Building a mobile app no longer requires coding skills. With tools like Adalo, you can create responsive apps for iOS, Android, and web using a drag-and-drop interface. Adalo’s features include pre-built templates, AI-powered design tools, and automatic updates across platforms. By 2026, 70% of new enterprise apps are expected to use low-code or no-code platforms, saving time and reducing costs by up to 40%. This guide walks you through designing, building, and publishing your app step-by-step.
Key Points:
- Adalo’s Magic Start: Describe your idea, and it generates a working app foundation.
- Responsive Design: Works across mobile, tablet, and desktop with layout customization options.
- Database Management: Organize data with collections and relationships.
- Publishing: Deploy to app stores or web from a single build.
Adalo simplifies app creation, making it accessible and efficient. Start building your app today.
5-Step Process to Build and Publish a No-Code Mobile App with Adalo
Setting Up Your Adalo Workspace
Create an Adalo Account and Start a New Project
Head over to Adalo's homepage to create a free account - no credit card needed. The sign-up process is straightforward, and you'll gain instant access to the builder interface. Once you're logged in, use the app selector dropdown to click "Create New App" and kick off your first project.
Next, you'll choose between two layout options: "Mobile, Tablet, and Desktop" (responsive) or "Mobile Only". For simplicity, beginners often start with "Mobile Only", but for this guide, go with "Mobile, Tablet, and Desktop" to create a fully responsive app from the outset.
Give your app a name, assign it to a team, and pick initial branding colors (you can tweak these later). With that, you're ready to dive in.
Before jumping straight into the design, take a moment to outline your app's goals and structure. A clear plan will make the design process smoother.
Define Your App's Purpose and Structure
Before opening the visual editor, take a step back to clarify your app's purpose. Adalo offers two ways to define your app's structure: Magic Start AI or pre-built templates.
With Magic Start, all you need to do is type a plain-language description like "a booking app for a dog grooming business." The AI will then create a foundation for your app, including the database structure, screens, and user flows - all within minutes. This gives you a solid starting point that you can easily customize.
If you'd rather not use Magic Start, Adalo also has a library of nearly 40 templates to choose from. Popular options include:
- Course/Booking Template: Perfect for educators and coaches.
- E-commerce/Online Store Template: Ideal for selling products.
- Social Media Template: Great for building niche communities.
These templates come with pre-designed screens, logic, and database setups, making it easier to see how components work across different device sizes. This is especially helpful when you're getting familiar with responsive design.
Once your project is set up, you'll enter Adalo's builder interface. Here, the central canvas is your workspace for dragging and dropping components. On the left-hand side, the Editing Dashboard gives you access to screens, components, integrations like Stripe, and other customization tools. Adalo's builder can display up to 400 screens, giving you a complete view of your app's architecture.
Designing Responsive Screens with Adalo's Visual Editor
Using Drag-and-Drop Components
Adalo's visual editor keeps things simple with its drag-and-drop functionality. From the Editing Dashboard, you can access core components like buttons, forms, text fields, images, and lists. Just click on the component you need, drop it into your design, and customize its look and behavior using the properties panel.
Want to tweak colors? No problem. Need a button to navigate to another screen? Set that action up in seconds. If you're working with data, drag in a "List" to display database feeds or add a "Form" to collect user input directly into your collections.
This intuitive interface has empowered creators to build over 3 million apps - all without writing a single line of code. Plus, since Adalo uses a single codebase for web, iOS, and Android, every component you add works seamlessly across all platforms. You won’t have to rebuild your app for different devices.
Once your components are in place, it’s time to fine-tune their layout for various screen sizes.
Making Your Layout Work Across Devices
After setting up your components, the next step is ensuring your layout adapts smoothly to different devices.
Adalo’s responsive builder includes three breakpoints: Desktop (992px+), Tablet (768px–991px), and Mobile (up to 767px). Use the Screen Size Switcher at the top of the builder to preview how your design will look on each device.
By default, components follow Shared Layout settings, meaning any layout changes apply across all screen sizes. But what if you want a different arrangement - like stacking buttons vertically on mobile but aligning them horizontally on desktop? Simply disable Shared Layout for that screen size to switch to Custom Layout mode. This lets you adjust positioning, scaling, and anchoring independently for each device type.
A mobile-first design approach works best. It ensures components don’t overflow or misalign when viewed on smaller screens. To make adjustments easier, use Rectangle components as containers to group related elements like text, images, and buttons. This way, you can move entire sections as a unit when refining layouts. Additionally, visibility toggles allow you to control what users see based on their device - like showing a full sidebar on desktop but replacing it with a compact menu icon on mobile.
