App Development
Native and cross-platform mobile apps built for South African users, from iOS and Android products to progressive web apps. Strategy, design, build, and support under one founder-led roof. App development from R80,000/project.
Juicy Designs is a South African app development company that designs and builds native iOS, native Android, and cross-platform mobile apps for startups, scale-ups, and established businesses. We cover the full product lifecycle: discovery and scoping, UX and UI design, front-end and back-end engineering, App Store and Play Store launch, and ongoing maintenance. App development pricing starts from R80,000 per project for a focused MVP and scales with feature scope, integrations, and platform count. We build with React Native and Flutter for cost-efficient cross-platform delivery, and native Swift or Kotlin where performance demands it. Every build includes secure API design, analytics instrumentation, and POPIA-aligned data handling. Founded in 2015, Juicy Designs has delivered work for 64 plus clients and maintains a 4.9 star Google rating across 214 reviews. App projects are scoped transparently with fixed-price milestones, and support is month to month with no lock-in.
Three build paths. One product team.
Cross-platform, native, or progressive web app. We recommend the approach that fits your budget, performance needs, and timeline, not the one that bills the most hours.
One codebase, both app stores. We build with React Native and Flutter so your iOS and Android apps share logic and ship faster, cutting build cost without sacrificing a native feel. Ideal for MVPs, marketplaces, and content apps where speed to market matters. Cross-platform builds from R80,000/project.
Explore cross-platformWhen performance, device hardware, or platform-specific polish is non-negotiable, we build native in Swift and Kotlin. Best for apps that lean on the camera, sensors, offline storage, or demanding animations. Higher investment, maximum quality.
Explore native appsApp-like experiences that run in the browser, install to the home screen, and work offline without an app store. PWAs are the most cost-effective route to a mobile product for many South African businesses, with no store approval delays. Built on the same engineering standards as our websites.
Explore PWAsEverything we cover in an app build
From a first prototype to a launched, maintained product on both app stores.
Every successful app starts with a tightly scoped plan. We run discovery workshops to map your users, core jobs to be done, and minimum viable feature set, then translate that into a build plan with clear milestones and a fixed quote. This phase stops the two most common app failures: building the wrong thing, and runaway scope. Discovery is included in every app project from R80,000.
Learn moreWe design the full app experience before a line of production code is written: user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and a polished UI that follows Apple Human Interface and Material Design guidelines. You sign off on a clickable prototype, so there are no surprises at launch. App UX and UI design is available as a standalone engagement or bundled into the build.
Learn moreProduction engineering in React Native, Flutter, Swift, or Kotlin, depending on the right fit for your product. Clean architecture, automated testing, and code you actually own. We handle state management, navigation, offline support, push notifications, and the dozens of platform details that separate a polished app from a buggy one.
Learn moreMost apps need a server. We build secure, scalable back ends and REST or GraphQL APIs, with authentication, role-based access, and POPIA-aligned data handling. We integrate payment gateways (PayFast, Yoco, Stripe), SMS and email providers, maps, and any third-party service your app depends on.
Learn moreStore submission is its own discipline. We prepare your App Store Connect and Google Play listings, screenshots, metadata, and privacy declarations, then manage the review process through to approval. We handle the rejections that catch first-time publishers off guard so your launch stays on schedule.
Learn moreApps are never finished. We offer month-to-month maintenance covering OS updates, bug fixes, security patches, performance monitoring, and incremental feature releases. No long-term contract. You keep the source code and can move on whenever you choose, though most clients stay for the roadmap.
Learn moreHow we work
Here is what building your app with Juicy Designs looks like from the first workshop to a live product.
Discovery workshops to define users, core features, and success metrics. We produce a build plan, technical approach, and fixed-price milestone quote.
Week 1-2User flows, wireframes, and a clickable prototype. You test and sign off the full experience before engineering begins.
Week 2-4Front-end and back-end engineering in milestone sprints. Payment, API, and third-party integrations. You review working builds throughout.
Month 2-4QA across devices, beta testing via TestFlight and Play internal testing, then App Store and Play Store submission and approval.
Launch monthMonth-to-month maintenance, monitoring, and an agreed feature roadmap. We keep optimising as your user base grows.
What makes us different
Product thinking, honest scoping, and code you own. No outsourced black boxes, no surprise invoices.
App budgets blow out when scope is vague. We scope tightly in discovery and quote per milestone, so you know what each phase costs before we start it. No open-ended hourly billing, no surprise change requests at the end. You approve each milestone before we move to the next.
