How can Bubble handle push notifications or reminders for upcoming tutoring sessions?

Need help
1

If you build a tutor app on Bubble, how can you send students and tutors a reminder notification (like “Your math class starts in 15 minutes”) or a push notification (the small alert that pops up on their phone or browser)?

2

@suheb.devtechnosys you can use OneSignal Push Notification Plugin.
for your reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3cFL60S_qI

3

Why use a plugin when bubble sends push notifications on mobile devices natively? It’s all about official documentation or YouTube videos.

4

Bubble Push Notifications Guide

How to Send Reminders for Tutoring Sessions

Overview

This guide explains how to implement push notifications and reminders in a Bubble tutoring app to notify students and tutors about upcoming sessions.

1. Browser Push Notifications (Built-in Bubble Feature)

Setup Process

  • Navigate to Settings → General in your Bubble editor

  • Enable push notifications in your app settings

  • Add “Subscribe to push notifications” action to your workflows

  • Users will be prompted to grant permission when they first visit

Implementation Steps

  1. Create a workflow that triggers before session start time

  2. Add “Send push notification” action to the workflow

  3. Set the notification message: “Your math class starts in 15 minutes”

  4. Schedule using Bubble’s “Schedule API Workflow on a list” feature

  5. Target specific users based on their upcoming sessions

Code Example

Workflow: Send Session Reminder
Trigger: Scheduled API Workflow
Action: Send push notification
Message: "Your [Session Subject] class with [Tutor Name] starts in 15 minutes"
Recipients: Session's Student and Tutor

2. Scheduled Workflows for Automatic Reminders

Database Structure Required

Sessions Data Type:

  • Session Date/Time (date)

  • Student (User)

  • Tutor (User)

  • Subject (text)

  • Reminder Sent (yes/no)

  • Session Link (text)

  • Duration (number)

Users Data Type (add fields):

  • Phone Number (text)

  • Push Notifications Enabled (yes/no)

  • Email Notifications Enabled (yes/no)

  • Time Zone (text)

Workflow Configuration

Main Workflow: Check for Upcoming Sessions

  • Type: Scheduled API Workflow

  • Frequency: Every 5 minutes

  • Search Criteria:

    • Sessions where Session Date/Time is within 15 minutes

    • Reminder Sent = No

    • Session Status = Confirmed

Actions:

  1. Send notifications (email, push, SMS)

  2. Mark “Reminder Sent” as Yes

  3. Log notification in system for tracking

3. Email Notifications (Most Reliable Method)

Template Setup

Student Reminder Email:

Subject: Upcoming Tutoring Session - [Subject]
Dear [Student Name],

Your [Subject] tutoring session is starting soon!

📅 Date: [Session Date]
⏰ Time: [Session Time]
👨‍🏫 Tutor: [Tutor Name]
🔗 Join Link: [Session Link]

Please be ready 5 minutes before the scheduled time.

Best regards,
[App Name] Team

Tutor Reminder Email:

Subject: Tutoring Session Starting Soon - [Subject]
Dear [Tutor Name],

You have a tutoring session starting in 15 minutes.

📅 Date: [Session Date]
⏰ Time: [Session Time]
👨‍🎓 Student: [Student Name]
📚 Subject: [Subject]
🔗 Session Link: [Session Link]

Please ensure you're prepared and logged in.

