applications without writing any code. It was founded in 2012 by Emmanuel Straschnov and Josh Haas. They came up with the idea when they noticed that many people had great ideas for web applications but lacked the technical skills to create them.
At that time, coding was the main way to develop apps, and hiring developers was costly. They wanted to create an easy-to-use, visual platform where anyone could design and launch an app by simply dragging and dropping elements.
Their goal was to democratize software development, allowing non-technical founders and entrepreneurs to build complex applications like social networks or marketplaces without a traditional coding background. Bubble was initially bootstrapped and took several years to fully develop, but it has since become one of the most popular no-code platforms.
What is FlutterFlow?
FlutterFlow is a visual app builder that makes mobile app development easier by using Google’s Flutter framework. It was launched in 2021 by former Google engineers Abel Mengistu and Alex Greaves.
They created FlutterFlow because they were frustrated with the manual coding needed to match designs to code during app development. Their aim was to develop a tool that allows both developers and non-developers to design apps visually without much coding, while still keeping the performance and cross-platform features of Flutter.
FlutterFlow is unique because it offers real-time collaboration and easy integration with backend services like Firebase. This makes it simpler to build and expand applications quickly. The platform is designed for users who need to create apps fast, such as startups, small businesses, or non-profits, where traditional app development might be too expensive.
Common Features of Bubble and FlutterFlow
- Drag-and-Drop Builder: Both platforms provide a visual drag-and-drop interface, making app design easy and accessible without needing to write code.
- Custom Workflows: You can automate app logic and user interactions through workflows, simplifying the creation of dynamic app behaviors.
- API Integrations: Both platforms support API integrations, allowing connections with external services (e.g., Stripe for payments, Firebase for backends).
- Responsive Design: Each platform includes responsive design tools to ensure your apps work well on different devices and screen sizes.
- Cross-Platform Support: Bubble primarily focuses on web applications and has recently introduced a native mobile builder (currently in Beta). On the other hand, FlutterFlow is optimized for mobile apps with native support for iOS and Android, and you can also build desktop apps with FlutterFlow.
- Pre-Built Templates: Both FlutterFlow and Bubble offer ready-made templates for different use cases.
- Community and Support: Both platforms have active communities and offer tutorials and support for users.
Unique Features of Bubble
- Fully Integrated Backend: Bubble includes a built-in backend for managing databases, user authentication, and workflows without needing third-party services like Firebase. You can also add external databases for scalability.
- Complex Workflows: Bubble’s visual programming language allows you to create complex workflows without writing any code. Whether you need a user to trigger a series of actions based on their input or schedule processes, Bubble can handle it.
- Plugin Ecosystem: Bubble offers a wide range of plugins, enabling you to connect with third-party services like Stripe for payments, Zapier for automation, and Google Maps for location-based services. Zeroqode alone provides over 700 plugins to enhance your app's functionality.
- AI App Builder: Bubble is introducing a new AI app builder (currently in beta) that allows you to input instructions and receive a fully functional app in minutes. This tool automates design, backend, and workflows, creating polished apps using Bubble's visual programming system instead of traditional coding.
Unique Features of FlutterFlow
- Native Mobile App Focus: FlutterFlow is specifically designed for creating cross-platform mobile apps for both iOS and Android. Its apps run natively, offering better performance and access to native device features like cameras and location services, which Bubble does not provide as efficiently.
- Firebase Integration: FlutterFlow integrates directly with Firebase, making it easy to set up back-end services like user authentication, databases, and real-time data sync.
- Code Export in Flutter: A standout feature of FlutterFlow is the ability to export clean Flutter code. This allows developers to take the no-code app and further customize or refine it in a traditional development environment.
- Custom Widgets and Dart Integration: FlutterFlow lets users create custom widgets and write Dart code to extend functionality, giving developers more control over their app’s behavior.
- AI Gen Integration: FlutterFlow includes AI-driven features that automatically generate Flutter code and offer smart design suggestions, making the development process smoother. This integration improves user experience by automating enhancements in UI/UX.
Ease of Use - Bubble.io
Like all no-code platforms, Bubble.io is known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. This allows you to design your app visually by placing components on a canvas and connecting them through easy-to-understand workflows.
