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

Why Adalo Works for Building a Freelance Marketplace

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 makes it the ideal foundation for a freelance marketplace where you need sophisticated database relationships to manage user profiles, job listings, proposals, and transactions across multiple devices and platforms.

Having your freelance marketplace available in the Apple App Store and Google Play gives you a significant competitive advantage. Freelancers and clients expect to access their work platform from anywhere, and native app distribution enables push notifications for new job postings, proposal updates, and payment confirmations—keeping users engaged and transactions flowing.

Building a freelance marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr requires robust database functionality, real-time messaging, secure payment processing, and cross-platform availability. Freelancers expect to browse jobs from their phones while clients need to review proposals from their desktops. Adalo, an AI-powered app builder, solves this complexity by letting you create one app that publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store simultaneously—the hardest part of launching a marketplace handled automatically.

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through building a functional freelance marketplace using Adalo's visual builder. With the growing global freelance platforms market and increasing freelance workforce participation, there's never been a better time to launch your own platform. You'll learn how to create user profiles, job posting systems, bidding functionality, payment processing, and rating systems—all without writing code.

Why Adalo Works for Building a Freelance Marketplace

Adalo creates database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. This makes it the ideal foundation for a freelance marketplace where you need sophisticated database relationships to manage user profiles, job listings, proposals, and transactions across multiple devices and platforms.

Having your freelance marketplace available in the Apple App Store and Google Play gives you a significant competitive advantage. Freelancers and clients expect to access their work platform from anywhere, and native app distribution enables push notifications for new job postings, proposal updates, and payment confirmations—keeping users engaged and transactions flowing. With over 3 million apps created on the platform and a visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint," you can move from concept to published marketplace faster than traditional development allows.

Prerequisites and Initial Setup

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account and Choose a Plan

  1. Visit Adalo.com and sign up for an account
  2. Start with the Free plan to build and test your app
  3. For publishing a production marketplace, consider the Professional plan ($36/month with unlimited usage and app store publishing):
    • Custom domain support
    • Published apps with unlimited updates
    • Custom integrations
    • No database record limits—your marketplace can scale without hitting data caps
  4. Business plan ($250/month) recommended if you need:
    • Multiple published apps
    • Unlimited editor seats
    • Priority support

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.

Compare Adalo pricing plans

Step 2: Create Your Marketplace App

  1. Click "Create New App" from your dashboard
  2. Choose "Mobile App" (published to iOS, Android, and the web from one project)
  3. Name your app (e.g., "FreelanceHub")
  4. Select "Start from Scratch" to build custom marketplace features, or use Magic Start to generate a foundation from a description—tell it you're building a freelance marketplace and it creates your initial database structure, screens, and user flows automatically

Step 3: Configure Your App Theme

  1. Choose brand colors:
    • Primary color (e.g., blue for trust)
    • Secondary color (e.g., green for action buttons)
  2. Select professional typography
  3. Click "Continue" to enter the app builder

Building the Database Structure

Step 4: Enhance the Users Collection

Adalo creates a default Users collection. You'll extend it for marketplace functionality:

  1. Click the Database icon in the left sidebar
  2. Select "Users" collection
  3. Add these properties (click "+ Add Property" for each):
    • User Type (Text) - Values: "Freelancer", "Client"
    • Profile Photo (Image)
    • Phone Number (Text)
    • Bio (Text - Multiline)
    • Skills (Text - for searchable tags)
    • Hourly Rate (Number) - for freelancers
    • Location (Location)
    • City (Text)
    • Country (Text)
    • Portfolio URL (Text)
    • Years Experience (Number)
    • Average Rating (Number)
    • Total Reviews (Number)
    • Member Since (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Account Balance (Number) - for tracking earnings/credits

