Education mobile app development that learners actually finish.
Session completion rates on desktop eLearning platforms are typically 30 to 40 percent. The same content delivered through a well-designed mobile learning app reaches 60 to 70 percent completion. The difference is not the content. It is when and where learners can access it. RaftLabs builds iOS and Android apps for EdTech companies, educational institutions, and corporate learning teams. Mobile learning apps, student companion apps, tutor marketplace apps, language learning apps, exam prep tools, and corporate training apps with manager dashboards. Integrated with your LMS via SCORM or xAPI, your payment processor, and your video platform from the start.
Mobile learning apps with offline access, microlearning, and push notification reminders for course completion
Student companion apps with timetable, assignments, grades, and campus event management
Tutor marketplace apps with booking, session management, and Stripe payment integration
Corporate training apps with manager dashboards, completion tracking, and xAPI reporting
LMS integration via SCORM and xAPI for Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, and Cornerstone
Fixed price, 10-14 week delivery for most education mobile app builds
Recent outcomes
eLearning platform · US education company
5,000+ daily active users
Built a mobile learning platform with 200+ content modules, offline access, and progress tracking. 5,000+ daily active users within 90 days of launch.
Student app · Higher education institution
85% student adoption
Built a student companion app with timetable, assignment tracking, campus events, and grade notifications. 85% adoption rate within the first semester.
Corporate training app · Enterprise L&D team
71% completion rate
Built a mobile-first training app with manager dashboards, completion tracking, and xAPI integration with Cornerstone. Completion rates improved from 34% to 71%.
EdTech platform with 30% desktop session completion and no mobile option to reach learners when they have time to learn?
University or college that wants a student app but is paying per-student fees for a generic campus platform that does half of what you need?
Corporate L&D team running training through a browser-only LMS and losing mobile learners who open it once and never come back?
Short answer
RaftLabs builds iOS and Android education mobile apps for EdTech companies, educational institutions, and corporate learning teams. App types include mobile learning apps, student companion apps, tutor marketplace apps, and corporate training apps with manager dashboards. SCORM and xAPI LMS integration. Fixed price, 10-14 week delivery.
Key takeaways
Most education mobile apps deliver in 10 to 14 weeks at a fixed price agreed before development starts.
Mobile learning apps include offline access, push notification reminders, and LMS integration via SCORM and xAPI.
Corporate training apps include manager dashboards, completion tracking, and xAPI reporting to Cornerstone and other LMS platforms.
One education platform built by RaftLabs reached 5,000+ daily active users within 90 days of launch.
A corporate training app RaftLabs built improved completion rates from 34% to 71%.
A student companion app achieved 85% adoption rate within the first semester.
Trusted by
The course that only got finished on the couch, not at the desk.
An eLearning platform pushes 200 modules through a browser, and a third of learners ever reach the end of one. Not because the content is weak, but because the only place to open it is a desktop, and learning happens in the gaps: the commute, the lunch break, the ten minutes before bed.
Put the same course on the device the learner already carries, with offline access and a push reminder when a module stalls, and completion moves from 30 to 40 percent up toward 60 to 70.
The content did not change. The moment it could be opened did.
According to Grand View Research, the global mobile learning market was valued at $81.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.7% through 2030. That growth is driven by one simple reality: learners complete more when the content meets them on the device they actually carry.
Session completion on desktop eLearning platforms typically runs 30 to 40 percent. The same content delivered through a well-designed mobile learning app reaches 60 to 70 percent. The difference is not the content. It is when and where learners can open it.
RaftLabs has shipped 100+ products across every vertical, for clients including Vodafone, T-Mobile, Aldi, Nike, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin, and is rated 4.9/5 by clients on Clutch. In education specifically, we built an eLearning platform that reached 5,000+ daily active users within 90 days of launch, and a corporate training app that lifted completion rates from 34% to 71%. The team that scopes your LMS integration and compliance requirements is the team that ships the app. Building adaptive learning or automated assessment on top? See AI for education.
A mobile build pays off when learners would use one and your LMS can feed it.
Everything on the left should already be true for your program. Even one thing on the right, and a browser-based course or a configured platform is the smarter first step.
A fit
01
An EdTech platform, institution, or corporate L&D program with learners who would open a mobile app if it existed.
