Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Threads (by Instagram) Clone with Adalo

This comprehensive tutorial will walk you through building a functional Threads-style social media app using Adalo's no-code platform. You'll learn how to create user profiles, threaded conversations, social interactions, and publish your app to web, iOS, and Android—all without writing a single line of code.

Why Build a Social Media App with No-Code Tools

The Traditional vs. No-Code Development Path

Building a social media app traditionally requires hiring developers at salaries ranging from $75,000-$150,000 annually, learning complex programming languages, and spending months on development. No-code platforms eliminate these barriers entirely.

With Adalo’s visual drag-and-drop interface, over 1 million apps have been created by makers who don’t write code. The platform has powered countless app projects, proving that sophisticated applications are achievable without traditional programming expertise.

What Makes Social Media Apps Ideal for No-Code

Social media applications rely on core patterns—user authentication, content feeds, social interactions, and notifications—that map perfectly to no-code capabilities. Adalo provides:

• Pre-built components for user profiles, feeds, and content creation
• A relational database that handles complex relationships between users, posts, and interactions
• Cross-platform publishing to web, iOS, and Android from a single build
• Integration with thousands of services via Zapier for extended functionality.

Published Adalo apps had >99% average uptime over the last year, helping your social app stay accessible. Plus, you can start building for free and only upgrade when you're ready to publish.

Adalo vs. Other No-Code App Builders: What You Need to Know

Adalo's Drag-and-Drop Interface vs. Bubble's Flexibility

When comparing no-code app builders, Adalo stands out with a drag-and-drop editor, responsive design, and built-in preview tools for web and mobile.

While Bubble excels at complex web applications, Adalo specializes in native mobile apps with simpler, more intuitive workflows ideal for social media features like feeds, profiles, and messaging.

Publishing to iOS and Android: Platform Comparison

Adalo supports publishing to web, iOS, and Android from a single build, with responsive design that allows you to build your app once and publish it to any device. This is crucial for social media apps that need to reach users across all platforms.

Key advantages for social media development:

• Native mobile publishing to both iOS App Store and Google Play Store from one project
• Responsive web apps that work on any browser
• Built-in database with relational capabilities for complex social connections
• Component marketplace with dozens of premium components for enhanced features

Understanding the Threads App Architecture

Core Features of a Threads-Style App

Before building, understanding Threads' core functionality helps you plan your database and user flows:

User Management:

• Profile creation with bio, profile picture, and verification
• Privacy settings and account customization
• Following/follower relationships

Content Creation:

• Text-based posts with character limits
• Image and video attachments
• Threaded reply structure

Social Interactions:

• Like/unlike posts
• Reply to threads
• Repost content
• Follow/unfollow users

Feed Algorithm:

• Chronological feed of followed users
• Engagement-based sorting
• Discovery features

Database Relationships You'll Need

A Threads clone requires these key database relationships:

• Users to Posts: One-to-many (one user creates many posts)
• Posts to Replies: One-to-many (one post has many replies)
• Users to Likes: Many-to-many (users like many posts; posts have many likes)
• Users to Follows: Many-to-many (users follow many users; users have many followers)
• Users to Notifications: One-to-many (one user receives many notifications)

Adalo’s built-in relational database handles these connections natively, and you can also connect external data via APIs or Xano.

Setting Up Your Adalo Account and First Project

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account

1. Go to Adalo.com and click "Get Started Free"
2. Sign up with your email or Google account
3. Verify your email address
4. You'll land on your dashboard

Step 2: Choose the Right Adalo Plan for Your Threads Clone

Adalo offers tiered pricing based on your needs. Pricing as of 2024; verify current rates on Adalo's pricing page.

Free Plan ($0/month):

• Perfect for building and testing your Threads clone
• Unlimited test apps
• 200 records per app.
• Unlimited screens and actions
• Web publishing on Adalo subdomain

Starter Plan ($36/month annual, $45/month monthly):

• 1 published app
• Custom domains
• Remove Adalo branding
• Ideal for launching your MVP

Professional Plan ($52/month annual, $65/month monthly):

• 2 published apps
• 5 collaborators
• 25 GB storage (per team)
• advanced integrations

Team Plan ($160/month annual, $200/month monthly):

• 5 published apps
• 10 editors
• Priority support
• Advanced backend capabilities

Business Plan ($200/month annual, $250/month monthly):

• 10 published apps
• Unlimited Editor seats (verify current limits)
• Special add-on pricing
• Advanced integrations

Start with the Free plan to build your complete prototype, then upgrade to Starter when ready to publish.

