# How do freelancers handle Bubble hosting costs when building apps for clients? **URL:** \ **Category:** Need help\ **Created:** [November 5, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593 "2026-11-05T19:16:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/ekpereogheneogaga2020/32/259954_2.png) [@ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://forum.bubble.io/u/ekpereogheneogaga2020)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/1 "2026-11-05T19:16:11Z")
Hi everyone, I’m a freelance Bubble developer starting to take on small business clients (booking systems for salons, spas, and similar appointment-based businesses). I’m trying to decide how to handle the hosting side and would love to hear how others do it. The options I’m weighing: 1. The client creates their own Bubble account and pays for the plan directly. I build in their account or transfer the app to them. 2. I host the app under my own account and charge the client a monthly fee covering the plan plus maintenance. 3. A one-time build fee, with an optional monthly maintenance add-on, and the client owns the account by default. A few specific questions: - Which approach do you use, and what do you wish you’d done differently? - How do you handle ownership and transfer of the app if a client leaves? - Does a small single-business booking app usually fit within the Starter plan’s workload units, or do you see overages? - Any billing or contract tips for keeping recurring fees from becoming a headache? ---
**Author:** ![jmfcristo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/jmfcristo/32/171337_2.png) [@jmfcristo](https://forum.bubble.io/u/jmfcristo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/2 "2026-11-05T20:29:58Z")
I’m based in Paraguay, and [Bubble.io](http://Bubble.io) is quite expensive for this region. Small businesses, especially those with only a few users, think twice before accepting that kind of recurring expense. To adapt, I currently use a single Bubble project to host multiple apps/organizations, depending on the workload units (WUs), and charge each organization a monthly fee. It’s not the cleanest approach, but I’ve had to adapt to the pricing model. I’ve raised this issue in this forum before: Bubble should offer additional pricing options, not necessarily replacing the WU-based model, but allowing customers to pay per account, as many competing platforms already do. More flexibility in pricing would make Bubble much more accessible to small businesses in markets like Latin America. ---
**Author:** ![dbom009](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/dbom009/32/259579_2.png) [@dbom009](https://forum.bubble.io/u/dbom009)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/3 "2026-11-05T21:14:22Z")
There is an Agency account you can pay for which grants you access to an Agency plan for building apps as well as a host of other benefits. You can learn about it here. > **[Bubble Agency Account](https://bubble.io/agency-account)** > > Discover Bubble's accounts for agencies and freelancers. Bubble is a visual programing language. Instead of typing code, use a visual editor to build applications. ---
**Author:** ![jmfcristo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/jmfcristo/32/171337_2.png) [@jmfcristo](https://forum.bubble.io/u/jmfcristo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/4 "2026-11-05T21:42:00Z")
Thanks for the suggestion! However, the Agency plan doesn’t offer any cost savings for either my clients or my business. ---
**Author:** ![dbom009](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/dbom009/32/259579_2.png) [@dbom009](https://forum.bubble.io/u/dbom009)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2026, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/5 "2026-11-05T21:54:08Z")
What do you mean? 1. you can be added on any bubble app without counting towards their developer seats 2. you can use the agency plan to pretty much have a free growth plan while you build apps for your clients 3. you get access to free plugins while you build and your client can pay 4. you can transfer over the app at the end All those are pretty helpful for any developer. ---
**Author:** ![ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/ekpereogheneogaga2020/32/259954_2.png) [@ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://forum.bubble.io/u/ekpereogheneogaga2020)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/6 "2026-11-06T18:21:53Z")
Thanks ---
**Author:** ![ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/ekpereogheneogaga2020/32/259954_2.png) [@ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://forum.bubble.io/u/ekpereogheneogaga2020)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/7 "2026-11-06T18:22:13Z")
Thank you ---
**Author:** ![ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/ekpereogheneogaga2020/32/259954_2.png) [@ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://forum.bubble.io/u/ekpereogheneogaga2020)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/8 "2026-11-06T18:28:09Z")
Thanks, this is really helpful. I’m just starting to take on client work, so I want to make sure I understand the setup before I promise anything to a client. If I build the app on a free plan under my own account and then transfer it to a client’s Bubble account: 1. Does the client simply upgrade the transferred app to Starter on their side to go live? 2. Can I stay on as a collaborator afterward for maintenance, or does that depend on the client’s plan and editor limits? 3. Is there anything that doesn’t carry over in the transfer, like plugins, API keys, or data? I’m trying to decide whether the Agency account is worth it at this stage or whether I should wait until I have a few steady clients. Appreciate any real-world experience. ---
**Author:** ![dbom009](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/dbom009/32/259579_2.png) [@dbom009](https://forum.bubble.io/u/dbom009)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/9 "2026-11-06T20:44:13Z")
1. if you are doing that route yes you would build it and then transfer it to them and then they would have to change the credit card and add their own. or during devleopment they just pay for the starter plan. 2. bubble has a limit so only 1 editor can be added to a started plan. So your client would have to upgrade to the growth or share their account with you in order to edit and maintain it. Its pretty wild and annoying but thats that. 3. no everything carries over I believe but worth talking with bubble support because things might have changed. The agency account needs to be upgraded by bubble since today it is very expensive but it is the only way to really work as a professional dev. Getting the agency plan and editor access to others apps from your account is too important. The agency plan comes with branches which is a growth plan feature and one that really helps development. Especially with AI agents and siloing them to another branch to make it easier to revert what they do if something goes wrong. ---
**Author:** ![ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/ekpereogheneogaga2020/32/259954_2.png) [@ekpereogheneogaga2020](https://forum.bubble.io/u/ekpereogheneogaga2020)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 9:05am UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/10 "2026-11-07T09:05:40Z")
Wow, ok thanks ---
**Author:** ![jmfcristo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/bubble/user_avatar/forum.bubble.io/jmfcristo/32/171337_2.png) [@jmfcristo](https://forum.bubble.io/u/jmfcristo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2026, 12:26pm UTC](https://forum.bubble.io/t/how-do-freelancers-handle-bubble-hosting-costs-when-building-apps-for-clients/402593/11 "2026-11-07T12:26:28Z")
> [@dbom009](#): > > it is very expensive Exactly!