Updated Oct 13, 2025

Latest Adalo Pricing Update: Free Plan for Mobile App Building

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The no-code revolution has reached a critical tipping point where mobile app development no longer requires a developer’s salary or deep technical expertise. The low-code market outlook points to strong growth through 2032, while analyst and vendor studies consistently report faster delivery and lower build costs (figures vary by methodology). Adalo’s updated pricing—now including a robust Free tier alongside scalable paid plans—lets makers build professional apps for web, iOS, and Android without writing code.

Key Takeaways

70% of new applications developed by organizations will use low-code or no-code by 2025
Traditional development can be costly (ranges vary by scope and vendor estimates); no-code subscriptions shift costs to predictable monthly tiers
Baseline publishing costs: Apple $99/year and Google Play $25 one-time
Payment processing (U.S.): Stripe standard rate is typically 2.9% + $0.30 per card transaction (rates vary by country/card type)
Teams commonly report MVPs in weeks rather than months (timelines vary by complexity and team experience)

Adalo's New Free Plan: What's Included for Mobile App Builders

The landscape of mobile app development has shifted with Adalo’s comprehensive Free tier that removes many entry barriers. Unlike short trials, the Adalo Free plan offers meaningful build-and-test capability for real apps on the web (with Adalo branding).

Core Features in the Free Tier

The Free plan includes:

Unlimited test apps — Create as many prototypes as you need
200 records per app — Enough to validate ideas and early workflows
Unlimited screens — Build multi-screen flows (within usage limits)
Web publishing on Adalo subdomain — Share a live web app immediately
Drag-and-drop builder — Full visual development, no code
Built-in database — Relational data without external services
Access to App Academy — Guided learning and tutorials

These capabilities let teams validate concepts before upgrading for custom domains or native publishing.

Publishing Options Without Cost

While the free tier focuses on web apps with Adalo branding, it provides immediate publishing capabilities that many platforms restrict to paid plans. Users can share their apps via custom URLs, embed them in existing websites, and gather real user feedback—all without spending a dollar. This aligns with usage patterns: mobile devices account for ~60% of global web traffic, so accessible, mobile-first tools matter.

Bubble Pricing vs Adalo: No-Code Platform Cost Comparison

Understanding how Adalo compares to Bubble reveals significant differences in pricing philosophy and value delivery. While both platforms target the same fast-growing no-code segment, their approaches diverge substantially.

Free Tier Differences

Bubble's free tier provides:

Live publishing on Bubble subdomain with limitations
No custom domain options
Basic database with restrictive limits
Web-only capabilities

Adalo's free tier delivers:

Full web publishing capabilities on an Adalo subdomain
Unlimited test apps for experimentation
Core component access (marketplace includes both free and paid options)
Foundation for web and mobile development (native publishing available on paid plans)

The distinction becomes clear when you compare labor costs: the median U.S. software developer salary is about $131k/year . Adalo’s Free tier lets teams validate a real web app (on an Adalo subdomain) before paying for native publishing or higher limits.

Paid Plan Value Analysis

Comparing entry-level paid plans reveals strategic differences:

Adalo Starter ($45/month annual):

1 published app across all platforms
Custom domain included
Native iOS and Android publishing
5,000 records per app
Remove Adalo branding

Bubble Starter ($32/month):

Web-only deployment
Custom domain
No native mobile capabilities
Limited workload units
Bubble branding removed on paid plans

For businesses targeting mobile users—where 257 billion app downloads occurred in 2023—Adalo’s native app capabilities provide superior value. The ability to publish directly to the App Store and Google Play Store justifies the slight premium over web-only alternatives.

Best Mobile App Builder Options: Free vs Paid Features

The mobile app builder market has matured beyond simple website wrappers to deliver genuine native experiences. Vendor and analyst data indicate accelerated delivery and adoption—by 2025, 70% of new applications developed by organizations will use low-code or no-code technologies—making platform choice a key determinant of project success.

Publishing to App Stores

Native app store publishing remains the standard for mobile distribution. Apple notes that most reviews complete quickly (timing varies by app), and Google states reviews can take up to 7 days or longer, especially for new developers or complex submissions. Adalo streamlines key steps:

Automatic build generation — platform handles technical requirements
Certificate management — no manual provisioning profiles or keystores
Compliance checking — built-in validation against store guidelines
Version control — seamless updates (note: binary updates still require store review)
Apple Developer Program: $99/year
Google Play Developer registration: $25 one-time

The Adalo marketplace includes components and utilities that can support publishing workflows and post-launch optimization.

Component Libraries and Templates

Modern app builders differentiate through robust ecosystems of pre-built parts. Adalo offers:

Verified components in the component marketplace
Feature templates for common patterns
Cloneable kits to jump-start full apps
Custom components for unique needs
Cross-platform support for consistent UX

These resources accelerate build speed and reduce custom work for standard features.

The availability of professional-grade components reduces reliance on large engineering teams, underscoring how reusable templates and marketplaces let small teams ship production apps faster.

