Top App Development Agencies 2018–2019
In the past few days we’ve been browsing the internet with a single purpose — to find this year’s top app development agencies. After reading a bunch of content from other app development professionals, journalists, tech bloggers and the like, we realized that there are many good companies out there, and that everyone has a different favorite.
So we decided to curate a list of the best of the best — companies that everyone agrees are awesome at what they do. The list below is made of agencies that can turn your business idea into revenue-generating works of art, win a few awards along the way, and still remain friendly and transparent.
So, let’s get down to it, shall we?
1. WillowTree
About the agency: WillowTree has been building apps since 2008, when three of them started building apps “the day the iOS SDK was released”. Now, the New York-based company has 200+ team members who have launched over 500 apps, websites and bots. It develops for Android and iOS, but also for the web.
What they’re known for: WillowTree is regularly mentioned in the media as one of the very best app development agencies the States have to offer. Inc. Magazine has named it one of the ‘fastest growing private companies in America’ — for four consecutive years. Its clients include Nestle, American Express, Johnson & Johnson, AOL, Time Warner, American Red Cross, and many other prominent businesses. One of its apps, Fox Sports, was the #1 app on the iOS App Store in 2018.
It is also known for all of the awards it keeps in its glass showcase. Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Award in 2017, five W3 awards, People’s Choice Webby Award in 2018, and the Appy Awards Winner — Gold 2016, are among them.
Motto: The mobile innovation agency
Customer quotes:
“WillowTree is a great partner and brings a lot of mobile expertise to the table. They are truly committed to the success of the project and work closely with our team.” — Dave Weiss, CTO BabyCenter LLC, Johnson & Johnson
“The biggest success for us was having WillowTree take over the app.” — Vice President, Regal Cinemas
2. Hedgehog Lab
About the agency: Hedgehog Lab is a leading multi-platform app development company founded in 2007. It is based all over the world, with offices in Austin, Boston, Newcastle, London, Copenhagen and India. It works with start-ups and the public sector, and has won multiple awards.
What they’re known for: As a technology consultancy firm, Hedgehog Lab develops for more than ‘just’ Android and iOS. It builds solutions for everything in the ‘post-PC’ world, including TVs, kiosks, and VR. Its clients include Financial Times and Mitsubishi, and has won multiple awards, including The Newcastle Business Award.
Motto: We help brands & enterprises prepare for a future dominated by post-PC technologies
Customer quotes:
“Everything they’ve delivered so far has been very polished. They’ve been using their heads.” — CEO of a Digital Banking Platform
“My expectations were high, and they delivered. There’s nothing they could improve on from that point of view.” — Founder of Dooey
3. Fueled
About the agency: Fueled is a full-service digital agency that covers not only apps for iOS and Android, but also Facebook. On top of that, it offers digital design, development and branding strategy development. It is based in New York, with additional offices in San Francisco, Chicago, and London.
What they’re known for: Fueled sets a high standard for itself, and has been awarded prizes such as the Webby Awards, Hive Awards, and more. It has worked on mobile projects for HBO, Porche, Verizon, Barney’s, as well as Warby Parker and QuizUp.
Motto: There’s an app, then there’s a Fueled app
Customer quotes:
“They delivered us nearly flawless code.” — COO at a Microdonation Platform
“We know a lot of good programmers but there are very few teams who design as well as Fueled.” — CEO at MysteryVibe
4. Raizlabs
About the agency: Founded in 2003 by Greg Raiz, Raizlabs has been around for a while, and saw the rise of the Apple iPhone. Since then it has grown into a company of 450 employees across 10 offices. In 2017 the company became a part of Rightpoint, an independent customer experience agency.
What they’re known for: Raizlabs’ list of clients, including some Fortune 500 companies, runs too long to mention here, but just to name a few: Macy’s, Rue La La, Bloomingdales, EMC, SolidWorks, MIT, RunKeeper, Intuit and more.
Motto: Building great apps isn’t easy but using them should be.