Learn more about Adalo's database

Step 5: Create the Jobs Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Jobs"
  3. Add these properties:
    • Job Title (Text)
    • Description (Text - Multiline)
    • Category (Text) - Values: "Web Development", "Design", "Writing", "Marketing", "Virtual Assistant"
    • Budget Type (Text) - Values: "Fixed Price", "Hourly"
    • Budget Amount (Number)
    • Required Skills (Text)
    • Experience Level (Text) - Values: "Entry", "Intermediate", "Expert"
    • Project Duration (Text) - Values: "Less than 1 month", "1-3 months", "3-6 months", "6+ months"
    • Status (Text) - Values: "Open", "In Progress", "Completed", "Cancelled"
    • Location Preference (Text) - Values: "Remote", "On-site", "Hybrid"
    • Proposals Count (Number)
    • Posted Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Deadline (Date & Time)

Step 6: Create the Proposals Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Proposals"
  3. Add properties:
    • Cover Letter (Text - Multiline)
    • Proposed Rate (Number)
    • Delivery Time (Number) - in days
    • Status (Text) - Values: "Pending", "Accepted", "Rejected", "Withdrawn"
    • Submitted Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Portfolio Samples (Text) - URLs to work samples

Step 7: Create the Contracts Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Contracts"
  3. Add properties:
    • Start Date (Date & Time)
    • End Date (Date & Time)
    • Total Amount (Number)
    • Payment Terms (Text)
    • Milestones (Text - Multiline)
    • Status (Text) - Values: "Active", "Completed", "Disputed", "Cancelled"
    • Hours Worked (Number) - for hourly contracts
    • Amount Paid (Number)
    • Amount Remaining (Number)

Step 8: Create the Reviews Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Reviews"
  3. Add properties:
    • Rating (Number) - 1-5 scale
    • Communication Rating (Number)
    • Quality Rating (Number)
    • Professionalism Rating (Number)
    • Review Text (Text - Multiline)
    • Response (Text - Multiline) - for reviewer to respond
    • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Would Recommend (True/False)

Step 9: Create the Messages Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Messages"
  3. Add properties:
    • Message Text (Text - Multiline)
    • Sent Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Is Read (True/False)
    • Attachment URL (Text) - for file sharing

Step 10: Create the Payments Collection

  1. Click "+ Add Collection"
  2. Name it "Payments"
  3. Add properties:
    • Amount (Number)
    • Platform Fee (Number) - your marketplace commission
    • Freelancer Amount (Number) - amount after fees
    • Payment Method (Text)
    • Stripe Payment ID (Text)
    • Status (Text) - Values: "Pending", "Held for Processing", "Released", "Refunded"
    • Payment Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
    • Release Date (Date & Time)

Step 11: Set Up Database Relationships

Setting up relational database connections is crucial for marketplace functionality. With Adalo's unlimited database records on paid plans, you can build these relationships without worrying about hitting storage caps as your marketplace grows:

  1. In Jobs collection:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Posted By" (A Client can post many Jobs)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Assigned To" (One-to-One for hired freelancer)
  2. In Proposals collection:
    • Add relationship to Jobs: Many-to-One (Each job can have many proposals)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Freelancer" (Each freelancer can submit many proposals)
  3. In Contracts collection:
    • Add relationship to Jobs: One-to-One
    • Add relationship to Users: "Client"
    • Add relationship to Users: "Freelancer"
    • Add relationship to Proposals: One-to-One (the accepted proposal)
  4. In Reviews collection:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Reviewer" (person giving review)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Reviewed" (person receiving review)
    • Add relationship to Contracts: Many-to-One
  5. In Messages collection:
    • Add relationship to Users: "Sender"
    • Add relationship to Users: "Recipient"
    • Add relationship to Jobs: Many-to-One (messages about specific job)
  6. In Payments collection:
    • Add relationship to Contracts: One-to-Many (contracts can have multiple payments/milestones)
    • Add relationship to Users: "Client"
    • Add relationship to Users: "Freelancer"

Creating User Authentication

Step 12: Build the Welcome Screen

  1. Rename the default screen to "Welcome"
  2. Add your marketplace logo (Image component)
  3. Add headline text: "Connect with skilled freelancers or find your next project"
  4. Add value proposition points:
    • "Secure payments with payment protection"
    • "Verified freelancers and clients"
    • "Pay only when satisfied"
  5. Add two buttons:
    • "Sign Up" → Link to "Account Type" screen
    • "Login" → Link to "Login" screen