Building Logic and Database for Dynamic Functionality
Creating and Managing Collections
In Adalo, data is organized into Collections, which function like tables in a database. Every app includes a default Users collection that serves as the foundation and cannot be removed. Beyond this, you can create additional Collections tailored to your app's needs. For example, a marketplace app might require Collections like Products, Orders, and Reviews, while a fitness app might rely on Workouts, Progress, and Goals.
To set up a Collection, head to the Database tab (the red icon), click "Create Collection", and assign a name that reflects its purpose. Next, define the properties for the data each record will hold. Adalo supports various property types, including Text, Number, True/False (boolean), Date/Time, Image, and File. Images and files have a 50MB limit, while the Number property accommodates up to 15 digits, including decimals and negative values.
Relationships allow you to link Collections, enabling more complex data structures. For example, a one-to-many relationship works well when a single user can create multiple posts, while a many-to-many relationship suits situations like events with multiple hosts. As you set up relationships, rename the related properties in both Collections to keep your database organized as it grows. You can populate Collections manually, import data via CSV files, or let users contribute by submitting records through Forms.
Once your Collections are ready, you can move on to building interactivity that makes your app dynamic and engaging.
Adding Actions and Filters for Interactivity
With your data structured, the next step is to bring your app to life using Actions and Filters. Actions define the logic triggered by user interactions. For instance, when a user clicks a button or submits a form, Actions like "Create Record" (adding new data), "Update Record" (editing existing data), "Delete Record" (removing entries), or "Navigate to Screen" (switching pages) are executed.
Adding a Form to your app is straightforward. Drop a Form component onto your screen, link each input field to its corresponding Collection property (e.g., connecting an email input to Users.Email), and set the Form Action to "Create" a new record in the Users Collection. For a polished experience, you can add visibility conditions to show a success message after submission, ensuring the process feels seamless across iOS, Android, and web platforms.
Filters make your app dynamic by tailoring content to each user. Filters query your Collections in real time, displaying only the relevant data. For example, in a social feed, you might filter the "Posts" Collection to show content from "Current User Followers" where the User matches the current user. Pair Filters with Actions for added interactivity - like a "Like" button that updates a post's like count while refreshing the list in real time. This approach ensures responsiveness without requiring backend coding.
Adalo’s database can handle up to 50,000 records on standard plans, making it suitable for small to mid-sized apps while maintaining smooth performance across devices.
An Overview of Adalo | A No Code App Builder Tutorial
sbb-itb-d4116c7
Testing and Optimizing Your App for Responsiveness
Adalo provides tools that combine performance analysis with cross-device testing, making it easier to ensure your app is both responsive and efficient.
Using X-Ray AI for Performance Analysis
Adalo's X-Ray AI tool evaluates your app's performance and assigns it a score between 0 and 100. This score reflects how well your app performs in terms of speed and reliability across devices, helping you identify and address issues before users encounter them.
X-Ray focuses on three key areas:
- Database queries: Ensures data loads efficiently into lists.
- Page rendering: Tracks how quickly components display on the screen.
- Network interactions: Monitors third-party integrations, like Google Maps.
When X-Ray detects issues - such as overloaded lists or large image files - it suggests actionable fixes, like optimizing filters or compressing media.
To test your app's responsiveness, use the Screen Size Switcher in the builder's top-left corner. This feature lets you see how your layout adjusts across different breakpoints. For example, you can spot and resolve issues like text overflowing on mobile screens or buttons disappearing on tablets in real time.
These tools allow you to fine-tune your app so it performs consistently across all devices.
Previewing and Testing on Multiple Devices
Once you've addressed performance bottlenecks with X-Ray AI, the next step is to preview and test your app on various devices.
Adalo offers two preview modes through the Preview button:
- Mobile App Preview: Displays your app within a device frame.
- Responsive App: Adapts the app's layout to match your browser size.
These modes allow you to experience your app as users would on iOS, Android, and the web. You can also test your app's behavior on desktop, tablet, and mobile breakpoints using the Screen Size Switcher or by manually setting a custom width. Be sure to test both portrait and landscape orientations for a complete picture.
For more precise testing, use Responsive App mode with browser simulation tools to mimic specific device resolutions, such as an iPhone SE. A mobile-first approach - designing for smaller screens first and scaling up - can help avoid issues like desktop layouts spilling over on mobile. Additionally, grouping related components inside a Rectangle component ensures layouts stay consistent as screen sizes vary.
| Device Type | Screen Width | Testing Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | Up to 767px | Touch targets, text readability, vertical scrolling |
| Tablet | 768px – 991px | Two-column layouts, navigation transitions |
| Desktop | Over 992px | Multi-column grids, expanded navigation |
When you're confident in your app's performance, publish it and share the URL for broader testing. Since Adalo builds one app that works seamlessly across iOS, Android, and the web from a single codebase, any improvements you make will apply across all platforms automatically, saving you time and effort.
