Building an app has never been more accessible, but choosing the right platform can make the difference between success and frustration. This comprehensive guide compares Adalo and WeWeb, two popular app-building platforms that take fundamentally different approaches to app creation.
Executive Summary: Why Platform Choice Matters
The verdict upfront: While WeWeb offers impressive frontend building capabilities for web applications, Adalo emerges as the superior choice for serious app builders who need a proven, comprehensive platform that can grow with their business. Adalo's ability to publish native apps to both iOS and Android app stores, combined with its mature ecosystem and extensive feature set, provides the complete solution that most businesses require.
WeWeb excels at creating sophisticated web applications with custom backend integrations, but its limitations become apparent when you need native mobile apps, all-in-one simplicity, or proven scalability for non-technical teams. Meanwhile, Adalo has powered hundreds of thousands of apps and offers the critical features that separate a prototype from a production-ready application.
Understanding the Fundamental Differences
Development Approach: All-in-One vs Frontend-Only
Adalo employs a complete no-code solution that includes everything you need:
- Built-in database and backend infrastructure
- Visual drag-and-drop interface with precise control
- Automatic hosting and deployment
- Native mobile app generation
- Integrated user authentication and payments
Think of Adalo like using a complete development studio – if you can arrange elements visually, you can build a fully functional app that works everywhere.
WeWeb takes a frontend-only approach that requires external services:
- Visual frontend builder (web applications only)
- Requires separate backend service (Xano, Supabase, etc.)
- Progressive Web Apps (PWA) only - no native mobile apps
- Custom domain hosting through WeWeb or code export
- External authentication and payment setup required
Platform Maturity and Market Position
Adalo has established itself as a leader in the no-code space since 2018, with:
- Hundreds of thousands of apps created on the platform
- Successful app acquisitions (SPOTTO being the first)
- Comprehensive Adalo App Academy with 70+ courses
- Active component marketplace with 50+ components
- Strong funding backing ($8M Series A from Tiger Global)
WeWeb is a frontend specialist that has evolved significantly:
- Focused on web application development since inception
- Growing user base with strong technical capabilities
- Recent pricing model updates in February 2025
- Limited to web applications only
- Still developing native mobile app capabilities (not yet available)
Feature Comparison That Matters
App Publishing Capabilities
Adalo's Publishing Advantage:
- ✓ Native iOS Apps: Direct publishing to Apple App Store
- ✓ Native Android Apps: Direct publishing to Google Play Store
- ✓ Progressive Web Apps: Publish to custom domains
- ✓ Universal Deployment: Build once, deploy everywhere
- ✓ App Store Optimization: Built-in features for store listings
WeWeb's Publishing Limitations:
- ✗ Web-Only: Can only create web applications
- ✗ No Native Apps: Cannot publish to app stores
- ✓ PWA Support: Progressive Web Apps with mobile-like experience
- ✓ Custom Domains: Available on paid plans
- ✓ Code Export Capability: Download Vue.js source code
Design and Customization Freedom
Adalo provides complete design control through:
- ✓ Freeform canvas with pixel-perfect positioning
- ✓ Custom fonts, colors, and branding options
- ✓ 50+ pre-built components for rapid development
- ✓ Component marketplace with specialized elements
- ✓ Responsive design that works across all screen sizes
- ✓ Visual Component Builder for custom components
WeWeb offers frontend-focused design with:
- ✓ Professional frontend builder with CSS-like controls
- ✓ Advanced styling capabilities for experienced designers
- ✓ Custom animations and interactions