Step 13: Create Account Type Selection Screen

  1. Add new screen "Account Type"
  2. Add header text: "Join as a client or freelancer"
  3. Add two large selection cards:
    • Client Card: "I'm a client, hiring for a project"
    • Freelancer Card: "I'm a freelancer, looking for work"
  4. Each card button links to separate signup screens

Step 14: Create Client Signup Screen

  1. Add new screen "Client Signup"
  2. Add Form component connected to Users:
    • Email (required)
    • Password (required, minimum 8 characters)
    • Full Name (required)
    • Company Name (optional)
    • Phone Number
  3. Set User Type to "Client" automatically on form submission
  4. On successful signup → Link to "Client Onboarding"

Step 15: Create Freelancer Signup Screen

  1. Add new screen "Freelancer Signup"
  2. Add Form component connected to Users:
    • Email (required)
    • Password (required)
    • Full Name (required)
    • Phone Number
  3. Set User Type to "Freelancer" automatically
  4. On successful signup → Link to "Freelancer Profile Setup"

Step 16: Build Freelancer Profile Setup

  1. Add new screen "Freelancer Profile Setup"
  2. Add multi-step form to update Logged In User:
    • Step 1: Basic Info
      • Profile Photo (Image Picker)
      • Professional Title
      • Hourly Rate
      • Location/City
    • Step 2: Skills & Experience
      • Skills (text input with tags)
      • Years of Experience
      • Bio/Description
      • Portfolio URL
    • Step 3: Availability
      • Available hours per week
      • Timezone
  3. Submit button → Link to "Freelancer Dashboard"

Step 17: Create Client Onboarding

  1. Add screen "Client Onboarding"
  2. Brief profile completion:
    • Company name
    • Industry
    • Location
  3. Quick tutorial on posting first job
  4. Button: "Post Your First Job" → Link to "Post Job" screen

Building the Freelancer Interface

Step 18: Create Freelancer Dashboard

  1. Add new screen "Freelancer Dashboard"
  2. Add top navigation bar:
    • "Browse Jobs" tab
    • "My Proposals" tab
    • "Active Contracts" tab
    • "Messages" tab
    • "Profile" icon
  3. Add stats summary section:
    • Total proposals submitted (count)
    • Active contracts
    • Total earnings this month
    • Average rating
  4. Add "Available Jobs" list (covered in next step)

Step 19: Build Browse Jobs Screen

  1. Add new screen "Browse Jobs" (or tab on dashboard)
  2. Add search and filter section:
    • Search Input: Search by keywords in title/description
    • Dropdown filters:
      • Category
      • Experience Level
      • Budget Range
      • Budget Type (Fixed/Hourly)
  3. Add List of Jobs:
    • Filter: Status = "Open"
    • Sort by: Posted Date (Newest First)
  4. Display for each job card:
    • Job Title
    • Category badge
    • Budget and type
    • Posted time (e.g., "2 hours ago")
    • Number of proposals
    • Required skills
  5. Click on job → Link to "Job Details" screen

Step 20: Create Job Details Screen

  1. Add new screen "Job Details"
  2. Display current job information:
    • Full job title and description
    • Client name and rating
    • Budget details
    • Project duration
    • Required skills
    • Experience level needed
    • Number of proposals received
    • Posted date
  3. Add "About the Client" section:
    • Client's average rating
    • Jobs posted
    • Hire rate
    • Member since
  4. Add action buttons:
    • "Submit Proposal" → Link to "Submit Proposal" screen
    • "Save Job" → Add to saved jobs list

