Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Figma Clone with Adalo

This comprehensive tutorial will walk you through building a functional design collaboration tool using Adalo's no-code platform. 

While replicating every feature of Figma would require advanced engineering, you'll learn how to create a working design app with project management, canvas editing, component libraries, commenting, and basic collaboration features. 

By the end, you'll have a deployable design tool that can serve teams needing simplified design workflows.

Prerequisites and Initial Setup

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account and Project

1. Visit Adalo.com and sign up for a free account
2. Click "Create New App" from your dashboard
3. Choose "Web App" (recommended for design tools, though mobile support is included)
4. Name your project (e.g., "DesignHub" or "CollabCanvas")
5. Select "Start from Scratch" since no design tool templates are available

Adalo's free plan is suitable for prototyping your design tool; check the current pricing page for up-to-date limits and entitlements.

Step 2: Configure Your App Theme

1. Select a primary color that reflects professional design software (e.g., dark blue or charcoal)
2. Choose a secondary accent color for interactive elements (e.g., bright blue or purple)
3. Pick a clean, readable sans-serif font for UI elements
4. Click "Continue" to enter the Adalo builder interface

Step 3: Plan Your Feature Scope

Before building, understand what's realistic with no-code:

Achievable Features:

• Project and file management
• Canvas workspace with layers
• Shape and text elements
• Component libraries
• Commenting and feedback
• Version history
• Team member management
• Export capabilities

Advanced Features (Require Workarounds):

• Real-time cursor tracking (limited without WebSocket infrastructure)
• Operational transformation for simultaneous editing (complex)
• Vector path editing (best approached with simplified tools)
• Advanced pen tool functionality

Since 70% of applications will use low-code or no-code by 2025, starting with core features and iterating is a proven approach.

Building the Database Structure

Step 4: Enhance the Users Collection

1. Click the Database icon in the left sidebar
2. Select the existing "Users" collection
3. Add these properties (click "+ Add Property" for each):
   
   • Full Name (Text)
   • Profile Photo (Image)
   • Role (Text) - Values: "Admin", "Editor", "Viewer"
   • Company (Text)
   • Job Title (Text)
   • Last Active (Date & Time)
   • Notification Preferences (True/False)
   • Active Status (Text) - Values: "Online", "Away", "Offline"

Learn more about Adalo's database

Step 5: Create the Projects Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Projects"
3. Add these properties:
   
   • Project Name (Text)
   • Description (Text - Multiline)
   • Thumbnail (Image)
   • Status (Text) - Values: "Active", "Archived", "Template"
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Last Modified (Date & Time)
   • Color Tag (Text)
   • Folder (Text)

Step 6: Create the Artboards Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Artboards"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Artboard Name (Text)
   • Width (Number) - Default: 1920
   • Height (Number) - Default: 1080
   • Background Color (Text) - HEX code
   • Order (Number)
   • Zoom Level (Number) - Default: 100
   • Is Template (True/False)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Last Modified (Date & Time)

Step 7: Create the Design Elements Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Elements"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Element Type (Text) - Values: "Rectangle", "Circle", "Text", "Image", "Component"
   • Element Name (Text)
   • X Position (Number)
   • Y Position (Number)
   • Width (Number)
   • Height (Number)
   • Fill Color (Text) - HEX code
   • Stroke Color (Text) - HEX code
   • Stroke Width (Number)
   • Opacity (Number) - Default: 100
   • Rotation (Number) - Default: 0
   • Layer Order (Number)
   • Text Content (Text - Multiline)
   • Font Family (Text)
   • Font Size (Number)
   • Font Weight (Text)
   • Image URL (Image)
   • Is Locked (True/False)
   • Is Visible (True/False)
   • Created Date (Date & Time)

Step 8: Create the Components Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Components"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Component Name (Text)
   • Category (Text) - Values: "Buttons", "Forms", "Navigation", "Cards", "Icons"
   • Thumbnail (Image)
   • Description (Text)
   • Is Shared (True/False)
   • Use Count (Number)
   • Created Date (Date & Time)