- ✓ Single Page Application (SPA) architecture
- ✗ Limited pre-built components compared to Adalo
- ✗ Requires frontend development knowledge for advanced customization
Database and Backend Capabilities
Adalo's Robust Data Management:
- ✓ Built-in relational database with visual management interface
- ✓ External database connections (Xano, Airtable, Google Sheets)
- ✓ REST API integration for any service
- ✓ User authentication and permissions built-in
- ✓ Real-time data updates across all devices
- ✓ Automatic CRUD operations without coding
WeWeb's Backend Approach:
- ✗ No built-in database - requires external backend service
- ✓ Deep Supabase integration for PostgreSQL databases
- ✓ Xano integration for custom backend logic
- ✓ API connectivity to multiple data sources
- ✗ Additional costs for backend services (Xano: $59-$299/month)
- ✗ Technical complexity in managing frontend-backend connections
Pricing Breakdown: Understanding the Real Costs
Adalo Pricing Structure (2025)
Adalo's transparent pricing model scales with your needs:
Free Plan:
- ✓ Build and test unlimited apps
- ✓ No time limits on development
- ✗ Publishing restricted to Adalo subdomain
Starter (Starting from $45/month):
- ✓ Publish 1 app with core features
- ✓ Custom domain support
- ✓ App store publishing
- ✓ Core app actions included
Professional (Starting from $65/month):
- ✓ Multiple apps and advanced features
- ✓ Extended integrations
- ✓ Advanced user management
- ✓ Increased app actions limit
Team (Starting from $200/month):
- ✓ Collaboration and agency features
- ✓ Multiple team members
- ✓ Priority support
- ✓ Higher app actions limit
Business (Starting from $250/month):
- ✓ Enterprise-grade capabilities
- ✓ Advanced security features
- ✓ Custom integrations
- ✓ Maximum app actions limit
Note: Pricing may vary based on annual vs monthly billing. Please check Adalo's official pricing page for the most current rates.
Key Value Points:
- ✓ No hidden fees or surprise charges
- ✓ Additional apps for $25/month
- ✓ All plans include hosting, database, and backend
- ✓ Predictable scaling costs
WeWeb Pricing Structure (2025)
WeWeb uses a seat-based system updated in February 2025:
Free Plan:
- ✓ Build unlimited projects
- ✓ WeWeb domain publishing only
- ✗ WeWeb branding required
- ✗ No custom domains
Launch ($49/month per seat):
- ✓ Custom domain publishing
- ✓ Up to 25,000 monthly app sessions
- ✓ 5GB bandwidth
- ✓ Code export capability
- ✓ Basic AI tokens included
Grow ($99/month per seat):
- ✓ Up to 100,000 monthly app sessions
- ✓ 25GB bandwidth
- ✓ Advanced AI tokens
- ✓ Team collaboration features
- ✓ Priority support
Scale ($179/month per seat):
- ✓ Up to 500,000 monthly app sessions
- ✓ 100GB bandwidth
- ✓ Unlimited AI tokens
- ✓ Advanced team features
- ✓ Custom integrations
Hidden Limitations:
- ✗ Backend service required: Add $59-$299/month for Xano or $25-$599/month for Supabase
- ✗ Per-seat pricing: Team of 3 = $147-$537/month before backend costs
- ✗ Session limits: Overage can impact performance
- ✗ No native mobile apps at any price tier
True Cost Comparison
For a small team of 3 people building 2 apps:
Adalo Total Cost:
- Team Plan: Starting from $200/month
- Additional App: $25/month
- Total: $225/month (includes everything: hosting, database, backend, app store publishing)
WeWeb Total Cost (Estimated):
- 3 Essential seats: $90-$150/month (estimated)
- Backend service (Xano): $59/month minimum
- Hosting add-on: Additional cost unless self-hosting
- Total: $150-$250/month minimum (web-only, requires technical setup)
Note: WeWeb's exact current pricing varies. For advanced features and guaranteed mobile apps, Adalo provides significantly better value.
Important Pricing Note: Both platforms update their pricing regularly. Adalo moved to a new pricing structure in 2022, and WeWeb updated to a seat-based model in February 2025. Always check the official pricing pages for the most current information: Adalo Pricing and WeWeb Pricing.
