If you’re searching for a UK app developer then you’ve come to the right place. The UK has been referred to as a “powerhouse” of the global app development market, and for iOS, Android and Cross Platform, the data backs it all up.
In 2019, 79% of adults in UK owned a smartphone. On average brits spent 2 hours and 34 minutes interacting with their smartphones on a daily basis, spending 1 out of 5 minutes on social media. 72% of mobile connections in UK were 4G.
The app development market naturally follows, with plenty of app developers both in London and beyond, another hub being Manchester. This guide looks at the UK app development scene in detail, counting up the cost of having a mobile application developed in the country. It covers what you should think about when choosing an app developer in the UK and then lists some of the best companies who operate in the country.
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Learn moreWe have put this list of UK app developers together based on our own research, suggestions from our network and based on rankings and data from other third party sources and sites. The list is in no particular order, rather we have tried to aggregate and curate a range of useful suggestions for UK app development shops. Whether you choose to work with them or not is up to you to decide. This guide is divided into four sections, providing background on the market, typical app development costs and the best way to make your selection before providing some more details on specific app development companies operating in the UK market.
You can jump to the start of each section using the section headings below:
- The app developer market in the UK
- UK app development costs and statistics
- How to choose app developers in the UK
- Best UK App Developers
We begin with an overview of the app developer market in the UK.
The app developer market in the UK
It’s a strong one.
Revenues in the UK app developer market are forecast to be more than £31 billion by 2025, and according to a report by Vision Mobile, the economy will be worth more than £30 billion by 2030.
App developers can be found all over the United Kingdom, but the majority is clustered around London. Of its 8000 app-development-related companies (around a fifth of all European app development agencies), 31% are located in the capital, and about 25% of those in the south-east part of the city.
Location of app development companies in UK
Source: SlashData
It’s estimated that these together employ 380,000 people (though not all of them are developers – this includes designers, admin and marketing people involved in the app industry.)
With all signs that the industry is growing, what kind of prices can you expect to develop a mobile application in the UK?
UK app development costs
How do UK app development costs measure up globally?
Globally, an iOS mobile app development price tag is in a ballpark of $28,000, for Android its $23,000 and $18,000 for a Window Phone OS.
The UK has some of the best app developers in the world, and thus costs can be close to the global average. According to this app development price calculator, a single platform app could cost £ 38,000, while a two-platform app can reach £42,000. These costs are calculated for developing an app from scratch, with a multi-lingual interface, a user account, in-app purchases and custom UI design.
The amount a developer charges per hour also comes close to global highs. Below you can find a graph for the estimated minimum and maximum you can expect to pay hourly for an app developer to work on your iOS or Android app.
Median cost of mobile app development in select regions worldwide, by platform
Data source: Statista
The reason for the high price is quality: not only are some of the best app developers in the world found here, but many US firms have offices here – while not technically from the UK, they operate on the territory and raise the average.
Having had a glimpse of the cost and skill of the developers in the UK, how do you go about choosing one?
Top UK App Development Companies:
- hedgehog lab - We help global brands solve their problems with digital products on mobile, web and connected platforms.
- The NineHertz - Smart & Robust Mobile App Development
- NMG Technologies - US BASED AWARD WINNING Mobile App, WEB & ECOM
- Light IT - Reliable technical partner for more than 500 companies since 2006
- OpenXcell - Build your own offshore software development team
- Promatics - Top Rated Mobile App Development Company
- Netsells - Building Something Better
- Emizen Tech - Mobile app Development Company
- GeekyAnts - We are a product studio transforming ideas into reality
- eleks - Your Technology Partner for Software Innovation and Market-leading Solutions
- Sonin - A Decade of Award-Winning Apps
- Rantmedia - Think. Make. Innovate.
- 3 Sided Cube - LET'S BUILD TECH FOR GOOD
- The Distance - Leading UK Mobile App Development Company
- Intellectsoft - Engineering Your Vision
How to choose app developers in the UK
There’s a few things you should know:
Two major sections: the research you can do on your own, and the interview phase with the app developer, where you’ll explore their skills and expertise while they try to understand your business and your app. The research you can do at home is as follows:
- Review their portfolio: not only to see how many apps they’ve made and how successful they’ve been, but also to see which industries they’ve worked for. A niche social network app has vastly different characteristics and challenges to a mobile enterprise app for industry. Experience in your specific field of business is just as important as development skills.
- Recommendations: ask others in your industry who have launched successful apps to recommend a developer, or find out who made the most successful apps if there’s an industry benchmark.
- Check out our Market Place: You’ll find a wealth of information and app developer profiles in Business of App’s Marketplace.
Top 5 UK App Development Companies, by Twitter Followers
| Company | Twitter Followers |
| Fueled | 6.8k+ |
| Brightec | 5.1k+ |
| Waracle | 3.7k+ |
| Adapmi | 3.4k+ |
| Mubaloo | 2.7k+ |
Best UK App Developers
These the top app development companies with offices in the UK. They’re not ranked in any order, they’re just “the best.” We’ve gone for a mix of budgets, skills and expertise as well as made sure to choose companies from all over the UK, not just in London.
