Mobile app development agency building native iOS and Android apps
We design and build native apps in Swift for iPhone and Kotlin for Android, with the backend, admin panel and app-store submission handled by the same team. You get a scoped quote, a realistic timeline, and you own the code.
- 5.0 from 50 Google reviews
- Based in Long Eaton, working UK-wide
- Native Swift and Kotlin
Vimana Digital is a UK mobile app development agency building native iOS and Android apps for small and mid-sized businesses: booking, ordering, loyalty, field-service and internal tools. A first store-ready release typically takes 8–16 weeks. UK market costs run from around £10,000 for an MVP to £25,000–£60,000 for a production app with a backend.
- Store-ready release typically takes 8–
- 16weeks
- Market costs run from around
- £10,000
- For an MVP to
- £25,000–£60,000
Do you actually need an app?
Not always, and we'd rather say so now than after you've paid for one. A good mobile website handles most "look us up and get in touch" needs. An app earns its place when customers come back repeatedly, when you need push notifications, offline use, camera, location or payments in hand, or when staff need a tool in the field.
An app earns its place when you need
- Customers come back repeatedly
- Push notifications
- Offline use
- Camera
- Location
- Payments in hand
- Staff need a tool in the field
Retention data is sobering: industry benchmarks put average day-30 retention at roughly 5–6%, so more than nine in ten people who download an app have stopped using it within a month (AppsFlyer data via Braze, 2024). We design for the second open, not the first download. If your idea doesn't survive that question, we'll point you to our web design service instead.
100 downloadsDay 30
5–6%still using the app
a month later
What we build
- iOS appsiPhone and iPad apps in Swift and SwiftUI, published under your company's Apple account, with TestFlight for staff testing before launch.
- Android appsKotlin and Jetpack Compose apps for Google Play, published under a verified organisation account.
- Backend, API and admin panelthe server side your app talks to, in Laravel or Node.js on AWS or Azure, with an admin area so you manage content, users and orders without a developer. See bespoke software development.
- App testing and QAreal-device testing and a pre-submission checklist mapped to Apple's and Google's rejection reasons.
- App rescueaudits and fixes for apps built elsewhere that have stalled, crash, or can no longer be submitted because the build tools moved on.
- AI inside the appdocument reading, matching and assistants from our AI services team.
Native or cross-platform: an honest answer
Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and React Native are mainstream, and for a content-led app with a simple interface they can cut cost. Our house position is native-first, for three reasons: performance and battery, direct access to each platform's hardware and design conventions, and long-term maintenance, because you aren't waiting on a third-party framework to catch up each time Apple or Google change something.
The UK doesn't let you pick one platform and ignore the other. StatCounter's monthly series for September 2025 to September 2026 shows iOS between roughly 48% and 54% of UK mobile operating systems, leading Android in seven of thirteen months (StatCounter, 2026). Whichever platform you launch first, about half your customers are on the other one.
iOS 48–54%Android, most of the rest
UK mobile operating systems, Sep 2025 to Sep 2026 (StatCounter). The dashed band is how far iOS moved.
Native on both
When the app is central to your business and will live for years.
Native on one first
When your customers are clearly on one platform and you want to prove demand before spending twice.
Cross-platform
When the interface is simple, budget is tight, and you accept a heavier dependency on the framework's roadmap.
We put the trade-offs in writing before you decide.
Got an idea and a budget range? Tell us both. We'll come back with what's realistic in that range, including "not yet" if that's the truth.
Get a quoteHow much does it cost to develop an app in the UK?
The honest answer is "it depends on scope", so here is what UK agencies published in 2026.
- Proof of concept / clickable prototype£2,000–£5,0002–4 weeks
- MVP (one core workflow, login, basic admin)£10,000–£25,000 (Magora); £15,000–£40,000 (Foresight Mobile)8–12 weeks
- Production app with backend and admin panel£25,000–£60,00012–20 weeks
- Complex or regulated (payments, integrations, offline sync)£80,000–£120,000+5–9 months
Sources: Magora (Aug 2026); Foresight Mobile (2026). These are other agencies' figures.
What drives the price: number of screens and user roles; backend complexity (a booking engine with payments is far more work than a content feed); integrations with your CRM, Xero, Stripe or calendar; offline use and sync; and both platforms versus one.
