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Bubble.io VS Discourse

Compare Bubble.io VS Discourse and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

Bubble.io logo Bubble.io

Building tech is slow and expensive. Bubble is the most powerful no-code platform for creating digital products.

Discourse logo Discourse

Discourse is an open source discussion platform built for the next decade of the Internet.
  • Bubble.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-24
  • Discourse Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13

Bubble.io features and specs

  • No Coding Required
    Bubble.io allows users to build web applications without requiring any coding knowledge, making it accessible for non-developers.
  • Customizable
    The platform offers a high degree of customization enabling users to design and create unique applications tailored to their specific needs.
  • Rapid Prototyping
    Helps in quickly building and testing application prototypes, which accelerates the development process and reduces time-to-market.
  • Built-in Database
    Includes an integrated database, simplifying data storage and management tasks within the application.
  • Expandable with Plugins
    Supports a variety of plugins to extend functionality, allowing for the incorporation of more complex features without needing to code.
  • Responsive Design
    Automatically handles responsive design, ensuring applications look good on both desktop and mobile devices.
  • Community and Resources
    Offers a robust community along with extensive documentation and tutorials, aiding users in troubleshooting and learning.

Possible disadvantages of Bubble.io

  • Learning Curve
    Despite being a no-code platform, there is still a learning curve associated with understanding and navigating Bubble.io's user interface and capabilities.
  • Performance
    Applications built on Bubble.io can sometimes suffer from performance issues, particularly as they scale.
  • Limited Native Mobile Support
    Direct support for native mobile application development is limited; additional tools and steps are required to convert Bubble.io applications into native apps.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Being a proprietary system, users are dependent on Bubble.io for hosting and platform updates, which could pose risks if the company changes its policies or faces downtime.
  • Cost
    While there is a free tier, more complex and feature-rich applications often require premium plans, which can be costly.
  • Scalability
    Though ideal for small to medium projects, Bubble.io might not be the best choice for very large and highly scalable applications due to its performance constraints.
  • Complex Conditional Logic
    Handling very complex conditional logic and workflows can become cumbersome and might require more advanced workarounds.

Discourse features and specs

  • Modern Interface
    Discourse provides a clean, intuitive, and responsive user interface that works well on both desktops and mobile devices.
  • Open Source
    Discourse is open source software, allowing for customization, self-hosting, and community contributions, which can reduce costs and increase flexibility.
  • Rich Features
    The platform includes a variety of built-in features such as threaded replies, real-time notifications, and community moderation tools.
  • Scalability
    Discourse is designed to handle small communities as well as large, active forums, making it suitable for a variety of use cases.
  • Security
    Regular updates and a dedicated security team help keep the software secure against vulnerabilities.
  • Integration and APIs
    Discourse offers extensive APIs and integrates well with various other services and plugins, facilitating seamless extensions and automation.

Possible disadvantages of Discourse

  • Resource Intensive
    Discourse can be resource-heavy, which may require significant server capacity and maintenance, especially for large communities.
  • Hosting Costs
    While you can self-host Discourse, the server and maintenance costs can be high. Managed hosting plans provided by Discourse can also be expensive.
  • Complex Setup
    Installing and configuring Discourse can be complex, particularly for those without technical expertise in server management and Ruby on Rails.
  • Learning Curve
    Users and administrators might face a steeper learning curve compared to more traditional forum software due to its modern interface and extensive features.
  • Limited Built-in Themes
    The default theme options are somewhat limited, and extensive customization requires knowledge of front-end development.
  • Dependency on PostgreSQL and Redis
    Discourse relies on PostgreSQL for its database and Redis for caching, which might complicate setup and maintenance compared to solutions that use simpler database architectures.

Bubble.io videos

+ Add

Bubble.io Tutorial: How to Build an App on Bubble in 2023

Discourse videos

+ Add

Why We Chose The Discourse Platform For Our Forums

More videos:

  • Review - Why Discourse is the Best Forum Software Out There (No, Really) | Location Rebel
  • Review - A Grammar Review for Discourse Analysis

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Bubble.io and Discourse)

Bubble.io

Discourse

No Code
100 100%
No Code
0% 0
Forums And Forum Software
0 0%
Forums And Forum Software
100% 100
Website Builder
100 100%
Website Builder
0% 0
Forums
0 0%
Forums
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Bubble.io and Discourse. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Bubble.io and Discourse

