Mobile apps
Hire mobile app developers who take your app from idea to the App Store and Google Play
Dware's senior mobile app developers design, build and launch iOS and Android apps, then keep them running through every OS update. We help you choose between native and cross-platform, build the backend your app needs, and handle store review for you. You get one accountable team instead of a patchwork of freelancers.
- Honest advice on native vs React Native vs Flutter
- We handle TestFlight, Play Console and store review
- You own all code, accounts and IP from day one
Overview
What our mobile app developers actually do
A mobile app is more than screens. It is the app itself, a backend that stores data and sends notifications, payment flows that follow Apple and Google rules, analytics so you know what users do, and a release process that gets through two different store reviews. Our mobile app developers cover all of it. They write the iOS and Android code, connect it to your API, set up crash reporting, and ship builds you can install on your own phone within the first couple of weeks.
The first big decision is how to build. Native apps use Swift and SwiftUI on iOS and Kotlin with Jetpack Compose on Android. They give the best access to new platform features, but you pay for two codebases. Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native and Flutter let one team ship both apps from one codebase, which usually means a faster launch and lower ongoing effort. We have no favourite. We look at your features, budget, timeline and existing team, then recommend the option that fits and explain the trade-offs in plain words.
Mobile also has rules that web projects do not. Apple reviews every build against its App Store Review Guidelines. Google Play asks for a Data safety form, a target API level that keeps rising, and, for newer personal developer accounts, a closed test with real testers before production. Both stores require in-app account deletion if users can sign up, and both have firm rules on how digital goods are sold. Our developers know these rules, so your launch is not delayed by a surprise rejection.
Launch is the start, not the finish. Apple ships a major iOS release every September and Google ships a new Android version every year. Each one can change permissions, background limits or UI behaviour. Libraries need updates, store policies change, and real users find edge cases no test plan predicted. We stay on after launch to fix crashes, ship new features and keep your app compatible, so the app you paid for keeps working.
What we build
Mobile app development services we cover
Most clients need a mix of the items below. We scope only what your app needs, and one team owns the whole result.
Native iOS and Android apps
We build iOS apps in Swift and SwiftUI and Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose. Native is the right call for apps that lean on new platform APIs, heavy graphics, widgets, watch apps or deep hardware access.
Cross-platform apps with React Native or Flutter
One codebase, two store listings. We use React Native when you have a React web team or want to share code with your website, and Flutter when you want a highly custom UI that looks the same everywhere.
Backend, APIs and admin panels
We build the server side your app depends on: authentication, databases, file storage and a REST or GraphQL API. Depending on your needs this might be Node.js, Python, Firebase or Supabase, plus a simple web admin for your team.
Push notifications and messaging
We set up Apple Push Notification service and Firebase Cloud Messaging, handle permission prompts at the right moment, and build segmented, scheduled or event-based notifications. Deep links take users straight to the right screen.
In-app purchases and subscriptions
We implement StoreKit on iOS and Google Play Billing on Android, often through RevenueCat so you have one dashboard for both stores. Receipts are validated on the server, and we follow each store's rules on what must be sold through in-app purchase.
Analytics, crash reporting and product metrics
We add Firebase Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude or PostHog, plus Crashlytics or Sentry for crashes. You see funnels, retention and crash-free sessions from launch, and we keep tracking consistent with your privacy labels.
App Store and Google Play submission
We prepare store listings, screenshots, privacy nutrition labels and the Data safety form, then manage TestFlight, closed testing and review. If a reviewer rejects a build, we read the guideline cited, fix it and resubmit.
App rescue and modernisation
We audit inherited apps, fix crash loops and build failures, update outdated SDKs and move old code to SwiftUI, Compose or a current framework version. You get a written report before we change anything big.
Maintenance and OS updates
Each year we test your app against the new iOS and Android betas, update to the required Xcode and Android target API level, and fix anything that breaks. You never find out from an angry review that your app stopped working.
Our process
How we build your mobile app, step by step
Every app follows the same path from idea to store. Here is what happens at each step, what you see, and what you get.
- 1
Discovery and the native vs cross-platform decision
We start with a call about your users, your goals and the must-have features. We list every device capability you need, such as camera, location, Bluetooth, background tasks or payments, because these drive the technology choice. Then we recommend native Swift and Kotlin, React Native or Flutter, with clear reasons. We also flag store rules early, for example if you plan to sell digital content or need a login.
What you get
- Feature list and priorities
- Technology recommendation
- Fixed quote and timeline
- 2
UX and UI design for both platforms
Our designers create wireframes, then high-fidelity screens in Figma. We follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design where users expect it, like navigation, back behaviour and system sheets. We design empty states, loading states, errors and permission prompts, not just the happy path. You click through a prototype before a line of code is written.
