Bubble vs Adalo: a factual no-code platform comparison

Choosing between Bubble and Adalo usually comes down to one question: are you building a browser-based web app, or do you need a native app-store presence on iOS and Android? Both are no-code platforms with a drag-and-drop editor and a built-in database, but they’re built for different outputs and different pricing models.

Here’s what each platform actually does, how each is billed, and where Sticklight fits as a third option for professional creators who want production-ready output from a single prompt.

• Bubble is a browser-based platform for multi-user web applications, with a hosted relational database and a visual workflow engine. It doesn’t export code and outputs web apps rather than native mobile builds.
• Adalo is built around publishing native iOS and Android apps to the app stores, in addition to web apps, with a built-in database and flat, plan-based pricing.
• Adalo’s pricing is publicly confirmed: a Free plan at $0 per month, and paid plans starting at $36 per month billed annually.
• Bubble’s current plan pricing couldn’t be confirmed from its official pricing page in this review, so no figure is stated here. Check Bubble’s site for current pricing.
• Bubble bills usage in Workload Units, while Adalo uses flat, plan-based pricing with no per-action or per-record charges.
• Sticklight is a separate category: a vibe-coding platform that turns a prompt into production-ready websites, apps, dashboards, CMS, and internal tools, built by the Elementor team and additive to the WordPress and Elementor ecosystem.

What Bubble is built for.

Bubble is a browser-based visual development platform for building multi-user web applications. It combines a drag-and-drop UI editor with a pixel and responsive layout engine, a built-in hosted database for defining data types, fields, and relationships, and a visual Workflow Engine for backend logic, scheduled events, and API-triggered actions. A Plugin Marketplace adds third-party integrations for payments, email, maps, and AI, and a built-in API Connector handles calls to external REST APIs.

Apps built in Bubble are hosted on Bubble’s own infrastructure, and the platform doesn’t offer code export. The output is a web application; getting a native mobile app-store build requires a third-party wrapper rather than a direct Bubble output. Usage on current plans is measured and billed in Workload Units.

What Adalo is built for.

Adalo is a no-code platform for building native mobile and web applications, including publishing directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. It offers a drag-and-drop visual editor for app screens and components, and a built-in database for app data, with a 500-record limit on the Free plan.

Adalo’s plan structure is organized around that publishing path: the Starter plan is the entry point for publishing to app stores, the Professional plan adds capacity for small and medium business use, and the Team plan supports multiple editors and multiple apps, aimed at agencies and freelancers. Pricing is flat and plan-based, with no usage-based per-action or per-record charges according to the official pricing page. A separate, custom-priced Adalo Blue tier exists for enterprise needs.

Bubble vs Adalo at a glance

Publishing paths: web app vs app store.

The clearest structural difference between the two is what “publish” means on each platform. Bubble’s output is a web application hosted on Bubble’s own infrastructure, and reaching the App Store or Play Store requires a separate third-party wrapper tool, since Bubble doesn’t build native binaries itself. Adalo, by contrast, is built specifically to take an app from its editor through to a native iOS and Android app-store submission, with its Starter plan positioned as the entry point for that publishing path.

That difference points you toward different starting points. If your product is fundamentally a web application, with complex relational data and workflow logic, Bubble is closer to what you need. If your priority is getting a native app listed in the app stores without writing code, Adalo is closer to what you need.

Pricing and billing model.

Adalo’s pricing is confirmed directly from its official pricing page: a Free plan at $0 per month, a Starter plan at $36 per month billed annually, a Professional plan at $52 per month billed annually, and a Team plan at $160 per month billed annually, with monthly billing available at a higher rate. Pricing is flat and plan-based, without additional usage-based charges for individual actions or records.

Bubble’s official pricing page renders its plan figures client-side, and those figures couldn’t be confirmed on the current pricing page during this review. Bubble’s current plans are billed using a Workload Units consumption model rather than Adalo’s flat structure. For an accurate, up-to-date figure, check Bubble’s site directly for current pricing.

Where Sticklight fits.

Bubble and Adalo are both established no-code builders, each strong within its own lane: Bubble for browser-based multi-user web apps with custom backend logic, Adalo for getting a native app into the app stores. Sticklight is a different kind of tool. It’s a vibe-coding platform for professional web creators, built by the Elementor team and powered by Claude, that turns a prompt into production-ready output: websites, apps, dashboards, CMS, and internal tools, following a Prompt, Build, Publish flow with publishing included.

Rather than replacing an existing WordPress or Elementor site, Sticklight is additive to that stack, letting you extend what you already run without treating Bubble-style relational app building or Adalo-style app-store publishing as the sole paths forward. If you already work in WordPress or Elementor and want to go from a prompt to production-ready output without switching ecosystems, that additive, full-stack focus is the practical differentiator. AI agents are on Sticklight’s roadmap as a coming feature, not something shipped today.

Frequently asked questions

Which should I use if I want to publish to app stores, Bubble or Adalo?

Adalo, if publishing to app stores is the priority. It’s built specifically around publishing native iOS and Android apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Bubble outputs web applications and needs a third-party wrapper to reach the app stores, since it doesn’t build native binaries directly.

What’s the real difference between Bubble and Adalo on pricing?

Adalo’s pricing is confirmed and flat, with a Free plan at $0 per month and paid plans starting at $36 per month billed annually. Bubble’s current plan figures couldn’t be confirmed from its official pricing page in this review, so check Bubble’s site directly for current pricing. Bubble bills usage in Workload Units rather than Adalo’s flat model.

Do Bubble or Adalo offer code export?

No. Bubble doesn’t offer code export; apps are hosted on Bubble’s own infrastructure. Neither platform offers Webflow-style code export, as documented on their official pages.

Where does Sticklight fit if I’m choosing between Bubble and Adalo?

Sticklight is a vibe-coding platform for professional web creators that turns a prompt into production-ready websites, apps, dashboards, CMS, and internal tools, with publishing included. It’s additive to an existing WordPress or Elementor stack rather than a relational app builder like Bubble or an app-store publishing tool like Adalo.

Do I need to watch for a record or usage limit on either platform?

Yes, on Adalo. Its Free plan has a 500-record limit on the built-in database. Bubble’s current plans are billed by Workload Units, a consumption-based measure, rather than a flat record limit.

Built by the Elementor team. Powered by Claude.

Let it glow.