Publishing Your App to Web and App Stores
Once your app has been thoroughly tested, it’s time to bring it to life by publishing it. Adalo makes this process straightforward with its unified build system, allowing you to deploy your app to the web, Apple App Store, and Google Play Store - all from a single build.
Generating Native Builds
Adalo simplifies the creation of native builds for both iOS and Android. Head to the Publish tab in your app dashboard and choose either Native App for mobile platforms or Web App for browser deployment. Before starting, ensure you’ve uploaded essential assets like app icons (1024x1024px) and splash screens. If anything is missing, Adalo’s dashboard will notify you.
When you’re ready, click Generate Build, and Adalo will compile your app into the appropriate native files: an .ipa file for iOS and either an .apk or .aab file for Android. Publishing to app stores requires a paid Adalo plan starting at $45/month, but web publishing is available for free. The same project you use to create mobile builds can also deploy as a responsive web app. Simply select Web App in the Publish tab, set up your domain, and deploy instantly.
Adalo’s system ensures your app’s design remains consistent across platforms, so you can confidently move forward to the next step: submitting your app to the stores.
Submitting to App Stores
For the Apple App Store, you’ll need an Apple Developer account, which costs $99 per year. In Adalo’s Launch tab, enter your Bundle ID, Apple ID, and App-Specific Password. Keep in mind that Apple requires sign-ins to be approved from a Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch with two-factor authentication enabled. Once ready, upload your .ipa file via App Store Connect, including screenshots, privacy labels, and release notes. Following Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines and testing your app’s responsiveness can help increase your chances of approval.
For Android, log into the Google Play Console, which has a one-time registration fee of $25. Upload your .aab or .apk file from Adalo, then complete your store listing with descriptions, graphics, and content ratings. Make sure your app targets the required SDK version. Adalo handles many technical details, like signing keys and image optimization, to help you avoid common errors. After submission, Apple typically reviews apps within 1-7 days, while Google Play approvals often happen faster.
Adalo 2.0 also offers manual publishing, allowing you to test updates without affecting your live app. When you’re ready to release a new version, regenerate your build with a single click and resubmit to the app stores. For web apps, updates are instant and don’t require store approval, making it easy to keep your app fresh and up-to-date.
Conclusion
Creating a responsive mobile app without writing a single line of code is entirely possible with Adalo. Its mobile-first approach allows you to design once and deploy across platforms - whether iOS, Android, or responsive web - using just one build. From setting up your workspace to publishing natively, the process is straightforward and efficient.
Adalo's streamlined workflow offers real advantages in both time and cost. With a learning curve of just 1-3 days and development speeds up to 90% faster, it eliminates the lengthy cycles that often cost between $70,000 and $170,000. Instead, you can launch polished, professional apps starting at just $36 per month with predictable, flat pricing.
The platform’s robust infrastructure ensures faster performance and scalability, handling millions of users seamlessly. Whether you're an entrepreneur testing a new idea, a small business building tools, or an agency working on client projects, Adalo empowers you to deliver high-quality results without needing a team of developers. Its mobile-first design guarantees your app will look and perform beautifully on any device.
With AI-powered tools like Magic Start and Magic Add, you can speed up development even further, and native publishing gets your app directly into app stores. Over 3 million apps have already been built on Adalo, proving that no-code solutions can deliver both quality and performance.
Why wait? Start building your responsive mobile app today.
FAQs
How do I make my Adalo app responsive on every device?
To make sure your Adalo app works well on any device, take advantage of the freeform responsive builder. This tool lets you tweak layouts for different screen sizes with ease. Use the scaling and anchoring constraints to control how components adjust and stay in place. With the screen size switcher, you can preview your designs on various devices and test how elements respond at key breakpoints. Want to ensure your app looks great in both portrait and landscape modes? Simply rotate devices in the builder to design for multiple orientations. These features ensure your app looks polished and works smoothly on any screen.
When should I use Shared Layout vs Custom Layout in Adalo?
Use Shared Layout for components that need to maintain consistent scaling, anchoring, and positioning across all screen sizes. This approach ensures your design stays uniform, no matter the device. It's ideal for elements that must remain aligned universally.
Opt for Custom Layout when you require individual adjustments for specific screen sizes. This gives you precise control over how components scale and position, enabling unique layouts tailored to different devices.
What do I need to publish my Adalo app to iOS and Android?
To get your Adalo app live on iOS and Android, start by designing and building it in Adalo's visual editor. Make sure your app looks great and works well across different devices. For iOS, you can test your app using TestFlight to catch any issues before submission. Adalo provides a step-by-step guide to help you prepare everything for app store approval. When you're ready, Adalo’s platform lets you publish to both app stores with a single click, streamlining the entire process.
Related Blog Posts