Founders Cobus and Wynand are directly involved in product strategy and design direction. You are not handed to a junior account manager. Juicy Designs is a Google Partner and Meta Business Partner, founded in Pretoria in 2015, with a 4.9 star rating across 214 reviews.
On day one we agree that you own the source code, the design files, and the app store accounts. There is no vendor lock-in and no month-to-month contract. Most clients stay because the roadmap delivers, not because they are trapped. POPIA-aligned data handling is built in from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about app development in South Africa. No jargon, no runaround.
App development at Juicy Designs starts from R80,000 per project for a focused MVP with a core feature set on one or both platforms. Pricing scales with feature complexity, the number of integrations, whether you need a custom back end, and whether the build is cross-platform or native. We scope every project in a discovery phase and provide a fixed-price quote broken into milestones, so you know the full cost before engineering begins. Most small-business and startup apps fall between R80,000 and R350,000 depending on scope. For a wider view of digital build budgets, see our guide to website cost in South Africa.
A focused MVP typically takes 8 to 16 weeks from discovery to launch. Discovery and design run for the first 2 to 4 weeks, engineering for 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope, and store submission adds roughly 1 to 2 weeks for review. Larger products with custom back ends, multiple integrations, or native builds take longer. We work in milestone sprints so you see progress every couple of weeks rather than waiting months for a single reveal.
It depends on your product. Cross-platform builds with React Native or Flutter share one codebase across iOS and Android, which lowers cost and speeds up delivery, and they are the right choice for most content apps, marketplaces, and MVPs. Native builds in Swift or Kotlin are worth the higher investment when your app leans heavily on device hardware, demanding animations, or platform-specific features. We recommend the approach that fits your budget and performance needs in the discovery phase.
Yes. You own the source code, the design files, and the app store accounts. We hand everything over and there is no vendor lock-in. Our maintenance and support is month to month with no long-term contract, so you are free to take the project in-house or move it elsewhere whenever you choose. We find most clients stay because the ongoing roadmap delivers value, not because they are contractually trapped.
Yes. App maintenance covers operating system updates, security patches, bug fixes, performance monitoring, and incremental feature releases. Apps need ongoing attention because iOS and Android release new versions every year and store requirements change. Our maintenance plans are month to month, and you keep full code ownership throughout. If you would rather maintain the app with your own team after launch, we hand over documentation to make that smooth.
Yes. Juicy Designs is a full-service digital agency, so we can build your app, your website, and the web design and marketing campaigns that drive downloads. Building the app and its supporting marketing under one roof keeps your brand consistent and avoids the coordination overhead of managing separate suppliers. We also run app install campaigns and app store optimisation as part of our wider digital marketing services.
Client results
Startups and established businesses that launched mobile products with us.
“We came to Juicy Designs with a concept and a deadline. They scoped it honestly, cut the features we did not need for launch, and delivered a clean cross-platform app on both stores in 11 weeks. The milestone quoting meant we never had a budget surprise. We own the code and they still handle our updates.”
“Our previous developer disappeared and left us with code we could not maintain. Juicy Designs rebuilt the app properly, fixed the crashes, and got us to a 4.7 star average. The difference a founder-led team makes is night and day. They explain the technical decisions in language we actually understand.”
“We needed an app and a back end that could scale. Juicy built both, integrated PayFast and our SMS provider, and architected it to grow. We are now at 40,000 monthly active users with no performance issues. Their fixed-price milestones kept the project on budget the whole way through.”
Trusted by
From logistics and fintech to retail and subscription apps, Juicy Designs ships products that users keep on their home screen.
+ 50 more clients across logistics, fintech, retail, healthcare, and professional services.
Credentials
Google Partner. Founder led. Transparent reporting. Serving South Africa from our Pretoria studio.
Google Partner
Premium agency certification
POPIA Compliant
Data protection certified
Meta Business Partner
Ads & Instagram expertise
TikTok Certified
TikTok ads specialist
HubSpot Platinum
Marketing automation
WCAG AA Compliant
Accessibility certified
Verified on Clutch
Clutch.co client reviews
Juicy Designs was founded in Pretoria in 2015 by Cobus van der Westhuizen (Co-founder & CEO) and Wynand van der Westhuizen (Co-founder & Creative Director). All certifications are held by active team members. Serving clients across South Africa since 2015.