No-Code App Builder Essential Features Checklist

Success with no-code platforms requires understanding which features truly matter for production applications. As the market grows at 32.2% CAGR, distinguishing essential from nice-to-have capabilities becomes critical.

Database and Backend Requirements

Professional applications demand robust data management:

Relational database structure — handle complex data relationships
Real-time synchronization — instant updates across users
External data sources — connect via External Collections
API integration capabilities — REST APIs and webhooks (GraphQL via third-party services or custom components)
Data import/export — CSV handling for migration and backup
User authentication — secure login with role-based access

Adalo’s built-in relational database removes the need for many external backend services—for example, a standalone server setup can cost about $12,000 per year in hosting and infrastructure for some apps—reducing both spend and operational overhead.

User Experience Features

Modern users expect sophisticated functionality regardless of development method:

Push notifications - Re-engage users and drive retention
Geolocation services - Location-aware features and mapping
Payment processing - Stripe integration for transactions
Social authentication - One-click login with Google/Facebook
Offline functionality - Continue working without connection
Multi-language support - Reach global audiences

These features, once requiring months of custom development, now deploy in days through visual configuration.

Understanding App Development Cost Without Code

The economics of app development have shifted as no-code platforms shorten delivery cycles and replace many infrastructure costs with subscriptions. Understanding true costs helps makers budget effectively.

Costs of App Publishing

Beyond platform subscriptions, app publishing incurs predictable expenses:

Platform Requirements:

Apple Developer Account: $99/year (mandatory for iOS)
Google Play Developer: $25 one-time fee
Custom domain: $10-$45 per year
SSL certificates: Often included with platform

Ongoing Operational Costs:

App store commissions: 15-30% of in-app purchases
Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Push notification services: $0-$100/month based on volume
Analytics and monitoring: $0-$500/month for advanced insights

Traditional vs No-Code Pricing

The contrast between traditional and no-code development reveals massive savings:

Traditional Development:

Initial development: $10,000–$500,000+
Ongoing maintenance: regular updates required to meet OS and store policy changes (Apple App Review, Google Play policies)
Developer salaries: $100,000–$150,000 per developer
Infrastructure: $300–$60,000+ yearly
Hidden costs often exceed initial development

No-Code with Adalo:

Platform subscription: $0-$250/month
No developer salaries required
Infrastructure included in platform
Maintenance handled automatically
Total annual cost: $0-$3,000 for most apps

This represents meaningful savings: a Forrester Total Economic Impact study (commissioned) reported up to 66% efficiency gains and a 506% ROI over three years for a composite organization using a low-code platform.

Adalo's transparent flat-rate pricing eliminates the cost unpredictability plaguing traditional development. At $45-250/month, businesses access cross-platform publishing, unlimited app actions, automatic infrastructure scaling, and included maintenance—consolidating expenses that traditionally require separate teams for iOS development, Android development, web hosting, DevOps management, and ongoing updates. This pricing structure transforms app development from a capital-intensive project requiring six-figure investments into an operational expense comparable to standard SaaS subscriptions, enabling organizations to deploy multiple applications for less than a single developer's monthly salary while maintaining professional-grade performance and reliability.

No-Code Tools Integration Capabilities for Scaling

Modern applications rarely operate in isolation, requiring seamless connections to existing business systems. The ability to integrate with external services determines whether a no-code platform can handle enterprise requirements.

Popular Integration Combinations

Successful no-code implementations leverage strategic integrations:

Zapier Integration connects to thousands of apps:

Automate workflows between systems
Trigger actions based on app events
Sync data across platforms
No coding required for complex automations

Xano Backend for advanced requirements:

Scalable cloud infrastructure
Complex business logic
Advanced API creation
Enterprise-grade security

Airtable Integration for flexible data management:

Visual database interface
Team collaboration features
Automated data workflows
Spreadsheet-like familiarity

Data Source Management

Effective data management strategies enable scaling from prototype to production:

Start with built-in database for rapid prototyping
Migrate to external sources as complexity grows
Implement caching strategies for performance
Use webhooks for real-time synchronization
Maintain data governance across all sources

Adalo's Tiered Pricing Structure: Starter to Business Plans

Understanding Adalo's pricing tiers helps organizations choose the right plan for their growth stage. Each tier builds upon the previous, providing clear upgrade paths as requirements expand.

Choosing the Right Plan

Starter Plan ($45/month):

Perfect for solo entrepreneurs and small businesses
1 published app across all platforms
Custom domain and branding
5,000 records per app
Ideal when testing market fit

Professional Plan ($65/month):

Designed for growing businesses
2 published apps
5 collaborator seats
25GB storage
Best for businesses with multiple projects

Team Plan ($200/month):

Built for development agencies
5 published apps
10 editor seats
Priority support
Optimal for client work

Business Plan ($250/month):

Enterprise-ready features
10 published apps
Unlimited editors
Special add-on pricing
Maximum flexibility for large organizations

Annual vs Monthly Billing

Annual billing provides approximately 20% savings across all tiers—a significant reduction for committed builders. Consider that apps created with Adalo have registered more than two million end-user accounts and process 20 million data requests daily, demonstrating the platform's production readiness at any tier.

