Mobile app development
Mobile app development for iOS and Android
We design and build mobile apps for businesses and founders: scoping the first release, designing the screens, building the app and its backend, and preparing it for App Store and Google Play review. Based in Wakefield, working with clients across the UK.
Do you need an app, a website or both?
A mobile app is worth building when it does something a website cannot do as well. That usually means using the phone itself, such as the camera, location, notifications or offline access, or serving customers who come back often enough to keep an app on their home screen.
If customers mainly need to find information, book or enquire, a well-built responsive website often does the job for less and is easier to keep up to date. Many products need both: a website to attract customers and an app for the people who use the service regularly.
Native or cross-platform?
This is one of the first technical decisions, and it affects cost, performance and long-term maintenance.
Native apps
Built separately for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin). They give the closest fit with each platform and full access to device features, but two codebases mean more to build and maintain.Cross-platform apps
Built once with a framework such as React Native and released on both platforms. This is often the more economical choice for business apps, with native code added where a feature needs it.
We recommend an approach once we understand the features, audience and budget. If you are considering a no-code or AI app builder instead, read no-code vs custom app development and AI app builders vs custom development.
What's included
Typically included
- Discovery and a scoped first release
- Interface design that follows iOS and Android conventions
- App development for one or both platforms
- A backend, API and admin area where the app needs one
- User accounts, push notifications and in-app purchases or payments where required
- Analytics and crash reporting
- Testing on real devices
- App Store and Google Play listing preparation and submission
Not included
- Apple Developer Program and Google Play developer account fees
- Guaranteed approval or review times, which Apple and Google control
- App marketing and advertising campaigns (see digital marketing)
- Ongoing maintenance after launch, unless a support arrangement is agreed
How an app project runs
1. Discovery
We agree who the app is for, the problem it solves, the features in the first release and what can wait.2. Design and prototype
We design the key screens and journeys and check them with you before development starts.3. Build and test
The app and any backend are built in stages, with test versions you can install and try on your own phone.4. Store submission and launch
We prepare listings, screenshots and privacy information, submit for review and respond to any feedback from Apple or Google.
Cost and timescales
The biggest cost drivers are the number of platforms, feature complexity, backend and integrations, and design polish. Our app development cost guide sets out typical UK ranges.
Timescales typically depend on the size of the first release, whether a backend is needed and store review times. Starting with a smaller first version is often the quickest way to get an app into users' hands.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build an app?
It depends mainly on the number of platforms, the features in the first release and whether the app needs its own backend. Our app development cost guide sets out typical UK ranges for simple, mid-range and complex apps.
Will Apple and Google approve my app?
We build to the App Store and Google Play guidelines and prepare the listing information they ask for, but approval is their decision. Common reasons for rejection include crashes, incomplete functionality, missing privacy information and apps that add little beyond a website.
Does my app need a backend?
If users log in, share data between devices, make payments or see content you update, it needs somewhere to store and serve that data. Some apps can use an existing platform for this; others need a custom backend and an admin area. We decide this during scoping.
Can you take over an app someone else built?
Often, yes. We start by reviewing the code, the backend and the store accounts so we can tell you what is sound and what needs work. If it was built with an AI app builder, see our fix vibe-coded apps service.
What ongoing costs should I expect after launch?
Apple and Google developer account fees, hosting for any backend, third-party services such as maps or messaging, and maintenance to keep the app working as iOS and Android are updated. Plan for these before launch.
Related services and guides
Services that often go with this one
- MVP Development
A first version of a new product, scoped to the smallest set of features that lets real users test the idea.
- SaaS Development
Subscription software built to run as a business: user accounts, roles, billing, admin tools and integrations.
- Responsive Web Design
Websites planned around what your customers need to find and do, built to work on phones, tablets and desktops.
Costs, comparisons and examples
- How much does app development cost in the UK?
Typical ranges for simple, mid-range and complex mobile apps, and the factors behind them.
- No-code vs custom app development
When a no-code tool is enough, and when it is not.
- AI app builders vs custom development
Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, Replit and v0 compared with a custom build.
The Lilybank Agency is based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and works with businesses across the UK. See all our services, browse the portfolio, read our case studies or see the areas we serve.
Talk to us about your project
Tell us what you need and what you already have. We will get back to you within one working day to talk through scope, timings and budget.