02
An LMS or student information system the app needs to integrate with via SCORM, xAPI, or a REST API.
03
Budget for a fixed-price build from $30,000, and a decision-maker who can define the learner workflows.
Not a fit
A handful of learners a browser-based course already serves well.
You want a generic white-label app with no integration to your LMS or content library.
Requirements still forming, with no LMS or content library in place yet.
Timetable, assignment tracking with due date alerts, grade notifications, campus events calendar, and campus map. Secure messaging with faculty. Student ID integration for campus services. Integrated with the student information system for live data. Push notifications for grade updates and announcement broadcasts.
03
Tutor marketplace apps
Student and tutor profiles, subject and availability search, session booking with calendar integration, and in-app payment via Stripe. Session management with video call integration, session notes, and assignment file sharing. Tutor rating and review system. Payout management for tutor earnings.
04
Language learning apps
Spaced repetition vocabulary, pronunciation practice with speech recognition, conversational AI exercises, and daily streak mechanics. Progress tracking by language skill: reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Gamification with XP, levels, and leaderboards.
05
Exam prep apps
Question bank with performance-based adaptive testing, mock exams with timed conditions, detailed answer explanations, and weak-area identification. Performance analytics showing score trends and topic-level gaps. Offline access for study sessions without connectivity.
06
Corporate training apps
Course assignments with manager-defined deadlines, completion tracking, assessment scoring, and xAPI reporting to the corporate LRS or LMS. Manager dashboard showing team completion rates, overdue assignments, and assessment scores. Compliance training workflow with acknowledgement capture and record keeping.
Why education teams choose us
01
LMS integration as a first-class concern
A mobile learning app that does not write completion and progress back to the LMS is not a training solution; it is a standalone app that creates a parallel tracking problem. We treat SCORM and xAPI integration as a first-class architecture concern, assessed during week-one discovery and tested against your LMS staging environment before production.
02
Offline-first for learning without connectivity
Learning happens when learners have time, not when they have WiFi. Offline-first architecture lets learners download course content, complete assessments, and track progress without internet access, syncing to the LMS when connectivity returns.
03
Compliance built in from the start
COPPA, FERPA, and GDPR requirements for education apps are assessed during week-one discovery and designed into the architecture before development begins. We prepare the privacy documentation and parental consent flows before submission, because Apple and Google both enforce education-specific compliance during app review.
04
Fixed price before development starts
Scope, cost, and integration requirements locked in writing before development begins. LMS integration complexity, the most common education app cost driver, is assessed in week one. No open-ceiling estimates, no mid-build surprises.
05
The team that scopes it ships it
The people who assess your LMS integration and compliance requirements also build the app. No handoff after the contract is signed, from offline-first architecture through App Store submission.
06
9 years, 100+ products shipped
Clients include Vodafone, T-Mobile, Aldi, Nike, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin. Education track record includes an eLearning platform with 5,000+ daily active users and 200+ content modules delivered for a US education company.
Ready to scope your education mobile app?
Thirty minutes. You leave with a workflow assessment, an LMS integration scope, and a fixed price. No commitment required.
How it works
From discovery to the App Store
Week 1
01
Learner workflow and LMS mapping
We map every learner type, student, employee, tutor, manager, through the workflows the app needs to support. LMS integration points, video platform, and payment requirements are assessed. You leave week one with a written scope, an integration assessment, and a fixed-price quote.
Weeks 2-3
02
Compliance review and design
COPPA, FERPA, GDPR, or corporate compliance requirements are assessed and designed into the architecture. Every screen is wireframed against the actual learning workflow. Offline-first architecture is designed for learning apps before development begins.
Weeks 4-12
03
Build, integrate, and QA
Bi-weekly sprint delivery with TestFlight and Android beta builds from sprint one. LMS integration tested against staging environment. Offline sync tested in disconnected scenarios. Video playback tested on target device types and connection speeds. QA runs in parallel with development.
Weeks 12-14
04
App Store submission and launch
App Store and Google Play submission with age rating and data privacy documentation. Education-specific privacy disclosures for apps used in schools. Full source code, integration documentation, and App Store credentials handed over at project close.
Cost depends on the app type and the depth of LMS integration, not negotiation. LMS integration complexity is the most common education app cost driver, and it is assessed in week one. Where you land:
Mobile learning app, $35,000-$60,000
Course player with video and interactive assessments, progress tracking, offline access, and push notification reminders.
