Updated Feb 02, 2026

How to Build GDPR-Compliant Apps Without Code

Table of Contents

Want to build a GDPR-compliant app without coding? Here’s how:

GDPR compliance is essential if your app handles personal data from users in the EEA. Non-compliance can lead to fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual revenue. The good news? No-code platforms like Adalo make it simple. They integrate features like encryption, consent management, and secure storage directly into their tools - no technical expertise required.

Here’s how to get started:

Choose a GDPR-ready no-code platform: Look for built-in security, encryption, and role-based access controls. Adalo, for example, applies updates across web, iOS, and Android automatically.
Set up consent workflows: Add opt-in forms and user-friendly ways to manage consent.
Secure data: Use encryption, access restrictions, and automated data retention policies.
Prepare for audits and breaches: Maintain records of data processing and automate breach notifications.
Ongoing compliance: Regularly update your app’s privacy features and test for gaps.

With the right platform, you can launch a secure app in days while meeting GDPR standards. Below, we dive into the details of each step to help you get started.

5 Steps to Build GDPR-Compliant Apps Without Code

Build secure apps that scale with no-code

Before diving into app development, it's crucial to grasp the rules of GDPR. This framework dictates how you collect, store, and handle personal data, forming the foundation for compliant app design.

GDPR is built around six main principles, each shaping your app's data practices. To comply with lawfulness, fairness, and transparency, you need a legal reason to process data - like explicit consent or fulfilling a contract - and must clearly explain your data practices to users. Purpose limitation means data should only be collected for specific, declared purposes. For instance, if you collect email addresses for newsletters, you can't later use them for ad targeting without obtaining separate consent.

Data minimization is another key point: only gather the data you truly need. If your app doesn’t require a user’s phone number or address, don’t ask for it. Accuracy ensures users can update their information to keep records current. Storage limitation requires you to delete or anonymize data when it’s no longer necessary, which makes retention policies critical.

Finally, integrity and confidentiality demand robust security measures like encryption and access controls. As GDPR.eu explains:

The data controller is responsible for being able to demonstrate GDPR compliance with all of these principles.

To meet these standards, document your processes, train your team, and use technical tools to safeguard user data.

Data Controller vs. Data Processor

Knowing your role under GDPR is essential. As the app creator, you act as the data controller - you decide why and how personal data is processed. This means you're responsible for obtaining user consent, managing requests like data access or deletion, and ensuring every piece of data has a lawful processing basis. Users also have specific rights, including accessing their data, correcting errors, or requesting deletion under the "right to be forgotten".

The platform you use to build your app (e.g., Adalo) serves as the data processor, following your instructions for handling data. As Adalo’s Privacy Policy explains:

Adalo processes Customer Content solely on behalf of and according to the instructions of the customer.

Processors provide the tools and infrastructure necessary for compliance, such as secure data storage, SSL encryption, and features for exporting or deleting user data. To formalize this relationship, you’ll need a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) with your platform and any third-party services. This agreement outlines the responsibilities of each party, particularly around security and breach notifications.

Here’s a breakdown of responsibilities:

Responsibility	Data Controller (You)	Data Processor (Platform)
Determines data use	Decides purpose and methods	Processes per controller's instructions
Consent management	Obtains explicit user consent	Provides consent capture tools
User requests	Manages and responds to requests	Enables data export/deletion features
Security measures	Sets app-level permissions and logic	Maintains infrastructure security (SSL, hosting)
Breach notification	Notifies authorities and users within 72 hours	Notifies controller of any breach

This clear division of roles ensures every aspect of data handling is covered as you build your app.

Lastly, both Apple and Google require apps that collect personal data to include a valid privacy policy. Without one, your app risks rejection or removal from their stores. Your privacy policy should outline what data you collect, why you collect it, and how users can exercise their rights.

Selecting a platform that incorporates GDPR compliance from the ground up is essential. This decision directly influences how well your app aligns with GDPR principles. Platforms designed with privacy in mind simplify compliance, while others might require workarounds that leave vulnerabilities. Finding a tool with built-in safeguards ensures your app starts on solid ground.

