Mobile app development
Mobile app development for iOS and Android, from one codebase
We design, build and launch your app on the App Store and Google Play with React Native and Expo, so you ship to both platforms without paying for two separate teams.
- One codebase, two app stores
- Work directly with your engineer
- You own the code and IP
One app, both platforms, no compromise you can feel
Most people who want to build an app need it on iPhone and Android phones at the same time. Writing it twice, in Swift and in Kotlin, doubles the code, the bugs and the bill. Our mobile app development starts from one React Native and Expo codebase in TypeScript that compiles to real native apps on both platforms.
That is not a web page wrapped in an app shell. React Native renders native UI components, and when a feature needs something the framework does not cover, like a specific Bluetooth device or a platform widget, we write a small Swift or Kotlin module for it.
We also handle the parts that stall first-time app projects: offline data, realtime sync, push notifications and getting through store review. You work directly with the engineer who builds your app, with no account-manager layer in between.
Why build cross-platform with us
Ship to iOS and Android together
Features land on both platforms in the same release, with no Android version lagging behind and no drift between two apps.
Lower build and maintenance cost
Screens, business logic and networking are shared, so each feature is built, tested and maintained roughly once, not twice.
Over-the-air fixes
With Expo updates, many bug fixes and copy changes can reach users in minutes instead of waiting for a full store review, within the rules Apple and Google allow.
Works when the signal drops
Local storage and background sync keep your app useful on a plane or at a job site, then reconcile when it is back online.
Realtime by default
Shared lists, live dashboards, chat and multi-device sessions update instantly on realtime backends like Convex.
What you get
A mobile app project with us covers everything from the first screen design to the version people download from the stores.
iOS and Android apps
Production builds for iPhone, Android and iPad where useful, from one codebase.
Backend and API
Accounts, data, file uploads and business logic, on Convex or Postgres.
Push notifications
Targeted and scheduled pushes via Apple and Google, with permission prompts timed well.
Offline and sync
Local caching and queued writes, so edits made offline sync safely later.
App Store and Google Play launch
Store listings, screenshots, privacy disclosures, submission and reviewer follow-up.
Analytics and crash reporting
Usage events and crash reports from day one, so you see what breaks.
Your repository and docs
Source in your own repo from the start, plus a short handover doc.
How we build your mobile app
Fixed scope, weekly demos on real devices, and a clear path to the stores. Durations are typical for an MVP-sized app.
Step 1: Free app plan
Timeline: 2–3 days
You answer a short questionnaire. We reply with a written plan covering scope, stack and an estimate.
Step 2: Scope and design
Timeline: 1–2 weeks
We map core flows, lock the feature list and design key screens.
Step 3: Build in weekly cycles
Timeline: 4–8 weeks
Every week you get a demo and a test build on your own phone through TestFlight and Google Play internal testing.
Step 4: Beta and polish
Timeline: 1–2 weeks
Real users try the app; we fix rough edges and tune performance on older devices.
Step 5: Store launch
Timeline: 1 week
We submit to Apple and Google and handle reviewer feedback until both apps are live.
Step 6: Iterate
Timeline: Ongoing
After launch we can keep shipping improvements on a monthly basis, or hand the code to your own team.
Who this is for
Founders launching a first app
You need to reach iPhone and Android users from day one, on a startup budget, without managing two separate builds.
Businesses adding a mobile channel
You already have customers or a web product and want an app for bookings, ordering, member access or field work.
Teams with a web app that needs a phone version
Your product works on desktop, but your users keep asking for push notifications, offline access or a home-screen icon.
The mobile stack we use
We pick tools that keep one team productive across both platforms and leave you with a codebase other developers can pick up.
- React Native
- Native UI on both platforms from shared components, with a large hiring pool.
- Expo
- Managed builds, over-the-air updates and simpler store submission.
- TypeScript
- Typed code from app to backend, catching bugs before users do.
- Swift and Kotlin modules
- Only when a feature needs platform APIs or hardware the framework lacks.
- Convex
- Realtime data sync across phones, tablets and web with little glue code.
- Cloudflare Workers
- Fast edge APIs and webhooks for pieces outside the main backend.
