Choosing the right no-code platform can feel overwhelming when Softr, Bubble, and Adalo each promise to help you build apps without writing code. Which one actually fits your specific needs and budget?
Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. Bubble is a visual programming platform focused on building complex web applications with extensive customization options. Softr specializes in turning Airtable bases and Google Sheets into simple websites and web apps.
What matters most is app success—launching your MVP as fast as possible and reaching the biggest audience. That means considering whether you need just a web app or true native mobile apps that can be published to the app stores, unlocking massive distribution and engagement features like push notifications.
Softr vs. Bubble vs. Adalo: Which App Builder Is Right for You?
Choosing the right app builder determines how quickly you can launch, how far you can scale, and how much you'll spend getting there. Softr, Bubble, and Adalo each serve different needs—from database-first tools to flexible web builders to AI-powered native app creation. This comparison breaks down what each platform does best and where it falls short.
TL;DR: A Snapshot of Softr vs. Bubble vs. Adalo
Softr, Bubble, and Adalo all have different pricing tiers, and each tier comes with specialized features and functionalities. The table below highlights the main differences between each app builder:
| Softr | Bubble | Adalo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Starts at $167/month for PWA publishing | Starts at $59/month for mobile wrapper | Starts at $36/month for native mobile |
| Main Features | • Simple block-based building interface • AI-app generation tool • SEO features |
• Rich learning resources • 1,000+ free and paid templates • Powerful flexibility and design freedom |
• AI-powered drag-and-drop interface • True native iOS and Android apps • Unlimited database records on paid plans • No usage-based charges |
| Who It's Good For | Businesses building apps from existing databases | Those willing to invest months overcoming a steep learning curve | Anyone who wants to build and publish native mobile apps quickly |
| App Store Publishing | No | Web wrapper only | True native iOS and Android |
Similarities: Adalo vs. Bubble vs. Softr
While each platform has its differences, the three share some common ground. Adalo, Bubble, and Softr all have the following features in common:
- Make web apps and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs): You can use each platform to build web apps, which users access with their phones' internet browsers, and PWAs, which users download directly to their phones via a link or QR code. Because they function similarly to websites, you can optimize web apps for Google using SEO tactics to get your app in front of millions of users. The key difference: both Bubble and Softr can only make web apps, while Adalo creates web apps and true native mobile apps from a single codebase.
- Loads of templates: You won't need to start with a blank slate when using Softr, Bubble, or Adalo. Each comes with dozens of pre-made templates to start building your app quickly. No matter what type of app you want—an e-commerce app, a food takeout app, a mindfulness app, or anything else—all three platforms have templates to get you started.
- Visual building interfaces: Adalo, Softr, and Bubble all use visual app-building approaches. You won't need to bring coding skills to use them. These platforms also come with tutorials, online forums, and help documentation to learn each builder's intricacies.
- Free versions available: Want to try out Adalo, Softr, and Bubble all at once? You can, and you won't have to pay anything. All three app builders have a free version that doesn't require credit card info.
Adalo: The AI-Powered App Builder for Native Mobile Apps
Who It's Good For
Over the years, I've recommended one app-building platform more than any other: Adalo. It's an AI-powered app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. AI-assisted building and streamlined publishing enable launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months.
Adalo's visual builder lets you publish the same app to the web, native iOS, and native Android, all without writing a line of code or rebuilding. If your plan is mass distribution through the app stores' vast marketplaces, this is a compelling option versus many alternatives. Over 3 million apps have been created on Adalo, with users describing the visual builder as "easy as PowerPoint."
Features
- With Adalo, you can publish your app on the web, the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store—all from a single build. This allows you to create apps that leverage powerful phone hardware like cameras, GPS, and other processors. Unlike Bubble's web wrapper approach, Adalo compiles to true native code.
