Bubble VS Glide : Which app builder is best for you?

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8 MIN
June 1, 2023

Do you dream of creating your application or website, but do you have the necessary programming skills? Bubble and Glide may be the solution to your problems. These two no-code application development platforms allow anyone to develop professional projects without any knowledge of code.

But, how to choose between these two tools? In this article, we will compare the key features of Bubble and Glide, reviewing their user interface, collaboration features, programming language, and much more.

So, if you're looking for a no-code solution for your projects, keep reading to find out which of these two platforms is best for your needs.

Quick description of Bubble and Glide

Starting in 2013, Bubble was born to allow anyone to create software and websites without having to code. Since its inception, Bubble has been considered the ultimate No code platform by programmers and non-programmers alike.

The features offered by Bubble are varied and allow the development of complex applications or projects. Its graphical interface is a real asset for designing efficient computer logic.

Glide appeared on the market in 2018 as so many of the best No-code tools, which facilitates the development of applications and websites. With Glide, it is possible to choose a site template or add data from an application, all on Google Sheets or Airtable (through an API).

Moreover, companies are praising Glide for its efficiency in automating tasks, thus contributing to boosting their productivity. With its wide range of features, it is possible to create professional applications without any real skills in code only with Drag-And-Drop interfaces.

This means that with these two tools, Bubble and Glide, it is possible to develop projects without programming skills, offering increased productivity and professional solutions at your fingertips.

 

Comparison of the main differences and characteristics

Bubble and Glide are both popular No code platforms with unique features. Let's find out what each one specializes in based on the criteria below.

 

User interface

Bubble and Glide user interfaces (UIs) suited for custom mobile app development with internal tools. Glide's UI is mainly divided into three sections: the data, layout, and action editor.

 

Both sections allow the user to customize their project according to their preferences by using a wide range of design options. The navigation bar at the top of the interface facilitates access to each section and allows the user to develop his application without constraint.

Instead, Bubble offers five editors on the far left when creating a new page. These editors are design, workflow, data, plugins, and style.

These editors are each designed to enhance the user experience and allow for efficient native mobile app building. Bubble offers a full range of features that provide a multitude of options for customizing your application. 

Comparatively, Glide's structure is more simplified, with a user interface divided into only three sections. Bubble, on the other hand, has a more complex interface, but with more advanced features.

This makes Bubble more suitable for experienced users who want to build more advanced applications, while Glide is more suitable for beginners who are looking for a simpler interface.

 

Collaboration

With Bubble, you can invite collaborators to work on your project while controlling their access to prevent malicious modifications. This platform also allows outside members to see your work without being able to modify it, ensuring the confidentiality of your data.

However, Glide offers two collaboration options: private and public. Private collaboration allows you to assign specific roles to each user based on their level of responsibility. 

To enable this feature, you need to add the user's email address and select the corresponding role in your project's privacy settings. Public collaboration, on the other hand, is available to anyone who has access to the existing version of the application, with an optional login defined by the administrator.

Both of these essential features offer collaboration flexibility to suit different needs and levels of privacy. However, Bubble offers an additional option for outside members who cannot edit the project, which can be an advantage for teams concerned about the security of their data.

Overall, both platforms offer collaboration features to support teamwork. Bubble offers a more secure collaboration option, while Glide offers more flexibility in terms of privacy levels.

Selecting one or the other platform will depend on the specific needs of your team and how you want to collaborate with other users.

 

Programming language

Bubble and Glide, these two no-code platforms, use different programming languages. Bubble uses a Json-based visual programming language, while Glide uses a data transformation programming language. 

Bubble's visual programming language allows users to create applications by selecting elements through a user-friendly interface, rather than writing code. 

It makes it easy for users who are not professional developers to design applications. In addition, Bubble's JSON format allows for easy data exchange with other software.

Specifically, Glide uses a data transformation programming language to manipulate, write, and export data in a variety of file formats. This makes it a versatile tool for data management and allows users to create applications that effectively manage their company's data.

Ultimately, Bubble is best suited for users who prefer a visual user interface, while Glide is more appropriate for those who need a powerful data management tool.

Click to see our Bubble services

 

Plug-in Library

Comparing the Bubble and Glide Plugin Library shows that both platforms offer a wide variety of plugins for their users. Glide offers a rich and diverse library of plugins, allowing you to convert numbers, create tables and add a color palette. 

Plugins such as Duplicate Items, Fetch Json, Format Date, and Get Part of URL are also available and can be very useful for developers. 

