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MVPs for founders
The smallest version of your idea that real users can download, use and pay for, so you learn fast and spend less before you know what works.
App development · Houston, TX
Houston app development that actually ships.
AtEase is a Houston app development studio that designs and builds iOS and Android apps for founders and small businesses. We start with a lean MVP, from $10,000, ship it to the App Store and Google Play in about 8 to 14 weeks, and grow it from real user feedback. You own the code and the store accounts.
A Houston studio, not a Houston landing page.
Search "app developers Houston" and most results are large or offshore firms with a Houston page and a sales team. That can work for an enterprise budget. For a founder or small business, it usually means a long proposal, a handoff to developers you never meet, and a bill sized for a bigger company.
At AtEase you work directly with the people building your app, in your time zone, and in person if you're in Houston. We've designed, built and shipped our own product, Law Book, so we know which features matter on day one and which can wait.
Platforms
iOS, Android, and web companions
Approach
Native or cross-platform, chosen per project
Ownership
Your code, your App Store and Play accounts
After launch
Updates, OS releases and new features
What we build
Apps for founders and operators.
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Directory & marketplace apps
Search, filters, profiles and listings, like the attorney directory we built in Law Book.
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Customer apps for local businesses
Booking, loyalty, ordering and account apps that give your regulars a reason to come back.
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Internal tools
Field-crew checklists, inspections, photo logs and job tracking that replace paper and group texts.
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AI-powered features
Chat, search, summarizing and voice features built on modern AI models, with sensible guardrails.
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App rescues
An app that's half-built, stuck in App Store review or abandoned by a previous developer. We audit it and get it shipped.
Pricing
How much does it cost to build an app?
App prices vary more than anything else we build, so here's where ours start. For the full market picture, including offshore and agency rates, read our guide: How much does it cost to build an app in 2026?
MVP
$10,000+ project
A focused first version on iOS and Android with the core feature set, accounts and a simple admin.
- Scoping workshop and clickable prototype
- Design for iOS and Android
- Backend, database and sign-in
- App Store + Google Play submission
- About 8–14 weeks
Full product
$25,000+ project
A larger app with payments, integrations, roles, analytics and a full admin dashboard.
- Everything in MVP
- Payments and subscriptions
- Third-party integrations and APIs
- Admin dashboard and analytics
- Phased delivery over 3–6 months
Prototype only
Quotedfixed fee
Not ready to build? A clickable prototype to test the idea with users or show investors.
- User flows and screens
- Clickable on a real phone
- Becomes the blueprint for the build
Apple charges $99 a year for a developer account and Google charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Hosting and third-party services are billed to you at cost.
From idea to App Store.
Weeks 1–2
Scope
We cut the idea down to the features that prove it works, agree on a fixed price and map every screen.
Weeks 2–4
Design
A clickable prototype on your phone. You test it with real people before a line of production code.
Weeks 4–12
Build
Two-week sprints with a test build on your phone every sprint. You watch it come together.
Launch
Ship & grow
We handle App Store and Google Play review, then plan version two from what users actually do.
Native or cross-platform: which should you build?
Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native and Flutter let one codebase run on both iPhone and Android, which usually lowers the cost of a first version. Native development (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) makes sense when an app leans hard on device features, top-end performance or platform-specific design. We recommend one or the other per project, and explain why, during scoping.
| Cross-platform | Native | |
|---|---|---|
| Codebases | One for iOS + Android | Two (Swift + Kotlin) |
| Cost for an MVP | Lower | Higher |
| Time to both stores | Faster | Slower |
| Best for | Most business, directory and marketplace apps | Heavy device features, games, high performance |
App development questions.
How much does it cost to build an app in Houston?
At AtEase, MVPs start at $10,000 and larger apps start at $25,000. Across the market, simple apps often run $25,000 to $50,000 and complex apps well over $100,000. Our app cost guide breaks it down.
How long does it take to build an app?
A focused MVP typically takes 8 to 14 weeks from scoping to App Store launch. Larger apps are delivered in phases over 3 to 6 months.
Do I need an MVP first?
For most new ideas, yes. An MVP gets a working app into real users' hands for a fraction of the full budget, so you spend the rest on features people actually use.
Who owns the code and the App Store account?
You do. The app is published under your own Apple and Google developer accounts and the code is handed over to you.
How much does it cost to maintain an app?
Plan for ongoing costs every year: Apple's $99 developer fee, hosting, and updates for new iOS and Android versions. We offer monthly maintenance plans quoted to the size of the app.
Can you help get my app approved on the App Store?
Yes. We prepare the listing, screenshots, privacy details and review notes, and handle any feedback from Apple or Google until the app is approved.
Do you sign an NDA?
Yes, happily, before you share the details of your idea.
Have an app idea?
Let's find the smallest version worth shipping.
Bring the idea. In 30 minutes we'll talk through what the first version needs, what it can skip, and a realistic price and timeline.