However, compared to simpler no-code tools, Bubble does have a learning curve. Its flexibility, especially with workflows and database management, can be overwhelming for first-time users.
Building complex, feature-rich apps requires a certain level of expertise with the Bubble platform. Learning everything can take several months, which is why many founders choose no-code agencies like us (Zeroqode) to build their SaaS platform or MVP for their idea.
Ease of Use - FlutterFlow
FlutterFlow is often praised for being easy to use, especially when building mobile apps compared to traditional methods and other no-code platforms. Its interface is very intuitive, allowing you to easily find elements like buttons, layouts, or other needed components.
Overall, it will be easy for you if you are already familiar with the Flutter framework and Dart programming language. However, it still takes some time to understand the navigation and all the features needed to build complex apps, such as third-party integration.
For beginners, FlutterFlow offers extensive templates and UI components, making it easier for non-technical users to get started.
Performance & Scalability - Bubble.io
Bubble.io can handle everything from small projects to large apps, depending on your app's complexity and build quality. Well-optimized apps can support hundreds of thousands of users with proper workflows and capacity management.
Scalability depends on capacity, which measures your app's workload. As your app grows, you can increase capacity through pricing tiers or move to a dedicated server for more traffic. Many Bubble apps manage tens of thousands of users daily by optimizing workflows and using tools like API workflows.
For large apps, performance issues like page load times can arise. That's why Bubble also allows us to add external databases.
Overall, Bubble is a top choice for many due to its scalability, but it also depends on following best practices to build apps.
Performance & Scalability - FlutterFlow
In terms of scalability, FlutterFlow has proven itself. One of India’s top banking applications is built on FlutterFlow, with 50 million downloads and 13 million active monthly users.
This success is due to its integration with Firebase, which allows you to scale backend services like real-time databases and user authentication as your user base grows. FlutterFlow also offers features like lazy loading, client-side caching, and image optimization to ensure efficient performance as your app scales.
One of the main benefits of FlutterFlow is that you can add custom code to enhance the platform's features. If your app requires advanced features or integrations beyond the built-in tools, you can use custom Dart code to achieve these functionalities.
If you need more flexibility, FlutterFlow allows you to export your code and host the app outside the platform. This is useful if you want to move to a fully custom Flutter project or host your app on your chosen cloud infrastructure.
FlutterFlow supports scalability, but it's important to follow best practices when building your app.
Design & Customization
Both Bubble and FlutterFlow offer easy to use drag-and-drop interfaces for design and provide all the necessary customization options to build responsive pages.
However, Bubble provides a higher level of customization with features like custom CSS and JavaScript, allowing developers to fine-tune designs beyond the platform's visual editor. It also offers a visual interface for creating conditional formatting and custom logic.
On the other hand, FlutterFlow is known for mobile apps. It provides pre-built mobile widgets and components such as buttons, rows, images, grid views, and more. Additionally, you can add custom Dart code to enhance functionality.
Security - Bubble & FlutterFlow
When it comes to security features, both FlutterFlow and Bubble offer solid frameworks, but their approaches differ based on the type of applications they're designed to support.
FlutterFlow relies heavily on its integration with Firebase and complies with key standards like GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001, and SOC 2. This integration provides built-in security features such as multi-factor authentication, data encryption (both at rest and in transit), and detailed access control. Developers can set specific permissions and manage secure access to user data. Additionally, FlutterFlow offers secure storage for sensitive information like API keys and encryption keys, ensuring these are not exposed within the app.
Bubble, on the other hand, offers a more complete built-in backend with security features like user authentication, API management, and SSL encryption for all data exchanges. Bubble makes it easy to define roles and permissions within the app, giving you detailed control over who can access specific parts of your app. Additionally, Bubble supports GDPR compliance and uses secure infrastructure to manage user data.
Use Cases & Examples - Bubble
You can build almost anything in Bubble, such as SaaS applications, e-commerce platforms, two-sided marketplaces, and internal tools like CRMs. Below are some real-world projects built with Bubble:
- Dividend Finance: Originally built on Bubble, Dividend Finance offers financing solutions for solar installations, enabling quick loan approvals. The platform has raised $365 million in funding and has processed over $1 billion in loans.
