A BIG Bubble feature release, subscription payments and how to reduce WU usage
You can now return data from custom events
This was a big one. On Wednesday, the Bubble team pushed an update that allows users to return data from custom events. This will be really useful in making apps more modular and will (mostly) remove the pain of having to build the same custom event many times over for small variations.
The Bubble community has been waiting a while for this; the update moves Bubble that much closer to feature parity with traditional programming languages.
You can read the official announcement here. We also enjoyed this tutorial video on the topic from Gio Kakhiani (AKA @bestbubbledev).
New tutorial: The ultimate guide to Stripe subscriptions and paywalls
If you’re building a SaaS app with Bubble, there is a 99% chance you’re using Stripe to process payments*. While it’s pretty easy to build basic subscription functionality, things can get a bit more tricky once you get into different plans and keeping track of everything in your database. We recently released a tutorial video that goes through:
Creating subscription plans in Stripe
Subscribing users to plans
Offering different plan options using the Stripe Pricing Table
Canceling subscriptions
Saving down subscription details to your Bubble database
*although we have noticed Lemon Squeezy getting used in more apps recently
WU Reducer
This new product from CoAlias founder Ab Advany caught our eye recently. It helps Bubble builders save workload units through caching and combining their Bubble searches. It can also help improve page load speed (also through caching).
The new pricing model Bubble brought in last year got everyone focused on their monthly bills and the cost of inefficient workflows. While the WU Reducer is still a very new product, we’ll be watching it’s progress with interest.
Plugin spotlight: Stripe Checkout (Shopping Cart)
The Stripe Checkout (Shopping Cart) plugin makes it easy to add eCommerce functionality to your Bubble app. Using the plugin, you can: charge for multiple items at once, collect sales tax, add shipping rates…and even embed Stripe payment forms directly in your app!
Have a great weekend!
The Cranford Tech Team