List of mobile app development companies in the UK
hedgehog lab
We help global brands solve their problems with digital products on mobile, web and connected platforms.
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
- Sector Focus: Finance, Supply Chain and Logistics and Healthcare
- Offices: Newcastle upon Tyne, London & Boston
- Employees: 51+
| Founded | Employees | Social | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 51-200 | 7k+ |
Netsells is one of the leading UK based digital agencies that will turn 10 this year. It has an expertise in native (iOS and Android) and cross-platform mobile app development. The agency has been serving clients of all sizes from more than 40 countries. Some of its top clients are Hiscox, Uber, Trainline and Capita. Netsells developers team specialities ranges from web design, web development, logo design to mobile app development.
- Platforms: Android, iOS, HTML5
- Sector Focus: Broadcasting, Jobs, Finances, Fitness.
- UK Office: Suite 3, Mill House, North Street, York, YO1 6JD
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 500+ | $25m+ | 10k+ |
Eleks – Ukraine, Kyiv based app development studio with more than 1,000 employees and 25+ years of software development experience the company leverages to develop superb mobile apps. The company’s development offices are located in Ukraine and Poland and the sales ones are in UK, US, Estonia and Germany. The spectrum of Eleks specialities is broad, it covers data science, mobility, quality assurance and testing, R&D, blockchain, AI, Cloud, IoT, ML, logistics and more.
- Platforms: iOS, Android, HTML5, Mobile Web, Web Development
- Sector Focus: Retail, Fintech, Logistics, Media & Entertainment, Heatlthtech, Government, Agriculture
- UK Office: South Quay, London, E14 9GE, E149JL, GB
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Traffic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 51-100 | $1-$5 million | 4000 |
NMG Technologies is a global full-cycle software development company building advance websites, software and mobile apps using latest technologies since 2008. NMG Technologies is trusted by enterprises & Fortune 500 companies across 30 countries.
It offers Enterprise Software Development, Dedicated Development Team, IT Consulting, Mobile App Development. As well as the following solutions – Corporate/Business Websites, Enterprise Ecommerce, Blockchain Development, FinTech, Augmented Reality, Cloud Apps , Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things
- Platforms: Android, HTML5, iOS, Mobile Web
- Sector Focus: IoT, FinTech, Chatbot, AR/VR, Blockchain, AI.
- Offices: Delhi, India, London, UK, Las Vegas, US.
The NineHertz is one of the leading mobile app development companies globally that offers top-notch business solutions. Since 2008, we have developed more than 1000 mobile apps for both iOS and Android platforms for businesses, startups, enterprises across all industries.
We have expertise in various technology domains including mobile app and web development, emerging technologies (IoT, AR/VR, Big Data, iBeacon, and PWA), Salesforce, Talend Data Integration, Digital Marketing, Industrial Solutions, and e-Commerce Services.
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Flutter, Ionic, React Native, PWA, Internet of Things, Web Development, Mobile Web
- Industry We Serve: Real Estate & Property, Travel & Hospitality, On-Demand Solutions, Food & Restaurant, Banking, Finance & Insurance, Education & eLearning, eCommerce, Media & Entertainment, Healthcare & Fitness
- Offices: Atlanta, Cincinnati (USA), Florida (USA), Jaipur (India), UAE
- Key Clients: Samsung, Casio, Vodafone, Airtel, Pepsi, Siemens
- Employees: 575+
- Serving in Industry: 12+ Years
- We have successfully 450+ clients in over 15+ countries
- We are NASSCOM member and Microsoft certified professional
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 300+ | - | - | - |
Intellectsoft is a digital transformation consultancy that provides cutting-edge engineering solutions for global organizations. Each day companies ranging from startups to the world’s most recognizable brands, including Universal Pictures, Jaguar Motors, Qualcomm, Ernst & Young, Clinique, Bombardier, London Stock Exchange, Harley-Davidson leverage Intellectsoft’s creative solutions and mobile development services to enhance their products and maximize KPIs.
- Platforms: Android, iOS, HTML5
- Sector Focus: Construction, Healthcare, Insurance, Fintech, Logistics & Automotive, Travel & Hospitality, Retail & Ecommerce, Sports & Teams, Musicians & Bands.
- US Office: 721 Colorado Avenue, Suite 101 Palo Alto, CA USA 94303
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 101-200 | 5M | 1800 | 800 |
Founded in 2013, Emizentech has emerged with a plethora of insights and result-driven aspects by delivering cutting-edge mobile app development solutions to clients from all over the globe. Being globally acknowledged as a leading mobile app developer, Emizentech develops futuristic mobile software solutions for all sized businesses, and too with satisfaction.
Learn more about Emizen Tech
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 11-50 | $1m+ | 2k+ | 2,000 |
The Distance team has a long history of being on the app development market. They have been developing apps since the first iPhone launched and its extensive portfolio of apps, they’ve built for brands ranging from household names to world famous companies, speaks for itself.
