• Need a native Android app but unsure whether the performance and device capability trade-offs of cross-platform are acceptable for your use case?

  • Had a previous Android project rejected from Google Play because the team didn't understand the review requirements before submission?

Android App Development

Native Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for consumer apps, enterprise tools, and industry-specific platforms. We handle the full Android build: architecture, UI, backend integration, and Google Play submission.
We design for the Android platform as it actually works -- Material Design guidelines, device fragmentation testing, and the permission and security model that Google Play review requires. You own the code.

  • Native Kotlin and Jetpack Compose -- no cross-platform compromises

  • Google Play submission and review navigation included

  • Backend API development alongside the Android app where needed

  • Fixed cost, working app every two weeks

RaftLabs builds native Android apps in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose for consumer apps, enterprise mobile tools, and industry-specific platforms. We handle architecture, UI, backend integration, and Google Play submission. Fixed cost agreed before development starts.

Vodafone
Aldi
Nike
Microsoft
Heineken
Cisco
Calorgas
Energia Rewards
GE
Bank of America
T-Mobile
Valero
Techstars
East Ventures

Native Android development means building for the platform as Google designed it -- Kotlin, Jetpack Compose, Material Design, and the full Android SDK without the abstraction layer of a cross-platform runtime. The result is an app that behaves like an Android app, uses Android-native interactions, and accesses the full range of Android device capabilities without workarounds.

For businesses that need an app that integrates deeply with Android system features, that performs at the level Android users expect on mid-range hardware, or that needs to stay current with each Android release, native Kotlin development is the right choice.

What we build

Consumer Android applications

End-user apps for Google Play -- marketplace apps, content platforms, service booking apps, social features, and consumer experiences that need the polished, native feel Android users expect. Onboarding flows, push notification strategy via Firebase Cloud Messaging, in-app purchase integration where required, and the Google Play listing (screenshots, metadata, ratings prompts) that affects download conversion. The consumer Android product from concept to live on Google Play.

Enterprise Android tools

Internal Android apps for field workers, warehouse staff, sales teams, and any business function where a purpose-built mobile tool replaces paper forms or desktop workflows. Mobile data capture forms with offline support, camera and barcode scanning, signature capture, NFC and Bluetooth integration, and sync with backend systems. Distributed via Google Play for Work or MDM rather than the public Play Store. Built for the specific operational workflow rather than a generic enterprise platform your field team adapts to.

Android-first applications

Apps designed specifically for Android's hardware and software ecosystem -- large-screen and foldable device support, Android widgets, Always-On Display integration, Wear OS companion apps, and apps that take advantage of Android's more permissive background processing model for specific use cases. Where the Android platform's openness enables capabilities that iOS restricts, we design around those advantages rather than building a lowest-common-denominator app that ignores them.

Android system integrations

Deep integration with Android system capabilities: camera2 API for advanced photography features, Bluetooth LE and NFC for hardware peripherals, Google Maps and location APIs, biometric authentication, Android Auto for in-vehicle applications, and the Android health platform for fitness and health data. Background services, WorkManager for scheduled tasks, and the battery-efficient background processing that passes Google Play's policy requirements without compromising the features that need it.

Google Play launch and optimisation

Google Play submission including content rating questionnaire, data safety section, privacy policy requirements, and the screenshot and metadata production that affects Play Store search ranking. Play Console setup and internal testing track configuration for team testing before public launch. Pre-launch report review and crash resolution before production rollout. Post-launch monitoring for ANR rates, crash rates, ratings, and the reviews that signal user experience issues before they affect retention.

Android app maintenance and evolution

Ongoing Android development after initial launch -- new features, Android version compatibility updates, target SDK level updates required by Google Play policy, and the bug fixes that emerge from real-world usage across a diverse device population. Jetpack library version migration when Google deprecates older APIs. Performance profiling and battery usage optimisation for mid-range devices. The sustained development engagement that keeps an Android app current against a platform that releases a major update annually.

Have an Android app project?

Tell us what the app needs to do, who uses it, and whether you need a backend alongside it. We'll scope it and give you a fixed cost.

Talk about your Android project

Frequently asked questions

Native Android development in Kotlin is the better choice when: your app requires deep integration with Android system capabilities -- NFC, Bluetooth LE, camera2 API, widget development, or background services with specific hardware requirements; you need access to the latest Android APIs before they're available in cross-platform frameworks; performance requirements make the JavaScript bridge or Dart runtime overhead unacceptable; or you're building exclusively for Android and cross-platform adds complexity without economic benefit. For apps targeting both Android and iOS with similar feature sets, React Native or Flutter often makes more sense. We'll give you an honest assessment during scoping.

Device fragmentation is managed through a defined device testing matrix rather than hoping the app works everywhere. During scoping, we identify the Android versions and device categories your target users are on -- typically informed by your existing analytics or industry benchmarks. We build and test against that matrix, not against a single device. Jetpack Compose and the Android Jetpack libraries handle most UI consistency concerns across screen sizes. Where specific hardware or OS version behaviour differs, we handle it with conditional code paths and document the supported configuration. Google Play Console's pre-launch report runs automated tests across additional devices.

Yes to both. Most Android apps need a backend for user authentication, data persistence, push notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging, and business logic. Where you have an existing API, we build the Android app to integrate with it. Where you need a new backend, we scope and build it alongside the Android app as part of the same engagement. The backend scope is assessed during discovery based on what the app needs to do and what existing infrastructure you have. We use Retrofit for API integration and Room for local data persistence.

A focused Android app -- a single use case, clean UI, and standard integrations -- typically runs $25,000 to $60,000. A more complex app with custom UI components, multiple user roles, real-time features, significant backend development, and offline capability typically runs $60,000 to $150,000. Fixed cost agreed before development starts. We scope every project before pricing it.