Digital transformation is accelerating, forging its way into various industries, and there’s no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. In this era of boundless possibilities, the demand for innovative products is on the rise. This increase in demand has also catalyzed the need for highly proficient and experienced mobile app development teams.
The mobile app development landscape in Europe has witnessed a remarkable rise, positioning the region as a prominent IT services hub. A growing number of global organizations consider Eastern Europe a suitable option for offshore hiring. This region has several advantages, including a rich talent pool and reasonable service prices.
In this article, we’ll overview the mobile app market and identify essential criteria for choosing the right app development vendor. We’ve also compiled a list of 2024’s top 10 app developing firms to help you make a final decision. Let’s go!
Mobile App Market Share and Size
Mobile app development is a huge market with significant growth prospects. Here are some stats and facts that showcase its high potential:
- An overwhelming 86% of the global population are active smartphone users
- By 2028, there will be 7,8 billion smartphone users
- The mobile application market is expected to generate earnings of up to $755 billion by 2027
The stats tell us that the mobile app industry is expanding beyond imagination. Currently, there are more than 2,67 million apps on Google Play and over 1.6 million apps on the Apple App Store. It may astonish you to learn that a multitude of the most popular apps, including WhatsApp, Snapchat, Grammarly, and PayPal, were built by Ukrainian mobile app developers.
Some of the most in-demand programming languages for mobile app development include Java, Python, Swift, and Kotlin. Frameworks like React Native and Flutter have gained ground for building cross-platform mobile apps, allowing developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms.
As members of the European Union, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria must adhere to stringent EU standards regarding the security measures applied to confidential data and intellectual property. Ukraine, as a EU candidate, has also undergone important reforms to secure its future in the EU. More so, Ukrainian IT specialists contribute to the development of software solutions powering the EU Parliament. For example, Redwerk was hired to extend and upgrade the EU Parliament e-voting solution.
Selecting Europe's Best Mobile App Developers
Among the myriad of IT companies in Europe, how do you find the most reliable partner that will facilitate the growth and success of your business? When looking for the best app developer, it’s crucial to take into account the following evaluation criteria:
- Relevant qualification and industry expertise
- Overall experience on the market
- Recognition and awards
- Portfolio, case studies, and client testimonials
- Company’s rates
- Complete list of software development services
- Quality assurance and reliable testing methods
- Engagement model and communication channels
- Client focus
- English proficiency
- Location and time zone benefits
Despite the war, Ukraine remains one of the major offshoring destinations, housing 228,000 highly qualified specialists as of May 2022, with more than 4,000 IT companies operating in the country. Due to its huge pool of experienced engineers and ICT experts, good English proficiency, understanding and sharing Western culture values, and unmatched resilience, the IT industry in Ukraine keeps growing no matter the challenges. In 2022, the export of IT services increased by 5.8% compared to 2021.
Top 10 Mobile Application Development Companies
Here, you will find all the necessary details that will help you to pick the right app developing firm and fully benefit from a successful partnership.
Let’s closely examine these companies so that you can make an informed decision about the one that perfectly caters to your needs.
Redwerk is a software development company recognized by Microsoft Partner Network as a tech leader showing consistent capability and commitment.
Since 2005, Redwerk has been helping startups and established businesses across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand increase market coverage and bring value to consumers through feature-rich mobile applications.
The company is proficient in using programming languages such as Objective-C, Swift, Java, XCode, Android SDK, RxJava, RxAndroid, Retrofit, Room, Dagger, Kotlin, and React native. Their expertise extends to backend development, encompassing API integration, server-side scripting, database management, and cloud infrastructure setup.
Redwerk provides managed services, meaning each client project is assigned a dedicated PM/BA and one or several software developers based on the scope. Depending on the client’s needs, additional experts can be added to the team, such as QA engineers, DevOps specialists, or UI/UX designers.