Best regards,
[App Name] Team

Implementation

  • Use Bubble’s built-in “Send email” action

  • Create dynamic email content using session data

  • Set up email templates in Settings → Email

  • Include unsubscribe links for compliance

4. SMS Notifications via Twilio Integration

Setup Requirements

  1. Create Twilio account and get API credentials

  2. Install Twilio plugin from Bubble’s plugin marketplace

  3. Configure plugin with your Twilio SID and Auth Token

  4. Add SMS sending workflows to your app

Phone Number Collection

  • Add phone number field to user signup

  • Validate phone numbers format

  • Get user consent for SMS notifications

  • Provide opt-out instructions

SMS Template Examples

"📚 Reminder: Your [Subject] session starts in 15 minutes with [Tutor Name]. Join: [Link] Reply STOP to opt out"

"👨‍🏫 [Tutor Name], your tutoring session with [Student Name] starts in 15 minutes. Subject: [Subject] Join: [Link]"

Workflow Setup

Trigger: Scheduled API Workflow (15 minutes before session)
Condition: User has phone number AND SMS notifications enabled
Action: Twilio - Send SMS
To: User's phone number
Message: Dynamic SMS content

5. Third-Party Push Notification Services

OneSignal Integration

Advantages:

  • Better mobile support

  • Cross-platform compatibility

  • Advanced targeting options

  • Detailed analytics

  • Free tier available

Setup Steps:

  1. Create OneSignal account

  2. Install OneSignal plugin in Bubble

  3. Configure app keys and certificates

  4. Add subscription workflows

  5. Create notification campaigns

Implementation:

Workflow: Send OneSignal Notification
Action: OneSignal - Send Notification
Heading: "Session Reminder"
Content: "Your [Subject] class starts in 15 minutes"
Target: Specific user segments
Include: Session link as action button

Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)

For Advanced Mobile Apps:

  • Better integration with mobile apps

  • More control over notification appearance

  • Advanced scheduling capabilities

  • Rich notification features (images, actions)

6. In-App Notification System

Database Design

Notifications Data Type:

  • User (User)

  • Title (text)

  • Message (text)

  • Type (option set: reminder, general, urgent)

  • Read (yes/no)

  • Created Date (date)

  • Action URL (text)

  • Session Reference (Sessions)

UI Components

Notification Bell:

  • Show unread count as badge

  • Red dot for urgent notifications

  • Dropdown list of recent notifications

  • “Mark all as read” functionality

Notification List:

  • Chronological order (newest first)

  • Different styling for read/unread

  • Click to navigate to relevant page

  • Delete or archive options

Implementation Code

Repeating Group: User's Notifications
Data Source: Search for Notifications (User = Current User)
Sort: Created Date (descending)
Display: Title, Message, Created Date
Conditional: Different background for unread items

7. Recommended Implementation Strategy

Phase 1: Essential Features (Week 1-2)

  1. Email Notifications

    • Most reliable delivery method

    • Works for all users regardless of device

    • Easy to implement and test

  2. Browser Push Notifications

    • For users who opt-in

    • Good engagement for web users

    • Free with Bubble platform

Phase 2: Enhanced Features (Week 3-4)

  1. In-App Notification System

    • Better user experience

    • Real-time updates

    • User control over notifications

  2. SMS Notifications

    • For critical reminders only

    • Higher engagement rates

    • Additional cost per message

Phase 3: Advanced Features (Week 5-6)

  1. OneSignal Integration

    • Better mobile experience

    • Advanced targeting

    • Detailed analytics

  2. Advanced Scheduling

    • Multiple reminder times

    • Time zone handling

    • User preference controls

8. Sample Workflow Implementation

Complete Reminder System Workflow

Trigger: Recurring Backend Workflow Schedule: Every 5 minutes Name: “Send Session Reminders”

Step 1: Find Sessions Needing Reminders

Search for Sessions:
- Session Date/Time ≥ Current date/time + minutes(10)
- Session Date/Time ≤ Current date/time + minutes(20)
- Reminder Sent = No
- Status = Confirmed

Step 2: Process Each Session

For each Session in search results:

If Student's Email Notifications = Yes:
  → Send email to Student
  
If Student's Push Notifications = Yes:
  → Send push notification to Student
  
If Student has Phone Number AND SMS enabled:
  → Send SMS to Student

If Tutor's Email Notifications = Yes:
  → Send email to Tutor
  
If Tutor's Push Notifications = Yes:
  → Send push notification to Tutor

If Tutor has Phone Number AND SMS enabled:
  → Send SMS to Tutor

Create In-App Notification for Student
Create In-App Notification for Tutor
Mark Session's "Reminder Sent" = Yes
Log notification event for analytics

