Shopify vs Bubble
Choose Shopify if you need an online store with checkout, inventory management, and in-person selling; choose Bubble if you need to build a custom web or native mobile app with your own data and workflows. Both can support commerce, but Shopify starts with a store and sales tools, while Bubble starts with an app builder.
Last updated October 24, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | Shopify | Bubble |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Online and in-person commerce | Custom web and mobile apps |
| Customer-facing platforms | Online store and in-person POS | Web, native iOS, and native Android |
| Commerce setup | Storefront, checkout, and inventory tools | Configurable workflows and payment integrations |
| Sales channels | Online, in person, social, and marketplaces | Web and mobile apps |
| Starting paid price | Basic: $29 USD/month, billed yearly | Web Starter: $32/month, billed yearly |
| Free access | Three-day free trial | Free development plan |
| Integrations | Shopify App Store and custom apps | Plugins and API Connector |
| Live deployment | Hosted online store | Paid plan for live web or mobile apps |
| Published usage limits | Unlimited products | 50,000 workload units/month on Free |
| Support | 24/7 live chat on Basic and Grow | Documentation; Help Center support for paid users |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose Shopify if
- Merchants launching an online product store
- Retailers selling both online and in person
- Teams managing products, orders, and inventory
- Sellers using store-focused apps and sales channels
Choose Bubble if
- Founders building a custom marketplace
- Teams creating web and native mobile apps
- Builders defining their own data and workflows
- Teams testing an app before paying to launch
The verdict
The deciding factor is what you need to launch. Pick Shopify for a product store that uses its built-in commerce tools across online and in-person channels. Pick Bubble for a custom application, such as a marketplace with seller-specific workflows, where you are prepared to configure features and payment integrations. Neither is the better fit for every business.
Shopify vs Bubble: common questions
- Should I use Shopify or Bubble for a standard online store?
- Shopify is the more direct fit for a standard online store: it provides a storefront, checkout, product management, and inventory tools. Bubble is for building an app with custom data and workflows, including commerce features you configure.
- Which is better for a custom marketplace?
- Bubble is a fit when the marketplace needs custom seller, buyer, and payment workflows; Bubble documents building marketplace payments with a Stripe integration. Shopify is a fit when the priority is selling products through its store and sales channels.
- Can I publish a native mobile app with either product?
- Bubble offers native iOS and Android app building and requires a paid mobile-supported plan to publish to app stores. Shopify describes its customer-facing offer here as an online store and sales channels, rather than a native-app publishing plan.
- How much do Shopify and Bubble cost to start?
- Shopify Basic starts at $29 USD per month when billed yearly. Bubble has a free development plan; its Web-only Starter plan is $32 per month when billed yearly, while Web + Mobile Starter is $59 per month when billed yearly. Prices vary by plan and billing cycle.
- Can I launch on either product's free option?
- Shopify offers a three-day free trial rather than an ongoing free online-store plan. Bubble's Free plan is for development; a paid plan is needed for a live website or native mobile app.
- How do payments work on Shopify and Bubble?
- Shopify includes checkout for online orders and supports in-person payments through Shopify POS. Bubble lets builders integrate payment platforms such as Stripe into workflows; marketplace payments and seller payouts require configuration.
- What usage limits should I compare?
- Shopify publishes unlimited products for its online-store plans. Bubble measures app server usage in workload units: Free includes 50,000 per month and Web + Mobile Starter includes 175,000 per month. Bubble offers additional workload options for eligible paid plans.
- Can I add third-party tools to both?
- Yes. Shopify supports integrations through its App Store and custom apps. Bubble supports plugins and an API Connector for connecting an app to external services.