In today's rapidly evolving no-code landscape, choosing the right app builder can make or break your project's success. After extensive research comparing Adalo and Softgen, we've found that while both platforms offer unique capabilities, Adalo emerges as the superior choice for most app builders in 2025, particularly for those seeking to create native mobile applications with comprehensive features and established reliability.
Platform overview reveals two distinct approaches
Adalo, founded in 2018 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, has established itself as a mature no-code platform with over 6 years of refinement. The platform recently appointed James Crennan as CEO in 2024, signaling renewed focus on customer experience and platform improvements. With its drag-and-drop interface and "what you see is what you get" design philosophy, Adalo enables users to build native iOS, Android, and web applications without coding knowledge.
Softgen, launched in 2023 from Frankfurt, Germany, represents the new wave of AI-powered development tools. Recently acquired by Arising Ventures after achieving 500K ARR in just months, Softgen uses natural language prompts to generate full-stack web applications in approximately 20 minutes. However, its focus remains exclusively on web applications built with Next.js and React, lacking native mobile app capabilities.
The fundamental difference lies in their core approach: Adalo provides a visual builder for creating native mobile apps, while Softgen offers AI-generated web applications. This distinction becomes crucial when considering app store publishing requirements and mobile-first user experiences.
Current pricing plans for 2025 show distinct strategies
Adalo's pricing structure (build for free, pay to publish) offers more flexibility for different project scales:
- Free Plan: $0/month - Build and test unlimited apps with unlimited app actions (apps hibernate after 60 days of inactivity)
- Starter Plan: Starting around $45-50/month - 1 published app, unlimited app actions, custom domain, web publishing
- Professional Plan: Starting around $65/month - Full API integration support, external collections, enhanced functionality, unlimited app actions
- Team Plan: Around $200/month - Multiple apps, team collaboration, designed for agencies, unlimited app actions
- Business Plan: Around $250/month - 10 published apps, unlimited app actions, unlimited editors
Note: As of February 2025, Adalo eliminated all app action limits across all plans, making app actions completely unlimited for everyone.
Softgen's token-based pricing (monthly subscription) creates different cost considerations:
- Free Plan: $0/month - 100K tokens, 1 project, basic features (no Supabase)
- Entry Plan: $25/month - 2.5M tokens, team collaboration, full deployment
- Boost Plan: $50/month - 6M tokens, priority support
- Fly Plan: $100/month - 14M tokens, VIP events
- Pro Enterprise: $200/month - 30M tokens
- Elite Enterprise: $500/month - 85M tokens
While Softgen appears cheaper at entry level, the token-based system can create unpredictable costs as usage scales. Adalo's unlimited action model eliminates usage-based pricing concerns entirely, providing predictable costs for growing applications.
Ease of use comparison reveals different learning curves
Adalo consistently receives praise for its intuitive interface, often compared to PowerPoint or Canva in terms of accessibility. The visual drag-and-drop builder allows users to see exactly what they're creating in real-time. With comprehensive templates and pre-built components, beginners can start building functional apps within hours. The platform includes Adalo App Academy, offering structured learning paths and extensive documentation.
Softgen takes a radically different approach with AI-powered development through natural language prompts. Users describe their desired application, and the AI generates complete code within 20 minutes. While this sounds simpler, it requires users to articulate requirements clearly and may need manual code adjustments for specific customizations. The learning curve involves understanding how to communicate effectively with the AI rather than learning traditional app-building concepts.
For non-technical users seeking predictable results and full control over design, Adalo's visual approach proves more reliable. Softgen's AI method, while faster initially, can produce inconsistent results requiring technical knowledge to refine.
Design capabilities showcase platform maturity differences
Adalo's design features reflect years of refinement:
- Freeform drag-and-drop canvas with pixel-perfect positioning
- Custom fonts, color palettes, and branding integration
- Responsive design controls for multiple screen sizes
- Native mobile components optimized for iOS and Android
- Over 35 professional templates covering various app categories
- Component marketplace with 25+ premium components
- Custom component development capabilities
Softgen's design approach relies on AI-generated layouts:
- Pre-built UI components using shadcn/ui library
- Tailwind CSS styling system
- Automated responsive design
- Dark mode support
- Limited customization beyond AI output
- No visual design interface
- Modifications require prompt iterations or code editing
The design flexibility clearly favors Adalo, offering designers complete control over aesthetics and user experience. Softgen's AI-generated designs, while functional, lack the customization depth required for branded applications.
Technical features reveal platform strengths and limitations
Adalo's technical capabilities support comprehensive app development:
- Built-in relational database with unlimited collections
- External database support (Airtable, Xano, Google Sheets)
- Full REST API integration (Professional plan+)
- User authentication with social login options
- Push notifications for engagement
- Geolocation features and mapping
- Custom actions and workflows
- Zapier integration connecting 5,000+ services
Softgen's technical stack focuses on modern web technologies:
- Next.js and React framework
- Firebase or Supabase for backend
- Automated API endpoint creation
- Stripe and LemonSqueezy payment integration
- GitHub version control
- Vercel deployment
- Limited to web technologies only
While Softgen offers modern web development tools, Adalo provides superior flexibility for mobile-specific features like push notifications, device sensors, and native functionality. The ability to connect external databases and APIs makes Adalo more suitable for complex business applications.
