Bubble vs Webflow: Which Is The Best No Code Platform?

If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’ve heard about no code and want to give it a try. It sounds pretty powerful: being able to build the app or website of your dreams without having to write a single line of code. 🙌

But where exactly do you begin? With so many options out there, it’s hard to know which no code platform suits your needs. Enter Bubble and Webflow, two of the most popular tools in the no code world. Both equally well-known and praised for their many capabilities, these two platforms are actually entirely different, so choosing the right one is really important. 

In this blog post, we'll take an in-depth look at the key differences between Bubble and Webflow, and help you determine the perfect fit for your needs. 

Whether you're building a website, eCommerce store, customer-facing app or web app, we'll delve into the features and capabilities of each platform. We’ll compare their integrations, customer support, and pricing, and provide you with an insightful overview of what you can expect from each one. Let’s dive right in and find out who wins the Bubble vs Webflow match! 🚀

What is No Code? A Quick Guide

No code development is a game-changer. In a few words, no code was created as an approach to web development that removes the need for any programming knowledge whatsoever. 

With no code, both programmers and non-programmers alike can create software or websites using a user-friendly graphical interface instead of writing lines of code. This all stems from the fact that the no code movement is founded on a strong principle: technology should be an enabler rather than a barrier to entry. 

In today's digital world, no code development platforms like Webflow and Bubble offer users the ability to build modern, visually stunning apps and websites without the need to learn complex programming languages such as HTML5, CSS, or Javascript. 

No code is all about empowering “citizen developers”, or non-programmers, to build web and mobile applications independently. By providing the same functionality as coding languages, no code platforms level the playing field for small businesses that lack the budget to hire expensive software developers or outsource their projects. 

What is Webflow?

Webflow is a powerful no code platform that offers visual web development to design and launch interactive web pages and eCommerce platforms with custom designs and animations. 

It is widely used for designing content management systems (CMS), because you can build everything you need in one place, making it fast, cost-efficient, and collaborative. 

With design at the center of all its features, Webflow is primarily focused on giving users complete control over all aspects of the web design process. It features a content management system that lets you manage your website's content, like articles for a blog or products for a store, and even automatically creates new pages just by adding more content, without needing to design another page. 

Webflow's goal is to bridge the gap between prototyping and building functional websites without any coding, making it an ideal website builder for people with no web design experience.

What is Bubble?

Similarly to Webflow, Bubble is a powerful no code website builder that offers a drag-and-drop web editor, point-and-click interface, and extensible plugin platform. All of this allows users to create fully functional and customizable websites with ease.

Bubble offers a wide selection of plugins, themes, templates, and database management functionality as well as powerful front-end and back-end workflows. 

Webflow: In-Depth Overview

Now that we’ve talked about both platforms, let’s dive into the capabilities of Webflow in detail. Keep reading if you're curious about what features Webflow has to offer and what you can build with it. 👇

Webflow Features and Capabilities

1. Design and Layout

Webflow is well-known within the design community for its ability to deliver pixel-perfect designs. That’s why it’s an excellent choice for creating visually stunning projects. The importance of highly attractive design is clearly emphasized in the product narrative, and the sheer variety of over 1000 templates available makes it easy to create a professional design, even if you don’t want to start from scratch. 

One of the main reasons why Webflow is so popular with designers is its focus on giving users complete control over design elements. This means that you can fine-tune every detail of your website's design and effortlessly create pixel-perfect user interfaces. With Webflow's intuitive drag-and-drop interface, designing a visually appealing website is a walk in the park. 

Webflow’s main design features:

• Pre-built components like sliders, tabs, background videos
• Create reusable components for elements like nav bars, footers, and signup forms
• Create flexbox and grid layouts and style every element to perfection
• Design responsively for all devices
• Create reusable CSS classes to make style changes across multiple elements at once
• Have complete control over layout with options like flexbox, CSS grid, inline-block, and positioning
• Fine-tune typography with control over every aspect
• Define global color swatches

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Want to find out everything you need to know about naming classes in Webflow? Check out our in-depth guide to Webflow class naming conventions!

