App Development
Over 50% of British people use Android-powered phones. Though brands differ from Samsung to Google, businesses can cater to this audience with a single application. To assist you in choosing a trustworthy partner, we researched over 100 Android app development companies in the UK.
Before adding each Android app development company in the UK to our list, we reviewed their success stories, industries served, experience creating native applications and rates on independent comment aggregators written by their clients.
Upon reading, you’ll find a comparison of the custom Android app development services providers, their ratings and team sizes. We’ve also created a roadmap to assess agencies in terms of security, post-launch support, Android specialisation and communication. To make your choice informed-driven, we’ve outlined average developers’ rates and price-driving factors.
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Limeup has built native applications for clients to reach wider audiences with secure, high-performing solutions, having accomplished over 200 projects. Its Android app developers in the UK create fully compliant applications that align with GDPR, HIPAA and PCI DSS requirements.
Limeup partners with established brands like Vodafone and Hotline.Finance and helps newly-founded firms like Mentalio and CoreSphere to connect with their first users by building future-proof, scalable apps.
Key services:
Industries:
Why choose them:
Limeup is a reliable partner, supporting businesses during and after engineering. An average partnership lasts 5+ years, shifting from design, coding, testing, to maintenance, feature enhancement, OS version compatibility assurance.
Select case studies:
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
impltech is an Android mobile application development company serving clients in the UK, USA, and Europe. 75+ designers and developers have completed 100+ projects, keeping 95% client satisfaction rate. The crew was named the top mobile app developer by Clutch and GoodFirms.
Key services:
Industries:
Why choose them:
Clients note the vendor’s unique expertise and excellent project management. Dennis Fisher, Development Manager at Infra44, found its knowledge and flexibility impressive. This vendor is best for small and midmarket businesses and enterprises that need apps to work in varying network conditions.
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Founded: 2008
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
As one of the long-standing suppliers of Android mobile app development services, Novoda has helped many businesses to create native utilities. The vendor temporarily integrates with brands to complete the tasks. It’s a B-Corporate listed agency with many positive notions online. It is commonly chosen by companies that want to leverage generative AI.
Key services: Android app development, UI/UX design, mobile app design.
Industries: Media, entertainment, retail, eCommerce.
Why choose them:
Novoda emphasises that it is against loud promises and jargon, offering clients transparency, good communication. It creates solutions for businesses of various sizes, from small firms to large, global enterprises.
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The vendor has delivered solutions for businesses like The Body Coach, CCleaner, Depict. You’ll find these instances on the projects’ page.
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Royal Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
James Merrix and Guy Stanton assembled the collective, capable of building AI-fused solutions with augmented reality, geolocation, analytics and IoT integration. It works with businesses that are not satisfied with off-the-shelf utilities.
Key services: Mobile app development, software engineering, design, maintenance.
Industries: Construction, utilities, wellbeing, healthcare, finance.
Why choose them:
This custom Android app development company’s efforts allowed it to be featured in the list of the 500 finest app creators. Appoly doesn’t try to be a mere supplier as its goal is to become a trustworthy technology partner. Martyn Ward praises the agency’s willingness to innovate.
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Appoly displays its undertakings for Tidy, Cafe2U, Roebuck Survival in its catalogue of work, including details on the client’s objective, the process of creation, the solution and post-launch benchmarks.
Founded: 2011
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
This vendor focuses on small businesses deliberating on budgets, features, classic apps, shopping solutions. It takes into account that an average user uses their smartphone 150 times a day helping small brands reach them where they are.
Key services: Android App development, design, app marketing.
Industries: Shopping, games, education.
Why choose them:
A collective of 50 designers and developers has built 100 apps, covering a multi-stage delivery process that doesn’t finish after launch. If you are looking an Android application development agency that can help you with app creation, social media presence, promotion, maintenance, updates you can find the needed expertise here.
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Its project portfolio specifies some native Android accomplishments, the Deer Sleep application that blends music and light to calm people and The Ten, a dating platform with no screenshot function, chats, swipes.