What you get
- Clickable Figma prototype
- Design system and components
- Permission and onboarding flows
- 3
Architecture and backend planning
We plan how the app talks to the server, how data is cached on the device and what happens offline. We choose authentication (email, Sign in with Apple, Google), define the API, and design the database. We set up separate development, staging and production environments, plus code signing certificates and provisioning in your own Apple and Google accounts.
What you get
- Architecture diagram
- API contract
- Environments and signing in your accounts
- 4
Build in two-week sprints
We build the app in short sprints and send an installable build at the end of each one, usually through TestFlight and Google Play internal testing. Every pull request is reviewed by a senior engineer and runs automated checks in CI. You get daily or weekly updates and can comment on real software on your real phone instead of waiting for a big reveal.
What you get
- Installable build each sprint
- Code in your repository
- Sprint notes and demo
- 5
Testing on real devices
Simulators hide real problems, so we test on physical iPhones and Android phones, including older and low-memory models. We check small screens, dark mode, large text sizes, poor network, interrupted payments and push notifications on a locked device. Unit tests cover business logic, and UI tests cover sign-up, purchase and other critical flows. Crash reporting runs in every test build.
What you get
- Device test matrix
- Automated test suite
- Bug list with fixes
- 6
TestFlight and closed testing with real users
Before launch we put the app in front of real people. On iOS that means TestFlight, where external testers need a quick beta review from Apple. On Google Play we run internal and closed testing tracks; newer personal developer accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before they can publish. We gather feedback, fix issues and watch crash-free rates.
What you get
- TestFlight and Play testing tracks
- Beta feedback summary
- Launch readiness checklist
- 7
Store submission and release
We write store listings, prepare screenshots for each required device size, and complete Apple's privacy labels and Google's Data safety form. We submit for review, answer reviewer questions and handle any rejection quickly. On release we use phased rollout on iOS and staged rollout on Google Play, so a problem only reaches a small share of users before we can stop it.
What you get
- Store listings and assets
- Approved builds
- Phased or staged rollout
- 8
Updates, monitoring and maintenance
After launch we watch crash reports, reviews and analytics, and plan the next releases with you. Each summer we test on the new iOS and Android betas so your app is ready on release day. We keep libraries current, meet each store's yearly SDK and target API requirements, and ship fixes fast when something breaks.
What you get
- Crash and analytics reviews
- OS compatibility updates
- Feature roadmap releases
Want this process for your project? Tell us what you're building and get a free, fixed quote.
Get a free quoteTechnical expertise
The mobile app development details we get right
These are the areas where mobile projects usually go wrong. Our developers plan for them from the first week.
Choosing native or cross-platform for the right reasons
React Native and Flutter now cover most business apps well, including payments, maps, camera and push. Native still wins for apps built around the newest platform features, complex AR, heavy real-time graphics or watch and widget extensions. Many apps mix both: a cross-platform core with small native modules where needed. We compare total cost over two years, not just launch speed.
Offline support and data sync
Phones lose signal in lifts, trains and basements. We store important data locally with SQLite, Core Data, Room or a sync engine, queue changes made offline and resolve conflicts when the connection returns. Users see clear states instead of spinners that never end.
Privacy, security and store compliance
We keep tokens in the iOS Keychain and Android Keystore, never in plain storage. We request permissions only when a feature needs them, include Apple's privacy manifest for the SDKs we use, and ask for App Tracking Transparency consent before any cross-app tracking. Account deletion, data export and clear privacy policies are built in, because both stores now check for them.
Performance and battery
Slow start-up and dropped frames lead to bad reviews. We measure cold start time, keep lists smooth with virtualised rendering, compress images and avoid background work that drains battery. We profile with Xcode Instruments and Android Studio's profiler on mid-range devices, not just the newest flagship.
Release automation
We automate builds and store uploads with Fastlane, Xcode Cloud, GitHub Actions, Codemagic or EAS, depending on the stack. Version numbers, signing and release notes are handled by the pipeline, so shipping a fix is a routine task, not a stressful afternoon.
Skills and tools our mobile app developers use
Platforms and frameworks
- Swift and SwiftUI
- Kotlin and Jetpack Compose
- React Native and Expo
- Flutter and Dart
- Kotlin Multiplatform
Backend and data
- Node.js and TypeScript
- Python
- Firebase
- Supabase and PostgreSQL
- REST and GraphQL APIs
- SQLite, Room and Core Data
Device and platform services
- APNs and Firebase Cloud Messaging
- StoreKit and Google Play Billing
- RevenueCat
- Universal Links and App Links
- Sign in with Apple and Google Sign-In
Quality and analytics
- XCTest and Espresso
- Detox and Maestro
- Crashlytics and Sentry
- Firebase Analytics, Mixpanel and PostHog
Release
- Xcode and App Store Connect
- TestFlight
- Google Play Console
- Fastlane
- GitHub Actions, Xcode Cloud and Codemagic
Why Dware
Why hire mobile app developers from Dware
One team for app, backend and release
You do not need to coordinate an iOS freelancer, an Android freelancer and a backend contractor. Our team owns the whole product and is accountable for it working end to end.
