Adalo

Adalo is a no-code platform built for creating native mobile apps and progressive web apps without writing code. It combines a visual drag-and-drop editor with a built-in database, making it possible to design, prototype, and publish apps to the App Store and Google Play from a single tool. Adalo sits in the middle ground between beginner-friendly builders and full-stack platforms, offering enough depth for real products without overwhelming complexity.

What Adalo Does

Adalo lets you design app screens visually, define data collections (its built-in database), create relationships between data types, and build user flows with actions and conditional logic. You can publish directly to iOS, Android, and the web. The platform handles the compilation and submission process, so you do not need Xcode or Android Studio to get your app into the stores.

Key Strengths

Native mobile publishing. Adalo compiles real native apps for iOS and Android. This is not a webview wrapper. Your apps run natively on devices with access to push notifications, camera, and other device features.
Built-in database. No need to set up Firebase, Supabase, or any external backend for simple apps. Adalo’s database handles collections, relationships, and user authentication out of the box.
Component marketplace. A growing library of custom components extends Adalo’s capabilities. You can add charts, maps, payment integrations, and more without building them from scratch.
Straightforward learning curve. Compared to Bubble, Adalo is easier to pick up. Most users can build a basic app within their first few hours on the platform.
Direct app store deployment. Adalo handles the build and submission process for both app stores. You provide your developer accounts and Adalo takes care of the rest.

Limitations to Know

Performance concerns. Adalo apps have historically faced speed issues, particularly with larger datasets or complex screen layouts. The team has made improvements, but performance-sensitive apps may still encounter slowdowns.
Limited web capabilities. While Adalo supports web apps, its strength is mobile. For web-first projects with complex layouts and workflows, Bubble or Softr are stronger choices.
Scaling costs. Add-ons for additional published apps ($25/month each) and additional editors ($15/month each) can increase your monthly bill significantly as your project grows.

Pricing Overview

Adalo offers four paid plans alongside a free tier. Annual billing reduces costs compared to monthly.

Free: Prototype and test apps with limited features. No app store publishing.
Starter: $45/month ($36/month annually). Publish one app to app stores or as a PWA. Custom domain support.
Professional: $65/month ($52/month annually). Multiple apps, custom data integrations, third-party API connections, and more workflow flexibility.
Team: $200/month ($160/month annually). Collaboration features, higher usage limits, priority support. Designed for agencies and teams.
Business: $250/month ($200/month annually). Enterprise-grade features, advanced security, and the highest usage thresholds.

Additional published apps cost $25/month each. Additional editors cost $15/month each.

Best Use Cases

MVP mobile apps. When you need to test a mobile app concept with real users on their phones, Adalo gets you from idea to App Store faster than most alternatives.
Community and membership apps. Apps with user profiles, content feeds, messaging, and membership tiers. Adalo’s built-in auth and database handle the core patterns well.
Event and booking apps. Conference apps, appointment booking tools, and event management platforms where users browse listings and take actions.
Small business customer apps. Loyalty programs, order tracking, and service booking apps for local businesses that want a branded mobile presence.

How It Compares

Compared to FlutterFlow, Adalo is simpler to learn and does not require any understanding of Flutter or Dart. However, FlutterFlow produces higher-quality native apps with exportable code, making it the better choice for production-grade mobile products.

Against Glide, Adalo offers native mobile publishing while Glide focuses on responsive web apps. If your users need an app from the App Store, Adalo wins. If a browser-based app is sufficient, Glide is faster to build with.

Compared to Thunkable, both platforms target mobile-first builders. Adalo offers a more polished design experience, while Thunkable provides a block-based logic editor that some beginners find more intuitive.

Common Questions

Can Adalo apps handle thousands of users? Adalo apps can support thousands of users, but performance depends on your data structure and screen complexity. Keep your collections lean, paginate lists, and avoid loading large datasets on a single screen. The higher-tier plans offer better performance capacity.

Does Adalo support push notifications? Yes. Adalo supports push notifications for published iOS and Android apps. You can trigger notifications based on actions within your app, like new messages or status changes.

Can I connect Adalo to external APIs? Yes. Adalo supports external API connections for pulling and pushing data to third-party services. You can connect to payment processors, CRMs, email platforms, and any service with a REST API.

Is Adalo better than Bubble for mobile apps? For straightforward mobile apps, yes. Adalo produces native mobile apps with a simpler builder, while Bubble is primarily a web platform that has added mobile capabilities more recently. For complex web applications, Bubble remains the stronger choice.