How do I make an app: No-Code Guide for UK Founders (how do I make an app)

So, you've got a fantastic app idea but find yourself asking, "How do I actually make an app without knowing how to code?" The great news is that the path from a bright idea to a working product is now shorter and more accessible than ever. The secret? You build it using a no-code platform, which lets you create complex applications through intuitive, visual interfaces.

This isn't about cutting corners; it's about working smarter. You can sidestep the traditionally long and costly development cycle and get your app into the hands of real users, fast.

Your App Idea Is Closer to Reality Than You Think

For most non-technical founders, the dream of building an app often crashes into a wall of assumed complexity. The thought of learning to code from scratch or finding and funding the right developers can feel overwhelming, if not impossible. But that old way of thinking no longer applies. The landscape has changed, and you don’t need to become a programmer to bring a powerful, market-ready app to life.

The rise of no-code platforms has truly opened up the world of app development. I like to think of it as building with sophisticated digital LEGO® bricks. Instead of wrestling with syntax and code libraries, you assemble pre-built components visually. You define how your app behaves with simple rules like, "When a user clicks this button, sign them up," and design your entire user interface by dragging and dropping elements exactly where you want them.

Finding the Right No-Code Tool for the Job

Of course, not all no-code platforms are built the same. The ecosystem has a wide spectrum of tools, each with its own strengths. Understanding the differences is key to choosing the right path for your specific project.

To help you decide where to start, here's a quick comparison of the different approaches you can take.

Choosing Your No-Code Development Path

Each of these has its place, but for a founder looking to build a truly unique and scalable business, one category stands out.

This guide zeroes in on Bubble because it hits that perfect sweet spot. It offers the depth and flexibility that, until recently, was only possible with traditional code. You get complete control over your database, user workflows, and pixel-perfect design, all within a visual environment. It gives you the power to build a serious MVP without writing a single line of code yourself.

The demand for new applications is surging. In fact, the UK App Development industry is forecast to include 15,282 businesses by 2026, growing at a steady 5.5% each year. But here's the game-changer: no-code platforms can slash development time by up to 90% compared to coding from scratch. A project that might take a traditional team months could potentially be built in a matter of weeks. You can explore more insights into the UK's app market on ibisworld.com.

What this all means is that you, the founder, can finally shift your focus back to what you do best: refining your idea, understanding your users, and building the business. You're no longer just the project manager; you're the builder. You're in control.

Choosing Your Platform: Glide, AI, or Bubble?

So, you’ve decided to go the no-code route. Smart move. But now you're faced with another big question: which tool should you use? The market is overflowing with options, and frankly, they aren't all built for founders who need to create a scalable, custom app.

Let's cut through the noise and explore the main contenders: simple drag-and-drop builders like Glide, AI-driven "vibe coding" platforms, and the more powerful visual programming of Bubble.io.

The Speed of Drag-and-Drop Builders like Glide

First up, you have the template-driven builders like Glide. These tools are absolutely brilliant for getting something out the door at lightning speed. Need a quick directory for an event, a simple internal tool, or a basic client portal powered by a spreadsheet? Glide is fantastic. Its main strength is its simplicity and ease of use—you can often create a functional app in a single afternoon.

But that simplicity is also its biggest limitation. These platforms operate within very clear boundaries. The moment your app needs a feature that isn’t part of their pre-packaged toolkit—like custom marketplace logic or a unique user dashboard—you’ll hit a wall. They’re a great place to start, but often not the final destination for a unique business idea.

The Rise of Vibe Coding and AI Generation

Then there's the exciting, but still raw, world of 'vibe coding' or AI-powered app generators. This is where you describe your app to an AI in plain English ("make an app for booking dog walkers"), and it tries to build it for you. The first few minutes can feel like magic as a user interface or basic features appear out of thin air.

The problem, as people have discovered, is what happens after that initial "wow" moment. While the AI might get you 20% of the way there, the other 80% is a slog. You'll find yourself debugging strange errors, trying to integrate services like payments, and fixing subtle logic flaws. It quickly turns into a frustrating game of pasting error messages back and forth.