9. Best Practices and Considerations

User Experience

  • Graceful Permission Requests: Don’t ask for all permissions at once

  • Clear Value Proposition: Explain why notifications are helpful

  • Easy Opt-out: Always provide unsubscribe options

  • Preference Controls: Let users choose notification types and timing

Technical Considerations

  • Time Zone Handling: Store and convert times correctly

  • Rate Limiting: Avoid overwhelming users with notifications

  • Error Handling: Have fallback methods when primary notifications fail

  • Testing: Test across different devices and browsers

  • Performance: Optimize database searches for scheduled workflows

Legal and Compliance

  • GDPR Compliance: Get proper consent for data processing

  • CAN-SPAM Act: Include unsubscribe links in emails

  • SMS Regulations: Follow local SMS marketing laws

  • Privacy Policy: Update to include notification data usage

Monitoring and Analytics

  • Delivery Tracking: Monitor notification success rates

  • User Engagement: Track which notifications are most effective

  • Error Logging: Log failed notifications for troubleshooting

  • A/B Testing: Test different message formats and timing

10. Testing Checklist

Before Launch

  • Test email delivery across different providers (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)

  • Test push notifications on different browsers

  • Verify SMS delivery and formatting

  • Test time zone calculations

  • Verify unsubscribe links work

  • Test with different user permission combinations

  • Check notification appearance on mobile devices

  • Test workflow performance under load

  • Verify all notification types include session links

  • Test error scenarios (invalid email, phone numbers, etc.)

Post-Launch Monitoring

  • Monitor delivery rates and user engagement

  • Track user feedback and complaints

  • Analyze notification effectiveness metrics

  • Adjust timing and frequency based on user behavior

  • Regular testing of all notification channels

11. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Push Notifications Not Working

  • Check if user granted permission

  • Verify app is served over HTTPS

  • Test in incognito/private browsing mode

  • Check browser notification settings

  • Ensure user is subscribed to push notifications

Email Notifications Not Delivered

  • Check spam/junk folders

  • Verify email addresses are valid

  • Test with different email providers

  • Check Bubble’s email limits

  • Consider using dedicated email service (SendGrid, Mailgun)

SMS Not Sending

  • Verify phone number format (international format)

  • Check Twilio account credits and status

  • Verify phone number is valid and can receive SMS

  • Check Twilio logs for error messages

  • Ensure proper country code formatting

Workflow Performance Issues

  • Optimize database searches with constraints

  • Use “Only when” conditions to reduce unnecessary runs

  • Monitor workflow usage in Bubble logs

  • Consider breaking large workflows into smaller ones

  • Use server-side workflows for better performance

12. Cost Considerations

Bubble Platform

  • Push notifications: Included in paid plans

  • Email sending: Limited free emails, then charged per email

  • Workflow capacity: Based on your plan level

Third-Party Services

  • Twilio SMS: ~$0.0075 per SMS in Nigeria

  • OneSignal: Free for up to 10,000 subscribers

  • SendGrid Email: Free tier: 100 emails/day

  • Firebase: Free tier available, pay per usage

I was also having a similar problem like yours but i used this document and it helped me, hope it helps you

5

this is a great reply, thank you.

Can I just ask if anyone can explain what kind of WU usage this would be? How would I get a ball park figure. It seems like running anything like this would eat up WU with the searches. (I still don’t fully understand what a WU is and my app is probably less than optimised)

6

In a Bubble tutor app, you can send class reminders by scheduling backend workflows to trigger emails (via SendGrid), SMS (via Twilio), or push notifications (via OneSignal for web, or BDK Native/Firebase for mobile), with the dynamic message sent 15 minutes before the class starts.

7

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