iOS & Android Mobile App Development

The final figure depends on five things: how many platforms you launch on, how many screens and features the first release has, whether you need a backend, which third-party systems must be integrated, and how custom the design is. Each adds engineering days, and engineering days are what you pay for.

You get a written quote within one business day of a free discovery call; ask for it itemized by feature so the drivers above are visible in numbers. Complex apps with real-time features, heavy integrations or a security audit fall in the Custom Project range, where the market comparison is $300,000 to $500,000 and above at US agency rates.

• Platforms: one store, or iOS and Android from a single codebase
• Scope: number of screens, user roles and core features
• Backend: Firebase setup versus a custom API and admin panel
• Integrations: payments, maps, CRM, ERP or existing web systems
• Design: customized UI kit versus fully bespoke UX/UI

If budget is tight, launch on one platform first. Pick the store where your paying users already are; check the iOS and Android share for your target country before deciding, because it differs sharply between the US, the UK, continental Europe and the Gulf. The MVP package covers a single platform from $990, and the second platform follows once the idea is validated.

Native-only builds still make sense for hardware-heavy or performance-critical products. In that case you do pay for two codebases, and the Custom Project package is scoped accordingly. Ask for both options in your quote so the trade-off is visible in numbers, not opinions.

• Cross-platform: one codebase, both stores, one maintenance stream
• Single platform first: validate, then add the second store
• Native pair: two codebases, higher cost, maximum device access

The saving is not only money. A simple MVP takes four to eight weeks, while a mid-complexity app takes two to four months and a complex one three to six. Shipping early means real usage data decides the next features, instead of guesses made in a planning document.

The MVP package includes UX/UI design, backend setup, store publishing and three months of free maintenance, so the first version is a real product, not a prototype. What it deliberately leaves out is everything a user would not miss in week one.

• Keep: onboarding, the core action, payment if you charge from day one
• Cut: admin extras, multiple languages, secondary roles, nice-to-have screens
• Measure: activation, retention and the one metric that proves demand

Year one costs more because launch surfaces real-world bugs, early users ask for changes and analytics reveal which screens need rework. After that, the recurring work is OS compatibility (Apple and Google ship major versions every year), library updates, security patches and store policy changes.

Separate maintenance from new features in your budget. Maintenance keeps the app working; features grow it. A written maintenance agreement should name response times, what counts as a bug and what is billed as new work, so neither side argues about it later.

• OS updates: new iOS and Android versions, deprecated APIs
• Infrastructure: servers, database, push and storage bills
• Stores: policy changes, privacy labels, forced SDK upgrades
• Monitoring: crash reports, performance, security patches

The developer accounts are opened in your company name, because the app is published under your own accounts, not ours. That also means the store fees are billed to you directly. Cloud bills are small for a new app and grow with traffic, media storage and real-time features.

Ask for these line items in the quote so nothing surprises you after launch. Any serious proposal separates one-time development from recurring third-party costs, and tells you which subscriptions are in your name from day one.

• Apple Developer Program: $99 per year
• Google Play Console: $25, paid once
• Backend: hosting, database, storage, push and email or SMS gateways
• Third-party APIs: maps, SMS verification, analytics, crash reporting
• Payments: gateway fees plus store commission on digital purchases
• Maintenance: 15 to 20 percent of the build per year, market average

What moves the needle is not typing speed but decisions. Scope that keeps changing, slow feedback on designs and missing content or API access are the usual causes of delay. Two native codebases instead of one cross-platform build add roughly 20 to 40 percent by market estimates.

Add store review on top: Apple takes one to seven days, Google usually under 24 hours. Insist on a written schedule with milestones before the contract is signed, so launch dates are planned around review windows rather than hoped for.

• Simple app (one platform, core features): 4 to 8 weeks
• Mid-complexity app (both platforms, backend, payments): 2 to 4 months
• Complex platform (real-time, integrations, scaling): 3 to 6 months
• Store review: Apple 1 to 7 days, Google usually within 24 hours

Analysis covers your target users, competitors and the feature list, and ends with a scoped quote. Design turns that into wireframes, UI screens and a prototype you can tap through on your phone. Development is sprint-based, with QA and a beta via TestFlight and Google Play internal testing before submission.

Launch means store listings, screenshots, submission under your developer accounts and the first ASO pass. After release, analytics show what users actually do, and that data feeds the next sprint rather than a wish list.

• Idea and analysis: users, competitors, feature list, quote
• Design and prototype: wireframes, UI, clickable prototype
• Development and testing: sprints, QA, beta testers
• Launch and growth: store submission, ASO, analytics

The more concrete your input, the fewer assumptions sit inside the price. Market research on software projects shows estimates overrun by 20 to 35 percent when scope is unclear, and most of that gap comes from features nobody wrote down. Decide early what the first release must do and what can wait.

