Creating an app with Adalo is budget-friendly compared to traditional development, but understanding all costs upfront is crucial. Here's a quick breakdown:
- Adalo Subscription Plans: Start at $36/month (billed annually) for the Starter plan, covering one published app, unlimited users, database records, and updates. Higher plans include more apps, storage, and collaborators.
- Third-Party Costs:
- Apple Developer Program: $99/year
- Google Play Console: $25 (one-time)
- Custom Domain: $10–$15/year
- Stripe Fees (if handling payments): 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- First-Year Total: Around $571 for the Starter plan, including third-party fees. Annual costs drop to $546 after the first year.
Adalo's flat-rate pricing eliminates usage-based fees, making it easier to scale without surprise charges. Over three years, expect total costs of approximately $1,663 for a basic app, far below the cost of custom development. If you're looking for predictable costs and quick app deployment, Adalo keeps things simple and affordable.
Adalo's Subscription Pricing: Flat-Rate Model
Pricing Tiers and What's Included
Adalo offers five pricing tiers tailored to different stages of app development, starting with a Free plan. This plan costs nothing and allows you to create unlimited test apps, each with up to 200 records. It's perfect for experimenting and testing ideas before committing to a paid subscription.
The Starter plan, priced at $36 per month (billed annually) or $45 per month (billed monthly), is ideal for publishing your first app. It includes one published app with a custom domain, unlimited database records, actions, and users, along with native iOS and Android app store publishing and unlimited updates.
For those managing multiple apps, the Professional plan costs $52 per month (annually) or $65 per month (monthly). It provides two published apps, five collaborators, 25GB of storage, access to advanced integrations, and API capabilities. Larger teams can opt for the Team plan at $160 per month (annually), which supports five published apps and 10 editors. The Business plan, priced at $200 per month (annually), expands to 10 published apps and unlimited editors, along with enterprise-level features.
Need more flexibility? You can add extra published apps for $25 per month each and additional editors for $15 per month each. Opting for annual billing saves around 20% compared to monthly payments across all tiers.
Benefits of Flat-Rate Pricing
Adalo's flat-rate pricing makes budgeting straightforward and stress-free. Unlike usage-based models, this approach guarantees consistent costs with no caps, overages, or surprise fees. Every paid plan includes unlimited app actions, users, database records, and storage, so you can scale your app without worrying about fluctuating expenses.
This setup is especially helpful for indie developers, small businesses, and startups working with tight budgets. Whether your app has 100 users or 100,000, your monthly cost stays the same. This predictability allows you to plan confidently for the long term, without needing to account for unexpected growth or usage spikes.
Once you've selected the right plan, the next step is understanding the total cost to build a mobile app, including third-party fees. We'll break those down next to give you a full picture of your total cost of ownership.
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Adalo for Beginners: Costs to Build and Publish in Adalo App Builder
Required Third-Party Costs for Publishing and Running Apps
Adalo's subscription pricing is straightforward, but you'll need to account for additional third-party expenses when publishing and running progressive web apps vs. native apps. These costs - covering essentials like app store fees, custom domains, and payment processing - are predictable and necessary for a smooth operation.
Apple Developer Program and Google Play Console Fees
To publish on the Apple App Store, you'll need to join the Apple Developer Program, which costs $99 per year. This fee applies whether you're publishing as an individual or an organization. For organizations, extra verification steps are required. Apple typically takes up to 48 hours to process your initial payment, so plan accordingly. To avoid disruptions, consider setting up automatic renewal for this subscription.
For the Google Play Store, there's a one-time registration fee of $25. Once paid, you can publish and update apps indefinitely without additional charges. Combining these, your first-year costs for app store distribution come to $124, dropping to $99 annually for subsequent years.
Custom Domain Costs
If you're on Adalo's Starter plan or higher, you'll need a custom domain. These typically cost $10–$15 per year, though premium domains can go up to $45 annually. Most modern hosting platforms, including Adalo, include SSL certificates at no extra charge, ensuring your domain remains secure.
Third-Party API and Payment Processing Fees
For apps that handle payments, Adalo integrates with Stripe, which charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the United States. Additional charges apply for international transactions (1.5%) and currency conversion (1%). If a customer disputes a charge, Stripe imposes a $15 fee per dispute. Optional Stripe features, like automated tax calculation (0.5% per transaction), identity verification ($1.50 per check), and invoicing (0.4% per paid invoice, capped at $2), may also contribute to your costs.
Third-party API integrations, such as those with Airtable or Google Sheets, come with variable costs based on usage. Many services offer free tiers suitable for early-stage apps, but as your user base grows, you'll need to monitor API call volumes. Setting up real-time dashboards and budget alerts can help you stay on top of these expenses.
| Fee Type | Provider | Cost | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Store Distribution | Apple | $99 | Annual |
| Play Store Distribution | $25 | One-time | |
| Custom Domain | Third-party Registrar | $10–$45 | Annual |
| Payment Processing | Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | Per Transaction |
| Dispute Fee | Stripe | $15 | Per Chargeback |
Total Cost of Ownership: 1-Year, 2-Year, and 3-Year Breakdown
Adalo App Development Cost Breakdown: 3-Year Total Cost Analysis
Taking a closer look at your expenses over multiple years can help you plan effectively. With third-party fees clearly outlined, here’s how your total cost of ownership breaks down across one, two, and three years.
