Looking to build a property leasing app without coding? Here's the solution: Adalo. This no-code platform simplifies app creation, allowing you to design, publish, and manage apps for web, iOS, and Android - all from a single build. Whether you're a landlord, property manager, or tenant, a custom app can streamline tasks like listings, rent payments, and maintenance requests.
Key Steps to Build Your App:
- Set Up Your Workspace: Use Adalo’s real estate templates to save time.
- Design Features: Create property listings, tenant dashboards, and admin tools with drag-and-drop elements.
- Integrate Payments: Add Stripe for rent collection and secure transactions.
- Enable Communication: Use in-app messaging for tenant-landlord interactions.
- Publish Across Platforms: Deploy to web, iOS, and Android without rebuilding.
With Adalo, you can reduce development time to just weeks and start with a free plan. Paid publishing costs include $99/year for Apple and a $25 one-time fee for Google. This guide walks you through every step to launch your app efficiently.
6 Steps to Build a Property Leasing App with Adalo
Step 1: Set Up Your Adalo Workspace
Create a New App Project
Start by logging in to Adalo and clicking "Create New App". When asked to pick an app type, go with "Mobile App" - this ensures your design works well on both mobile and web devices.
To save time, use Adalo's Real Estate Agent App Template. This template includes essential screens like listings, login, and property upload, along with a pre-configured database for properties, tenants, and payments.
Once your project opens, you'll see the builder interface. It features a top navigation bar, a central canvas for designing screens, and a left-hand toolbar with key tools. These include the Add Panel (+) for dragging in elements, the Branding tab for customizing colors and fonts, the Database tab for managing your data, and the Settings tab for adjusting your app name and icons.
Next, it's time to set up your database - and here’s where Adalo’s AI can help.
Use AI to Build Your Database
Adalo's AI can quickly create a database structure tailored to your app. The database relies on three main components: Collections (similar to spreadsheets that group related data), Properties (fields within each collection, like an address or rent amount), and Records (actual data entries).
Every app includes a default Users Collection for handling signups and logins. For a property leasing app, you'll also need a Listings Collection. This collection might include fields like:
- Address: Use the Location type, which requires a Google Maps API key.
- Bedrooms and Bathrooms: Number types for easy input.
- Monthly Rent: Another Number type for rental amounts.
- Primary Image: An Image type for the main property photo.
- Listing Photos: A one-to-many relationship to store multiple images per property.
You might also create collections for Tenants to store renter profiles and Payments to track rent transactions and deposits.
To view and edit these collections, click the database icon. Replace the template's placeholder data with your actual property details. If additional fields are needed, click "Add Properties" to customize the database to your specific requirements.
With your database ready, the next step is to define user roles for better access control.
Set Up User Roles and Permissions
A property leasing app typically requires different access levels for various users. To manage this, add a "User Type" property to your Users Collection. Set it as a Text field with dropdown options like "Tenant", "Landlord", and "Admin."
This property allows you to control what each user type can access. For example:
- Tenants might see property search tools and maintenance request forms.
- Landlords can access property management features and payment tracking.
- Admins have full access to all properties and user data.
Use Adalo's conditional visibility rules to manage these permissions. When designing screens, specify which elements are visible to each user type. This ensures everyone sees only what they need - nothing extra. Since the Users Collection is a core feature of every Adalo app, this role property will remain active throughout the app's lifecycle.
Step 2: Design the Tenant Dashboard and Property Listings
Build Property Listings
Start by adding a Custom List from your Listings Collection to showcase essential property details like the address, rent, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and a primary image. This list dynamically pulls data, ensuring users see accurate and up-to-date information for each property.
For the property detail screen, include an Image Carousel at the top. This feature allows tenants to swipe through multiple photos, with indicator dots showing their position in the gallery. Beneath the carousel, create a grid of text labels to present important details such as square footage, rent (formatted as currency, e.g., $1,500/month), and lease terms.
Enhance the browsing experience with a search bar at the top of the listings screen. Add filters for price range, number of bedrooms, and location, using Adalo's filtering options to help tenants refine their search results. Make sure the filtering system is straightforward and responsive - online property searches often set high user expectations. For mobile users, ensure touch targets are at least 48x48 pixels to avoid accidental taps.
This setup provides a solid framework for displaying dynamic property information. Once complete, you can shift focus to designing a customized tenant dashboard.
Create a Tenant Dashboard
The tenant dashboard will serve as the main screen for logged-in users. Use text labels with Magic Text (Adalo's dynamic data feature) and list components to build this interface. At the top, display the tenant's current property address alongside a "My Lease" section, which shows lease start and end dates pulled from your Leases Collection.
