The hard technical part of converting the Bubble language into React Native and getting the app to deploy on the app store is done. Now it’s just cleaning things up and adding stuff like payments and specific native functions. You can run a much smaller team on this. It looked like they had about 16 dedicated members according to the livestream.
There’s also no reason to believe Bubble will continue polishing this ad infinitum. Their MO is to build something and either:
leave it alone completely and move to the next Big Thing
scrap it because they couldn’t fix it
That’s just how they roll. You could consider everything moving forward to be a “Plugin” and we’ve seen how Bubble treats their official plugins.
I’d be fine with the pricing if it wasn’t Bubble…like the way things are going, we’ll be paying double the price for a BETA with half-baked features and bugs , regardless of how well it works.
No idea why they just didn’t wait until it was fully polished, but was honestly expecting higher for the additional value being added here.
subscriptions will work the same as they do now: it depends on your project. If your project only needs a web app, you should only subscribe to the web-only plans. If you want to do both, then go for the hybrid plans
It is indeed probably biggest release in Bubble in long time or probably forever. I played with a little and checked out the documentation. Looks pretty well thought through and well done too.
I do agree on pricing though. They are already charging for WUs. Their primary way of charging is WUs (usage), but they keep finding ways to charge more for features like version control, security etc and now this.
Well, they will have me as of now because I am locked in, but I know that I won’t build new apps on it and move out when I can.
Probably a dumb question but can I ask what are the major upsides of using bubble’s native mobile builder instead of wrapping the app using Zeroqode or BDK native services?
Curious about the major benefits it provides over the traditional methods we were used to.
It’s a shit ton better by default because it’s a direct, native solution that doesn’t use hacky workarounds that “wrappers” do. Essentially, instead of a webview, you generate native code instead, directly in Bubble without having to deal with errors or workarounds that you often interact with when using wrappers.
If it at least automatically tracks the routes of the user through their app, that alone would be worth it. Dealing with wrapped apps is hell on earth. I’ve no real intention of building a mobile app on Bubble, but if they hadn’t have come out with their own solution, I’d still never have touched a wrapped app ever again. Simply not worth the hassle.
It’s free till October. I don’t think it makes sense for them to charge for this product until Native Payments are integrated, because it would be illegal to deploy most current web apps onto the app store without allowing payments through Apple/Google. So, you would be paying for nothing.
Given how they almost never meet their timelines, I would expect them to delay the pricing by several months past October to meet this target. If I had to guess, they won’t actually start charging until December or maybe even later.
They are not hell. They work quite well. Eg. Natively is smooth and easy to use.
Yes, they are a bit slower and feel more hacky, but with bubble and UX experience, you can make outstanding designs.
Apple does not care in the review process at all if it’s a webview app. This is incorrect.
Actually, wrappers is a smarter way and probably what you will se more of in the future. The JS bridges are getting really really good. RevenueCat (payment gateway for mobile wrappers) is booming…. Prebuilt paywalls nice.
Instead of having two UX / UIs you have ONE. And it’s always updated - in one place. And unlike bubbles new editor, can do almost everything you can do in the existing web editor. For now.
The new mobile option is fantastic, but wrappers definitely have their right and… speaking with people in the industry I hear rumors…
A new wrapper might just just be coming
Uhhhh.
The wrapped apps I have build on are grossing pretty darn well. No complaints on the UX my clients do not care about the tech part.
And, if you want to make multi tenant apps or platforms with bubbles new mobile editor… you are out of luck my friends.
And…
Check out Nord Craft. They are building the Unreal Engine for web apps. And they are fast… a lot faster than bubble’s apps. As in crazy optimized code. - The next gen web and wrapped mobile apps that can easily compete with native code (from an end user perspective).
But looking forward to make simple client apps with new new editor as well
Build responsive web app > wrap > validate > rebuild mobile > iterate.
= minimal cost with monthly payments for the wrapper and later bubble.
Build once is for coded native apps in my view or smaller client cases. A build, deliver, leave thing.
For SaaS cases it’s a lot more iteration focussed and over a longer timespan. (my perspective in this).
With the new model you have two apps to iterate on. And the web one still need to be mobile responsive. So… 3 different “views” if we disregard the idea of un-stepped responsiveness.
Also, think about this for a second:
With RevenueCat in a wrapped app. I get customers to signup up on web and the almost full app experience. Once signed up I prompt to download the wrapped app.
So, I just saved 15% of the proceeds cut to Apple and Google by using Stripe.
To do the same, you still need a well designed web app next to your mobile apps or at least a landing page that converts really well with a signup form and redirect to download. Which has a build in trust issues. They don’t know what they get.
With 80%+ of customers signing up on web. I save a lot of money as well. 9-10% to be exact (after stripes 2% and RevenueCats 1% cut).
But still the mobile experience. Validating from a web app is not cutting it, in my cases. I need the final product (or at least almost identical to) in that phase to iterate.
, regardless of how well it works.
nice.