Mobile learning app that requires connectivity for every session so learners who are commuting, travelling, or in a poor-signal environment can't use the app -- and so a significant proportion of your most motivated learners are blocked at the exact moment they want to learn?
App engagement dropping off sharply after the first week because there are no push notifications reminding learners to return, no streak mechanics creating a habit, and no progress milestones giving learners a sense of momentum?
EdTech Mobile App Development
A learning app that only works on WiFi loses its value on the commute, in a building with poor signal, and in markets with expensive mobile data. A learning app that only delivers video playback loses learners who need interaction to retain information. An app that doesn't drive habit formation with push notifications and progress mechanics loses learners after the first week.
We build custom EdTech mobile apps for iOS and Android that are designed for how people actually learn on mobile -- in short sessions, offline when connectivity is poor, with the push notifications and progress mechanics that form habits rather than breaking them.
iOS and Android apps built with React Native for a consistent cross-platform experience
Offline content sync so learners can download modules and continue without connectivity
Push notification system with learning reminders, streak alerts, and personalised re-engagement messages
Gamification features including streaks, badges, leaderboards, and progress milestones that drive habit formation
RaftLabs builds custom EdTech mobile apps for iOS and Android -- language learning apps, professional development apps, corporate training apps, and learner companion apps for existing course platforms. We build offline-capable apps that work without connectivity, push notification systems that drive learning habit formation, gamification features that reward consistency, and interactive content formats that go beyond video playback. Most EdTech mobile app projects deliver a production-ready app in 10 to 16 weeks at a fixed, agreed cost.
100+Software products shipped
·FixedCost delivery
·10-16Week delivery cycles
·iOS + AndroidFrom a single React Native codebase
When mobile learning needs to work like the learner's life works
The promise of mobile learning is that it fits into moments that desktop learning can't reach -- the ten minutes between meetings, the commute, the lunch break. That promise breaks down when the app requires a reliable internet connection, when sessions take longer than ten minutes to set up and get into, or when the content format is a 45-minute video that can't be paused without losing place. Mobile learning that works for learners is designed around short-session interaction, offline availability, and the push mechanics that bring people back after a day away.
We build EdTech mobile apps for education businesses, professional development providers, language learning platforms, and enterprises who need a learning experience designed for how their audience uses a phone. We have built consumer apps and B2B corporate training apps. We know the engagement patterns that drive retention on mobile and the technical decisions -- offline architecture, push notification strategy, content format -- that have to be made at the start of the project to get them right.
What we build
Offline content sync
Offline architecture built into the app from the start -- not added as an afterthought. Content downloaded automatically to the learner's device when they are on WiFi so it is available the next time they open the app without connectivity. Download management interface where learners can see what is downloaded, download additional content manually, and manage storage usage on their device. Sync logic that updates downloaded content when the learner is back on WiFi -- delivering new lessons, updated content, and progress sync without the learner having to take any action. Progress recorded locally on the device during offline sessions and synced to the backend when connectivity is restored, with conflict resolution handling the case where the same content has been updated both locally and on the server. Storage management tools that let the learner clear downloaded content when their device storage is low, with the content re-downloadable the next time they are on WiFi.
Push notification and re-engagement system
Push notification system designed around learning habit formation rather than marketing messages. Daily learning reminders sent at the time the learner has indicated they prefer to study, with the specific lesson or activity they should complete next personalised to their progress rather than generic. Streak protection notifications sent when a learner is about to break a learning streak -- the message sent a few hours before midnight on a day when the learner has not yet completed their daily goal. Inactivity re-engagement messages sent after the configured number of days without app activity, with the message referencing where the learner left off rather than a generic "come back" prompt. Milestone celebration notifications sent when the learner completes a module, reaches a streak milestone, or earns a badge. Notification preference management so learners can choose which notifications they receive, at what time, and through which channel -- push notification, email, or SMS.
Gamification and engagement mechanics
Streak tracking for daily learning habits -- the count of consecutive days the learner has completed their daily goal, displayed prominently in the app and referenced in push notifications to make maintaining the streak feel worth protecting. Badges awarded for learning milestones -- completing the first module, reaching a ten-day streak, scoring full marks on an assessment, referring a friend -- with the badge collection visible in the learner's profile. Points and experience level system for apps where a cumulative progress score creates a sense of advancement through the learning journey. Leaderboard for cohort-based or community learning apps where healthy competition between learners drives engagement -- with opt-in controls so learners who prefer not to be ranked can choose not to participate. Challenge mechanics for timed or competitive elements -- a weekly challenge, a quiz competition between cohort members, or a seasonal special event -- that create short-term engagement spikes alongside the long-term habit mechanics.