Vibe coding offers a glimpse into the future, but for building a reliable business today, the unpredictable nature of AI-generated code is a massive gamble.

You often end up with a product you don't fully understand or control, which makes future updates a nightmare. For any founder building a core business asset, that lack of control is a serious risk. If you're keen to read more on building with no-code, feel free to explore our other articles on the Codeless Coach blog.

Why Bubble is Best for Serious Founders

This is where Bubble.io comes in. For serious founders who need both speed and control, Bubble is the undisputed champion. It’s not a restrictive template-builder, nor is it a hands-off AI. It’s a true visual development platform. You get the fundamental power of traditional programming, but without writing a single line of code.

With Bubble, you have complete authority over the three pillars of your app:

• The Database: You design your data structure from the ground up. You can create custom data types like 'Users', 'Listings', or 'Appointments' and define exactly how they relate to one another.

• Workflows: You build your app's logic using an intuitive "when this happens, then do that" system. This allows for immense complexity, from a simple user sign-up to an intricate payment processing sequence.

• Design: You get pixel-perfect control over your user interface. With its drag-and-drop editor and powerful responsive engine, you can ensure your app looks and works beautifully on any device.

This level of control is what truly sets Bubble apart. While Glide is faster for simple projects, Bubble provides the creative freedom and technical power to build a genuine, market-ready web application that can actually grow with your business. The market trends back this up. In the UK alone, 77% of businesses are already using or planning to adopt low-code solutions. It's predicted that by 2026, a staggering 75% of enterprise apps will be built with these technologies, as detailed in research on the UK low-code market. This shows a clear shift towards tools that offer both speed and real depth.

For a non-technical founder aiming to launch a scalable MVP, Bubble provides the most direct and reliable path from a great idea to a fully functional, custom product.

Validate Your Idea Before You Build Anything

I see it all the time. A founder gets a flash of inspiration, and the first instinct is to jump straight into Bubble and start building. The excitement is powerful, but it’s also a trap. The most common mistake is falling in love with a solution before you’ve truly understood the problem.

A great app doesn’t just have clever features; it solves a real, painful problem for a specific group of people. Your most critical job as a founder is to prove that problem exists. And this happens long before you drag a single element onto a page.

Think of this phase not as a delay, but as a shortcut. Building the wrong thing is far more expensive and demoralising than spending a few weeks talking to potential customers. You need to get out of your own head and rigorously test your assumptions.

Cheap and Fast Ways to Test Your Idea

You don't need a big budget to get started. The goal here is simple: gather real proof that people feel the pain you think they feel and that they’re interested in your proposed solution. A few targeted tactics can give you all the insight you need.

• The Landing Page Test: This is a classic for a reason. Use a simple tool like Carrd to spin up a one-page website. State your value proposition clearly and directly. For example, "An app that helps busy parents in London find and book last-minute childcare." Then, add an email sign-up form for an "early access" or "waiting" list. Drive a small, targeted amount of traffic to it—even £50 on a Facebook ad can work wonders. If you get sign-ups, you've got a positive signal. If you don't, you know your message (or maybe the idea itself) needs a rethink.

• Go Where Your Customers Are: Don't just send a generic survey to your friends and family; they're biased. You need to find your real audience. Building an app for amateur photographers? Join a few UK-based photography forums or Facebook groups. Spend a week or two engaging with the community, then post a short survey using Google Forms. Ask open-ended questions like, "What's the hardest part about managing your photo portfolio?" instead of a leading question like, "Would you use an app that does X?" The quality of the data will be infinitely better.

• Customer Discovery Interviews: This is the gold standard. Find 5-10 people who fit your ideal customer profile and ask for 15 minutes of their time. Offer to buy them a coffee or just hop on a quick video call. Crucially, don't pitch your idea. Instead, ask about their world. For a meal-planning app, you could ask, "Can you walk me through how you decided what to have for dinner last week?" Listen for sighs, frustrated tones, and any weird workarounds they’ve invented. That's where the gold is.

The goal of validation isn't to get compliments. It's to uncover a problem so painful that people have already tried to solve it themselves, maybe with a messy spreadsheet or a clunky combination of other apps. That’s your signal that they'd be willing to pay for a proper solution.