Step 21: Build Submit Proposal Screen

  1. Add new screen "Submit Proposal"
  2. Add Form connected to Proposals collection:
    • Set Job relationship to Current Job
    • Set Freelancer to Logged In User
    • Cover Letter (Large text area)
      • Placeholder: "Explain why you're the best fit..."
    • Proposed Rate (Number input)
      • Show suggested range based on job budget
    • Delivery Time (Number input in days)
    • Portfolio Samples (Text input for URLs)
  3. Show fee breakdown:
    • Your proposed rate: $X
    • Platform fee (e.g., 10-20%—you set your own rate): -$Y
    • You'll receive: $Z
  4. Submit button actions:
    • Create Proposal record
    • Update Job → Proposals Count (+1)
    • Send notification to client
    • Navigate to "Proposal Submitted" confirmation

Step 22: Create My Proposals Screen

  1. Add new screen "My Proposals"
  2. Add tabs for proposal status:
    • Active (Pending)
    • Accepted
    • Rejected
  3. Add List of Proposals:
    • Filter: Freelancer = Logged In User
    • Sort by: Submitted Date (Newest)
  4. Display for each proposal:
    • Job title
    • Submitted date
    • Proposed rate
    • Status badge
    • Client response (if any)
  5. Click proposal → View full proposal details
  6. Add "Withdraw Proposal" button for pending proposals

Building the Client Interface

Step 23: Create Client Dashboard

  1. Add new screen "Client Dashboard"
  2. Add navigation tabs:
    • "Active Jobs"
    • "Posted Jobs"
    • "Hired Freelancers"
    • "Messages"
  3. Add quick stats:
    • Active jobs
    • Total spent this month
    • Hired freelancers
  4. Add prominent "Post a Job" button

Step 24: Build Post Job Screen

You can build this screen manually or use Magic Add to describe what you need: "Add a multi-step job posting form with title, description, budget options, and skill requirements." The AI generates the components and logic for you.

  1. Add new screen "Post Job"
  2. Add multi-step Form connected to Jobs:
    • Step 1: Job Basics
      • Job Title
      • Category (Dropdown)
      • Description (detailed)
    • Step 2: Budget & Timeline
      • Budget Type (Fixed/Hourly)
      • Budget Amount
      • Project Duration
      • Deadline (optional)
    • Step 3: Requirements
      • Required Skills (text tags)
      • Experience Level
      • Location Preference
  3. Set automatic values:
    • Posted By = Logged In User
    • Status = "Open"
    • Proposals Count = 0
  4. Submit button actions:
    • Create Job record
    • Navigate to "Job Posted" confirmation
    • Send notifications to matching freelancers

Step 25: Create Job Management Screen

  1. Add screen "Manage Job"
  2. Display current job details
  3. Add List of Proposals for this job:
    • Filter: Job = Current Job
    • Sort by: Rating (highest first) or Date
  4. For each proposal, show:
    • Freelancer photo and name
    • Average rating and reviews count
    • Proposed rate and timeline
    • Cover letter excerpt
    • "View Full Proposal" button
  5. Add job management options:
    • Edit job (if no proposals yet)
    • Close job to new proposals
    • Delete job (if no proposals)

Step 26: Build Proposal Review Screen

  1. Add screen "Review Proposal"
  2. Display full proposal details:
    • Complete cover letter
    • Proposed rate and delivery time
    • Portfolio samples
  3. Show freelancer profile summary:
    • Profile photo
    • Professional title
    • Average rating
    • Completed jobs count
    • Success rate
    • Skills
    • "View Full Profile" link
  4. Add action buttons:
    • "Message Freelancer" → Start conversation
    • "Hire Freelancer" → Create contract
    • "Decline" → Update proposal status

Step 27: Create Contract Creation Screen

  1. Add screen "Create Contract"
  2. Pre-fill with proposal details
  3. Add Form to create Contract:
    • Confirm rate
    • Set payment terms (upfront %, on completion %)
    • Define milestones (for larger projects)
    • Set start date
    • Add project specifics
  4. On submission:
    • Create Contract record
    • Update Job status to "In Progress"
    • Update Proposal status to "Accepted"
    • Reject all other proposals for this job
    • Send notification to freelancer
    • Navigate to "Contract Active" screen

