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

Building a Netflix-style streaming app seems like a project reserved for well-funded development teams with months of coding ahead. The complexity of user authentication, subscription management, content libraries, and cross-platform deployment creates barriers that stop most entrepreneurs and creators before they even start. Yet the demand for niche streaming platforms—whether for fitness content, educational courses, or independent films—continues to grow.

The right tools can transform this ambitious project into a weekend build. 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. With Adalo's visual development environment, you'll create user profiles, subscription tiers, and content streaming functionality without writing a single line of code.

This comprehensive tutorial will walk you through building a Netflix-style streaming app using Adalo's platform. While you'll face video hosting limitations, you'll create a functional app with user profiles, subscription management, and content streaming capabilities. 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.

Prerequisites and Initial Setup

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account

1. Go to Adalo.com and sign up
2. Click "Create New App"
3. Choose Mobile App (recommended for iOS/Android) or Web App (for PWA). Video works in either.
4. Name your app (e.g., "StreamFlix")
5. Select "Start from Scratch"

Step 2: Configure App Settings

1. Choose a dark primary color (#221F1F for Netflix-style)
2. Select accent color (red #E50914)
3. Pick a clean, modern font (Helvetica or SF Pro)
4. Click "Continue" to enter editor

Setting Up the Database

Step 3: Enhance the Users Collection

1. Click Database icon in left sidebar
2. Select the default "Users" collection
3. Add these properties (click "+ Add Property"):
   
   • Profile Picture (Image)
   • Display Name (Text)
   • Subscription Status (Text - Values: "active", "expired", "trial")
   • Subscription Tier (Text - Values: "basic", "standard", "premium")
   • Subscription End Date (Date & Time)
   • Stripe Customer ID (Text)
   • Trial Used (True/False - default: false)
   • Account Created (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Payment Method (Text)

Learn more about the Users collection

Step 4: Create Videos Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Videos"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Title (Text - Required)
   • Description (Text - Multiline)
   • Video URL (Text - for external hosting)
   • Thumbnail (Image)
   • Backdrop Image (Image)
   • Duration (Number - in minutes)
   • Release Year (Number)
   • Content Rating (Text - Values: "G", "PG", "PG-13", "R")
   • View Count (Number - default: 0)
   • Average Rating (Number)
   • Is Featured (True/False)
   • Quality Options (Text - Values: "HD", "4K")
   • Trailer URL (Text)

Step 5: Create Categories Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Categories"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Name (Text - Required)
   • Display Order (Number)
   • Icon (Image)
   • Is Active (True/False - default: true)

Step 6: Create Profiles Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Profiles"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Name (Text - Required)
   • Avatar (Image)
   • Is Kids (True/False - default: false)
   • PIN (Number - optional)
   • Language Preference (Text)
   • Maturity Level (Text)

Step 7: Create Watch History Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Watch History"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Progress (Number - in seconds)
   • Completed (True/False - default: false)
   • Last Watched (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Started At (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 8: Create Watchlist Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Watchlist"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Added Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Priority (Number)

Step 9: Create Reviews Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Reviews"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Rating (Number - 1-5)
   • Comment (Text - Multiline)
   • Created At (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Thumbs Up (Number - default: 0)

Step 10: Set Up Relationships

1. In Videos:
   
   • Add "Categories" → Categories (Many to Many)
   • Add "Cast Members" → Users (Many to Many)
2. In Profiles:
   
   • Add "Account Owner" → Users (Many to One)
3. In Watch History:
   
   • Add "User Profile" → Profiles (Many to One)
   • Add "Video" → Videos (Many to One)
4. In Watchlist:
   
   • Add "User Profile" → Profiles (Many to One)
   • Add "Video" → Videos (Many to One)
5. In Reviews:
   
   • Add "User" → Users (Many to One)
   • Add "Video" → Videos (Many to One)

Learn more about databases

Building Authentication Screens

Step 11: Create Splash Screen

1. Add new screen "Splash"
2. Make it the home screen
3. Add Image component with app logo
4. Add loading animation (spinner)
5. Add automatic action:
   
   • Wait 2 seconds
   • Navigate to "Login" if not logged in
   • Navigate to "Profile Selection" if logged in

Step 12: Build Login Screen

1. Add new screen "Login"
2. Add Image for logo at top
3. Add Form component:
   
   • Email input field
   • Password input field
   • "Sign In" button (red background)
4. Add "Remember me" toggle
5. Add "New to StreamFlix? Sign up now" link
6. Configure login action:
   
   • Log user in
   • Navigate to "Profile Selection"

