Step-by-Step Guide: Building an Airbnb Clone with Adalo

Building an Airbnb clone means tackling user authentication, property listings with rich media, real-time booking calendars, secure payment processing, and two-sided review systems—all working seamlessly across web and mobile. For solo founders and small teams without developer resources, creating this level of functionality traditionally required either substantial funding or years of technical learning, making vacation rental marketplaces one of the most ambitious app categories to pursue.

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. With powerful database relationships handling the complex connections between hosts, guests, properties, and bookings, you can focus on crafting the user experience that sets your marketplace apart.

Why Adalo Works for Building an Airbnb Clone

Creating a vacation rental marketplace requires managing complex relationships between hosts, guests, properties, and bookings across multiple platforms. 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 unified approach means you can build your Airbnb clone once and reach travelers whether they're browsing on desktop or searching for last-minute accommodations on their phones.

App store presence is critical for vacation rental platforms—travelers expect to find booking apps alongside established competitors when searching the App Store or Google Play. With Adalo, you gain native push notification capabilities to alert hosts about new booking requests and keep guests informed about reservation confirmations, check-in details, and review reminders. This real-time communication builds the trust and responsiveness that rental marketplaces depend on.

Building a vacation rental marketplace like Airbnb requires complex functionality: user authentication, property listings with photos, real-time booking systems, payment processing, and review management. Traditionally, developing such a feature-rich app across web, iOS, and Android platforms meant hiring multiple developers, managing separate codebases, and investing months of time and significant capital—putting this type of project out of reach for most entrepreneurs and small teams.

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.

Adalo, an AI-powered app builder, changes this equation entirely. Build database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, then publish directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play. With Magic Start generating complete app foundations from descriptions and Magic Add building features from natural language requests, you can launch a fully functional Airbnb clone in days rather than months. This tutorial walks you through every step—from database architecture to payment processing to review systems.

Why Adalo Works for Building a Vacation Rental Marketplace

A vacation rental marketplace demands a robust database to manage listings, user profiles, bookings, and reviews—all accessible to guests and hosts on any device. Adalo's AI-assisted platform handles this complexity while publishing one version across web, iOS, and Android. No separate codebases, no platform-specific rebuilds.

For a rental app to succeed, reaching users where they already are is essential. Publishing to both the Apple App Store and Google Play means travelers can discover your platform alongside major competitors, while native push notifications keep guests updated on booking confirmations and hosts alerted to new reservation requests. With no record limits on paid plans and modular infrastructure that scales to 1M+ monthly active users, your marketplace can grow from launch day to market leader without hitting database ceilings or performance walls.

Step-by-Step Guide: Building an Airbnb Clone with Adalo

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through building a fully functional vacation rental app. Follow these steps to create your own Airbnb-style marketplace with property listings, bookings, payments, and reviews. Adalo's visual builder—described by users as "easy as PowerPoint"—lets you publish the same app to web, native iOS, and native Android without writing code or rebuilding for each platform.

Initial Setup and Planning

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account

  1. Go to Adalo.com and sign up
  2. Click "Create New App"
  3. Choose "Mobile App" or "Desktop Web App"
  4. Name your app (e.g., "VacationRentals")
  5. Select "Start from Scratch" or use Magic Start to generate a foundation from your description

Step 2: Choose App Settings

  1. Select your primary brand color
  2. Choose a secondary accent color
  3. Pick a clean font (recommended: Inter or Roboto)
  4. Click "Continue" to enter the editor

Building the Database

Your database architecture determines how well your app scales. With unlimited database records on paid plans, you can build for growth from day one without worrying about hitting storage ceilings.

