App Development: Mobile App Development in Pakistan
Digital Hub builds fully native Android and iOS apps, and cross-platform apps in Flutter and React Native, choosing the framework for the project. The back end and admin panel are included in every app project, with no hidden charges.
An app that works on one phone and not the other loses the customers it was built for. Mobile app development in Pakistan from Digital Hub builds fully native Android and iOS apps, or one codebase for both in Flutter or React Native, whichever the product needs.
Mobile app development is the work of designing, building and releasing applications that run on phones and tablets. Digital Hub, a hub IT company in Pakistan, builds Android and iOS applications for businesses that want to reach customers on their phones, for founders turning an idea into a first release, and for companies that need an internal tool their staff use on the move.
Mobile app development in Pakistan: what Digital Hub builds
The work divides by platform and by framework, and two things hold on every project: the framework is chosen for the app, and the back end and admin panel are included.
The back end and admin panel are included
An app needs a server side for accounts, data and content, and an admin panel to run it. At Digital Hub both are part of the app project, with no hidden charges. Clients are used to being quoted for the app and then charged again for what sits behind it. A Digital Hub quote covers the whole working product.
Android and iOS applications
Android and iOS applications run on the two platforms that cover almost every smartphone in use. Digital Hub builds for both, from a shared codebase where the product allows it. The app is designed around the screens people use most, so the first release is a working product and not a long feature list.
Flutter development
Flutter is a framework for building Android and iOS apps from one codebase. It draws its own interface, which gives close control of how the app looks and behaves on both platforms. Digital Hub builds apps in Flutter when a polished, consistent interface on both platforms is the priority.
React Native development
React Native is a framework for building Android and iOS apps from one codebase using React. It uses the native interface components of each platform. Digital Hub builds apps in React Native, which also suits teams that already work in React on the web.
Choosing between them
Digital Hub builds fully native Android and iOS apps as well as Flutter and React Native apps, so the framework is chosen for the project, not from a house preference. The choice depends on the design of the app, the device features it needs, the skills of the team that will maintain it and the budget for maintaining two codebases or one.
Publishing to the app stores
Digital Hub handles submission and publishing to Google Play and the App Store if you want it, or you can publish the app yourself. Either way the store fees are the client’s.
Apps and the rest of the product
Most apps need more than the app itself. An account system, a data store and an admin panel often sit behind it, and a website or web development project may share the same back end. A SaaS platform often ships with an app as well, which is covered under SaaS Product Development.
Technologies Digital Hub builds apps in
These are the frameworks, platforms and tools the Digital Hub team uses for mobile projects. Databases and hosting are chosen per project, and the databases used most are MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB and Firebase.
Cross-platform framework
- Flutter
- React Native
Platform
- Android
- iOS
Design
- Figma
Databases
- Firebase
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- MongoDB
How a mobile app project runs
The same seven-step process runs on every Digital Hub project, whatever the service. For an app it works like this.
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Step 1
Discovery call
We go through the project in detail, the budget and the timeline. For an app, that covers the users, the features, the platforms and the back end the app needs.
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Step 2
Proposal and scope
A written proposal and a scope document, so both sides know exactly what is being built. The scope lists the screens and features of the first release.
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Step 3
Milestone plan
The scope is broken into milestones, each with its own deliverable and date. Work begins on an advance of 50 to 70 percent, taken in milestones only on large projects, and the balance is paid before delivery, after your final test.
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Step 4
Build, milestone by milestone
Work is delivered one milestone at a time. Each is reviewed and signed off before the next one starts, so nothing is discovered at the end. For example, the main screens are signed off before the features behind them are built.
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Step 5
Testing and handover
Everything is tested, then handed over with a walkthrough so the client's own team can run it. The app is tested on Android and iOS.
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Step 6
Launch
The app is released.
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Step 7
Support after launch
One month on short projects, three months on long ones. Longer cover is available as a retainer.
How long does a mobile app take to build?
A mobile app typically takes 8 to 12 weeks at Digital Hub. That is the normal range, not a best case. Scope moves it: more screens, a larger back end and more integrations make the project longer.
Engagement models for app development
Digital Hub offers all three engagement models. For apps they usually work this way.
Project based
A fixed scope for a first release, such as a defined set of screens and features agreed before work starts.
Best for: A first version with a clear feature list.
Monthly retainer
Continuing updates, fixes and new features after the first release, billed monthly.
Best for: Apps that grow after launch.
Dedicated team or developer
An app developer or a small team assigned to your product and working as an extension of your staff.
Best for: Products with continuous development.
What affects the cost of app development?
The cost of mobile app development in Pakistan depends on the number of screens, the features behind them and the platforms you target. Digital Hub gives no prices or packages. Every enquiry gets a quote written for the app you describe.
| Factor | How it changes the quote | |
|---|---|---|
| Screens and features | Each screen and each feature needs design, build and testing, so the count drives the effort. | — |
| Back end and admin panel | Accounts, data storage and a panel for staff to manage content add a server side to the project. | — |
| Integrations | Payments, maps, notifications and other services each need connecting and testing. | — |
| Platforms | A cross-platform build shares most of its code, while separate native apps double much of the work. | — |
| Design depth | Custom animation and a fully branded interface take longer than standard components. | — |
| Updates after release | Continuing work is quoted separately from the first release, usually as a retainer. | — |
App building as a product capability
Digital Hub has built and runs its own subscription product that generates white-labeled mobile apps, which makes app building a product capability as well as a client service. Client work is set out in the case study below.
App development case study
Start an app project
Describe the app you want to build, and you will get a written quote based on that scope.
Questions
How much does mobile app development cost in Pakistan?
The cost depends on the number of screens, the features behind them, integrations such as payments or maps, and which platforms you launch on. The back end and admin panel are included in the quote, not added later. Digital Hub publishes no prices or packages. Every enquiry gets a quote based on the scope you describe.
How long does it take to build a mobile app?
A mobile app typically takes 8 to 12 weeks at Digital Hub. That is the normal range, not a best case. The number of screens and features, the back end behind the app and how fast feedback comes back move it, so a small app with few screens sits at the short end and a marketplace with accounts and payments at the long end.
Should I choose Flutter or React Native?
Both build Android and iOS apps from one codebase. Flutter draws its own interface and gives tight control of visual design. React Native uses native interface components and suits teams that already work in React. Digital Hub builds in both, so the recommendation comes from your requirements and your team, not from a house preference.
What is the difference between a native app and a cross-platform app?
A native app is written separately for each platform, once for Android and once for iOS. A cross-platform app, built in a framework such as Flutter or React Native, shares most of its code between the two. Cross-platform builds usually reduce the work and the cost of maintaining both versions. Digital Hub builds both kinds and chooses for the project.
Can Digital Hub build an app for both Android and iOS?
Yes. Digital Hub builds Android and iOS apps natively or from one codebase in Flutter or React Native. Publishing to both stores is handled by Digital Hub if you want it, or you can submit the app yourself. Either way the store fees, such as the developer account charges, are paid by the client.
Has Digital Hub built apps for clients before?
Yes. The app case study on the work page sets out a client app in depth, from what it had to do to how it was delivered. Digital Hub has also built and runs its own subscription product that generates white-labeled mobile apps, so building apps is part of how the company works.
Does Digital Hub build the back end and admin panel for an app?
Yes, and it is included. The back end and the admin panel are part of every Digital Hub app project, with no hidden charges and no second quote. Most agencies price them separately, so ask any quote you compare whether they are in it. The core team includes frontend, backend and app developers.