Why regional rates matter. Magora's 2026 guide puts London boutique studios at £60–£140 an hour and offshore agencies with a UK front at £25–£50. Riseup Labs estimates London is 15–25% dearer than regional studios. We are a Long Eaton team.
Store and running costs: Apple Developer Program US$99 a year; Google Play one-off US$25; backend hosting from tens of pounds a month at launch; VAT at 20%.
Maintenance: budget 15–25% of the build cost per year (Magora, 2026; Glance, 2025). That covers the annual Apple and Google deadlines, OS updates, bug fixes and small improvements.
How long does it take to build an app?
A first store-ready release typically takes 8–16 weeks. A 2026 benchmark of 30 builds put the median MVP at around 12 weeks from kick-off to first live release (Wavect, 2026). Our previous page said "20 days to 2 months"; that was optimistic for anything beyond a prototype, so we've removed it.
- 1DecisionsScope changes mid-build and slow sign-off on designs.
- 2Content and accountsStore listings, screenshots, privacy policy, and a D-U-N-S number (up to 30 days for a Google Play organisation account).
- 3Store reviewApple reviews at least 50% of submissions within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours (Apple, 2026), but a rejection restarts the clock.
- 4Third partiesWaiting on a payment provider, API access or a client's IT team.
How a project runs
- 1Discovery and scope (1–2 weeks)We map the user journeys, decide what's in version one, and give you a fixed-scope quote with a written specification and screen list.
- 2UX and UI design (2–3 weeks)A clickable prototype you can put in front of real customers before any code is written.
- 3Native build (6–10 weeks)Swift/SwiftUI for iOS, Kotlin/Compose for Android, backend and admin panel in parallel. Working builds every two weeks via TestFlight and Play internal testing.
- 4QA and submission (1–2 weeks)Real-device testing, a checklist mapped to the most common rejection reasons, and submission under your accounts. See app testing.
- 5Launch and careMonitoring, crash reports, the first bug-fix release, then an optional maintenance plan.
App store rules that affect your budget and timeline
24.9%of App Store submissions rejected in 2024
One in four submissions is rejected
Apple's 2024 App Store Transparency Report shows 7,771,599 submissions reviewed and 1,931,400 rejected: 24.9%. Around 64% of those fell under Guideline 2, "Performance": incomplete apps, crashes, placeholder content and inaccurate metadata (Apple, 2025). Those are avoidable, which is what our QA pass targets. Guideline 4.2 also rejects apps that are "a repackaged website", and in June 2026 Apple tightened Guideline 4.3(b) against apps indistinguishable from what's already available. That's the case against DIY app builders.
14 dayswith 12 testers opted in, before a personal account can publish
Google's 12-tester rule
Personal Play developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 continuous days before publishing (Google, 2026). It stalls a lot of DIY launches. We publish under a verified organisation account, which needs a D-U-N-S number that can take up to 30 days, so we start it in discovery.
15%commission for most SMEs, not 30%
Commission is 15%, not 30%, for most SMEs
Apple's Small Business Program charges 15% below US$1 million a year; Google Play charges 15% on the first US$1 million (Apple, 2026; Google, 2026). Most booking and ordering apps sell physical goods or real-world services, which sit outside in-app purchase rules and pay no commission at all.
22 Oct 2025Apple and Google given Strategic Market Status
UK rules are changing
The Competition and Markets Authority gave Apple and Google Strategic Market Status on 22 October 2025 under the DMCC Act. Commitments on app review and ranking followed on 1 April 2026, and a consultation on letting developers steer users to pay outside the app opened on 30 June 2026 (CMA, 2026). No final steering rule yet, but if your app takes subscriptions, watch this.
API 36Android 16 target for new apps from 31 August 2026
Every year the build bar rises
From 28 April 2026 App Store uploads must use the iOS 26 SDK; from 31 August 2026 new Android apps must target Android 16 (API 36) (Google, 2026). An unmaintained app can't ship a bug fix. That is what the maintenance budget is for.
Who owns the app?
You should, and it needs to be in the contract, because under UK law it isn't automatic. The developer is first owner of copyright by default, and paying the invoice does not transfer it; you need a written IP assignment (Sprintlaw, 2025). Ours covers:
- Source code for the apps and backend, in a repository you control.
- Designs, assets and documentation.
- Apple Developer and Google Play accounts in your company's name, with you as account holder.
- Signing keys and certificates.
- Cloud and payment accounts (AWS/Azure, Stripe) in your name.