Bubble.io Reviews

10 Top Firebase Alternatives to Ignite Your Development in 2024
If you’re looking to quickly prototype an idea, validate a concept, or even launch a full-fledged product without getting bogged down in code, Bubble.io is your ticket. It’s also a fantastic learning tool for those who want to dip their toes into the world of app development without a steep learning curve.
Source: genezio.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
Bubble is a revolutionary platform that allows anyone to build web applications without writing a single line of code. It uses a visual programming interface where you drag and drop elements to create functionalities. Bubble is perfect for startups and non-technical users who want to quickly prototype and launch their ideas.
Source: www.pixpa.com
Top 10 Android Studio Alternatives For App Development
Bubble is a no-code application and development platform which was developed by Bubble Group which helps noncoder people to build website apps without writing a single line of code.
Source: www.geeksforgeeks.org
ILLA Cloud vs. Retool vs. Bubble - Unveiling the Best Low-Code Platforms
In the quest for the best low-code platform, Retool, Bubble, and ILLA Cloud all offer unique features and capabilities. While Retool shines with its self-hosted option and Bubble contributes to the open-source community, ILLA Cloud stands out as a powerful and flexible low-code platform. With its comprehensive feature set, affordable pricing models, and self-hosted...
Source: blog.illacloud.com
13 Best Website Builders for Creators and Social Entrepreneurs(2023)
Bubble is the perfect platform for entrepreneurs and non-technical founders who want to bring their ideas to life quickly and efficiently. Get started today and launch your own fully functioning application in minutes!
Source: causeartist.com

Discourse Reviews

20 Telegram Alternatives to Chat With in 2024
Discourse is a basic forum function that could be an alternative to Telegram if you want to stick to text discussions. It's pretty analog, missing both video and livestreaming tools. Instead, Discourse is a basic community that lets you organize discussions--it feels a bit like having your own reddit or Quora.
Source: www.mightynetworks.com
18 Best Discord Alternatives 2020 | Expert Reviews
Discourse comes in a couple of flavours. You can self-host it yourself in which case the software is free, and you simply need to sign up for server space, or you can pay Discourse for a hosted-for-you option, though self-hosting is a lot cheaper the premium option takes care of the technical side.
Source: solutionsuggest.com
IndieHackers: Best forum software
I used Flarum when trying to get a community set up for my product (ended up abandoning it to revisit when we have a larger customer base). It worked fairly well and I enjoyed it but it's definitely beta and unless you're fairly tech savvy it's not quite worth the setup / maintenance. Lots of config changes, crashes, huge issues with plugins, and some features missing. I'd...
Source: www.indiehackers.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Bubble.io seems to be a lot more popular than Discourse. While we know about 442 links to Bubble.io, we've tracked only 23 mentions of Discourse. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Bubble.io mentions (442)

  • 🎯 How to Format Numbers & Currencies in Bubble (Bubble.io Tutorial)
    Formatting numbers and currencies is one of those small yet powerful details that can significantly enhance the user experience of your app. Whether you're building a finance dashboard, e-commerce store, or expense tracker in Bubble.io, this guide will help you display values in a way that's clean, readable, and user-friendly. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • How to Add Filters to Repeating Groups or Tables in Bubble.io
    If you're building with Bubble.io and want to make your app more dynamic and user-friendly, adding filters to repeating groups or tables is a must-have feature. - Source: dev.to / 22 days ago
  • How to Use AI to Build Your Own Web App
    Bubble.io combines visual development with AI assistance to create a powerful platform for building complex web applications. While not purely AI-driven, Bubble has integrated AI features throughout its platform to assist with design decisions, workflow creation, and troubleshooting. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Top 10 Programming Trends and Languages to Watch in 2025
    Low-code and no-code (LCNC) platforms are reshaping software development by enabling rapid application creation. Tools like OutSystems, Microsoft Power Apps, and Bubble facilitate development through drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built components, minimizing the need for extensive coding. This empowers citizen developers and allows for quicker prototyping and deployment. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • The Ultimate Guide to Building Free Apps
    Bubble has established itself as one of the leading platforms for creating sophisticated web applications without code. Its free plan offers surprising depth for building fully functional apps. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
View more

Discourse mentions (23)

  • Qilin: A Starter Project Template For Every Open Source Project
    GitHub Discussions can also be a great place for support as long as these are regularly monitored. Another option along the same lines is Discourse and the Open Source Matrix which is used by quite a few Open Source and community-based projects. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: How to run an old-school mailing list?
    A lot of communities use [Discourse ](https://discourse.org). [LPSF](https://forum lpsf.org) migrated to it when Yahoo Groups was discontinued. Some of the advantages are that it's open source, self-hostable, and can be configured to work as both a traditional mailing list and modern forum. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My Fediverse use – I'm hosting everything myself – PeerTube, Mastodon and Lemmy
    More like https://discourse.org/. You can run it yourself, but I can also just have them ding a credit card every month and not think about it again (I do this for a community). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Reddit faces content quality concerns after its Great Mod Purge
    Discourse perhaps? I've seen it in use in a few places; it has a modern look and feel to it at least. https://discourse.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • So Long, Twitter and Reddit
    I fully agree with you see my comment here[0] -- I think you may have misread my comment, it says "Discourse" (as in the forum software[1]), not Discord. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37245220. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Bubble.io and Discourse, you can also consider the following products

Webflow - Build dynamic, responsive websites in your browser. Launch with a click. Or export your squeaky-clean code to host wherever you'd like. Discover the professional website builder made for designers.

Flarum - Flarum is the next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun. It's simple, fast, and free.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

phpBB - Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi is a cheap, credit-card sized computer. The official website uses phpBB for their discussion forums. phpBB is not affiliated with nor responsible for any of the sites listed on the showcase.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Vanilla Forums - Build an engaging community forum using Vanilla's modern cloud forum software.

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