Founded: 2021
Headquarters: Chorleywood, United Kingdom
Though Gemstone is one of the early-stage Android development companies, compared to others on the list, it has a strong leadership with Jamie Maxwell at the helm. The provider has received Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 certifications. It is also a Crow Commercial Service supplier and Ecology contributor.
Key services: Mobile app development, website creation, analytics, AI automation.
Industries: Government, education, charity, food, sports.
Why choose them:
Gemstone uses Kotlin and Java to develop reliable Android-native applications. It implements everything from API integrations to voice technology and payment systems. Its crew uses AI to automate routine processes and reduce risks allowing its clients to take advantage of reliable apps.
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Gemstone’s collection of work includes solutions for midmarket brands and small businesses. MatchManager needed help with creating its application for sportsmen. The provider helped it accelerate booking and payment.
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
You can approach this Android application development company in the UK in any of these cases. First, if you want to validate your idea. It has built an MVP for a brand that creates virtual reality products. Second, you can ask Pixelfield to create a ready-to-launch product. Finally, if you need to improve your apps’ features or security, it’ll be there for you.
Key services: Android app development, custom software engineering, UI/ UX design.
Industries: Entertainment, legal, sports, travel.
Why choose them:
Filip Hasa the founder and director of Pixelfield has gathered a team of developers and designers who build on data and focus on KPIs rather than rough guesses to create apps that attract customers.
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Its selection of projects features Lumoros, a travel app that helps users track auroras; Warlord, a boxing app; and Carifit, a parent support application.
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: York, United Kingdom
The Distance provides Android app development services in the UK for midmarket firms and small businesses. It builds brand-new utilities to address customers’ needs and expands capabilities of existing solutions by featuring apps that align with your current architecture.
Key service: Mobile app development, web app creation, UI/UX design.
Industries: Travel, transportation, wellbeing, education, finance.
Why choose them:
Over the years the crew has refined its delivery frameworks, Journey and Core. It tries to establish a process that accelerates app engineering without losing quality. AI tools enable The Distance to reduce administrative work and speed up content creation.
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When reviewing its completed work, you’ll discover solutions for LeShuttle, GoodShape, PayStream and some others. The distance helped its clients to expand services and refresh navigation.
Founded: 2008
Headquarters: Bromsgrove, United Kingdom
If you’re looking for a vendor to design, develop, test, launch and support your app, Exploding phone covers all these aspects. It prefers a fixed-price model but can lean toward time & material if it’s important to you. This custom Android app development agency in the UK mostly cooperates with start-ups and small enterprises.
Key services: Android app development, design, testing.
Industries: Retail, education, property.
Why choose them:
You can approach Exploding Phone with either an idea or fully documented specifications to code your solution. The crew is straightforward; it honestly speaks what it does well and what requires refinement.
Select case studies:
When reviewing their portfolio of projects, you’ll see solutions delivered for Literacy Tree, TKL, Selco, Sertsure and many other brands.
Founded: 2006
Headquarters: Shoreham-by-Sea
Andy Ferrett founded this Android app development firm almost twenty years ago with the intention of establishing good environments for workers and businesses. His team builds applications that improve brand awareness and boost customer engagement. This agency is well-suited for companies that prioritise mature technologies.
Key services: Android app development, UI/UX design, user research, support and maintenance.
Industries: Travel, entertainment, education, eCommerce.
Why choose them:
The crew has been awarded for its designs and inspiring culture. Its apps are praised for their intuitive interfaces. Bed Edwards from Ziffit said that users noted that it was easy to use its application.
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Its work highlights feature projects for established brands like WTW, Waterstones and Legal & General.
A UK-based business offering Android app engineering services specialises in the development of applications targeting the 50% of mobile users in the UK running an Android device.
These vendors have the capability to turn business ideas into a working application that reaches consumers who, for example, use Samsung, HTC, LG devices and access the Google Play.
Firms invest in developing Android applications to generate revenue and engage with clients. For instance mobile applications facilitate direct purchase activities and help in personalisation.
Moreover, the best Android app development agency in the UK helps retain clients through notifications and by analysing behavioural patterns using insights to inform future business decisions.