- Farie: A Swiss startup created an online car auction platform using Bubble, aiming to make buying and selling new and used cars easier. They recently raised $4.5 million in Series A funding, led by La Mobilière, to support future growth and innovations.
- GoodCourse: GoodCourse is a corporate learning platform built on Bubble, offering TikTok-style training with a completion rate 10 times better than traditional methods. After receiving initial funding, it was accepted into Y Combinator 2023, which has helped improve its multimedia training solutions.
And there's more! Explore our case studies of apps we've built on Bubble and visit the showcase section featuring apps created with Bubble.
Use Cases & Examples - FlutterFlow
With FlutterFlow, you can create a wide range of mobile-first or even desktop applications, such as native mobile apps for iOS and Android, banking platforms, e-commerce apps, and data-driven dashboards. Below are some real-world projects built with FlutterFlow:
- Axis Bank: One of India's largest banks used FlutterFlow to build its mobile app, achieving 50 million downloads and 13 million monthly users.
- AB Money: A meditation app built with FlutterFlow, which became a top app in Eastern Europe with over 600K users, offering mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
- Kawenter: A simplified eVisa application app with over 200K downloads on both the App Store and Play Store, streamlining international travel document processes.
- SparkCharge: An Electric Vehicle Management app built using FlutterFlow, designed to support SparkCharge's charging solutions for electric vehicles. The company behind it has raised over $70 million in funding.
Pricing of Bubble.io
Bubble's pricing is based on Workload Units (WUs), which represent the amount of server resources your app consumes through actions like data operations, workflows, and API requests. Each plan offers a different WU limit, scaling according to your app's complexity and traffic needs.
Plan | Price (Monthly) | Workload Units (WUs) | Features | Best For |
Free | $0 | 50,000 | API connector, 1 app editor, 6 hours of server logs | Learning, prototyping |
Starter | $32 | 175,000 | Custom domain, recurring workflows, live app, basic version control | Launching MVPs, small projects |
Growth | $134 | 250,000 | Premium version control, 2 app editors, 2FA, 10 custom branches | Growing user base, complex apps |
Team | $399 | 500,000 | Sub-apps, 5 editors, 25 custom branches, advanced workflows | Teams, high-usage projects |
Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Dedicated server, enhanced security, priority support | Large-scale or enterprise apps |
Plan Recommendations:
- Free Plan: Ideal for learning or creating simple prototypes, like testing a basic booking app with form inputs and limited user interaction. Perfect for beginners exploring no-code.
- Starter Plan: Great for launching MVPs, such as a small SaaS tool or a basic e-commerce store with a custom domain and essential workflows. Perfect for solo founders or startups.
- Growth Plan: Suitable for consumer apps like a marketplace or membership platform with increasing user traffic, requiring advanced features like two-factor authentication.
- Team Plan: Ideal for collaborative projects or companies building complex systems, such as a project management tool or CRM with sub-apps and multiple team members.
- Enterprise Plan: Designed for large businesses with high-security needs, such as financial institutions or companies handling sensitive user data. It offers dedicated servers, enhanced security, and personalized support.
Pricing of FlutterFlow
Plan | Price (Monthly) | Features | Best For |
Free | $0 | Visual drag-and-drop builder, 100+ templates, build mobile/web/desktop apps, API/data integration | Learning or prototyping apps |
Standard | $30 | Free features + code download, APK download, local testing on devices, custom domain publishing | Small to medium MVPs or e-commerce apps |
Pro | $70 | Standard features + GitHub integration, one-click localization, app store deployment | Scaling mobile-first SaaS apps or growing businesses |
Teams | $70/user | Pro features + real-time collaboration, project access control, centralized billing | Teams working on collaborative, large-scale projects |
Plan Recommendations:
- Free Plan: Perfect for learning the platform or testing simple app ideas, like creating a basic weather app or to-do list using drag-and-drop features and prebuilt templates.
- Standard Plan: Ideal for launching small MVPs, such as an early-stage e-commerce app, with features like custom domains and APK downloads to test on devices before going live.
- Pro Plan: Great for growing apps, like a fitness tracking app or a SaaS product, that require version control, support for multiple languages, and easy deployment to app stores.
