Should I build native or cross-platform?

Cross-platform (React Native) is the right answer for 80% of business apps — single codebase, lower cost, faster development, acceptable performance for most use cases. Native is justified when you need deep platform integration (advanced camera, AR), performance-critical workloads, or premium consumer apps where platform-specific polish matters. We assess this during discovery.

How much does app development cost?

MVP simple app: $25,000–$50,000. Standard business app: $50,000–$120,000. Complex consumer app: $120,000–$300,000+. The variance is mostly driven by feature scope and platform choice. Discovery call produces a written scope and quote within 5 days.

How long does app development take?

MVP: 8–12 weeks build, plus 2–4 weeks discovery and 2–4 weeks QA/launch = ~3–4 months total. Standard apps: 5–7 months total. Complex consumer apps: 8–12 months total. Faster timelines usually mean cutting scope, not actually building faster.

Do you handle App Store + Google Play submission?

Yes — included in every project. Apple's review process takes 1–7 days typically, with occasional rejections that we handle. Google Play review is usually 1–3 days. We manage submissions, address rejection feedback, and coordinate launch timing.

What about ongoing maintenance after launch?

Apps need ongoing development — OS version updates (iOS and Android release major versions annually requiring app updates), bug fixes, security patches, feature additions. Typical ongoing support: $1,500–$5,000/month depending on update cadence. The first 3 months of bug fixes are included in the build price.

Do I own the app code?

Yes — full source code in a Git repository in your name. App store accounts are also in your business name (not ours). You can take the codebase to any developer in the future. Standard ownership terms, no platform lock-in.

What's the difference between an app and a mobile-responsive website?

Apps require download/install but offer offline functionality, push notifications, deep device integration (camera, GPS, biometrics), and live in the user's app drawer. Mobile-responsive websites work in browsers, don't require install, easier to update, but limited device integration. For most service businesses, mobile-responsive website > app because the install friction is high. For apps where users will engage repeatedly (multiple times per week), the install friction is worth it.

Can you build for iOS only or Android only?

Yes — single-platform builds save 30–40% over cross-platform builds covering both. Common cases: enterprise internal apps where the team uses one platform exclusively, consumer apps targeting a specific demographic that skews heavily to one platform. The audit will assess whether single-platform makes sense.

What about Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)?

PWAs are an alternative to native apps for some use cases — they install from a browser, run offline, support push notifications, and don't require app store submission. PWA development is typically 40–60% cheaper than native app development. Limitations: no access to advanced device APIs (advanced camera features, biometrics), no app store discoverability. We assess PWA vs. native fit during discovery.

Do you handle backend / server-side development too?

Yes — every app project includes backend API development (Laravel typically), database design, and admin panel for your team to manage app content/users. We don't recommend separating frontend and backend across different vendors because the coordination overhead destroys timelines.

What about app analytics and tracking?

We integrate analytics (Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Firebase Analytics depending on needs), crash reporting (Sentry, Crashlytics), and user feedback tools (Hotjar Mobile, UserVoice). Most analytics setup is included in standard project pricing; advanced data infrastructure (data warehouse, custom reporting) is quoted separately if needed.

What's the free discovery call?

60-minute call covering: your business model, target users, feature priorities, platform requirements, integration needs, timeline expectations, and budget reality. We send a written summary within 5 business days including platform recommendation (native vs. cross-platform vs. PWA), scope estimate, and pricing range. No commitment. If the project proceeds, full discovery phase ($5,000–$15,000) becomes part of the engagement.

iOS, Android & React Native App Development

What kind of apps we build

1. Service-business customer apps

Booking, account management, service history, loyalty programs. Most common for: salons, gyms, medical/dental practices, home services with subscription/membership models. Typical scope: $25,000–$75,000.

2. Field-team / internal apps

Job management, scheduling, customer info, photo capture, signature capture, GPS tracking. Common for: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, delivery services. Often integrates with existing CRM/scheduling systems. Typical scope: $35,000–$90,000.

3. Consumer apps (startups + established brands)

Full product applications — marketplaces, social platforms, content apps, fitness/health apps. Wide scope range depending on feature complexity. Typical: $60,000–$300,000+.

4. B2B SaaS mobile companions

Mobile companions to existing SaaS web products — letting users access core functionality on iOS/Android. Common for sales teams, support teams, executives. Typical: $40,000–$120,000.

Native vs. cross-platform — what we recommend when

Native (iOS + Android separately) when: app needs deep platform integration (advanced camera, AR, complex animations), performance-critical workloads (games, media editing), platform-specific UI feel matters, or budget supports two separate codebases. Higher cost (~70–90% more than cross-platform), better performance, longer maintenance burden.

Cross-platform (React Native or Flutter) when: budget-constrained, code reuse matters, business logic dominates over UI polish, or apps that mostly mirror web functionality. Single codebase serves both iOS and Android. Performance acceptable for 80%+ of business app use cases. Faster development, lower maintenance, easier hiring.

For most service-business and B2B apps, cross-platform (React Native specifically) is the right answer. Native is justified for consumer-facing apps where polish and platform-specific feel matter significantly.

Development process

Discovery (1–3 weeks) — Requirements gathering, user research, technical architecture, feature prioritization for MVP.
Design (2–4 weeks) — UI/UX design, prototype, usability testing.
Build (8–24 weeks) — Backend API, mobile app, web admin if applicable. Sprint-based with bi-weekly demos.
QA + beta (2–4 weeks) — Internal testing, beta testing with real users via TestFlight (iOS) and Google Play internal track (Android).
Launch (1–2 weeks) — App Store + Google Play submission, review process management, launch coordination.
Post-launch (ongoing) — Bug fixes, feature updates, OS version compatibility maintenance.

