Android app development
Android app development that holds up on every screen
We design, build and publish Android apps that feel quick on a mid-range phone, use the space on a tablet, and get through Google Play review on the first serious try.
- Tested on real phones and tablets
- Google Play setup and release handled
- You own the code and IP
Android is not one device. Your app has to treat it that way.
An iPhone app targets a short list of screens. An Android app lands on thousands of models from dozens of manufacturers: small budget phones, large flagships, foldables, and 10-inch tablets, each with its own screen density, OS version and battery behavior. Good Android app development starts from that reality instead of discovering it in one-star reviews after launch.
We build Android apps with React Native and Expo by default, which lets one TypeScript codebase serve Android and, when you want it, iOS and the web. When a feature needs deeper platform access, such as a background service, a hardware integration or a specific Android API, we write that piece as a native Kotlin module. You get native behavior where it matters without paying for two separate apps.
You work directly with the engineer who builds your app, with no account-manager layer. Every project is fixed-scope, you see a working build every week, and the source lives in your own repository from day one.
What you get from an Android-first approach
Layouts that adapt, not stretch
Screens are designed for compact phones, large phones and tablets, including landscape. On a tablet the app can show a list and its detail side by side instead of a blown-up phone layout.
Speed on the phones people actually own
Many Android users are on mid-range or budget hardware. We profile on those devices, keep lists smooth, trim startup work and watch memory, so the app feels fast outside the developer's flagship phone.
Familiar Material patterns
We follow Material design conventions where users expect them: system back gestures, navigation patterns, dynamic text sizes and dark theme. The app feels like it belongs on Android while still carrying your brand.
A calm path through Google Play
Play Console setup, store listing, data safety declarations, content rating, target API level and testing tracks are part of the job, not a surprise at the end.
One codebase when you are ready for iOS
Because the app is built with React Native, adding iOS later is mostly UI polish and store work rather than a rewrite. Shared business logic stays shared.
What we deliver
A complete, publishable Android app and everything needed to keep improving it after launch.
Product scope and screen map
A written scope that lists features, user flows and what is deliberately left out of the first release, so the estimate and the build match.
UI design for phones and tablets
Screens designed in Material-friendly patterns, with responsive layouts for small phones, large phones and tablets, plus light and dark themes.
The Android app
A React Native and Expo app in TypeScript, with native Kotlin modules only where a feature needs them. Built as an Android App Bundle ready for Google Play.
Backend and data
APIs, authentication, database and realtime sync where needed, using Convex, Cloudflare Workers or Postgres depending on the product.
Push notifications and deep links
Firebase Cloud Messaging set up for notifications, plus Android App Links so links from email and the web open the right screen in the app.
Device testing and performance pass
Testing across emulators and physical devices of different sizes and price points, with fixes for jank, slow startup and layout breaks.
Google Play Console setup and release
Store listing, screenshots, data safety form, content rating, internal and closed testing tracks, and a staged rollout to production.
Handover and documentation
Source in your repository, build and release instructions, signing key guidance and a short walkthrough so any capable developer can pick it up.
How an Android project runs
Short phases, a working build every week, and Google Play preparation running alongside development rather than after it.
Step 1: Free app plan
Timeline: 2–3 days
You answer a short questionnaire. We send back scope, recommended stack, Android-specific risks and a cost range.
Step 2: Design and device targets
Timeline: 1–2 weeks
Key screens for phone and tablet, navigation, and an agreed list of minimum Android version and test devices.
Step 3: Build in weekly increments
Timeline: 4–10 weeks
Features land in priority order. Each week you install the latest build on your own phone and give feedback.
Step 4: Internal and closed testing
Timeline: 1–3 weeks
The app goes to a Play internal testing track, then a closed track for real testers. We fix what they find and polish performance.
Step 5: Production release
Timeline: 1 week
Store listing, policy declarations and a staged rollout, increasing the share of users as crash and ANR rates stay healthy.
Step 6: Iterate and maintain
Timeline: Ongoing
Bug fixes, Android version and target API updates, dependency upgrades and new features based on how people use the app.
Who hires us for Android app development
Products whose users are mostly on Android
Field teams, service businesses and consumer apps with audiences in regions where Android dominates, who need Android to be first-class, not an afterthought.
Teams equipping staff with Android tablets
Rugged or budget tablets used for check-ins, inspections, ordering or presentations, where layout and reliability on large screens matter.
Founders with an iOS app and no Android version
You have traction on iPhone and keep losing Android users. We can build the Android version, or move to a shared React Native codebase.
Startups validating an idea on Google Play
An MVP shipped to Android first to test demand with real users, keeping the door open to iOS without a rebuild.
The Android stack we use
Proven tools chosen for shipping speed and long-term maintainability, not novelty.
- React Native + Expo
- One TypeScript codebase for Android, with iOS and web available later. Expo's build and update tooling keeps releases repeatable.
- Kotlin native modules
- For features that need direct Android APIs, background work, Bluetooth or other hardware, written in Kotlin and exposed cleanly to the app.
