Softwr

No-Code · head to head

Bubble vs Vitess

Bubble logo

Bubble

No-Code

No-code platform for building web and mobile applications visually

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BubbleFull review
Vitess logo

Vitess

Databases

Scalable database clustering system for horizontal scaling of MySQL

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit VitessFull review

The short version

  • Both are free.
  • Only Bubble lists visual app editor; only Vitess lists horizontal Sharding.
  • Where Bubble falls short: apps are tied to Bubble's proprietary runtime, making migration to another stack difficult if the platform is later outgrown.
  • Where Vitess falls short: VTGate scatter queries without sharding key incur significant performance penalties.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bubble and Vitess actually diverge.

Attributes where Bubble and Vitess differ
AttributeBubbleVitess
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, macOS, Self-hosted
CategoryNo-CodeDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Vitess, founded for Bubble.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bubble

  • Visual app editor
  • Built-in database
  • Visual workflow logic
  • Plugin marketplace
  • Responsive design engine
  • Custom domains

Only in Vitess

  • Horizontal Sharding
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Routing
  • Online Schema Changes
  • Shard Management
  • Replication Management
  • Automated Failover
  • MySQL

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bubble

  • Building MVPs and startup web apps without a dev teamnot Vitess
  • Internal business apps with custom database logicnot Vitess
  • Marketplace and SaaS prototypesnot Vitess
  • Mobile app wrappers around a Bubble web appnot Vitess

Vitess

  • Transaction processingnot Bubble
  • Data storagenot Bubble
  • Application backendnot Bubble
  • Reportingnot Bubble
  • Data analyticsnot Bubble

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bubble

  • Apps are tied to Bubble's proprietary runtime, making migration to another stack difficult if the platform is later outgrown
  • Complex apps can hit performance limits compared to hand-coded applications as data and workflow complexity grows
  • The visual workflow editor has a steep learning curve for genuinely complex business logic
  • Free tier cannot host apps on a custom domain, limiting it to prototyping rather than production launches

Vitess

  • VTGate scatter queries without sharding key incur significant performance penalties
  • Foreign key constraints not enforced across shards, requiring application-level integrity handling
  • Single primary per keyspace limits multi-region write capabilities
  • Distributed transactions without proper sharding key routing suffer performance degradation

Pricing, plan by plan

Bubble

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Bubble review.

Vitess

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Vitess review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bubble if

  • You need visual app editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want built-in database.
Bubble review

Choose Vitess if

  • You need horizontal sharding.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Self-hosted.
  • You also want connection pooling.
Vitess review

Questions people ask

Is Bubble or Vitess better?
Neither clearly leads. Bubble starts at Free and Vitess at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bubble or Vitess?
Bubble starts at Free and Vitess at Free.
Does Bubble or Vitess run on more platforms?
Bubble runs on Web, iOS, Android. Vitess runs on Linux, macOS, Self-hosted.
Can I use Bubble for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bubble best used for?
Bubble is most often used for building mvps and startup web apps without a dev team, internal business apps with custom database logic, marketplace and saas prototypes, mobile app wrappers around a bubble web app. Of those, building mvps and startup web apps without a dev team and internal business apps with custom database logic are not what Vitess is typically brought in for.
What can Bubble do that Vitess cannot?
Bubble covers Visual app editor, Built-in database, Visual workflow logic, Plugin marketplace. Vitess covers Horizontal Sharding, Connection Pooling, Query Routing, Online Schema Changes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bubble: Does Bubble publish pricing information on their main website?

Bubble's pricing details are not available on the main homepage. Detailed pricing information would need to be found on their dedicated pricing page or terms of service.

Source
Vitess: Is Vitess free to use?

Yes. Vitess is completely free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. It is a graduated CNCF project with no licensing costs or pricing tiers.

Source
Vitess: What databases does Vitess support?

Vitess supports MySQL and MariaDB as backend databases. It acts as a middleware layer that adds sharding and orchestration capabilities on top of these databases.

Source
Vitess: Does Vitess require Kubernetes to run?

No. Vitess can run on Kubernetes using the Vitess Operator, but it can also be deployed on traditional infrastructure. Kubernetes integration is optional and provides additional automation benefits.

Source
Vitess: How does Vitess handle cross-shard transactions?

Vitess supports distributed transactions across shards, but they require queries to be routed through the sharding key. Transactions without a proper sharding key can result in slower performance.

Source
Vitess: Does Vitess enforce foreign key constraints?

Vitess does not enforce foreign key constraints across shards by default. Referential integrity must be managed at the application layer, though per-database support can be enabled with limitations.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Bubble

More on Vitess

Keep looking

Other head to heads