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2. CMS and E-commerce

If you’re looking for a no code tool that can fully support publishing content down the line, Webflow is the number one choice. That’s because Webflow's content management tools are a favorite among users, and for good reason. 

With Webflow, you can easily change the title of a blog post or article and publish the edit across your site, with the click of a button. Additionally, you can invite teammates and clients to upload content, with different editor privileges you can assign for user hierarchy. This makes managing and collaborating on content a breeze, whether you're working on a small project or alongside a large team. 

With its CMS and e-commerce capabilities, Webflow can help you create a website that not only looks great but is also easy to manage. Here’s why:

• Effortless content management: With Webflow's CMS, you can easily add, edit, and delete pages, images, and other types of media on your website. This makes it easy to keep your website up-to-date without any coding knowledge.
• Collections: You can create collections to store content such as blog posts or products, and then display them on your website using dynamic elements like lists, galleries, and forms.
• Dynamic pages: Webflow's CMS allows you to create dynamic pages that can pull data from your collections, making it easy to create pages that are unique to each product or blog post.
• SEO optimization: You can optimize your content for search engines by adding meta descriptions, titles, and keywords to your pages and collections.
• Collaboration: Invite teammates and clients to upload content and collaborate on managing the website's content with editor's privileges.

Webflow’s e-commerce features

When it comes to e-commerce, Webflow is also a winner by far. Webflow offers a range of impressive eCommerce features, making it an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking to set up an online shop. With Webflow, you can sell both digital and physical products, as well as add fields for customer information. 

One of the standout eCommerce features of Webflow is its customizable shopping cart, which allows you to create a cart that suits your business's specific needs. Additionally, you can create transactional emails to send when specific triggers are hit, such as sending a customized invoice when an order is made, and create custom checkout flows with individual product variants. Webflow also supports a variety of payment methods for customers, including Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal, and automatically calculates taxes.

3. Integrations

Webflow offers an impressive array of integrations to help you make the most out of the platform's features while seamlessly fitting into your existing workflow. Whether it's content management systems or e-commerce platforms, Webflow allows you to integrate with your favorite tools effortlessly. 

You can integrate your Webflow website with various e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Snipcart, as well as with different content management systems such as Contentful and ButterCMS. 

The platform also supports integrations with a range of marketing tools like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, and ConvertFlow, along with data management tools like Google Sheets, and Airtable. Additionally, Webflow has integrations with various analytics platforms, including Google Analytics, Segment, and Fathom Analytics. 

Other Webflow integrations include: 

• Hotjar
• reCaptcha
• Make (formerly Integromat)
• Hubspot
• Calendly
• Google Calendar
• Intercom
• Zendesk
• Twitter
• Sendpulse
• AWeber
• Eventbrite
• Typeform
• Weglot
• Amazon Payments

And so many more.

If you need any custom integrations, Webflow also allows you to add custom code snippets to your site to integrate with APIs and other tools. Nifty! 👍

You can check out our full guide to the Webflow & Mailchimp integration if you want more info. 

Integrations for building web apps with Webflow

Webflow has become a go-to platform for building beautiful and functional websites. But what if you need to build a web app? 

Well, there are now several third-party integrations that allow you to use Webflow to build web apps. Wized, for example, is a platform that enables you to build dynamic web apps on top of your Webflow projects, complete with databases, user authentication, and more. 

Memberstack is another integration that lets you create membership sites and gated content within Webflow. With these powerful integrations, you can use Webflow to build not only websites but also complex web applications without having to write a single line of code.

4. Webflow for SEO

Webflow’s SEO capabilities are pretty mind-blowing. With an intuitive UX, Webflow makes it easy to create user-friendly and attractive pages, which is really important when it comes to creating content readers will actually spend time looking through – a huge aspect of SEO. 