Privacy by Design Features

When assessing a no-code platform, prioritize those that embrace privacy by design - where data protection is integrated into the platform's core. Look for features like TLS and AES-256 encryption, role-based access controls, and audit logging. These tools not only secure data but also provide a clear record of who accessed what and when.

A hosted database with built-in security tools simplifies compliance further. Features like data minimization, storage limits, and automated retention policies make it easier to manage sensitive information. Additionally, platforms that support pseudonymization help reduce risks in the event of a breach.

Adalo

Adalo is built with these principles at its core. Its hosted database uses TLS encryption for data in transit and AES-256 encryption for data at rest, meeting GDPR security standards without requiring additional setup. Permissions like "Only the Record Creator" or "Only Logged In Users" restrict access to sensitive information, ensuring only authorized users can view or modify it.

One standout feature of Adalo is its single-codebase architecture. This means that when you build an app, all security settings, permissions, and consent mechanisms are consistently applied across web, iOS, and Android platforms. This unified approach eliminates potential gaps that might arise when managing separate codebases and ensures that security updates are instantly reflected across all platforms.

Adalo's AI Builder also speeds up GDPR-compliant development. Tools like Magic Start create app foundations with security defaults already in place, including database structures, user authentication, and data minimization. The platform's native authentication system provides secure login features and permission controls, while connections to trusted data sources like PostgreSQL and Airtable use scoped Personal Access Tokens (PATs) to limit data exposure during synchronization. For enterprises, Adalo Blue offers advanced capabilities such as SSO, enterprise-grade permissions, and integration with legacy systems through DreamFactory, enabling secure development on existing infrastructures.

Here’s a quick look at Adalo's features and their GDPR benefits:

Platform Feature	Compliance Benefit	Adalo Implementation
Encryption	Protects data integrity and confidentiality	TLS for data in transit; AES-256 for data at rest
Access Controls	Limits data exposure to authorized users	Database-level permissions (e.g., "Only the Record Creator")
Hosted Database	Simplifies retention and deletion policies	Integrated database with unlimited records on paid plans
Single Codebase	Ensures consistent security across platforms	One build deploys to web, iOS, and Android with unified security updates
Audit Logging	Tracks data access for accountability	Built-in logging and activity monitoring

When evaluating platforms, also check their Data Processing Agreement (DPA) and confirm they hold SOC 2 Type II certification or equivalent. Adalo and its key integration partners meet these standards, showcasing a strong commitment to secure and compliant app development.

Once you've chosen a platform that meets compliance standards, the next step is to create workflows for collecting and managing user consent. This consent must be freely given, specific, and revocable at any time. Your app should include tools to capture these preferences and ensure they are respected throughout the user experience.

Under GDPR, consent requires a clear, affirmative action - users must actively opt in by interacting with a checkbox, toggle, or text field. Pre-checked boxes are not allowed. Use straightforward language to explain what data is being collected and why.

For mobile apps, a cookie consent banner displayed on the first visit can help manage non-essential cookies, like those for analytics or advertising. These cookies should remain inactive until the user gives informed consent. With Adalo, you can easily design consent screens using the visual builder. For instance, you can add toggles or checkboxes linked to user profile fields, such as a "Marketing Consent" toggle, allowing users to control the type of communications they want to receive.

Keep in mind that major app stores require a privacy policy that’s easy to access. This is often presented during onboarding or made available in the account settings.

If your app is designed for children under 13, you’ll need to implement verifiable parental consent methods, such as credit card verification or security questions. This ensures compliance with COPPA in the US and GDPR in the EU.

Build User Rights Workflows

Collecting consent is just the beginning. It's equally important to give users control over their data. GDPR grants users rights such as accessing, correcting, deleting, or transferring their personal information. Your app should include intuitive workflows to support these rights.

For example, you can add a "Download My Data" button that exports their information in a CSV or PDF format. Additionally, provide a way for users to update their profile details directly. Including a "Delete My Account" option empowers users to remove their data entirely from your system.

