Question 1

What is the Preview Mode and how do I use it

Accepted Answer

What is the Preview Mode

The BDK Native app can also be used as a 'previewing' app for your own bubble app in a native environment, before purchasing your own app build from us. You can even build the native workflows and test before ordering your app build if you install the Native apps (bdk) plugin from the bubble plugin store ($16), .

That's awesome. How do I preview my bubble app

Scan to install BDK Native app

First, install the BDK Native app on your mobile device if you haven't already. You can install it by scanning the above QR code, or by opening https://thebdk.app.link/install on the browser on that mobile device (safari on iOS, chrome on Android).
Launch the app and sign in. You can create an account for free.
Go to Preview section. Click the 'Configure' button.

Provide Your Webpage link

Now enter your bubble site url (not the bubble editor url). Just like you would in a web browser to visit the page.
For example https://yourapp.bubbleapps.io/pagename or https://yourappdomain.com/pagename (if your bubble app is linked to domain)
In the app domain field, enter the domain name of the site *

Question 2

How do I test the changes to my bubble app in native environment before deploying it to live

Accepted Answer

It's super easy to test your bubble app changes with BDK Native.

If you have purchased & received a build from us:

Please use this guide, and you'll be ready within a minute!

If you have not purchased a build yet:

You can use the Preview mode of bdk native app, with your testing environment (i.e. version-test) link as the preview url.

Question 3

I received a message about Google Play's target API level requirements. How does this affect my android app

Accepted Answer

Google's Message on Android App Requirements

Received a Google email about your Android app? If it mentions some of your apps are targeting an old Android version or Billing library version and talks about a deadline of Aug 31, 2025, here's the breakdown.

Breaking it Down

Every year, Google refines the standards for Android apps using 'API levels'. These are crucial indicators of how your app interacts with different Android versions. They're split into:

Minimum API Level: The oldest Android version your app can run on.
Target API Level: The Android version your app is best suited for.

The email you've received is focusing on the Target API Level. From August 31, 2025, any new app or update submitted to Google must target at least API Level 35 and billing library 7.0.0 or later. However, existing apps on the Play Store before this date aren't affected.

Implications for Your Existing App

This deprecation prevents only new apps and app updates (i.e. rebuilds) from using older versions of the Play Billing Library. The updated policy change from google also doesn't impact the standing of your google play account. Your existing google play app remains discoverable and is not removed from the play store after August 31, 2025 as long as it targets an API Level 34 and billing library 6.0.0 or higher.

As per google, if your existing app targets an API Level on or above 34, you're in the clear. Lucky for you, builds crafted by bdk within the last 14-

Question 4

What do I need in addition to BDK Native

Accepted Answer

All you need is your accounts which will host your apps on the stores

| You need these accounts for your app

Android

Google play developer account. Google charges $25 one-time for a developer account.

iOS

Apple developer account . Apple charges $99 / year for developer account.

If you have a legal entity / company, we recommend you get an organization enrollment type of account
For individual type accounts, we need to coordinate with you for additional 5 minutes over chat

Push notifications

Firebase account (free)
Onesignal account (free)

| Why do I need all these accounts? Can't you use your accounts?

So that you can list your apps on the app store and play store
You control the ownership and everything associated with your app listing
We don't publish your apps in our accounts. It keeps us safer and you the owner our your app
If you ever decide to stop using bubble and/or bdk native for a different platform / service provider, you can do it instantaneously

| What do I do with all these accounts?

Once you purchase the bdk native service, you will receive step-by-step guide of what to do with each account, including recorded videos
These are pretty basic 1-2 minute tasks of creating a new app listing on each
The details from these listings are provided by you in our project pa

Question 5

Understanding In-app Purchases

Accepted Answer

| While the below content talks about Apple's In-app purchases, pretty much everything applies in the same manner to Google's In-app billing for Android

What are In-app purchases

When you want to sell something to your native app users, you have to use one of the two payment platforms :

Apple's In-app purchases
3rd party platform like Stripe, Paypal, Briantree etc.

This screenshot shows an example of In app purchase (pay via FaceID)

You are probably already familiar with Stripe, since it is the most popular way of processing payments on bubble apps. You can broadly think of In-app purchases as Apple's own version of stripe, but much more restrictive and limited. Further, Apple takes a cut of 15.0% for every charge (successful payments per subscriber). This is much higher compared to Stripe's transaction fees of 2.9% + $0.30 for every successful card charge.

In addition, you can't set dynamic prices, create dynamic products, cancel subscriptions at any time, generate payment analytics and dashboard etc. using In-app purchases. These interfaces are all limited to what Apple provides on its Appstore connect portal (i.e. Apple developer portal).

Why would anyone use In-app purchases

Because Apple requires you to use in-app purchases for certain types of services / content sold. In

Question 6

Do I need a rebuild every time I make changes to my bubble app?

Accepted Answer

No.

You do not need a rebuild for any changes made to your bubble app.

Changes to your bubble app flow directly inside your native app, just like they do on a web browser
Infact, your app users won't even require to update their app from appstore / playstore to see these bubble changes. Its' just like in the mobile browser

A rebuild is required only when

You want to change some information that you've submitted in the BDK Native Project form, such as your App Icon
You want to upgrade your app's bdk native engine version, to take advantage of some new features we released after your app was built

We are constantly making improvements to BDK Native Engine by adding new features and speed improvements. To see a history of releases, please click here

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