Step 3: Creating Your First App

1. Click "Create New App" on your dashboard
2. Choose "Mobile App" (optimized for iOS/Android with responsive web)
3. Name your app (e.g., "ThreadsClone")
4. Select "Start from Scratch" (no Threads templates available in Adalo's template library)
5. Click "Continue to Editor"

Step 4: Set Your App Theme

1. Choose your primary brand color (e.g., black for Threads-like aesthetic)
2. Select a secondary accent color (e.g., bright blue for CTAs)
3. Pick a clean, modern font (Threads uses a sans-serif)
4. These choices will apply across all components automatically
5. Click "Start Building"

Building the User Authentication Flow

Step 5: Enhance the Users Collection

Adalo automatically creates a Users collection with email and password. Let's expand it:

1. Click the Database icon (cylinder) in the left sidebar
2. Click on "Users" collection
3. Click "+ Add Property" for each of these:
   
   • Full Name (Text)
   • Username (Text) - Make this unique
   • Bio (Text - Long Text)
   • Profile Picture (Image)
   • Verified (True/False)
   • Private Account (True/False)
   • Followers Count (Number - default 0)
   • Following Count (Number - default 0)
   • Join Date (Date & Time - automatic)
   • Location (Text)
   • Website (Text)

Step 6: Creating Login and Signup Screens

Build the Welcome Screen:

1. Rename the default screen to "Welcome"
2. Add an Image component for your logo
3. Add Text: "Join the conversation"
4. Add Button "Sign Up" → Link to new screen "Sign Up"
5. Add Button "Log In" → Link to new screen "Login"

Create the Sign Up Screen:

1. Add new screen "Sign Up"
2. Add Form component
3. Connect form to Users collection
4. Include these inputs:
   
   • Email (Email type)
   • Password (Password type)
   • Full Name (Text)
   • Username (Text - add note about uniqueness)
5. Add Submit button → On success: Link to "Setup Profile" screen

Create the Login Screen:

1. Add new screen "Login"
2. Add Form with email and password inputs
3. Set form action to "Login"
4. On successful login → Link to "Home Feed" screen
5. Add "Forgot Password?" link

Learn more about user authentication in Adalo.

Step 7: Build Profile Setup Flow

1. Add new screen "Setup Profile"
2. Add Form to update Current User:
   
   • Profile Picture (Image Picker)
   • Bio (Text Area - 150 character limit)
   • Location (Text Input - optional)
   • Website (URL Input - optional)
3. Add "Skip for Now" button
4. Submit button → Link to "Home Feed"

Designing the Post Feed and User Profiles

Step 8: Create the Posts Collection

1. Click Database → + Add Collection
2. Name it "Posts"
3. Add these properties:
   
   • Post Text (Text - Long Text)
   • Post Image (Image - optional)
   • Like Count (Number - default 0)
   • Reply Count (Number - default 0)
   • Repost Count (Number - default 0)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - automatic)
   • Edited (True/False)
   • Is Reply (True/False)
4. Add relationship to Users: "Author" (A User can have many Posts)
5. Add self-relationship: "Replied To" (A Post can have many reply Posts)

Step 9: Creating the Posts Collection and Relationships

1. Click on Posts collection
2. Click Add Relationship
3. Select "Users" → "Author" → "has many Posts"
4. This creates the link: User → Posts they've created
5. Add another relationship to Posts itself:
   
   • "Original Post" (for replies/threads)
   • One Post can have many reply Posts

Step 10: Building a Scrollable Feed with Adalo Lists

Create the Home Feed Screen:

1. Add new screen "Home Feed"

2. Add List component (takes up most of screen)

3. Connect list to Posts collection

4. Filter: Show only posts from users the logged-in user follows

5. Sort by: Created Date (Newest First)

6. Configure list item layout:

• Image → Author → Profile Picture (small, circular)
• Text → Author → Username
• Text → Author → Full Name (lighter color)
• Text → Post Text (main content)
• Image → Post Image (if exists, use conditional visibility)
• Text → Created Date (format as "2h ago")

7. Add bottom action bar with counts:

• Like Count (heart icon)
• Reply Count (comment icon)
• Repost Count (repost icon)

Add Navigation Bar:

1. At bottom of screen, add 5 icon buttons:
   
   • Home (active)
   • Search → Link to "Search" screen
   • Create Post → Link to "New Post" screen
   • Activity → Link to "Notifications" screen
   • Profile → Link to "My Profile" screen

Learn more about responsive design for feeds.