Consent should be as easy to withdraw as it is to give. Ensure that toggles update in real time - if a user opts out of marketing communications, this change should reflect immediately in your database to stop related activities. Present consent requests in context, such as asking for location data only when a specific feature needs it. This transparency can help build trust with your users.

Using Adalo’s visual builder, you can design consent screens that seamlessly blend with your app’s overall look. Customize fonts, colors, and layouts to create a polished, native experience that aligns with your branding.

Step 3: Configure Data Security and Protection Measures

When it comes to GDPR compliance, safeguarding user data isn't just a recommendation - it's a requirement. Beyond managing consent, you need to ensure that all collected data is securely stored and handled. This means implementing encryption, access controls, and retention policies to prevent unauthorized access while limiting how long data is stored. These steps also support data minimization efforts and retention guidelines.

Implement Data Security Controls

Encryption is a cornerstone of data security. It protects information both when it's being transmitted and when it's stored. Make sure your provider has encryption enabled and configured correctly to avoid vulnerabilities.

Access control is another key factor. By setting database permissions like "Only the Record Creator" or "Only Logged In Users", you can restrict who can view or modify data. Adalo makes this process straightforward, with settings that align with GDPR standards. For instance:

"Only the Record Creator": Ensures users can only access their own data.
"Only Logged In Users": Restricts access to authenticated users.
"Nobody": Limits access to administrative purposes via the Builder UI.

To maintain accountability, use audit logs to track data access. This is especially important for apps handling sensitive information, such as health or financial data, as it provides a clear record for compliance audits.

Keep in mind that GDPR requires you to notify authorities and affected users of a data breach within 72 hours. To meet this requirement, invest in monitoring systems that can quickly detect and report potential issues.

Apply Data Minimization and Retention Policies

Restricting data collection and retention is just as important as controlling access. Data minimization means gathering only the information you truly need. Before adding a new field to your database, ask yourself: "Is this necessary for my app to function?" For example, a fitness tracker might require age and weight for calculations, but it likely doesn’t need a user's home address. The less data you collect, the smaller your risk exposure.

Retention policies dictate how long you keep personal data. According to Article 5(e) of the GDPR, data should only be stored as long as it’s needed for its intended purpose. Once that purpose is fulfilled, the data should be deleted or anonymized.

Adalo's visual logic builder makes it easy to automate retention workflows. For example, you could set up a monthly process to flag accounts inactive for 24 months. These flagged records can then be archived, deleted, or reviewed manually based on your needs. If you still need the data for analysis but don’t require personal identifiers, anonymize it by removing names, email addresses, and other sensitive details.

Adalo’s single-codebase architecture simplifies compliance even further. When you configure security settings, they automatically apply across web, iOS, and Android versions of your app. This consistency minimizes the risk of errors that could compromise user data, ensuring a uniform level of protection across all platforms.

Step 4: Prepare for Compliance Audits and Data Breaches

Once you've tackled data protection and consent management, the next step is ensuring you can prove compliance and handle potential breaches effectively. GDPR not only requires you to protect data but also to demonstrate how you're doing it. This means maintaining detailed documentation and having systems in place to respond quickly to incidents. Under Article 30, you need to maintain Records of Processing Activities (ROPA), which detail what data you collect, why you collect it, and how you secure it. During an audit, regulators will scrutinize these records alongside your incident response plans to verify compliance.

The stakes are high - non-compliance fines can reach up to €20 million or 4% of your global annual revenue. Even if a third-party subprocessor causes the breach, you're still liable. That’s why it’s essential to integrate audit trails and incident response workflows into your app from the beginning, rather than scrambling to compile documentation when an audit looms. Building these systems early not only ensures smoother compliance but also prepares you for quick and efficient breach responses.

Automate Compliance Audits

Internal audits are a critical way to ensure your data handling practices align with your documented policies. This includes tracking who accessed data, when consent was obtained, and whether your retention policies are being enforced.