Open-source libraries and their licences are listed at handover. Ownership is assigned to you on final payment.
Want the cost and timeline for your idea, in writing? Send us a paragraph and we'll come back with a scoped estimate.
Get a quoteApps we've built
VetaHub Built by Vimana Digital.
R&R Properties app In development.
Our Google reviews are for web, SEO and software work; neither app client has left a public review yet. We've removed the old page's sector list (banking, gaming, social media) because we can't evidence it. Two real apps beat seven claimed industries.
What your app is built with
- iOSSwift and SwiftUI against the current iOS SDK. Swift 6.3 shipped in March 2026 (Swift.org, 2026).
- AndroidKotlin and Jetpack Compose. Google declared Android "Compose-first" at I/O 2026; more than 68% of the top 1,000 apps use Compose in production (Android Developers Blog, 2026).
- BackendLaravel (PHP) or Node.js with NestJS; MySQL, MongoDB or DynamoDB; AWS or Azure in UK regions.
- ServicesStripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Firebase push, Maps.
- Testingreal devices across the iOS and Android versions your customers use, not just simulators.
Where we work
We build apps for clients across the UK and meet local clients at The Long Eaton Hub.
Frequentlyaskedquestions
Not covered here? Call and ask. We reply within 24 hours.
How much does it cost to develop an app in the UK?
UK agencies published 2026 ranges of roughly £10,000–£25,000 for an MVP, £25,000–£60,000 for a production app with a backend, and £80,000+ for complex or regulated apps. Scope, integrations and offline use drive the difference. We quote a fixed scope after discovery, so you know the price before build.
How long does it take to build an app?
A first store-ready release typically takes 8–16 weeks: one to two weeks of discovery, two to three of design, six to ten of build, then testing and submission. The 2026 median for an MVP is around 12 weeks. Decisions, store accounts and review time cause more delay than coding does.
Should I build native or cross-platform?
Native when the app is central to your business, needs hardware access or will live for years. Cross-platform when the interface is simple and budget is tight. In the UK iOS and Android are roughly 50/50, so plan for both eventually. We put the trade-offs in writing before you choose.
Do I need an app, or just a better website?
If customers use you once or twice a year, a fast mobile website usually wins. An app earns its place when people return often, you need push notifications, offline use, camera or location, or staff need a field tool. We'll tell you honestly which applies to you.
Who owns the source code?
You do, under a written IP assignment in our contract, made on final payment, because paying an invoice does not transfer copyright under UK law. Code, designs, store accounts, signing keys and cloud accounts are all in your company's name at handover, with documentation so any developer can take over.
How much does app maintenance cost per year?
Plan for 15–25% of the original build cost each year. That covers Apple's annual SDK deadline in spring, Google's target-API deadline in August, OS updates, crash fixes and small improvements. Skipping it is how apps end up unable to ship a simple bug fix. A monthly care plan makes the figure predictable.
What is an MVP and should I start with one?
A minimum viable product is the smallest version that proves customers want the app: one core workflow, login and basic admin. Starting there costs less, launches sooner and tells you what to build next from real usage rather than guesses. Most first apps should be MVPs.
Why do apps get rejected by Apple and Google?
Apple rejected 24.9% of submissions in 2024, and about two-thirds of those were "Performance" issues: crashes, incomplete features, placeholder content and inaccurate listings. Apps that are just a repackaged website are also refused. Our pre-submission QA checklist targets these specific reasons before we submit.
Can you take over an app built by another developer?
Yes. We start with a code and account audit: which SDK it was built with, whether it can still be submitted, crash reports, backend hosting and who holds the store accounts and signing keys. You get a prioritised fix list and a quote. Many rescues are updates, not rewrites.
Do you work with businesses outside the East Midlands?
Yes. App projects run remotely with fortnightly test builds and calls, and clients across the UK work with us that way. If you're local, we're happy to meet at The Long Eaton Hub or at your premises to map the app out together.
Tell us about your app
One paragraph on what it should do and who it's for is enough. We'll reply with questions, then a scoped estimate with cost and timeline in writing.
Author: Amit Saini, founder and lead developer, Vimana Digital. · Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
- 0115 647 0444
- contact@vimanadigital.com
- Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm
- 1 Union Street, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 1HH
"Great service, knowledgable and personable. No over sell and honest advice from someone at the top of their industry" — Karundeep Bal, Google review