Include a Payments section to display the tenant's rent status. Add a "Pay Rent" button that only appears when a payment is due. Below that, create a Maintenance Requests list, filtered to show only the logged-in user's requests. Use status indicators like "New", "Scheduled", or "Completed" to provide real-time updates on service requests.
Finally, add a bottom tab bar with four sections: My Lease, Payments, Maintenance, and Profile. Use a filtering rule - User > Email equals Logged In User > Email - to ensure tenants only see their own information. This personalized dashboard keeps everything tenants need at their fingertips.
Step 3: Add Maintenance Requests and Messaging
Set Up Maintenance Request Forms
Start by creating a "Maintenance Requests" collection. Include fields like Issue Title (Text), Description (Long Text), Photo (Image), Unit Number (Number), and a Complete flag (True/False). Link each record to a user in the Users collection for better organization and tracking.
Next, design a form on a new screen and connect it to the Maintenance Requests collection. Make sure the Photo field is enabled so tenants can upload images, which helps speed up issue assessments. Set the form's submit action to create a new record and redirect users back to their dashboard after submission.
To help property managers stay on top of unresolved issues, add a status filter on the admin dashboard. Configure it to show only pending requests - those not marked as complete. This way, managers can quickly identify what needs attention without sorting through completed tasks.
Add In-App Messaging
Once maintenance reporting is streamlined, take communication a step further by incorporating in-app messaging. Use Adalo's User Chat feature template, which automatically generates the necessary screens and database collections for Conversations and Messages while linking them to your Users collection. According to the Adalo team:
"Adalo has a convenient messaging feature that you can plug into your app. Using this to directly chat with tenants keeps all your rental-related conversations in one place, so neither you nor your tenants need to fumble through text messages or other chat histories".
After adding the template, customize the chat interface to reflect your property management branding - adjust colors, fonts, and other design elements. Test the messaging system by creating tenant and landlord accounts, then use the Preview App button to send and receive messages. For added clarity, filter the message list to display only tenant-specific conversations, ensuring privacy and easy navigation.
This messaging system pairs perfectly with the maintenance workflow, enabling tenants to report issues and follow up seamlessly. At the same time, property managers can coordinate repairs and updates with their teams - all within one unified platform.
Step 4: Build the Admin Dashboard
Design the Admin Overview
Using the database relationships set up earlier, the Admin Dashboard serves as the central hub for managing properties, tenants, and maintenance tasks. Begin by creating a new screen named "Admin Overview" and include a Custom List component linked to your Properties collection. This list should display essential property details such as the title, location, status (Available, Leased, or Under Maintenance), and the number of tenants. To streamline property management, add "Edit" and "View Details" buttons for quick access to specific property information.
Next, create another list specifically filtered to show only pending Maintenance Requests. Include details like the issue title, unit number, submission date (formatted as MM/DD/YYYY), and tenant name. This layout allows property managers to quickly identify and address unresolved issues without sifting through completed tasks.
To support these features, ensure your database relationships are structured correctly. Use a many-to-many relationship between the Properties collection and the Users collection to link tenants. Additionally, establish a one-to-many relationship between Properties and Maintenance Requests. This setup enables managers to click on a property and instantly view its associated tenants and any reported maintenance problems.
For financial tracking, include a summary section at the top of the dashboard. Display metrics such as the total number of properties, occupied units, and the monthly rent collected (formatted as $1,234.56). Use square feet (sq ft) for property measurements to align with U.S. standards.
Finally, secure this overview by implementing role-based access controls, as outlined below.
Implement Role-Based Access Control
Once your data is organized, it's time to secure access to the Admin Dashboard. Using the user roles defined earlier, limit access to admin-specific features. Assign the appropriate role to each user to ensure they can only access the features relevant to them.
Set visibility rules for your admin screens. Group all admin components and configure their visibility so they are only accessible when the "Logged In User's User Type equals Admin." This ensures that even if a tenant manages to navigate to the admin URL, they will encounter a blank screen instead of sensitive data.
For menu items or buttons linking to the Admin Dashboard, add visibility conditions to ensure they appear only for users with the Admin role. Test the system thoroughly using accounts with different roles - Tenant, Landlord, and Admin - to confirm that only authorized users can access restricted features like editing property listings, approving maintenance requests, or viewing financial details.