If you already have a website, a brand guide or an existing backend, mention it. Reusing an API or a design system shortens both the timeline and the invoice. You receive a written quote within one business day of the call.

• Target users and the problem the app solves for them
• Screen list or user journey, even as a hand sketch
• Two or three reference apps and what you like about each
• Revenue model: subscription, one-time, ads or internal use
• Platforms, languages and any systems the app must talk to

The common rejection reasons are predictable: crashes or incomplete features, a missing demo account for reviewers, privacy policy or data-collection labels that do not match what the app does, payment flows that bypass in-app purchase for digital goods, and screenshots or descriptions that oversell. A pre-submission checklist catches nearly all of them.

Store publishing is included in every Master Web package, and publishing is not finished until the app is live. Plan launch marketing with a buffer: announce a date only after approval, not after submission.

• Apple: 1 to 7 days, longer for first submissions and sensitive categories
• Google Play: usually within 24 hours, new developer accounts may take longer
• Top rejection causes: crashes, missing demo login, privacy mismatch, payment rules
• Fix, resubmit, and the review clock restarts

Master Web builds both. The Professional package is cross-platform by design; the Custom Project package pairs native iOS and native Android for products that need maximum performance, deep OS integration or a dedicated team per platform. Modern cross-platform frameworks deliver near-native performance, and most users cannot tell the difference.

The decision is reversible only at a price, so make it on evidence: list the features that genuinely need the hardware, check whether a plugin already covers them, and estimate how often you will ship updates. Frequent updates favor one codebase.

• Go cross-platform: content, commerce, booking, social and most business apps
• Go native: AR, camera-heavy, audio or video processing, wearables, games
• Either way: one backend, one design system, one analytics setup

Master Web works in both frameworks and recommends one per project after the analysis stage. The questions that decide it: who maintains the app after handover, whether you share code or components with a web app, how much native-module work is expected, and which plugins your integrations need.

Neither is a dead end. Both are backed by large companies, both support native modules in Swift and Kotlin when a plugin falls short, and both can be handed to an in-house team later. Pick the one your future hires are more likely to know.

• React Native: JavaScript/TypeScript, shares logic with React web apps
• Flutter: Dart, consistent custom UI, strong animation performance
• Both: single codebase, native modules when needed, mature plugin ecosystems

PWAs are cheaper because they are websites with an app-like shell: one codebase, instant updates, no review queue. The trade-offs are discoverability (nobody searches the stores for you), limited hardware APIs, weaker background behavior and, on iOS, a more restricted experience than on Android.

A common path is both: a fast, mobile-friendly website first, then a store app once there is a retention case for it. Master Web builds the website and the app, so the backend and design system can be shared instead of paid for twice.

• PWA wins: content, catalogs, simple ordering, internal tools, tight budgets
• App wins: notifications, hardware, offline use, subscriptions, store visibility
• Hybrid: website now, app when retention data justifies it

Backend setup is included in every Master Web package, and Firebase is part of the standard stack alongside Swift, Kotlin, React Native and Flutter. The Professional package adds an admin panel; the Custom Project package adds custom APIs, real-time features and infrastructure sized for high traffic.

Watch two things with Firebase: usage-based billing that climbs with reads and writes, and data residency if you have EU customers under GDPR. Both are manageable with sensible data modeling and the right region, but decide them before launch, not after.

• Firebase fits: MVPs, social features, chat, content apps, fast iteration
• Custom backend fits: ERP/CRM integrations, complex pricing, strict data control
• Either way you own the project and the data

The usual pattern is one backend in the middle: the app never talks to your ERP directly. A secure API layer handles authentication, caching and error handling, so a slow or offline ERP does not freeze the app. Master Web builds that layer in-house, which is why mobile and web software sit under one roof.

Before the quote, list every system the app must read from or write to, who owns each one and whether API documentation exists. That list usually decides whether the project fits the Professional package or needs a Custom Project quote.

• Website: shared login, content, orders through the same backend
• CRM and ERP: leads, customers, stock and pricing kept in sync
• Payments and shipping: gateways, invoicing and carrier tracking

This matters more than it sounds. Apps published under an agency account are tied to that agency in the store's eyes; moving them later means a transfer request, paperwork on both sides and a dependency you did not plan for. Publishing under your account removes that risk from day one.

Publishing covers the store listings, screenshots, metadata, privacy declarations, build upload and the review process, including resubmission if a reviewer asks for changes. You give the team access as a developer or admin role, and that access can be revoked whenever you choose.

• Opened in your company name before submission, never under an agency account
• Transfers later need both parties and store paperwork; starting under your account avoids it
• Team access via roles, never shared owner credentials
• Listing, ratings and users stay with you if you switch developers

Store search behaves like a small search engine: people type a need, the store ranks apps by keyword relevance and performance signals, and the screenshots decide the install. ASO is therefore two jobs: visibility (keywords, category, localization) and conversion (first screenshot, rating, review replies).