Step 3: Enhance the Users Collection

  1. Click the Database icon in left sidebar
  2. Select the existing "Users" collection
  3. Add these properties (click "+ Add Property"):
    • User Type (Text) - Values: "Guest", "Host", "Admin"
    • Profile Photo (Image)
    • Bio (Text - check "Multiline")
    • Phone Number (Text)
    • Government ID (Image)
    • Verified (True/False)
    • Member Since (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Response Rate (Number)
    • Response Time (Text)
    • Languages (Text)
    • Work (Text)

Learn more about databases

Step 4: Create Properties Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Properties"
  3. Add these properties:
    • Title (Text)
    • Description (Text - Multiline)
    • Property Type (Text) - Values: "Entire Place", "Private Room", "Shared Room"
    • Price Per Night (Number)
    • Cleaning Fee (Number)
    • Service Fee (Number)
    • Location (Location)
    • Address (Text)
    • City (Text)
    • State/Province (Text)
    • Country (Text)
    • Max Guests (Number)
    • Bedrooms (Number)
    • Beds (Number)
    • Bathrooms (Number)
    • Main Image (Image)
    • Gallery Images (Image - Allow Multiple)
    • House Rules (Text - Multiline)
    • Check In Time (Text)
    • Check Out Time (Text)
    • Minimum Nights (Number)
    • Cancellation Policy (Text)
    • Instant Book (True/False)
    • Active (True/False)
    • Average Rating (Number)
    • Total Reviews (Number)

Step 5: Create Amenities Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Amenities"
  3. Add properties:
    • Name (Text) - e.g., "WiFi", "Kitchen", "Parking"
    • Icon (Image)
    • Category (Text) - e.g., "Basic", "Safety", "Entertainment"

Step 6: Create Bookings Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Bookings"
  3. Add properties:
    • Booking ID (Text - Auto-Generated)
    • Check In Date (Date & Time)
    • Check Out Date (Date & Time)
    • Number of Guests (Number)
    • Total Price (Number)
    • Status (Text) - Values: "Pending", "Confirmed", "Cancelled", "Completed"
    • Payment Status (Text) - Values: "Pending", "Paid", "Refunded"
    • Stripe Payment ID (Text)
    • Special Requests (Text - Multiline)
    • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 7: Create Reviews Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Reviews"
  3. Add properties:
    • Rating (Number) - 1 to 5
    • Comment (Text - Multiline)
    • Cleanliness (Number)
    • Communication (Number)
    • Check In (Number)
    • Accuracy (Number)
    • Location (Number)
    • Value (Number)
    • Review Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Host Response (Text - Multiline)

Step 8: Create Conversations Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Conversations"
  3. Add properties:
    • Last Message (Text)
    • Last Message Date (Date & Time)
    • Unread Count (Number)

Step 9: Create Messages Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Messages"
  3. Add properties:
    • Content (Text - Multiline)
    • Sent Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Read (True/False)

Step 10: Create Favorites Collection

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

Step 11: Set Up Database Relationships

  1. In Properties:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Host" (A User can have many Properties)
    • Add relationship to Amenities: Many-to-Many
    • Add relationship to Reviews: One-to-Many
  2. In Bookings:
    • Add relationship to Properties: Many-to-One
    • Add relationship to Users: "Guest" (Many-to-One)
    • Add relationship to Reviews: One-to-One
  3. In Reviews:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Reviewer" (Many-to-One)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Reviewed Host" (Many-to-One)
  4. In Conversations:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Guest" (Many-to-One)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Host" (Many-to-One)
    • Add relationship to Properties: Many-to-One
  5. In Messages:
    • Add relationship to Conversations: Many-to-One
    • Add relationship to Users: "Sender" (Many-to-One)
  6. In Favorites:
    • Add relationship to Users: Many-to-One
    • Add relationship to Properties: Many-to-One

Installing Required Components

Step 12: Install Essential Marketplace Components

  1. Go to Adalo Marketplace
  2. Search and install:
    • Maps (for property locations)
    • Calendar (for availability)
    • Star Rating (for reviews)
    • Image Slider (for galleries)
    • Stripe Payment (for bookings)
  3. Return to your app editor