Integration Ecosystem Comparison
Adalo's Extensive Integration Network
Zapier Integration: Connect with 5,000+ apps including:
- ✓ Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar)
- ✓ Slack and Microsoft Teams
- ✓ Mailchimp and email marketing services
- ✓ Stripe payment processing
- ✓ CRM systems like HubSpot and Salesforce
- ✓ Stripe for payments: Built-in payment processing
- ✓ Twilio for SMS/voice: Communication capabilities
- ✓ Google Maps: Location services
- ✓ Social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
- ✓ Analytics tools: Track user behavior and app performance
API Capabilities:
- ✓ Full REST API support for any service
- ✓ Custom webhook integration
- ✓ External Collections feature for database connections
- ✓ Authentication headers and custom API calls
WeWeb's Integration Limitations
Primary Integration:
- ✓ Deep Supabase dependency for database operations
- ✓ GitHub for version control and code export
- ✗ Limited third-party options compared to Adalo
- ✗ No visual integration builder - requires manual setup
API Support:
- ✓ Basic API integration through custom code
- ✗ Requires manual implementation for most services
- ✗ No drag-and-drop integration setup
- ✗ Limited authentication options without backend service
Performance and Scalability Analysis
Real-World Performance Metrics
Adalo Performance Improvements:
- ✓ Significant performance improvements with Adalo 5.0
- ✓ Enhanced loading speeds for large data sets
- ✓ Handles applications with thousands of active users
- ✓ Native apps perform better than web apps
- ✓ Active infrastructure upgrades to improve speed
WeWeb Performance:
- ✓ Fast initial development with visual builder
- ✓ Single Page Application architecture for smooth navigation
- ✓ Good PageSpeed scores for web applications
- ✗ Web-only limitations affect mobile user experience
- ✗ Performance depends on backend service chosen
Scalability Considerations
Adalo has proven scalability with apps like:
- ✓ SPOTTO (acquired): Location-based social platform
- ✓ Covenant Connect: School management system serving thousands
- ✓ Multiple marketplace apps with thousands of active users
- ✓ Success stories across various industries
WeWeb scalability depends on:
- ✗ Backend service chosen (Xano, Supabase limitations)
- ✗ Monthly session limits on hosting plans
- ✗ Unproven for enterprise deployment at scale
- ✗ No native mobile performance benefits
Learning Curve and Support Quality
Educational Resources
Adalo App Academy offers:
- ✓ 70+ structured courses covering everything
- ✓ Video tutorials for every feature and use case
- ✓ Step-by-step project guides for building complete apps
- ✓ Design and database training for non-technical users
- ✓ Business and marketing courses for app monetization
- ✓ API integration tutorials for advanced users
WeWeb Documentation provides:
- ✓ Basic getting started guides
- ✓ Technical documentation for developers
- ✗ Limited structured learning path
- ✗ Assumes frontend development knowledge
- ✗ Gap in beginner-friendly content
Support Systems
- ✓ Dedicated support team with response guarantees
- ✓ Active community forum with thousands of discussions
- ✓ Expert marketplace for professional help
- ✓ Comprehensive help documentation with search
- ✓ Regular office hours and community webinars
WeWeb Support Options:
- ✓ Community Discord for peer support
- ✓ Technical documentation for developers
- ✗ Limited direct support on lower-tier plans
- ✗ No structured expert network for professional help
- ✗ Smaller community compared to Adalo
Use Case Suitability Analysis
When Adalo Excels
Perfect for:
- ✓ Mobile-First Businesses: Native app store presence required
- ✓ Marketplace Apps: Multi-sided platforms with complex logic
- ✓ SaaS Products: Subscription-based services with payments
- ✓ Educational Apps: Course delivery and student management
- ✓ Healthcare Apps: HIPAA-compliant solutions possible
- ✓ Enterprise Tools: Internal business applications
- ✓ E-commerce Apps: Complete shopping experiences
- ✓ Social Platforms: Community and networking apps
Success Stories:
- ✓ SPOTTO: First Adalo app to be acquired
- ✓ Covenant Connect: Modernized entire school operations
- ✓ Multiple food delivery and service apps in app stores
- ✓ Various marketplace apps serving thousands of users
When WeWeb Works
Suitable for:
- ✓ Web-Only Applications: No mobile app requirements
- ✓ Internal Business Tools: Dashboard and admin panels
- ✓ Data Visualization: Complex charts and analytics
- ✓ Frontend-Heavy Projects: Custom interactions and animations
- ✓ Existing Backend Integration: When you have a backend already
Limitations for:
- ✗ Mobile app requirements: No native app publishing
- ✗ Non-technical teams: Requires frontend knowledge