Step 11: Designing Profile Pages with User Data

Create User Profile Screen:

1. Add new screen "Profile"

2. Add this screen parameter: "User" (of type Users)

3. Design the header section:

• Image → User → Profile Picture (large, centered)
• Text → User → Full Name (bold, large)
• Text → User → Username (gray, medium)
• Text → User → Bio
• Text → User → Website (make clickable)
• Text → User → Followers Count + " followers"
• Text → User → Following Count + " following"

4. Add action buttons:

• If User = Logged In User: "Edit Profile" → Link to "Edit Profile"
• If User ≠ Logged In User: "Follow" button (conditional on follow status)

5. Add List of User's Posts:

• Filter: Author = User (from screen parameter)
• Sort by: Created Date (Newest)
• Use same post item design as Home Feed

Implementing Social Features: Likes, Comments, and Follows

Step 12: Create the Likes Collection

Social features require many-to-many relationships, best handled through junction collections:

1. Add new collection "Likes"
2. Add these properties:
   
   • Created Date (Date & Time - automatic)
3. Add relationships:
   
   • To Users: "Liked By" (many Likes to one User)
   • To Posts: "Liked Post" (many Likes to one Post)

Step 13: Create the Follows Collection

1. Add new collection "Follows"
2. Add properties:
   
   • Created Date (Date & Time - automatic)
3. Add relationships:
   
   • To Users: "Follower" (the user doing the following)
   • To Users: "Following" (the user being followed)

Step 14: Create the Replies Collection

For threaded conversations:

1. We'll use the existing Posts collection
2. When Is Reply = True, it links to Original Post
3. This creates the threaded structure

Step 15: Setting Up Follow/Unfollow Logic

On the Profile Screen, configure the Follow button:

1. Add Button: "Follow"

2. Set visibility condition:

• Visible when: Count of Follows where (Follower = Logged In User AND Following = Profile User) = 0
• This checks if a follow relationship exists

3. Button actions:

• Create → New Follow record
  
  • Follower = Logged In User
  • Following = Profile User
• Update → Profile User
  
  • Followers Count = Followers Count + 1
• Update → Logged In User
  
  • Following Count = Following Count + 1

Add the Unfollow Button:

1. Add Button: "Unfollow"

2. Set visibility condition:

• Visible when: Count of Follows where (Follower = Logged In User AND Following = Profile User) > 0

3. Button actions:

• Delete → Follow record where (Follower = Logged In User AND Following = Profile User)
• Update → Profile User
  
  • Followers Count = Followers Count - 1
• Update → Logged In User
  
  • Following Count = Following Count - 1

Step 16: Adding Like and Comment Actions to Posts

Like Button on Each Post:

1. In your post list item, add a Button (heart icon)
2. Display current Like Count as text
3. Add conditional styling:
   
   • If Count of Likes where (Liked By = Logged In User AND Liked Post = Current Post) > 0
   • Change heart to filled/colored

Like Action:

1. On click:
   
   • Create → New Like
     
     • Liked By = Logged In User
     • Liked Post = Current Post
   • Update → Current Post
     
     • Like Count = Like Count + 1

Unlike Action (when already liked):

1. Use conditional button or same button with different action
2. On click:
   
   • Delete → Like where (Liked By = Logged In User AND Liked Post = Current Post)
   • Update → Current Post
     
     • Like Count = Like Count - 1

Reply/Comment Button:

1. Add Button (comment icon) on each post
2. Display current Reply Count
3. On click → Link to "Thread View" screen
   
   • Pass Current Post as screen parameter

Step 17: Using Adalo's Custom Actions and Formulas

Adalo supports custom formulas for calculations:

