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

Building a meditation app like Headspace requires combining audio playback, user progress tracking, subscription management, and a calming interface that works seamlessly across mobile and web. Traditional development demands expertise in multiple programming languages, separate codebases for iOS and Android, and months of engineering time—putting the project out of reach for most wellness entrepreneurs and content creators.

That's where Adalo comes in. Adalo is a no-code 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.

Why Adalo Is Perfect for Building a Meditation App

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. This makes it the ideal choice for creating a Headspace-style meditation app that reaches users wherever they prefer to practice mindfulness—on their phone during a morning commute or on their desktop at home.

App store distribution is essential for meditation apps because users expect native features like push notifications for daily practice reminders, offline access to guided sessions, and seamless audio playback. With Adalo, you can deliver all of this while building once and publishing everywhere, letting you focus on crafting calming content rather than managing multiple codebases.

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through creating a professional meditation and mindfulness app using Adalo’s no-code platform. You’ll build guided audio sessions, timers, progress tracking, subscription features, and a calming UI—without writing code. U.S. adult meditation use more than tripled from 2012 to 2017, underscoring strong demand for digital mindfulness tools. You can even publish the same app to the web, native iOS, and native Android with Adalo, all without writing a line of code or rebuilding anything.

Why Build a Mindfulness App

Market Opportunity for Meditation Apps

Meditation and mindfulness continue to see broad consumer adoption. No-code lowers the barrier to entry so wellness creators can ship quickly with fewer resources.

Benefits of No-Code Development

• Speed: Visual development shortens iteration cycles so you can test content and flows fast
• Cost Efficiency: Avoid large up-front engineering budgets; scale plans as usage grows
• Cross-Platform: Design once and publish to iOS, Android, and web 
• Extensibility: Add payments, automations, and backends via Marketplace and Integrations

Getting Started with Adalo as Your App Builder

Creating Your Adalo Account

1. Go to Adalo.com and sign up
2. Verify your email
3. From the dashboard, click Create New App
4. Choose Mobile App (ideal for meditation use cases)
5. Name your app (e.g., “MindfulDay”) and select Start from Scratch

Understanding the Builder Interface

• Left Sidebar: Components, actions, database
• Canvas: Drag-and-drop screen layout
• Right Panel: Properties and styles
• Top Bar: Preview, share, and publish

Explore the editor with the guided product tour in Adalo’s product page.

Building the Database Structure

Step 1: Create Core Collections

Open Database in the left sidebar.

Users (enhanced)
Add properties:

• Profile Image (Image)
• Meditation Streak (Number)
• Total Sessions (Number)
• Total Minutes (Number)
• Subscription Status (Text): “Free”, “Premium”
• Subscription End Date (Date)
• Preferred Categories (Text or Relation)
• Time Zone (Text)
• Notification Preferences (True/False)

Meditations

• Title (Text)
• Description (Text – Multiline)
• Duration (Number, minutes)
• Category (Text: Sleep, Focus, Anxiety, Stress, etc.)
• Difficulty (Text: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)
• Audio File (File)
• Thumbnail Image (Image)
• Is Premium (True/False)
• Play Count (Number)
• Created Date (Date – Automatic)

Sessions

• Start Time (Date & Time)
• End Time (Date & Time)
• Duration Completed (Number)
• Completed (True/False)
• Notes (Text – Optional)

(For database basics and relationships, see Adalo Database Documentation.)

Step 2: Set Up Relationships

• Sessions → Users: Many-to-One (a user has many sessions)
• Sessions → Meditations: Many-to-One (a meditation has many sessions)
• Users ↔ Meditations (Favorites): Many-to-Many

Designing Your Mindfulness App’s User Interface

Choosing Calming Color Schemes

• Go to Settings → Branding
• Choose soft, muted colors (e.g., blues, greens, warm neutrals)
• Pick readable fonts (e.g., Inter, Lato)
• Keep visual noise low, spacing generous

(See Responsive Design for multi-device layout guidance.)

Creating Intuitive Navigation

• Bottom nav with 4 tabs: Home, Discover, Progress, Profile
• Keep icons consistent, label clearly
• Use Lists and Cards for content tiles

Building Core Meditation Features with Adalo

Adding Audio Components

1. Install an audio player from the Adalo Marketplace
2. Create a Player screen: artwork image, title text, audio player, and basic controls
3. Bind the audio source to Meditations → Audio File

Creating Timer Functions

1. Add a Countdown or Timer component (Marketplace)
2. Provide quick-select durations (5/10/15/20 min)
3. Actions:

• On start → create Sessions record
• On complete → set Completed = true and update Duration Completed

Building Session Libraries

• Home: Featured meditations, “Continue Listening,” and category chips
• Discover: Category grid + filterable list
• Search: Text input bound to Meditations.Title/Description

Setting Up User Profiles and Progress Tracking

Implementing User Authentication

• Welcome: Calming hero image, two buttons (Sign Up, Log In)
• Sign Up: Email, password, name, time zone, notification opt-in
• Personalize: Goals (e.g., sleep, focus), preferred session length, categories

(For user accounts & templates, see User Profile & Account Templates.)