Defining Your Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Once you've got solid evidence that the problem is real, it’s time to define the smallest possible version of your app that solves that core problem. This is your Minimum Viable Product, or MVP. Knowing how to build an MVP is a skill that separates founders who launch and learn from those who get stuck building features nobody wants.

The key to a good MVP is being ruthless. Your first version should do one thing exceptionally well.

Let's say your idea is a marketplace for local artisans. A bloated first version might have reviews, advanced search filters, and an integrated payment system. Your MVP, however, might only allow a user to browse artisans and contact them. That's it. The goal is to get a working product into users' hands quickly, gather feedback, and then iterate. You can learn more about this in our guide on what an MVP is and why it's so vital.

Map the Journey on Paper

Before you touch your mouse, grab a pen and paper. Seriously. Sketch out the simplest possible path a user will take to solve their one core problem using your MVP. We call this a user flow.

For our artisan marketplace example, the user flow could be as basic as this:

1. User lands on the homepage.

2. User sees a simple list of artisans.

3. User clicks an artisan to see their profile.

4. User clicks a "Contact Seller" button, which just opens their default email app.

By mapping this out physically, you force yourself to think through the entire experience without getting distracted by colours, fonts, or Bubble's interface. It's a simple step, but it lays a logical foundation that will save you from costly rebuilds down the line.

Building Your Core App in Bubble

Alright, with your idea validated and a lean MVP scoped out, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and move from planning to building. This is where we get our hands dirty and answer the real question: "how do I actually make this app?" We’ll be using Bubble.io to turn those sketches and wireframes into a real, working web application.

Stepping into a new tool like Bubble can feel a bit daunting, I get it. But don't think of it as a complex coding environment. Think of it as your digital workshop. All the tools and raw materials are right there on the workbench; your job is to assemble them. I'll walk you through building the three pillars of any app: the database (its brain), the design (its body), and the workflows (its nervous system).

Defining Your App's Brain: The Database

Every single app, whether it's a simple to-do list or a massive social network, is powered by data. Before you even think about colours or fonts, you need to build a home for all that information. That home is your database. The beauty of Bubble is that you build this visually, without writing a single line of code.

Your first job is to define your "Data Types". These are essentially the main "nouns" of your app. For example, if you're building a job board, your key data types would probably be:

• User: This is a must for almost any app. Bubble handily gives you a built-in User type with email and password fields ready to go.

• Job Listing: This would store things like 'Job Title' (text), 'Description' (text), 'Salary' (number), and 'Location' (geographic address).

• Company: Here you'd keep info like 'Company Name' (text) and 'Company Logo' (image).

Next, you connect these pieces. A 'Job Listing', for instance, needs to know who posted it. So, you'd add a field to the 'Job Listing' data type called something like 'Creator' and set its type to 'User'. This simple link is what lets you build powerful features later, like showing a user a list of all the jobs they've posted. It's the foundation for everything else.

Crafting a Clean User Interface

With your database structure in place, you can start building the pages your users will actually see and touch. Bubble's modern Responsive Engine is a game-changer here. It helps you create professional-looking layouts that automatically adjust to fit desktops, tablets, and mobile phones without you having to build separate versions.

This is a critical step. A clunky, confusing interface will send users running, no matter how clever your idea is. The key is to start with only the essential screens you identified in your user flow mapping. For an MVP, that usually means just a handful of core pages:

• Signup & Login Pages: The front door to your app.

• A Central Dashboard: The main hub a user lands on after logging in. This is where the action happens.

• A "Create" Page: A form for users to add new things (e.g., post a new job).

• A "View" Page: A detailed view of a single item (e.g., the full description of one job listing).

Keep it simple. Stick to a clean, consistent colour palette and one or two fonts. Remember, your MVP's goal isn't to win a design award; it's to prove you can solve a problem for your users in a clear, functional way.

Bringing Your App to Life with Workflows

This is where the magic really happens. Workflows are the logic that breathes life into your static designs. They operate on a simple but incredibly powerful principle: "When this happens, then do that." In Bubble, you build these chains of events visually.

