React Native
Default for most products- One codebase for iOS and Android
- Faster MVP → store release cycles
- Shared patterns with modern web teams
- Native modules when a feature needs them
Mobile App Development Agency
iOS & Android App Development
React Native and native iOS & Android app development — product design, backend integrations, App Store & Google Play submission, and post-launch crash monitoring. Production apps from $1,999 — React Native by default, native when it earns the cost.
Overview
Mobile apps built for the stores — not for a demo day.
thedesigntime is a mobile app development agency for founders who need production apps on iOS and Android — not throwaway prototypes. We ship most products in React Native for one codebase and faster iteration, and go native Swift or Kotlin when graphics, background work, or OS-specific APIs demand it. Every engagement includes UX for native patterns, auth and push, store listings, TestFlight / internal Play tracks, and the crash monitoring most agencies leave to the client.
From product shaping to App Store and Google Play submission, one senior team owns design, engineering, and release. Cross-platform React Native keeps cost and timeline sane; native Swift or Kotlin is on the table when the product needs it. Need APIs or an admin behind the app? Pair with our full stack development service. See a shipped marketplace in our Stagehand case study.
- iOS + Android apps from one React Native codebase (or native when needed)
- Native modules for camera, biometrics, payments, background tasks
- Auth, push notifications, deep links, in-app purchase
- Sentry / Firebase crash reporting from day one
- App Store & Google Play submission with listing assets
- OTA update pipeline via Expo EAS where appropriate
iOS
TestFlight builds weekly
Android
Internal Play tracks
React Native by default. Native when it pays off.
Cross-platform mobile app development with React Native (and Expo when it fits) is our default for iOS and Android. We recommend native Swift or Kotlin only when performance or OS APIs justify the extra cost — locked in writing before build.
What a professional mobile app engagement delivers
Hire a mobile app development agency that ships to both stores, owns store review, and leaves you with code and credentials you control.
01
Store-ready releases
TestFlight and internal Play tracks every week, then App Store and Google Play submission with privacy labels, screenshots, and rejection support.
02
One codebase when it fits
React Native and Expo for most iOS & Android products — native modules only where the experience needs them, not as a default upsell.
03
Operate after launch
Crash monitoring from day one, release runbooks, and optional retainers for OS updates so the app doesn’t go dark after “1.0”.
Capabilities
What we wire into production apps
Not every app needs every module — we scope only what your users will touch in the first release.
Auth & sessions
Email, social, magic links, biometrics — secure session handling that survives OS updates.
Push & deep links
APNs / FCM, notification strategies, and deep links that open the right screen every time.
Payments & IAP
App Store and Play Billing flows scoped to store policy — no surprise rejections at submit.
Crash monitoring
Sentry or Firebase from first TestFlight build — you see breakage before one-star reviews do.
OTA where it fits
Expo EAS updates for JS-level fixes without waiting on store review when the stack allows it.
Native bridges
Camera, Bluetooth, background tasks, and custom modules when the product leaves “CRUD app” territory.
Five phases from brief to both stores
A linear path you can track — weekly builds, not a black-box “we’ll call you at launch.”
- 01
Shape
Feature list, RN vs native call, risks, and a fixed-fee phase plan before anyone opens Xcode.
- 02
Design
iOS and Android patterns in Figma — navigation, empty states, and permission flows that feel native.
- 03
Build
Weekly TestFlight and internal Play builds. You click real software every sprint, not a slide deck.
- 04
Ship
Listings, screenshots, privacy labels, review submission — and rejection fixes if Apple or Google push back.
- 05
Care
Crash triage, OS updates, and a light retainer so the app doesn’t rot the week after launch.
Store submission
We don’t stop at “build complete.”
App Store and Google Play review is part of the engagement — listings, privacy forms, TestFlight, and rejection fixes included when we submit for you.
Plan a store launch- App Store Connect + Google Play Console setup in accounts you own
- Screenshots, preview video guidance, and listing copy that clears review
- Privacy nutrition labels, data safety forms, and permission justifications
- TestFlight + internal testing tracks before public release
- Rejection response playbook — we don’t disappear after “Submitted”
Mobile app development pricing
Fixed-fee phases from $1,999. Scope locks after product shaping — no open-ended hourly surprises mid-build.
