Mobile
Mobile
We design and build iOS and Android apps for founders and growth-stage teams, from a first version in the app stores to an app that serves thousands of users every day.
One senior team covers product, design and engineering. We help you decide what the app actually needs to do, build it to a standard that passes app store review and holds up in real use, and launch it with the analytics that show what to improve next.
One codebase for iOS and Android in most cases, so you build once and launch on both
Clickable prototype in 1–2 weeks; app store launch in 6–10 weeks for most first versions
Payments, NFC, maps, camera and offline capabilities built in where your product needs them
What we build
Consumer apps
Apps people choose to open every day: simple, fast and engaging, with onboarding that gets users to value in the first minute and the habits, notifications and rewards that bring them back.
Business and field apps
Apps that help teams work on the move: sales, field service, inspections, bookings and operations. Clear, efficient and reliable, including when the signal drops.
Fintech and payments apps
Apps that move money: in-app payments, wallets, subscriptions, and tap-to-pay using the phone's NFC chip, built with the security, audit trails and compliance that financial products need.
Marketplace and on-demand apps
Two-sided apps that connect buyers and sellers, or customers and providers: profiles, search, booking, messaging, payments and ratings.
AI-powered apps
Apps with AI at the core or as a feature: assistants, image and document recognition, voice, personalised recommendations and smart search.
The mobile companion to your web product
A mobile app that works alongside your existing SaaS or web platform, sharing the same accounts, data and back end.
Cross-platform, native or web: how we choose
The first technical decision has the biggest effect on your budget. We make it with you, in plain language, based on what your product needs.
Approach | What it means | When we recommend it |
|---|---|---|
Cross-platform (React Native, Flutter) | One codebase that runs as a real app on both iOS and Android | Most startup apps. Faster to build, cheaper to maintain, and one team for both platforms |
Native (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) | A separate app built specifically for each platform | Heavy use of device hardware, demanding graphics or performance, or deep platform features |
Mobile web app | A website that feels like an app, with no app store needed | Testing an idea quickly, or products people use occasionally rather than every day |
In every case, the app runs on a secure back end, using Node.js, Python or Go with PostgreSQL or Supabase, hosted on AWS or Google Cloud. If you already have a web product, the app can share its back end, accounts and data.
How we work
Step 1 — Scope
We agree who the app is for, the one job it must do brilliantly, and what waits for later. Mobile apps are especially easy to overbuild, so the "not now" list matters even more here.
You get: a one-page app brief, a locked first-release scope, the technical approach, and a fixed price.
Step 2 — Prototype & Validate
We design the key screens and build a clickable prototype that runs on a real phone, then test it with real users. Small-screen problems, such as cramped layouts, confusing gestures and too many steps, show up here, where they are cheap to fix.
You get: a tested prototype and a mobile design system in Figma.
Step 3 — Build
We build in one- to two-week cycles, with AI-assisted engineering under senior review. You install test builds on your own phone every week and see the app take shape.
You get: a working app on iOS and Android, connected to its back end.
Step 4 — Test & Launch
We test on real devices and screen sizes, prepare the app store listings, and handle submission to the Apple App Store and Google Play, including the review process. Where it makes sense, we launch to a small group first through TestFlight or Google Play testing tracks.
You get: a live app in both stores, a release plan, and a way to roll back if something goes wrong.
Step 5 — Measure & Improve
Analytics, crash reporting and a feedback channel are live from day one. We measure the whole journey, from the app store page to the user who keeps coming back, and compare every number against market benchmarks and the targets we agree with you.
Getting found and installed
Metric | What it tells you | Market benchmark | What we aim for |
|---|---|---|---|
Store page conversion (page view to install) | Whether your listing persuades | About 25% on the US App Store and 27% on Google Play; it varies widely by category | At or above your category average |
Store rating | Whether users trust and recommend the app | Apps rated above 4.5 stars tend to be the most stable ones | 4.5 stars or higher |
Stability and performance
Metric | What it tells you | Market benchmark | What we aim for |
|---|---|---|---|
Crash-free sessions | How often the app runs without crashing | Median 99.95%; top apps 99.99%; lagging apps 99.77% | 99.9% or higher at launch, rising to 99.95%+ |
Android crash rate | Google's own quality bar | Above 1.09% of users experiencing a crash, Google Play may reduce the app's visibility and show a warning | Well under 1% |
Android "not responding" rate | How often the app freezes | Google's limit is 0.47% of users | Well under 0.47% |
Start-up time | How long users wait before the app is usable | Every second of waiting loses users | Under 2 seconds on a typical phone |
Activation and retention
Metric | What it tells you | Market benchmark | What we aim for |
|---|---|---|---|
Onboarding completion | Whether new users get through set-up | — | 75–90%+ |
Activation | Whether new users reach the first real moment of value | — | 60–80%+ |
Day 1 retention | Whether the first session was worth it | Across all installs, often only 12–25%; strong categories such as finance and productivity reach 50%+ | 30%+, then at or above your category median |
Day 7 retention | Whether the app is becoming a habit | Often 6–12% across all installs | 15%+, then above category median |
Day 30 retention | Whether the app has lasting value | Often 3–6% across all installs; 20–28% for strong finance and productivity apps | 8%+, then above category median |
Daily / monthly active users | How often people come back | — | 20%+ for apps meant for daily use |
Retention depends heavily on the category and on how it is measured, so we set the exact targets with you during scoping, against apps like yours. Top-performing apps typically retain 1.5–2 times their category median.