The IT services provider has successfully delivered over 250 projects that received prestigious awards like Red Herring Top 100, Champions of Change by the White House, Best Practices Award by Frost & Sullivan, among others.
Founded: 2005
Number of employees: ~80
Hourly rates: available by request, contact sales
Offices: Ukraine, distributed team across Europe
Key clients: Evolv, European Parliament, HireQuest, Justin Alexander, Universal Music Group, Siemens, AWE Learning, and Squarespace
Industry expertise: E-Government, HR Tech, Green Tech, E-Commerce, Media & Entertainment, E-Learning, Game Development, Healthcare
Miquido offers comprehensive app development services. The company boasts an outstanding portfolio, having successfully developed over 150 innovative applications for renowned brands.
The specialists at Miquido have long-term experience in developing solutions powered by artificial intelligence. They integrate AI technologies such as natural language processing, predictive analytics, and computer vision to create advanced app features and improve user experiences.
Miquido can tackle any development issues and deliver tangible outcomes within the agreed-upon timeline. Typically, their team invests two days in providing an accurate project estimation, two weeks in crafting a prototype, and three months in launching the MVP.
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: ~260
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Key clients: Skyscanner, BNP Paribas, Aviva, and TUI
Industry expertise: FinTech, Health & Fitness, Entertainment, E-Commerce, and others
Netguru is a Poland-based web and mobile app development company that delivers high-quality cross-platform and native mobile applications. Since its establishment in 2008, Netguru has developed over 1,000 projects, earning recognition on prominent platforms like Business Insider, TechCrunch, and Product Hunt.
Netguru’s adept developers possess the expertise to scale your AI and data initiatives by implementing machine learning-based architectures. Their expertise spans a wide range of technologies, from augmented reality to analytics and IoT. By leveraging these cutting-edge technologies, the company assists businesses of all sizes in driving innovation and optimizing their operations.
Founded: 2008
Number of employees: ~900
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland
Key clients: Volkswagen, UBS, Keller Williams, OLX Group, Damac, and Żabka
Industry expertise: Fintech, Retail & E-Commerce, Healthcare, and Education
Star is a global team of product creators that integrates strategy, design, and engineering services to help companies accelerate digital product innovation. Over the span of 14 years, they have helped more than 400 multinational clients define and achieve their endgame.
At every stage of the digital journey, Star’s team provides comprehensive support to their clients. They engage in co-creation with you, offering guidance from the initial stages of ideation and concept crafting all the way through to full-stack app development.
Founded: 2008
Hourly rates: available by request, contact sales
Number of employees: ~900
Offices: Ukraine, US, UK, Poland, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Japan, China, Vietnam
Key clients: Lufthansa, NTT Data, Paidy, Zeiss, Xerox, Panasonic, Walmart, BMW Group, and Skin Analytics
Industry expertise: Automotive & Mobility, AdTech & MarTech, FinTech, and HealthTech
Hedgehog Lab is a digital product agency registered in England and Wales, specializing in the development of web, mobile, and connected platforms for diverse industries ranging from fintech to retail. They provide assistance to businesses in generating innovative ideas and crafting exceptional products that foster growth and success.
Over the course of a decade, Hedgehog Lab has achieved success in developing numerous mobile applications for major brands, leveraging state-of-the-art technologies such as AI and Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality. The Financial Times named the agency as one of “Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies” for 2020.
Founded: 2007
Number of employees: ~90
Hourly rates: $100 – $149
Offices: UK, US
Key clients: Toyota, Lloyds Bank, Deliveroo, Standard Life Aberdeen, and TESCO Bank
Industry expertise: Health & Wellness, FinTech, Supply Chain & Logistics, Retail, Energy, Travel, and Automotive
Devlight is a mobile app engineering company that helps startups, SMBs and enterprises streamline their day-to-day operations through ground-breaking mobile apps.