Let's take your signup page as an example. You'd create a workflow that goes something like this:

When the "Sign Up" button is clicked...

Then "Sign the user up" (using the data from the email and password input fields).

And Then "Navigate" the new user to the dashboard page.

You'll create workflows for every single interaction: creating new items in the database, saving edits to existing ones, moving between pages, and displaying specific data. This "if/then" logic is the engine of your application. It’s what turns your design into a living, breathing product.

This visual, logic-based approach is exactly why no-code is exploding. The momentum is undeniable; by 2026, a staggering 70% of new business applications are expected to be built with no-code or low-code tools. This shift empowers people like you, with projections showing 80% of users on these platforms will be business experts, not traditional IT staff. You can read more about this massive no-code trend and see what it means for founders.

Handling Payments and More with APIs

So, what happens when your app needs to do something Bubble can't handle out of the box, like processing a credit card payment? That’s where the API Connector comes in. Think of an API (Application Programming Interface) as a universal translator that lets different software programs talk to each other.

With Bubble's API Connector, you can plug into thousands of powerful external services, like Stripe for payments or Twilio for sending SMS messages. While it's one of the more advanced features, the process is still surprisingly visual. You're basically just telling Bubble the specific web addresses ("endpoints") of the service you want to use and what kind of information to send.

For instance, to integrate Stripe, you'd set up a connection that lets your app send a request to Stripe saying, "Create a new payment session for this user for £10." Stripe does all the heavy lifting of securely handling the card details and then sends a confirmation message back to your Bubble app. Just like that, you can build a fully functional, revenue-generating business without ever leaving the Bubble editor.

Launching Your App and Getting Unstuck

Getting a working MVP built in Bubble is a huge milestone. You’ve wrestled with database design, pieced together a user interface, and brought your core workflows to life. It's a massive achievement. But I see so many founders treat this as the finish line when, in reality, it’s just the start of a whole new race.

Hitting "Deploy" isn't the final step. Now, you need to shift your thinking from a developer to an operator. This stage is all about making sure everything is ready for your first real users, gathering critical feedback, and knowing what to do when you inevitably hit a wall.

Your Essential Pre-Launch Checklist

Before you even think about telling the world about your app, you absolutely must run a final "pre-flight" check. I can't stress this enough. Skipping a small detail here can create enormous headaches down the road. This isn’t about adding features; it’s about making sure the ones you have are professional and bulletproof.

Here are the non-negotiables to tick off your list:

• Configure Your Custom Domain: Ditch the default yourapp.bubbleapps.io URL. Setting up a professional domain like yourapp.co.uk is a simple but vital step for building trust and brand credibility from day one.

• Test Live Payment and Email Systems: Swap out your test API keys for services like Stripe with your live ones. Seriously, run a real, small transaction to be 100% sure money can change hands. Do the same for your emails – send a test from your live app to ensure welcome messages or password resets are actually landing in inboxes.

• Finalise Your Privacy Policy & Terms: Make sure these legal pages are written and linked in your app's footer. They’re crucial for protecting both your business and your users.

Once the technical side is sorted, it's time to see how the app feels to an actual human.

Conducting User Acceptance Testing

This is where you find out if what you've built actually makes sense to other people. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is your final reality check. You hand your app over to a small group of friendly, real-world users and watch what happens. The goal here isn't to get compliments; it's to find all the bugs and confusing parts you’re simply too close to see anymore.

Your UAT group doesn't have to be massive. Honestly, just 5 to 10 people from your target audience can uncover around 85% of usability problems. Ask them to perform core tasks, like signing up or completing the main action your app is designed for. If you can, watch them over a screen share and resist every urge to help them. Their confusion is your most valuable data.

The feedback you get during UAT is pure gold. It points out exactly where your instructions are unclear, where a button is confusing, or where a workflow just feels clunky. Fixing these things before a big launch makes a world of difference to user retention.

This process ensures your app not only works on a technical level but is also genuinely intuitive for someone seeing it for the first time.

Navigating Common Founder Pitfalls

Building the app is one thing; surviving the psychological rollercoaster of being a founder is another. As you get closer to the launch, two classic pitfalls tend to derail progress completely. Recognising them is half the battle.

