How much does it cost to build a mobile app?

Simple apps typically start around $20k–$45k, mid-complexity apps $45k–$120k, and complex regulated apps more. The biggest cost drivers are the number of features, integrations, platforms and the backend.

Should we build for iOS or Android first?

It depends on your audience. In the US, iOS often leads for consumer apps; Android is larger globally and in many B2B field settings. With Flutter or React Native you can usually launch both at once for little extra cost.

How long does it take to publish an app?

Development takes 8 weeks to several months. App Store review usually takes 1–3 days and Google Play a few hours to a few days. We prepare listings and compliance details in advance to avoid delays.

Can you improve an app that someone else built?

Yes. We audit the code, fix critical issues, update dependencies and then continue development.

Who owns the app and store accounts?

You do. Apps are published under your developer accounts and all source code is transferred to you.

Do you publish the app to the App Store and Google Play?

Yes. We prepare store listings, privacy forms and screenshots, submit the app under your own developer accounts and handle reviewer questions until it is approved.

Mobile App Development Services | iOS, Android & Flutter

Mobile apps built for real users, not just app stores

Mobile app development is the design, engineering and launch of applications for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. A successful app needs more than screens: it needs fast performance on older phones, reliable offline behaviour, secure authentication, a backend that scales and a release process that passes App Store and Google Play review the first time.

Our mobile team covers all of it — UX research, native and cross-platform development, backend APIs, QA on real devices, store submission and post-launch improvements based on analytics.

Our mobile app development services

iOS app development

Native Swift and SwiftUI apps for iPhone and iPad that follow Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines and take full advantage of the platform.

Android app development

Native Kotlin and Jetpack Compose apps tested across the wide range of Android devices and OS versions.

Flutter app development

One codebase for iOS and Android with near-native performance and pixel-perfect custom UI.

React Native app development

Cross-platform apps that share code and skills with your React web team.

Cross-platform strategy

Help choosing native vs cross-platform based on features, budget, timeline and team skills.

Mobile app modernization

Upgrading outdated apps to modern frameworks, new OS versions and current store requirements.

Mobile app maintenance

OS updates, crash fixes, performance work and small features under a monthly plan.

Wearable & tablet apps

Companion apps for Apple Watch and Wear OS, and tablet-optimized layouts for field and retail teams.

Native or cross-platform: which is right for you?

	Native (Swift / Kotlin)	Flutter	React Native
Best for	Max performance, deep device features	Custom UI, one team for both platforms	Teams already using React
Codebases	Two	One	One (plus some native)
Typical cost	Highest	Lower	Lower
Performance	Excellent	Very good	Very good
Access to new OS features	Immediate	Usually fast via plugins	Usually fast via libraries

For most business apps, a cross-platform framework gives the best balance of cost, speed and quality. We recommend native when an app relies heavily on device hardware, complex animations or the newest OS features.

Features we build every day

Secure sign-in with email, social login, SSO and biometrics
In-app payments, subscriptions and Apple Pay / Google Pay
Push notifications and in-app messaging
Offline mode with background sync
Maps, geolocation and geofencing
Camera, QR/barcode scanning and file uploads
Real-time chat and live updates
Analytics, crash reporting and A/B testing

Backend and APIs for your app

Every app needs a reliable backend. We build APIs in Node.js, Laravel or Python, use Firebase or a custom backend where each makes sense, and deploy on AWS or Google Cloud with monitoring. If you also need a web dashboard, our web development team builds it on the same API.

Our mobile development process

Product discovery1–2 weeks

Users, core journeys, monetization and must-have features defined; platform and tech choice agreed.
UX/UI design2–4 weeks

Wireframes and a clickable prototype tested with target users on real phones.
Development2-week sprints

Test builds via TestFlight and Google Play internal testing after every sprint.
QA on real devicesContinuous

Functional, performance, battery and network-condition testing on a range of devices.
Store launch1–2 weeks

Store listings, screenshots, privacy labels, review submission and release.
Grow & improveOngoing

Analytics-driven improvements, OS updates and new features.

Mobile app development cost

App type	Examples	Timeline	Typical budget (USD)
Simple app	Content, booking or loyalty app with a basic backend	8–12 weeks	$20k – $45k
Mid-complexity app	Marketplace, on-demand or fitness app with payments	3–5 months	$45k – $120k
Complex app	Fintech, telehealth or real-time apps with compliance	5–9 months	$120k – $250k+

Ranges are typical for projects of this kind and are shared to help you budget. Your fixed quote comes after a free discovery call and depends on scope, integrations and timeline.

App monetization and growth

We help you plan how the app will make money or save money from the start, because it affects design and architecture:

Subscriptions and in-app purchases through Apple and Google billing, with server-side receipt validation.
Paid services and marketplaces using Stripe or similar for physical goods and services.
Customer apps for existing businesses where value comes from loyalty, repeat orders and lower support costs.
Internal and field apps where the return is measured in time saved and errors avoided.

