Native Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for consumer apps, enterprise tools, and industry-specific platforms. We handle the full Android build: architecture, UI, backend integration, and Google Play submission. We design for the Android platform as it actually works -- Material Design guidelines, device fragmentation testing, and the permission and security model that Google Play review requires. You own the code.
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2,000+ shipments yr 1RaftLabs builds native Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for consumer apps, enterprise mobile tools, and industry-specific platforms. We handle architecture, UI, backend integration, and Google Play submission. Fixed cost agreed before development starts.
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Native Android development means building for the platform as Google designed it -- Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, Material Design, and the full Android SDK without the abstraction layer of a cross-platform runtime. The result is an app that behaves like an Android app, uses Android-native interactions, and accesses the full range of Android device capabilities without workarounds.
For businesses that need an app that integrates deeply with Android system features, that performs at the level Android users expect on mid-range hardware, or that needs to stay current with each Android release, native Kotlin development is the right choice.
Capabilities
End-user apps for Google Play -- marketplace apps, content platforms, service booking apps, social products, and consumer experiences built in Kotlin with Jetpack Compose and Material Design 3. Compose UI for declarative, animatable interfaces with LazyColumn and LazyVerticalGrid for efficient large list rendering and AnimatedContent/AnimatedVisibility for smooth transitions that match user expectations from top Android apps. Hilt for dependency injection with compile-time validation. Kotlin Coroutines and Flow for async operations and reactive UI updates: StateFlow replaces LiveData for Compose-compatible state management. Retrofit with OkHttp for REST API integration; serialisation via Kotlinx Serialization for type-safe JSON handling. Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications with data payloads that update app state in the background even when the app isn't open. Google Play Billing Library 6 for in-app purchases and subscriptions with purchase token verification server-side to prevent receipt fraud. Permission request flows that pre-contextualise system dialogs (location, camera, notifications) with an in-app rationale screen before the system dialog appears -- users who see the rationale approve at significantly higher rates. Google Play In-App Review API triggers a rating request after the user completes a meaningful action rather than immediately on launch.
Internal Android apps for field workers, warehouse staff, delivery drivers, and operational teams -- purpose-built for the specific workflow rather than a generic enterprise platform the team adapts to. Room database (Jetpack's SQLite ORM) with a local-first data model: all writes go to the local database first, then sync to the backend when connectivity is available. WorkManager for background sync: the Android OS schedules the sync job when the device has connectivity and is not in battery saver mode, without the battery drain of continuous polling. CameraX for document capture with consistent API across the Android device fragmentation landscape; ML Kit on-device barcode scanning (1D/2D) without a hardware scanner; OkHttp with custom interceptors for automatic retry and certificate pinning against the corporate backend. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) integration for Zebra, Honeywell, and Datalogic scanner SDKs where hardware scanners are required in warehouse environments. Biometric authentication via BiometricPrompt API (fingerprint, face recognition) for shared devices where multiple workers use the same device. Android Enterprise managed configuration: MDM-deployed via Google Play for Work with silent install, push updates, and policy enforcement via Managed Configurations (application restrictions configurable per device group without a code change). The app that works in the warehouse without WiFi and syncs everything when the worker reaches the office.
Apps designed around Android's hardware and software ecosystem rather than ported from iOS with platform assumptions stripped out. Large-screen and foldable device support via WindowSizeClass API: the app reconfigures its layout at Compact/Medium/Expanded width breakpoints -- a phone layout, a tablet layout, and a foldable unfolded layout -- using Compose's AdaptiveNavigationSuite and ListDetailPaneScaffold to match the Android large-screen design guidelines Google added to Play Store requirements. Hinge posture detection via FoldingFeature for foldables: a camera app uses the flat/half-open/closed posture to show viewfinder on one panel and controls on the other when the device is in tabletop mode. Android App Widgets built with Glance (Jetpack Compose-based widget framework) for home screen and lock screen surfaces. Wear OS companion app development with data layer API for real-time phone-to-watch data sync. Android Auto integration via Car App Library for apps that provide driving-relevant functionality (navigation, media, messaging). Background processing patterns that survive Android's aggressive battery optimisation: WorkManager for deferrable tasks, foreground services with persistent notifications for ongoing operations, and exact alarms via AlarmManager for time-critical scheduling.
Deep integration with Android system capabilities that make an app part of the device ecosystem rather than a web page in a container. Camera2 API for advanced photography: manual exposure, RAW capture, and multi-camera coordination on devices that support it; CameraX as the higher-level alternative for apps where consistent behaviour across the device fragmentation landscape matters more than manual control. NFC via NfcAdapter: NdefMessage read/write for NDEF tags; IsoDep for ISO 7816-4 contactless smart card communication; host-based card emulation (HCE) for Android as a contactless card. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) via BluetoothGatt for custom GATT profile implementations: peripheral discovery, characteristic read/write, and indication subscription for real-time hardware data streams. Health Connect (Android's unified health data platform, replacing Google Fit) for reading and writing health and fitness data with the user's permission grants managed by the Health Connect app. Google Maps Platform integration: Maps SDK for embedded maps, Directions API for routing, Places API for location search with autocomplete. FusedLocationProviderClient for battery-efficient location updates with configurable accuracy/battery tradeoff (PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY for field service dispatch, PRIORITY_BALANCED_POWER_ACCURACY for asset tracking).