Creating the Home Screen

Step 13: Build the Landing Page

  1. On the default screen, rename it to "Home"
  2. Add App Bar (Simple):
    • Title: Your app name
    • Add search icon (right action)
    • Add filter icon (left action)
  1. Below app bar, add Rectangle for background
  2. Inside rectangle, add:
    • Text Input: "Where are you going?"
    • Icon: Search icon
  3. Style with rounded corners and shadow

Step 15: Create Quick Filters

  1. Add Horizontal List:
    • Connect to Categories collection
    • Add items: "Entire Place", "Private Room", "Unique Stays"
  2. For each item, add:
    • Image: Category icon
    • Text: Category name
  3. Add toggle action to filter properties

Step 16: Build Property List

  1. Add Custom List:
    • Connect to Properties collection
    • Filter: Active = True
  2. Inside each list item, add:
    • Image: Current Property → Main Image (rounded corners)
    • Heart Icon: For favorites (top right)
    • Text: Current Property → City, Country
    • Text: Current Property → Title
    • Text: "$[Current Property → Price Per Night] per night"
    • Star Rating: Display only, bound to Average Rating

Step 17: Configure List Actions

  1. Select the Custom List
  2. Add action: Link → Property Details screen
  3. Send: Current Property
  4. For heart icon:
    • Add action: Create → Favorites
    • Set User: Logged In User
    • Set Property: Current Property

Building Property Details

Step 18: Create Property Details Screen

  1. Add new screen: "Property Details"
  2. Add Image Slider:
    • Images: Current Property → Gallery Images
    • Height: 300px
    • Enable auto-play

Step 19: Add Property Information

  1. Below slider, add vertical layout:
    • Text: Current Property → Title (24px, bold)
    • Text: Current Property → City, State, Country
    • Star Rating: Display Average Rating
    • Text: "[Total Reviews] reviews"

Step 20: Create Host Section

  1. Add horizontal layout:
    • Image: Current Property → Host → Profile Photo (50px circle)
    • Text: "Hosted by [Host Name]"
    • Text: "Member since [Member Since]"
  2. Add Button: "Contact Host" → Link to Messages

Step 21: Add Property Details Grid

  1. Create 2x2 grid layout:
    • Icon + Text: "[Max Guests] guests"
    • Icon + Text: "[Bedrooms] bedrooms"
    • Icon + Text: "[Beds] beds"
    • Icon + Text: "[Bathrooms] bathrooms"

Step 22: Display Description

  1. Add section header: "About this place"
  2. Add Text: Current Property → Description
  3. Add "Show more" toggle for long descriptions

Step 23: Create Amenities Section

  1. Add section header: "What this place offers"
  2. Add Simple List:
    • Connect to Current Property → Amenities
    • Show amenity icon and name
  3. Limit to 10 items with "Show all" button

Step 24: Add Map Section

  1. Add section header: "Where you'll be"
  2. Add Map component:
    • Location: Current Property → Location
    • Height: 200px
    • Zoom: 15
  3. Add Text: Current Property → Address (partially hidden)

Step 25: Create Booking Widget

  1. Add sticky footer with:
    • Text: "$[Price] per night"
    • Button: "Check Availability" → Book Property screen

Building the Booking System

Step 26: Create Booking Screen

  1. Add new screen: "Book Property"
  2. Add property summary card:
    • Small image
    • Title and location
    • Price per night

Step 27: Add Date Selection

  1. Add Date Picker: "Check-in"
    • Minimum date: Today
  2. Add Date Picker: "Check-out"
    • Minimum date: Check-in + 1 day
  3. Add validation for minimum nights

Step 28: Create Guest Selection

  1. Add Number Input: "Number of Guests"
    • Maximum: Current Property → Max Guests
    • Minimum: 1
    • Default: 1

Step 29: Build Price Breakdown

  1. Calculate nights: Check-out - Check-in
  2. Display calculations:
    • Text: "$[Price] × [Nights] nights"
    • Text: "Cleaning fee: $[Cleaning Fee]"
    • Text: "Service fee: $[Service Fee]"
    • Divider
    • Text: "Total: $[Calculated Total]" (bold)

