Fix a slow or hard to follow Bubble app
Many Bubble apps can be made faster and cleaner without leaving Bubble. Moving to code makes sense only for certain needs. A developer who knows both can tell you which case you are in and plan the work in milestones.
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Bubble is named here as a plain text example of a no-code tool. ErdiBuilds has no connection to Bubble. This page gives general guidance and does not describe any product feature or limit exactly.
Why Bubble apps get slow or hard to follow
No-code tools let you build fast, which is their strength. A product that grows for a year or two through many small additions can end up with pages that load too much, many overlapping workflows and names nobody remembers. This happens in code too. The cause is rarely the tool alone. It is usually how the app was structured over time.
- Pages take long to load, especially lists and dashboards.
- The same logic is copied in many places, so one change needs ten edits.
- Nobody remembers why a workflow exists, and removing it feels risky.
- Costs on your plan can rise with usage.
- A new person needs weeks to understand the app.
What can often be fixed inside Bubble
A developer who knows the tool can often do a lot without a rebuild. Typical work includes changing how data is searched and shown so pages ask for less, cutting repeated workflows into reusable parts, cleaning up the data structure, tidying names, removing unused pages and setting a clear separation between test and live versions. Ask for a review first. Treat the findings as a to do list in order of impact.
When moving to code can make sense
Moving to code is a big step and not always the answer. It can be worth it when:
- You need something the tool cannot do well for your case, such as heavy real time features or deep use of phone features. Bubble's own mobile options and limits change, so check its current documentation.
- You want full ownership and portability of the code and hosting.
- Running costs or limits stay a problem after clean up.
- You plan to hire a team that works in standard technologies.
It often does not make sense when the app serves its users well and only needs tidying. A rebuild takes time, and during it the old app still needs care. A middle path also exists: keep Bubble for the parts that work, and build a new part in code that connects through an API.
| Topic | Staying in Bubble | Moving to code |
|---|---|---|
| Speed of change | Quick for small edits by someone who knows the app | Slower at first, steadier once the foundation is in place |
| Control | Within what the tool offers | Full control of the code, hosting and data |
| Effort now | Clean up and fix, in steps | A new build plus moving the data, planned in milestones |
| Hiring later | Needs people who know the tool | Standard technologies with a wider pool of developers |
| Risk | Lower in the short term | Higher during the move, lower dependence afterwards |
Speed of change
- Staying in Bubble
- Quick for small edits by someone who knows the app
- Moving to code
- Slower at first, steadier once the foundation is in place
Control
- Staying in Bubble
- Within what the tool offers
- Moving to code
- Full control of the code, hosting and data
Effort now
- Staying in Bubble
- Clean up and fix, in steps
- Moving to code
- A new build plus moving the data, planned in milestones
Hiring later
- Staying in Bubble
- Needs people who know the tool
- Moving to code
- Standard technologies with a wider pool of developers
Risk
- Staying in Bubble
- Lower in the short term
- Moving to code
- Higher during the move, lower dependence afterwards
General points to discuss, not a rule. Ask developers for their view on your specific app.
How it runs in milestones
Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. Milestones are from 50 to 2,000 each in your project currency. Start with a review milestone, then decide.
| Topic | What you get | Example timing |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Review | A report on speed, structure and risks, with options to stay or move | One milestone, for example 1 to 2 weeks |
| Phase 2a: Clean up in place | Faster pages, tidier workflows, clearer data structure | One to three milestones, for example 2 to 6 weeks |
| Phase 2b: Or plan the move | Data export plan, new architecture and a first part built in code | Planned after the review, in several milestones |
Phase 1: Review
- What you get
- A report on speed, structure and risks, with options to stay or move
- Example timing
- One milestone, for example 1 to 2 weeks
Phase 2a: Clean up in place
- What you get
- Faster pages, tidier workflows, clearer data structure
- Example timing
- One to three milestones, for example 2 to 6 weeks
Phase 2b: Or plan the move
- What you get
- Data export plan, new architecture and a first part built in code
- Example timing
- Planned after the review, in several milestones
Example only: the weeks are for illustration. Developers set the length of each milestone in their proposal, and each real milestone runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks.
Questions to ask developers
- Have you worked on large Bubble apps, and also built in code?
- Would you recommend staying, and what would convince you to recommend moving?
- How do you get data out of the app safely if we move?
- How do you protect live users while you change things?
- What do you document so the app stays understandable?
Developers who list Bubble among their technologies are covered on the Bubble hiring page. For a bigger move, read about web apps and SaaS.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to leave Bubble to fix performance?
Often not. Many speed problems come from how data is searched and displayed, which can be improved inside the tool. A review shows how much is possible.
Link to this answerCan I take my data with me if I move?
Data can usually be exported in some form, but the details depend on your plan and setup. A developer should check this in the review before you commit to a move.
Link to this answerWhat happens to my app logic when moving to code?
It has to be rebuilt in code, since workflows do not convert automatically. The existing app serves as a detailed description of what the new one should do.
Link to this answerCan my users keep using the app during the move?
Yes, if it is planned that way. Keep the old app running while the new one is built and tested, then switch over in a planned step.
Link to this answerWho owns the new code?
Unless both sides agree otherwise in writing on the platform, the rights to the result of a milestone pass to the client once that milestone is paid in full.
Link to this answerRelated pages
- Hire a Bubble developer for your appBuild or fix a no-code app with Bubble. What a Bubble developer does, the limits to know, what to ask and how matching works.
- Hire a Developer to Fix Bugs in Your AppYour app crashes, loads slowly or does the wrong thing. See how to describe problems, plan fixes in milestones and find a developer.
- Rescue a Stuck App or Software ProjectYour developer disappeared or nobody can change the app anymore. See the first steps, a milestone plan and what to ask a rescue developer.
- Build a web app with an independent developerHow to plan a browser-based web app: common technologies, an example milestone plan, what to write in the brief and how to judge a developer.
- Build a SaaS with an independent developerPlan a SaaS product: accounts, subscriptions, technologies, an example milestone plan, what to write in the brief and how to pick a developer.
- How to Split a Project Into MilestonesSplit a software project into milestones that each deliver something you can see and approve. Rules, an example plan and a free planner tool.