Mobile app development · Melbourne
Mobile app development in Melbourne
Truewright Studio designs and builds iPhone and Android apps for Melbourne businesses, startups and community organisations. One team takes your app from the first idea to the App Store and Google Play, and stays on to keep it running well.
What we build
Apps people open every day, and come back to.
Customer apps
Booking, ordering, loyalty and self-service apps that make it easier for people to buy from you and come back.
Staff and field apps
Checklists, job management, rostering and reporting for teams on the move, built to cope with patchy reception.
Startup products and MVPs
A focused first version to test with real users and show investors, built on foundations that can grow.
Community and membership apps
Information, events and notifications for members, congregations, clubs and associations.
Connected apps
Apps that talk to the systems you already run, from CRMs and booking platforms to payments and devices.
App rescue and rebuilds
Taking over an existing app that is slow, crashing or stuck, and setting it right.
How we build
One codebase, two native apps.
We build most apps with React Native and Expo. One codebase produces genuinely native apps for iPhone and Android, which keeps your build and maintenance costs down without the compromises of a web wrapper. Where a feature needs it, we write native Swift or Kotlin modules.
Behind the app sits whatever it needs to work: APIs in TypeScript and Node.js, a database, authentication, push notifications and admin tools, hosted with Australian data centres available.
Every app ships with accessibility built in, crash and performance monitoring, automated tests and a release process for the App Store and Google Play. We design with the Australian Privacy Principles in mind from the first screen.
Process
From idea to the App Store, step by step.
Discovery
A workshop to understand your users, goals and constraints. We agree what the first version must do and what can wait, and give you a scope and price.
Prototype
Clickable screens you can try on your own phone and put in front of real users before any code is written.
Build
Development in fortnightly sprints. You get a working build on your phone every couple of weeks, not just a status report.
Test and launch
Automated and hands-on testing across devices, then App Store and Google Play submission, handled by us.
Support and grow
Monitoring, OS updates, fixes and the next round of features once real people are using your app.
Cost and timing
What does an app cost in Australia?
| App type | Typical scope | Typical investment (AUD) | First release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focused first version | A few core features, sign-in, one main user type | $25k – $75k | 2–3 months |
| Business app | Accounts, payments, an admin dashboard and integrations | $75k – $150k | 3–5 months |
| Complex platform | Several user types, real-time features, many integrations | $150k+ | 5 months + |
These ranges are a guide. Every project starts with a short discovery phase that ends in a fixed scope and price for your first release.
Why a Melbourne team
Close enough to sit at the same table.
Working with a Melbourne studio means workshops in the same room when it matters, the same time zone every day, and a team that understands Australian customers, regulations and privacy expectations.
Truewright Studio is a trading name of Truewright Pty Ltd, an Australian company. You deal directly with the people designing and building your app, with no offshore hand-offs and no account managers in between.
We work with organisations across Victoria and the rest of Australia, in person or online.
FAQ
Mobile app questions
How much does it cost to build an app in Melbourne?
A focused first version typically costs between $25,000 and $75,000. Apps with accounts, payments, integrations and an admin dashboard usually run from $75,000 to $150,000, and complex platforms go beyond that. After discovery you get a fixed scope and price for the first release.
How long does it take to build a mobile app?
Most first releases take two to five months. You see a clickable prototype within the first few weeks and a working build every couple of weeks after that.
Do you build for both iPhone and Android?
Yes. We use React Native and Expo so one codebase runs natively on iOS and Android, adding Swift or Kotlin where needed. We publish to both the App Store and Google Play.
Who owns the app and the code?
You do. Once the project is paid for, the source code, designs and store listings belong to your business.
Do you only work with Melbourne businesses?
No. We are based in Melbourne and work with organisations across Australia, meeting in person or online.
Can you support the app after launch?
Yes. We offer ongoing support covering monitoring, OS and device updates, bug fixes and new features.
Have an app in mind?
Tell us what you want to build. We will come back with honest thoughts, a rough plan and the questions worth asking first.
Start a project