Implementing Messaging

Step 28: Build Messages List Screen

  1. Add screen "Messages"
  2. Add List of unique conversations:
    • Group Messages by Job
    • Filter: Sender = Logged In User OR Recipient = Logged In User
    • Show most recent message per conversation
  3. Display for each conversation:
    • Other user's photo and name
    • Job title
    • Last message preview
    • Timestamp
    • Unread indicator (if Is Read = False)
  4. Click conversation → Link to "Chat" screen

Step 29: Create Chat Screen

  1. Add screen "Chat"
  2. Add header showing:
    • Other user's name and photo
    • Job title
    • "View Job" link
  3. Add List of Messages:
    • Filter: (Sender = Logged In User AND Recipient = Other User) OR (Sender = Other User AND Recipient = Logged In User)
    • Filter by Current Job
    • Sort by: Sent Date (Oldest first)
  4. Style messages:
    • Sent messages aligned right
    • Received messages aligned left
    • Show timestamp
    • Show read status
  5. Add message input at bottom:
    • Form connected to Messages
    • Text input field
    • Send button (creates Message record)
  6. Auto-refresh messages using countdown timer (every 5 seconds)

Learn about Adalo messaging features

Adding Payment Processing with Stripe

Step 30: Install Stripe Integration

  1. Visit Adalo Marketplace
  2. Search for "Stripe" integration
  3. Click "Install"
  4. You'll need Stripe API keys (get from Stripe Dashboard)
  5. Enter your Stripe keys in Adalo settings

Step 31: Create Escrow-Like Payment Screen

  1. Add screen "Make Payment"
  2. Display contract details:
    • Freelancer name
    • Project description
    • Total amount
    • Payment breakdown
  3. Add Stripe Payment component:
    • Amount: Contract → Total Amount
    • Add platform fee calculation (e.g., 10-20% commission—you set your own rate)
    • Client pays full amount
    • Funds held for processing (Note: True marketplace split payments require Stripe Connect and may require custom actions or an external backend like Xano)
  4. Add payment form fields:
    • Card number
    • Expiry date
    • CVC
    • Billing zip code
    • Save card for future (checkbox)
  5. On successful payment:
    • Create Payment record with Status = "Held for Processing"
    • Update Contract status
    • Send confirmation to both users
    • Navigate to "Payment Successful" screen

Step 32: Build Payment Release Flow

  1. Add "Release Payment" button on completed contract
  2. Client clicks to release funds after satisfied with work
  3. Update Payment:
    • Status = "Released"
    • Release Date = Current Date/Time
    • Calculate Freelancer Amount (Total - Platform Fee)
  4. Update freelancer's Account Balance
  5. Send payment release notification
  6. Prompt client to leave review

Step 33: Create Earnings Dashboard

  1. Add screen "Earnings" for freelancers
  2. Display financial summary:
    • Available balance
    • Pending (in escrow-like hold)
    • Total earned (lifetime)
    • This month's earnings
  3. Add List of Payments:
    • Filter: Freelancer = Logged In User
    • Sort by: Payment Date (Newest)
  4. Show payment details:
    • Client name
    • Job title
    • Amount received
    • Platform fee
    • Status
    • Date

Building the Rating and Review System

Step 34: Create Leave Review Screen

  1. Add screen "Leave Review" (shown after contract completion)
  2. Display project summary
  3. Add Form connected to Reviews:
    • Overall Rating (1-5 stars)
    • Communication Rating (1-5 stars)
    • Quality Rating (1-5 stars)
    • Professionalism Rating (1-5 stars)
    • Written Review (text area)
    • Would Recommend (Yes/No toggle)
  4. Set relationships:
    • Reviewer = Logged In User
    • Reviewed = Other User in contract
    • Link to Contract

Step 35: Calculate Average Ratings

According to research, 89% of companies compete primarily on customer experience, making quality ratings critical for marketplace success.