In addition, Webflow sites are typically fast and pass core web vitals by default. The interface also makes it easy to edit metadata and other crucial SEO parameters. You can effortlessly publish SEO-friendly URLs and choose between subfolders and subdomains. 

Webflow also enables the implementation of more complex SEO features, such as adding custom schema data, hreflangs, and canonical tags. Schema markup helps search engines understand your site better, and Webflow allows you to speak it to describe your site better to Google in a few simple steps. 

Hreflang is an HTML attribute used for language specification and geo-targeting of a webpage, and Webflow streamlines the implementation of this attribute. Canonical tags indicate which version of a page is the main one, which is helpful when you have duplicate or similar content on your site. By marking the "canonical" page, you instruct that these pages are similar and avoid having competing pages in search engines.

Webflow User Experience

Webflow is powerful, okay, but is using it a pleasant experience? What is the user experience like with Webflow? Let’s find out! ⬇️

1. Ease of Use, Learning Curve, Community and Customer Support

Webflow's drag-and-drop interface and intuitive design make it easy to use, even for complete beginners. Its visual editor allows you to see changes in real-time, which can save you a lot of hours in the long run. However, some advanced features can be a bit complicated and take some time to master.

Webflow's learning curve is relatively steep. While the basics are easy to grasp, mastering more advanced features requires time and practice. Webflow offers extensive documentation and tutorials to help you along the way.

Yep, Webflow has a thriving community of designers, developers, and entrepreneurs who share their knowledge and support each other. The community includes Webflow's official forum, as well as a range of user-led Facebook groups and Slack channels.

Webflow offers multiple support channels, including email, chat, and a help center. Their customer support team is responsive and helpful, and they also have a wide range of resources, such as documentation, tutorials, and a knowledge base, to help you solve problems and get the most out of the platform. 

🔗 Some useful links when it comes to Webflow are:

• The Webflow knowledge base
• The Webflow professional developer database
• Webflow customer support
• The Webflow course library
• Webflow lessons

2. Webflow Pricing

The cost of a tool is always a crucial factor in choosing the right platform. Fortunately, Webflow offers a variety of pricing options that can fit most users' budgets and needs. The pricing options for Webflow are as follows:

• Webflow’s Free Plan allows users to design and launch basic websites for free with Webflow branding and limited hosting capabilities. Cost: free.
• Webflow’s Basic Plan provides solid hosting options, with custom domains, and without Webflow branding. Cost: $14 per month.
• Webflow’s Pro Plan is for professionals who are looking for more advanced features like custom code and integrations and businesses that need to manage dynamic content with features like content management system, custom roles, and a content API. Cost: $23 per month.
• Webflow’s CMS Plan is for businesses that need to manage dynamic content with features like a content management system, custom roles, and a content API. Cost: $39 per month.
• Webflow’s Enterprise Plan is a tailored option for larger businesses that need custom pricing based on their specific needs. Cost: Custom.

All of Webflow's pricing options are subscription-based and come with a 14-day free trial, as well as website hosting.

Why Choose Webflow?

If you're looking for a platform that can help you create visually stunning web pages with complete control over design elements, Webflow is a powerful option. With Webflow's CMS and e-commerce capabilities, you can easily manage your website's content, add collections, optimize content for search engines, and collaborate with teammates and clients. 

You can also integrate with other tools and platforms, such as marketing tools, data management tools, and e-commerce platforms, as well as build web apps with third-party integrations like Wized and Memberstack.

When it comes to SEO, Webflow's intuitive UX, fast website speed, SEO-friendly URLs, and the ability to implement complex SEO features, make it a great choice. Webflow also offers over 1000 templates, pre-built components, reusable components, flexbox and grid layouts, and style changes across multiple elements at once. 

Webflow's user experience is pleasant, with its drag-and-drop interface, real-time changes, extensive documentation and tutorials, and a thriving community of designers and developers. Webflow also offers multiple support channels and pricing options, including a free plan and a custom-priced option for larger businesses with specific needs.