- TypeScript
- Typed code end to end, shared between the app and backend, which cuts a whole class of bugs before they reach a device.
- Convex or Cloudflare Workers
- Realtime data sync and fast APIs at the edge, so screens update instantly and the backend scales without server babysitting.
- Google Play Console
- Testing tracks, staged rollouts, crash and ANR reports, and Android vitals to watch real-world stability after launch.
- OpenAI / Anthropic APIs
- When the product calls for it: AI features such as summaries, search over your content, or assistants that return structured data.
Find out what your Android app will take
Answer a few questions about your idea and get a free app plan with scope, stack and a cost range. No call required.
What Android app development typically costs
Every app is different, but most Android projects fall into one of these ranges.
Prototype
- Typical cost
- $5,000–$12,000
- Timeline
- 2–4 weeks
- What's included
- A clickable prototype or proof of concept on Android, installable on test devices, to validate the idea or a risky technical piece.
Android MVP
- Typical cost
- $15,000–$40,000
- Timeline
- 6–10 weeks
- What's included
- Core features, backend, authentication, phone and tablet layouts, and a Google Play release through testing tracks to production.
Full v1
- Typical cost
- $40,000–$120,000+
- Timeline
- 3–6 months
- What's included
- Android plus iOS and web from one codebase, admin dashboard, integrations, native modules and AI features as needed.
These are typical ranges, not quotes. Your free app plan gives a specific estimate for your scope. Ongoing maintenance and iteration typically runs $1,500–$6,000 per month.
Native Kotlin or cross-platform React Native?
Both are valid ways to build an Android app. Here is how they compare for most products.
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
| What matters | React Native (with Kotlin where needed) | Fully native Kotlin |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms covered | Android now, with iOS and web from the same codebase when you want them. | Android only. iOS needs a separate Swift app and team. |
| Cost to reach both stores | One codebase to build and maintain, so usually far less than two native apps. | Roughly two builds and two maintenance budgets if you also need iOS. |
| Performance | Smooth for typical business and consumer apps when profiled on mid-range devices. | The ceiling for heavy graphics, games or intense real-time processing. |
| Access to Android APIs | Full access through Kotlin native modules for the parts that need it. | Direct access everywhere, with no bridge layer. |
| Look and feel | Native UI components and Material patterns, tuned per platform. | Jetpack Compose and Material components out of the box. |
| Best fit | Most startups, MVPs and business apps that will eventually live on Android and iOS. | Android-only products with demanding hardware, graphics or OS-level needs. |
Built and shipped by us
We do not show client logos we cannot back up. These are our own products, built and run by Loha.dev LLC.
Star
A setlist and presentation app for worship teams, musicians and speakers. You build setlists and run slides on the big screen from a tablet, with realtime sync between devices. The same tablet-first, large-screen thinking goes into the Android apps we build.
Visit Star (opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build an Android app?
A typical Android MVP costs $15,000–$40,000, a prototype $5,000–$12,000, and a full v1 covering Android, iOS and web $40,000–$120,000 or more. Cost depends mostly on the number of features, backend complexity and integrations. These are typical ranges, not quotes; the free app plan gives you a specific estimate.
How long does Android app development take?
Most Android MVPs take 6–10 weeks from design to Google Play release, including one to three weeks of internal and closed testing. A prototype takes 2–4 weeks, and a full multi-platform v1 usually takes 3–6 months. Weekly builds mean you see progress on your own phone throughout.
Do I need separate iOS and Android apps?
Usually not. With React Native, one codebase produces both the Android and iOS apps, with small platform-specific adjustments. Separate native apps make sense mainly for graphics-heavy products or deep OS integrations. Many teams start on Android or iOS and add the other platform later from the same code.
Should my Android app be built in Kotlin or React Native?
For most business and consumer apps, React Native with Kotlin modules where needed is the better value: one codebase, near-native performance and a path to iOS. Fully native Kotlin is the right call for Android-only products with heavy graphics, real-time audio or video processing, or unusual hardware integrations.
Will my app work on Android tablets?
Yes, if it is designed for them, and we do that by default. We build responsive layouts that use the extra space, support landscape, and test on tablet emulators and physical devices. Tablet support matters for Google Play visibility on large screens and for teams that run the app on shared tablets.
Can you publish my app on Google Play?
Yes. We set up or work inside your Google Play Console account, prepare the store listing, data safety form and content rating, run internal and closed testing tracks, and handle the staged production rollout. The app is published under your developer account, so you own the listing.
Who owns the code and the app?
You do. On full payment you own the source code and IP. The code lives in your repository from the first week, and the app is published under your own Google Play developer account with your signing setup documented.
Will the app be fast on cheaper Android phones?
That is something we plan for, not hope for. We test on mid-range and budget devices, keep startup work small, use virtualized lists, compress images and watch memory use. After launch, Play Console's Android vitals show crash and ANR rates so we can catch problems early.
Ready to put your app on Google Play?
Get a free app plan with scope, stack and a cost range for your Android app, then decide if you want us to build it.
or email matt@loha.devCall (732) 340-8396
Free, no obligation. We reply within one business day.