Step 9: Create the Comments Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Comments"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Comment Text (Text - Multiline)
   • X Position (Number) - Pin location
   • Y Position (Number) - Pin location
   • Status (Text) - Values: "Open", "Resolved", "Archived"
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Resolved Date (Date & Time)
   • Is Edited (True/False)

Step 10: Create the Version History Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Versions"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Version Number (Number)
   • Version Name (Text)
   • Snapshot Data (Text - JSON format for storing state)
   • Change Description (Text)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Thumbnail (Image)

Step 11: Set Up Database Relationships

1. In the Projects collection:
   
   • Add relationship to Users: "Owner" (Many Projects to One User)
   • Add relationship to Users: "Team Members" (Many-to-Many)
   • Add relationship to Artboards: One-to-Many
2. In Artboards collection:
   
   • Add relationship to Projects: Many-to-One
   • Add relationship to Elements: One-to-Many
   • Add relationship to Comments: One-to-Many
   • Add relationship to Versions: One-to-Many
3. In the Elements collection:
   
   • Add relationship to Artboards: Many-to-One
   • Add relationship to Components: Many-to-One (optional)
4. In Comments collection:
   
   • Add relationship to Users: "Author" (Many-to-One)
   • Add relationship to Artboards: Many-to-One
   • Add relationship to Comments: "Parent Comment" (for replies)
5. In the Versions collection:
   
   • Add relationship to Artboards: Many-to-One
   • Add relationship to Users: "Created By" (Many-to-One)

According to Adalo, its platform processes over 20 million daily data requests, suggesting this relational structure will handle typical design team workflows efficiently.

Installing Required Components

Step 12: Explore the Component Marketplace

1. Navigate to the Adalo Marketplace
2. Search for and install these components:
   
   • Color Picker component
   • Rich Text Editor (if available)
   • File Upload component for images
   • Canvas/Drawing components (check for community options)

Step 13: Set Up Image Upload Component

1. In Marketplace, search for "Image Upload" or "File Upload"
2. Click "Install" on a suitable component
3. Note: You may need cloud storage integration (Cloudinary, AWS S3) for production use

Step 14: Install Collaboration Components

1. Search for "Comment" or "Annotation" components
2. Look for any real-time update components (though functionality may be limited)
3. Install notification components for team alerts

Creating User Authentication and Onboarding

Step 15: Build the Welcome Screen

1. On the default home screen, rename it to "Welcome"
2. Add your app logo image at the top
3. Add heading text: "Design Together, Build Faster"
4. Add subheading: "Collaborative design tool built for modern teams"
5. Add two buttons:
   
   • "Sign Up" → Link to new screen "Sign Up"
   • "Log In" → Link to new screen "Login"
6. Add sample screenshots or design previews

Step 16: Create Sign Up Screen

1. Add a new screen "Sign Up"
2. Add Form component connected to Users collection:
   
   • Email (Email Input)
   • Password (Password Input)
   • Full Name (Text Input)
   • Company (Text Input - optional)
   • Job Title (Text Input - optional)
3. Add terms of service checkbox
4. Submit button action:
   
   • Create a User account
   • Set Role to "Editor" (default)
   • Link to "Dashboard" screen

Step 17: Build Login Screen

1. Add a new screen "Login"
2. Add Form component for authentication:
   
   • Email (Email Input)
   • Password (Password Input)
   • "Remember Me" toggle (optional)
3. Add "Forgot Password?" link
4. Submit → Link to "Dashboard"

Step 18: Create Onboarding Flow

1. Add a new screen "Getting Started"
2. Show first-time users a brief tutorial:
   
   • Create your first project
   • Explore the canvas
   • Invite team members
3. Add "Skip" and "Next" buttons
4. Final step → Link to "Dashboard"

Building the Project Dashboard

Step 19: Create the Main Dashboard

1. Add a new screen "Dashboard"
2. Add top navigation bar:
   
   • App logo (left)
   • "New Project" button (center-right)
   • User profile dropdown (right)
3. Add sidebar with sections:
   
   • Recent Projects
   • Shared with Me
   • Templates
   • Archived
4. Main area: Grid or list of projects