Calculate "Time Ago" for Posts:

Use Adalo's date formatting or create custom formula:

• If Created Date < 1 hour ago: Show minutes
• If Created Date < 24 hours ago: Show hours
• Else: Show date

Count Nested Replies:

Create a count formula:

• Count of Posts where (Original Post = Current Post AND Is Reply = True)

Adding Real-Time Updates and Notifications

Step 18: Create the Notifications Collection

1. Add new collection "Notifications"
2. Add properties:
   
   • Notification Type (Text) - Values: "like", "reply", "follow", "mention"
   • Message (Text)
   • Read Status (True/False - default false)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - automatic)
3. Add relationships:
   
   • To Users: "Recipient" (who receives notification)
   • To Users: "Actor" (who triggered notification)
   • To Posts: "Related Post" (optional)

Step 19: Configuring Push Notifications in Adalo

Set Up Notification Triggers:

When someone likes your post:

1. After creating Like record, add action:

• Create → New Notification
  
  • Recipient = Current Post → Author
  • Actor = Logged In User
  • Notification Type = "like"
  • Message = "[Actor Name] liked your post"
  • Related Post = Current Post

2. Add Trigger Push Notification:

• To User: Current Post → Author
• Title: "New Like"
• Message: "[Actor Name] liked your post"

When someone follows you:

1. After creating Follow record:

• Create → New Notification
  
  • Recipient = Following User
  • Actor = Logged In User
  • Notification Type = "follow"
  • Message = "[Actor Name] started following you"

2. Add Trigger Push Notification:

• To User: Following User
• Title: "New Follower"
• Message: "[Actor Name] started following you"

Step 20: Using Zapier for Advanced Notification Flows

For advanced automation, use Zapier integration (check current plan requirements):

1. Go to Adalo Marketplace
2. Install Zapier integration
3. Connect your app to thousands of services

Example Zap for Email Notifications:

• Trigger: New Notification in Adalo
• Action: Send email via Gmail/SendGrid
• Include post link and notification details

Example Zap for SMS Alerts:

• Trigger: New Follow where Following = Important User
• Action: Send SMS via Twilio
• Notify user of VIP follower

Step 21: Build the Notifications Screen

1. Add new screen "Notifications"

2. Add List of Notifications:

• Filter: Recipient = Logged In User
• Sort by: Created Date (Newest First)

3. For each notification item:

• Image → Actor → Profile Picture
• Text → Message
• Text → Created Date (time ago)
• Conditional background: Unread = gray highlight
• On click: Mark as Read + Navigate to Related Post

Creating the New Post Flow

Step 22: Build the New Post Screen

1. Add new screen "New Post"

2. Add Form connected to Posts collection:

• Text Area for Post Text (set max length to 500 characters)
• Show character count: 500 - length of input
• Image Picker for Post Image (optional)
• Automatically set: Author = Logged In User, Is Reply = False

3. Add action buttons:

• "Cancel" → Go back
• "Post" → Create Post + Navigate to "Home Feed"

Step 23: Build the Thread View Screen

For viewing posts and replies:

1. Add new screen "Thread View"

2. Add screen parameter: "Post" (of type Posts)

3. Display the original post:

• Author profile picture and name
• Post text and image
• Like, reply, repost counts
• Actions: Like, Repost

4. Add List of Replies:

• Filter: Original Post = Current Post AND Is Reply = True
• Sort by: Created Date (Oldest First for chronological threads)
• Show each reply with same post item design

5. Add "Reply" button → Link to "New Reply" screen

Step 24: Build the Reply Screen

1. Add new screen "New Reply"

2. Add screen parameter: "Post" (the post being replied to)

3. Show original post context at top

4. Add Form connected to Posts:

• Text Area for reply text
• Image picker (optional)
• Automatically set:
  
  • Author = Logged In User
  • Is Reply = True
  • Original Post = Screen Parameter Post

5. On submit:

• Create Post
• Update Original Post → Reply Count + 1
• Create Notification for original post author
• Navigate back to Thread View

Building Additional Features

Step 25: Create the Search Screen

1. Add new screen "Search"

2. Add Text Input with placeholder "Search users..."

3. Add List of Users:

• Filter: Username or Full Name contains search input
• On click: Navigate to Profile screen (pass user)

