SmartSuite Review: Features, Pros, Cons, and More | 2025 🎨

Q: Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

What sets Adalo apart is the visual canvas. View all screens simultaneously on one canvas, preview on any device form factor, and visually direct the AI rather than relying on chat-only prompts—all within the visual AI builder for web apps and native mobile apps, all backed by a built-in relational database. build once and deploy to web, iOS, and Android, then publish to Apple's App Store and Google Play. At $36/month with unlimited usage—no caps on actions, users, records, or storage—Adalo offers the lowest price for native app store publishing.

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

With Adalo, you can ship a native app to both stores in days rather than the months you'd spend with traditional development. Magic start creates your database, screens, and navigation from a plain-language description, then see your entire app laid out on one visual canvas, test your app on any device in real time, and visually direct the AI to refine your app. the platform handles App Store and Google Play submissions.

May 24, 2024

SmartSuite stands out in business management software, offering extensive templates and automation features for efficiency. But understanding when you need internal workflow management versus an actual customer-facing app is crucial for choosing the right tool.

Read on to learn:

Overview of SmartSuite and its purpose
How SmartSuite works and its key features
Pros and cons of the platform
Ideal users and deciding if SmartSuite is a good fit for you
Adalo, a powerful alternative for building actual mobile apps

Adalo: A Powerful SmartSuite Alternative

Need a platform that lets you create an actual app that users can access via the web, Apple App Store, or Google Play Store? SmartSuite won't get you there—but Adalo will.

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 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. Describe what you want to build, and Magic Start generates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. What used to take days of planning happens in minutes.

Unlike SmartSuite's focus on internal operations, Adalo creates apps your customers actually download and use. The platform's modular infrastructure scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users, with no upper ceiling and no record limits on paid plans. Over 3 million apps have been created on Adalo, with the visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint."

Bring your next app idea to life, whether it's a KPI tracker for workflow and project management, a social media platform, or almost anything else. Select from one of Adalo's nearly 40 templates, craft your app with Adalo's drag-and-drop interface, and supercharge it with over 1,000 integrations.

After you put on the finishing touches, publish it on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and the web—all from a single codebase. Build your app without programming for free today.

What is SmartSuite?

SmartSuite is business management software suitable for nearly every industry. It allows you to organize and manage most aspects of your business by creating automated workflows and streamlining process operations.

While SmartSuite isn't an app builder that lets you design a unique user interface and backend logic, it is a potent business tool. It provides an easy-to-understand interface that allows you to organize your business data seamlessly on interactive spreadsheets.

You'll also be able to trigger automations and display visual data through various graphical interfaces like grids, Kanban boards, heat maps, pivot tables, and many more. Think of it as a supercharged spreadsheet with workflow automation—powerful for internal operations, but not designed for creating apps your customers download.

How Does SmartSuite Work?

Getting started with SmartSuite is straightforward—just navigate to the SmartSuite homepage and sign up for a free 14-day trial. This allows you to test the platform properly before committing. Refreshingly, you won't need to provide any credit card info to activate your trial.

Getting Started with SmartSuite

You'll land on your homepage once your account is up and running. On the left-hand side, you'll see a drop-down menu titled "Resources." You'll find tutorials, links to guides, videos, and even the SmartSuite Academy for structured learning. These provide all the information you need to become proficient with the platform.

Diving into SmartSuite's resource collection and studying the building interface is ideal because the platform has a learning curve. Having some knowledge about the platform will save you frustration down the road.

If you need additional help, you can also visit SmartSuite's message board. Just post a question, and an experienced SmartSuite user or staffer will respond quickly.

We recommend you click the "SmartSuite Guide" button and watch the introductory video to learn more about launching your business's SmartSuite workflow. After viewing, you're ready to get started!

Selecting a Template

Once you've seen a few tutorials, it's time to get your feet wet and start building by picking a template. On the left-hand side of your screen, find the button for "Templates." After clicking it, you can choose from around 200 options.

SmartSuite provides a template for almost any workflow from nearly every industry under the sun. For instance, you'll find standard templates for project management, CRM, accounting and finance, and more. But you'll also find more unique ones for remote work, personal productivity, and other specialized needs—SmartSuite's templates cover most bases.

How can you work with and configure each template? Just click the "See Live Demo" button at the top of your screen. You'll be able to run through a sample template and see the different charts, graphics, and other functions that come with it.