Year 1 Costs
The first year combines one-time setup costs with recurring charges. If you're on Adalo's Starter plan with annual billing, here’s what you’ll pay:
- $432 for the subscription
- $99 for the Apple Developer Program
- $25 (a one-time fee) for the Google Play Console
- $15 for a custom domain
This brings your total first-year cost to $571, which averages out to $47.58 per month.
If you’re using Stripe for payment processing, don’t forget to account for transaction fees, which will depend on your app’s revenue. This is especially relevant if you're planning to build an Airbnb clone or another marketplace where high-volume transactions are central to the business model.
Year 2 and Year 3 Costs
From the second year onward, your costs stabilize since the one-time Google Play fee is no longer part of the equation. Your recurring annual expenses will include:
- $432 for Adalo
- $99 for the Apple Developer Program
- $15 for domain renewal
This totals $546 per year, or $45.50 per month.
As David Adkin, Co-Founder of Adalo, highlights:
"By removing usage-based charges entirely, we're betting on your success... Your monthly cost stays predictable."
Cost Comparison Table
| Year | Adalo Subscription | Apple Developer | Google Play | Domain | Annual Total | Monthly Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $432 | $99 | $25 | $15 | $571 | $47.58 |
| Year 2 | $432 | $99 | $0 | $15 | $546 | $45.50 |
| Year 3 | $432 | $99 | $0 | $15 | $546 | $45.50 |
| 3-Year Total | $1,296 | $297 | $25 | $45 | $1,663 | $46.19 |
When you spread the one-time Google Play fee across three years, your average monthly cost comes to $46.19. By Year 3, your expenses remain steady, with no surprise charges for scaling. This breakdown reflects Adalo’s focus on providing consistent and predictable pricing.
Costs You Don't Pay with Adalo
When it comes to keeping costs predictable, Adalo stands out by eliminating many fees that can surprise you with other platforms. With Adalo's flat-rate pricing, you avoid unexpected expenses like per-user charges, usage-based overages, or extra publishing fees. This clarity makes it easier to plan for the long term.
No Per-User or Per-App Fees
Adalo's subscription gives you unlimited users and apps, with the option to add more published app slots for $25/month. This means your costs don’t increase as your app grows. Whether you have 100 users or 1 million, your subscription price stays the same. For example, a startup on the $36/month Starter plan can scale to millions of users without paying extra.
No Usage-Based Overage Charges
Adalo doesn't enforce limits on actions, database records, or storage. You won’t face surprise fees for exceeding API calls, logins, or storage space. As your app grows, the infrastructure scales with it - keeping your costs steady. This approach ensures pricing remains straightforward and free from hidden usage fees.
No Additional Publishing Fees
Publishing your app to the web, iOS, and Android is included in every paid plan. Whether you're deploying a Progressive Web App or native apps for iOS and Android, there are no extra fees for updates or platform-specific publishing. One published app slot covers all three deployment options.
Note: External fees like Apple's $99 annual developer fee and Google's $25 one-time fee still apply. Once those are handled, you can publish and update your apps as often as needed without paying anything extra to Adalo.
Conclusion: Predictable Pricing with Adalo
Adalo simplifies app development costs with a flat-rate pricing model that removes the guesswork. This structure includes unlimited database records, unlimited users, and native publishing for iOS and Android - all without usage-based overage fees.
The only extra costs to consider are Apple's $99 annual developer fee, Google's $25 one-time fee, domain registration, and standard transaction fees like Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per charge. These costs are often offset by the various ways to make money with no-code apps. These third-party fees are standard and easy to plan for. Over three years, the total cost for a basic Adalo app is approximately $3,163 - covering platform and publishing fees - without any surprise charges.
"By removing usage-based charges entirely, we're betting on your success. Create the features you require. Scale to as many users as your app can attract. Your monthly cost stays predictable." - David Adkin, Co-Founder, Adalo
This approach eliminates the need to track usage metrics while prioritizing performance as your app grows, ensuring you won't face unexpected bills.
While custom development can cost tens of thousands, Adalo offers a complete solution for just $300 to $1,000 annually. Each cost is clear and manageable, allowing for accurate long-term budgeting. Whether you're planning for the next month or the next three years, Adalo ensures your costs stay consistent.
For anyone looking to budget confidently and avoid hidden fees, Adalo's pricing model makes app development both predictable and affordable.
FAQs
Do I need both Apple and Google developer accounts?
To publish apps, you'll need to set up an Apple Developer account, which costs $99 per year, and a Google Play Console account, which requires a one-time fee of $25. These accounts are mandatory for submitting your app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
What costs can increase as my app gets more users?
As your app expands, you might encounter costs like fees for publishing more apps, adding extra app editors, or accessing advanced features and scaling options. Some of these expenses could stem from platform restrictions, such as overage charges tied to app actions or database usage. Keeping an eye on these usage-based costs will help you plan better for sustained growth.
How do Stripe fees affect my long-term costs?
Stripe charges a transaction fee for every payment processed, and these costs can add up significantly over time, especially as your sales grow. This is an extra expense on top of your Adalo subscription and any other operational costs, which can influence the overall cost of running your business over the years.
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