4. Add List of Posts:

• Filter: Post Text contains search input
• On click: Navigate to Thread View

Step 26: Build Edit Profile Screen

1. Add new screen "Edit Profile"

2. Add Form to update Logged In User:

• Full Name
• Username
• Bio
• Profile Picture
• Website
• Location
• Private Account (toggle)

3. Add "Save Changes" button

4. Add "Cancel" button → Go back

Step 27: Create Activity/Explore Feed

1. Add new screen "Explore"
2. Add List of all Posts (not filtered by follows):
   
   • Sort by: Like Count (Most Liked First)
   • Or: Created Date (Newest First)
3. This shows trending/popular content

Step 28: Implement Repost Functionality

Add Reposts Collection:

1. Create new collection "Reposts"
2. Add relationships:
   
   • To Users: "Reposted By"
   • To Posts: "Reposted Post"
3. Add Created Date property

Repost Button:

1. On each post, add "Repost" button
2. On click:
   
   • Create new Repost record
   • Update Post → Repost Count + 1
   • Create Notification for original author
3. Add to user's profile feed (show reposts mixed with posts)

Testing Your Threads Clone

Step 29: Add Test Data

Create realistic test data to validate your app:

1. Create 5-10 test user accounts with:

• Varied profile pictures and bios
• Different username styles
• Some with verified status

2. Create 20-30 test posts:

• Mix of text-only and image posts
• Various lengths and styles
• Some with replies for threading

3. Create follow relationships:

• Each user follows 3-5 others
• Mix of mutual and one-way follows

4. Add likes and replies:

• Distribute across different posts
• Test notification triggers

Step 30: Test Core User Flows

User Registration Flow:

1. Create new account
2. Complete profile setup
3. Verify all data saves correctly
4. Check authentication works

Posting Flow:

1. Create new text post
2. Create post with image
3. Verify posts appear in feed
4. Check timestamp formatting

Social Interactions:

1. Like posts (yours and others')
2. Unlike posts
3. Reply to posts
4. Create threaded conversations
5. Follow/unfollow users
6. Verify all counts update correctly

Notifications:

1. Trigger like notification
2. Trigger follow notification
3. Trigger reply notification
4. Check notification screen
5. Verify push notifications work

Step 31: Preview and Debug Across Devices

Desktop Testing:

1. Use Adalo's built-in previewer in editor
2. Test all screen flows
3. Verify conditional logic
4. Check data relationships

Mobile Testing:

1. Mobile Testing: See Preview Your App and, for iOS builds, Add Users to TestFlight.
2. Log in with your Adalo account
3. Select your app to preview
4. Test on actual device:
   
   • Touch interactions
   • Image uploads
   • Notifications
   • Performance

Responsive Testing:

1. Test on different screen sizes
2. Verify layouts adapt properly
3. Check that responsive design works across devices
4. Adalo ensures components work across all platforms

Step 32: Performance Optimization

Adalo processes 20M+ data requests daily. Optimize your app for best performance:

List Optimization:

• Limit initial load to 20-30 posts
• Implement "Load More" button or infinite scroll
• Use conditional visibility to hide complex components when not needed

Image Optimization:

• Compress images before upload
• Use appropriate image sizes (profile pics don't need to be huge)
• Consider image CDN for larger apps

Database Queries:

• Use specific filters to reduce data loading
• Avoid loading entire collections when possible
• Structure relationships efficiently

Publishing Your Threads Clone

Step 33: Publishing to the Web with a Custom Domain

Web Publishing (Available on Free Plan):

1. In Adalo editor, click "Publish" button (top right)
2. Select "Web App"
3. Your app publishes to: yourappname.adalo.com
4. Test the web version thoroughly

Custom Domain (Requires Starter Plan):

1. Purchase a domain from provider (costs $10-45/year, verify current fee)
2. In Adalo, go to Settings → Publishing → Web
3. Click "Add Custom Domain"
4. Enter your domain name
5. Follow DNS configuration instructions
6. Adalo will verify and activate
7. Your app now lives at yourdomain.com

Learn more about publishing web apps.