  1. Create custom action on review submission:
    • Count total reviews for user
    • Calculate average of Overall Rating
    • Update user's Average Rating property
    • Update Total Reviews count
  2. Create similar calculations for:
    • Communication Rating average
    • Quality Rating average
    • Professionalism Rating average

Step 36: Build Reviews Display

  1. On user profile screens, add List of Reviews:
    • Filter: Reviewed = Current User
    • Sort by: Created Date (Newest)
  2. Display for each review:
    • Reviewer name and photo
    • Star ratings
    • Review text
    • Project type
    • Date
    • Response (if any)
  3. Add "Respond to Review" option for reviewed user

Testing Your App

Step 37: Create Test Data

  1. Create test accounts:
    • 3-4 freelancer profiles with different skills
    • 2-3 client accounts
  2. Post sample jobs across categories
  3. Submit test proposals
  4. Create test contracts
  5. Use Stripe test card numbers for payment testing:
    • Success: 4242 4242 4242 4242
    • Declined: 4000 0000 0000 0002

Step 38: Test Core User Flows

Test each marketplace journey:

  1. Freelancer Flow:
    • Sign up → Complete profile → Browse jobs → Submit proposal → Get hired → Complete work → Receive payment → Get reviewed
  2. Client Flow:
    • Sign up → Post job → Review proposals → Hire freelancer → Fund payment → Approve work → Release payment → Leave review
  3. Messaging Flow:
    • Start conversation → Exchange messages → Share files → Receive notifications
  4. Search & Filter:
    • Search by keywords → Filter by category → Filter by budget → Sort results

Step 39: Preview and Debug

Use X-Ray to identify performance issues before they affect users—it highlights database queries and component loads that could slow down your marketplace as it scales.

  1. Use Adalo's web previewer for desktop testing
  2. Download the Adalo Previewer app from the App Store or Google Play for iOS/Android testing
  3. Check all conditional logic and calculations
  4. Verify database relationships work correctly
  5. Test notification triggers
  6. Validate form inputs and error messages

Publishing Your Marketplace

Step 40: Prepare for Launch

  1. Set up production Stripe account
  2. Configure push notification certificates
  3. Add essential legal pages:
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commission fee disclosure
  4. Set up customer support (email, chat)
  5. Create onboarding tutorial
  6. Test all payment flows thoroughly

Step 41: Publish to Web

  1. In Adalo, click "Publish"
  2. Choose "Web App"
  3. Select custom domain (requires Starter plan or higher)
  4. Configure domain DNS settings
  5. Publish and test live site

Learn about publishing web apps

Step 42: Publish to App Stores

  1. For iOS:
    • Purchase Apple Developer account ($99/year)
    • Prepare app icons and screenshots
    • Submit through Adalo's publishing flow
    • Wait for App Store review
  2. For Android:
    • Purchase Google Play Developer account ($25 one-time)
    • Prepare app assets
    • Submit through Adalo
    • Publish to Google Play

Guide to iOS publishing | Guide to Android publishing

Solving the Marketplace Chicken-and-Egg Problem

One critical challenge all marketplaces face: buyers won't join without sellers, and sellers won't join without buyers. Here's how to address this:

Step 43: Launch Strategy

  1. Start with supply side first:
    • Recruit 20-30 freelancers before opening to clients
    • Offer incentives (zero fees for first 3 months)
    • Focus on one niche category initially
  2. Bring your own demand:
    • Ask early freelancers to invite existing clients
    • Offer discounts for clients they bring
    • Create referral bonuses
  3. Provide standalone value:
    • Offer free portfolio hosting for freelancers
    • Provide project management tools
    • Create educational content

Research shows that focusing on micro-niches helps build critical mass faster than competing broadly.

Why Build Your Freelance Marketplace with Adalo

Adalo stands out as the optimal platform for building a freelance marketplace for several compelling reasons:

True Cross-Platform Development

Unlike competitors like Softr (web-only, starting at $167/month for PWA publishing with record limits) or Glide (no App Store publishing, starting at $60/month with data restrictions), Adalo lets you publish to iOS, Android, and web from a single build. Your freelancers and clients can access your platform however they prefer—and one update deploys everywhere simultaneously.

Built-In Relational Database with No Record Limits

Adalo's native database handles complex marketplace relationships without requiring external tools for your MVP. With no database record caps on paid plans, you can create sophisticated connections between users, jobs, proposals, and payments—then scale to millions of records as your marketplace grows. When you need advanced capabilities, Xano integration extends your options further.