SmartSuite's Main Functions

After you pick a template, you can start working on your workflow. Here's how you'll get started with the core functionality.

Dealing with Data

Conveniently, all SmartSuite templates have a grid view that looks like a colorful, non-boring spreadsheet. This is where you'll add your data—you can import it as a CSV, Excel, contacts, or calendar file.

To import your data, find the "..." button at the top right of your screen. Scroll down to "import data," and connect your data to SmartSuite.

Once your data has been connected, it's time to customize it. To do this, click the green "Grid View" tile on the left-hand side of your screen. You can create new rows, fields, labels, and more. The interface makes data manipulation intuitive for users familiar with spreadsheet applications.

Visualizations

By selecting the "View" tile in the top left-hand corner of your template, you can see different visualizations of your data. In most templates, you can view your data as cards, Gantt Charts, Kanban boards, and more.

Before selecting your view, you can set it to private or public, allowing you to grant certain team members access to each visualization. For instance, let your accounting team see the sales team's workflows so they can create cash-flow projections. This can help ensure information flows smoothly throughout your organization.

Integrations

If you have third-party applications you'd like to use with SmartSuite, the platform has dozens of integrations to third-party applications like Microsoft Teams, HubSpot, Salesforce, and many more tools.

Integrate with these accounts, seamlessly transfer files and data directly to your SmartSuite project, update states and deals, and much more. These integrations provide the power to streamline loads of your external data into SmartSuite, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.

SmartSuite's Key Features

If you've boiled your options down to SmartSuite vs. Airtable, you'll find that SmartSuite provides powerful functionalities that differentiate it. Here are some that stood out:

SmartSuite's template selection: Bursting at the seams with around 200 different templates, you'll be able to find one for pretty much any need you require. This means you won't need to spend hours starting from scratch to perfect your project management tool—just choose a template, upload your data, and choose your visualizations and automations.

Time-saving automations: Frequently updating records across several different platforms or always sending emails and texts manually? Let SmartSuite execute these tasks for you, freeing up more time so you can focus on other tasks. SmartSuite lets you set up triggers, which are activated after specific actions have occurred. For instance, SmartSuite automatically generates an invoice when a client sends a purchase order. The invoice is then sent directly to the client and contributes to your accounts payable team's overall well-being.

Secure data management: You can upload sheet upon sheet of data, meticulously organize it, and graphically illustrate it, putting you in the driver's seat when it comes to data management. Plus, you can ensure only the right people have viewing or editing access by setting permissions and implementing 2-factor authentication. SmartSuite is GDPR and SOC Type II compliant, so you can rest assured that your user data is in good hands. And, if you're a medical professional, you won't have to worry about storing sensitive client data: SmartSuite is HIPAA-compliant.

Collaboration tools: If you're like most businesses, you may have several teams working on one project, meaning many folks will be accessing different parts of your SmartSuite solution simultaneously. SmartSuite is specifically designed for this, allowing for multiple collaborations while providing real-time updates.

SmartSuite's Pros and Cons

Like any other platform, SmartSuite isn't perfect. Here are some pros and cons you should be aware of:

Pros of Using SmartSuite

An excellent platform for teams: Because SmartSuite is an all-in-one operations management software, anyone on your team can use it. You can also set up notifications that let other team members know when specific tasks have been completed, which fosters clear communication through real-time collaboration.

Solutions for nearly any business: SmartSuite offers nearly 200 premade templates that cater to almost any business function, and you can easily plug data in from Excel, CSV, and other files. Chances are, you'll be able to create a useful solution with SmartSuite.

Meticulous data organization: SmartSuite's data tables are packed with features for organizing and visualizing your data, which gives it an edge over some competitors, like Airtable. Link records, generate documents, track progress, and much more. Then, visualize your data with a graph, Kanban board, or a map.

Cons of Using SmartSuite

Learning curve: Compared to similar platforms, SmartSuite is a more complex platform. You'll need to spend some extra time watching tutorials and taking classes to ensure you know it well enough.

High pricing: SmartSuite doesn't charge a flat monthly or annual rate. Instead, you'll need to pay a per-user fee. If you're a small company and everyone on your team uses the platform, SmartSuite pricing could add up, cutting into your bottom line.

Limited flexibility: While it's great for optimizing internal business operations, SmartSuite doesn't let you create external client-facing apps for booking, ordering, and other purposes. If you need to create an external client-facing app, you'll have to purchase and learn another platform entirely.

