How to build an app with Bubble + Xano

Introduction

Building a no-code app quickly is one thing. Making sure it’s scalable, fast, and compliant with laws like GDPR is another. Bubble.io is a strong visual tool for creating the front-end and logic of your app without code. But its backend has limits. That’s where Xano comes in.

This guide will also cover the integration of Bubble and Xano to create a unified backend environment.

In this guide, we’ll explain when and why to combine Bubble with Xano, what the benefits are, and what to watch out for. If you’re a non-technical founder planning to build a serious app, this will help you decide if this combo is right for you.

1. Why non-technical founders love Bubble, and when it hits its limits

Bubble.io is popular because it allows anyone to build an app visually. You can design the interface, add workflows, and manage your flexible database—all in one place. Bubble also lets you design each page and manage navigation between them, which is important for user experience in single-page applications.

For early MVPs, this all-in-one solution is often enough. But over time, certain limits show up:

• You can’t do certain logic: Bubble workflows can’t loop through a list or calculate values for many records at once.
• Performance gets worse with growth: Bubble’s backend can be slow when handling lots of users or records.
• You’re locked in: Your business logic live inside Bubble. If you ever want to move to another platform, you’ll have to rebuild the backend.

Let’s take an example. Suppose you’re building a marketplace for freelancers. As long as you’re listing projects and allowing basic messaging, Bubble’s built-in features might be enough. But if you want to do things like grouping data types for analytics, run recurring jobs on a schedule, or prepare custom datasets for charts—you’ll start to hit walls. For example:

• Grouping data types (e.g., monthly revenue by region) can eat into your workload units (WUs) and Bubble’s built-in tools are quite limited.
• Setting up daily or weekly jobs (like sending reminders or clearing expired records) is possible in Bubble but unreliable—many developers actively avoid it.
• Preparing custom chart data often requires transforming, mapping, or calculating values in ways Bubble doesn’t support natively.

These are common in real-world SaaS apps and often require logic that Bubble isn’t built to handle efficiently.

That’s why some founders look at external backends like Xano.

2. What is Xano? And why pair it with Bubble?

Xano is a no-code backend platform. Think of it as the brain of your app—handling data, business rules, and API logic behind the scenes. It replaces Bubble’s built-in database and workflows.

Why use it together with Bubble?

• Bubble stays in charge of the UI—the part users see.
• Xano handles data storage, logic, and API responses.

This separation lets each tool do what it’s best at. Bubble gives you ease of development and design flexibility. Xano gives you control, structure, and performance.

Founders often choose Xano when they:

• Need more structure and security in their data operations
• Want to set up logic that would be very slow or messy in Bubble
• Plan to scale their user base beyond MVP stage
• Require scalability to handle growing application demands and ensure robust backend infrastructure as their project expands

Using Xano doesn’t mean you stop using Bubble. It means you shift responsibility for the heavy lifting—calculations, conditions, and data storage—to a tool that handles it better.

3. The strengths of Xano (and why founders should care)

You can automate logic that Bubble can’t handleLet’s say you run a B2B SaaS product that offers onboarding, analytics, and billing. You want to:

• Calculate a monthly activity score for each client
• Automatically generate invoices based on usage
• Apply custom discounts for certain customer tiers

Doing this in Bubble is possible in many cases, especially for straightforward logic. But as complexity grows, you may run into limitations that affect performance and efficiency. Here’s why:

• Performance drops with big data: Processing large datasets in Bubble can lead to longer loading times and higher WU consumption.
• Limited control over structured logic: While Bubble supports basic workflows, it lacks advanced tools to build reusable or conditional logic across large volumes of data.

Xano addresses these challenges by providing a backend environment that’s built specifically for structured logic, large-scale data operations, and flexibility. With Xano, you can:

• Build powerful backend workflows with conditional logic and data transformations
• Handle high-volume operations without performance bottlenecks
• Use API endpoints for reusable logic that integrates cleanly with any frontend
• Leverage advanced search capabilities to efficiently retrieve, filter, and process data across multiple platforms, streamlining data management and improving workflow efficiency

This makes Xano an ideal choice for founders who need more backend power without giving up the speed and flexibility of Bubble on the frontend.

