What should a startup look for in a mobile app development company?
Beyond the usual agency checks, ask for apps you can download from both stores today, a reasoned answer on native versus cross-platform for your product specifically, clarity on who builds and runs the backend, a process for handling app review rejections, and a maintenance plan with numbers in it. Mobile products decay without updates because OS releases and store policies change on someone else's schedule. A partner who can't describe life after launch is quoting half the product.
Do I need a mobile app or is a web app enough?
If your product doesn't need push notifications, offline use, or device hardware like the camera or GPS, a responsive web app is usually enough, and it's cheaper, faster to iterate, and free of app store review. Plenty of projects that arrive as "we need an app" ship better as web apps. The honest test is listing the phone-specific capabilities your product genuinely uses; if the list is empty, start on the web. A good partner will walk through that list with you before quoting mobile work, not after.
Should I launch on iOS or Android first?
Launch on the platform your first paying users actually carry, and let the second platform wait until the first proves the product. iOS tends to fit US consumer and B2B professional audiences; Android wins on global reach and many field-workforce use cases; your own waitlist or early-adopter data is the tiebreaker. Building cross-platform keeps the second store cheap to add later, so sequencing costs you little. Be wary of anyone who insists on launching both at once without a market reason, since that doubles testing and review risk before you have a single user.
How much does it cost to build a mobile app for a startup?
A focused, MVP-scale mobile product typically runs $25k to $75k, the same territory as custom software of similar scope, with the platform count and the backend driving where you land in the range. One cross-platform codebase sits at the friendlier end; two native codebases can approach twice the build. Get the real number before committing: a $1,199 Discovery scopes your specific product and returns line-item pricing you can take to any team, which beats budgeting off a blog post's ranges.
How much does it cost to build custom software around an ERP?
Custom projects at Iron Forge start at $25,000, and a focused first build typically runs $25,000 to $75,000 depending on scope and the depth of the ERP integration. Plan on roughly 15 to 20% of the build cost per year in maintenance to keep integrations healthy as the ERP and your product evolve. Before you commit, a fixed price discovery engagement defines the scope and produces line-item pricing and a timeline, so you're deciding with a real number instead of a range.
What is a hybrid ERP and custom software approach?
A hybrid approach keeps a commercial ERP as the system of record for finance, inventory, and orders, then adds custom software on top for the workflows that set you apart, connected through the ERP's APIs. Think of a customer portal reading live order data, a field app writing back to inventory, or a quoting tool built around your pricing logic. You avoid rebuilding solved problems like accounting, and you avoid bending the ERP into shapes it was never meant to hold. For most growing companies this is where the decision lands.
When should you replace an ERP instead of building around it?
Replace an ERP only when it's failing at its own job as the system of record: the vendor has sunset the product, the version you're on can't be safely upgraded, or the financial and inventory data can no longer be trusted. If the ERP still keeps accurate books, build around it instead. A custom layer connected by API ships one workflow at a time, keeps the business running while it does, and costs far less than a rip-and-replace project that freezes everything else while it's underway.
What's the difference between an ERP and custom software?
An ERP is a suite of standardized modules you buy, built for the back-office problems every company shares: accounting, inventory, purchasing, payroll. Custom software is built around your specific workflows and becomes an asset you own. The practical difference is fit. An ERP asks your team to adopt its processes, while custom software adopts yours. Sort your workflows by which ones would suffer from standardized handling: the commodity ones belong in an ERP, and the ones that win you customers usually justify a custom build.
Do you handle app store submissions and approvals on an ongoing basis?
Yes‚ app store management is a core part of our membership plans, including submissions, updates, and navigating the Apple and Google review and approval process. It's one of the most tedious parts of running a mobile app, and we take it off your plate so releases don't stall.
Can the software integrate with the systems we already use?
Yes — custom software's biggest advantage is fitting into your existing stack. We integrate with enterprise systems, payment and accounting tools, and custom APIs as part of the build.
Do you build internal business tools as well as customer-facing products?
Yes — we build both, from operations and automation tools that save internal time to revenue-generating products your customers use. Many clients start with one and expand to the other.
What about updates and maintenance after launch?
Mobile apps need ongoing care as operating systems, devices, and app store requirements change. Our membership plans cover that ‚ including app store management, resubmissions and approvals, monitoring, QA, and new features ‚ so your app stays compatible, available, and improving without you managing it all.
Do you build the backend and infrastructure too?
Yes — a mobile app is rarely just the app. We build the APIs, databases, and cloud infrastructure behind it so the whole product is cohesive and scalable.
Can you help get my app into the App Store and Google Play?
Yes — we handle the build, submission, and launch process, and we've taken client apps into the top 100 of the Apple App Store. We plan for store requirements and review guidelines before submission to avoid rejections.
Do you build for both iOS and Android?
Yes — we develop for both platforms, and we frequently pair a mobile app with a companion web app and shared backend for a consistent cross-platform experience.
Do you build native or cross-platform mobile apps?
We build both, and we recommend the right approach for your product rather than defaulting to one. The choice depends on performance needs, budget, and how device-specific the experience must be.
Can you integrate with our existing systems?
Yes — we routinely integrate with platforms like SAP, Shopify, WooCommerce, Oracle NetSuite, QuickBooks, and DocuSign, as well as custom and third-party APIs. Integrations are scoped during planning so there are no surprises mid-build.
