Mobile App Maintenance and Ongoing Improvements

Why apps need ongoing care

Launching an app is the start, not the finish. Apple and Google release new versions of iOS and Android every year, introduce new devices and screen sizes, and update the requirements an app must meet to be published or updated in their stores. The services your app depends on — booking software, payment providers, e-commerce platforms — also change their APIs over time.

An app that is not maintained does not usually fail overnight. It drifts: a layout breaks on a new phone, a library stops receiving security fixes, a store submission is rejected because the build targets an outdated SDK. Maintenance keeps your app healthy so you can keep improving it when you want to.

Who this is for

• Businesses whose app we built, who want it kept up to date and improved over time.
• Businesses with an existing React Native or Expo app whose original developer is no longer available.
• Businesses with an app that has stopped being updated and now needs to catch up with current store and OS requirements.

What maintenance includes

Keeping up with platforms

• Testing on new iOS and Android versions and updating code where behaviour has changed.
• Updating build settings to meet Apple's and Google's current submission requirements.
• Keeping privacy declarations and store listings accurate when the app or its data use changes.

Keeping the code healthy

• Regular upgrades of React Native, Expo and third-party libraries.
• Applying security fixes promptly.
• Removing deprecated APIs before they stop working.

Watching for problems

• Crash and error reporting, with alerts for unusual spikes.
• Monitoring of integrations and back-end services the app relies on.
• Fixing bugs according to the priorities and response times in your plan.

Improving the app

• An agreed monthly allowance for content changes, small features and design tweaks.
• Advice on what to improve next, based on feedback you share and any analytics you have chosen to collect.

How updates reach your customers

There are two ways changes reach users:

1. Store updates. New builds are submitted to the App Store and Google Play, reviewed by Apple and Google and then released. Review times are outside our control.
2. Over-the-air updates. With Expo, certain JavaScript and asset changes can be delivered directly to installed apps without a full store release, where store rules allow. This is useful for fixes and content, but changes to native code or permissions still require a store update.

Taking over an existing app

If another developer built your app, we start with a code review. We check:

• whether you have access to the source code, build configuration and store accounts;
• the versions of React Native, Expo and key libraries, and how far behind they are;
• how the app is built and released;
• integrations, secrets handling and any obvious security risks.

You get a plain-English report with options: maintain as is, upgrade step by step, or rebuild specific parts. Sometimes rebuilding is the more economical choice, and we will say so.

Planning a new app?

If you do not have an app yet, you can see a free, personalised, interactive concept based on your existing website before you commit. It shows how your app could look and work with your branding and content. It is a concept rather than a finished app, it is reviewed by a person before you receive it, and there is no obligation. Maintenance is something we plan from day one, so you know the ongoing costs before you decide.

What affects the cost

Maintenance is agreed as a clear monthly scope. Cost depends on:

• App size — number of screens, features and native capabilities.
• Integrations — each connected system can change and needs monitoring.
• Back end — whether we also host and maintain server components.
• Improvement allowance — how much time each month goes to new work.
• Response times you need for urgent issues.
• Code health — older, unmaintained apps need more work to catch up.

Honest limitations

• We cannot control Apple's or Google's review times or decisions, or changes they make to their rules.
• Over-the-air updates cannot change everything; native changes always need a store release.
• Third-party outages, such as a payment provider or booking system being down, can affect your app even when the app itself is working correctly.
• Maintenance reduces risk but cannot guarantee an app will never have bugs.