- Adalo comes with over 5,500 integrations. These let you take data from your accounts with third-party applications and tie it into your app. For instance, you can download data from your Zillow account to highlight your listings on your niche bed-and-breakfast app.
- Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions. Tell it you need a booking app for a dog grooming business, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically—what used to take days of planning happens in minutes. Magic Add lets you add features by describing what you want in natural language.
- You'll find one of the most thriving ecosystems in the app-building space. Get answers to questions, connect with the Adalo forum community, and learn special functionality in the Adalo App Academy.
The Adalo team also sends a monthly newsletter highlighting new features and updates to the app-building interface. Following the Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul in late 2025, apps now run 3-4x faster with modular infrastructure that scales to serve apps with millions of MAU.
Pricing
Get started with Adalo for only $36/month. This includes native iOS and Android app publishing, unlimited database records, and unlimited usage—no surprise charges based on app actions or workload units. The free version lets you publish a web app to test the platform before committing.
Softr: Best If You Have an Existing Database
Who It's Good For
Attention all businesses, large and small: If you need to transform your pre-existing database into a business tool, Softr has you covered. You can create nearly any web app from your database, whether a CRM app, project management tool, or booking app. However, Softr does not support Apple App Store or Google Play Store publishing—it's strictly web-based.
Features
- While you must bring a database, Softr simplifies the connecting process by featuring integrations with popular database providers like Google Sheets, Airtable, SmartSuite, HubSpot, and others.
- You can build your app with a team. Each pricing tier allows for several app collaborators. Even Softr's free version lets you build your app with up to five different editors.
- Creating your app with Softr is straightforward. After you connect your database, you can customize your app's screens using premade blocks. You can also opt for Softr's AI builder, which generates your app from a 200-word prompt.
Pricing
Softr's pricing starts at $167/month to publish an actual Progressive Web App, which is still restricted by records per app and records per datasource. If you want additional external users and white-label branding, costs increase further. Softr does not support native iOS or Android app creation—if you need app store distribution, you'll need to look elsewhere.
Bubble: A Flexible Web App Builder
Who It's Good For
If you're looking for a web app builder that packs a mean punch in terms of power and is flexible enough to spin up even the most specialized app idea, Bubble can do so. But be willing to hit the books—Bubble's power and flexibility come at a cost, which is a steep learning curve that typically takes months to overcome.
Features
- The complex building interface gives you nearly pixel-perfect design freedom. Although Bubble takes a few months to learn, you can distill your app idea precisely how you want it.
- Bubble provides loads of educational resources and help documents so you can successfully scale its learning curve. You'll find hours of lessons and comprehensive documentation to learn all of Bubble's intricate ins and outs.
- No matter what functionality you want your app to perform, Bubble most likely has a plugin or application you can use to execute it—its developer community has created hundreds of these over the years.
The Trade-offs
Bubble's flexibility often results in slower applications that can struggle under increased load. Claims of millions of MAU are typically only achievable with hired expert help—and that expertise doesn't come cheap. The ecosystem is rich with consultants precisely because so many users need assistance optimizing their apps for scale.
Bubble's mobile app solution is a wrapper for the web app, not true native code. This introduces potential performance challenges at scale and means that one app version doesn't automatically update web, Android, and iOS apps deployed to their respective stores. Each platform requires separate management.
Pricing
Bubble's web and mobile wrapper offering starts at $59/month with usage-based charges through Workload Units—calculations that can be unclear and lead to unexpected bills. There are also limits on app re-publishing and database records. Compare this to Adalo's $36/month for true native mobile apps with unlimited usage and no record caps on paid plans.
Matchmaking for App-Making: Your Ideal Fit
Before entering your credit card information and committing your hard-earned bucks, I recommend testing each app-building platform. Take advantage of each builder's free versions, fiddle with the features, and find the right one.
If you don't have a database, using Softr will be frustrating. While the need to bring a database is par for the course for most businesses, it's a barrier to freelancers, entrepreneurs, and other business owners who want to build their screens first and then compile a database.