Bubble: In-Depth Overview

Webflow is great, but what about Bubble? How does it compare in terms of features and capabilities like design, CMS, SEO, e-commerce and integrations? Let’s find out! 👇

Bubble Features and Capabilities

1. Design and Layout

Bubble's design and layout capabilities are decent and can help users create basic to advanced web applications. However, compared to Webflow, Bubble's design capabilities are quite limited. 

Bubble does provide a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to add and remove elements such as text, images, and buttons. You’ll also find a range of templates for interactivity, but it’s important to note that as the level of customization for your app increases, it can become challenging to find a perfect match for your specific requirements with Bubble.

However, Bubble has recently introduced its new responsive engine, which is a game-changing feature in the way no-code apps are built. Similarly to Webflow, the new Bubble responsive engine leverages flexbox design, which has received a lot of praise from users. 

In terms of layout, Bubble provides a canvas where users can place elements and adjust their position, size, and orientation. You can also create reusable components for navigation bars, footers, and other elements. 

However, the platform does not offer the same level of control over layout and styling as Webflow. To be honest, Bubble's design features are not as visually appealing as Webflow, but they do allow for quick and easy app development.

2. CMS and E-commerce

Bubble for CMS (Content Management Systems)

Bubble is most used for its web and mobile app design rather than its content management systems (CMS) capabilities, and for good reason. The fact is that Bubble is not optimized for managing large amounts of content or complex editorial workflows. 

That being said, Bubble does provide some basic CMS features. For example, you can create custom data types to represent different types of content, such as blog posts, products, or user profiles. You can then create input forms to allow users to create or edit instances of those data types.

You can also use Bubble's repeating group feature to display lists of content, such as a blog post index or a product catalog. The repeating group can be customized to display different types of content and filter or sort the content based on various criteria.

If you choose to use Bubble for its CMS capabilities, you’ll definitely need to invest more time in customizing your data structures and workflows compared to using a dedicated CMS platform.

Bubble for e-Commerce

On the e-commerce side, Bubble has some e-commerce capabilities, but they are not as extensive as Webflow’s. With Bubble, you can build an online store, add products, manage inventory, process payments, and offer customer checkout. Bubble also allows you to add custom code to your app, which means you can integrate your online store with third-party e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Stripe, or PayPal.

Bubble provides some pre-built templates for e-commerce apps, including a basic e-commerce template, a marketplace template, and a subscription-based e-commerce template. These templates provide a starting point for creating an online store, and you can customize them to fit your specific needs.

However, if you need advanced features like shipping and tax calculators, abandoned cart recovery, and product reviews, you’re better off going with Webflow which offers more e-commerce features than Bubble.

3. Integrations

Bubble provides a comprehensive collection of conditional scenarios that connect with APIs and enable you to optimize your app's entire workflow. You can integrate your Bubble app with popular tools such as Google Maps, Stripe, Zapier, and Twilio, as well as with marketing tools like Mailchimp and Mixpanel.

• For data management, Bubble can integrate with Airtable, Google Sheets, and Excel
• For customer relationship management, you can integrate with Salesforce and HubSpot
• Bubble integrates with analytics platforms such as Google Analytics and Amplitude
• Payment gateways like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay
• Bubble also offers integration with cloud services such as AWS, Google Cloud Platform, and DigitalOcean, allowing you to host your app and manage your data securely

Do be aware that if you need a custom integration, you can use Bubble's API Connector to connect to any API and exchange data with your app. Overall, Bubble’s integration options are pretty solid. 

4. Bubble for SEO

Bubble’s biggest downside is its SEO capabilities. In comparison to Webflow, they are significantly weaker. It can be challenging to optimize Bubble apps for SEO, as the platform does not offer much control over technical SEO elements like sitemaps, canonical tags, and structured data.

