Custom mobile app development
Native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, built with React Native and Expo, plus the backend behind them. I handle everything: design, app, server, admin panel and store release.
An app people use, not just download
A mobile app has to be fast, feel native on every phone and keep working when the signal drops. That is why I don't stop at the screens: I also design the API, the database and the processes behind them, so everything fits together.
I work with React Native and Expo, which let the same app ship to iOS and Android without doubling the work, and with Laravel on the server. That way I can push improvements to users instantly, without waiting for a store review every time it isn't needed.
What I can build
Native iOS and Android app
One React Native and Expo codebase, with smooth animations and a native feel on each platform.
Backend and API
A Laravel server with users, permissions, photo and audio uploads, and an API designed for mobile.
Real time
Chats, groups and alerts that arrive instantly over WebSockets (Laravel Reverb).
Admin panel
A web panel to moderate content, see stats and manage users without touching code.
Audio, camera and processing
Recording, server-side analysis and AI features, like Echoes detecting the BPM of a room.
Release and updates
Store builds plus over-the-air (OTA) updates to iterate quickly with users.
Real projects
They're not mock-ups: they're built, in use, and you can see them working.
Echoes
A social app for club culture and electronic music: save your nights, discover venues and events, and share what was playing.
See project →
Live event games
Multiplayer games for conferences and booths: teams compete from a tablet or phone and the leaderboard moves live on the big screen.
See project →How I work
- 01
We talk
You tell me what you want to build and who it is for. Within 24 working hours I reply with a first idea of how I would approach it.
- 02
Proposal
We turn the idea into concrete features and split them into phases, starting with what adds the most value.
- 03
Design
I design the screens before writing code, so you can see and adjust the product while changes are still cheap.
- 04
Development
I build in deliveries: you see real, working progress, not just screenshots.
- 05
Launch
I ship it to your server or the app stores, and stay on hand to fix, measure and add what comes next.
Frequently asked questions
Do you build the app for iOS and Android at the same time?
Yes. With React Native and Expo I write a single codebase that runs as a native app on iPhone and Android, so you don't pay for two builds. When something needs to behave differently on each system, I adjust it per platform.
Do I need a native app, or is a web app enough?
It depends on what you need. If your users will open it often, use the camera or microphone, or get notifications, a native app is worth it. For something one-off, like a game at an event, a web app opened from a QR with nothing to install is usually better. I'll tell you honestly in my first reply.
Do you also build the server and the admin panel?
Yes, end to end: the app, the Laravel API, the database, the real-time chat and the panel you manage users and content from. So you don't have to coordinate several suppliers.
Will you publish it on the App Store and Google Play?
Yes. I prepare the builds, the store listings and the review submission. After that, many improvements can reach users through instant updates, without going through review again.
How much does it cost to build an app?
It mostly depends on how many features the first version needs, whether there are payments, chat or real-time features, and the admin panel. I don't publish fixed prices because every project is different: tell me the idea and I'll reply with an estimate and a phased proposal.
From the blog
Detecting a club's BPM from 15 seconds of audio
How Echo Pulse works in Echoes: offline-first recording on the phone, ffmpeg and aubio on the server, the silence that read as 137 BPM and why I always keep the original audio.
Read →
Conference and stand games people join in
Which mechanics make a conference or stand audience genuinely take part: team quizzes, wildcards, memory, and the rules I demand before any event.
Read →
A real-time multiplayer game with Laravel Reverb
How I keep tablets and a giant screen in sync in a conference game: the server as referee, Reverb as the fast lane and a poll as a safety net.
Read →Let's talk about your project.
Tell me what you have in mind. I'll get back to you within one working day, with a first idea of how I'd build it and what it could cost.
Not sure where to start? Plan your project →
or email me directly at rafa@rafarivas.es