An Overview of Our New Pricing Structure

As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, I wanted to share an update on Adalo's pricing evolution. After establishing our overall pricing philosophy, we faced the challenge of creating a model that balances all three of our core principles—even when those principles might seem at odds with each other.

This post explores that model in depth. We'll discuss the five elements that make up our new pricing structure and why we believe this approach strikes the perfect balance for everyone involved.

A quick note: this post won't cover exact specifics for all the different plans just yet. I'm keeping you updated in real time, and as part of that process, I'd like to continue these conversations so you can help us refine the details. So just like last time, here's a link to book a meeting with me if you'd like to chat. Once we finalize the exact plan structures, I'll share another update.

The Five Elements of Our New Pricing Structure

For our pricing to be fairly tied to value, easy to understand, and beneficial for everyone's long-term success, five elements will determine the different pricing plans:

1. Number of Apps
2. Total Storage
3. Monthly App Activity
4. Features
5. Collaborators

Let's explore the key details for each element, followed by a deeper dive into why we believe these create the perfect balance.

#1 Number of Apps

Building apps quickly with Adalo's AI-powered platform is like having a superpower. Some of you come to Adalo knowing exactly the one idea you want to build and stick with that project. Others love the speed with which you can create, empowering you to build out many different app ideas. To reflect these different approaches, each plan will include different amounts of published apps.

One crucial detail in that last sentence is the word "published." We know that one of the most important parts of the creation process is being able to quickly test ideas and share them with others so they can learn and incorporate them into their own projects. Because of that, we will continue to offer unlimited test apps for everyone.

Additionally, we know there will need to be ways to change which apps are "published" on your account and the ability to purchase additional published apps while remaining on lower plans. This flexibility ensures you're never locked into a higher tier just because you want to experiment with one more idea.

#2 Total Storage

One key difference between an app and a website is that apps tend to store significant amounts of data. You have the information you put into the app while building it, plus data that your users continue to add over time. Adalo offers you the ability to create your own databases and then store, host, and process that data directly through your account. We also provide ways to connect to external data sources if you prefer storing information that way.

Moving forward, total data storage will continue to differentiate our plans. However, one major change is that we're being far more generous with storage limits. With the Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul, paid plans now include unlimited database records—no caps, no surprise charges when your app grows.

Here's our thinking: data that sits unused in storage isn't that valuable to you and doesn't cost much to maintain. The real value comes when your end users actively engage with that data. This philosophy led us to remove storage constraints entirely on paid plans, so you can focus on building without worrying about hitting arbitrary limits.

#3 Monthly App Activity

Every app is designed to help some group of people in some way. The amount they use that app correlates directly with how much it helps them solve their problem—in other words, how successful your app is. Because of this, we thought it made the most sense to align our success with yours.

Important update: App Actions have been removed from all Adalo plans. All plans now include unlimited usage, meaning no bill shock and no unexpected charges as your app grows. This represents a significant shift from our earlier thinking, and here's why we made this change.

We originally considered App Actions—tracking the amount of actions running throughout your app by all end users—as a way to tie pricing to usage. When someone in your app clicks to create a new record, updates something, navigates to another screen, or triggers an email, those would all count as app actions.

However, after extensive conversations with our community and analyzing real-world usage patterns, we realized that usage-based pricing created uncertainty that hindered growth. Makers were hesitant to add features or scale their user base because they couldn't predict costs. That's the opposite of what we want.

By removing usage-based charges entirely, we're betting on your success. Build the features you need. Scale to as many users as your app can attract. Your monthly cost stays predictable.

This approach stands in stark contrast to platforms like Bubble, where Workload Units create complex, often unpredictable billing that can spike dramatically as apps scale. With Adalo, what you see is what you pay—no calculators needed, no surprises at the end of the month.

#4 Features

Similar to how it works today and similar to most SaaS products, different features will be available on different plans—with access to more features on higher tiers. For example, publishing your apps to the web and to the App Stores remains one of the most important features on Adalo and will continue to be available only on paid plans.

We will continue offering a free plan for everyone because testing your ideas is essential before launching to the world. As part of these changes, we're looking into adding more than just two paid plans, allowing us to distribute features more thoughtfully across tiers.

Ada, Adalo's AI builder, lets you describe what you want and generates your app. Magic Start creates complete app foundations from a description, while Magic Add adds features through natural language.

Some key features that differentiate Adalo's paid plans:

• Native app publishing: Deploy to iOS App Store and Google Play Store from a single codebase
• Magic Start: Generate complete app foundations from simple descriptions
• Magic Add: Add features by describing what you want in natural language
• X-Ray: AI-powered performance analysis that identifies issues before they affect users
• No data caps: Unlimited database records on paid plans

Starting at $36/month, Adalo's paid plans include unlimited usage and app store publishing with unlimited updates—a significant value compared to alternatives like Bubble ($59/month with usage limits and record caps) or FlutterFlow ($70/month per user without an included database).

#5 Collaborators

Another pattern we see among Adalo users is variation in team size. Sometimes it's a solo entrepreneur creating a new app; other times it's a whole team collaborating together. Different plans will include different numbers of collaborators to reflect these varying needs.

We will continue offering ways to purchase additional collaborators if you'd like to remain on your current plan while adding a few more team members. This flexibility ensures growing teams aren't forced into higher tiers prematurely.