That being said, Bubble does provide basic SEO options such as custom page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags. It’s not all bad though: you can still improve the SEO of your Bubble projects by optimizing on-page elements and producing high-quality, relevant content. We recommended that you use third-party SEO tools and plugins to supplement Bubble's basic SEO options.

Bubble User Experience

1. Ease of Use, Learning Curve, Community and Customer Support

Bubble’s drag-and-drop interface makes it pretty easy to get started, even as a total beginner. However, you can expect for things to get more complicated as you increase your project’s complexity. Fortunately though, Bubble's extensive library of resources will guide you through the learning curve and help you become proficient in the platform's more advanced features. 

📚 Bubble offers extensive documentation, tutorials, and video courses to help users learn how to use the platform.

Bubble also has an active community of users who are willing to help each other. Additionally, Bubble offers email support, live chat support, and a forum where users can ask questions and receive help from the Bubble team and other users. 

Bubble’s Learning Curve

When it comes to Bubble’s learning curve, you may have heard that Bubble is notoriously difficult to learn. But is Bubble really that hard to get to grips with? 

The length of time it takes to learn and build an app using Bubble depends on several factors. The type of app you want to build, the amount of time you can commit, and your financial ability to invest in learning materials all play a role. 

The simplest apps can be built in a few hours, while more complex apps can take multiple months. You can learn Bubble for free using free resources, or invest in paid courses, subscriptions, or coaches for a quicker learning process.

The bottom line is that if you’re building a simple, one-page app with a few select features, you’ll be able to learn Bubble in a few hours. However, building a complex, functionality-heavy app with numerous workflows and data handling will take much longer. If you have some knowledge of other no code platforms, you might be able to get away with a few days of intense learning, but other than that, be prepared for somewhat of a difficult Bubble learning curve.

2. Bubble Pricing

Bubble offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs, from hobbyists to enterprise-level businesses. The pricing options come with varying features and capabilities, with the most expensive plans offering advanced features for complex app development. 

• Bubble’s Hobby Plan offers basic features for small projects, perfect for hobbyists. Cost: free.
• Bubble’s Personal Plan provides additional features for individual use. Cost: $25 per month.
• Bubble’s Professional Plan is for teams and businesses who need more advanced features. Cost: $115 per month.
• Bubble’s Production Plan is for businesses that require scalable features for high-traffic apps. Cost: $475 per month.
• Bubble’s Custom Plan is a tailored option for enterprise-level businesses that need custom pricing based on their specific needs. Cost: Contact Bubble for pricing.

Note that all plans include unlimited app users, storage, and data transfer, as well as access to Bubble's templates and plugins. However, certain features such as collaboration and version control are only available on the Professional plan and above.

Why Choose Bubble?

Bubble is an increasingly popular no code tool that has a user-friendly interface and wide selection of templates. However, when compared to Webflow, Bubble falls short in terms of flexibility. Customizing the design or layout of a Bubble.io site can be challenging and time-consuming. 

Despite this, Bubble.io provides users with a comprehensive database and the ability to incorporate conditional situations based on visitor interactions. This enables users to enhance the functionality and user experience of their site.

Webflow vs Bubble: The Lowdown

When it comes to choosing between Webflow and Bubble, it ultimately comes down to what type of project you're working on. Webflow is a fantastic option for those looking to create a stunning website or web app. It offers a vast selection of templates and design options, along with an array of plugins and add-ons like Wized that can help you build custom web apps. 

On the other hand, Bubble is best suited for creating web apps exclusively. While it offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and powerful capabilities for building complex web apps, it doesn't provide the same level of flexibility and customization options that Webflow does. So, if you're looking to build a website or web app, Webflow is likely the better option for you, but if you're solely focused on building a web app, then Bubble is worth considering. 🌟

If you're having trouble choosing between Webflow and Bubble, why not use both? 🤝 Incorporating multiple no-code tools is a great way to integrate various use cases and functionalities. It all boils down to understanding what you need in your selected tool and maximizing its capabilities!