You can make your app GDPR-compliant more easilyIf you’re based in Europe or targeting European users, GDPR matters when it comes to app data . Bubble’s data is stored in the U.S., which can complicate compliance. Xano, on the other hand:

• Offers GDPR-compliant hosting in the EU
• Provides a clear Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Allows better control over how and where data is stored

This can make a big difference when talking to enterprise clients or raising funds in Europe.

You keep your backend portable
Because your business logic lives in Xano, not Bubble, you’re not locked in. If you want to move to a custom frontend later (e.g. React or Flutter), you can still use the same backend.

It also makes working with external services easier. For example, you could:

• Let external clients connect via API
• Build a mobile app using a different no-code platform that connects to the same backend logic and database through Xano

This flexibility is valuable if your startup grows or pivots.

4. When it makes sense to combine Bubble + Xano

Let’s be real, Xano is not for every app. But here are clear situations where it adds value:

You’re building a SaaS with backend needs Bubble struggles to handleSome tasks are technically possible in Bubble, but they’re inefficient or error-prone at scale. Xano offers cleaner, more reliable ways to handle them:

• GDPR compliance: Xano offers EU hosting and proper DPA support—important for companies working with European clients.
• Scheduled backend tasks (CRON jobs): Bubble can technically run recurring workflows, but they’re unreliable and developers often avoid them. Xano makes this easy and robust.
• Heavy data manipulation: Calculating things like average usage by client, sorting customers by field that isn’t in database, but calculated dynamically, or aggregating sales per region over time requires complex logic and grouping. In Bubble, this quickly becomes hard to manage. Xano is made for this.
• You want long-term flexibility and less vendor lock-in: This is where the idea of “multiple frontends” comes in—but it’s really about freedom. If you build your entire logic in Bubble, you’re locked in. Integrating various APIs and third-party services with Bubble and Xano gives you more options for expanding your app’s capabilities and connecting with external tools.

5. When it doesn’t make sense (or is too much)

There are real trade-offs. You probably shouldn’t use Xano if:

You already have a working Bubble app
Retrofitting Xano into an existing Bubble backend is painful. If your current workflows are already built, redoing them with API calls takes a lot of effort. There’s a risk of breaking things, and it often takes longer than starting from scratch.

You have no backend experience at all
Even though Xano is no-code, it requires more technical thinking. You have to understand how data flows, how APIs work, and how to manage backend errors. If you’ve never worked with REST APIs, authentication headers, or JSON responses, expect a learning curve. However, you can leverage tutorials—such as step-by-step guides and video walkthroughs—to learn about API integration and backend management.

You’re on a tight timeline
Using Xano can double or even triple the time it takes to build your app. Every workflow that you would create in Bubble now has to be created as an API in Xano and integrated using Bubble’s API connector. You also need to test every data exchange, which slows development.

6. Database Management: Structuring Your App’s Data with Xano

Effective database management is the backbone of any successful application, and Xano’s flexible database makes it easy to structure, scale, and secure your app’s data. As a leading no code platform, Xano offers a powerful backend solution that empowers both developers and non-developers to create complex data structures and workflows—without writing a single line of code.

With Xano’s no code API builder, you can quickly add tables for different data entities (like users, projects, or transactions) and define relationships between them, supporting even the most complex applications. This flexibility allows you to model your app data exactly as your business logic requires, whether you’re building a simple MVP or a robust SaaS platform.

One of the standout features Xano offers is the ability to integrate external services, creating a separate, unified backend for your application. By connecting Bubble and Xano using the API connector, you can manage all your backend processes—such as authentication, user management, and data processing—through secure API calls. This approach not only streamlines your workflows but also ensures your app remains scalable and maintainable as it grows.

Getting started with database management in Xano is straightforward:

• Add tables for each data entity in your app, such as users, orders, or messages.
• Define relationships between tables to reflect how your data interacts, enabling complex queries and efficient data retrieval.
• Leverage server-side functions to process data, automate business logic, and handle tasks like data validation or aggregation—all without code.
• Utilize CSV import and export to migrate data from other platforms or services, making onboarding and data management seamless.

