Mobile app development is building an iOS and Android app together with its server, admin panel and release in the App Store and Google Play. An app pays off when users come back regularly or you need phone features: camera, notifications, location.
An app is more than what you see on the phone. Behind it are a server, a database, an admin panel, push notifications, payments and store rules that Apple and Google change every year. So we build all of it together: the app and what it runs on.
We released Vosmeet ourselves - a video calling app available in the App Store and Google Play. We've been through review, in-app payments and supporting real users, so we know where projects usually get stuck.
What's included
- Prototype and design
Flows and key screens before code. The prototype of the first screens is free - it shows whether we're building the right thing. - iOS and Android
Cross-platform or native - chosen for the task. If the app needs the camera, calls or background work, we explain what that changes in time and cost. - Backend and API
Server, database, auth, roles. If you already have a website or CRM, the app works with the same data. - Payments and subscriptions
In-app purchases, subscriptions and card payments where store rules allow them. - Push notifications and analytics
Notifications that don't annoy, and analytics that show where users drop off. - Release and support
Builds, screenshots and descriptions, App Store and Google Play review. After launch - updates for new iOS and Android versions.
What people come with
- A working website or service, and customers need an app with the same data.
- A product idea that needs a first version to test with real users.
- An app for your own staff: requests, field visits, records, photos from sites.
- An existing app that's hard to develop further or keeps failing review.
What we say upfront
Not everyone needs an app. If a website or a Telegram bot does the job, we'll say so: it's faster and cheaper, and users don't have to install anything. An app makes sense when people come back regularly or you need phone features.
How the work goes
Who the users are, what they do in the app, whether you need native at all.
Free, before the contract. We quote the first version from it.
Screens for iOS and Android, respecting their native gestures and elements.
App, backend, admin panel. Every 2 weeks - a build you can install on your phone.
App Store and Google Play release. Apple review can be strict - we plan time for fixes.
Updates, new features from feedback, support for new OS versions.
What the cost of an app depends on
- Number of screens and flows
A catalogue with a request form and an app with accounts, chat and payments are different scopes. - One platform or both
iOS and Android together are usually cheaper cross-platform, but not for every task. - Backend
A ready API, or a server built from scratch. - Phone features
Camera, location, calls, background work and offline mode add work. - Payments and subscriptions
In-app purchases need separate setup and testing in each store.
What we need from you
- A description of the task: who will use the app and why
- Access to your current website or CRM if the app uses their data
- Developer accounts in the App Store and Google Play in your company's name - we'll help set them up
- A person on your side who answers questions about the flows
What you get
- The app in the App Store and Google Play on your account
- Backend and admin panel for managing data
- Source code and access - yours from day one
- A guide for shipping updates
What we build it with
Mistakes we avoid
- An app where a website would do
Installing is a barrier. If people visit once a year, an app won't pay off. We'll say it before we start. - Everything at once
A first version with every idea ships in six months. We start with the main flow and grow from feedback. - Leaving review for the end
We account for store rules from the prototype so the release doesn't stall on rejections. - Store accounts on the contractor
We publish on your developer account. Otherwise you lose the app when you change contractors.
Apps we've built
VOSMEET
Our video calling app: iOS, Android and web. Calls, voice rooms, payments and our own servers. Published in the App Store and Google Play.
Apps for a client's website
Android and iOS apps for an existing website: shared data, store release.
Case studies for this service
FAQ
How much does a mobile app cost?
Quoted individually, after a free prototype of the key screens. Apps vary a lot in scope, so we estimate the first version first and then work in iterations.
How long does it take?
A first version usually takes from six weeks, plus store review time. We give the exact timeline after the prototype.
Cross-platform or native?
Most business apps are fine cross-platform: one codebase for iOS and Android. Native is needed for heavy camera, calls or background work. We choose per task and explain why.
Whose account is the app published on?
Yours. We'll help set up developer accounts in the App Store and Google Play, so the app stays with you even if you change contractors.
Can you build an app for our website?
Yes. The app connects to the same data as your website or CRM, so nothing is tracked twice.
Maybe a Telegram bot is enough?
Sometimes it is, and then we'll say so. A bot is faster and cheaper, and users don't install anything. An app pays off when people come back often.
Sources and documents
We rely on primary documentation rather than second-hand blog summaries.