Building Your First Free Mobile App: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating your first app with Adalo’s free tier requires no prior coding experience. The platform’s visual builder, built-in database, and step-by-step lessons in App Academy help beginners ship quickly—start from a template or blank canvas, preview instantly, and iterate based on real user feedback.

Initial Setup Process

Getting started takes minutes:

Create your free account at Adalo.com
Choose a template from the template library or start blank
Define your app structure using the visual editor
Add screens with drag-and-drop components
Configure your database with built-in tools
Set up user authentication if needed
Design your user interface with customizable components

The App Academy provides comprehensive tutorials for each step, ensuring even complete beginners can build functional apps within days.

Testing and Iteration

Successful apps emerge through continuous refinement:

Use preview mode to test functionality instantly
Share test links with potential users for feedback
Monitor user behavior through built-in analytics
Iterate based on data not assumptions
A/B test features before full deployment
Validate market fit before upgrading plans

With no-code tools, teams can prototype in days, preview changes instantly, and focus testing on user experience rather than low-level debugging.

Component Marketplace: Premium vs Free Add-ons

The Adalo marketplace extends platform capabilities through verified third-party components, transforming basic apps into sophisticated solutions.

Building Custom Components

For unique requirements, Adalo supports custom component development:

React Native framework for native performance
Published to marketplace for monetization
Maintained by developers ensuring longevity
Quality standards enforced by Adalo
Cross-platform requirement for all components

This ecosystem approach means builders aren't limited by platform constraints, addressing concerns about no-code flexibility.

Performance and Reliability Metrics for No-Code Platforms

Platform reliability determines whether no-code solutions can handle production workloads. Adalo's infrastructure metrics demonstrate enterprise readiness.

Uptime Guarantees

Adalo maintains 99%+ uptime across its platform:

Global infrastructure for reduced latency
Automatic scaling during traffic spikes
Redundant systems preventing single points of failure
24/7 monitoring with rapid incident response
Regular maintenance windows communicated in advance

This reliability matches traditional cloud providers while eliminating infrastructure management complexity.

Scaling Considerations

Scaling depends on app architecture (data modeling, queries, media usage), feature set, and plan limits. As usage grows, teams typically upgrade for higher quotas, performance features, and support.

Free — Best for prototypes and early testing; upgrade when you hit record/usage or publishing limits
Starter — Suitable for first production launches with modest traffic and a single published app
Professional — Adds capacity and collaboration for growing apps and small portfolios
Team/Business — Built for multi-app portfolios, higher throughput, and priority support

Adalo reports processing ~20M daily data requests, indicating capacity for substantial workloads on paid tiers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Adalo’s Free Plan for Mobile App Building

Q: Can I really build a professional mobile app with Adalo's free plan? Yes, the free plan provides full development capabilities including unlimited screens, actions, and test apps. You can build complete applications and publish them as web apps on Adalo's subdomain. The main limitations are the 200 record database cap and Adalo branding. Many successful apps started on the free tier, validating their concept before upgrading to remove limitations and access native mobile publishing through the iOS and Android app stores.

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Q: How does Adalo handle complex business logic compared to traditional coding? Adalo supports sophisticated business logic through visual workflow builders, conditional actions, custom formulas, and the ability to integrate with external services via APIs and webhooks. For edge cases requiring custom code, you can leverage the component marketplace or build custom components using React Native. Many users combine Adalo with Xano for complex backend logic while maintaining the visual development experience.

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Q: What are the real costs of publishing an app beyond Adalo's subscription? Beyond platform fees, budget for an Apple Developer Program: $99/year and a Google Play registration: $25 one-time. If you accept card payments, Stripe’s standard U.S. card rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (rates vary by country/card type). Expect modest extras such as custom domains ($10–$45/year), optional push/analytics tools ($0–$100/month, usage-dependent), and any third-party integrations you adopt. These costs are small in the context of typical Android app project budgets of ~$30,000–$500,000+ reported from Clutch’s verified-review dataset.

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Q: How long does it take to learn Adalo if I have no coding experience? Most beginners can build a first functional app within a few weeks, especially if they follow Adalo’s guided tracks and templates. Start with App Academy for a structured path and use the step-by-step video tutorials to accelerate setup, data modeling, and workflows. Complex features may take longer, but the visual builder is designed to keep the learning curve manageable.

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Q: Can Adalo apps integrate with my existing business tools and databases? Absolutely. Adalo provides native integrations with Zapier (connecting to thousands of apps), Airtable, Google Sheets, and more. The External Collections feature enables direct API connections to any REST API-enabled system. This means you can connect to CRMs, ERPs, custom databases, and virtually any modern business tool while maintaining data synchronization across platforms.

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