Google Play submission managed as a structured process. Data Safety section: every data type collected is categorised (location, contacts, financial info, etc.), the purpose documented, and whether it's shared with third parties declared -- Google reviews this for accuracy and rejects submissions with missing declarations. Content rating questionnaire completed accurately for each category (violence, sexual content, controlled substances) to receive the correct age rating in each country -- incorrect ratings trigger review actions post-launch. Target API level: Google Play requires apps to target the most recent Android major version within one year of its release; staying current requires annual SDK migration to avoid losing the ability to submit updates. Play Console testing tracks: Internal Testing (25 users, immediate), Closed Testing/Beta (configurable user list), and Open Testing (any user who opts in via a Play Store link) -- staged distribution before production rollout. Firebase Test Lab pre-launch report runs automated crawl tests across a matrix of real Android devices and Android versions; the report surfaces crashes and ANRs on device/OS combinations that aren't in the development device pool. Play Console Android Vitals monitoring for crash rate, ANR rate, and battery/wake lock violations that affect Play Store ranking. Post-launch metadata optimisation: keyword experimentation via Play Console custom store listings, screenshot A/B testing for download conversion.
Ongoing Android development after initial launch -- new features on a sprint cadence, Android version compatibility updates, and the bugs that surface from real-world usage across hundreds of device models and multiple Android OS versions simultaneously. Target SDK level compliance is an annual obligation: Google Play requires apps to target the current major Android SDK within one year of its release; missing the deadline blocks the ability to submit updates. Android Gradle Plugin (AGP) upgrades are required alongside target SDK updates; each AGP version can introduce breaking changes in build scripts, dependency resolution, and build toolchain compatibility that require investigation. Kotlin version migration when the language introduces breaking changes or when Jetpack Compose requires a specific minimum Kotlin version. Firebase Crashlytics monitoring by Android version and device model: distinguishes crashes introduced by an app update (consistent device distribution matching the app's install base) from crashes introduced by an Android OS update (spike concentrated on the affected Android version). Android Vitals monitoring in Play Console tracks crash rate, ANR rate, and battery wake lock violations against Play Store baseline thresholds that affect search ranking and install approval. Performance profiling in Android Studio Profiler on mid-range devices (Pixel 3a or Samsung A-series as baselines): the flagship devices used for development routinely mask memory pressure and render jank that appear on the 80% of the Android install base running non-flagship hardware.
Tell us what the app needs to do, who uses it, and whether you need a backend alongside it. We'll scope it and give you a fixed cost.
Mobile App Development -- full mobile development capability overview
iOS App Development -- native iOS apps in Swift and SwiftUI
React Native Development -- cross-platform iOS and Android from a shared codebase
Flutter Development -- Flutter apps for iOS and Android
Custom Software Development -- web apps and enterprise platforms alongside your Android app
AI Development -- AI features built into your Android app
Frequently asked questions
Native Android development in Kotlin is the better choice when: your app requires deep integration with Android system capabilities -- NFC, Bluetooth LE, camera2 API, widget development, or background services with specific hardware requirements; you need access to the latest Android APIs before they're available in cross-platform frameworks; performance requirements make the JavaScript bridge or Dart runtime overhead unacceptable; or you're building exclusively for Android and cross-platform adds complexity without economic benefit. For apps targeting both Android and iOS with similar feature sets, React Native or Flutter often makes more sense. We'll give you an honest assessment during scoping.
Device fragmentation is managed through a defined device testing matrix rather than hoping the app works everywhere. During scoping, we identify the Android versions and device categories your target users are on -- typically informed by your existing analytics or industry benchmarks. We build and test against that matrix, not against a single device. Jetpack Compose and the Android Jetpack libraries handle most UI consistency concerns across screen sizes. Where specific hardware or OS version behaviour differs, we handle it with conditional code paths and document the supported configuration. Google Play Console's pre-launch report runs automated tests across additional devices.
Yes to both. Most Android apps need a backend for user authentication, data persistence, push notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging, and business logic. Where you have an existing API, we build the Android app to integrate with it. Where you need a new backend, we scope and build it alongside the Android app as part of the same engagement. The backend scope is assessed during discovery based on what the app needs to do and what existing infrastructure you have. We use Retrofit for API integration and Room for local data persistence.
A focused Android app -- a single use case, clean UI, and standard integrations -- typically runs $25,000 to $60,000. A more complex app with custom UI components, multiple user roles, real-time features, significant backend development, and offline capability typically runs $60,000 to $150,000. Fixed cost agreed before development starts. We scope every project before pricing it.
Work with us
We scope Android App Development in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.