Publishing and deployment options highlight key differences
Adalo's publishing capabilities excel for mobile applications:
- Direct publishing to Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Web publishing with custom domains
- Progressive Web App (PWA) support
- TestFlight integration for iOS beta testing
- Automated build generation for app stores
- Real-time updates for web versions
- Bundle ID management for app stores
Softgen's deployment limited to web platforms:
- One-click Vercel deployment
- Custom domain connection
- Compatible with Next.js hosting services
- No native mobile app generation
- No app store publishing capabilities
- Web-only distribution
For businesses requiring mobile app presence, Adalo's native app store publishing represents a decisive advantage. Softgen users must rely on web apps accessed through mobile browsers, limiting functionality and user experience.
Performance and scalability considerations affect long-term viability
Adalo's performance shows both improvements and challenges:
- Recent updates deliver 3x faster performance
- Global hosting options (US, Ireland, Japan)
- Improved database query optimization
- Challenges reported with 11,000+ records
- Loading delays with complex applications
- Performance degradation at scale noted by users
Softgen's performance benefits from modern architecture:
- Built on optimized Next.js framework
- Vercel's edge network deployment
- Real-time data synchronization
- Limited track record for large-scale applications
- Token limits may restrict complex operations
While both platforms face scalability questions, Adalo's upcoming 3.0 infrastructure overhaul and dedicated server options provide clearer paths for growth. Softgen's newer platform lacks proven scalability data.
Customer support comparison reveals significant disparities
Adalo's support structure faces criticism despite improvements:
- Email and chat support for paid plans
- Comprehensive documentation at help.adalo.com
- Active community forum
- Network of certified Adalo Experts
- Reported response delays and generic answers
- Support quality rated 2.3/5 on Trustpilot
Softgen's support offerings remain basic:
- Priority support on Boost plan ($50/month)
- Documentation at academy.softgen.ai
- Limited support channels
- Small team may affect response times
- VIP events for higher-tier customers
Neither platform excels in customer support, but Adalo's larger ecosystem provides more community resources and third-party expertise. Users requiring extensive support should consider both platforms' limitations.
Target audience and use cases define platform suitability
Adalo serves diverse user groups:
- Entrepreneurs building MVPs and validating ideas
- Small businesses creating customer-facing apps
- Agencies developing client applications
- Content creators engaging audiences
- Educational institutions building learning apps
- Non-technical founders avoiding development costs
Softgen targets specific segments:
- Developers seeking rapid prototyping
- Startups needing quick web applications
- Technical users comfortable with code adjustments
- Projects requiring fast iteration
- Web-first businesses
Adalo's broader appeal to non-technical users and mobile-first projects makes it suitable for more use cases. Softgen's AI approach works best for users comfortable with web-only limitations.
Pros and cons analysis reveals clear winner
Adalo Advantages
- Native mobile app development with app store publishing
- Mature platform with 6+ years of refinement
- Visual design control for precise customization
- Comprehensive features including push notifications and device APIs
- Established ecosystem with templates and components
- External database support for complex applications
- Cross-platform deployment to iOS, Android, and web
- Unlimited app actions across all plans (no usage limits)
Adalo Disadvantages
- Customer support issues reported frequently
- Performance challenges with large datasets
- Higher pricing for advanced features
- Learning curve for complex functionality
Softgen Advantages
- Extremely fast development (20 minutes)
- AI-powered automation
- Modern tech stack
- Lower entry pricing
- Code ownership
Softgen Disadvantages
- No native mobile apps - critical limitation
- Limited customization beyond AI output
- New platform with unproven reliability
- Web-only deployment restricts functionality
- Token-based pricing creates uncertainty
- Requires technical knowledge for adjustments
Real user reviews confirm Adalo's market position
Analysis of 2024-2025 user feedback reveals important insights. Adalo maintains strong positions on app development use cases despite support challenges. Users praise its ease of use, with one reviewer noting it's "shockingly easy to use" for mobile app creation. The platform's 35+ templates have been used in over 20,000 apps, demonstrating real-world adoption.
Softgen shows promise with perfect 5/5 ratings on Product Hunt, but from only 3 reviews. Users report creating MVPs in 2 days, praising its speed over competitors like Lovable and Bolt.new. However, the limited review volume and platform newness raise reliability questions.
The review disparity - Adalo's thousands of users versus Softgen's dozens - reinforces Adalo's position as the established, trusted platform for serious app development. While Softgen excites early adopters, it lacks the track record businesses require.
Final verdict positions Adalo as superior choice
After comprehensive analysis, Adalo emerges as the clear winner for most app development projects in 2025. Its native mobile app capabilities, established reliability, and comprehensive feature set outweigh its customer support challenges. The ability to publish directly to app stores represents an insurmountable advantage over Softgen's web-only approach.
Choose Adalo when:
- Building native mobile applications
- Requiring app store presence
- Needing proven reliability
- Wanting visual design control
- Creating complex business applications
- Serving non-technical teams
Consider Softgen only when:
- Building simple web-only applications
- Requiring extreme development speed
- Comfortable with AI limitations
- Having technical skills for refinements
- Accepting platform risks
For businesses serious about mobile app development, Adalo's maturity, features, and ecosystem make it the professional choice. While Softgen offers intriguing AI capabilities, its limitations and newness cannot compete with Adalo's comprehensive platform. As the no-code space evolves, Adalo's continued improvements and established foundation position it for long-term success, making it the recommended platform for 2025 app development projects.
Additional Resources
- Get Started: Visit Adalo.com to begin building your app
- Learn More: Explore Adalo App Academy for comprehensive tutorials
- Get Help: Access Adalo's help documentation and community forum
- Find Experts: Browse certified Adalo Experts for professional development services
- Extend Functionality: Discover components in the Adalo Marketplace
- Check Pricing: Review current Adalo pricing plans