MVP app
$1,999starting from
Tight scope, one core loop, both stores
- React Native iOS + Android
- Up to ~8–12 key screens
- Auth + one primary integration
- Crash reporting wired
- Store submission support
- 2 rounds of UX polish
Product app
Customfixed-fee phases
Multi-feature products, IAP, offline, or native modules
- RN or native Swift/Kotlin
- Push, deep links, IAP as needed
- API / backend pairing available
- Weekly TestFlight / Play builds
- Store listing & review handling
- 90-day post-launch care option
Stack
Tools we actually ship with
Pragmatic mobile engineering — not a slide of logos we never opened.
React Native
Expo / EAS
Swift
Kotlin
TypeScript
Firebase
Sentry
APNs / FCM
StoreKit / Play Billing
Deep linking
Built for teams that need apps in users’ hands
01
Founders shipping a first mobile product
You need iOS and Android without funding two native teams — and you want store-ready quality, not a weekend Expo demo.
02
Teams replacing a brittle no-code MVP
Bubble, Glide, or a fragile RN fork hit the ceiling. We rebuild with production architecture and crash visibility.
03
Companies extending an existing platform
Your web or full-stack product needs a companion app with shared APIs, auth, and release discipline.
Case study
Read the case studyStagehand — iOS + Android crewing marketplace
React Native rebuild with native modules, Stripe Connect, and Sentry — replacing a brittle no-code MVP so producers and crew could hire and get paid reliably.
Frequently asked questions
Cost, React Native vs native, Expo, Flutter, App Store & Google Play review, backends, ownership, and timelines — answered plainly.
How much does mobile app development cost?
MVP-style React Native apps start from $1,999 for a tightly scoped first release. Feature-rich products and native Swift/Kotlin builds are quoted as fixed-fee phases after product shaping — typically higher when you need complex offline sync, payments, or realtime features.
React Native or native iOS/Android?
React Native for most apps — one codebase, shared logic with your web team when useful, and faster shipping. We recommend native Swift or Kotlin when you need heavy graphics, intensive background processing, or deep OS APIs that cross-platform stacks still struggle with.
Do you use Expo for React Native apps?
Yes when it fits. Expo and EAS speed up builds, OTA updates, and store submission for many products. We eject or use a bare React Native workflow when you need custom native modules Expo doesn’t support cleanly.
Do you build Flutter apps?
Our default cross-platform stack is React Native — especially when your web team already works in TypeScript/React. We can advise on Flutter vs React Native during product shaping; most of our shipped apps use React Native or native Swift/Kotlin.
Do you publish to the App Store and Google Play?
Yes. We prepare listings, screenshots, privacy labels, and submit for review. We also handle common rejection fixes — most apps clear review in one or two rounds when the listing and permissions are written carefully.
Do you build the backend too?
Yes when the product needs it. We can ship the mobile clients against your existing APIs, or pair app development with our full-stack team for auth, databases, and admin tools under one fixed-fee plan.
Can you rebuild or rescue an existing app?
Yes. We audit code quality, crash rates, store compliance, and performance — then recommend a stabilise path, a partial rewrite, or a clean React Native rebuild when the current stack is past saving.
Do you support push notifications and in-app purchases?
Yes. Push (APNs / FCM), deep links, and App Store / Play Billing in-app purchases are standard capabilities when the product needs them — scoped clearly before build so store policies don’t surprise you at submission.
How long does it take to build a mobile app?
A focused MVP often ships in 6–12 weeks depending on screens, integrations, and store assets. Larger products run in phased releases with TestFlight and internal Play builds every week so you can click real software early.
Who owns the app and source code?
You do. Source code, store listings, and signing credentials live in accounts you own. We hand over repos, docs, and a release runbook — no agency lock-in.
Do you maintain apps after launch?
Yes. Optional retainers cover OS updates, crash triage, small features, and store policy changes. Most clients keep a light care plan for the first 90 days after launch.
Where we work
Web & app development worldwide — teams in six countries.
We work with clients worldwide remotely over Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack. Our senior team is based across the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Australia, Canada, and Saudi Arabia — so you get timezone-friendly delivery and local market understanding wherever you operate.
Looking for a web development agency in Dubai, London, New York, Sydney, Toronto, or Riyadh? Explore our country pages to see how we support founders and brands in your market.
Start a project
Ready to ship on iOS & Android?
Tell us the product, platforms, and timeline. We reply within one business day with a clear next step and fixed-fee outline.
