Published on January 24th, 2025
It is an irrefutable fact that dependence on smartphones has surged demand for the creation of robust and user-friendly mobile applications. As per recent reports, mobile users spend about 90% of smartphone usage time over the mobile apps. Therefore, business owners are attracted to design mobile apps to reach their targeted audience. However, having an app idea is not enough. As a business owner, you need to figure out the best mobile app development tools for engineering for your mobile application. Before you invest in any tool, you must have complete information about the platform you want to use.
In order to help you, we have shared insight on mobile app development tools popularly used with detailed analysis. Let’s figure out the best platform which suits your business needs.
What is a Mobile App Development Tool?
Mobile app development tools assist to create mobile applications by automating the process of adding different elements, buttons, screens and functionalities. They are used by mobile app development companies for designing, developing, testing and optimizing mobile applications. Mobile app developers to fasten the development process and also simplifies the integration with backend services with these tools.
Now, we will discuss common tools used by mobile app development agencies. So, let’s begin our discussion with native mobile app development tools.
Native Android App Development Tools
| Tool | Features | Price |
|
Android Studio |
– Fast code iteration
– Rich and fast emulator – Testing tools and frameworks – Configurable builds without limits |
Free |
| IntelliJ IDEA & Android SDK | – Comprehensive coding assistance
– Focus on developer ergonomics – Testing tools and frameworks – Built-in development tools |
IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate: $499/year All Products Pack: $649/year |
Android Studio
Android Studio is a powerful tool used for designing native android apps. Speed and efficiency are one of its key features. Its integrated Gradle build system enhances the overall development process.
Benefits:
- Fast and efficient
- Supports all kinds of android devices
- Provides graphical interface
- Provides drag-and-drop functionality
Famous App: Netflix
IntelliJ IDEA & Android SDK
IntelliJ IDEA & Android SDK is one of the best IDE for coding Android apps. It is a popular choice for app developers due to its advanced features and developer ergonomics.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive coding assistance
- Developer ergonomics
- Supports all Android devices
- In-depth testing tools
Famous app: Pinterest
Native iOS App Development Tools
| Tools | Features | Price |
|
Xcode |
– Single-window interface
– Various testing options to remove bugs – Closed environment – Complete documentation |
Free / $99 |
| Transporter | – Drag and drop content
– Upload multiple files faster to streamline delivery |
Free |
|
AppCode |
– One IDE for many languages
– Built-in tools & integrations – Intelligent code assistance |
AppCode: $199/year All Products Pack: $649/year |
| Cocoapods | – Source-based distribution of third-party code
– Resolves dependencies between libraries – Manages third-party libraries easily |
Free |
Xcode
Xcode is one of the popular mobile app development tools useful for building apps for the Apple platform. It offers a powerful pack of development resources with a streamlined process for app creation.
Benefits:
- Single-window interface
- Comprehensive testing options
- Closed environment
- Supports all Apple devices
Famous app: Airbnb
Transporter
As a leading mobile app development company, we always recommend transporters to our clients. It is a simple yet powerful mobile app development tool for developing apps for Apple platforms. Transporter is useful for designing apps for distributing music and movies on Apple devices.
Benefits:
- Drag and drop functionality
- Fast file uploads
- Supports large files
- Secure and reliable
- User-friendly interface
Famous App: Spotify
Cross-Platform Mobile App Development Tools
| Tools | Features | Price |
|
React Native |
– Faster code iteration
– Supports C++, Java, Swift, Objective C, Python – Up to 80% of sharable codebase – OTA updates – Plug-n-play custom templates |
Free |
| Flutter | – In-depth coding assistance
– Expressive and flexible UI – Native performance – Rich motion APIs |
Free |
|
Ionic |
– Free and open source
– Mobile-optimized UI components – Touch-optimized gestures – AOT compiling – Vanilla JavaScript |
Free
Launch: $42/month Growth: $102/month |
| Xamarin | – Free courses, tutorials, videos
– Forms UI with XAML – Xamarin.Essentials & SkiaSharp for native APIs |
Indie: $25/month Business: $999/month Enterprise: $1899/month |
| Unity | – Bolt Visual Studio
– Launch on 17 platforms – C# Job System – 2D animation |
Free Plus: $399/year Pro: $1800/month Enterprise: $200/month |
React Native
If we talk about the most popular mobile app development tools available on the market, then React Native is the first thing which comes to our minds. It assists developers for developing mobile apps using JavaScript and React. It provides a flexible approach for mobile app development and assists in maintaining native performance at the same time.