You get: a launch dashboard tracking every number above, a post-launch review at 30 days that compares your app against these benchmarks, and a prioritised list of what to fix, improve or build next.
Sources: crash-free benchmarks from Luciq, 2026 Mobile App Performance Playbook; Android thresholds from Google Play, Android vitals; store conversion from Adapty, citing AppTweak H1 2024; retention from Adjust 2025 via Promodo and Unstar, 2026 category medians. Targets in the last column are Supernova's own.
What every app gets
Senior review of architecture, security, data and every important engineering decision
Secure logins and data: protected secrets, safe storage on the device, and encrypted connections
Tested on real devices and the screen sizes and OS versions your users have
Fast and smooth: quick start-up, responsive screens and sensible battery and data use
Works on a bad connection, with offline support where your users need it
Crash reporting and analytics from the first day
App store ready: listings, privacy details and review requirements handled for Apple and Google
Over-the-air updates where the technology allows, so small fixes reach users without waiting for store review
Documentation any future engineer can follow
You own the code, designs and app store accounts from day one.
Ways to work with us
App Prototype | Mobile MVP | Ongoing app team | |
|---|---|---|---|
Best for | Testing the idea, or showing investors, before building | Launching a first version in both app stores | Live apps that need continuous improvement |
Covers | Steps 1–2 | All five steps | Monthly roadmap, releases and improvements |
Length | 1–2 weeks | 6–10 weeks for most apps; 10–16+ weeks for complex or regulated apps | Monthly, ongoing |
Price (US$) | 8k–15k | 40k–90k; complex apps 90k–160k+ | 8k–25k / month |
Fixed scope and price for projects, with payments tied to milestones. Apple and Google developer account fees are paid directly by you, so the accounts are yours from the start.
Is this for you?
A good fit if you:
Need an iOS and Android app built, and do not have a senior mobile team
Have a web product and want a mobile app that works alongside it
Are building in payments, fintech, marketplaces or AI and need it done properly
Have an existing app that crashes, gets poor reviews or is hard to update
Not the right fit if you:
Are not yet sure people want the product. Start with Product Ideation & Discovery, or a quick App Prototype
Need developers by the hour to follow a fixed task list
Want a simple app version of a brochure website
Frequently asked questions
Should I build for iOS, Android or both? Usually both, from one codebase, which costs far less than two separate apps. If budget is tight, we look at where your customers are: in some markets most users are on iPhone, in others most are on Android.
Should I build an app or a web app first? If people will use the product daily, need notifications, or need phone features such as the camera, NFC or location, an app is usually worth it. If they will use it occasionally, a mobile web app is faster and cheaper to start with. We will tell you which fits.
How long does it take to build a mobile app? A clickable prototype takes 1–2 weeks. Most first versions reach the app stores in 6–10 weeks; complex or regulated apps take longer.
How much does it cost? Most mobile MVPs cost US$40k–90k, and complex apps such as fintech or marketplaces US$90k–160k or more. Every project has a fixed price once the scope is agreed.
Do you handle app store submission? Yes. We prepare the listings, screenshots and privacy details, submit to the Apple App Store and Google Play, and handle any feedback from the review process.
Can you take over an existing app? Yes. We start with a technical audit, then fix, improve or rebuild what is holding it back, without taking the app offline.
Do I own the app? Yes. You own the code, designs and app store accounts from day one.
From idea to the home screen
The apps people keep are not the ones with the most features. They do one job brilliantly, start fast, never lose your data, and get better every release.
Have an app idea? Let's bring it to life together.
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Engineering & AI
From SaaS and mobile products to AI, cloud, data, and enterprise systems, we bring the technical capability needed to build and scale.
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From discovery and MVP build to growth and scaling, we help you define the right product direction and move it into execution.