Step 34: Submitting to the Apple App Store

Prerequisites:

• Starter Plan or higher
• Apple Developer Account ($99/year, verify current fee)
• Access to a Mac (for using Apple's Transporter or Xcode)

Steps:

1. In Adalo editor, go to Publishing → iOS

2. Prepare app assets:

• App icon (1024x1024px)
• Screenshots for different iPhone sizes
• App name and description
• Privacy policy URL (required)

3. Configure app details:

• Bundle ID (unique identifier)
• App version number
• Build number

4. Click "Generate Build"

5. Adalo generates a native iOS build; TestFlight availability is typically within ~15 minutes after the build completes (and can take up to 2 hours).

6. Download .ipa file when ready

7. Upload to App Store Connect:

• Use Transporter app on Mac
• Upload the .ipa file
• Fill out App Store listing
• Submit for review

Apple Review Process:

• Review times vary; many apps are reviewed within a few days, but it can take longer
• May require revisions
• Ensure you comply with App Store guidelines

Step 35: Deploying to Google Play Store

Prerequisites:

• Starter Plan or higher
• Google Play Developer Account (one-time $25 fee, verify current fee)

Steps:

1. In Adalo editor, go to Publishing → Android

2. Prepare app assets:

• App icon (512x512px)
• Feature graphic (1024x500px)
• Screenshots for different device sizes
• App name and description
• Privacy policy URL

3. Configure Android details:

• Package name (unique identifier)
• Version code and name

4. Click "Generate Build"

5. Adalo creates native Android app (15-30 minutes)

6. Download .aab (Android App Bundle) file

7. Upload to Google Play Console:

• Create new app listing
• Upload .aab file
• Complete store listing details
• Set content rating
• Submit for review

Google Review Process:

• Review times vary and may take several days, particularly for new developers
• Learn more about publishing to Android

Step 36: Publishing Updates

One of Adalo's strengths is easy updates:

For Web Apps:

• Click "Publish" in editor
• Changes go live immediately
• No user action required
• Use Web Publishing Controls for updates

For Mobile Apps:

• Make changes in editor
• Generate new build with incremented version number
• Submit update to app stores
• Users receive update notification
• Roll out gradually if needed

Scaling and Monetizing Your Social Media App

Step 37: When to Upgrade Your Adalo Plan

As your Threads clone grows, monitor these metrics:

Data Limits:

• Free plan has limited records total
• When you approach limit, upgrade to Starter
• Starter removes record limits for most use cases

User Growth:

• Professional Plan: Better for apps with thousands of users
• Includes storage for user-generated content (verify current features)
• Custom integrations for enhanced functionality

Team Collaboration:

• Team Plan adds editor seats (verify current limits)
• Advanced backend capabilities
• Priority support for faster issue resolution

Multiple Apps:

• Business Plan: Multiple published apps (verify current limits)
• Editor seats (verify current limits)
• Special add-on pricing

View full pricing details.

Step 38: Integrating Stripe for Subscription Revenue

Monetize your app with premium features using Stripe integration:

Free plan: you can publish the web app on an Adalo subdomain. For payments, install the Stripe components from the Adalo Marketplace (check current pricing if you need plan-specific limits).

Implementation Steps:

1. Install Stripe component from Adalo Marketplace

2. Create Stripe account and get API keys

3. Add "Premium User" property (True/False) to Users collection

4. Create subscription plans in Stripe dashboard

5. Build Premium Upgrade Screen:

• Show subscription benefits
• Add Stripe Payment component
• Set amount and billing frequency
• On successful payment: Update user to Premium = True

6. Add conditional features:

• Verified badge for premium users
• Additional customization options
• Advanced analytics
• Ad-free experience

Alternative Monetization:

• In-app purchases via IAPHUB integration
• Sponsored posts (manual arrangement)
• Creator subscriptions (fans pay creators)

Step 39: Monitoring Performance with Analytics

Track your app's success:

Built-in Metrics:

• User signups and growth
• Active users (need custom tracking)
• Most popular features (via action counts)

External Analytics:

• Integrate Google Analytics via Zapier
• Track custom events
• Monitor user behavior flows
• Analyze retention rates

Platform Stats: Published apps had >99% average uptime over the last year, and Adalo processes 20M+ daily data requests.

Common Challenges When Building Social Media Apps in Adalo

Step 40: Overcoming Database Complexity with External Integrations

Challenge: As your app scales beyond thousands of users, you may need more advanced database capabilities.