Advice without a framework bias
We build native, React Native and Flutter apps, so we recommend what fits your product, not what one developer happens to know.
Store review handled for you
We know the common rejection reasons, from missing account deletion to vague permission texts, and fix them before submission. When a reviewer does push back, we deal with it.
Everything in your accounts
Your Apple Developer and Google Play accounts, your repository, your signing keys. You own all code and IP, and you can take the app anywhere.
Low-risk start
We match you with a developer in 48 hours and start with a two-week risk-free trial. Terms are flexible, so you can scale up or down monthly.
Ways to work with us
Ways to hire mobile app developers
Hire one developer, add a whole team, or hand us a fixed-scope project. Tell us what you need and we'll send a free, fixed quote, usually within one business day.
Dedicated developer
Most popularA senior engineer who works only on your product, full-time or part-time.
- Joins your Slack, standups and Git
- Same developer every day
- Scale up or down monthly
Team extension
Two or more developers, plus QA or a tech lead, added to your team.
- Matched to your stack and time zone
- One point of contact
- Add or remove people any month
Fixed-scope project
A clear scope, timeline and fixed quote. Ideal for MVPs, apps and fixes.
- Free, fixed quote before we start
- Milestones you approve
- Support after launch
FAQ
Hire mobile app developers: frequently asked questions
Should my app be native or cross-platform?
It depends on what the app does. If it is a typical business, marketplace, booking or content app, React Native or Flutter will usually get you to both stores faster with one codebase and one team. If your app relies on the newest platform features, heavy 3D or AR, or deep hardware work, native Swift and Kotlin may be worth the extra effort. We look at your feature list, timeline and future team, then give you a written recommendation with the trade-offs.
How much does it cost to hire mobile app developers?
Cost depends on scope, the number of platforms, how many screens and integrations you need, whether we build the backend, and how fast you want to launch. A simple app on one platform needs far less work than a two-sided marketplace with payments and real-time chat. After a short call we give you a free, fixed quote, so you know the full cost before work starts.
How long does it take to build and launch a mobile app?
A focused MVP usually takes 10 to 16 weeks from kickoff to store release, including design, testing and review. Larger apps take longer, and we often split them into a first release and follow-up phases. You will have an installable build on your own phone within the first one to two weeks, and new builds after every sprint.
Do you publish the app to the App Store and Google Play for us?
Yes. We prepare the listings, screenshots, privacy labels and Data safety form, manage TestFlight and Google Play testing tracks, and submit the builds. Apps are published under your own developer accounts, so you stay the owner. If you do not have accounts yet, we walk you through enrolling, including the organisation verification Apple and Google ask for.
What if Apple or Google rejects our app?
Rejections are common and usually fixable. Apple cites the specific guideline, such as incomplete information, missing account deletion or digital goods sold outside in-app purchase. We read the note, fix the issue or reply through App Store Connect's Resolution Center with an explanation, and resubmit. Because we check the main rules before submission, most of our builds pass on the first or second try.
Can you build the backend and admin panel too?
Yes. Most apps need a server for accounts, data, file uploads and notifications. We build it with Node.js, Python, Firebase or Supabase depending on your needs, plus a simple web admin so your team can manage users and content. If you already have an API, we work with your backend team and agree on the contract first.
Can you take over an app another developer built?
Yes. We start with a short audit: can we build and sign it, what versions of the SDKs and libraries it uses, where it crashes, and how healthy the code is. You get a written report with priorities. Then we fix the urgent issues, such as builds blocked by new store requirements, before planning new features.
Who owns the code and the app?
You do. Code lives in your repository from the first commit, the app is published in your developer accounts, and signing keys and credentials are stored in your systems. You own all code and IP. We are happy to sign an NDA before you share details of your idea. If you ever move the app to another team, nothing is locked to us.
What happens after launch?
We offer post-launch support for crash fixes, new features and yearly OS updates. Every September a new iOS ships, and Android releases follow each year, and Apple and Google regularly raise the minimum SDK and target API levels. We test on the betas ahead of time and keep your app compliant, so updates are never blocked.
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Learn moreTell us about your app idea
Book a free consultation with a senior mobile developer. We will help you choose native or cross-platform, outline the build, and send a free, fixed quote with a realistic timeline.