Step 20: Display Projects List

1. Add Custom List component
2. Connect to the Projects collection
3. Filter: Team Members includes Logged In User OR Owner = Logged In User
4. Sort by: Last Modified (Newest First)
5. For each project card, show:
   
   • Thumbnail image
   • Project name
   • Last modified date
   • Owner name
   • Team member avatars (first 3-4)
   • Status indicator
6. Click action → Link to "Canvas Editor" screen

Step 21: Add Project Creation Modal

1. Create "New Project" screen (modal style)
2. Add Form to create a new Project:
   
   • Project Name (Text Input)
   • Description (Text Area)
   • Choose template dropdown (optional)
   • Folder selection
   • Color tag picker
3. Submit actions:
   
   • Create Project record
   • Set Owner to Logged In User
   • Create default Artboard
   • Navigate to "Canvas Editor"

Step 22: Build Project Settings

1. Add "Project Settings" screen
2. Include sections for:
   
   • General info (name, description)
   • Team members management
   • Sharing permissions
   • Export settings
   • Archive/Delete options
3. Add a List of team members with role dropdowns

Designing the Canvas Editor Interface

Step 23: Create the Canvas Editor Screen

1. Add a new screen "Canvas Editor"
2. Set layout to full-width, minimal padding
3. Add top toolbar section:
   
   • Back button → Dashboard
   • Project name (editable)
   • View options (zoom level dropdown)
   • Share button
   • User avatars (showing active collaborators)
   • User profile menu
4. Add left sidebar for tools:
   
   • Selection tool
   • Shape tools (Rectangle, Circle, Line)
   • Text tool
   • Image upload
   • Component picker
5. Add left panel for layers:
   
   • Collapsible layer tree
   • Show/hide toggles
   • Lock toggles

Step 24: Build the Canvas Workspace

1. Add a large container for the canvas area (60-70% of screen width)
2. Set background color to light gray (#F5F5F5)
3. Add an inner container for the artboard:
   
   • White background
   • Drop shadow
   • Dimensions based on Current Artboard → Width and Height
4. This is where design elements will be positioned

Step 25: Create the Properties Panel

1. Add right sidebar (20-25% of screen width)
2. Show properties based on selected element:
   
   • Position (X, Y coordinates)
   • Size (Width, Height)
   • Fill color picker
   • Stroke color and width
   • Opacity slider
   • Rotation input
   • Layer effects
3. Use conditional visibility based on Element Type

Step 26: Add the Layers Panel

1. In the left sidebar, add a Custom List of Elements
2. Connect to the Elements collection
3. Filter: Artboard = Current Artboard
4. Sort by: Layer Order (Descending)
5. For each layer item, show:
   
   • Element icon (based on type)
   • Element name (editable)
   • Visibility toggle
   • Lock toggle
6. Click action → Set as selected element
7. Drag-and-drop reordering (if component available, otherwise use up/down buttons)

Creating Design Tools and Elements

Step 27: Build Shape Creation Tools

1. Add the "Add Rectangle" button to the toolbar
2. Click action:

• Create a new Element record
• Set Element Type = "Rectangle"
• Set default Width = 100, Height = 100
• Set X/Y to the center of the canvas
• Set Fill Color = current color selection
• Set Layer Order = highest + 1
• Refresh the Elements list

3. Repeat for other shapes:
   
   • Circle (store as type with equal width/height)
   • Line (different properties)

Step 28: Implement Text Tool

1. Add the "Add Text" button to the toolbar
2. Click action:
   
   • Create Element with Type = "Text"
   • Set default Text Content = "Double click to edit"
   • Set Font Family = app default
   • Set Font Size = 16
   • Position at canvas center
3. Add text editing:
   
   • Click on text element → Show text input modal
   • Update Element → Text Content
   • Apply font formatting from the properties panel

Step 29: Create Image Upload Function

1. Add the "Upload Image" button to the toolbar
2. Use the Image Picker component
3. On image selected:
   
   • Create Element with Type = "Image"
   • Set the Image URL to the uploaded file
   • Calculate width/height to fit the canvas
   • Add to the current artboard

