Native desktop apps that run when the network doesn't.

A desktop app makes sense when one or more of these conditions apply. Your users need the software to work without an internet connection, such as field inspectors, warehouse teams, or anyone operating in low-connectivity environments. Your workflow requires direct access to the local file system, USB devices, serial ports, printers, or cameras in ways a browser cannot expose cleanly. You're handling sensitive data that must stay on the device and never transit a server. Your processing tasks are CPU or GPU intensive enough that network latency to a cloud server would make the experience unusable. Or your users need OS-level features like system tray notifications, background services, or global keyboard shortcuts. If none of those apply, a web app is usually the right choice and we'll tell you that in the scoping call.

Electron (which packages a Chromium browser and Node.js into a desktop installer) is the right choice when you need to ship on Windows and macOS from a single codebase, your team already works in JavaScript or TypeScript, and your app's workload is not graphics-intensive. Electron runs well for tools, dashboards, data entry, and internal ops software. Tauri is a third option worth knowing: it uses the OS's native webview instead of bundling Chromium, producing a much smaller installer (typically 5-10MB vs Electron's 80-150MB) while still letting you build the UI in web technologies. The backend logic runs in Rust rather than Node.js, which gives Tauri apps a lower memory footprint and faster startup. Native development (Swift or SwiftUI for macOS, C# with WinUI or WPF for Windows) is the right choice when you need the tightest OS integration, the best performance on hardware-intensive tasks, or deep access to platform-specific APIs. We scope the right approach during discovery based on your use case, device targets, and team constraints, not a blanket preference.

Yes, and that's one of the main reasons to build a desktop app rather than a web app. We design the local data layer first. Data lives in a local database (SQLite is the most common choice for desktop apps) on the user's machine. The app reads and writes locally with no network dependency. When connectivity is available, a sync layer pushes local changes to the cloud backend and pulls remote updates down. We design the conflict resolution logic during discovery so that simultaneous offline edits from multiple users don't produce corrupted records when they sync. The offline-first architecture is not an add-on, it shapes the data model from the start.

A focused desktop app, core workflow, local data storage, and cloud sync for one platform, typically runs $25,000-$60,000. Cross-platform builds (Windows and macOS from a single Electron codebase) add roughly 20-30% compared to a single-platform build. Apps with complex OS integrations, hardware peripheral support, or enterprise security requirements run higher. We scope every project before pricing it and give you a fixed cost, not a time-and-materials estimate.

Most desktop apps ship in 10-16 weeks from project start to a production installer. The range depends on scope, the complexity of the offline sync layer, and the number of OS integrations required. We start with a discovery phase (1-2 weeks) to define the data model and architecture before writing application code. Weekly sprints with working builds mean you're reviewing real software from week two, not waiting until the end for a demo.

Yes. We sign NDAs before any technical discussion begins. For desktop apps handling sensitive on-device data, proprietary business logic, or regulated information (HIPAA, GDPR), we treat confidentiality as a baseline requirement, not an optional add-on. Source code ownership transfers to you on final delivery.