- Teams Plan: Best for larger teams working on complex projects, like a real-time collaboration app for internal company tools, with features such as centralized billing and access controls to manage team roles and audit logs.
Feature Comparison: FlutterFlow vs Bubble
Feature | Bubble | FlutterFlow |
Platform Focus | Primarily designed for web applications and responsive PWAs. Native mobile app support is available in its new native mobile editor. | Focuses on native mobile apps (iOS & Android) with support for publishing directly to app stores. |
Backend & Database | Built-in backend with a powerful database system and workflow automation directly in the platform. Great for web apps needing integrated database management. | Requires integration with external backend services like Firebase or Supabase, offering flexibility but needing more setup for backend operations. |
Publishing | Optimized for web app deployment with PWA support, though native mobile app deployment needs wrappers. | Directly supports publishing apps to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Excellent for mobile-first projects. |
Learning Curve | Steeper learning curve due to its extensive workflow and database features, but highly customizable once learned. | Easier for mobile-centric projects with drag-and-drop UI, but using advanced features may require learning Dart and backend integration. |
Community Support | Large and well-established community, offering extensive resources, tutorials, and plugin ecosystems. | Smaller but growing community with active support on platforms like Discord and community forums. Good for collaboration and finding solutions for mobile apps. |
Scalability | Highly scalable for web applications with built-in tools for handling heavy data loads and user traffic. Allows for custom code to extend scalability. | Scalable through Firebase integration, supporting high user volumes and backend flexibility. More suited for scaling mobile apps. |
SEO Capabilities | Strong SEO tools with options for custom titles, descriptions, URLs, and meta tags for web apps, making it suitable for web-based products. | Limited SEO capabilities for mobile apps, with basic customization options like meta tags. Less optimized for web app SEO. |
Templates & Design | Offers extensive customizable templates with built-in workflows for various use cases (e.g., e-commerce, SaaS). | Provides pre-built templates optimized for mobile apps, but these might need more customization for specific needs. Best for mobile design. |
Customization | High customization for complex web apps, supporting custom workflows, logic, and advanced plugins. | Easier for designing visually stunning mobile interfaces with widgets and built-in flows but may hit limits with very complex customizations. |
Code Export | Bubble does not offer full code export, making migration challenging | Allows full code export, giving flexibility to move the project outside of FlutterFlow for further development. |
When Should You Choose Bubble?
- Complex web apps: For web apps needing complex logic, user roles, and database management, choose Bubble. It's great for e-commerce platforms, custom CRMs, or apps with essential workflows.
- Scalability: Bubble is built to grow. It smoothly handles increasing users with strong server-side actions and database support.
- Customization and flexibility: Bubble offers deep customization, integrating with almost any API or service, giving developers control over data models and functionalities.
- Web-first projects: For web-based apps, Bubble provides powerful tools like backend management, database capabilities, and PWA support, enabling complex, responsive apps without coding.
When Should You Choose FlutterFlow?
- Building mobile-first apps: For native iOS and Android apps, choose FlutterFlow. It offers seamless cross-platform functionality for app store deployment.
- Mobile-specific features: FlutterFlow provides mobile features like push notifications, camera access, and location services, ideal for apps like fitness trackers or social apps.
- Speedy iterations for MVPs: With live preview and Firebase backend, FlutterFlow enables fast testing and updates, perfect for quick MVP development and feedback.
- Beautiful design focus: FlutterFlow excels in design with pre-built templates and a drag-and-drop interface for creating visually appealing mobile apps.
That’s a Wrap
Both platforms offer great features and experiences. It's a good idea to try each one by building a small app to see which fits your needs, budget, and user experience the best.
If you decide to build your app with Bubble, feel free to contact us for custom no-code app development. At Zeroqode, we specialize in creating apps with Bubble and have helped hundreds of businesses bring their ideas to life using no-code.
Whether you want to build an MVP, a complex web app, or scale an existing project, our team of Bubble experts is ready to help. Plus, with our 700+ plugins, you can enhance your app’s functionality to meet your users' unique needs.
Want to see our work? Check out our case studies to see how we've turned successful ideas into thriving apps.
Your next big idea could be the next success story!
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