Why comparing these two approaches?

Since the beginning of our no-code agency (and even before) we’ve worked primarily with Bubble.io to build no-code apps for our clients. However some time ago we started to see some disadvantages of Bubble platform and we started looking for some alternatives. We already knew Xano as a reliable and scalable no-code back-end but we wanted to find an alternative to build UI of our web applications – we found WeWeb and from then, we keep using it for almost all of projects for our clients.

But that doesn’t mean Bubble is not a great tool to build apps, definitely not. It’s just that we found a better alternative that is more suitable for most of our projects.

All-in-one vs separated front-end & back-end

Summary: Separated FE & BE is better for apps that require more complex functionalities and scalability, while all-in-one solution is better for more simple tools and non-tech app builders.

Before jumping into individual features of these platforms, let’s state that we are comparing not only tools, but also two different approaches to build no-code applications. While Bubble.io is a platform that combines front-end and back-end for your app, WeWeb is only front-end builder and Xano is only for back-end business logic.

What are the main advantages of having separated tools?

Control: You have more control over the functionality of your app.
No Vendor Lock-in: The vendor lock is not for the entire app (you can switch only front-end or back-end without rebuilding everything).
Performance: Usually the performance of dedicated back-end is higher (be it Xano or alternatives such as Buildship or Fastgen).

What are the advantages of having all-in-one tool?

Simplicity: It is more simple/faster to build apps because FE and BE are already “wired together”.
Pricing: You pay only for one development platform.
Version Control: Different environments of your app are automatically synced for back-end and front-end.

How we compared Bubble and WeWeb + Xano?

We looked at all aspects that we handle for most of our projects, starting from building UI, some front-end business logic, database management, performance, pricing but also some things that are relevant only for some use-cases (such as HIPAA or GDPR compliancy).

UI Editor – building front-end

Summary: Building in WeWeb feels much closer to traditional development, while taking advantage of no-code speed and efficiency. Bubble’s editor is easier to work with especially for builders without technical background.

Components

WeWeb: Uses components to create re-usable elements that can be used across your entire application or shared between projects. You can define properties, local variables, workflows, formulas, and triggers to create a scalable “atomic design system”.
Bubble: Uses “re-usable components”. Recently introduced “properties” to pass data, which is an improvement, but it still has some limitations when interacting with “outside elements”.

Styles/classes/design system

WeWeb: Uses equivalent of CSS classes. You can define color schemes, typographies, or spacing and apply multiple classes to elements.
Bubble: Uses “styles” (visual variants). The disadvantage is that it doesn’t allow you to combine multiple styles; you can only apply one style per element.

Responsiveness

WeWeb: Uses the concept of breakpoints (similar to Webflow). It makes it easier to define responsiveness, though breakpoint values are currently fixed.
Bubble: Uses conditional logic (e.g., if screen size < X, change font). This offers flexibility for specific values, but requires individual definition and some properties can't be changed conditionally, necessitating duplicate elements for mobile.

Front-end workflows/business logic

Summary: WeWeb front-end workflows are visually more clear while Bubble has more pre-defined actions.

WeWeb: Complex workflows are created as diagrams, which are visually clearer and easier to understand.
Bubble: Offers more pre-built actions out of the box, but complex business logic can become difficult to manage ("a mess").

Database management

Summary: You have more control in Xano, but it is easier to manage the database in Bubble.

Xano: Full PostgreSQL management. Includes DB triggers, custom indexing, and an Excel-like UI. It mimics traditional SQL logic.
Bubble: Provides a higher level of abstraction. Great for non-tech users as it requires less configuration. It supports DB triggers but lacks control over DB indexes for query optimization.

Custom code

Summary: Using custom code in WeWeb & Xano feels much more native than in Bubble.

WeWeb: Easy use of plain JavaScript for re-usable functions or importing Vue.js components from GitHub.
Xano: Allows JavaScript “lambda functions” for complex data transformations.
Bubble: Requires external plugins to run plain JS, and code is often not easily re-usable across the app. However, you can create custom plugins for the marketplace.

Code export

Summary: WeWeb allows code export, Xano doesn’t and neither does Bubble.

WeWeb: Allows exporting and self-hosting the Vue.js application (requires an annual subscription).
Xano: No code export, but offers on-premise or private cloud hosting on Enterprise plans.
Bubble: No code export or self-hosting (dedicated instances are available for regional hosting).

Back-end performance

Summary: Xano offers better performance potential for those who know how to optimize it; Bubble is simpler but less flexible for high-load optimization.

Xano: Provides tools like database indexes and response caching to keep queries fast, even with huge amounts of data or heavy user load.
Bubble: Handles queries “out of the box”. While not necessarily slow, it lacks advanced optimization tools and proper caching mechanisms for ultra low-latency pages.

Security

Summary: Bubble has excellent built-in privacy rules; Xano has more enterprise-level certifications.

Xano: GDPR, SOC2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, 27701, and 9001 certified. Authentication uses JWE tokens. Row/column level security must be implemented manually.
Bubble: SOC 2 certified and GDPR compliant (with DPA). Its "Privacy Rules" for row/column level security are highly powerful and easy to set up.

Community and marketplace

Summary: Bubble has the largest community and marketplace; WeWeb and Xano are growing but smaller.

WeWeb: Marketplace for components and plugins is in the roadmap. Community is smaller but very helpful.
Xano: Has a snippet marketplace, though searching/discovery is currently limited.
Bubble: Massive community and thousands of plugins. This makes finding solutions and fellow developers much easier.

Pricing

Summary: All platforms have free tiers for testing, but production requires a paid plan.

WeWeb: Starter, Scale, and Enterprise plans (based on visits and features).
Xano: Launch and Scale plans (based on performance/CPU) and Enterprise.
Bubble: 4 plans based primarily on Workload Units (WU).

Summary

Both approaches have their place. Bubble is a great tool for less tech-savvy builders who want an all-in-one solution. WeWeb + Xano is better suited for complex projects requiring granular control over performance and functionality.

We in QikBuild primarily use WeWeb and Xano for our client projects due to their complexity, but Bubble remains a strong contender in the market.

WeWeb & Xano vs Bubble: Which no-code to build your app