For example, you can create a “Users” table in Xano, then use the API call feature to set up endpoints for CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations. The Get endpoint allows you to retrieve user data, while other endpoints handle creating new users, updating profiles, or deleting accounts. By utilizing Xano’s user management features, you can easily set up authentication, define user roles and permissions, and control access to sensitive data and functionality.

Xano’s database management tools are designed to support complex queries and workflows, making it possible to power multiple frontends—such as web and mobile apps—from a single, unified backend. This not only simplifies development but also ensures consistency and security across your entire project.

Practical tips for database management with Xano:

• Use the API connector to connect Bubble and Xano, defining endpoints for all CRUD operations.
• Create separate tables for each data entity, and clearly define relationships to support complex data structures.
• Take advantage of Xano’s user management features to control access and authentication for different user roles.
• Use CSV import and export to easily migrate or back up your app data.
• Leverage the no code API builder and server-side functions to automate business logic and handle complex processing without writing code.

By following these practical tips and utilizing Xano’s robust database management features, you can build a scalable, secure, and flexible backend for your application. This allows you to focus on creating a powerful and engaging user interface with Bubble, while Xano handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Whether you’re building a simple app or a complex, multi-frontend platform, the combination of Bubble and Xano gives you the tools you need to succeed.

6. How to integrate Bubble and Xano

1. Set up your database in Xano
Design your data structure like you would in Bubble—users, projects, tasks, etc. You can also use relationships and indexing to improve performance.

Xano recently introduced an AI feature that helps you structure your database more effectively. By describing your app in plain language, Xano AI can suggest data types, relationships, and field structures, saving you time and reducing mistakes. This is especially useful if you’re not sure how to model your data from scratch.

2. Create API endpoints in Xano
Each backend function—like creating a new task, updating a user, or running a report—gets its own endpoint. You can define the inputs, outputs, and logic using visual blocks.

In the author’s opinion, it’s usually best to create an endpoint when you actually need to use it in the frontend. At that point, you’re more likely to know exactly what data structure or database changes are needed, making the endpoint design more accurate and useful.

Xano also includes powerful features like Functions and Addons:

• Functions allow you to create reusable logic blocks that can be shared across multiple endpoints, reducing duplication and keeping your backend clean.
• Addons let you enrich your API responses with related data (like automatically including a user’s data when fetching tasks), which simplifies frontend development significantly.

3. Use Bubble’s API Connector
In Bubble, you install the API Connector plugin and connect to each Xano endpoint you need. You define the methods (GET, POST, etc.) and map the fields. Plugins can also be used to extend Bubble’s functionality and integrate additional APIs, making your application more versatile.

4. Replace Bubble’s database with Xano calls
Instead of creating or modifying records directly in Bubble, you’ll now do this via API workflows. You might also cache some data in Bubble to reduce API calls.

5. Test and handle errors
APIs can fail or return unexpected data. Make sure you handle errors gracefully in Bubble. Also monitor latency—every API call adds delay.

6. Use authentication tokens
Xano uses token-based authentication. You’ll need to store login tokens in Bubble and send them with each request. To authenticate API calls, include the Authorization HTTP header with a Bearer token. Proper authorization is essential when accessing protected endpoints and retrieving private user data. Additionally, manage refresh tokens to maintain secure user sessions and renew access credentials as needed.

For a visual walkthrough of the integration process, consider watching a video tutorial that demonstrates these steps in detail.

Conclusion: Should you build your app with Bubble + Xano?

The Bubble + Xano combo is powerful, but not always necessary.

If you’re building a small MVP, stick with Bubble’s backend. It’s faster and simpler.

But if your app needs advanced logic, better performance, or future flexibility, Xano is worth considering. Just know that it takes more planning, time, and technical thinking.

Want help deciding or implementing Xano?
Book a call with Tom, founder of Minimum Code, to map out the smartest backend setup for your app.
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