Is Bubble.io good enough for building a somewhat complex SaaS or ecom app?

Tips
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Hey everyone,

so I’m trying to figure out if Bubble.io is the right tool for me and would love some advice from people who’ve actually used it.

I’m not a programmer at all, but I am pretty tech-savvy. I use tools like Make, Zapier, and other no-code stuff for automations in my daily work.

What I want to build is kinda like a startup product with:

  • product catalog (like e-commerce)

  • payments

  • order fulfillment workflows

  • user features like wishlists

  • and maybe more SaaS-type features later on

So my main question is:

Is Bubble actually good for non-technical people to build something medium to kinda complex (SaaS or ecom-like)?

Also wondering:

  • does Bubble scale well when things get more complex?

  • when does it start breaking or becoming too messy?

  • would something like this be better on Shopify instead?

  • anything I should watch out for before going all in?

Just trying not to waste time going the wrong direction :sweat_smile:
Any thoughts or experiences would really help

thanks!

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Probably better to use Shopify if all you need now is to sell products via a product catalogue. If that works and the business needs more features Shopify doesn’t support then consider Bubble.

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I’ve built a very complex SAAS app, but it’s taken me years and I had no prior training.

Can bubble handle it? - Yes. Can someone who’s tech savvy learn ? - Yes! Is it easy? - Not as easy as you’d hope, but also not insurmountable.

While I agree with the previous post, time-to-launch is a real factor. Maybe get something going quick to validate the idea, and once that’s going start learning and building in bubble.

What you have going for you:

  • Bubble’s AI generation is getting better, you could probably get a good start by using prompts.
  • There are lots of tutorials online now, and YouTube could help you learn quick
  • There are coaches and trainers who consult and help you plan and build your app (That’s how I got a shot in the arm when I started)
  • AI assistance, both GPT, Claude, and even Gemini are pretty good and helping trouble shoot, or even plan and build features.

Bubble is not the wrong direction, but you do need to build mindfully and neatly. Using best practices, and efficient workflows will make your app run better, and keep costs down.

Security is also a big factor you don’t want to overlook, but again, bubble has some recent features that really help you tighten up your data.

Hope this helps.

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Simple answer: yes!

Depends on exactly what you’re building though. My marketplace could technically “kinda” be done on Shopify but I needed way more control and don’t regret picking bubble at all. Was a total newbie at the beginning.