Learn more about app authentication

Step 13: Create Signup Screen

1. Add new screen "Signup"
2. Add Form component:
   
   • Email field
   • Password field
   • Confirm password field
   • "Get Started" button
3. Add subscription tier selection:
   
   • Basic ($9.99/month)
   • Standard ($15.99/month)
   • Premium ($19.99/month)
4. Configure signup action:
   
   • Create user account
   • Set trial period (30 days)
   • Navigate to "Payment Setup"

Implementing Profile Management

Step 14: Build Profile Selection Screen

1. Add new screen "Profile Selection"
2. Add title "Who's watching?"
3. Add Custom List of Profiles:
   
   • Filter: Account Owner = Logged In User
   • Grid layout (2 columns)
   • Show avatar and name
4. Add "Add Profile" button (max 5 profiles)
5. Click action on profile:
   
   • Store selected profile
   • Navigate to "Home"

Step 15: Create Add Profile Screen

1. Add new screen "Add Profile"
2. Add Form component:
   
   • Name input
   • Avatar picker (image list)
   • Kids profile toggle
   • Maturity settings dropdown
3. Add "Save" action:
   
   • Create Profile record
   • Link to Logged In User
   • Navigate back

Building the Home Screen

Step 16: Create Home Screen Layout

1. Add new screen "Home"
2. Add App Bar component:
   
   • Logo on left
   • Search icon
   • Profile avatar
3. Add featured content section:
   
   • Large Image component
   • Overlay with title and description
   • Play button
   • Add to List button

Step 17: Add Content Rows

1. Add Text "Continue Watching"
2. Add Horizontal List:
   
   • Data: Watch History
   • Filter: User Profile = Current Profile AND Completed = False
   • Sort: Last Watched (Newest First)
   • Show video thumbnail
   • Add progress bar overlay
3. Duplicate for "Trending Now":
   
   • Data: Videos
   • Sort: View Count (Highest First)
   • Limit: 20 items

Step 18: Configure Category Rows

1. Add Custom List of Categories
2. For each category, add nested Horizontal List:
   
   • Filter: Videos where Categories contains Current Category
   • Enable "Load Items as User Scrolls"
   • Show 5-7 visible items
3. Add "See All" link for each row

Learn the component basics

Setting Up Video Playback

Step 19: Set Up Video Sources

1. Use the Video component for small uploads (Adalo uploads are limited to ~50 MB; uploads over ~40 MB may time out).
2. For hosted files, store a direct video file URL in Video URL and bind it to the Video component.
3. If your videos are on YouTube, use the YouTube component instead of a raw file URL.

Step 20: Create Video Detail Screen

1. Add new screen "Video Detail"
2. Add Video component:
   
   • Set source to Current Video > Video URL
   • Enable auto-play
   • Custom thumbnail from database
3. Add video info section:
   
   • Title, year, duration
   • Description
   • Cast list
4. Add action buttons:
   
   • Play/Resume
   • Add to List
   • Rate (thumbs up/down)
   • Share

Learn more about the video component

Step 21: Implement Watch Tracking

1. On video play action:
   
   • Check for existing Watch History
   • If none, create new record
   • If exists, update Last Watched
2. Add timer to track progress:
   
   • Update Progress every 30 seconds
   • Mark Completed when Progress >= Duration * 0.9
3. On screen exit:
   
   • Save final progress
   • Update View Count

Building Search and Discovery

Step 22: Create Search Screen

1. Add new screen "Search"
2. Add Text Input at top:
   
   • Placeholder: "Search titles, genres, cast"
   • Auto-focus on screen load
3. Add Custom List for results:
   
   • Filter: Title contains search term OR Description contains search term
   • Show as grid (3 columns)
4. Add category quick filters:
   
   • Horizontal list of category buttons
   • Update search results on tap

Step 23: Build Browse Screen

1. Add new screen "Browse"
2. Add Dropdown for category selection
3. Add sort options:
   
   • Release Date
   • Popularity
   • Rating
   • A-Z
4. Add Custom List with grid layout:
   
   • Filter by selected category
   • Apply selected sort
   • Enable infinite scroll

Implementing Subscription Management

Step 24: Install Stripe Component

1. Open the Marketplace
2. Search “Stripe” and install the components you need (Payment for one-time, Subscription for recurring)
3. Click Connect with Stripe in the component and follow the prompts
4. For subscriptions, copy your Price ID from Stripe into the component settings

Stripe setup guide

Step 25: Create Payment Screen

1. Add new screen "Payment Setup"
2. Add plan selection cards:
   
   • Show tier name and price
   • List features for each tier
   • Highlight recommended plan
3. Add Stripe Payment component:
   
