Glide vs Adalo: comparing two no-code app builders, plus a full-stack option
Glide vs Adalo comes up when you’re comparing no-code platforms for turning a spreadsheet into an app versus publishing a native app to the App Store and Google Play. Both are no-code builders, but they start from different problems. Glide turns a connected data source into an app, while Adalo is built around native mobile and web app publishing.
This comparison looks at what each platform actually does, how their pricing plans compare, and where Sticklight, the vibe-coding platform built by the Elementor team, fits in as a third option for professional creators.
- Glide builds Progressive Web Apps from an existing spreadsheet, Airtable base, or native Glide table.
- Adalo builds apps that publish as native iOS and Android app-store submissions, plus a web version.
- Glide’s paid tiers start at a $25 per month Solo plan. Adalo’s paid tiers start at a $36 per month Starter plan billed annually.
- Adalo’s Free plan caps its built-in database at 500 records. Glide’s Free plan is limited to one project with limited usage credits.
- Sticklight is a different kind of tool: it turns a prompt into a production-ready website, app, dashboard, CMS, or internal tool, additive to an existing WordPress or Elementor stack.
What Glide does.
Glide, also called GlideOS, is a no-code platform for building data-driven apps from spreadsheet or database sources, delivered as Progressive Web Apps. Instead of a freeform drag-and-drop canvas, it uses a visual, form-based builder that turns a connected data source, such as Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable, or a native Glide table, into a working app. Because the output is a Progressive Web App, you install it from a browser rather than compile it into a native App Store or Google Play binary.
Glide’s Free plan limits you to one project with limited usage credits. The Solo plan, at $25 per month, adds a database and five projects. The Team plan is billed per member with a five-member minimum, at $125 per month base plus $10 per additional member. An Enterprise plan is available at custom pricing and adds single sign-on, custom connectors, and a dedicated success manager. As of this check, Glide’s pricing page states that annual billing plans are coming soon, meaning only monthly billing is currently offered.
What Adalo does.
Adalo is a no-code platform for building native mobile and web applications, including publishing to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. It uses a drag-and-drop visual editor for building app screens and components, backed by a built-in database. The Free plan caps that database at 500 records.
Adalo’s paid plans are flat and plan-based, with no usage-based or per-action charges, according to its official pricing page. The Starter plan, at $36 per month billed annually, is the entry point for publishing to app stores. The Professional plan, at $52 per month billed annually, adds expanded capacity aimed at small and medium business use. The Team plan, at $160 per month billed annually, supports multiple editors and multiple apps, aimed at agencies and freelancers. A separate, custom-priced Adalo Blue tier exists for enterprise needs.
Glide vs Adalo at a glance
| Dimension | Glide | Adalo | Sticklight |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A no-code platform for building data-driven applications from spreadsheet or database sources. | A no-code platform for building native mobile and web applications. | A vibe-coding platform that turns a prompt into a production-ready website, app, dashboard, CMS, or internal tool. |
| Output | Progressive Web Apps, installable from a browser rather than compiled into native App Store or Google Play binaries. | Native iOS and Android app-store submissions, plus a web app. | Production-ready full-stack output, published as part of the same flow. |
| Backend / data | Connects to Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable, or a native Glide table. | Built-in database, capped at 500 records on the Free plan. | Generated as part of the build from the prompt, additive to an existing WordPress or Elementor stack. |
| Publish / hosting | Delivered as an installable Progressive Web App. | Publishes directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, plus web. | Publish is included as part of the Prompt, Build, Publish flow. |
| Best for | Teams that already keep their data in a spreadsheet or Airtable base and want an app built from it. | Teams that need a listing in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. | Professional creators who want a full-stack build, from a prompt, that sits alongside an existing WordPress or Elementor site. |
| Entry pricing | Free at $0 per month; Solo plan at $25 per month. | Free at $0 per month; Starter plan at $36 per month billed annually. | Additive to your WordPress/Elementor stack. |
Where Sticklight fits into the Glide vs Adalo comparison.
Glide and Adalo both solve app-building problems, but from different starting points: one from existing data, one from native app-store distribution. Sticklight is a different kind of tool. It’s the vibe-coding platform built by the Elementor team and powered by Claude, and it turns a prompt into a production-ready website, app, dashboard, CMS, or internal tool, following a Prompt, Build, Publish flow with publishing included. It’s additive to your existing WordPress or Elementor setup rather than a replacement for it.
If you want full-stack output, not just a single app screen or data view, generated directly from a prompt, Sticklight is a reasonable third option to evaluate alongside Glide and Adalo. AI agents are on Sticklight’s roadmap and not yet a shipped feature, so this comparison is about generated, production-ready output rather than autonomous agents.
Choosing between Glide, Adalo, and Sticklight.
If your starting point is a spreadsheet or database that already holds the data, and a Progressive Web App is an acceptable output, Glide is built for that job. If you need a listing in the Apple App Store or Google Play, Adalo is built for that job. If you want a broader, production-ready build, a website, app, dashboard, CMS, or internal tool, generated from a prompt and published as part of the same flow, and it needs to sit alongside an existing WordPress or Elementor site, Sticklight is worth evaluating as the professional-creator option.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the main difference between Glide and Adalo?
Glide builds apps from a connected data source such as Google Sheets, Excel, Airtable, or a native Glide table, and delivers them as Progressive Web Apps. Adalo builds native mobile and web apps and publishes them to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
How much do Glide and Adalo cost?
Glide has a Free plan at $0 per month, a Solo plan at $25 per month, and a Team plan at $125 per month base plus $10 per additional member with a five-member minimum. Adalo has 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. Both companies also offer custom enterprise pricing.
Can I publish a Glide app to the App Store?
No. Glide’s output is a Progressive Web App, an installable web app rather than a compiled native App Store or Google Play binary. Adalo is the platform in this comparison built specifically to publish native iOS and Android app-store submissions.
Does Sticklight replace Glide or Adalo?
No. Sticklight is a vibe-coding platform for generating production-ready websites, apps, dashboards, CMS, and internal tools from a prompt, additive to an existing WordPress or Elementor stack. It’s a separate option to evaluate alongside Glide and Adalo, not a like-for-like replacement for either.
Which plan should I start with for a small team?
That depends on what you need. If you’re already working from a spreadsheet or Airtable base and want a working app quickly, start with Glide’s Solo plan. If you specifically need an App Store or Google Play listing, start with Adalo’s Starter plan. If you want a broader, production-ready build from a prompt, evaluate Sticklight alongside either.
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