:: Services / Mobile app development
A mobile app development company for apps people keep using
Most apps lose their users in the first week. We design and build iOS and Android apps around the few things people open them for, make those fast and reliable, and keep improving them after launch. Healthcare, field sales, home services and secure messaging apps are among those we have shipped.
iOS and Android
Flutter and React Native
App Store launch included
:: What we do
Mobile app development services
Native when it matters, cross-platform when it saves you money without hurting the experience.
01
Cross-platform apps
One Flutter or React Native code base for iOS and Android, the right choice for most business apps.
02
Native iOS and Android
Swift and Kotlin apps when you need the best performance or deep device features.
03
Back end and admin panel
APIs, databases, push notifications and an admin panel your team uses to manage the app.
04
Offline and field apps
Apps that work without signal and sync when back online, with GPS, photos and signatures.
05
Payments, chat and video
In-app payments, real-time chat, voice and video calls, built securely.
06
Launch and growth
App Store and Play Store submission, analytics, crash reporting and regular releases after launch.
:: Cost and timeline
How much does it cost to build an app?
Typical prices for our app projects, based on a senior team at $25 to $35 an hour. For an estimate for your own app, use the app cost calculator further down this page.
Simple app
$5k – $25k
6 to 10 weeks
A focused app with a few screens, logins and a simple back end, on iOS and Android from one codebase.
Business app
$25k – $70k
12 to 20 weeks
Payments, chat or booking, an admin panel, integrations and analytics, launched on both stores.
Complex platform
$70k – $200k+
5 to 9 months
Marketplaces, real-time features, offline mode, several user types and high scale, delivered in phases.
What it costs to run
Apple’s developer programme is $99 a year and Google Play is a one-off $25. Hosting, push notifications and monitoring usually cost tens to a few hundred dollars a month at launch. Budget about 15 to 20 per cent of the build a year for OS updates and improvements.
What moves the price
Number of screens and user types
Payments, chat, maps or video
Offline mode and syncing
Admin panel and integrations
Native versus cross-platform
:: Side by side
Cross-platform or native?
Most business apps should be cross-platform. Here is how we decide.
Cross-platform (Flutter, React Native)
Native (Swift, Kotlin)
Code bases
One for iOS and Android
One per platform
Cost and time
Lower: one team, one code base
Higher: two apps to build and maintain
Performance
Close to native for most apps
Best possible
Device features
Most, through plug-ins
All, as soon as Apple or Google release them
Best for
Business, booking and commerce apps
Games, heavy graphics, deep hardware use
:: App examples
Apps we plan and build, by industry
Each blueprint walks through one app: the users, the main features, the back end and a realistic timeline.
Logistics
Proof of delivery app
Drivers capture photos, signatures and exceptions offline, synced to dispatch when signal returns.
Read the blueprint
Healthcare
Telehealth app
Video visits, booking and secure messaging for a behavioural health practice.
Read the blueprint
Hospitality
Restaurant loyalty app
Points, rewards and ordering that bring guests back, connected to the POS.
Read the blueprint
Marketplaces
Equipment rental marketplace
Listings, availability, deposits and reviews between owners and renters.
Read the blueprint
Patients
Patient portal app
Appointments, results and messages for a medical group’s patients.
Read the blueprint
AI
AI features in apps
Assistants, smart search, photo checks and voice, added to new or existing apps.
:: How it works
How we build your app
A first version usually reaches the stores in 12 to 20 weeks.
Weeks 1 to 3
Design
User flows, clickable prototype and a fixed quote for the first release.
Weeks 4 to 14
Build
Two-week sprints with test builds on your phone after each one.
Weeks 14 to 17
Test
Device testing, beta users through TestFlight and Play Console, and fixes.
Launch
Release
Store submission, launch monitoring and a plan for the next releases.
:: App Store launch
App Store and Google Play launch checklist
Store review rejects more apps for missing details than for bugs. We check these before every submission.
Ready to submit
Privacy policy and data safety forms filled in
Account deletion available inside the app
Store screenshots, description and keywords ready
Test logins for the reviewers
Crash reporting and analytics working
Tested on older phones and small screens
Common reasons apps are rejected
Login required with no demo account
Features that do not work or show placeholders
Asking for permissions without explaining why
Payments for digital goods outside in-app purchase
Copying another app’s name or design
:: Why Sterling
Apps we have shipped
A HIPAA-ready doctor booking app for a US health start-up
ConnectX Hub, a home services booking app in Nigeria
Offline field sales tracking for Spectrum Solution in Qatar
Encrypted chat and video calling for a US secure-communications firm
350+ projects delivered since 2019
:: Tools we use
Flutter
React Native
Swift
Kotlin
Firebase
Node.js
AWS
Stripe
Twilio
4.9
Average rating on Clutch · 350+ projects since 2019
:: Questions
Questions about mobile apps
How much does it cost to build a mobile app?
How long does mobile app development take?
Should we build with Flutter or React Native?
Do you publish the app to the App Store and Google Play?
What happens after launch?
What is the mobile app development process?
Native or cross-platform: which should we choose?
How long does App Store review take?
Who owns the app and the code?
Can you take over an app another team built?
:: App cost calculator
How much will your app cost?
Pick your platforms and features and see a price range, timeline and team size in two minutes. No email needed.
Estimate your app cost
:: Related services
Other ways we can help
Send us your brief. We’ll help turn it into reality
A senior engineer replies within one business day with questions or a first plan: approach, team, timeline and estimate.