The verdict in three sentences
For a vertical SaaS serving landscaping firms, Bubble is the right choice to validate demand with 10 to 50 paying customers, at 10,000 to 30,000 EUR plus 120 to 500 EUR per month (London market estimate, 2026). Custom development, at 45,000 to 100,000 EUR (about 38,000 to 85,000 GBP) with a London agency, becomes necessary once you target more than 5,000 active users, a funding round or deep accounting integrations. The expensive mistake is building too much product on Bubble: a rewrite then costs 60 to 100 % of the initial budget.
Bubble, no-code and custom code compared in 2026
A SaaS for landscapers typically manages jobs, crew scheduling, quotes and invoices, maintenance contracts and a field app for team leads. These are classic needs Bubble handles well at first, but they get demanding with multi-crew scheduling and offline use on job sites.
| Criterion | Bubble | Other no-code (Glide, Softr, FlutterFlow) | Custom (Next.js, Node, PostgreSQL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build cost | 10,000 to 30,000 EUR | 6,000 to 20,000 EUR | 45,000 to 100,000 EUR |
| Time to first customer | 4 to 8 weeks | 3 to 6 weeks | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Monthly platform cost | 120 to 500 EUR (plans and workload units) | 50 to 300 EUR | 80 to 300 EUR hosting |
| Performance above 5,000 users | Slowdowns, rising workload costs | Tool-dependent limits | Controlled, optimisable |
| Offline field mode | Very limited | Partial (FlutterFlow) | Full (PWA or native app) |
| Code ownership | No, vendor lock-in | Partial, tool-dependent | Full, contractual assignment |
| Accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks) | Via plugins and API, fragile | Variable | Native and tested |
| Investor perception | Accepted at pre-seed | Accepted at pre-seed | Expected from seed |
Ownership is the key point: on Bubble you own your data but not exportable code. In a UK seed due diligence, many funds ask for a costed migration plan, which weighs on valuation.
Three-year total cost by scenario
| Scenario | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubble only, 300 customers | 18,000 EUR + 3,600 EUR platform | 7,000 EUR changes + 4,800 EUR | 7,000 EUR + 6,000 EUR | 46,400 EUR |
| Bubble then rewrite in year 2 | 18,000 EUR + 3,600 EUR | 70,000 EUR rewrite + 2,400 EUR | 10,000 EUR + 2,400 EUR | 106,400 EUR |
| Custom with a London agency from day one | 75,000 EUR + 2,400 EUR | 10,000 EUR + 2,400 EUR | 10,000 EUR + 2,400 EUR | 102,200 EUR |
| Custom nearshore with Kolonell (medium complexity) | 10,670 EUR + 1,320 EUR maintenance | 3,000 EUR + 1,320 EUR | 3,000 EUR + 1,320 EUR | 20,630 EUR |
| Bubble then nearshore rewrite | 18,000 EUR + 3,600 EUR | 10,670 EUR + 1,320 EUR | 3,000 EUR + 1,320 EUR | 37,910 EUR |
The Kolonell line uses the 2026 grid: medium-complexity application at 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), taken here at the top of the range, and Standard maintenance at 75,000 FCFA per month (110 EUR). Other lines are market estimates.
The founder's decision rule
Choose Bubble if you have no paying customer yet, your core feature fits in under 15 screens and you accept throwing the prototype away. Choose custom code if you already have 20 letters of intent or pilot customers, if offline field use is central, or if you plan to raise within 18 months. In between, a hybrid approach works: a Bubble prototype capped at 3 months, then a custom-build specification written from real usage.
Mini case study
Oliver, a former site manager at a landscaping firm in Surrey, launches a SaaS for maintenance contract scheduling at 59 EUR (about 50 GBP) per month per company. He builds a Bubble prototype for 14,000 EUR and 250 EUR per month, signs 40 customers in 6 months, so 2,360 EUR of monthly revenue. At 120 customers, crew leads complain about slowness without signal in rural Kent. He rewrites in custom code: 70,000 EUR with a London agency, 5 times his prototype, or 10,670 EUR nearshore. At 7,080 EUR of monthly revenue, the London rewrite equals almost 10 months of revenue, the nearshore version under 2 months.
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FAQ
Is Bubble suitable for a B2B vertical SaaS in 2026?
Yes, to validate demand with a few dozen customers, at 10,000 to 30,000 EUR of build. Above 5,000 users or with heavy offline use, performance and cost limits appear.
How much does a custom vertical SaaS cost in London?
London agencies charge, as an order of magnitude, 45,000 to 100,000 EUR for 10 to 16 weeks. With a French-speaking nearshore team, Kolonell's grid runs from 3,810 to 10,670 EUR for simple to medium complexity.
Can Bubble code be exported?
No, Bubble does not export usable source code: only data can be exported as CSV or via API. Migration therefore means a full rewrite, at 60 to 100 % of the initial budget.
Do investors reject no-code SaaS?
At pre-seed, not if traction is real. At seed, most expect proprietary code or a migration plan costed over 6 to 12 months.
How long does a Bubble to custom rewrite take?
Allow 8 to 14 weeks depending on screens and workflows, plus 2 to 4 weeks of data migration and testing with existing customers.
Let's scope your project. Send us your prototype or screen list: we will price the custom version, from 3,810 to 10,670 EUR depending on complexity, with an 8 to 14 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