The UK app creation revenue is expected to reach £36.7 billion in 2026-27, according to IBISWorld. This growth has brought hundreds of agencies into being across tech hubs like London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Although many claim to be the best you need to align your project specifications with their offerings to choose a good partner.
Comparison thus requires focusing on measurable factors related to delivery stability rather than stellar portfolios. Company size is indicative, as is verified sector experience, a transparent pricing structure, real client reviews.
The size of an Android application development company affects resource availability and delivery speed. While smaller crews move faster on focused projects yet lack redundancy, larger firms handle complex builds with specialised roles.
The following table summarises the Android app development agencies based on their focus and technical expertise:
UK rate variability exists depending on an Android software development company’s experience and location. Transparent quotations that break down features are a sign of a mature process.
Platforms like Clutch and GoodFirms verify client identities better than website testimonials. You need to prioritise detailed accounts describing specific challenges over generic praise.
As this short comparison demonstrates, there is no singular category that makes up the best builders. Where smaller teams shine with focused MVPs, mid-sized providers excel in balancing speed and scale and larger and more sophisticated companies thrive with intricate and tech-heavy Android apps.
Ultimately the right partner comes down to app’s tech requirements, budget expectations, growth planning.
The vendor selection is best done through a formal procurement, rather than a creative hiring approach. This means that before you approach a vendor, you must first be specific about your requirements.
Then, when you begin exploring vendors, they need to be judged on factors like technical knowledge, communication skills, price transparency.
Strong companies refer to their performance data of application that showcases reliability rates and stability. They also rely on Android Studio as their primary building environment, as well as use Layout Inspector and Android Profiler to identify issues, memory leaks, excessive battery consumption.
It’s essential to cooperate with Android mobile app development companies that describe their testing approach to cover different brands, screen sizes, Android versions, and more. For this purpose you can request code samples or quality reports to show their work standards and architectural decisions.
When you assess a supplier in terms of communication, make it shed light on its report routine, to find out whether it sends weekly written summaries of completed work, current progress, upcoming tasks.
A top Android app development company will ask detailed questions around users, business processes, and system connections during discovery calls. Make sure they are responsive before you sign on the dotted line, as agencies that slow dance answering your queries in their sales phase will only get worse after that.
Typically, vendors follow the following pricing approaches:
You choose fixed contracts when features are sharply defined and budgets are pre-set. On the contrary, if your objectives are evolving, the time and materials method allows flexibility. Retainer arrangements cover updates and maintenance through recurring monthly fees, making costs for Android app development service and optimisation predictable.
If a potential partner doesn’t use your preferred pricing model, there is a probability of project creep. Remember that forcing fixed pricing on uncertain projects guarantees problems when scope inevitably changes.
Updates to Android arrive a number of times each year, potentially breaking functionality. Google Play policies change quarterly and require adjustments to keep apps in compliance. That’s why treating apps as finished upon launch damages user ratings and revenue.
You need to ensure that the vendor implements security patches and enhances features. Also, confirm response times and monitoring tools prior to signing any contracts. It’s essential to know who is in charge in cases of emergency bug fixes and what constitutes billable work.
A native Android app development company should bring up GDPR practices unprompted. The questions around where data is stored, how backups are carried out, and what controls are in place to block access, are indicative of proper security culture vs. compliance theatre.
Data encryption prevents information from being compromised while in transit. When a vendor has certification standards such as ISO 27001 or Cyber Essentials, it reveals their actual commitment to security.
Android app building cost in the UK varies according to the complexity of the project, as some apps are simple, while others are feature-intensive, which may require more weeks or even a year or two to be developed.
Look at the table below to see some common Android project costs:
| Project type | Cost range | Typical features |
| Simple apps | £15k-£40k | User profiles, basic data display, simple forms, standard UI components |
| Mid-complexity | £40k-£100 | Payment processing, real-time updates, custom back-end, third-party APIs |
| Enterprise-grade | £100k-£300k+ | Advanced security, multi-platform sync, complex workflows, compliance features |
When you partner with Android app development companies, you need to expect that maintenance takes additionally 15% to 20% of initial costs.