Alternatively, Bubble offers a list of plugins that help generate incredible functionality for users. A useful one is Multipledropdown for creating forms with multiple choice fields. Ionic Elements comes with several features that enhance the mobile experience in apps, while API Connector allows you to call other APIs connected to Bubble.

 

To conclude, the decision to choose between Bubble and Glide varies depending on the specific goals of each user. It is essential to understand your project requirements and evaluate the plugins available for both platforms to choose the one that best meets your needs.


SEO

 

In terms of SEO, Glide, and Bubble are two different tools. Indeed, Glide is mainly intended for database management and is therefore not optimized for SEO. However, some users have found a solution to reference their pages on Glide by using website builders specialized in SEO like Webflow. However, only the URL of the pages on Glide are indexed.

It allows them to create SEO-optimized pages and direct them to their projects on Glide. With this method, users can significantly improve their online visibility and attract more visitors to their projects.

In turn, Bubble addresses the specific SEO needs of websites and applications. Although SEO is a complex field, Bubble offers features to help users optimize their pages. 

Users can add titles, descriptions, images, and other elements to improve the SEO of their pages. Importantly, while Bubble is a powerful SEO tool, it does not automatically guarantee a good ranking in search results.

Users should always work on their content strategy and keyword strategy to improve their ranking in search results.

 

Multilingual feature

Both tools offer multilingual options for easy translation. Concerning Bubble, it is possible to use its native and automatic translation feature. You can share a translation database or translate each word individually on the platform. Whichever you choose, this action must be performed in the space specially dedicated to translation on the Bubble tool.

 

Glide app also offers a native translation feature. You can use it by creating specific conditions, such as “if that… is that or if that… is not that”. These conditions allow you to automatically adapt the content to the selected language. On the other hand, it is also possible to use the Google translation plugin to get translations on Glide.

 

However, you can go twice as fast by using Weglot plugin in Bubble and Glide which automatically translates pages according to multiple countries. It automatically synchronizes with the website. Anyway, the ideal would be to proofread the translated content because sometimes the translation is not perfect. In addition, it is important to know that Weglot is not a free tool.

 

Pricing comparison

Here is the range of prices you can expect to pay for one of Bubble and Glide's service offerings.

Bubble

Bubble offers different pricing tiers depending on the user's needs. The Starter plan is priced at $32 per month, making it an affordable option for those just starting their app development journey. This plan is best suited for launching and testing your app.

The Growth plan, on the other hand, is priced at $134 per month and is designed for users who want to grow their user base.

 

The Team plan is priced at $399 per month and is the best option for those who want to grow their team and business. Keep in mind though that Bubble has a free option with a lot of features.

 

Ultimately, Bubble offers a range of pricing options to suit the different stages of application development and business growth.

Glide

Glide offers two main pricing categories. First of all, there are prices for a business account and secondly for a private account.

 

Glide offers pricing plans for different types of users. The Pro plan costs $99 per month for teams that build apps for many users.

 

The Business plan is $249 per month for companies that create many large applications for employees and customers. The Enterprise plan starts at $799 per month and is customizable to meet specific organizational needs.

 

As for the three plans with individual pricing, a Free plan is an excellent option for beginners looking to build their first app. The “Starter” plan, on the other hand, is for those who want to create a few small apps at a monthly cost of $25.

The “Pro” plan would be more appropriate for teams working on applications for a large number of users, with additional features such as access to advanced APIs, at $99 per month.

Advantage/Disadvantage Table

 

Bubble Glide
User interface
Collaboration
Plug-in Library
SEO compatibility
Multilingual
Easy to master
Free version
E-commerce
NoxCoaching
NoxE-learning

Conclusions: Two interesting technologies for different needs

Bubble and Glide provide two different platforms for developing no-code applications with different functionalities and features.

 

Bubble has a more complex interface, and advanced features, as opposed to Glide, which is simpler and more suitable for beginners. However, both platforms offer customization, collaboration, and integration options, allowing users to work in teams and create professional projects.

 

Choosing between Bubble and Glide will depend on the user's specific needs for user interface, functionality, and collaboration. Glide is suitable for database management projects. Bubble on the other hand is highly recommended for website and application creation projects. But one thing is certain: these no-code tools offer a fast, cheap, and efficient way to develop applications.

 

Noxcod is here to bring your ideas to life. With a team of experienced developers, We are prepared to realize all your projects. And the best part? We have in our arsenal several high-performance no-code tools, such as FlutterFlow and Adalo, to guarantee you a stunning result. We also help you master these tools by providing training.

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