•Aloe arborescens gel as edible coating has been used for the first time in fruit.•Aloe vera and Aloe arborescens gels were effective on delaying ethylene climacteric production in both stone fruit.•Both coatings delayed ripening index, weight loss and colour evolution during storage at ambient temperature.•Aloe arborescens gel could be alternative to Aloe vera for commercial purposes. Recently harvested peaches and plums were coated with either Aloe vera or Aloe arborescens gels and allowed to ripen at 20°C for six days. Both coatings significantly delayed ethylene production, the effect being higher in plum which had the highest ethylene production rates. Changes in quality parameters related to peach and plum postharvest ripening, such as colour changes, reduction of acidity and increasing in ripening index (total soluble solids/total acidity ratio), were significantly delayed in coated fruit. In addition, both coatings significantly reduced weight loss, especially the A. arborescens gel. Thus, A. arborescens gel could be even more effective than A. vera gel for use as an edible coating for preserving the quality of climacteric fruit.