Adalo
Adalo is a visual app builder with AI-assisted building and editing. The free plan supports prototypes; paid plans enable published web and mobile apps.
Editorial Overview
Adalo is a specialized no-code development platform focused firmly on the creation of native mobile applications (iOS and Android) and progressive web apps (PWAs). While platforms like Bubble focus on complex web architecture, Adalo prioritizes a remarkably shallow learning curve and the ability to visually construct apps that actually function and feel like native mobile experiences. The platform abstracts away mobile app complexity—such as navigation styling, list rendering, and database connections—by providing highly customized, drag-and-drop UI components. It allows founders, small businesses, and community organizers to launch custom applications to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store without writing a single line of Swift, Kotlin, or React Native. It acts as the primary gateway for non-technical individuals who have an "idea for an app" but lack the $50k+ budget typically required to hire a mobile development agency.
How it works
Users design applications by placing visual components (such as lists, forms, buttons, and navigation bars) onto mobile or web canvas screens. Navigation actions are configured by linking buttons directly to target screens. An integrated relational database stores user data, collections, and media, which dynamically populate UI components. Builders can test and preview the app immediately inside the visual editor; when ready for launch, the Builder plan compiles the project for custom-domain web hosting or generates native build packages for distribution through the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Key Features
Visual App Builder
- Drag-and-drop mobile UI components
- Visual screen navigation wiring
- Integrated relational database
- In-app purchases and Stripe integration
Deployment & Logic
- Push notifications configuration
- Native compiling for iOS/Android stores
- Custom external API connections
- User authentication and permissions
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- Low barrier to entry for designing interactive mobile app layouts visually
- Visual screen linking and component properties make navigation flow easy to understand
- Built-in publishing workflows for web, Apple App Store, and Google Play are included in the entry Builder tier
- Pre-built UI components provide native-looking elements without writing front-end code
Limitations
- Source code export is not bundled with standard monthly subscriptions and requires a separately priced export service
- Publishing to native mobile app stores requires separate, independent developer accounts and fees with Apple ($99/year) and Google Play ($25 one-time)
- Application performance can decrease on complex workflows with large database collections
- Customizing layouts beyond the pre-configured visual component library is restricted
Who is it for?
Best For
- Founders testing an app with a visual editor
- Teams publishing an app without assembling a separate backend
Not Ideal For
- Projects expecting app-store publication on the free plan
- Teams needing the collections API on the entry plan
Primary Use Cases
Pricing & Access
- Pricing Model: freemium
- Starting Price: $65
- Free Tier: Free tier available
- Free Trial: Trial availability not confirmed
Adalo provides a Free tier designed for building, testing, and previewing applications within the visual editor. Publishing applications to the web on a custom domain, as well as native mobile deployment to the Apple App Store and Google Play, is included in the entry-level Builder plan at $65/month (or $624/year when paid annually, equivalent to $52/month). Publishing native applications to mobile app stores also requires independent, active Apple Developer ($99/year) and Google Play ($25 one-time) developer accounts. Higher plan tiers (such as Business) provide expanded database storage and team collaboration seats, while source-code export is available as an independently priced service.
Platforms & Technical Capabilities
Interfaces
Technical Access
How It Compares
Adalo competes with visual app development platforms including FlutterFlow, Bubble, and Glide. Bubble provides powerful relational database logic and web application capabilities, but is primarily web-focused. Glide enables rapid internal tool creation powered by spreadsheets, with structured layout constraints. FlutterFlow includes native Flutter source code export in standard developer tiers, whereas Adalo provides export as a separately priced service alongside its drag-and-drop visual canvas and AI-assisted builder tailored for non-technical creators deploying native mobile and web applications.
Trust & Verification
Evidence reviewed
Last Reviewed: 2026-11-02