Step 30: Build Component Library Panel

1. Add "Components" tab in the left sidebar
2. Show Custom List of Components
3. Filter by: Is Shared = True OR Created By = Logged In User
4. Group by Category
5. Click on component:
   
   • Duplicate all Elements associated with that Component
   • Add to current Artboard
   • Maintain relative positioning

Step 31: Implement Element Selection

1. Add a click action to each element on the canvas:
   
   • Set custom property "Selected Element" = This Element
   • Show properties panel with element data
   • Add visual selection indicator (border highlight)
2. Add multi-select option (shift+click):
   
   • Store selected elements in a custom list
   • Show the combined properties panel

Step 32: Add Element Manipulation

1. In the properties panel, add inputs for:
   
   • X Position → Update Element on change
   • Y Position → Update Element on change
   • Width → Update Element
   • Height → Update Element
   • Rotation → Update Element
2. Add alignment buttons:
   
   • Align left, center, right
   • Align top, middle, bottom
   • Distribute evenly
3. Add grouping function:
   
   • Create parent-child relationships between Elements

Step 33: Create Color Picker Tool

1. Install the Color Picker component from the marketplace
2. Add to properties panel
3. On color selected:
   
   • Update Selected Element → Fill Color
   • Add color to the recent colors list
   • Update canvas display

Step 34: Build Layer Ordering Controls

1. Add buttons for each layer in the layers panel:
   
   • Move Up → Decrease Layer Order
   • Move Down → Increase Layer Order
   • Bring to Front → Set Layer Order = 0
   • Send to Back → Set Layer Order = highest + 1
2. Update all affected elements' Layer Order

Implementing Collaboration Features

Step 35: Add Team Member Invitations

1. Create "Invite Team" modal screen
2. Add Form for invitation:
   
   • Email addresses (text input, comma-separated)
   • Role selection (Dropdown: Editor, Viewer)
   • Personal message (text area)
3. Submit action:
   
   • Create an invitation record
   • Send email notification (via Zapier integration)
   • Add user to Project → Team Members

Step 36: Build Commenting System

1. Add "Comment Mode" toggle in toolbar
2. When enabled, click on the canvas:
   
   • Show comment input modal
   • Create a Comment record with X/Y position
   • Link to Current Artboard and Logged In User
   • Display the comment pin on the canvas
3. Show comment pins:
   
   • Add Custom List overlaid on canvas
   • Filter: Artboard = Current AND Status ≠ "Archived"
   • Position each pin using X/Y coordinates
   • Show comment count badge

Step 37: Create Comment Thread View

1. Click on comment pin → Open "Comment Thread" modal
2. Show comment details:
   
   • Author name and photo
   • Comment text
   • Created date
   • Reply count
3. Add Custom List of replies (Comments where Parent Comment = This Comment)
4. Add reply input form
5. Add "Resolve" button:
   
   • Update Comment → Status = "Resolved"
   • Change pin appearance or hide

Step 38: Implement Presence Indicators

1. Add "Active Users" section in the top bar
2. Show Custom List of Users:
   
   • Filter: Team Members of Current Project AND Last Active within 5 minutes
   • Show profile photos in a row
   • Add a colored border for each user
3. Update Logged In User → Last Active on any action
4. Use the Timer component to refresh every 30 seconds

Note: True real-time collaboration typically requires WebSocket infrastructure. Adalo's refresh approach provides near-real-time updates suitable for small teams.

Step 39: Add Activity Feed

1. Create "Activity" collection:
   
   • Action Type (Created, Edited, Deleted, Commented)
   • User reference
   • Element/Project reference
   • Timestamp
2. Add an activity panel to the right sidebar
3. Show recent actions by all team members
4. Auto-refresh every 10-15 seconds

Step 40: Build Version History

1. Add a "Save Version" button to the toolbar
2. Click action:
   
   • Create Version record
   • Capture current artboard state (JSON of all Elements)
   • Set Version Number = latest + 1
   • Prompt for version name/description
3. Create "Version History" screen:
   
   • List all versions with thumbnails
   • Click to preview
   • "Restore" button to revert