I also can't stress enough how important it is to factor in the time it takes to learn Bubble. Bubble is not an out-of-the-box app-building platform, so you should plan a few hours each day for studying. The good news is that Bubble provides abundant learning opportunities with thousands of hours of lessons, tutorials, and more.
If you need native mobile apps, your choice becomes clearer. Softr doesn't offer app store publishing at all. Bubble offers a web wrapper, not true native apps. Adalo compiles to native iOS and Android code from a single build—the only option among these three for genuine app store distribution.
Next Steps: Choose Adalo
Now that we're done comparing Softr vs. Bubble vs. Adalo, you can make your final choice.
If you don't want to deal with a steep learning curve, don't want to be required to bring your own database, and need native mobile app publishing, then pick Adalo.
When you get started, you can choose from about 40 templates for several apps, like a booking app, personal training app, and restaurant app. Each one comes fully loaded with all the screens, features like forms and buttons, and a database structure.
You won't need to spend much extra time creating your database—use what Adalo provides, add new fields, and customize it to your specific app needs. Adalo's Sheetbridge feature even lets you turn a Google Sheet into an actual database for the easiest control without database-related learning curves.
Adalo's most refreshing attribute is its balance of power and simplicity. You can create nearly any app you can think of and start building it seconds after signing up. When you finish, you can publish it on the web, the Apple App Store, and the Google Play Store—all from one build.
When you choose Adalo, you can breathe life into almost any app idea. Start using Adalo's free plan today.
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions? | Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With unlimited database records on paid plans and no usage-based charges, you avoid the surprise bills common with other platforms. |
| What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store? | Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building through Magic Start and Magic Add lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process, so you can focus on your app's features instead of wrestling with certificates and store guidelines. |
| Which is more affordable, Adalo or Bubble? | Adalo starts at $36/month for native mobile app publishing with unlimited usage and no record caps. Bubble starts at $59/month for mobile wrapper functionality but includes usage-based Workload Unit charges that can lead to unexpected bills. For true native apps without surprise costs, Adalo offers better value. |
| Which is more affordable, Adalo or Softr? | Adalo starts at $36/month and includes native iOS and Android app publishing. Softr requires $167/month just to publish a Progressive Web App, and still doesn't support app store publishing. For mobile app distribution, Adalo is significantly more affordable. |
| Which is easier for beginners, Adalo or Bubble? | Adalo is significantly easier for beginners. Users describe the visual builder as "easy as PowerPoint," and you can start building immediately. Bubble typically requires months of learning before you can build effectively, with many users needing to hire experts for optimization. |
| Is Adalo better than Bubble for mobile apps? | Yes, for native mobile apps. Adalo compiles to true native iOS and Android code, while Bubble's mobile solution is a web wrapper. Native apps perform better, especially under load, and one Adalo build updates all platforms simultaneously—Bubble requires separate management for each. |
| Is Adalo better than Softr for mobile apps? | Softr doesn't support mobile app store publishing at all—it's strictly web-based. If you need apps in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, Adalo is your only option among these three platforms. |
| Can I migrate from Bubble to Adalo? | While there's no automatic migration tool, many users transition from Bubble to Adalo when they need true native mobile apps or want to escape usage-based pricing. Adalo's templates and AI-assisted building can help you rebuild your app quickly. |
| What's the difference between web apps, PWAs, and native mobile apps? | Web apps are accessed through internet browsers. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) can be downloaded to phones via a link or QR code. Native mobile apps are published to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, allowing them to leverage phone hardware like cameras and GPS. Adalo creates all three from a single build. |
| Does Adalo have database record limits? | No. Paid Adalo plans have unlimited database records with no caps. This is a significant advantage over Bubble's Workload Unit system and Softr's per-app record restrictions. With proper data relationship setups, Adalo apps can scale beyond 1 million monthly active users. |