Student companion app, $30,000-$55,000
Timetable, assignment tracking, grade notifications, and campus events, integrated with the student information system.
Tutor marketplace app, $45,000-$75,000
Student and tutor profiles, availability search, session booking with calendar integration, and in-app payment via Stripe.
Corporate training app, $50,000-$80,000
Course assignments, completion tracking, manager dashboards, and xAPI reporting to the corporate LRS or LMS.
What it costs
Fixed price, agreed before development starts.
A one-week discovery, then a mobile build with the LMS integration, offline access, and compliance flows it needs to run under real learner load.
$30,000-$80,000
Fixed cost by project. 10-14 weeks to the App Store. LMS integration complexity, the most common cost driver, is assessed in week one.
No open-ceiling estimates and no mid-build surprises. You know the number before development starts.
Fixed price
Scope, cost, and integration requirements locked in writing before development begins. A scope change is a priced change request, agreed before work begins.
Post-launch support
8 weeks of post-launch support included in the project price: LMS sync monitoring, OS compatibility updates, and performance tuning, with on-call availability during the first 30 days.
A focused mobile learning app with course player, progress tracking, offline access, and push notification reminders typically runs $35,000 to $60,000. A student companion app with timetable, assignment tracking, grades, and campus events runs $30,000 to $55,000. A tutor marketplace app with booking, session management, and Stripe payment runs $45,000 to $75,000. A corporate training app with manager dashboards, completion reporting, and xAPI integration runs $50,000 to $80,000. The fixed total is agreed before development starts. Request a 30-minute call to get a number for your specific scope.
Most education mobile apps deliver in 10 to 14 weeks. A mobile learning app with standard course player, progress tracking, and push notifications typically delivers in 10 to 12 weeks. A tutor marketplace with booking, payment, and session management runs 12 to 14 weeks. A corporate training app with LMS integration, manager dashboards, and xAPI reporting typically runs 12 to 16 weeks depending on the LMS and reporting complexity. Every project begins with a one-week discovery session before any code is written.
We connect to LMS platforms via SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, and xAPI (Tin Can). SCORM integration lets the mobile app launch SCORM packages, track completion status, and write scores back to the LMS. xAPI integration lets the app send detailed learning activity statements, time spent, interaction results, and navigation events, to the LRS or LMS. For LMS platforms with REST APIs (Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, Cornerstone), we also use direct API integration for non-content data: course enrolment, grade sync, and user profile management. The integration approach is assessed during week-one discovery based on your LMS, the version in use, and the data flows you need.
Yes. Offline access is one of the most requested features for mobile learning apps and one of the most technically important to get right. Learners download course content to their device for offline playback. Video, documents, assessments, and interactive content all need to be cached locally. Progress is tracked offline, so a learner who completes a module without connectivity sees their progress update in the app immediately. When connectivity returns, progress is synced to the LMS. We test offline scenarios explicitly, including the edge case of a learner completing content offline, losing the device, and recovering progress from a fresh installation.
Vimeo and Wistia for hosted video with DRM protection, preventing download and screen recording of premium content. AWS MediaConvert and CloudFront for self-hosted video with adaptive bitrate streaming, so video quality adjusts to available bandwidth automatically. Mux for live event streaming and on-demand playback with detailed analytics. YouTube for public course content where DRM is not required. For offline-capable apps, we use HLS with AES-128 encryption for cached video, which protects content even when stored on the device. The video platform choice is assessed during week-one discovery based on your content type, DRM requirements, and existing infrastructure.
For apps targeting children under 13 in the US, COPPA applies: no behavioural advertising, parental consent for data collection, and a privacy policy that covers how children's data is handled. Apple and Google both enforce COPPA compliance during app review and will reject apps that collect personal data from children without appropriate consent flows. For apps used in US K-12 schools, FERPA applies: student education records are protected, and the app must not share student data with third parties without school authorisation. For apps handling personal data of EU or UK residents, GDPR applies: consent management, data residency controls, and right to erasure. For corporate training apps in regulated industries, additional compliance requirements may apply. We scope these during week-one discovery.
Work with us
Tell us what you need. We'll tell you what it would take.
We scope Education Mobile App Development in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.
Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.