Pricing

App projects are quoted per project after discovery. Rough ranges based on complexity:

MVP simple app ($25,000–$50,000) — Single platform or cross-platform, basic features, 8–12 week build
Standard business app ($50,000–$120,000) — Full feature set, both platforms (cross-platform or native), 16–24 week build
Complex consumer app ($120,000–$300,000+) — Marketplace dynamics, social features, advanced integrations, 24–40 week build

Ongoing development after launch: $1,500–$5,000/month depending on update cadence. App store fees ($99/year iOS, $25 one-time Android) and infrastructure (AWS, backend hosting) are separate.

Request Free Discovery Call →

When mobile app development makes sense (and when it doesn't)

The default question we ask every potential client: would a great mobile-responsive website solve this problem? For 70-80% of "we need an app" requests, the answer is yes — mobile web is faster to ship, cheaper to maintain, easier for customers to access (no download required), and equally capable for most use cases. See our web design service for mobile-first responsive web.

The 20-30% of cases where native app development is justified:

Offline-first functionality — field technicians who lose signal, delivery drivers in rural areas
Frequent re-engagement — push notifications drive 2-4x more re-engagement than email for the right use cases
Camera / sensor / location access — barcode scanning, GPS tracking, AR features
Native performance requirements — graphics-intensive, real-time, gaming-like
App-store discovery — apps in the App Store / Play Store discoverable by category search
Subscription / payment processing — in-app purchases sometimes simpler than web

iOS, Android, or cross-platform?

Native iOS (Swift)

Best performance, full access to iOS-specific features, native UI. Used for apps that prioritize iOS users (luxury brands, US-centric apps, prosumer tools). Cost: highest. Maintenance: ongoing Swift updates. Best fit: iOS-only audiences, performance-critical apps.

Native Android (Kotlin)

Best performance on Android, full access to Android-specific features, native UI. Used for global apps (Android dominates internationally), apps targeting cost-sensitive markets, apps with deep Android integration. Best fit: Android-first audiences.

React Native (cross-platform)

Single codebase deploys to both iOS and Android. Performance close to native for most use cases. Cost: roughly 60-70% of building both native apps separately. Best fit: most service business apps, MVPs, apps prioritizing time-to-market.

Flutter (cross-platform)

Google-backed framework, single codebase for iOS + Android + web + desktop. Strong UI consistency across platforms. Best fit: apps requiring identical UI across many platforms, apps with custom design systems.

What our app development process looks like

Phase 1: Discovery + product strategy (3-4 weeks)

Market research, user personas, competitive analysis, feature prioritization (MVP vs. v2 vs. nice-to-have). Technical architecture decisions. Output: detailed product spec, wireframes, design mockups, technical architecture document. Pairs with our UX design service for the design work.

Phase 2: MVP development (8-14 weeks)

Focused build on core features that demonstrate product value. Authentication, primary workflows, payments (if applicable), notifications, analytics. Not every feature — just the minimum that lets you validate the product with real users.

Phase 3: Testing + app store submission (3-4 weeks)

QA testing across device matrix. TestFlight beta (iOS) + Google Play beta. Apple App Store submission + review process. Google Play submission + review process. App Store Optimization (ASO) setup.

Phase 4: Launch + post-launch iteration (ongoing)

Public launch. User analytics. Bug fix cycle. Feature expansion based on real user behavior. Most apps need 6-12 months of post-launch iteration to find product-market fit.

The development stack we use

React Native (cross-platform default)

React Native + TypeScript + Expo for most cross-platform builds. Backend typically Laravel (matching our other services) or Node.js depending on team preference. Push notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging or OneSignal. Analytics via Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Firebase Analytics. Payment via Stripe SDK + RevenueCat (for subscription apps).

iOS-specific builds

Swift + SwiftUI + Combine. Backend integration via REST or GraphQL. Apple-specific integrations (CloudKit, HealthKit, ARKit) as needed.

Android-specific builds

Kotlin + Jetpack Compose. Material Design 3. Google-specific integrations (Maps SDK, ML Kit, etc.) as needed.

App store submission realities

App store submission is the underestimated part of app development. Apple's review process is notoriously strict — first-time submissions often face rejection for reasons that require code changes (insufficient functionality, design violations, payment policy violations). We've shipped 40+ apps to the App Store and budget 2-3 review cycles into every project timeline.

Google Play is more permissive but enforcement increased in 2024-2025. Apps targeting children, financial services, gambling, or specific regulated categories face heightened review. We handle compliance work as part of the project.

Ongoing app development costs

Apps require ongoing investment that businesses underestimate:

iOS + Android updates — Apple and Google release annual platform updates that require code changes. Apps that aren't updated within 12-18 months get removed from stores.
Bug fixes — user-reported bugs need fixing. Crash analytics + customer support feedback drive ongoing maintenance.
Feature expansion — successful apps expand. Initial MVP becomes phase 2 + 3 + 4.
Backend infrastructure — server costs scale with user growth.
Payment processing — fees on every transaction.
Analytics + monitoring — tools subscriptions for Mixpanel, Sentry, Firebase.

Pricing reality

Custom mobile app development starts at $35,000 for simple single-platform MVPs and scales to $250,000+ for complex multi-platform apps with custom backends. Most service business apps land in the $50,000-120,000 range for a properly-built MVP. Cheap apps ($10,000-25,000) almost always result in expensive rebuilds within 12-18 months.

Ongoing maintenance after launch: typically $1,500-5,000/month for active apps. Includes bug fixes, platform updates, minor feature additions, monitoring, and analytics review. Pairs with our automation service for app-related workflow integration.

Request a free app development consultation — we'll review your product idea, discuss whether mobile web vs. native app is the right fit, and send back a written scope + budget within 5 business days.

App Development

Mobile App Development for Service Businesses & Startups

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