Last updated: 2026-07-01
Adalo, founded in 2018, is a no-code builder for database-driven apps that publishes to web, iOS, and Android from one visual project. Its differentiator is true native compilation: the platform produces store-ready installer files rather than wrapped web views, with an AI assistant, Ada, drafting app foundations from a text prompt.
About Adalo
Adalo has been building no-code app tooling for eight years and has raised $9.7M through its Series A. The pitch is simple: design a database-driven app on a visual canvas, then ship it as a real product without hiring developers. Over eight years the platform has grown from a web-app builder into a full pipeline that compiles store-ready binaries and submits them for review. Since 2025 an AI assistant called Ada sits on top, drafting whole app foundations from plain-language prompts and extending them while you steer visually. Under the canvas, every project gets a hosted relational database, REST API access, and custom actions for outside services, so data, logic, and publishing are covered in one place.
Pricing
Free plan with unlimited test apps (500 records/app, no publishing). Starter $36/mo (annual) or $45/mo (monthly) with app store publishing and unlimited database records. Professional $52/mo (annual) or $65/mo (monthly) with 2 published apps and 25GB storage. Team $160/mo (annual) with 5 published apps and 125GB storage. Business $200/mo (annual) with 10 published apps and 250GB storage. Enterprise (Adalo Blue) custom pricing for on-premise deployment and dedicated infrastructure.
Key Features
- AI-Powered App Builder (Ada): Magic Start generates a complete app foundation from a text description, and Magic Add bolts on features before you publish.
- Multi-Platform Publishing: One project publishes three ways: web on a custom domain, native iOS via the App Store, and native Android via Google Play.
- Built-in Relational Database: Hosted Postgres included with no per-record charges and database-level permissions; paid plans remove the record cap entirely.
- Drag-and-Drop Visual Builder: A freeform canvas holds 400+ screens at once and auto-adapts layouts to mobile, tablet, and desktop.
- Extensive Integrations: Connects to 2000+ services through Zapier and Make, plus native Stripe, Xano, Airtable, and Google Sheets hookups.
- Enterprise Scale: Production apps have passed 5M monthly active users on dedicated infrastructure, with 99% average uptime and a 3x-4x speed gain from the 2025 overhaul.
Pros
- Compiles true native IPA and APK binaries, not web wrappers, with store approval handled in the flow.
- Flat monthly pricing with no usage-based overage charges.
- Track record to lean on: over 1M apps created, including products that reached $2M+ in annual revenue.
- AI-assisted building compresses launch timelines from months to days.
Cons
- Limited advanced animations and transitions compared to fully native development.
- Free plan restricts API usage and external database connections.
- App store approval can still reject some use cases; you remain subject to Apple and Google policy.
- Component marketplace is smaller than Bubble's.
- Lock-in is real: exporting data and migrating an app off the platform is hard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Adalo cost in 2026?
Paid publishing starts with Starter at $36 per month billed annually ($45 monthly), while Professional at $52/$65 adds a second published app and 25GB of storage. Team ($160, annual) and Business ($200, annual) raise the ceiling to 5 and 10 published apps. Enterprise, sold as Adalo Blue, is custom-quoted for on-premise deployment.
Is Adalo free to use?
Yes, the free plan is a genuine sandbox: unlimited test apps with up to 500 records each, but no publishing to the web or app stores. It also limits API access and outside database connections. Treat it as a build-and-validate tier; going live requires a paid plan.
What are the best alternatives to Adalo?
Bubble is the closest well-known alternative, with a larger plugin marketplace and stronger support for complex web apps, but it does not compile native mobile binaries the way Adalo does. The choice usually comes down to platform: web-first products lean Bubble, mobile-first products lean Adalo.
Can Adalo publish to the Apple App Store and Google Play?
Yes. Adalo compiles genuine IPA and APK files and submits them to both stores, alongside web publishing on a custom domain. Approval is part of the flow, though Apple and Google policies still apply and certain app types get rejected.
How do you get started with Adalo?
Create a free account and describe your app to Ada, which returns a working foundation with screens and a database in minutes. Refine it on the visual canvas, wire up any outside services you need, then move to a paid plan when you are ready to publish.
HokAI guides covering Adalo
- Best AI App Builder in 2026: Pick by What You're Building: HokAI tracks 28 AI app builders priced $0 to $36,300 a year under one label. Here is how to pick by native mobile, web, or enterprise output, not by ranking.