In the case of regulated industries, compliance plays an important role. In financial applications, there are annual security audits and certification processes. Speaking of healthcare applications, stricter security needs are required, and compliance needs to be checked regularly. Banking integrations need updates regularly to comply with changing regulations.
Location variations in operating costs make a large difference in rates across the UK. But the level of experience is still the main factor that determines the rate irrespective of the region.
| Developer level | Hourly rate | Core responsibilities |
| Junior | £35-£50 |
|
| Mid-level | £50-£80 |
|
| Senior | £80-£120 |
|
| Lead architect | £120-£150 |
|
Moreover, regional differences have shown that London has rates that are approximately 20-30% higher than the national average, while cities like Manchester and Birmingham have rates that are 5-10% above it.
Specialised skills can also command increased costs. Developers with expertise in Jetpack Compose may charge 15-25% higher, while those with AR/VR skills, offer services that cost 30-50% more than basic solutions.
Indeed has shown that the average salary that an Android programmer will earn on a monthly basis will be £4,233. This will result in £50,796 annually for the year 2026.
Costs incurred during engineering have a linear relationship to both the technological complexity and integration grades involved. Sophistication levels, security, and overall usability have their own budget effects on the Android development company’s offering costs.
A multitude of device configurations creates an exponential hit list. Apps that serve thousands of concurrent users require fine-tuning that is not usually necessary on smaller scales.
An Android application is created for devices that can run the Android operating system. Such apps offer businesses competitive advantages like faster launch cycles with reduced approval hurdles, the ability to customise extensively for differentiation, and the opportunity to distribute their applications through different means.
However, there are certain aspects to be considered while developing the application. There is greater fragmentation in testing the application on different hardware configurations. Also, permission management requires educating the users about data access.
Most UK agencies supply their clients with packaged services, providing all-range offerings that extend to maintenance and concept engineering.
Look at the table that features developers’ areas of work and their meaning for businesses:
| Service | Business outcomes |
| Custom Android development | Aligns features with revenue targets |
| UI/UX design | Improves user retention and conversion |
| Android app testing | Reduces crash rates and Google Play rejections |
| ASO / Google Play optimization | Ensures Google Play compliance and visibility |
| Android app maintenance & support | Keeps apps stable, secure, and compatible with OS updates |
| Migration & refactoring | Improves performance, scalability, and long-term maintainability of legacy apps |
| Third-party services integration | Expands functionality via payment providers, analytics, CRM, or marketing tools |
| API & back-end integration | Ensures seamless data exchange, real-time updates, and scalable architecture |
Businesses evaluate cross-platform and native development options when they select their Android app creation method. The use of Kotlin and Java for native builds provides developers with the ability to craft high-performance utilities.
Cross-platform frameworks supply businesses with lower initial expenses and faster product launches but they pose different performance restrictions. The experienced Android application development companies provide assistance to clients by helping them assess different trade-offs according to their product objectives, resources and operational growth needs.
Bespoke Android app engineers create applications that meet specific business needs. This involves discovery, feature definition, architecture, and testing before submitting to stores.
The best Android app development company crafts interfaces that comply with Material Design specifications while conveying brand identity. Android-specific considerations include navigation, screen density, and interactions.
Testing ensures the functionality works across various manufacturers, Android versions, and usage cases. Quality assurance helps identify any crashes, performance, and user experience issues before the app is publicly released. Automated tests are used as an additional tool to support the QA process.
Publishing takes care of the submission, compliance verification, and release management through the Google Play. Android application developers are responsible for maintaining the app after publication, which includes fixing bugs, updating OS versions, and adding features. Monitoring involves tracking crashes, feedback, and performance.
By understanding these different services organisations are able to realise gaps in offers made by various entities.
A request for proposal provides a framework for vendor selection through well-defined requirements and criteria for evaluation. Effective RFPs ensure that you get a proposal written specifically for your needs, not a generic sales pitch.
RFP sections to consider:
Those providers that perform best are the ones who understand the Android OS and communicate in terms that you can understand as a business person.
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