Looking for a no-code app builder in 2025? If yes, you may have come across Adalo. The solution is known for its seamless drag-and-drop interface and native application development features.
If you’re considering Adalo to start your app development journey, this review will help you understand the different features the platform offers. You will understand the best features Adalo offers, pricing plans, product workflows, and the challenges you can expect.
Furthermore, if you’re interested in an easy-to-use solution to build native apps, PWAs, and websites, we will also discuss how AppMySite can help.
What is Adalo?
Adalo is a no-code solution that lets you build mobile and web apps without writing code. You can design your application interface with simple drag-and-drop options with the help of built-in UI blocks. In addition, you can also connect your app to an in-built database within Adalo to create more functionality. Adalo also lets you create native Android and iOS apps, a great advantage if you plan to launch on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
For business owners looking for a quick way to build an MVP app, Adalo is a good option. Freelancers and agency owners can also utilize the product to offer native and web app development services to clients.
Key features of Adalo
Adalo has a wide array of features to help you along your app development journey. While we cannot list every feature, let’s discuss the top-line functionality that you should know about before beginning.
Drag-and-drop builder
On Adalo, you can build and design your app by dragging elements like buttons, images, forms, and lists. The visual editor is intuitive and beginner-friendly. If you’ve used tools like Canva before, before drag-and-drop workflows were prominent, you should be able to adapt to Adalo as well.
Built-in database
Let’s assume you let users place orders within the app. Within Adalo, you can make sure all order data is passed to the built-in database. So, if you’re starting with a new app and don’t have experience dealing with complicated database solutions, this built-in database is a good alternative.
Native mobile app publishing
You can build and publish native Android and iOS apps with Adalo. Being able to create ready-to-publish apps is crucial if you’re not familiar with coding and want to publish app-store-compliant apps.
For Android, you can generate an AAB file, which can be published on Google. For iOS, you can generate an IPA file to submit to the Apple App Store.
Being able to build and publish native apps is a great asset. As a business, having an app is a great asset to promote your products and services. For freelancers and agencies, offering native development services to clients (without hiring technical developers),
API integrations
Use custom actions or connect to external APIs to extend your app’s functionality. You can also integrate with tools like Zapier, Airtable, and more.
These are useful integrations if you already have an existing database and want to use Adalo to fetch data into your application. With these integrations, you don’t need to use the built-in database and manage your application data with your database.
Read: Appsmith review 2025: Main features, pros, cons, and alternatives
Component marketplace
Adalo’s marketplace offers reusable components such as progress bars, sliders, date pickers, and more—great for enhancing your app without custom code.
These UI elements are crucial for building functional mobile apps. You can add these with simple drag-and-drop workflows and build your app.
What does Adalo do well?
Adalo is a well-known product in the no-code space and offers many features that make it a great DIY development solution. Here are the benefits of using this product.
Seamless drag-and-drop experience
Adalo’s drag-and-drop interface is designed to make no-code app development smooth. Beginners with no experience with any form of design or development can build app interface screens in minutes.
If you prioritize ease-of-use and have some prior experience dealing with no-code products, you should be able to adapt to Adalo.
Internal and external databases
With the ability to build internal databases, you can seamlessly store data within Adalo and easily build out dynamic elements within the app. If you don’t have prior experience dealing with databases, this is a great feature you can use. It may, however, take you a while to adapt to the concept and use of databases if you’re not familiar with them before using Adalo.
Native app development
Being able to create native mobile apps is a major advantage for Adalo. As app store guidelines become more stringent, it’s difficult to build and maintain apps for the app stores. With a reliable no-code solution like Adalo, you can easily publish your apps on Google Play and the Apple App Store.
What could be better
While Adalo is a reliable solution for building apps, there are a few drawbacks you need to consider –
- Familiarity with databases: Adalo essentially lets you build apps from scratch, but if you’d like to build dynamic functionality, you need to connect your app to a database. If you’re a beginner with a non-technical background, dealing with database operations may be a little complicated.
- App performance and speed: While building your app, Adalo enables you to build custom logic flows and data-driven operations. If the app you’re building relies on complex logic flows or heavy use of database entities, your app’s performance may suffer. Laggy screen transitions and slow database response times can slow down applications in case of data-heavy operations.
- Limited logic: Even though Adalo supports custom logic flows and actions, its overall scope is limited. If you’re hoping to use advanced logic to create more complex workflows, Adalo may not be suitable. You should note that Adalo has been adding more developer-centric features like custom actions and external collections.
- Customization limitations: Although the UI looks great out of the box, deep customization (like completely custom components or layouts) is limited. Developers may feel boxed in.
Who should use Adalo?
Adalo, with its array of features and components, finds applications for users across the spectrum. Here are a few examples –
- Founders building MVPs: Need to quickly launch an MVP to validate your app idea? With Adalo’s drag-and-drop workflows, you can quickly build a working app version to launch to your users.
- Freelancers & agencies: Create client apps without hiring developers. If you want to make app development part of your service portfolio, Adalo can help you along the way.
- Startups with tight deadlines: Speed up time-to-market dramatically. If you’re looking for an efficient way to launch an app and need it done quickly, this no-code solution is a good option.
- Nonprofits and educators: For building simple internal apps or directories, Adalo is ideal as it lets you create apps quickly with a simple building flow and fast deployment.
How can AppMySite help?
AppMySite, another no-code app builder, is an Adalo alternative you can consider for building apps without coding.
Like Adalo, AppMySite also lets you build and design apps within a drag-and-drop interface. You can build native mobile apps and deploy them to the app stores. In addition, you can also build PWAs and websites without coding. You can find deep integration with major platforms like WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify in case you already have a website. If you don’t have a website, you can design and build app screens with various building blocks. You can start for free, publish your app, and upgrade later if you need advanced features.