"We need an app" is one of the most common requests we hear in Karachi, from restaurants, distributors and retailers alike. Sometimes an app is the right answer. Sometimes a fast mobile website does the same job for less. These are the questions to work through with any app company before you sign.
Does my business actually need an app?
- Customers order from you often and would use a saved basket and reorder button.
- Your salesmen or riders need to book orders, record deliveries or collect cash in the field.
- You need push notifications, offline work or the phone's camera and location.
- Managers need approvals and today's figures on their phone.
If none of these apply, start with a website. The reasoning is in ecommerce website or app first.
Cross-platform or native: which should we choose?
Most business apps are built cross-platform, with React Native or similar, so one codebase runs on both Android and iPhone. Native builds make sense for apps that push the phone's hardware hard. The detail is in native vs cross-platform apps.
What kinds of apps do Karachi businesses build?
| App | Used by | Connects to |
|---|---|---|
| Customer ordering app | Customers | Menu or catalogue, stock, payments, POS |
| Order-booking app | Salesmen on routes | Prices, schemes and credit limits in the ERP |
| Delivery or rider app | Riders | Assigned orders, proof of delivery, cash collected |
| Manager app | Owners and managers | Sales, stock alerts and approvals |
Field sales apps are covered in depth in salesman order booking app.
Why does connecting the app to existing systems matter?
An app that keeps its own separate data creates another list to reconcile. A useful app reads and writes the same records as your website, POS or ERP. For example, Cheesy Bite runs an online ordering website, a staff dashboard and a POS for a pizza restaurant, and The Roll Palace sends website orders to the same board as counter and table sales. An app added to systems like these should feed the same order list, not a new one.
What should I ask an app development company?
- Can I install an app you have built and try it?
- Will the Google Play and Apple developer accounts be in my company's name?
- Do I get the source code in a repository I own?
- How will the app connect to my current systems?
- Who handles store reviews, updates for new phone versions and bug fixes after launch?
How should a first version be scoped?
Start with the smallest app that does one job well, launch it, then add features users ask for. Mobile app MVP features lists what belongs in version one.
What does an app cost in Karachi?
It depends on screens, user roles, integrations, payments, offline needs and the admin behind the app. The factors are explained in mobile app development cost in Pakistan, and our starting prices are on the pricing page. Read about our mobile app development in Pakistan, then book a free demo.
Questions people ask
Can one app work on both Android and iPhone?
Yes. A cross-platform build runs on both from one codebase, which is how most business apps are made.
Who publishes the app on Google Play and the App Store?
The developer can handle it, but the developer accounts should be in your company's name so the app stays yours.
Can the app work without internet?
Parts of it can, such as order booking that syncs later. Plan which actions must work offline at the start.
Can you add an app to our existing website or POS?
Often, yes, if the system can share its data. We review it first and tell you what is possible.