Who Is SmartSuite Best Suited for?

SmartSuite has plans, features, and capabilities for businesses of all sizes. If your team needs a data tool that does more with simple Excel and CSV data and provides several tools for visualizing it, SmartSuite might be right up your alley.

Ultimately, SmartSuite provides solutions for nearly any business process. Whether you're a medical clinic with reams of patient data, an agency organizing marketing campaigns, a manufacturer tracking inventory, or anything else, you'll most likely find a use for SmartSuite.

The platform excels for teams that need to collaborate on internal workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and visualize operational data. It's particularly strong for project management, CRM tracking, and cross-departmental coordination.

Is SmartSuite Right for You?

If your business has loads of workflows and you need more than a database builder, you'll most likely get good use out of SmartSuite. Companies that still execute tasks like manually sending confirmation emails and text messages might also find SmartSuite a game changer.

SmartSuite's collaboration tools are another central selling point. If your business has several teams working on the same project and everyone needs to see live progress, definitely give SmartSuite a shot.

But if you need to create an app in the traditional sense—such as one for scheduling, listing real estate properties, booking tours, ordering, and more—SmartSuite is not the right option. You'll need an app builder to create something your customers can actually download and use.

When to Choose an App Builder Instead

The fundamental difference between SmartSuite and an AI-powered app builder like Adalo comes down to who uses what you build. SmartSuite creates internal tools for your team. Adalo creates apps for your customers.

If you need customers to book appointments, browse products, place orders, or interact with your business through their phones, you need an actual app—not workflow management software. Adalo's AI-assisted platform generates native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, with unlimited database storage on paid plans and no usage-based charges.

The platform's Magic Start feature generates complete app foundations from simple descriptions. Tell it you need a booking app for a dog grooming business, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. Magic Add then lets you expand functionality by describing what you want in natural language.

For businesses that need both internal workflow management AND customer-facing apps, using SmartSuite for operations and Adalo for your mobile app creates a powerful combination. Each tool excels at what it was designed for.

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—the hardest part of launching an app handled automatically. With unlimited database records on paid plans and no usage-based charges, you won't face surprise bills as your app grows.

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 makes it possible to launch apps in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions, and the platform handles the entire App Store submission process for both iOS and Android.

Can I easily create a client-facing app for my business?

Yes, with Adalo's AI-powered app builder, you can easily create client-facing apps for booking, ordering, scheduling, and more. Unlike SmartSuite which focuses on internal operations, Adalo lets you build apps that your customers can download and use directly from app stores.

What is SmartSuite best used for?

SmartSuite is business management software designed for organizing internal workflows, managing data, and automating processes. It excels at team collaboration, data visualization through Kanban boards and charts, and offers nearly 200 templates for various industries.

What are the main limitations of SmartSuite?

SmartSuite has a notable learning curve compared to similar platforms and uses per-user pricing that can add up for small teams. Most importantly, it cannot create external client-facing apps for purposes like booking, ordering, or scheduling—you'll need a different platform for that.

Is SmartSuite secure for handling sensitive data?

Yes, SmartSuite offers robust security features including GDPR compliance, SOC Type II compliance, and HIPAA compliance for medical professionals. You can also set permissions and implement 2-factor authentication to control who can view or edit your data.

When should I choose an app builder instead of SmartSuite?

If you need to create an app that customers can download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store—such as apps for scheduling, real estate listings, tour bookings, or e-commerce—you should choose an app builder like Adalo. SmartSuite is designed for internal business operations, not external user-facing applications.

How much does Adalo cost compared to SmartSuite?

Adalo's web and native mobile builder starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and app store publishing. SmartSuite uses per-user pricing that can add up quickly for teams. Adalo also includes unlimited app updates once published, with no usage-based charges or record limits on paid plans.

Can I use both SmartSuite and Adalo together?

Absolutely. Many businesses use SmartSuite for internal workflow management and team collaboration while using Adalo to build customer-facing mobile apps. Each platform excels at what it was designed for, and using both creates a comprehensive solution for operations and customer engagement.

How does Adalo compare to other app builders like Bubble or Glide?

Adalo creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, while Bubble's mobile solution is a web wrapper that can face performance challenges at scale. Glide restricts users to set templates with limited creative freedom and doesn't support App Store publishing. Adalo offers unlimited database records on paid plans with no usage-based charges, starting at $36/month.