Mobile app development, by the numbers
01
- users in the first 6 months for one iOS app we launched
- 50,000
02
- average time from kick-off to App Store or Play Store
- 12 weeks
03
- rated by clients on Clutch
- 4.9/5
04
- years shipping mobile apps for consumer and enterprise
- 9+
Apple approves around 85% of app submissions, but the 15% that get rejected tend to come from the same mistakes - inadequate privacy disclosures, guideline violations around in-app purchases, or entitlements that weren't declared properly. Knowing those failure modes before submission is most of the work.
iOS services
What we build for iOS
- 01
Consumer iPhone and iPad apps
Swift and SwiftUI for modern iOS UI. Authentication with Sign in with Apple, Firebase Auth, or Auth0. Payments via Stripe. Push notifications via APNs. App Store submission with screenshots, privacy labels, and age rating. Tested on iPhone SE through the latest Pro models.
- 02
iOS apps with in-app purchases
StoreKit 2 for subscriptions, consumable purchases, and non-consumable products. Server-side receipt validation to prevent fraudulent purchase restoration. Subscription management UI that meets App Store Review Guideline 3.1.1 - Apple will reject apps that don't give users a clear path to manage or cancel.
- 03
ARKit and Core ML apps
ARKit for world tracking, face tracking, image recognition, and object placement. Core ML for on-device inference - image classification, object detection, NLP - running without a network round-trip. Vision framework for real-time camera analysis.
- 04
HealthKit and fitness apps
HealthKit integration for reading activity data, heart rate, sleep, and nutrition. WorkoutKit for guided workout apps. ResearchKit for data collection in research or clinical applications. HealthKit requires specific privacy strings and user permission flows that Apple scrutinises closely.
- 05
Apple Watch and iPad extensions
WatchKit and SwiftUI for Apple Watch apps - companion experiences, notification extensions, and independent watch apps. iPad-optimised layouts using SwiftUI's adaptive containers and Stage Manager support. Universal apps that share a codebase between iPhone and iPad with platform-appropriate layouts.
- 06
iOS app migration and rebuilds
Objective-C to Swift migration for legacy iOS apps. UIKit to SwiftUI migration for apps that need modern UI architecture. Feature parity audit before migration starts - we document every screen and interaction before writing a line of new code.
Why us
Why teams choose RaftLabs
- 01
Senior engineers build what they scope
The engineers who assess your problem also build the solution. No bait-and-switch, no offshore handoff after the contract is signed. The team you meet in week 1 ships in week 12.
- 02
Fixed price before development starts
We scope the work, calculate the cost, and lock it in writing before any development starts. A scope change is a change request: priced, agreed, or dropped. It never absorbs into the project and appears on the final invoice.
- 03
9 years and 100+ products shipped
Clients include Vodafone, T-Mobile, Aldi, Nike, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin. Track record across iOS, Android, SaaS, AI, and enterprise platforms in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and hospitality.
- 04
App Store compliance built in from the start
Apple's review guidelines, privacy label requirements, and entitlements are scoped in week 1, not patched after rejection. We have handled HIPAA-compliant iOS apps for US healthcare clients and GDPR-compliant apps for European markets.
The process
How we build your iOS app
- Step 01
01Scope and Apple compliance review (week 1)
We document every user flow, data model, and third-party integration. We also review the planned features against Apple's App Store Review Guidelines upfront - not after the app is built. In-app purchase flows, privacy labels, and required entitlements are documented before design starts.
- Step 02
02Design in Figma (weeks 2-3)
Every screen designed at iPhone and iPad sizes if needed. We follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines - not because Apple requires it, but because users expect iOS apps to feel like iOS apps. Every interaction, empty state, and error state is designed before development starts.
- Step 03
03Build in milestones (weeks 4-10)
Two-week build cycles with a TestFlight build at the end of each. You install it on your own device and test it. Authentication, core flows, integrations, and platform features (Face ID, push, in-app purchases) all ship before polish and edge-case handling.
- Step 04
04QA and device testing (weeks 11-12)
Testing on real iPhones across supported iOS versions, not just the simulator. Accessibility audit against WCAG 2.1 AA. Performance profiling with Instruments. Apple review pre-check: we run through the App Store Review Guidelines before submission to catch likely rejections.
- Step 05
05App Store submission and handoff
We handle screenshots (10 sizes required), App Privacy labels, age rating, and any required entitlements. First submission is included. We budget one Apple revision cycle. You receive full source code, certificates, provisioning profiles, and documentation.
What does your iOS app need to do?
Face ID, ARKit, in-app purchases, HealthKit - tell us the requirements. We'll scope it before we price it.
We build native iOS with Swift and SwiftUI as the default, and reach for UIKit and Objective-C only where a legacy codebase or a specific component demands it. The backend, cloud, and tooling are chosen to fit your data and handover needs, then documented so any competent iOS team can take the project over. The technologies we reach for most often:
| Layer | Technologies we use | Where it fits |
|---|
| Languages | Swift, SwiftUI, Objective-C | Swift and SwiftUI for all new work; Objective-C only for legacy migration |
| Frameworks | UIKit, Combine, Core Data, SwiftData, StoreKit 2, ARKit, Core ML, HealthKit | UI, state, local persistence, in-app purchases, AR, on-device ML, and health data |
| Tooling | Xcode, TestFlight, Fastlane, Instruments | Build, beta distribution, release automation, and performance profiling |
| Backend | Node.js, Python, Firebase | APIs, business logic, authentication, and real-time data for the app |
| Cloud and DevOps | AWS, CI/CD | Production-grade hosting and automated build, test, and release pipelines |
The rule holds at every layer: no proprietary frameworks that lock you in, and no stack we cannot hand to your team on day one, including the certificates and provisioning profiles.
We price by project, not by the hour. After a scoping session you get a fixed quote with a defined scope, timeline, and price, so you know the number before development starts.
| Project type | Typical timeline | Cost range |
|---|
| Focused iOS app: core workflow, push notifications, authentication, App Store delivery | 8-10 weeks | $20,000--$50,000 |
| iOS app with backend API, in-app purchases, ARKit, or HealthKit features | 12-18 weeks | $50,000--$120,000 |
Apps with complex server-side logic and real-time features run higher. What pushes cost up: deep platform integrations such as ARKit or HealthKit, strict compliance requirements such as HIPAA and GDPR, and real-time features. What keeps it down: a narrow first scope, a single core workflow, and reusing managed services rather than building infrastructure early. We scope every project before pricing it.
The iOS development approach is largely the same across sectors. What changes is the compliance requirements and the data integrations specific to each one, from HealthKit and HIPAA in healthcare to payment and audit trails in fintech. We build iOS apps for:
Healthcare: HealthKit, HIPAA-ready remote patient monitoring, and clinical workflow apps.
FinTech: secure mobile banking, payments, and personal finance apps with biometric authentication.
Insurance: claims capture, policy management, and self-service iOS apps for policyholders.
Logistics: driver, dispatch, and last-mile tracking apps with offline support.
Real estate: listing, viewing, and property management apps for agents and buyers.
Education: learning, course, and student engagement apps for schools and edtech products.