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Step 5: Integrate Payments and Booking Management
Bringing payments and booking management into your app ties together financial transactions and scheduling, creating a unified and efficient system.
Set Up Rent Payments
To enable rent collection, start by adding the Stripe Payment component from the Adalo marketplace. First, create a Stripe account outside the platform. Once that’s done, go to your app editor, click on "Add Elements and Screens," and locate the Stripe Payment kit. Drag and drop the Stripe button onto your tenant payment screen.
Next, build a "Payments" collection and include the following fields:
- Payment amount: A number field for rent in USD.
- Due date: A date field in MM/DD/YYYY format.
- Payment status: Options such as "Pending", "Completed", and "Overdue."
- Relationships: Link data to the tenant and property collections.
This setup allows you to track rent payments for each tenant and generate automated reports. Use Magic Text to configure the Stripe button so it pulls the rent amount from the corresponding property listing, sends the receipt to the logged-in user's email, and includes a description like "Monthly Rent – [Property Address]."
Test the payment process by enabling Test Mode and using the card number 4242 4242 4242 4242. Once a payment is successful, set the submit button to update the payment status to "Completed" and record the transaction date. On the tenant dashboard, display upcoming payments, including the property address, formatted rent amount (e.g., "$X,XXX.XX"), due date, and payment status. Also, add a section to show the history of completed payments.
Once rent payments are up and running, you’re ready to incorporate property booking management.
Add Booking Management
With payments integrated, booking management becomes seamless, ensuring accurate property availability and secure deposits. Start by creating a "Bookings" collection in your database. Include these fields:
- Check-in date and Check-out date (or showing date/time for viewings).
- Booking status: Options like "Available", "Reserved", "Occupied", and "Cancelled."
- Relationships: Link the collection to both Properties and Users.
This setup ensures properties can’t be double-booked, and availability updates automatically.
Design a "Book Property" screen that includes the property summary (image, address, bedroom and bathroom count, square footage), date pickers for the desired dates, and a dynamically calculated total cost. To calculate the total, multiply the nightly rate by the number of nights and add any applicable fees. Include a Stripe payment button to finalize the booking and process the payment.
For property managers, add a Calendar component to the admin dashboard. Link the calendar to the Bookings collection, and use color-coding for easy navigation: green for confirmed bookings, yellow for pending, and red for cancelled. This gives managers a clear view of property availability and occupancy.
Finally, test the entire booking system. Use different user accounts (tenant and landlord roles) to ensure only available dates can be selected, payments are processed correctly, and booking confirmations appear on both the tenant dashboard and admin calendar. Use Stripe’s Test Mode to simulate transactions and confirm database updates before going live with real payments.
Step 6: Test, Launch, and Scale Your App
Your property leasing app is almost ready to go live. The final steps are all about ensuring everything runs smoothly, publishing it to the right platforms, and setting the stage for growth.
Validate Cross-Platform Performance
Start by running usability tests with a small group of 3–5 target users. Focus on how they interact with key features like property booking, submitting maintenance requests, and rent payments. Use task-based testing - ask them to complete specific actions like booking a property viewing or processing a payment. Encourage them to share their thoughts as they navigate the app. This will help you uncover any areas of confusion or friction.
Next, test your app across web, iOS, and Android platforms using Adalo's preview tools. Pay close attention to interactive elements - make sure buttons and links are at least 44×44 pixels for easy tapping - and verify that layouts adjust seamlessly across devices. With over 85% of internet users accessing apps and websites via mobile devices in 2024, a smooth mobile experience is critical. In fact, about 57% of users say they wouldn’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile interface.
Before submitting your app to the app stores, share a web-based preview link with external testers. This allows them to try the app on their own devices and provide feedback. Test role-based features by logging in as different user types - tenant, landlord, and admin - to ensure everyone only sees the screens and data they’re supposed to access. Once you’ve confirmed the app works flawlessly across all platforms, you’re ready to deploy it using Adalo's tools.
Publish with Adalo's Deployment Tools
To publish your app, you’ll need a paid Adalo plan (Starter, Professional, Team, or Business). Adalo’s single-build system simplifies the process, allowing you to publish your app to the web, Google Play Store, and Apple App Store from one build - no need to manage separate codebases.
For the Apple App Store, you’ll need an Apple Developer account, which costs $99 per year. In Adalo, go to the "Launch" tab, expand the iOS App section, and enter your Apple credentials and Bundle ID. Be careful with the Bundle ID - extra spaces can cause build errors. Customize your app’s display name, launch screen, and permission requests as needed. Apple requires you to explain why your app needs access to features like the camera, photos, or location. Once set, initiate a Testflight build and wait for an email notification. Testflight allows you to invite up to 100 internal testers and 10,000 external testers for feedback. Most Apple apps are approved within 48 hours, though complex ones may take longer.