Adalo makes this process easier with built-in audit logging, which automatically tracks data access and modifications, complete with timestamps and user identifiers. These logs can be exported during audits, helping you demonstrate accountability as required under Article 5. Adalo's unified architecture also ensures consistent security settings, reducing the risk of platform-specific vulnerabilities.

You can use Adalo's analytics tools to regularly review data flows and access patterns. Since GDPR compliance is an ongoing effort, maintaining a checklist that covers encryption protocols, access controls, and automated deletion workflows can help you stay prepared for regulatory scrutiny.

Create Breach Notification Workflows

Once you've set up robust audit logging, focus on automating your breach notification processes. GDPR mandates that you notify supervisory authorities within 72 hours if a breach risks the rights and freedoms of data subjects. With such a tight deadline, manual processes are impractical - automated workflows are a must.

Adalo allows you to configure custom actions that trigger alerts when specific conditions are detected, such as multiple failed login attempts, unusual access patterns, or unauthorized queries. Pre-drafted notification templates can be set up to include all required details: the nature of the breach, the categories and approximate number of affected users, potential consequences, and mitigation steps taken.

Your workflow should also automatically log all breach-related communications, creating an auditable trail that shows you responded promptly. Include steps to query your database for affected users and calculate the breach's scope, then use automation to generate standardized notification documents. This approach reduces human error and ensures your responses are consistent - an important factor regulators will evaluate after a breach.

To ensure your breach notification process works as intended, conduct regular tabletop exercises. Simulate breach scenarios to confirm that alerts are triggered correctly, notifications reach the right people, and all actions are logged appropriately. These drills can help you identify gaps in your workflow and refine your response plan.

After setting up effective privacy controls and user consent mechanisms, the next step is ensuring your app remains GDPR-compliant through deployment and ongoing maintenance.

When you launch your app, keep in mind that GDPR compliance is not a one-time task. The regulation requires that privacy and security measures evolve alongside your app. This means your publishing process and maintenance strategy must ensure compliance across all platforms as updates are made.

Adalo simplifies this process with its single-codebase architecture. Updates are applied instantly across web, iOS, and Android platforms, reducing the risk of platform-specific vulnerabilities that can arise when managing separate codebases.

Test and Publish Your App

Before making your app live, thoroughly test all GDPR-related features in a staging environment. Confirm that:

Consent banners display correctly.
User rights workflows (like data deletion or access requests) function as intended.
Database permissions restrict access appropriately.
Authentication flows operate smoothly.

Once testing is complete, deploy your app using Adalo's native workflows. Updates to database permissions or access controls take effect immediately, even during deployment, without waiting for app store approvals.

To minimize risks during rollout, consider phased releases. Apple offers a Phased Release option, gradually distributing your app over seven days, while Google’s Staged Rollouts let you control the percentage of users receiving updates. These methods allow you to monitor for potential compliance issues and pause the rollout if necessary to address any problems.

Once the app is live, the focus shifts to ongoing monitoring and timely updates to ensure continued compliance.

Monitor and Update for Continued Compliance

GDPR compliance doesn’t stop at launch. As Adhiran Thirmal, Sr Solutions Engineer at Security Compass, explains:

Maintaining GDPR compliance is a continuous endeavor that demands ongoing vigilance and adjustment.

Your app will evolve - whether through new features, third-party integrations, or regulatory changes - and this requires constant oversight.

Conduct quarterly audits to review your app’s data flows, access controls, and retention policies. Adalo's X-Ray tool can help you monitor data movements and identify anomalies that might indicate security issues, such as unauthorized access. The Analytics Tab provides insights into user activity, making it easier to spot unusual behavior like repeated failed login attempts. Additionally, maintain a PII ledger to track the personal data you collect, its purpose, lawful processing basis, and retention periods, which will be invaluable during regulatory audits.

Third-party integrations also require careful attention. If your app connects with services like Stripe, Airtable, or Google Sheets, ensure those providers meet GDPR standards and have active Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) in place. Regularly review these integrations, and always test new connections in a staging environment before deploying them live.

