Hello Team,
I think I have a good understanding of Glide.
I trained myself by reading the glide docs, partly thanks to Roberto Pettito’s videos (and of course by browsing this forum).
I looked a bit at the FlutterFlow docs and I was wondering what the limits of Glide are and when is it better to switch to another No Code Framework like FlutterFlow or Bubble?
Thanks for your advice.
According to @eltintero at LowCode:
| Feature | FlutterFlow | Glide |
|---|---|---|
| Development speed | Fast for complex UIs with drag-and-drop. | Very fast for simple apps with Google Sheets. |
| Customization | High, with advanced UI/UX and custom code. | Limited, best for straightforward use cases. |
| Data management | Supports multiple sources (Firebase, APIs). | Primarily Google Sheets. |
| Native app feel | Native experience with smooth animations. | Good but less native, more web-based. |
| App store publishing | Direct publishing to Google Play and App Store. | Requires third-party services. |
FlutterFlow vs Glide: A comparison of 13 key factors
Bubble vs FlutterFlow: Comparison of 13 key factors
I’m tagging @eltintero and @ThinhDinh of LowCode who might be able to give you more information.
If I understand correctly, Flutterflow would allow:
Basically, if I want to create a complex application, like Uber, could I do it with Flutterflow?
But if I want an application with simple database management: display, modify, delete, new, then Glide is enough.
On the other hand, would Flutterflow or Bubble allow to create applications like Uber precisely?
FF is better suited for an uber-like application.
It’s VERY complex, though, compared to something like Glide or Bubble.
At LowCode Agency, we have full stack devs and back end engineers building complex FF projects.
Just to give you some perspective, with Glide we’re building apps in 3-4 weeks, in FF we’re spending 2-3-4 months and sometimes several devs.
FF apps require A LOT of maintenance.
@Yvann -
I’ve stuck with Glide for the last few years for its simplicity, its intuitive builder interface, its all-in-one back-end, and the overall positive feedback that we receive from our end-user base. There are a couple of glaring and persistent issues that multiple folks - myself included - have complained about in the forums (like the continued lack of a floating button and the puzzling inability to not utilize a true offline mode, just two examples) but the positives of Glide outweigh the negatives by a million to one.
In the past, I spent a good amount of time scouring the web for alternatives and I attempted to use FF because of its advertised ability to build better, high quality, customized apps quickly. And I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t consider myself anything close to a full-stack developer, or even a competent developer, but I can futz my way around a SQL database and know enough coding to be dangerous but I had to give up on FF a few hours in because of how frustratingly complex it was for me as a new user. I watched YouTube videos and read all of the documentation and just like @eltintero said, it would have taken me MONTHS to build what I had built in Glide in a matter of weeks.
I can’t even imagine the work that would need to go into building an Uber / Lyft clone but, TBH, there probably isn’t anything you can’t do with Glide that you could otherwise with FF if you’re willing to pay for the Business or Enterprise plan to unlock CSS, Glide API use, etc… Even then, you would still probably save thousands compared to hiring the multiple devs you would need to build your app using FF. Robert Petitto, Jeff Hager, Thinh Dinh, and Darren Murphy (too many other amazing dudes and dudettes in this community to name) have all shown that with some creative thinking, there’s plenty that can be done within the confines of the platform.
Hi Yvann,
An Uber type App may not be ideal for Glide, mostly because Glide will be costly when you scale up users. It is a justified cost as really you are using a software that allows you to build much faster Apps in comparison to FF.
In FF, each widget, component, column, container, text field, etc… requires hands on adjustments and individual logic that are handled for you in Glide. And I think Glide has done a wonderful job of making a really clean/simple design layout.
FF is not ‘No code’. It can be ‘low code’ and it can be ‘high code’. Especially when creating complex functions.
I would estimate that an application that would take me 3-4 weeks to build in Glide, would likely take 6-12 months in FF. The single reason we are building 1 of our Apps in FF is because we wanted the source code to belong to us. Having the source code really allows you to have some control over your idea and hard work and pack up your code and move elsewhere if the environment changes.
However we have business/Team management Apps with Glide and I couldn’t imagine those Apps being better suited anywhere else.
Glide’s columns handle a great deal, that normally we would need to run through SQL via the database or would require custom functions.
If time is not a resource you have to burn, then I would suggest building your App in Glide. There are other options similar to Glide however they are not as advanced IMO.
If you have time and are prepared to work through problems and find solutions and you want access to the source code of your App then give FF a try.
Thank you everyone for sharing their perspectives in this thread, it’s really eye-opening.
I have never built with FF, so having these takes is really valuable.
Many thanks for your message, it brings great value to my questions. You have provided information that is not easily found in comparisons!
Many thanks for all this rich information. But then I have another question: what is the point of using FF rather than creating your own framework knowing that you will use existing libraries?
Both of these points are, at least IMO, what makes Glide so much easier and better to build with 
When you build a native app in most platforms, you have to pay extra to export the code that the platform helped you compile - and in some instances, you don’t get to own the code at all. Simply, you may spend weeks, months, years building an app and find that you don’t like that platform anymore for whatever reason; you can’t just export your code and take it with you to another platform because they own it. You were just paying for the use of their software and now you’re either stuck with them or you have to start over from scratch somewhere else. FF lets you keep the code you “write” so you can export it and take it wherever you want.