Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Bubble · 🧩 no-code apps
Bubble vs Corteza
A self-hosted business-app suite with records, pages, workflows, charts, and enterprise-grade amounts of configuration. Here is how Corteza ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Bubble ($59/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Corteza
$0.00/mo · Apache-2.0
Bubble vs Corteza Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Bubble (Paid) | Corteza (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $59 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $708 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $708) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $3,540 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $3,540) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $7,080 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $7,080) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source Apache-2.0 |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Self-host (your server) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | webself-hostedself-host, real ops |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 2.1k (active mar 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Bubble to Corteza
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Corteza is a record-and-workflow suite, not a pixel-flexible public web-app designer, so a consumer-facing Bubble product will look and behave much more constrained.
How to deploy Corteza
Docker Compose with a configured MySQL or PostgreSQL database
What it takes to run
Docker, a database, secrets, persistent-volume permissions, and a reverse proxy/TLS are the first operational hurdle
Where your data lives
Records and configuration live in the configured SQL database; uploaded attachments live in the server persistence directory
Why fork Corteza instead of vibe-coding a Bubble clone?
A specific Bubble app is often vibecodable now; rebuilding Bubble's editor, workflow engine, plugin ecosystem, hosting, and scaling layer is not.
Bubble vs Corteza FAQ
Is Corteza a good free alternative to Bubble?+
Yes. Corteza is a verified open-source (Apache-2.0) replacement for Bubble. A self-hosted business-app suite with records, pages, workflows, charts, and enterprise-grade amounts of configuration.
What is the catch when switching from Bubble to Corteza?+
Corteza is a record-and-workflow suite, not a pixel-flexible public web-app designer, so a consumer-facing Bubble product will look and behave much more constrained.
How much do you save switching from Bubble to Corteza?+
Bubble costs $59/mo ($708/yr) per seat, whereas Corteza is $0/mo. Switching saves $708/yr for a solo user, $3,540/yr for a 5-person team, and $7,080/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Corteza instead of Bubble?+
Install: Docker Compose with a configured MySQL or PostgreSQL database. Setup: Docker, a database, secrets, persistent-volume permissions, and a reverse proxy/TLS are the first operational hurdle