In six years, they have successfully completed over 100 projects for Android and iOS platforms, impacting more than 35 million users. Their top-tier Flutter, native, iOS, and Android developers help Forbes’ Top 100 companies create high-performing mobile apps that provide value to their users.
Founded: 2016
Number of employees: ~75
Hourly rates: $25 – $49
Offices: Ukraine
Key clients: Visa, Vodafone, Tailor Brands, Movinga, and Nova Poshta
Industry expertise: Retail, eCommerce, FinTech, Healthcare, Logistics, and Loyalty Programs
STRV is a software design and engineering company trusted by industry leaders such as ClassDojo, Barry’s, Barnes & Noble, Minted, Autodesk, MedMen, and The Athletic. The exceptional talent of STRV’s designers has been acknowledged with more than 20 design awards in recent years.
With the support of STRV’s community of talented engineers, designers, and product managers, their clients have collectively raised over $12 billion in funding. STRV’s impressive track record, excellent customer service, and high performance have earned it the 14th position on the Clutch 1000 list in 2020.
Founded: 2004
Number of employees: ~190
Hourly rates: $100 – $149
Offices: the Czech Republic, US
Key clients: Microsoft, The Athletic, ClassDojo, Hallmark, Barry’s, MedMen, and Opkix
Industry expertise: Education, Social Media, E-Commerce, Lifestyle, Legal, and others
Fueled’s full-stack engineering team is expert at creating world-class products using a range of technologies, platforms, and frameworks. They leverage the contemporary Kotlin language for Android app development, while Python is employed to create APIs for both Android and iOS projects.
Fueled’s commitment to excellence and innovation has earned them numerous awards from the Webbys, Hive, and W3.
They adopt an agile approach, working in rapid two-week cycles where design and development tasks are executed in parallel. This methodology allows them to swiftly and efficiently build apps while ensuring that quality standards are upheld.
Founded: 2007
Number of employees: ~140
Hourly rates: $150 – $199
Offices: US, UK
Key clients: MGM Resorts, 9Gag, Harvard, Rite Aid, Verizon, Crunchbase, and QuizUp
Industry expertise: E-Commerce, Social Media, FinTech, Lifestyle, and others
Orangesoft has been on the market since 2011, helping start-ups and established enterprises create compelling apps with superior operability.
Orangesoft offers a comprehensive range of app development services, covering the entire cycle from product discovery to maintenance. Following each iteration, they offer their clients another piece of app to test it, make necessary improvements and provide feedback. Over the course of 10 years, they have delivered more than 300 high-performance, intuitive, and reliable custom apps for companies worldwide.
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: ~90
Hourly rates: $50 – $99
Offices: Poland, US
Key clients: Hamleys, Sport.com, CoachNow, Yukon, and IKEA
Industry expertise: Health & Fitness, E-Commerce, FinTech, Entertainment, and others
IDAP is a custom web and mobile software development company that creates products with outstanding UX and UI app designs that meet every platform and look astonishing.
IDAP partners with clients of all sizes and sectors, from global brands to innovative startups. Their team of developers works with multiple technologies and programming languages, in particular Python, Node.js, Java, JavaScript, React Native, NET core, and more.
Founded: 2012
Number of employees: ~100
Hourly rates: $25 – $49
Offices: Ukraine
Industry expertise: Media, Education, Social, Retail, Healthcare, FinTech, E-Commerce, CRM/ERP
Wrapping It Up
The list of top app developers has been curated after evaluating various aspects, including the company’s portfolio of completed projects, professional experience, client feedback, expertise in mobile app development, market perception, and overall reputation.
Redwerk can become your future trusted and long-lasting vendor, guiding you throughout your digitalization journey. Our team will ensure that your mobile application is a user-friendly solution, resistant to bugs, highly secure and future-proof.
Wonder how our customized solutions can propel your business to new heights? Take a moment to explore our prominent case studies and envision the endless possibilities that await your own mobile app project.
Why work with Ukraine in 2023?
