Gain access to the full potential of your app with native app development.

Native app development refers to the process of building applications solely for a specific operating system (OS)—like iOS or Android. Unlike cross-platform development, which abstracts away platform particulars, native development uses first-party languages and tools that fit hand in glove with OS features and quirks. For iOS app development, you’ll write Swift or Objective-C in the Xcode IDE, and for Android app development, it’s Java or Kotlin in Android Studio.

The term “native” emphasizes the close integration of the app with the device’s native functionalities and capabilities. Native apps sit closer to the metal, so they have less ceremony to endure accessing a device’s OS features and hardware. This can mean better performance and a more seamless user experience.

Choosing native app development for mobile apps offers several compelling advantages that make it the right fit for some developers and businesses, such as:

1. Superior Performance: Native apps are built specifically for a particular operating system, allowing them to unlock the full potential of the device’s hardware and software. As a result, native apps can be faster, smoother, and responsive compared to hybrid or web apps.


2. Enhanced User Experience: Native apps tend to fall into the pit of success for design guidelines and UI of the target platform. This tends to produce apps that feel intuitive and familiar to users, resulting in a seamless and engaging user experience.

3. Access to Native Features: Native app development provides developers tight integration with a device’s native features, including camera, GPS, accelerometer, contacts, biometrics, and more. This makes it easy for developers to create feature-rich and innovative apps that stretch the performance envelope of each platform.

4. Better Security and Reliability: Native apps are held to rigorous security standards by the app stores, which can bring a greater scrutiny on securing user data. Also, being specifically designed for the OS, native apps can be less prone to crashes compared to cross-platform apps, which have more moving parts.

5. Platform-specific Optimisation: Developers can fine-tune native apps to each platform, optimising for the unique features and conventions of iOS and Android users. This platform-specific optimisation contributes to better user engagement and satisfaction.

6. Long-term Compatibility: Native app development allows developers to track the bleeding edge of OS releases and features. This helps keep technical debt manageable for the life of an app, and makes adopting shiny new platform features easy.

7. App Store Visibility: Native apps, if they adhere to platform guidelines, are more likely to be promoted by app stores. This can lead to increased organic downloads and better exposure to potential users.

While native app development may require parallel development efforts for each platform, the benefits of superior performance, enhanced user experience, and access to native features make it a compelling choice.

The journey to your first finished native app probably won’t be exactly the same as anyone else’s, but here is a rough guide to get you started:

1. Define Your App Idea and Objectives: Begin by clarifying your app idea and defining your objectives. What does it do? Who is it for? Stripped to its core, what problem will your app solve Test the waters with a little market research to sniff out potential competitors and opportunities. Talk to people, or stand up a landing page for folks to register interest.

2. Choose the Platform: Decide on the platform you want to target first, iOS or Android. Do most of your potential customers have iPhones or Pixels? This will get you the biggest bang for your budget, and what you learn about your app on one platform will feed into the other. If your budget won’t stretch to both platforms, consider going cross-plat with React Native.

3. Learn the Programming Language: Familiarize yourself with the programming language(s) required for native app development on your chosen platform. For iOS, Swift and Objective-C are commonly used, while Java and Kotlin are used for Android. If you’re starting from scratch, pick the most modern languages—Swift and Kotlin, respectively.

4. Set Up Your Development Environment: Install the necessary software development kits (SDKs) and Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for your chosen platform. Xcode is the IDE for iOS development, and Android Studio is used for Android development.

5. Start Coding: Make use of IDE wizards, which will set up boilerplate for the kind of app you want to build. Look for open source projects that are similar to get a feel for best practice in laying our your files and folders. Start with an easy win that demonstrates you can get something—anything—onto the screen, to confirm you can build and run your fledgling app.

6. Design the User Interface (UI): Look at how other apps that are similar to yours display information and navigate. Sketch out some flows through your app on paper, then match them to the native UI components provided by your chosen platform—this will give your UI consistency and familiarity. Check the latest docs from Apple and Google to make sure you’re following their design guidelines.

