Lifeguard
Essential Designs was able to create a cutting edge application that will save lives, they always say "Anything can be done" and are definitely able to deliver on that promise.
Jeff Hardy, Founder
Vancouver
Mobile App Development
Build an iOS or Android app with Essential Designs in Vancouver. We design and develop customer apps and tools for teams, including the backend systems that keep them working.
Start with the task your users need to complete. We help define the first release, review a working design and plan development, device testing, store submission and support.
★★★★★ 5.0 average rating from 100+ reviews
Google
5.0 ★★★★★
46 reviews
Clutch
5.0 ★★★★★
34 reviews
DesignRush
5.0 ★★★★★
30 reviews
Trusted by 100+ businesses worldwide
From startups to enterprise teams
Our Clients
Making hundreds of businesses
better, big or small.
Teck Resources
We've been engaged with Essential Designs for several years now and we've found that the value they deliver is significantly above everyone else that we deal with.
Rick Twaddle, SBA
Schneider Electric
We are a company present in more than 150 countries. I was very happy with their efficiency. They were responsive and happy to make any changes that we required.
Kirill Kudymov, Product Manager
Handld
I had a lot of trust in them, everyone knew their job, and they worked very efficiently. The trust and communication skills were what distinguished them from their competitors.
Cristen Phipps, Owner
Selected Work
Mobile apps from our portfolio.
Lifeguard, Emerson Electric and All Skin show three different mobile challenges: emergency response, field operations and personalised recommendations. Read the case studies to see the work behind each app.
Emerson Electric
Mobile AppModernized field operations app with dashboards, alerts, reporting, and low-data workflows.
Field operations modernization
Lifeguard
Mobile AppA safe-consumption app developed with emergency-response workflows for use in British Columbia.
Emergency-response workflows
All Skin
Mobile AppPersonalized skincare app using product data, surveys, and routine analysis.
Personalized product matching
Process
The Essential Mobile App Development Process
A clear process for planning, designing, building, testing, deploying, and improving mobile apps for real users and business needs.
01
Planning
We define app goals, users, features, platform needs, and technical requirements before design begins.
02
Wireframing
We map screens and user flows so the product experience can be reviewed and improved early.
03
Design
We create polished app interfaces and clickable prototypes that show how the experience will work.
04
Development
We build the mobile app, backend, integrations, dashboards, and workflows in clear development stages.
05
Testing
We test devices, permissions, performance, usability, and integrations before release.
06
Deployment
We support launch, handoff, app store submission, hosting, analytics, and future improvements.
Have an app idea? Let's plan the build before development starts.
Whether you are creating an app, comparing app developers, or trying to understand app development cost, we can help define a practical roadmap.
Plan Your App Build
Vancouver app developers
Decisions that shape your app and budget
An app is more than its screens. Before estimating a build, we work through who will use it, what needs to happen on the phone and which systems it must connect to.
01
Android and iOS Planning
We help define whether your app should be Android-first, iOS-first, native, cross-platform, or paired with a responsive web platform and shared backend.
02
MVP and Budget Clarity
Agree on the tasks the first release must support, then separate later features. Integrations, user permissions, offline behaviour and testing all affect the estimate.
03
Connected App Systems
We build the backend, admin tools, dashboards, APIs, notifications, and integrations that make the app useful after launch.
04
Design Before Development
We use flows, prototypes, screen planning, and stakeholder reviews to reduce rework before app development moves into code.
Related pages
Related App Development Services
These pages help Vancouver teams compare the broader app development, platform, and product planning options around a mobile build.
From app idea to a working release
App Scope & Cost Planning
We define users, features, platforms, integrations, admin tools, and launch needs so you understand app cost before development starts.
iOS & Android Development
We build iOS, Android, and cross-platform app experiences with connected backends, dashboards, APIs, store preparation, and practical release planning.
App Design & Prototyping
We map app screens, user flows, navigation, forms, and clickable prototypes so the product can be reviewed before investing heavily in development.
Testing, Launch & Support
We test devices, permissions, performance, stores, integrations, and user flows, then support improvements after launch.
Helpful resources
Helpful Vancouver Mobile App Guides
These resources help Vancouver teams think through app approach, testing, and real-world reliability.
Read the guides
Mobile App Development Timeline What to expect from app planning through development, testing, launch, and support. Poor Network Mobile App Testing A useful guide for apps that need to work outside ideal network conditions. Lifeguard Mobile App Case Study A mobile app case study focused on reliability, safety, and urgent real-world use.
Planning a mobile app in Vancouver
Questions to work through before you commit to development.
How much does a mobile app cost?
The estimate depends on the first release: the screens and user roles, iOS and Android requirements, backend systems, integrations and testing. Bring a feature list or a description of the task your app should solve. We can work through the scope, identify unknowns and separate launch features from later additions before estimating the build.
Should we build for iOS, Android or both?
Start with the devices your users have and the features they need. Native development may suit an app that relies heavily on device capabilities. A cross-platform approach can share code across iOS and Android. We compare the trade-offs against your requirements, budget and maintenance needs before choosing.
Can you improve an app we already have?
Yes. We first review the code, build process, backend access and current problems. That helps establish whether to improve the existing app, replace specific parts or plan a rebuild. Our Emerson Electric case study is an example of mobile application modernisation.
What happens between the first conversation and launch?
We define the main user tasks and first-release scope, review a clickable design, then develop and test the app in stages. Testing includes real devices, permissions, interruptions and network conditions. Store submission, account access and ongoing support are planned before release; Apple and Google control their own review timelines.
How do we work with your Vancouver team?
Share your goals, current systems and any existing designs in a project review. We agree on who makes decisions, how you will review working versions and how changes to scope are handled. You can find our Vancouver office details and contact options on the contact page.
Talk with our Vancouver team about your app, or explore our mobile application development services.