   • Set Price ID from Stripe dashboard
   • Enable subscription mode
   • Configure trial period

Step 26: Build Account Management

1. Add new screen "Account"
2. Display subscription info:
   
   • Current plan
   • Next billing date
   • Payment method
3. Add management options:
   
   • Upgrade/Downgrade plan
   • Update payment method
   • Cancel subscription
4. Add Custom Actions:
   
   • Call Stripe API to verify subscription
   • Update user subscription status

Custom Actions documentation

Adding My List Feature

Step 27: Implement Watchlist

1. On Video Detail screen, add toggle button:
   
   • Check if video in user's Watchlist
   • Show filled/unfilled bookmark icon
2. Configure toggle action:
   
   • If not in list: Create Watchlist record
   • If in list: Delete Watchlist record
3. Add "My List" screen:
   
   • Filter: Watchlist where User Profile = Current
   • Show as grid
   • Add remove option

Step 28: Create Download Simulation

1. Add "Downloads" property to Videos (True/False)
2. Add download icon on video cards
3. Create "Downloads" screen:
   
   • Filter: Videos where Downloads = True
   • Note: Actual offline viewing not supported
   • Provide message about streaming requirement

Implementing Ratings and Reviews

Step 29: Add Rating System

1. Install Star Rating component from Marketplace
2. Add to Video Detail screen
3. Configure rating action:
   
   • Check for existing review
   • Update or create Review record
   • Recalculate video's average rating

Step 30: Display Reviews

1. Add reviews section on Video Detail
2. Show Custom List of Reviews:
   
   • Filter: Video = Current Video
   • Sort: Most recent first
   • Display rating, comment, user name
3. Add helpful/not helpful voting

Optimizing Performance

Step 31: Configure List Loading

1. For all video lists:
   
   • Enable "Load Items as User Scrolls"
   • Set initial load to 10-15 items
   • Load 10 more on scroll
2. Optimize images:
   
   • Use compressed thumbnails (< 200KB)
   • Load backdrop images only on detail view

Step 32: Implement Caching Strategy

1. Store frequently accessed data:
   
   • Categories in app variables
   • Current profile in temporary storage
2. Minimize database calls:
   
   • Batch related queries
   • Use conditional visibility wisely

Performance best practices

Testing and Launch Preparation

Step 33: Test Core Features

1. Create test accounts with different subscription tiers
2. Test video playback on various devices
3. Verify subscription validation
4. Test profile switching
5. Check watch history tracking
6. Verify search functionality
7. Test on slow connections

Step 34: Prepare for Publishing

1. Upgrade to a paid plan. Starter supports publishing and Stripe Payments. If you need Custom Actions (e.g., to validate subscriptions via the Stripe API) or External Database Collections, choose Professional.
2. Configure app store settings:
   
   • App name and description
   • Screenshots and preview video
   • Content rating questionnaire
3. Set up privacy policy and terms
4. Configure push notifications
5. Submit for review

Working with Platform Limitations

Step 35: Handle Video Limitations

Not built-in to Adalo’s Video component; use external hosts/players if you need these features:

• Native video downloads
• Adaptive bitrate streaming
• Picture-in-picture mode
• DRM protection
• Live streaming

Required Workarounds:

• External hosting for videos > 40MB
• Manual quality selection
• Third-party CDN for global delivery
• Custom actions for advanced features

Step 36: Scale Considerations

1. Data storage: per-team storage scales by plan (e.g., Starter 25 GB, Professional 125 GB, Team 500 GB, Business 500 GB).
2. Large catalogs: host the video files externally and store the file URLs in your Videos collection; use External Database Collections if you want to read data from your own API.
3. API usage: batch calls where possible and cache common values in properties to reduce requests.

Additional Resources

• Adalo YouTube Tutorials
• Component Documentation
• Database Best Practices
• Custom Actions
• Cloneable Kits for UI templates

Important Considerations

Cost Breakdown:

• Adalo (monthly billing): Starter $45/mo, Professional $65/mo, Team $200/mo, Business $250/mo (lower annual rates listed on page)
• Stripe components: available via Adalo’s Marketplace (no added Adalo fee; standard Stripe fees apply)
• Optional Marketplace components: some are free, others are paid — pricing varies per listing

Third-Party Components:

• Plyr Video Player: Enhanced video controls
• Progress Bar: Visual progress indicators
• Advanced Search: Better search functionality
• Rating Components: User review system

Note: This Netflix clone provides core streaming functionality within Adalo's constraints. While it won't match Netflix's advanced features like adaptive streaming or offline viewing, it delivers a solid foundation for a subscription-based video streaming app.

FAQ