Compare
Orbit vs Bubble
Both turn a description into a working app with a backend. The difference is the ground underneath: a standard Postgres stack and flat pricing, or a proprietary visual platform metered by workload.
Free on both. The difference shows up in the database and on the bill.
At a glance
Where Orbit and Bubble diverge
Both go the distance. Here is who leads at each stage, from the demo to leaving. The sourced detail is below.
Even
The demo
Both turn a description into a working app. Bubble has AI generation too.
Orbit
Build from
Orbit: agents, CLI, API, browser, macOS. Bubble: the browser editor.
Even
Data and auth
Both set up a database and sign-in. Orbit's is standard Postgres; Bubble's is proprietary.
Even
Your domain
Both run on a custom domain with HTTPS.
Orbit
The bill grows
Orbit: $1 a credit, never expires. Bubble: workload units that can spike, and the app can go offline if they run out.
Even
Leaving
Neither exports source code. Bubble runs only on Bubble; an Orbit app has a REST API and your own domain.
Side by side
The four differences, in detail
Checked against Bubble's own docs on 25 July 2026. Every Bubble claim links its source.
Where you build from
Orbit
Claude or any MCP agent, the CLI, the REST API, the browser, and a macOS app. The same app in every one.
Bubble
Bubble's visual editor in the browser, with AI generation and an in-editor AI copilot.
Bubble manualHow pricing works
Orbit
1 credit = 1 dollar, the same rate for everyone, credits never expire, and you can bring your own provider account.
Bubble
Plans from $29 a month, metered in workload units. Every read, write, and workflow spends them, overages bill at $0.30 per 1,000, and the app can go offline if they run out.
Bubble pricingThe backend
Orbit
A native Postgres database, created with the app, plus built-in sign-in and a REST API.
Bubble
A proprietary database, visual workflows, and user accounts, all hosted and run inside Bubble.
Bubble data docsOwning it, and leaving
Orbit
Your app runs on Orbit. You reach it and its data through the REST API, on your own domain. There is no source-code download in the product.
Bubble
Bubble's docs say apps can only run on the Bubble platform, with no way to export the app as code. You can export your data as CSV or through the Data API.
Bubble ownership docsFair is fair
When Bubble is the better pick
Bubble is the most mature visual builder: pixel-level drag-and-drop control, a large plugin marketplace, native mobile publishing, and a deep community. If you want to shape every pixel by hand without code and lean on a big ecosystem, Bubble is built for that.
The short answer
Pick Bubble
if you want a mature visual builder with pixel-level control and a large plugin marketplace.
Pick Orbit
if you want a standard Postgres stack you reach by API, more places to build from, and pricing that does not spike.
Try both
both are free to build in, so make the same small thing twice and see which stack you would rather own.
Questions, answered
Does Bubble have a backend?
Yes. Bubble sets up its own database, workflows, and user accounts on its platform. Both tools give you a backend; the difference is that Orbit's is standard Postgres with a REST API and Bubble's is proprietary.
Which one is cheaper?
It depends on use. Orbit is a flat dollar per credit that never expires. Bubble meters workload units across reads, writes, and workflows, so a busy app can spend them fast, and the app can go offline if they run out.
Can I move my app off Bubble or Orbit?
Neither hands you source code today. Bubble's docs say apps run only on Bubble; you can export your data. Orbit runs the app too, but with a REST API and your own domain.
Can I just try both?
Yes, and it is the best way to decide. Build the same idea in both, then look at where the data sits and what a busy month would cost on each.
Price a busy month on both
A workload meter and a flat balance behave identically at ten users. Build the same small thing in Bubble and in Orbit, then imagine a thousand.
Free to build. Your first live app is free on your own domain.
Made in Orbit