Store search alone rarely carries a new app. Combine ASO with a landing page that ranks on Google, paid campaigns for the launch window and content or social channels where your users already are. The listing is the destination; the traffic has to be earned elsewhere too.

• Keywords in title, subtitle and (on Google Play) description
• Screenshots that show the benefit in the first two frames
• Ratings prompt at the right moment, replies to every review
• Localized listings for each market you sell in

The distinction decides your architecture. A meditation app selling premium content generally has to offer in-app purchase and pay the commission (external payment links are now allowed in some markets, under their own rules); a food delivery or salon booking app charges by card through Stripe or a local gateway and keeps the full amount minus gateway fees. Mixing them up is a classic rejection reason.

Payment integration is part of the Master Web Professional package. Choose the model before design starts, because paywalls, free trials and ad placements change the screens, the analytics events and the backend.

• Subscription: recurring revenue, in-app purchase, 15 to 30 percent commission
• Freemium: free core, paid upgrades, same commission rules
• Ads: free app, revenue from impressions, needs volume
• Transactional: physical goods or services, card payment, no store commission

Acquisition is only half of it. Industry data says users delete 77 percent of apps within three days, so onboarding, push notifications and analytics decide whether the first thousand stay. The Master Web Professional package includes push notifications and analytics integration for exactly this reason.

Set up the measurement before launch day: install source, activation event, day-one and day-seven retention, and the one action that signals value. Then run small experiments weekly, not one big campaign, and let the numbers decide where the budget goes next.

• Pre-launch: waiting list, landing page, press or community outreach
• Launch week: email, paid ads, founder posts, referral incentive
• Retention: onboarding, timed push notifications, review prompt
• Measure: installs by source, activation, day-7 retention

The included period is three months in the MVP package and one year of technical support in the Professional package; the Custom Project package comes with SLA-backed support. After that, a monthly agreement covers OS compatibility, library and SDK updates, security patches, monitoring and small improvements.

You are never locked in. Because you receive the source code and own the store accounts, an in-house developer or another team can take over at any point. Continuity is usually cheaper than onboarding a new team to the codebase, but the choice stays yours.

• Included: 3 months (MVP), 1 year technical support (Professional), SLA-backed (Custom Project)
• After that: a monthly maintenance agreement, continued only if you want it
• You hold the code and accounts, so handover to another team is always possible

A bug is a defect against the agreed scope: a crash, a broken flow, a wrong calculation. A new requirement is not a bug, and a good maintenance agreement defines the line so both sides know what is covered. Ask for crash reporting to be set up before launch, so many issues are seen before users report them.

Critical fixes go through the stores like any release, so Apple review time (one to seven days) applies even to an urgent patch; Google is usually faster. Phased rollouts and feature flags reduce the blast radius when something slips through.

• Support: Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 19:00 Istanbul time (UTC+3)
• Channels: email, WhatsApp +90 532 655 00 95, US line +1 (786) 612-9360
• Custom Project: SLA with defined response and resolution targets

Refactoring wins when the architecture is sound and the pain is in specific modules: outdated dependencies, slow screens, missing tests. A rewrite wins when the framework is abandoned, the codebase has no owner who understands it, or the product has outgrown its original data model. Rewrites cost more up front but stop recurring surprise bills.

Before anyone touches the code, secure what you own: admin access to both store accounts, the repository, the backend hosting and every third-party service in the app. If the previous developer holds any of them, recovering access is step one of the plan.

• Audit checks: framework version, dependencies, tests, backend, security basics
• Refactor: sound architecture, isolated problems, active framework
• Rewrite: abandoned stack, no documentation, product outgrew the data model

Ownership has layers, so check each one: the app source code, the backend code and database, the design files, the store accounts, the domain and any cloud or third-party accounts. Open-source libraries inside the app stay under their own licenses, which is normal and should be documented.

Practical test: could another team rebuild and republish the app tomorrow using only what you hold? If the answer is no, something is missing from the handover. Ask for the repository, build instructions and a list of every credential before the final payment.

• Source code: app and backend, delivered in a repository you control
• Accounts: App Store Connect, Google Play Console, cloud, analytics, push
• Contract: IP transfer clause, license list, handover checklist

An NDA covers what you disclose during the discovery call and the project: your concept, data, business model and roadmap. It does not stop someone else from independently building something similar. The real protection is speed, a brand people recognize and a product that is hard to copy.

On the legal side, three steps cover most cases. Trademark the name and logo in your main markets, put an IP assignment clause in the development contract, and keep the store and domain accounts in your own name. Patents are rare for apps and rarely worth the cost at MVP stage.

