Mobile app design and development
In short
In shortSplash Creative designs and develops mobile apps for startups and growing businesses, handling product strategy, brand, UX and UI design, in-app copy, development, and launch assets with one team. Projects start with discovery to confirm an app is the right answer, then move through wireframes and a clickable prototype before development. A focused first version usually takes 8 to 20 weeks.
- Who it is for
- Businesses shaping a mobile product around the tasks people need to complete
- What it covers
- User flows, interface system, prototype, and agreed mobile development
- Who does the work
- A senior team led by David Herskowitz, Founder and Creative Director
- How it is priced
- Scoped to the business need; scope, timing, and fee agreed in a proposal before kickoff
In David’s words
“I said to them, you don't need an app. They said, why? I said, because you're the service. And if you're going to build an app, you're just distancing yourself further and further and further from your customer.”
Our view
Most startup apps don't fail because of bad code. They fail because of decisions made before a line of code gets written: no clear brand, a feature list instead of a strategy, design and development split between vendors who never meet. And some apps shouldn't exist at all. We've told clients they didn't need an app, and turned down the project.
What we do instead
We answer three questions first: who it's for, what problem it solves, and what success looks like after launch. Then one team designs the brand, the flows, the screens, and the words together, and builds from the same files. The first version does the core thing exceptionally well instead of everything halfway.
Where we've done it
Our product work sits right next to apps: the brand and Shopify store for Bettertap, a countertop water system whose app tracks how much each person drinks, and mobile-first websites for Studio and SwiftHealth. And one of the most useful things we've done was talk a client out of an app, because the business was her, and an app would have put distance between her and her customers.
Everything a real app needs
- 01
The app-or-not decision
Offline use, notifications, the camera, and frequent repeat use are what usually justify a native app. Without them, a mobile website is easier to distribute and maintain, and we'll say so.
- 02
UX flows and wireframes
Where someone lands, how onboarding works, where they make decisions. Wireframes answer those questions while they're still cheap to change, and we ask for an account or permissions only at the moment they become useful.
- 03
UI design and interface system
Your brand applied to every screen, plus the states people actually hit: empty, loading, error, no connection. Those are part of the product, not afterthoughts.
- 04
Copy and microcopy
Button labels, onboarding, error messages, empty states. Written alongside the design, in your voice, so nothing is placeholder text that shipped by accident.
- 05
Development and QA
Built from the design files, with developers flagging anything that won't work before it becomes a production problem. Tested across devices and edge cases before launch.
- 06
Launch assets
App Store and Google Play screenshots, descriptions, and launch copy. An app that launches quietly rarely gains traction.
“Splash delivers powerful brand ID, slick websites and UX, beautiful graphic design, and intelligent software solutions. Great team, great experience, great creative partners.”
We're a good fit if...
- You can say who the app is for, what it solves, and what success looks like, or you want help getting there first.
- People will use it repeatedly and it needs something a website can't do well.
- You don't have a brand yet, or it isn't ready to carry a product, and you want both built together.
- You've been burned by a designer and a developer who never quite got on the same page.
- You'd rather launch a focused first version done well than every feature done halfway.
- You want a partner who asks why before how, and pushes back when it matters.
Not a fit
If you want a developer to code a spec as written with no questions, or the cheapest possible build of a long feature list, we're not your team. And if your business is really you and your service, we may tell you not to build an app at all.
How an app project with us works
- 01
Discovery and strategy
We define the users, the essential tasks, the integrations, and what success means. If an app isn't the right answer, we tell you here, before you've spent on design or code.
- 02
Brand foundation and wireframes
If the brand isn't ready, we build what the app will inherit: logo, color, type, voice. In parallel we wireframe the main journeys and the onboarding.
- 03
Design, copy, and prototype
Full screens and every word are designed together, then linked into a clickable prototype. You click through the main journeys and approve them before development starts.
- 04
Development and QA
We build from the approved designs and test across devices and real scenarios. Edge cases are found and fixed before your customers find them.
- 05
Launch and handoff
Store listings, screenshots, and launch copy are ready on day one. Release responsibilities and ongoing maintenance are agreed in writing, so everyone knows who owns what after launch.
Questions, answered.
Do we need a native app or a mobile website?
Often a mobile website is enough. A native app usually earns its place when people use it repeatedly and it needs device features like offline use, notifications, or the camera. We assess that in discovery before recommending either.
How is app development priced?
The fee comes from the scope: platforms (iOS, Android, or both), the number of core journeys, integrations, whether brand work is included, and support after launch. Scope, timing, and fee are agreed in a written proposal before kickoff. Share your budget and we'll tell you what a strong first version looks like within it.
How long does it take to build an app?
A focused first version usually takes 8 to 20 weeks from discovery to launch. Custom features, more integrations, or several user types take longer. The biggest delays usually come from unclear requirements, not the build.
Do we need a brand before we build the app?
Ideally, yes, because the app inherits your visual language and voice. If yours isn't defined yet, we build both together so you aren't retrofitting the app later.
Can we see the app before it's fully built?
Yes. You click through a prototype of the main journeys before development starts. It's the cheapest point to find a confusing flow or a missing step.
Who maintains the app after launch?
App store reviews, operating system updates, and integrations keep going after launch. We agree who handles them in the proposal, whether that's us on an ongoing basis or your team with a proper handoff.