For the Google Play Store, you’ll need an Android developer account, which requires a one-time fee of $25. In Adalo, click "Publish", upload your Android developer key, and submit the app through the Google Play Console. Prepare an app icon, 4–5 screenshots for each device type, and metadata like the app title, description, and keywords.
If you’re publishing to the web, Adalo 2.0 makes it easy to manage updates manually. Use the "Publish" toggle in your settings to control when changes go live, giving you more flexibility.
Update and Scale Your App
Once your app is live, keeping it updated and responsive is key to staying competitive. Adalo’s visual builder allows you to make quick updates without rebuilding the app from scratch. Since the platform uses a single codebase, any changes you make are instantly applied across web, iOS, and Android. This means you can roll out updates quickly and keep all platforms perfectly in sync.
Use Adalo’s built-in Analytics tab to monitor performance. Track metrics like daily active users, user locations, and the most-visited screens. This data will help you identify where to focus your efforts as you scale. Before expanding to a larger audience, stress-test your app with 50–100 realistic property listings and multiple user roles to ensure it can handle increased activity.
For more advanced functionality, you can connect your app to external data sources using REST APIs and workflow automation tools. As your user base grows, consider implementing role-based access control with conditional visibility to manage tenants, landlords, and agents efficiently. With 97% of homebuyers relying on online tools during their property search, your app has the potential to capture a significant share of the market.
Conclusion
Now you have a clear pathway to create a property leasing app for web, iOS, and Android - without writing a single line of code. By using Adalo's app builder, you can dramatically reduce the traditional development timeline from months to just a few weeks.
With Adalo's single-build system, you can manage everything from one platform. Updates roll out instantly across all devices, giving you a competitive edge in a market where 97% of homebuyers turn to online tools during their property search. This level of efficiency ensures your operations remain smooth and effective.
Adalo's infrastructure is built to handle serious demand. Its hosted database can process over 20 million daily requests, and features like Stripe integration, role-based access control, and in-app messaging equip you with the tools needed to run a professional leasing business. You're not just building an app; you're launching a fully scalable business solution. This unified approach aligns perfectly with the strategies outlined in this guide.
You can start with Adalo's free plan to design and test your app. When you're ready to go live, publishing is straightforward: submit your app to the Apple App Store for $99 per year and the Google Play Store for a one-time fee of $25. Adalo's visual builder also makes it easy to refine your app based on user feedback, ensuring it evolves with your audience.
FAQs
How does Adalo manage the database for a property leasing app?
Adalo’s no-code platform includes a built-in cloud database that functions much like a spreadsheet. It lets you create collections (essentially tables) to house all the data your app requires - whether it’s properties, tenants, lease agreements, or payments. These collections can store a wide range of data types, such as text, numbers, dates, images, and even location data. You can also establish relationships between collections, like connecting a property to multiple leases, to keep your app’s data organized and interconnected.
Everything is managed directly within Adalo’s editor. Here, you can create fields, define data types, and manage user access with collection permissions. The platform supports importing and exporting data using CSV files and even includes a Location field, perfect for features like map-based property searches. Since the database is cloud-based, your app can update, filter, and display data in real-time. This makes it easy to handle workflows for property listings, tenant communication, rent payments, and booking management - all without needing to write a single line of code.
What are the fees for publishing a property leasing app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store?
Publishing your app on the Apple App Store comes with an annual fee of $99, while the Google Play Store only requires a one-time payment of $25. These fees grant you the ability to distribute your app on their platforms and provide access to essential developer tools and resources.
How can I make sure my property leasing app is secure and only accessible to the right users?
To keep your property leasing app secure, start by leveraging Adalo's Authentication feature. This ensures every user logs in with a unique email and password. Once users are signed in, assign them specific roles - like tenant, landlord, or admin - and set visibility rules to manage who can view certain screens, buttons, or data. This helps safeguard sensitive information, such as lease agreements and payment details, from falling into the wrong hands.
Strengthen your app's security further by implementing best practices. Require strong passwords, use Adalo's encrypted cloud storage, and ensure all data transfers occur over HTTPS. Regularly review and update permissions as your app evolves, and consider enabling two-factor authentication, especially for admin accounts. By combining these steps, you can effectively limit access to authorized users and protect your app's data.
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