The first is the dreaded feature creep. It's that nagging voice telling you to add "just one more thing" before you launch. You've gathered some feedback, and suddenly your perfectly focused MVP feels incomplete. You convince yourself you need better dashboards, more filters, or social sharing. While the intention is good, it's a trap. It pushes back your launch, bloats your app, and distracts you from the real goal: validating your idea with real users.

The second is hitting a technical wall. It’s guaranteed to happen. You’ll run into a problem in Bubble that you just can’t figure out—maybe it's a tricky API call, a complex database query, or a responsive design issue that keeps breaking. After hours, or even days, on forums and tutorials, you feel completely stuck and your motivation plummets.

Knowing When to Ask for Help

This is the point where smart founders get unstuck by getting targeted help. Instead of giving up or shelling out for a costly agency to take over, think about one-on-one coaching. The idea isn't to have someone build it for you; it's to have an expert teach you how to solve your specific problem.

Booking an expert for a single focused session can save you weeks of frustration. A one-hour call can often demolish a technical block that was holding up your entire project. If you're wrestling with a specific feature or just want an expert eye on your app's structure, you can find help from a dedicated no-code coach who specialises in this exact kind of hands-on teaching.

The aim is to accelerate your own learning. You stay in the driver's seat and keep full control of your product, but you gain the knowledge to overcome hurdles and ship your app faster. This approach empowers you to not only launch your current MVP but also to tackle bigger challenges on your own down the road.

Common Questions on Your App-Building Journey

As you start piecing together your app, you're bound to have questions. Everyone does. It's all part of the process. Below, I’ve answered some of the most common queries I hear from founders diving into no-code for the first time.

How Much Will Building an App With Bubble Actually Cost Me?

This is usually the first question, and the good news is it's a fraction of what traditional development would set you back. You can get started and build your entire app on Bubble's free plan. When you're ready to go live with your own domain, paid plans kick in at around £25 per month.

Honestly, your biggest investment will be your time. But think of it this way: a single hour of expert coaching can often save you days of banging your head against a wall. That's a tiny cost compared to a developer for thousands.

Can I Get My Bubble App into the App Store?

The short answer is yes, but with a slight twist. Bubble builds incredibly powerful web applications that work beautifully on any mobile browser. It doesn't, however, spit out a native app file that you can directly upload to the iOS or Google Play stores.

But don't worry, there's a well-trodden path here. Many startups use a "wrapper" service. These tools take your finished Bubble web app and package it inside a native "shell." This shell is what gets submitted to and approved by the app stores, getting you to market fast without the massive expense of native development.

Once your core app is built, you can learn the essential steps to prepare and submit your application by following a comprehensive guide on How to Publish an App to the App Store.

I’m Not a Designer. How Do I Stop My App from Looking Awful?

You absolutely don't need a design background to create a professional-looking app. The secret? Focus on simplicity and usability, not flashy graphics.

• Go for a clean layout: Use Bubble’s built-in Responsive Engine. It's designed to help you create structured, modern layouts that look great on any device.

• Limit your colour palette: Pick two or three complementary colours and stick to them. Simplicity is your friend.

• Be consistent with fonts: Use one font for your headings and another for the main body text. That’s it.

You can also lean on pre-built templates from the Bubble marketplace or find a UI kit to give you a head start. For an MVP, clarity always beats visual complexity.

Is Bubble Really Powerful Enough to Run a Business On?

Absolutely. While Bubble is a go-to for building MVPs, it's more than capable of scaling as your business takes off. I've seen countless successful companies run their entire operation on Bubble, handling thousands of users and serious transaction volumes.

True scalability is less about the tool and more about smart database design and efficient workflows. Building with best practices from day one is what prepares your app for success.

As you grow, you can simply upgrade your Bubble capacity plan to handle the extra load. There’s no need to rebuild or switch platforms.

Ready to push past your next building challenge and get your app launched? At Codeless Coach, we offer one-to-one tutoring to help you master Bubble, untangle complex problems, and bring your vision to life. Book a session today and fast-track your progress.