Predictable Pricing Without Usage Surprises

Adalo's plans include unlimited usage with no additional charges—no Workload Units or unclear billing calculations. Start at $36/month for production publishing, upgrade to Business ($250/month) only when you need multiple apps or priority support. Compare this to Bubble's web wrapper approach starting at $59/month with usage-based charges and record limits, or FlutterFlow at $70/month per user that still requires you to source, setup, and pay for a separate database.

Performance That Scales

Adalo 3.0's completely overhauled backend infrastructure (launched late 2025) delivers 3-4x faster performance with modular architecture that scales to serve apps with over 1 million monthly active users. Unlike web wrappers that hit speed constraints under load, Adalo's purpose-built architecture maintains performance at scale. Note that most third-party platform comparisons predate this infrastructure overhaul.

Enterprise-Grade Features for Growing Marketplaces

As your platform scales, Adalo provides:

For entrepreneurs targeting the growing freelance marketplace opportunity, Adalo provides the fastest path from concept to revenue-generating platform—with the infrastructure to scale when you succeed.

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—the hardest part of launching an app handled automatically. With unlimited database records on paid plans and no usage-based charges, you get predictable costs as your marketplace scales.

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 go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Describe your freelance marketplace, and Magic Start generates your database structure, screens, and user flows. Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process, so you focus on features instead of certificates and provisioning profiles.

Can I easily build a freelance marketplace without coding?

Yes. With Adalo's visual builder, you can create user profiles for freelancers and clients, job posting systems, proposal management, payment processing with Stripe integration, and rating systems—all without writing code. The platform handles complex database relationships between users, jobs, proposals, contracts, and payments through a visual interface.

How do I handle payments and escrow in an Adalo-built marketplace?

Adalo integrates with Stripe to handle payment processing. You can create an escrow-like flow where client payments are held until work is approved, then released minus your platform commission. For advanced split payment features with automatic payouts to freelancers, you may need Stripe Connect with custom actions or an external backend like Xano.

Can Adalo's database handle the complex relationships needed for a marketplace?

Yes. Adalo's built-in relational database handles one-to-many and many-to-one relationships connecting freelancers to proposals, jobs to applicants, and contracts to payments and reviews. With no record limits on paid plans, your database can scale to millions of records as your marketplace grows—no external database tools required for your MVP.

How much does it cost to build and launch a freelance marketplace with Adalo?

Start building for free with Adalo's Free plan. For production publishing with custom domains and unlimited usage, the Professional plan costs $36/month. The Business plan at $250/month adds multiple published apps, unlimited editor seats, and priority support. Unlike competitors with usage-based charges, Adalo's pricing is predictable with no surprise bills.

Which is more affordable, Adalo or Bubble?

Adalo starts at $36/month for web and native mobile app publishing with unlimited usage and no record limits. Bubble starts at $59/month with usage-based Workload Unit charges, record limits, and limits on app re-publishing. Bubble's mobile solution is also a web wrapper rather than true native apps, which can affect performance at scale.

Is Adalo better than FlutterFlow for mobile apps?

For non-technical users, yes. FlutterFlow is a low-code tool designed for technical users who need to manage and set up their own external database—significant learning complexity that often requires hiring experts. FlutterFlow starts at $70/month per user and still doesn't include a database. Adalo includes a built-in relational database with no record limits, making it faster to launch without external dependencies.

How do I solve the chicken-and-egg problem when launching my marketplace?

Start by recruiting 20-30 freelancers before opening to clients, offering incentives like zero fees for the first three months. Focus on one niche category initially to build critical mass faster. Provide standalone value through features like free portfolio hosting and project management tools, encouraging early users to invite their existing clients to the platform.

Can I publish to both the App Store and Google Play from one Adalo project?

Yes. Adalo creates one app that publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store from a single codebase. When you update your app, one change deploys everywhere—unlike platforms that require separate projects or use web wrappers that don't provide true native performance.