Benefits:
- Hot reloading
- Native performance
- Large community support
- Rich ecosystem
Famous app: Facebook
Flutter
Flutter is one of the most popular mobile app development tools created by Google. It is useful for designing applications for mobile, web and desktop using a single codebase. Flutter is useful for creating visually attractive and high-performance apps for both Android and iOS platforms.
Benefits:
- Rich UI components
- Fast development
- Native performance
- Strong community support
Famous app: Google Ads
Low-Code Mobile App Development Tools
| Tools | Features | Price |
| OutSystems | – Real-time performance dashboards
– Scalable application delivery – Excellent security – Easy integration with other systems – Various low-code tools |
Free Basic: $1500/month Enterprise: Custom pricing |
|
Appian |
– Drag and drop tools
– Native AI services – Easy integration with enterprise data |
Free
Standard: $75/month |
| Alpha Anywhere | – Access controls and permissions
– Easy deploy management – Code refactoring and debugging – Collaboration tools |
Professional: $99/month Department: $399/month Business: $750/month |
OutSystems
Outsystems is a low-code mobile app development tool. It assists businesses to quickly code mobile applications with its drag and drop features and reusable components.
Benefits:
- Low-code development
- Cross-platform support
- Integration capabilities
- Scalability
- Pre-built templates
Famous app: Siemens
Appian
Appian is a leading low code mobile app development tool helping businesses to streamline their operations by building powerful and advanced applications. This platform is ideal for businesses looking forward to digitizing complex workflows.
Benefits:
- Low-code development
- Process automation
- Integration capabilities
- Scalability
- Enterprise-grade security
Famous app: Bayer
No-Code Mobile App Development Tools for Non Programmers
| Tools | Features | Price |
| AppSheet | – Data integration
– Multi-platform support – Data visualization – Hybrid cloud enablement – Automated workflow |
Free Premium: $5/month Pro: $10/month |
|
BuildFire |
– In-depth coding assistance
– Simple and intuitive app builder – Limitless functionalities with SDK |
BuildFire Spark: $5000/month BuildFire Ignite: Custom quote |
AppSheet
AppSheet is a no-code app development platform designed by Google. This platform assists users to create custom mobile and web applications without requiring programming skills. You can easily integrate Google Sheets, Excel, and cloud databases using this tool.
Benefits:
- No-code development
- Data integration
- Cross-platform support
- Automated workflows
- Data visualization
Famous app: PetSure
BuildFire
BuildFire is one of the best no-code app development platforms. It assists users to create mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. This advanced tool is best known for its simplicity and flexibility. BuildFire offers an intuitive interface combined with powerful features. It is ideal for both non-technical users and developers.
Benefits:
- No-code app builder
- Extensive plugin marketplace
- Scalable architecture
- Customizable functionality with SDK
- Cross-platform compatibility
Famous app: Paypal Here
How to Select the Right Mobile App Development Tools for Your Business?
Mobile app development tools are gaining popularity these days. Usability, cost and security are key factors you must look at in any app development framework. As a leading mobile app development company, we understand the give-and-take of each and every framework. Thus, we can assist you in developing your dream mobile app with the best functionality. Here are some factors you must consider before choosing any mobile app framework:
- Decide what’s the purpose of your app
- Decide the initial stages of whether your app will use local storage or cloud storage
- Ensure you have a thorough understanding of the level of data encryption required for your mobile app.
- Make a list of features you want to add to the mobile application
- What OS capabilities are needed by your app
We are a top mobile app development company. Our experts have vast experience building mobile applications using cutting-edge technologies. Contact us at iTechnolabs to know more about mobile app development tools. We will be happy to assist you with the complete process of turning your app ideas into reality.