When updates to security features or compliance workflows are needed, Adalo’s Web Publishing Controls allow you to make changes without disrupting your users. As the Adalo team highlights:

Adalo's app builder allows you to update your app without disrupting your users' experience. With our Web Publishing Controls, your app can continue to grow and change over time.

Updates to collection permissions and database security rules are applied immediately across all platforms, ensuring seamless maintenance.

Feature	Maintenance Benefit	GDPR Alignment
X-Ray Tool	Identifies data flow issues and anomalies	Security & Monitoring
Analytics Tab	Tracks user activity and screen visits	Accountability
Collection Permissions	Real-time updates to access controls	Data Protection by Design
Phased Release	Gradual rollout to catch issues early	Risk Mitigation

As your app grows, always incorporate privacy by design into new features. Before launching updates, ask yourself:

Does this feature collect personal data?
Are updated consent mechanisms or privacy policies required?
Do any new third-party integrations comply with GDPR?

Staying proactive with these questions will help you avoid compliance gaps as your app evolves.

Conclusion

The no-code revolution has made GDPR compliance achievable for everyone. By following five key steps - selecting a platform with GDPR-ready features, managing consent and user rights, securing data, preparing for audits and breaches, and staying compliant - you can build secure, regulation-friendly apps in just days or weeks.

Platforms like Adalo simplify this process by integrating privacy-focused features directly into their development tools. With built-in capabilities such as user authentication, role-based access controls, audit logs, and encrypted database management, there's no need to set up separate compliance systems. Over 1,000,000 apps have already been built using Adalo, proving that businesses, agencies, and entrepreneurs can create production-ready applications without hiring specialized developers or compliance experts.

This approach streamlines app development while addressing critical risks. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue, but the tools to mitigate these risks are now more accessible than ever. Start with a data audit to map your flows and create your ROPA, then use Adalo's no-code tools to implement consent management, data minimization, and automated breach notifications. Before publishing, ensure your compliance features are thoroughly tested, and plan for regular audits to keep up with regulatory changes.

Whether you're building an MVP, creating mobile interfaces for existing systems, or developing internal tools, GDPR compliance doesn’t have to slow you down. With the right platform and a commitment to privacy, you can launch secure, compliant apps quickly - earning both user trust and regulatory confidence.

FAQs

To keep your no-code app aligned with GDPR requirements, make it a habit to review and adjust your app’s data management practices. Clearly define and implement user permissions for data collection, ensuring your app gathers only the information it needs to function effectively.

Keep up with changes in privacy laws, such as GDPR, CCPA, and the Cookie Law, and integrate these updates into your app’s design and upkeep. Regular audits are also essential - check that user data is stored and processed securely and complies with the latest regulations.

Treat compliance as an ongoing effort. This not only safeguards user privacy but also helps you earn and maintain their trust.

To comply with GDPR, a no-code platform needs to have certain critical features, such as secure data handling, user consent management, and tools for transparency.

Secure data handling ensures that sensitive information is protected by controlling who can access it and by defining clear permissions for how data is collected and used. This prevents unauthorized access and misuse.

Consent management plays a key role in meeting GDPR standards. It ensures that users provide informed consent before their data is collected or processed, and it keeps a record of that consent for accountability.

Transparency is equally important. The platform should offer tools to clearly document privacy practices, making it easy to comply with GDPR rules like data minimization and secure storage. Together, these features protect user rights and help developers create compliant apps without writing a single line of code.

To ensure your no-code app aligns with GDPR requirements, you need to prioritize responsible handling of user consent and data rights. Start by being upfront about the data you collect and how it will be used. This can be achieved by integrating clear privacy notices and consent forms directly into your app. With Adalo, you can easily configure permissions for sensitive information, such as email addresses or dates of birth, ensuring that only authorized users have access to modify or view this data.

Adalo also allows you to create workflows where users must explicitly agree to your data collection policies before proceeding. Its user authentication and role-based permissions help you manage data access based on specific user roles. Furthermore, it’s crucial to empower users to exercise their rights, such as viewing, updating, or deleting their personal data. Adalo’s built-in database tools make it simple to implement these features without the need for custom coding, keeping your app in line with GDPR standards.