- ✗ All-in-one solutions: Need separate backend services
- ✗ Quick prototyping: More complex setup process
- ✗ App store distribution: Limited to web only
Template and Component Availability
Adalo's Rich Template Ecosystem
Feature Templates Include:
- ✓ Complete chat systems with real-time messaging
- ✓ E-commerce platforms with payment processing
- ✓ Social media feeds with engagement features
- ✓ Appointment booking with calendar integration
- ✓ Course management systems for education
- ✓ Restaurant ordering platforms with delivery
- ✓ Fitness and wellness apps with tracking
- ✓ Marketplace templates for various industries
Component Marketplace Highlights:
- ✓ Swipe cards (Tinder-style interactions)
- ✓ Google AdMob integration for monetization
- ✓ Calendar components for scheduling
- ✓ Progress tracking for user engagement
- ✓ Audio/video players for media
- ✓ QR code generators for easy sharing
- ✓ Custom animations and interactive elements
WeWeb's Template Limitations
Available Options:
- ✓ Basic starter templates for common layouts
- ✓ Community-shared projects and examples
- ✗ Limited variety compared to Adalo's ecosystem
- ✗ No component marketplace for extended functionality
- ✗ Requires custom development for specialized features
Making the Strategic Choice
Choose Adalo When You Need:
✓ Complete App Development Solution
- Native mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Built-in database and backend infrastructure
- All-in-one hosting and deployment
- No external service dependencies
✓ Non-Technical Team Empowerment
- True no-code development experience
- Extensive learning resources and support
- Visual interface that anyone can master
- No frontend development knowledge required
✓ Proven Business Results
- App store publishing for maximum reach
- Successful acquisition examples proving viability
- Predictable pricing without hidden costs
- Component marketplace for extended features
✓ Rapid Time-to-Market
- Rich template library for quick starts
- Built-in integrations for common services
- One-click publishing to multiple platforms
- No backend setup or configuration required
Consider WeWeb Only If:
✓ Web-Only Requirements
- You specifically need only web applications
- No mobile app publishing required
- Comfortable with Progressive Web Apps
✓ Technical Team Capabilities
- Strong frontend development skills available
- Comfortable managing separate backend services
- Need for custom frontend interactions
- Budget for multiple service subscriptions
✓ Specific Technical Requirements
- Need full code export capabilities
- Require specific backend architecture
- Have existing backend infrastructure
- Advanced CSS and JavaScript customization needs
The Bottom Line: Why Adalo Wins
While WeWeb represents a capable frontend building platform for technical teams, Adalo delivers the complete, professional platform that serious app builders need. The ability to publish native apps to both major app stores alone makes Adalo the clear winner for most use cases.
Adalo's mature ecosystem, extensive template library, proven scalability, and comprehensive support system provide the foundation for building real businesses, not just web prototypes. With hundreds of thousands of apps created and success stories ranging from acquired startups to enterprise solutions, Adalo has proven it can handle everything from simple tools to complex platforms.
For those serious about building apps that can:
- ✓ Reach mobile users natively through app stores
- ✓ Grow with their business without technical complexity
- ✓ Integrate seamlessly with existing tools and services
- ✓ Scale from MVP to enterprise-level usage
Adalo remains the superior choice. The platform's continuous improvements, active community, and transparent pricing model ensure you're investing in a solution that will support your app's journey from idea to acquisition.
Official Resources
Get Started with Adalo:
- Adalo Platform - Main website and platform access
- Pricing Plans - Current pricing and plan comparison
- App Templates - Ready-to-use app templates
- Component Marketplace - Extend your app functionality
- Help Documentation - Comprehensive guides and tutorials
- Adalo App Academy - Free courses and training
- Community Forum - Connect with other makers
- Expert Directory - Find professional help
WeWeb Resources:
- WeWeb Platform - Frontend building platform
- Current Pricing - Seat-based pricing model
- Documentation - Technical documentation
- Community Discord - Community support
Ready to start building? Explore Adalo's free plan, try the extensive template library, or dive into the Adalo App Academy to master the platform that's powering the next generation of successful apps.