Step 30: Add Booking Form

  1. Add Text Area: "Special Requests" (optional)
  2. Add Button: "Request to Book" or "Book Now"
    • Conditional text based on Instant Book setting
  3. Action: Create Booking with all fields

Implementing Payments

Step 31: Set Up Stripe Integration

  1. Add Stripe Payment component
  2. Configure with your Stripe keys
  3. Set amount: Calculated booking total
  4. Enable "Save payment method"

Step 32: Create Payment Flow

  1. After booking creation, navigate to Payment screen
  2. On successful payment:
    • Update Booking → Payment Status = "Paid"
    • Update Booking → Stripe Payment ID
    • Navigate to Booking Confirmation

Step 33: Build Confirmation Screen

  1. Show success message
  2. Display booking details
  3. Add buttons:
    • "View Itinerary"
    • "Message Host"
    • "Add to Calendar"

Creating User Dashboards

Step 34: Build Guest Dashboard

  1. Create "Trips" screen with tabs:
    • Upcoming: Bookings where Check-in > Today
    • Current: Check-in < Today < Check-out
    • Past: Check-out < Today
  2. For each booking, show:
    • Property image
    • Dates and location
    • Booking status
    • "View Details" button

Step 35: Create Host Dashboard

  1. Create "Listings" screen
  2. Add Custom List of host's properties:
    • Show property image, title, status
    • Display views and bookings count
    • Add "Edit" and "Calendar" buttons

Step 36: Build Host Calendar

  1. Add Calendar component
  2. Configure to show bookings:
    • Events: Property → Bookings
    • Start: Check-in Date
    • End: Check-out Date
  3. Color code by booking status

Step 37: Create Earnings Dashboard

  1. Add date range selector
  2. Calculate and display:
    • Total earnings (SUM of completed bookings)
    • Number of bookings
    • Average booking value
  3. Add List of transactions

Building the Review System

Step 38: Create Review Form

  1. Add to post-stay flow
  2. Include ratings for:
    • Overall (Star Rating component)
    • Cleanliness
    • Communication
    • Check-in
    • Accuracy
    • Location
    • Value
  3. Add Text Area for written review

Step 39: Display Reviews

  1. On property details, add reviews section
  2. Show average ratings breakdown
  3. Add Custom List of reviews:
    • Reviewer photo and name
    • Rating stars
    • Review text
    • Date
    • Host response (if any)

Implementing Messaging

Step 40: Create Inbox Screen

  1. Add Custom List of Conversations
  2. For each conversation show:
    • Other user's photo and name
    • Property title
    • Last message preview
    • Unread indicator

Step 41: Build Chat Screen

  1. Add Custom List of Messages
  2. Use conditional formatting:
    • Sent messages: Right aligned, colored
    • Received messages: Left aligned, white
  3. Add message input with send button

Adding Search and Filters

Step 42: Create Search Screen

  1. Add Location Input for destination
  2. Add date pickers for check-in/out
  3. Add guest counter
  4. Add Button: "Search" → Results screen

Step 43: Build Filter Modal

  1. Create filter options:
    • Price range (dual sliders)
    • Property type (checkboxes)
    • Amenities (toggles)
    • Instant Book toggle
  2. Add "Clear All" and "Apply" buttons

Step 44: Configure Search Results

  1. Filter Properties list by:
    • Location within X km
    • Available dates (no overlapping bookings)
    • Price range
    • Selected amenities
    • Guest capacity
  2. Add sort options

Final Features

Step 45: Implement Favorites

  1. Add Custom List on profile
  2. Filter: Logged In User → Favorites → Property
  3. Allow swipe to remove

Step 46: Add User Verification

  1. Create verification screen
  2. Add Image Picker for ID upload
  3. Add form fields for verification data
  4. Update user Verified status

Step 47: Create Admin Panel

  1. Add admin-only screens (visibility rules)
  2. Show key metrics
  3. Add user and property management
  4. Include report handling

Testing and Publishing

Step 48: Test Core Flows

  1. Complete guest booking flow
  2. Test host property creation
  3. Verify payment processing
  4. Check messaging system
  5. Test review submission

Use X-Ray to identify performance issues before they affect users—it highlights database queries and component configurations that could slow down your app under load.

