Adalo
Directus
| Feature | Adalo | Directus |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $45/mo | Free / from $99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | entrepreneurs, small-businesses, mvp-builders, non-technical-founders | developers, agencies, content-teams, enterprise-backends |
| Founded | 2018 | 2016 |
| Drag And Drop Builder | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| User Auth | ✓ | ✗ |
| Push Notifications | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Actions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Marketplace Components | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Generated Apis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Admin Panel | ✗ | ✓ |
| Roles And Permissions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Flows Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| File Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Translations | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Adalo Pros
- Publish native iOS and Android apps from one codebase
- Intuitive drag-and-drop app builder
- Built-in database and user authentication
- Component marketplace for extended functionality
✗ Adalo Cons
- Performance can be slow for complex apps
- Limited customization compared to code-based solutions
- Scaling limitations for high-traffic apps
✓ Directus Pros
- Works with existing databases
- Beautiful admin interface
- REST + GraphQL APIs auto-generated
- Fully self-hostable
✗ Directus Cons
- Cloud pricing jumps to $99/mo
- Complex features require developer knowledge
- Documentation could be better organized
The Verdict
Adalo is built for entrepreneurs and small businesses, with a focus on drag-and-drop-builder and native-apps. Directus targets developers and agencies and leads with auto-generated-apis and admin-panel.
On pricing, Adalo is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $45/mo compared to $99/mo for Directus. That $54/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Directus edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Adalo offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Directus takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Directus has a slight overall edge — but if publish native ios and android apps from one codebase matters most to you, Adalo may still be the right call.