Adalo vs Glide: 5 differences to know before building your no-code mobile app

Adalo and Glide are two of my favorite no-code apps. Before building a new no-code mobile app, it’s important to know which one to choose for what you are trying to accomplish.

You should know these 5 important differences between Adalo and Glide:

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Adalo

1. Progressive Web App (PWA) & Native
2. Provides database (with optional external data)
3. Functionality and flexibility
4. Slow speed to build
5. High learning curve

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Glide

1. Only Progressive Web App (PWA)
2. Uses Google Sheets as database (with in-house option and other external options)
3. Aesthetics and simplicity
4. Quick speed to build
5. Low learning curve

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Publishing the Apps

Both Glide and Adalo allow you to publish a PWA version of your app online. PWA means you can access your app in a mobile browser and then save it to your phone’s home screen. It looks and feels like any other app on your phone, except it wasn’t downloaded through an app store.

Glide limits publishing to only PWAs. Adalo can publish as a PWA or native app through an app store for iOS or Android.

Both allow you to publish as a desktop website as well which just means you can use the app in a desktop browser.

Database and User Interface

Adalo is an All-in-One no-code tool. All-in-One tools keep an app’s data and design in one place. They provide a database and a user interface.

Glide is also an All-in-One no-code tool but it specializes in using Google Sheets as a database. They’ve since released their own “Glide Tables” and other database apps you can use as well.

Adalo does allow you to connect third-party data into your database but it’s a bit more complicated and takes some API knowledge in order to use.

Complexity

Don’t get me wrong, both Adalo and Glide are way easier to use than learning a mobile programming language. They are both no-code after all! However, Adalo is more complex and provides more functionality than Glide. On the other hand, Glide is simple and easy to use.

Adalo offers more customization for when you have an involved workflow or design in mind. Glide is for simplicity. Connect your Google Sheet and it populates the design right away. I’ve created far more apps using Glide because of how simple it is!

Glide is best if you need to display data with minimal interaction. For instance, it is good for a list of contacts. When you click in you can see a contact’s address and phone number.

Adalo is best when you need more complex actions that involve relational linking. A budgeting app is a good example. When transactions are assigned to categories, the transaction amount should be taken from the total category amount.

Zapier Integrations

Adalo and Glide both have Zapier integrations. However, because Glide can easily use Google Sheets (or Airtable, Excel, and probably more to come) as the database, you can extend Glide’s Zapier integration by simply using Google Sheets triggers and actions. Because of Glide’s use of Google Sheets, it has a more powerful integration.

Adalo has 2 triggers and 1 action:

See more about Adalo’s Zapier integration here.

Glide’s official Zapier integration only has 1 trigger:

See more about Glide’s Zapier integration here.

But, as mentioned above, Glide’s Zapier integration can basically utilize Google Sheets (or any other app Glide is able to use as a database). See Google Sheets’ Zapier integration details.

Zapier plays a big role in giving apps like Glide and Adalo more power.

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Speed to Build

With more functionality comes more choices. Speed is just the other side of the coin to functionality and simplicity. Because Adalo has more customizable options and a higher degree of complexity than Glide, it can take longer to build with. You need to think through the UX and design at a more granular level.

For instance, Glide automatically sets padding and margins in a list. You just choose the visual and it creates it for you:

Adalo allows you to set the specific position along with padding and margins by moving the icons, text, or other objects pixel by pixel or by resizing:

Learning Curve

Adalo will take longer to learn than Glide. But Adalo still has excellent documentation and templates that help.

Glide has one of the lowest learning curves of any no-code tool I’ve come across. Glide is one of the best no-code tools to use if you’re brand new to the no-code movement.

Adalo is best if you need to launch your very own product with a customized design. Glide is best if speed to build is a priority. With Glide, launch something like a directory or a simple way for people to buy products.

Hopefully this gives you a good high-level overview of Adalo vs Glide. Both have free versions so I encourage you to try them both out to see what’s best!

Check out my other no-code comparison posts: Webflow vs Bubble and Airtable vs Google Sheets.

Happy building,

Bryce

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