Step 49: Add Sample Data

  1. Create 10-15 test properties
  2. Add sample amenities
  3. Create test users (guests and hosts)
  4. Add sample bookings and reviews

Step 50: Prepare for Launch

  1. Set up production Stripe keys
  2. Configure push notifications
  3. Add terms of service and privacy policy
  4. Submit to app stores (if mobile)

Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process—certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines—so you can focus on your app's features rather than wrestling with Apple and Google's requirements.

Limitations and Workarounds

Calendar Sync Issues

Complex Pricing Rules

Performance Optimization

Since Adalo 3.0's infrastructure overhaul in late 2025, the platform runs 3-4x faster with modular infrastructure that scales with your app's needs. Still, follow these best practices:

Resources for Continued Learning

You've now built a functional vacation rental marketplace. With over 3 million apps created on the platform and infrastructure that scales to millions of monthly active users, your Airbnb clone has room to grow from MVP to market leader. Continue iterating based on user feedback and exploring advanced features through Adalo's expanding component library.

FAQ

Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With unlimited database records on paid plans, no usage-based charges, and infrastructure that scales to 1M+ monthly active users, it handles the hardest part of launching an app—distribution—automatically.

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

Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with Magic Start (which generates complete app foundations from descriptions) and Magic Add (which builds features from natural language) lets you go from idea to published app in days. The platform handles App Store submission complexities—certificates, provisioning profiles, and guidelines—so you focus on features, not bureaucracy.

How long does it take to build a vacation rental marketplace?

Following this tutorial, you can build a functional Airbnb clone in 1-2 weeks. The database setup takes a few hours, core screens another day or two, and payment integration plus testing rounds out the timeline. Magic Start can accelerate the initial setup by generating your foundation from a description.

Do I need coding experience to build this app?

No. Adalo's visual builder has been described as "easy as PowerPoint." You drag and drop components, configure properties through menus, and set up logic through visual workflows. The platform handles all the underlying code generation for web, iOS, and Android.

How much does it cost to build a vacation rental app with Adalo?

Adalo's paid plans start at $36/month with unlimited usage and app store publishing. This includes unlimited database records and unlimited app updates once published. Compare this to alternatives like Bubble ($59/month with usage-based charges and record limits) or FlutterFlow ($70/month per user without a database included).

Can I publish my rental marketplace to both iOS and Android?

Yes. Adalo builds native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. One build publishes to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and updates to your app automatically deploy to both platforms without rebuilding.

What database structure do I need for a vacation rental app?

A vacation rental app requires collections for Users (with guest/host roles), Properties (listings with pricing and amenities), Bookings (reservation management), Reviews, Conversations, Messages, and Favorites. This tutorial walks through creating each collection and establishing the relationships between them.

How do I add payment processing to my rental marketplace?

Adalo integrates with Stripe through a marketplace component. Configure it with your Stripe API keys, set payment amounts based on calculated booking totals, and track payment status and transaction IDs directly in your Bookings collection. The system supports both instant booking payments and request-based flows.

Can my app handle thousands of property listings?

Yes. Adalo's paid plans have no record limits, and the modular infrastructure scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users. Since the Adalo 3.0 infrastructure overhaul in late 2025, the platform runs 3-4x faster with architecture purpose-built for scale.

How do I handle search and filtering for property listings?

Adalo lets you build comprehensive search and filter functionality using location inputs, date pickers, guest counters, and filter modals. Filter properties by location radius, available dates, price range, property type, amenities, and guest capacity. Results can be sorted and displayed in custom lists with pagination.