Why These Elements Create the Perfect Balance

It's standard for SaaS platforms to have tiered pricing differentiated by features, collaborators, and project limits. The unique challenge with app builders involves balancing the value makers get from their apps being used with the costs of storing, processing, and running that data.

Let me walk you through some discussions that led to our current approach.

Why Not Charge Per User?

One of our first thoughts was to use the simplest metric possible: users. While easy to see and understand, we quickly realized it wasn't accurate or fair. Consider this scenario: someone signs up for your app and never returns. That user would cost you more despite getting no value from your creation.

Additionally, you might have a simple app with a couple of screens while someone else has over 100 screens with complex logic. Those apps have vastly different infrastructure requirements, but they might have identical user counts. Charging per user didn't accurately reflect actual usage or value delivered.

Why Not Charge for API Calls?

On the flip side, we considered a complicated formula tracking exact API calls to calculate server capacity. But that felt impossible to quantify, explain, or predict. Makers shouldn't need a computer science degree to estimate their monthly bill.

This is actually a problem we see with competitors. Bubble's Workload Units, for instance, create billing complexity that often requires hiring experts to optimize. That's not the experience we want for Adalo users.

The Unlimited Usage Decision

Ultimately, we decided that predictable pricing serves everyone better than usage-based models. Here's why:

• Removes growth anxiety: You shouldn't hesitate to add features or acquire users because you're worried about costs
• Simplifies planning: Know exactly what you'll pay each month, regardless of how successful your app becomes
• Aligns incentives: We succeed when you build successful apps, not when we charge you more for success

With Adalo 3.0's infrastructure overhaul, our platform is now 3-4x faster and can scale infrastructure dynamically with app needs. This efficiency allows us to offer unlimited usage without compromising performance or sustainability.

How Adalo Compares to Alternatives

To put our pricing in context, here's how Adalo stacks up against other app building solutions:

A few important distinctions worth noting:

Bubble offers more customization options, but that flexibility often results in slower applications that struggle under increased load. Many Bubble users end up hiring experts to optimize performance—costs that aren't reflected in the base price. Bubble's mobile solution is also a web wrapper, not a true native app, which introduces potential challenges at scale.

FlutterFlow is technically "low-code" rather than "no-code" and targets more technical users. Users must also set up and manage their own external database, adding significant learning complexity and potential scale problems if not configured optimally.

Glide excels at spreadsheet-based apps but restricts users to set templates, limiting creative freedom. It also doesn't support App Store or Play Store publishing.

With over 3 million apps created on Adalo and a visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint," we've proven that powerful doesn't have to mean complicated.

Infrastructure That Scales With You

One additional benefit of our new pricing structure is that it finally allows us to differentiate technical infrastructure based on plan tier. Previously, with everyone grouped together, we had no way to optimize performance for high-traffic apps.

Adalo's modular infrastructure now scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users, with no upper ceiling. Unlike app wrappers that hit performance constraints under load, our purpose-built architecture maintains speed at scale. With the right data relationship setups, Adalo apps can scale beyond 1 million MAU without the expert consultants that other platforms often require.

Note: If you've seen third-party ratings or comparisons that show Adalo unfavorably, most of those assessments predate the Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul launched in late 2025. The platform's performance characteristics have changed dramatically.

Next Steps

This post is simply to keep you up-to-date with our thinking on the new pricing model. If you're a paying customer today, you'll be able to stay on your current plan for the next 12 months.

Our next steps involve continuing conversations with you and analyzing apps built on Adalo to determine what plans and limits make the most sense. We'll keep you posted as we finalize details. And again, if you have any questions or thoughts and want to talk with me, here's a link to my calendar to set up a meeting.

Finally, thank you for pushing no-code forward and creating incredible things on Adalo!

FAQ

Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store from a single codebase—handling the hardest part of launching an app automatically.

What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store?

Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building through Magic Start and Magic Add lets you create complete apps in hours rather than weeks. The platform handles the entire App Store submission process, removing the technical complexity of deployment.

Are there any usage-based charges on Adalo?

No. All Adalo plans now include unlimited usage with no App Actions charges. Your monthly cost stays predictable regardless of how many users your app attracts or how much they interact with it.

What are the database limits on Adalo?

Paid plans include unlimited database records with no caps. You can scale your data as your app grows without worrying about hitting storage limits or paying overage fees.

How does Adalo pricing compare to Bubble?

Adalo starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and native app publishing. Bubble starts at $59/month with Workload Unit charges, record limits, and web wrapper mobile apps rather than true native builds.

Can I stay on my current plan after pricing changes?

Yes. Existing paying customers can remain on their current plan for up to 12 months, giving you time to understand the new structure and plan accordingly.

How many apps can I build on Adalo?

You can create unlimited test apps on any plan, including free. Published app limits vary by plan tier, with options to purchase additional published apps without upgrading.

What happens if my app gets very successful?

Adalo's infrastructure scales to support apps with millions of monthly active users. With unlimited usage on paid plans, your costs stay predictable even as your user base grows dramatically.

Do I need coding experience to use Adalo?

No. Adalo is a true no-code platform with a visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint." Magic Start can generate complete app foundations from simple descriptions, and Magic Add lets you add features using natural language.

Can I add team members to my Adalo account?

Yes. Each plan includes a set number of collaborators, with options to purchase additional seats without upgrading to a higher tier.