Adding Prototyping Features

Step 41: Create Prototype Mode Toggle

1. Add "Prototype" tab next to "Design" in canvas view
2. Switch modes:
   
   • Design mode: Edit elements
   • Prototype mode: Create interactive links
3. Store mode in the custom property

Step 42: Build Screen Linking

1. In Prototype mode, add the "Link" tool
2. Click on an element → Show link configuration modal:
   
   • Target Artboard (dropdown of all artboards in project)
   • Transition type (dropdown: None, Slide, Fade)
   • Trigger type (On Click, On Hover)
3. Store links in "Prototype Links" collection:
   
   • Source Element
   • Target Artboard
   • Transition settings

Step 43: Create Prototype Preview

1. Add "Play" button in toolbar (Prototype mode)
2. Open "Prototype Viewer" screen:
   
   • Full-screen artboard display
   • Start with the first artboard or the current artboard
   • Elements with prototype links become clickable
   • Click action → Navigate to target artboard
   • Show transition animation (if possible with Adalo)
3. Add navigation breadcrumbs
4. Add "Exit Preview" button

Step 44: Build Interactive Hotspot Display

1. In Prototype mode, overlay hotspot indicators on linked elements
2. Show Custom List of Elements with Prototype Links
3. Display a semi-transparent overlay on each
4. Show connection lines to target screens

Integrating External Services

Step 45: Set Up Cloud Storage Integration

1. For image handling at scale, integrate with Cloudinary or Uploadcare
2. Use Adalo's API integration via External Collections
3. Configure:
   
   • Upload endpoint
   • Image URL response
   • Transform parameters (resize, compress)
4. Update image upload flow to use external API

Step 46: Connect Export Functionality

1. Create "Export" modal screen
2. Add export options:
   
   • Format: PNG, JPG, SVG (if supported), PDF
   • Quality/Resolution selection
   • Artboard selection (current or all)
3. Use an external API (like CloudConvert) for format conversion
4. Download link generation

Step 47: Integrate with Zapier for Automation

1. Install Zapier integration from the Adalo marketplace
2. Set up Zaps for:
   
   • New project created → Send Slack notification
   • Team member invited → Send custom email
   • Comment added → Notify assignees
   • Version saved → Create backup in Google Drive
3. Configure webhook triggers in Adalo actions

Step 48: Add Slack Integration

1. Create Zapier workflow: Adalo Comment → Slack Message
2. Include in message:
   
   • Commenter name
   • Project name
   • Comment text
   • Direct link to the project
3. Configure notification preferences per user

Step 49: Connect Design Asset Libraries

1. Use External Collections to connect:
   
   • Unsplash API for stock photos
   • Google Fonts API for typography
   • Icon libraries (Feather Icons, Font Awesome)
2. Add search interfaces in respective panels
3. Import assets directly to the artboard

Building Responsive and Mobile Versions

Step 50: Optimize for Web Display

1. Ensure the canvas editor works at different viewport widths
2. Add responsive breakpoint handling:
   
   • Desktop: Full panel layout
   • Tablet: Collapsible sidebars
   • Mobile: Bottom toolbar, full-width canvas
3. Test at common resolutions (1920, 1440, 1280)

Step 51: Create Mobile Companion App

1. Add a new screen "Mobile Dashboard"
2. Simplified mobile view showing:
   
   • Project thumbnails (grid view)
   • Recent activity feed
   • Comments assigned to the user
   • Quick preview mode
3. Limited editing (comments and basic properties only)
4. Full canvas editing remains desktop-focused

Since Adalo components work across web and native platforms, your design tool can have companion mobile apps for review and feedback.