Find out what your app would take
Answer a few questions about your idea and get a free plan with features, stack and a cost estimate for iOS and Android.
What mobile app development typically costs
Every app is different, but most projects fall into one of these ranges. A cross-platform build usually costs noticeably less than two separate native apps with the same features.
Prototype
- Typical cost
- $5,000–$12,000
- Timeline
- 2–4 weeks
- What's included
- Clickable or working proof of concept on real devices, to test the idea with users or investors before a full build.
Cross-platform MVP
- Typical cost
- $15,000–$40,000
- Timeline
- 6–10 weeks
- What's included
- iOS and Android apps from one codebase, core features, backend, accounts, push notifications and store launch.
Full v1
- Typical cost
- $40,000–$120,000+
- Timeline
- 3–6 months
- What's included
- iOS, Android and web, admin dashboard, integrations, offline sync, realtime features and AI features where useful.
These are typical ranges, not quotes. Ongoing maintenance and iteration usually runs $1,500–$6,000 per month. Your free app plan includes a specific estimate for your scope.
Cross-platform vs separate native apps
Native apps written separately in Swift and Kotlin still make sense for some products. For most business apps and startup MVPs, one cross-platform codebase is the better trade.
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
| What matters | Cross-platform (React Native + Expo) | Separate native apps |
|---|---|---|
| Codebases to maintain | One shared codebase, with small native modules if needed | Two, one per platform, often with two teams |
| Typical cost | Build most features once | Most features are built and tested twice |
| Feature parity | iOS and Android ship together | One platform often lags behind the other |
| Performance | Native UI, smooth for most apps; heavy graphics may need native work | Maximum control for games, AR and heavy media |
| Access to device features | Camera, location, notifications, biometrics and more; custom modules for the rest | Full, immediate access to every new platform API |
| Adding a web app | Reuses React, TypeScript and shared logic | A third codebase built from scratch |
Apps we have built and run ourselves
We are a small studio, and we ship our own products. The same stack and process go into client work.
Star
A setlist and presentation app for worship teams, musicians and speakers. Build a setlist, then run slides on the big screen from a tablet, with realtime sync so the whole team sees changes instantly.
Visit Star (opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a mobile app?
A cross-platform MVP for iOS and Android typically costs $15,000–$40,000. A clickable prototype is usually $5,000–$12,000, and a full v1 with web, admin and integrations runs $40,000–$120,000 or more. These are typical ranges, not quotes. Your free app plan gives a specific estimate based on your features.
How long does mobile app development take?
Most MVPs take 6–10 weeks from kickoff to store submission, and a prototype takes 2–4 weeks. A full v1 is usually 3–6 months. App Store and Google Play review add a few days on top, and we plan launch dates around that.
Do I need separate iOS and Android apps?
Usually not. With React Native and Expo, one codebase produces real native apps for both stores, and you avoid paying for the same features twice. Separate native apps are worth it mainly for graphics-heavy games, AR, or products that depend on brand-new platform APIs on day one.
Is React Native good enough for a production app?
Yes, for the large majority of business and consumer apps. It renders native UI components, not a web view, and supports offline storage, push notifications, camera, payments and more. When something needs deeper platform access, we write a native module in Swift or Kotlin and keep the rest shared.
Can my app work offline?
Yes. We store key data on the device and queue changes made without a connection, then sync them to the backend when the phone is back online. We decide early which screens must work offline, because that choice shapes the data model.
Do you publish the app to the App Store and Google Play?
Yes. We prepare store listings, screenshots and privacy disclosures, submit both versions and respond to reviewer feedback until the apps are approved. The apps are published under your own developer accounts, so you control them.
Who owns the code?
You do. On full payment you own the code and IP. The source lives in your own repository from the first week, so you can bring in another developer or an in-house team at any time.
Do you work with clients outside New Mexico?
Yes. We are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and work remotely with clients across the US and internationally. You get weekly demos and test builds you install on your own phone, wherever you are.
Ready to put your app in both stores?
Tell us about your idea and get a free app plan with scope, stack and a realistic estimate. No commitment.
or email matt@loha.devCall (732) 340-8396
Free, no obligation. We reply within one business day.