We also set up app store optimization basics — keyword-focused titles, descriptions, screenshots and preview videos — plus analytics events that show where users drop off.

Security and compliance for mobile apps

Mobile apps carry sensitive data on devices you do not control. We encrypt local storage, use the iOS Keychain and Android Keystore for secrets, enforce TLS with certificate pinning where appropriate, protect APIs with short-lived tokens, and add jailbreak and root detection for high-risk apps. For healthcare and finance we design around HIPAA, PCI DSS and GDPR requirements, and complete Apple and Google privacy declarations accurately so reviews go smoothly.

Why many apps fail — and how we avoid it

Common cause	How we prevent it
Building too much before validating	Lean MVP scope and early user testing
Slow, buggy experience on real devices	Device testing and performance budgets every sprint
Weak backend that cannot scale	Cloud-native APIs with load testing before launch
Store rejection at launch	Guideline review during design, not after
No plan after launch	Analytics, crash monitoring and a post-launch roadmap

How long does it take to build a mobile app?

Most of the time in a mobile project goes into the parts users never see: the backend, the admin panel, integrations and testing across real devices. Typical ranges look like this:

App type	Typical timeline	Examples
Simple utility or content app	6–10 weeks	Event app, catalogue, internal checklist tool
Customer app with accounts and payments	12–18 weeks	Booking, ordering, membership, loyalty
Two-sided or real-time app	4–8 months (phased)	Marketplace, on-demand delivery, telehealth, chat
Add mobile to an existing web product	8–14 weeks	Reuse existing APIs; new mobile UX and push notifications

Typical durations for planning purposes. Your written estimate sets the real timeline after discovery.

Store review adds a few days for the first release. We plan for it, prepare listings in parallel and use TestFlight and Google Play internal testing so your team can try every build before launch.

App Store and Google Play launch checklist

Rejected submissions are one of the most common causes of missed launch dates. We prepare every item below as part of the project, not as an afterthought:

Developer accounts created under your company name, so you own the listings
Privacy policy, data-safety form (Google) and privacy nutrition labels (Apple) completed accurately
Sign in with Apple added when other social logins are offered
In-app purchases set up correctly for digital goods, as required by store rules
Screenshots, preview video, keywords and descriptions for each store
Crash reporting, analytics and a feedback channel live before day one
A test account and review notes so reviewers can reach every feature

After approval we stage the rollout, starting with a small percentage of users on Google Play and phased release on the App Store, and watch crash-free rates before going to 100%.

After launch: maintenance and updates

A mobile app is never finished. Apple and Google ship major operating-system updates every year, devices change, and libraries need security patches. Without regular maintenance, an app that works perfectly today can break or be removed from the store within a year.

OS readiness — testing on beta versions of iOS and Android so you are ready on release day.
Dependency and SDK updates — payment, maps and analytics SDKs updated before old versions are retired.
Monitoring — crash reports, performance and store reviews checked weekly, with fixes prioritised by impact.
Small improvements — a monthly allowance for enhancements based on user feedback and analytics.

Maintenance plans are billed monthly with agreed response times, and you can pause or cancel them at any time.

How to evaluate a mobile app development partner

Most agencies show polished portfolios. The questions below reveal how they actually work and what happens once the app is in users’ hands:

Can they show apps they built that are still live and updated in the App Store and Google Play?
Who designs the back end and APIs — and who hosts and maintains them after launch?
How do they test on real devices, older OS versions and poor network conditions?
How do they handle App Store and Google Play review rejections?
Will you own the developer accounts, signing keys, source code and cloud accounts from day one?
What does their post-launch support cover, and how quickly do they respond to a crash spike?

Clear, specific answers to these questions matter more than the number of logos on a website. Vague answers about ownership of accounts and keys are a red flag: losing access to signing keys can make it impossible to update your own app.

Mobile app terms you will hear

Term	Meaning
Native	Built separately for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin)
Cross-platform	One codebase for both platforms, for example Flutter or React Native
Push notification	A message sent to the device even when the app is closed
Deep link	A link that opens a specific screen inside the app
OTA update	Updating parts of an app without a full store release, within store rules
Crash-free sessions	The share of user sessions that end without a crash — a key stability measure
TestFlight / internal testing	Apple and Google tools for distributing test builds before release

For budgeting, see our mobile app development cost guide, and for life after launch, mobile app maintenance.

Why choose us for mobile app development

One team for design, iOS, Android and backend — no gaps between vendors.
Test builds on your phone every two weeks.
Experience with App Store and Google Play guidelines to avoid rejections.
Privacy and security by design, including data encryption and secure storage.
Clear handover: source code, store accounts and documentation stay with you.

Explore more in Software Development Services.

Mobile App Development Services