Step 52: Test Cross-Platform Compatibility

1. Preview in Adalo's web previewer
2. Test on actual mobile devices using the Adalo mobile app
3. Check that:
   
   • Images load properly
   • Forms are usable
   • Navigation works smoothly
   • Data syncs correctly

Publishing Your Design Tool

Step 53: Prepare for Launch

1. Set up custom domain (requires Starter plan at $36/month)
2. Configure app settings:
   
   • App icon
   • Splash screen
   • Meta description for SEO
   • Privacy policy link
   • Terms of service
3. Set up SSL certificate (automatic with custom domain)

Step 54: Configure Publishing Settings

1. Go to App Settings → Publishing
2. For web app:
   
   • Choose the custom domain option
   • Enter your domain name
   • Follow the DNS configuration steps
3. For mobile apps (optional):
   
   • Prepare app store assets (icons, screenshots)
   • Write app description
   • Note: Apple developer license ($99/year) and Google Play Developer registration ($25 one-time fee) required

Step 55: Set Up User Limits and Billing

1. Determine pricing model:
   
   • Free tier (limited projects/collaborators)
   • Pro tier (unlimited projects)
   • Team tier (advanced features)
2. Create a "Subscription" collection to track user plans
3. Integrate with Stripe for payments (via marketplace component)
4. Add upgrade prompts when limits are reached

Step 56: Optimize Performance

1. Review database queries:
   
   • Add filters to limit data loads
   • Use pagination for large lists
   • Cache frequently accessed data
2. Optimize images:
   
   • Compress thumbnails
   • Use lazy loading
   • Implement CDN for assets
3. Monitor app speed using Adalo's performance optimization features

Step 57: Set Up Analytics

1. Add Google Analytics or Mixpanel tracking
2. Track key metrics:
   
   • User signups
   • Projects created
   • Active collaborators
   • Element creation count
   • Session duration
3. Set up conversion funnels:
   
   • Signup → First project
   • Project → Team invitation
   • Free → Paid upgrade

Testing Your Design Tool

Step 58: Create Test Data

1. Generate sample projects:
   
   • 5-10 projects with different statuses
   • Various artboard sizes
   • Multiple design elements per artboard
2. Create test users:
   
   • 1 admin account
   • 3-4 editor accounts
   • 2 viewer accounts
3. Add sample comments and version history

Step 59: Test Core Workflows

1. Project creation flow:
   
   • Create a new project
   • Add artboard
   • Verify the project appears in the dashboard
2. Element creation:
   
   • Add rectangle, circle, text, image
   • Verify properties panel updates
   • Test element manipulation (move, resize, rotate)
3. Collaboration features:
   
   • Invite a team member
   • Add comments
   • Check presence indicators
   • Verify activity feed updates
4. Prototyping:
   
   • Create links between artboards
   • Test prototype preview mode
   • Verify transitions work

Step 60: Test Permission Systems

1. Log in as Viewer:
   
   • Confirm cannot edit elements
   • Can only add comments
   • Can view all artboards
2. Log in as Editor:
   
   • Can create and edit elements
   • Can invite new team members
   • Cannot delete the project
3. Test owner permissions

Step 61: Performance Testing

1. Create an artboard with 50+ elements
2. Test loading time and responsiveness
3. Verify smooth scrolling and zooming
4. Check memory usage doesn't cause crashes
5. Test on slower internet connections

Given that apps built on no-code platforms can reduce development time by 50%, you've likely built this tool in weeks rather than months, but thorough testing ensures quality.

Advanced Features and Optimization

Step 62: Add Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Create "Keyboard Shortcuts" guide screen
2. Implement common shortcuts:
   
   • Ctrl+C / Cmd+C: Copy selected element
   • Ctrl+V / Cmd+V: Paste element
   • Delete: Remove selected element
   • Ctrl+Z: Undo (via version history)
   • Ctrl+D: Duplicate element
   • Spacebar: Switch to pan mode

Note: Keyboard shortcut implementation in Adalo is limited; consider using custom code components if available.