Creating Progress Dashboards

• Stats Card: Streak, total minutes, sessions/week, top category
• Charts: Weekly minutes bar, calendar “heatmap” (list-based)
• Achievements: “7-Day Streak,” “100 Sessions,” etc.

(You can surface external analytics via External Collections if needed.)

Integrating Premium Features

Adding Payment Processing

• Use in-app purchases for mobile (Apple/Google) through IAPHUB for Adalo
• Use Stripe for web or purchases not subject to app-store billing (install via Marketplace)

Create Subscription Tiers (Example)

• Free: Limited daily sessions, basic library access
• Premium Monthly: Full library, offline downloads*, advanced stats
• Premium Annual: Same benefits at a discounted annual rate

Robust offline media downloads can be limited on no-code; test your flow thoroughly across devices.

Content Gating Logic

• Check Users → Subscription Status
• Lock premium items with an overlay → Upgrade CTA
• After purchase, update user’s status and unlock content

Creating Meditation Content Management

Organizing Meditation Libraries

• Admin screens: bulk upload audio, set categories/tags, mark premium/free
• Auto-generate featured rows (e.g., “New This Week,” “Popular for Sleep”)

Admin Dashboards

• Content Dashboard: Edit/delete meditations, view play counts
• User Analytics: Active users, conversion rate, popular content
• Notifications: Schedule new-content announcements and streak nudges

(Automations can be extended via Zapier Integration.)

Testing Your App Across Devices

Mobile Device Testing

• Use Adalo’s mobile preview app to test iOS and Android behavior
• Validate audio streaming, timer accuracy, and navigation flows
• Check list performance on older devices

Web Browser Compatibility

• Preview in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge
• Optimize media sizes and paginate long lists
• Confirm layout on tablet and large-screen devices

(Performance tips: Optimize App Performance.)

Publishing to App Stores with Adalo

Preparing for App Store Review

• Assets: App name, description, keywords, privacy policy & terms, screenshots
• Screenshots: 6.7-inch iPhone and 5.5-inch iPhone; include iPad if supported
• Follow store-specific content and privacy guidelines

(Overview: Adalo Publishing)

Google Play Store Requirements

• Required assets include app icons in multiple sizes and a Feature Graphic (1024×500) (Store listing assets)
• Set up Internal, Closed, or Open testing tracks (internal supports up to 100 testers; no minimum) (Testing tracks)
• New apps must use Android App Bundles (AAB)
• Developer accounts: Apple $99/year, Google Play $25 one-time

Growing and Monetizing Your Mindfulness App

Implementing Subscription Models

• Offer a short free trial for premium
• Gate advanced courses, sleep stories, and statistics behind subscription
• Use “Upgrade” prompts at natural moments (e.g., after a streak milestone)

User Retention Strategies

• Personalization: Recommend sessions by time of day and past history
• Habits: Streaks, badges, and gentle reminder notifications
• Fresh Content: Release new meditations weekly
• Community: Optional challenges or group sessions (list-based)

Why Adalo is the Perfect Platform for Your Mindfulness App

Adalo provides the building blocks you need—database, UI components, actions, and publishing—so you can focus on content and experience. Add capability via the Component Marketplace, automate with Zapier, and, if needed, scale data/logic using External Collections or a backend such as Xano Integration. Start on the free tier, then upgrade when you’re ready to publish or need higher limits (Pricing).

Platform Limitations and Workarounds

Critical Constraints to Address

Performance Issues

• Very large collections can slow list rendering and screen loads
• Deeply nested lists (“lists within lists”) increase query/display cost
• Heavy analytics and complex filtering benefit from an external backend

Real-Time Limitations

• Native real-time/live syncing isn’t built-in
• Manual or timed refresh is common for “live” experiences
• Use external services via Custom Actions if you need real-time features

Workaround Strategies

• Move heavy queries to External Collections or a backend
• Use a real-time layer (e.g., Firebase) through Custom Actions
• Segment admin/content tools into a separate app
• Compress media and paginate lists

Cost Breakdown and Resources

Adalo Subscription Costs

• See current plans and limits on the official Adalo Pricing page

Store & Platform Fees

• Apple Developer Program: Enroll ($99/year)
• Google Play Console: Registration ($25 one-time)

Payments & Integrations

• Mobile in-app purchases: IAPHUB for Adalo
• Web/non-IAP payments: Stripe (Marketplace) and Stripe Pricing

Marketplace Components

• Explore audio players, timers, payments, maps, and more in the Adalo Component Marketplace

Additional Resources

• Adalo Component Marketplace — specialized components
• Database Documentation — collections, relationships, formulas
• Custom Actions Guide — connect external APIs/backends
• App Templates — jump-start layouts and flows
• Video Tutorials — step-by-step builds

Note: This Headspace-style clone includes guided audio, timers, progress tracking, subscriptions, notifications, and a calming UI built with Adalo. Features like robust offline media downloads, live presence, background jobs, and advanced analytics aren’t native; if you need them, integrate external services via Custom Actions or External Collections. For large-scale apps, use progressive list loading, an external backend for heavy queries, and efficient media handling to maintain performance.

FAQ