Mobile app development for iOS and Android
Mobile app development at QIO starts with one question: what will an app do better than your website? We handle analysis, design, iOS and Android development, store release and support. The first version is often an MVP, so the product can be tested before larger investment.
App or website: where an app project begins
A mobile app makes sense when people come back regularly: they reorder, collect loyalty points, book appointments or use it at work every day. If a customer visits once or twice, a responsive website or a PWA will do the job more simply. If you do not need an app yet, we will say so.
- You need push notifications that reach customers without a browser.
- The product relies on the camera, location, NFC or working offline.
- Staff need the app for daily work in the field or in a warehouse.
What business problems an app can solve
An app pays its way when it addresses a specific sales, service or internal process task. Typical situations:
- Repeat purchases depend on advertising → a catalogue, basket, order history and push notifications. An app for an online shop is most useful when there are many returning customers.
- Loyalty points live on plastic cards → a loyalty card and personal offers on the phone.
- Bookings are taken by phone → online booking, payment and order status on one screen.
- Staff send photos and reports through messengers → a work app with forms, offline mode and export to the CRM or accounting system.
Mobile app design
App design starts with a prototype rather than button colours. It covers a screen map, user journeys and a clickable prototype you can open on a phone. We follow the platform conventions, Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design, so the app feels familiar on both iPhone and Android. If you only need the interface, see our UI/UX design service.
Technology and tools
We choose the stack for the task, the budget and the roadmap: it affects timelines, maintenance costs and which developers can take the project on later. App development usually covers the app itself, the back end and integrations.
Native iOS and Android development
Native apps are built separately for each platform, in Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android. You get full access to device features, but also two codebases and more work for every change.
Cross-platform development: Flutter and React Native
Flutter and React Native let one codebase serve both iOS and Android. For catalogues, customer accounts and booking services this is quicker and easier to maintain, and a platform-specific feature can be added as a native module.
Back end and integrations
The server handles accounts, data, push notifications and payments. We connect CRMs, 1C, payment providers and analytics through APIs, and AI features are planned together with our AI integration service.
Publishing on the App Store, Google Play and RuStore
Every store reviews an app before it goes live, so we account for the requirements from the first stage. We recommend registering developer accounts to your company.
App Store
You need an Apple Developer Program membership, and builds are reviewed against the App Store Review Guidelines. A privacy policy link is required on the product page and inside the app, and the App Privacy section describes the data collected.
Google Play
New apps are uploaded as an Android App Bundle, with a privacy policy and a completed Data safety section. If a personal developer account was created after 13 November 2023, a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 consecutive days is required before production access.
RuStore
The Russian app store accepts APK and AAB files. Builds must be signed, updates must use the same key as the previous version, and the data and permissions the app requests are declared on publication.
Website and app in one project
Building a website and an app together saves work: a shared back end, one API and one design system. The website brings customers in from search, and the app keeps the regular ones. See website development for site formats.
How we work and what the contract sets out
The studio works remotely, so every project runs the same way wherever you are: video calls, a shared task tracker and test builds on your own phones. The contract sets out the scope of work, the acceptance procedure and the handover of access. Source code, design files and the rights to them are transferred to the client under the contract. After release, you can hand the app to your own team or use our support.
Who we build apps for
Start-ups
We separate must-haves from nice-to-haves and build an MVP to test demand.
Small and medium-sized businesses
Orders, bookings, loyalty points and notifications for regular customers. We start with one or two key features.
Larger companies
Customer-facing and internal apps integrated with CRM, 1C and corporate systems.
Online shops
A second sales channel alongside the website: a shared catalogue, basket and order history.
Stages of mobile app development
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Step 1
Analysis and specification: goals, audience and first-version features. You receive a detailed specification and a stage plan.
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Step 2
Prototype: a screen map and clickable journeys. The logic is changed before design, while that is still easy.
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Step 3
Interface design for iOS and Android. You receive approved layouts and a component library.
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Step 4
Development of the app, back end and integrations. You see test builds as work progresses.
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Step 5
Testing on real devices with different OS versions and screen sizes.
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Step 6
Release on the App Store, Google Play and RuStore: listings, screenshots and store review.
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Step 7
Support: updates for new OS versions, fixes and new features.
What affects timelines and cost
Timelines and cost depend on the number of platforms, screens and user roles, back-end complexity, integrations and how ready the specification is. An MVP and a full product with customer accounts, payments and an admin panel are very different projects, so a single figure for everyone would be misleading. We agree the first-version scope first, then estimate each stage. To discuss your app, describe the task in the form below.
Frequently asked questions
What makes up the cost of mobile app development?
Analysis, design, app and server development, integrations, testing and store release. The number of screens and platforms has the biggest effect, and post-launch support is priced separately.
What can slow development down?
Most often, changes to the specification mid-stage, complex integrations and slow approvals. That is why we fix the scope of each stage and share test builds regularly.
Can we start without a ready specification?
Yes. The first stage is analysis and a prototype, from which we write the specification together.
Who owns the app's source code?
The client does: source code, design files and the rights to them are transferred under the contract. We recommend registering app store accounts to your company.
Do you handle design or only development?
Both: a full mobile app development project covers prototyping, UI/UX design, development, testing and release. If you already have a design, we build from your layouts.
Native or cross-platform: which should we choose?
Most business apps are well served by cross-platform development in Flutter or React Native. Native development is worth it when complex graphics or hardware integration are critical.