NirvanaCanada

Mobile app development for Vancouver businesses

Native iOS and Android apps, designed, built, tested and submitted to the app stores by one team in Vancouver, with the backend and support to keep them running after launch.

Discuss your appSee the process
[ OVERVIEW ]// 01

What we build, and for whom

We develop mobile apps for Vancouver and Lower Mainland businesses that need their customers, members or field staff to do something on a phone: book, order, check in, message, pay or track. The work covers the native iOS and Android apps themselves, the backend and admin tools behind them, and the app store submissions.

We work mostly with established service businesses, clinics, education providers and product companies. They usually arrive with a clear job the app has to do and an existing website or database it has to work with, so we plan the app to extend what the business already runs.

If a native app is not the right fit, we will say so. A cross-platform build or a progressive web app often serves the same goal at lower cost; the mobile app solutions hub explains how we choose.

[ SELECTED WORK ]// 02

A named project

Two application projects from our portfolio, each linking to its own write-up.

01 / Lysten · Health support platform

A Next.js application for booking sessions and talking to someone, from any phone

Lysten connects people with someone who will listen during difficult times. We designed and built the platform so users can browse mental health resources, book sessions online and talk to others inside the app, with voice calls through the Agora SDK. Built in Next.js with accessibility, performance and security as the brief, and supported by us since launch.

Read the Lysten write-up
02 / A.C. Taxi Nanaimo · Taxi fleet

Online booking and fares, integrated with the fleet's iOS and Android rider apps

For A.C. Taxi's radio-dispatched fleet we built the booking site that sits alongside their iOS and Android apps: online booking, fare details, service add-ons and mobile app integration for both platforms.

Read the A.C. Taxi write-up
[ DELIVERABLES ]// 03

What you get

UX and UI design

Wireframes, then designed screens for iOS and Android that follow each platform's conventions, reviewed with you before build.

Native iOS and Android apps

The apps themselves, with the backend services, admin panel and integrations they depend on.

Testing and store submission

Device testing, then the App Store and Google Play listings, screenshots and submissions handled for you.

Source code and accounts

You own the code and the developer accounts the apps are published under; nothing is locked to us.

Post-launch support

Monitoring, OS-update fixes and feature releases on an agreed support plan.

[ PROCESS ]// 04

How a project runs

Four stages, each with a named owner on our side and a decision for you at the end. Timelines depend on scope; we give you one after discovery.

  1. 01 / Discovery

    Define the job

    Our project lead works through what the app must do, who uses it and which systems it connects to. Output: scope, screen map and estimate.

  2. 02 / Design

    Design the screens

    Our designer produces wireframes, then full screens for each platform. You review a clickable prototype before we write app code.

  3. 03 / Build

    Build in releases

    Our developers build the apps and backend in short releases you can install on your own phones, so feedback arrives while changes are cheap.

  4. 04 / Launch

    Test and submit

    Device testing, bug fixes and the store submissions. We handle the review process until both stores approve.

[ OUTCOMES ]// 05

What to expect after launch

You will have apps live on both stores, a backend you can administer, and documentation for the account logins, code repositories and release process. Crash reporting and basic analytics are set up before launch, so you can see installs, active users and errors from the first week.

Apple and Google ship new OS versions every year, and apps need updates to keep pace. Our support plans cover those updates plus a fixed amount of feature work each month, reported against the hours used.

[ RELATED ]// 06

Other ways to build it

[ faq ]// 07

Mobile app development questions

How much does a mobile app cost to build in Vancouver?

It depends on the number of screens, whether you need iOS, Android or both, and what the app has to connect to. We quote after a short discovery stage that produces a feature list and screen map, so the estimate is tied to an agreed scope.

How long does it take to launch an app?

A small app with a handful of screens and no complex integrations takes months rather than weeks; larger apps take longer. App store review adds time at the end, and we build that into the plan. We give you a timeline after discovery.

Should we build native, cross-platform or a progressive web app?

Native apps give the best access to device features and performance. Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native share most code between iOS and Android and reduce cost. A progressive web app avoids the stores entirely. We compare them on the mobile app solutions page and recommend the cheaper route when it meets the goal.

Who owns the app and the code?

You do. The apps are published under your own Apple and Google developer accounts, and you receive the source code repositories. Nothing is locked to us.

What happens after the app is in the stores?

Apps need updates when Apple and Google release new operating system versions, and most businesses add features over time. Our monthly support plan covers both, with hours reported against what was used.

Have an app in mind?

Tell us what the app needs to do and what it has to connect to. We will come back with questions, a recommendation on native versus cross-platform, and a scope for discovery.

Our Work