Solution:

• Integrate Xano for powerful backend
• Use Airtable for complex data relationships
• Implement custom APIs for specialized queries

When to Migrate:

• More than 10,000 active users
• Complex reporting requirements
• Need for advanced data processing
• Real-time features at scale

Step 41: Using the Component Marketplace for Advanced Features

Adalo's Component Marketplace offers dozens of premium components to extend functionality:

Useful Components for Social Media:

• Advanced Camera component for better photo capture
• Video Player for video posts
• Audio Player for voice notes
• Calendar for event-based posts
• Advanced Charts for analytics dashboard

How to Install:

1. Visit marketplace
2. Browse by category
3. Click "Install" on desired component
4. Component appears in your editor toolbar
5. Drag and drop like native components

Step 42: Handling Real-Time Features

For near-real-time behavior, use list auto-refresh or pull-to-refresh and push notifications; for chat/streaming, connect an external service like Firebase via External Collections or custom actions.

Workarounds:

Auto-Refresh Lists:

• Use Countdown Timer component
• Set to refresh every 10-30 seconds
• Refreshes feed/notifications automatically

Pull-to-Refresh:

• Add refresh action to lists
• Users manually refresh for updates
• Common pattern users understand

Push Notifications:

• Use for instant alerts
• Direct users to updated content
• Best for critical interactions

For Advanced Real-Time:

• Consider hybrid approach with custom code
• You can connect to Firebase via custom actions or third-party components for chat features
• Evaluate if migration to custom development needed

Step 43: Content Moderation Strategies

Challenge: User-generated content requires moderation.

Solutions:

Manual Moderation:

• Build admin dashboard
• Flag inappropriate content
• Review reported posts
• Ban/suspend users

Automated Moderation:

• Integrate Make or Zapier
• Connect to moderation APIs
• Filter profanity automatically
• Block spam patterns

Community Guidelines:

• Create clear terms of service
• Display during signup
• Link in app footer
• Enable user reporting

Why Adalo is the Right Choice for Building Your Social Media App

The Power of True No-Code for Social Apps

Building a Threads clone traditionally requires months of development and tens of thousands of dollars in developer salaries. Adalo changes that equation entirely by providing a platform where a large and active user base builds applications without writing code.

From MVP to Production in Days, Not Months

The platform's strength lies in rapid iteration. According to platform reviews, you can "start with a simple MVP and expand as needed by adding new features, workflows, and integrations without rebuilding your app from scratch."

For social media apps specifically, this means:

• Week 1: Build core authentication and posting features
• Week 2: Add social interactions and notifications
• Week 3: Polish UI and test with beta users
• Week 4: Publish to web, iOS, and Android

This timeline is impossible with traditional development but realistic with Adalo's template library and pre-built components as starting points.

Cross-Platform Publishing Without Compromise

Adalo supports publishing to web, iOS, and Android from one project. Your Threads clone runs natively on iOS and Android while also functioning as a responsive web app, all from a single build.

According to independent reviews, Adalo is an easy to use app builder that you can use to create both web and mobile apps. It's easy to get started with, and is an accessible platform for beginners—critical when you're building your first social media app.

Cost-Effective Scaling Path

Starting at $0 and scaling to business-level pricing, Adalo eliminates the traditional barrier of $75,000-$150,000 annual developer salaries. Advanced plans provide enterprise-grade database capabilities as you scale.

The platform maintains strong uptime reliability while processing millions of daily requests—the infrastructure is production-ready from day one.

Community and Support Ecosystem

With over 1 million apps created on the platform, you’re joining an active maker community.

• App Academy tutorials
• Community forum for troubleshooting
• Expert directory for professional help
• Component marketplace continuously expanding

As social media app builders specifically, you can reference thousands of examples in the showcase and adapt proven patterns to your Threads clone.

If your priority is native mobile apps that users download from app stores, Adalo is the stronger choice. If you're building a web-first platform with highly custom workflows, Bubble may fit better. Many makers start with Adalo for mobile MVPs, achieving faster time-to-market and better mobile user experience for social apps.

‍Ready to build your Threads clone?Get started with Adalo and bring your social media vision to life without writing a single line of code.