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Sector Focus: Advertising, Business Services, Healthcare
- UK Office: Cromwell House 31 Micklegate, York YO1 6JH, UK; 90 York Way, London N1 9AG, UK
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 11-50 | $25k+ | 9k+ |
3 Sided Cube is mobile and web development agency with range of expertise that covers Mobile Applications (iOS and Android), Web Applications, Digital Strategy, Rapid Prototyping, Web Development and WordPress. It worked with global brands such as American Red Cross, Boots, RNLI, LUSH, RSPB, Lloyds Banking Group and Nordstrom.
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Desktop
- Sector Focus: Healthcare, Ecology, Sports
- UK Office: Telephone House, 18 Christchurch road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH1 3NE, GB
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 11-50 | - | 1k+ | 400+ |
Rantmedia is a small UK-based app development studio with 15+ experience of delivering superb software for desktop and mobile. Rantmedia team is ready to work with companies of all sizes, from small startups to global well established brands. It was awarded with BAFTA for Technical Achievement by The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Wales.
- Platforms: Android, iOS
- Sector Focus: Sports, Games, Broadcasting
- UK Office: 22 Cathedral Rd, Cardiff CF11 9LJ, London, UK
- Key clients: BBC, TV/S Soccer, NHS, Project AWARE
| Founded | Employees | Traffic | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 201-500 | 35k+ |
GeekyAnts is a product studio specializing in web and mobile development using React, React Native, Flutter, Vue, Angular, NodeJS, Laravel, Python etc.
On the services side, they have worked with around 500+ clients all across the globe. The services provided ranges from business analysis, web and mobile development, UI/UX design, product management, delivery & support.
- Platforms: Android, iOS
- Sector Focus: Healthcare, Communication, Financial.
- UK Office: 7 Bickleigh House, Frogwell Close,
London N15 6ED, England, UK
| Employees | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201-500 |
Incorporated in 2009 and headquartered in the USA, OpenXcell is an industry-leading & most reliable offshore software and mobile app development company known for delivering innovative software solutions and engaging mobile apps.
Learn more about OpenXcell
| Founded | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 101-200 |
Light IT provides innovative mobile/web apps and software development solutions for your business. We offer more than just software development, we focus on clients’ needs, go deep into requirements to suggest improvements, plan our workflow to reduce the budget, and never miss the deadlines.
For over 14 years, we have delivered 500+ custom solutions for companies from Australia, Europe, United States, Canada, Japan, China, and many others.
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 51-200 | $60m+ | 2k+ | 14,100 |
Promatics Technologies is an ISO 9001:2008 certified Mobile App Development Company based in India. With over 5 offices across the globe, Promatics has been delivering native as well as hybrid apps for its clients since several years.
Learn more about Promatics
| Founded | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 10-50 |
Arateg is a leading custom mobile & web app development company delivering hi-tech software solutions to clients in E-commerce, E-learning, Healthcare, Financial sectors, etc. We help startups & SMEs grow innovative beautiful products increasing your productivity and revenue.
Learn more about Arateg
Apadmi is a mobile technology company that works with clients of all sizes to understand how and where to use mobile in their organization to make life better for customers and internal staff alike – delivering the complete solutions needed to make it happen. Their clients include Argos, the NHS, BBC, Co-op, United Utilities, AstraZeneca, Lexus, and Range Rover. Named Top UK App Developer 2018 by Clutch, Large UK App Agency of the Year 2018 (UK App Awards), Large Digital Agency of the Year 2018 (UK Agency Awards). The company works across all mobile platforms, from voice technology to Java and ASP.NET
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Amazon Alexa, Windows, HTML5, Blackberry
- Sector Focus: Healthcare, Utilities, Retail Finance
- UK Office: Manchester (Trafford Park and city centre), London
- Employees: 75+
| Founded | Employees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 101-200 |
Borne – Not just app development but digital products at large. Established in 2013, highly creative agency, with a team of 20 professionals that develop for both iOS and Android, web, as well as UX/ UI design, branding, market research user strategy and product mapping. Clients include Shell, The British Army, Xendpay. gowithYamo, Bendi, Shell, Joseph Homes, Holiday Swap, BuzzHire, Unifi, Zeus, Sidekicks.
- Platforms: iOS, Android
- Sector Focus: Social, Health
- UK Office: Workhouse One, 3rd Floor 6-8 Bonhill Street London EC2A 4BX, UK
- Employees: 10+
| Founded | Employees | Revenues | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10-50 | 1m+ | 5k |
Chelsea Apps – is a mobile and web app development agency with 70+ million mobile app downloads and generating in excess of £250m for its clients. The team is dedicated to crafting apps that make a real impact. People that work in Chelsea Apps bring to bear a blend of youth and experience with strengths in areas such as creativity, development, enterprise-level security and big data innovation. Chelsea Apps worked for companies likes of TFL, Ladbrokes, Waitrose, KPMG, Peace One Day and Telefonica among others
- Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows
- Sector Focus: Retail
- UK Office: 30 Stamford Street, London SE1 9LQ, & Telephone House, 18 Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth BH1 3NE United Kingdom
- Employees: 10+