Interactive content formats
Interactive content formats that go beyond video playback and multiple choice quizzes -- the formats that require active processing rather than passive consumption, and that are more effective for retention on mobile where attention is fragmented. Flashcard decks with spaced repetition scheduling -- the card shown again sooner if the learner answered incorrectly, and later if they answered correctly -- with the spacing algorithm driving the review schedule automatically. Drag-and-drop exercises for vocabulary matching, sequencing, and categorisation tasks. Dialogue simulation for language learning or customer service training where the learner responds to a scenario and sees the consequence of their choice. Fill-in-the-blank and gap-fill exercises for language and technical knowledge content. Image hotspot interactions where the learner taps on the correct element of a diagram or image to answer the question.
Progress tracking and learner analytics
Learner progress dashboard showing the current position in the course or programme, the streak count, the badges earned, and the next lesson to complete -- the view that opens when the learner launches the app and gives them immediate orientation. Session history showing every learning session -- the date, the duration, the content covered, and the assessment scores -- so the learner can see the cumulative investment they have made in their learning. Assessment performance history showing scores over time for repeated practice tests or progress assessments, with the trend visible rather than just the most recent score. Weak area identification for apps with an adaptive or diagnostic element -- the topics or skill areas where the learner's accuracy is lowest, surfaced as recommended practice content. Admin analytics dashboard for course creators or L&D teams showing active learner counts, average session duration, completion rates, and the content items with the highest and lowest engagement.
Platform integration and API
Backend API connecting the mobile app to the existing course platform, LMS, or learning content so the app is a mobile interface for content and progress data that lives in the central platform rather than a separate data silo. Single sign-on integration so learners use their existing account credentials to access the mobile app without creating a separate login. Progress sync between the app and the web platform so a learner who switches between devices always sees their current progress rather than a stale snapshot from the last time they used the app. Content management system integration for apps where content is managed by non-technical course creators -- new lessons, updated content, and new interactive exercises published through the CMS and delivered to the app without a development release. Analytics platform integration for apps that need learning event data sent to an external analytics tool -- Mixpanel, Amplitude, or a custom analytics backend -- for product analytics and A/B testing.
Frequently asked questions
We build cross-platform apps using React Native, which gives you iOS and Android from a single codebase. For EdTech apps, React Native covers the full feature set -- offline sync, push notifications, video playback, interactive content, and gamification -- without requiring platform-specific native code for most features. Where specific platform capabilities require native modules -- deep Apple Health integration, advanced camera features, or platform-specific notification handling -- we build native modules within the React Native architecture. Cross-platform development reduces build cost and keeps both platforms in sync as the product evolves. We recommend native development only when the specific feature set makes a cross-platform approach technically impractical.
Offline content architecture requires decisions at the start of the project about what content can be downloaded, how it is stored on device, and how the sync works. Video content for offline use is stored in a compressed format appropriate for the typical device storage available to your learner audience -- we advise on the quality and compression settings based on the content type and the learner context. Download management gives learners control over what they download and how much storage they use. The sync logic is tested against real device types and storage configurations, not just emulator environments. For apps targeting markets with expensive mobile data, we also build a download-on-WiFi-only mode so learners don't incur unexpected data charges from background syncs.
Push notification strategy for learning apps is a product design question as much as a technical one. The technical implementation -- APNs for iOS, FCM for Android -- is straightforward. The strategy requires decisions about what events trigger notifications, what the message says, when it is sent, and how frequently. We work through the notification strategy during discovery based on the learning behaviour you want to reinforce -- daily habit formation, streak maintenance, re-engagement after inactivity -- and implement the notification logic to support that behaviour. We also build the preference management so learners can configure their notifications, which reduces opt-out rates significantly compared to a system that sends every notification type without user control.
A focused learning app -- content delivery with offline sync, push notifications, and basic progress tracking -- typically runs $30,000 to $60,000. A full app with gamification, interactive content formats, cohort features, backend platform integration, and admin analytics typically runs $60,000 to $120,000. We scope every project before pricing. Fixed cost only.
Tell us about your learners, your content, and the engagement problem you're trying to solve. We'll scope a mobile app designed around how your audience actually learns.