Step 63: Build Template System

1. Create "Templates" collection linked to Projects
2. Add "Save as Template" option in the project menu
3. Create "Templates Gallery" screen:
   
   • Show template thumbnails
   • Filter by category
   • Preview before using
4. "Use Template" action:
   
   • Duplicate all artboards and elements
   • Create a new project from a template
   • Assign to current user

Step 64: Implement Search Functionality

1. Add a search bar in the dashboard
2. Search across:
   
   • Project names
   • Element names within projects
   • Comments
   • Team member names
3. Display results grouped by type
4. Quick navigation to search results

Step 65: Add Export Presets

1. Create "Export Presets" collection:
   
   • Preset name (e.g., "Social Media", "Print", "Web")
   • Format, dimensions, and DPI settings
2. Show presets in export modal
3. Allow users to save custom presets
4. One-click export using preset configurations

Step 66: Build Design System Manager

1. Create "Styles" collection:
   
   • Color palettes (array of HEX codes)
   • Typography scales (font families, sizes)
   • Spacing values
   • Border radius presets
2. Add "Design System" panel
3. Apply styles to elements with one click
4. Share design systems across projects

Scaling Your Design Tool

Step 67: Plan for Growth

As your user base expands, consider these Adalo pricing tiers:

• Starter ($36/month): 1 published app, custom domain, good for MVP
• Professional ($52/month): 2 apps, 5 collaborators, 25GB storage, integrations
• Team ($160/month): 5 apps, 10 editors, priority support, Xano integration
• Business ($200/month): 10 apps, contact sales for editor limits, special add-on pricing

Choose based on your user limits and feature requirements.

Step 68: Optimize Database Performance

1. Review frequently accessed collections
2. Add database indexes on commonly filtered properties:
   
   • Projects: Last Modified, Owner
   • Elements: Artboard, Layer Order
   • Comments: Status, Artboard
3. Archive old projects to a separate collection
4. Implement data pagination for large lists

Step 69: Add Premium Features

1. Create a feature flag system:
   
   • Advanced components (premium only)
   • Unlimited team members (premium only)
   • Extended version history (premium only)
   • Priority rendering (premium only)
2. Gate features based on user subscription level
3. Show upgrade prompts for premium features

Step 70: Implement Usage Analytics

1. Track usage metrics per user:
   
   • Projects created
   • Artboards created
   • Elements added
   • Collaboration actions
2. Set usage limits for the free tier
3. Display usage dashboard in account settings
4. Alert users approaching limits

Why Adalo Makes Building a Design Tool Accessible

Creating a collaborative design tool traditionally requires significant engineering resources, teams of developers, complex real-time infrastructure, and months of development. With Adalo's no-code platform, you can build a functional design collaboration app in a fraction of that time and cost.

Here's why Adalo stands out for this project:

True Visual Development Adalo's "what you see is what you get" builder and truly drag-and-drop interface (without complicated flexbox) make it possible to design your app's interface exactly as users will see it. This is crucial for a design tool where visual precision matters.

Built-in Relational Database The built-in database with custom formulas, AND/OR logic, and relational capabilities handles complex data structures needed for projects, artboards, elements, and version history, all without database administration skills.

Cross-Platform Publishing All components work across web and native platforms, so your design tool can have a primary web interface plus companion mobile apps for reviewing designs and providing feedback on the go. As of January 2025, publishing to a custom domain is available starting on the Starter plan at $36/month (annual billing) or $45/month (monthly billing); please verify current pricing.

Extensibility Through Integrations With integrations for Xano, Airtable, Zapier, and Make, plus API integration capabilities, you can extend functionality beyond Adalo's built-in features, connecting cloud storage, export services, and notification systems.

Proven Platform Stability With 1 million+ apps created and 20 million+ daily data requests processed, Adalo has the infrastructure to support collaborative applications with multiple active users.

Cost-Effective Development: Traditional app development typically costs $60,000–$150,000+ for medium complexity (with higher costs for complex builds). With Adalo, you can build for free and publish for as low as $36/month when billed annually (or $45/month billed monthly). Adalo’s site aggregates research and its own analyses, indicating substantial cost reductions (often 20–70%+, e.g., “up to 65%”) with no-code; actual savings vary by project.

Rapid Iteration: Since industry analyses suggest low-code/no-code can reduce development time significantly (often cited around 50%, though impact varies by project), you can iterate based on user feedback quickly, adding features and refining the experience without lengthy development cycles.

Whether you're building an internal design tool for your team, validating a SaaS idea, or creating a specialized design app for a niche market, Adalo empowers makers to bring these ideas to life without requiring a development team.