7. Test Your App: Regularly test your app throughout development to identify and fix bugs and issues. Use the native test facilities to add some unit and integration tests. Check how your app behaves on different devices and OS versions to find those edge cases.

8. Optimise Performance: Pay attention to how your app performs. If it’s slow or janky, you may need to profile it and tweak it. Native apps should provide a seamless user experience, so performance is crucial.

9. Implement Native Features: Take advantage of native features and APIs provided by the platform to enhance the functionality and user experience of your app. Thoughtful use of, say, the platform’s biometric features for validating the user might make the difference between your app and the next.

10. Handle App Store Requirements: If you plan to publish your app on app stores, familiarise yourself with their guidelines and requirements. You might have to target a certain version of the platform OS. Prepare the necessary app assets, such as app icons, screenshots, and descriptions.

11. Test on Real Users (Beta Testing): Before the official launch, conduct beta testing with a group of real users to gather feedback and identify any last-minute issues. Yes, you can include your mum.

12. Publish Your App: Once your app is fully tested and ready, submit it to the app store for review and publication. It’s important that you tick all the boxes here, as failure to follow their guidelines could mean your app is rejected, or hard to discover with the store search. On the flip side, if you knock this out of the park—who knows?—your app could get featured.

13. Monitor and Update: After the launch, watch how users respond to your app with reviews and ratings. If you added some analytics during development, these can offer you a wealth of insight into what parts of your app are being used, and how they’re performing (or crashing). Regularly update your app to fix bugs, add new features, and ensure it remains compatible with the latest OS versions. Users love it when developers and listen to their input and improve the app.

Remember that native app development is a continuous process, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies will help you create successful and engaging apps for your users.

The cost of native app development can vary widely depending on the complexity of the app, the platforms targeted (including the range of form factors and OS versions supported), the location of the development team, and their level of expertise. Here are some key cost considerations:

1. App Complexity: The more complex the app, the higher the development cost. Apps with advanced features, custom animations, real-time data synchronization, and backend integrations will require more time and resources to develop. There’s no free lunch, but judicious technology choice helps.


2. Platform: Developing for both iOS and Android will cost more than targeting a single platform due to the need for separate development efforts and testing on each platform. This is one reason many developers opt for a cross-platform solution.


3. Design and User Experience: Creating a polished and user-friendly UI/UX design can add to the development cost, especially if you require custom designs or animations. At the same time, a clear, logically-designed UX can be reflected in a tidy code base that is easy for developers to understand and add to. It helps keen them sane too.


4. Backend Development: Apps that require server-side functionality and backend development will have additional costs for server setup and maintenance. Cloud providers, such as Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure can make some of this plumbing easier to create and scale when your app takes off.


5. Team Expertise: The experience and expertise of the development team can influence the cost. Highly skilled developers may charge higher rates, but their expertise can result in a better product, and one that’s easier to continue to support. As with most things, you get what you pay for.


6. App Maintenance and Updates: After the initial development, there will be ongoing costs for app maintenance, bug fixes, updates, and compatibility with new OS versions. Users love apps that get better over time.


7. Geographic Location: The location of the development team can impact the cost. Rates can vary significantly based on the region or country where the developers are located. Avoid teams with no track record of support. Being able to meet face to face with developers is always valuable, but worst case, aim to be in a similar timezone. No one likes doing stand-up at 2AM.


As a rough estimate, the cost of native app development can range from several thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the complexity and scope of the app. Simple apps with basic features might be achievable by one experienced dev with a few weeks of dedicated time, while more complex apps with advanced functionalities might absorb a small team for months and cost $250,000 or more.


A reputable app developer company (like Adapptor 😉) will give you an accurate cost estimate for your specific app. They’ll help you break your idea into concrete requirements, and point out things you might not have considered. This will go a long way to helping you make informed decisions to fit your budget and project goals.