Migrating from Bubble to React Native: Why It’s Not as Scary as It Sounds

If you’ve built your app using Bubble, you’ve probably already run into one of its major limitations: you can’t export the source code. Bubble is a powerful no-code platform, but it’s a closed environment — great for prototyping or building MVPs quickly, not so great if you want full control over your codebase.

That said, migrating from Bubble to React Native may sound like a daunting, dramatic process. But in reality, it’s quite manageable — especially if your app has a relatively simple structure (which is true for most Bubble-built apps).

What You Can Export from Bubble

While you can’t export the source code, you can still reuse many of the core parts of your app, including:

Assets: images, videos, audio, icons
Color scheme and fonts
Screen designs and layout ideas
App structure and navigation logic
Basic business logic (to be re-implemented manually)

These elements form a solid foundation for your new React Native app and can greatly reduce the development time.

Draft Plan: Migrating a Bubble App to React Native (with Expo)

Here’s a step-by-step plan to make the migration as smooth as possible:

1. Evaluate Your Current App

Count how many screens you have.
Identify any complex flows or logic that may need special attention.
Consider what features should be included in your MVP and what can be saved for later releases.

2. Export Assets

Download all images, videos, audio, and other media used in the app.
Extract fonts, icons, and design references to maintain consistency.

3. Set Up a New React Native Project

Use Expo for fast development and easier device testing.
Set your app name, bundle identifier, and signing credentials.

4. Build the App Infrastructure

Implement navigation (e.g., using react-navigation).
Develop a consistent theme (colours, fonts, spacing).
Create common UI components: buttons, inputs, cards, notifications, etc.

5. Recreate Screens & Logic

Rebuild each screen based on the Bubble UI.
Connect the previously used APIs, or create new ones if needed.
Re-implement the business logic, possibly improving it along the way.

6. Final Polish

Test all screens thoroughly.
Refine interactions, responsiveness, and accessibility.
Prepare for deployment to the App Store / Google Play.

Final Thoughts

While you won’t get a ZIP file full of ready-to-use code from Bubble, you’re not starting from scratch either. Migrating your Bubble app to React Native is less about copying code and more about replicating your app’s experience with a better tech stack.

With careful planning, asset reuse, and the right tools like Expo, you can transform your Bubble MVP into a production-ready mobile app — with full control over your code and endless room for growth.