• Mutual NDA before sharing specs, signed by both parties
• Trademark the name and logo in your main markets
• IP assignment clause: code and designs transfer to you
• Share on a need-to-know basis, even with investors

In practice this means data minimization (collect what the feature needs, nothing more), a lawful basis for each category, an in-app way to request export or deletion, and a declared retention period. Third-party SDKs for analytics, ads and crash reporting collect data too, and they belong in your privacy policy.

Plan it at design stage, because consent screens, permission prompts and account deletion are features that take screens and backend work. Master Web builds for clients in 20+ countries, so EU, UK and US privacy requirements are part of the standard scope discussion rather than an afterthought. This is not legal advice; confirm specifics with your counsel.

• Consent and permission prompts with a plain-language reason
• Privacy policy and store privacy labels that match the app
• Account deletion in-app, as both stores now require
• Data retention limits and a named processor list

Most real-world app breaches are boring: API keys shipped inside the app, endpoints that trust the client, outdated libraries with known vulnerabilities, or user data cached unencrypted. The fixes are discipline, not exotic tools: code review, dependency updates, secure storage APIs and an API that assumes every request may be hostile.

For fintech, health or anything handling payments, ask for the security requirements to be written into the scope: authentication method, encryption standards, logging, and how incidents are handled. Security that is specified is security that gets tested.

• Transport: TLS everywhere, certificate pinning for sensitive apps
• Storage: Keychain and Keystore, no plain-text tokens or PII
• Auth: OAuth 2 or similar, short-lived tokens, biometric unlock option
• Backend: input validation, rate limiting, least-privilege roles, audit logs
• Process: dependency updates, code review, security audit before launch

No-code platforms are rented, not owned: you pay per month, your data model follows their rules and exporting a real codebase later is rarely possible. That is fine for validating demand. It becomes a problem the day you need an integration they do not support or a feature the store requires.

A sensible middle path: prototype with AI or no-code to learn what users want, then build the production app on a codebase you own. The Master Web MVP package exists for that second step, and the prototype makes the scope conversation much faster.

• No-code fits: prototypes, internal forms, simple catalogs, idea validation
• Developers fit: payments, integrations, offline use, performance, store compliance
• AI tools: faster coding, same need for architecture, QA and ownership

The hard part is rarely the model; it is the data and the guardrails. A support chatbot is only useful if it has your product content and knows when to hand off to a human. Recommendations need enough events to learn from. Vision features need test images from real users, not stock photos.

Start with one feature that removes a real step for the user, measure it, then expand. Privacy applies here too: tell users what is sent to an AI service, keep personal data out of prompts where possible and choose providers with EU or US data processing terms that match your market.

• Chat and support: LLM API plus your content, with human handoff
• Recommendations and search: usage data, ranking, personalized feeds
• Vision and voice: document scanning, image recognition, speech input
• Costs: per-request API billing, listed separately in the quote

Location matters less than process. Master Web works remotely with clients in 20+ countries, and what you should insist on from any team is a named project lead, a sprint demo rhythm and one place where decisions are recorded. A remote team with a clear process beats a local one that goes quiet for weeks.

Ask every candidate the same five questions and compare the answers in writing. Vague answers on ownership, maintenance pricing or who actually writes the code are the signals that matter more than a polished portfolio.

• Which of your apps are live now, and can I download them?
• Who owns the code and the store accounts after payment?
• What does maintenance cost after the included period?
• Who is on the team, and who do I talk to each week?
• What happens if we stop halfway through?

The risk with a solo developer is not skill, it is continuity: one person gets sick, takes a bigger contract or moves on, and your app has no owner. An agency carries a bench, documented process and a contract with a legal entity behind it. You pay for that insurance in the rate.

Master Web's MVP package starts at $990 and includes UX/UI design, backend setup, store publishing and three months of maintenance, which is often the gap in a freelance quote. Compare what is included, not only the bottom line.

• Freelancer: lower rate, single point of failure, you manage the project
• Agency: design, development, QA and publishing under one contract
• Either: insist on code ownership and a written maintenance offer

The process is the same whether you are a startup in Austin or a retailer in Rotterdam: a free discovery call to scope the app, a written quote, then design, sprint-based development with QA and beta testing, and store publishing under your own developer accounts. Clients in 20+ countries have worked with Master Web this way.

Day to day, communication runs over video calls, shared boards and email, with WhatsApp for quick questions; US clients can call the US line, +1 (786) 612-9360. Ask for a sprint demo rhythm and a named project lead before kickoff, so you always know what was built this week and who to talk to.

• Offices in Istanbul, Amsterdam and Miami Lakes (FL); projects run remotely
• English-speaking team, video calls and shared boards for every project
• Time zones: support hours cover the European working day and the US East Coast morning
• Start: free discovery call, same-day reply, written quote in one business day