Customer quotes:
“They’re not just trying to be on the cutting edge; they’re really trying to be thought leaders and pioneer value.” — Frederick Townes, Co-Founder, Placester, Inc.
“Raizlabs really cares deeply about user experience, and they understand it very well.” — Michael Mace, VP of Mobile, UserTesting
5. Dom & Tom
About the agency: Dom & Tom was founded in 2009 by Dominic and Tom Tancredi. The company now has offices in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and has worked on 120 native mobile apps.
What they’re known for: You’ve probably used a Dom & Tom app — they have been a part of projects for McDonald’s, NBA, Priceline, General Electric, Hearst, Turner, Bloomberg, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Tyson Foods Inc., Citibank, AIG, and more. Clutch has named them one of the top app development agencies in 2018.
Motto: We’re a product agency that helps Fortune 500 companies and next generation startups build the future of digital.
Customer quotes:
“They’re very responsive and return emails within 24 hours.” — Jennifer Kim, Account Manager, OLIVER Agency
“[They] rescued us from a bad situation and helped us deliver a viable solution.”
6. Intellectsoft
About the agency: For the majority of reviewers, the first thing that comes to mind when Intellectsoft is mentioned is — serious. These guys really mean it. The company offers a low-code mobile application platform, allowing its clients to build and update advanced branded apps, fast.
What they’re known for: Intellectsoft’s specialties include enterprise solutions, product strategy and app development for multiple platforms. Its clients include Universal Pictures, Jaguar Motors, Qualcomm, Ernst & Young and the London Stock Exchange.
Motto: We Create Exemplary Software Solutions For The World’s Most Forward-thinking Companies.
Customer quotes:
“We’ve given them a challenge, and they’ve met it …” — Program Manager, Holding Company
“They respected our wishes and bent over backward to make it right for us.” — Partner at 66 Mint.
7. Appster
About the agency: Appster is an Australian app company headquartered in Melbourne, but has offices in San Francisco, New York, and India. It employs over 400 people, and works mostly with high-tech start-up companies.
What they’re known for: Right from the start, Appster’s founders gained a reputation for being highly ambitious visionaries. They describe their work as “de-risking the process of bringing their great ideas to life,” coining the concept of the Idea to Execution Gap (TM). Appster has been all over the news and won multiple awards for the amazing work it’s been doing, including a Webby Award.
Motto: “Build a development hub for the greatest ideas and innovations in the world”
Customer quotes:
“Appster was our first choice, they are hardworking and reliable. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.” — Hamish Blake
“Appster exceeded our expectations. At no point did I feel that we should have done something differently.” Veronica Borrett, CEO, BAI Games
8. Appinventiv
About the company: AppInventiv is a mobile app development company from Uttar Pradesh, India, and this one pulls major talent from all over the globe. It has offices in three continents and works with more than 200 experts.
What they’re known for: Vigilance, dedication, expertise. The company’s apps combined have millions of downloads. AppInventiv has worked on projects for Merck, Sony, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Motto: We Build Apps That Get #Featured On AppStore
Customer quotes:
“AppInventiv’s engineers provide expertise on how things should be implemented.” — Founder, ROVO
“AppInventiv is an amazing team. Thorough, professional, talented and fun to work with. The outcome of the product was beyond expectations.” — Raamayan Ananda, Veme, Spiritec & Ayana Water
9. Y Media Labs
About the agency: You will hardly find a list of top app development agencies out there that doesn’t mention Y Media Labs. The company has more than 250 employees, has been around since 2009, and develops apps for both Android and iOS.
What they’re known for: Y Media Labs has created PayPal’s mobile payment solutions, L’Oreal’s and Credit One’s mobile solutions, and has even worked with Facebook, but perhaps their biggest achievement to date is their award-winning omnichannel retail solution for Home Depot.
Motto: We create digital products & experiences that have lasting impact
Customer quotes:
“Y-Media moves like a well-oiled machine for us and we find ourselves, again and again, asking for quotes and doing work with these folks.” — Wlliam Anderson, CEO, BrightPlanet
“They are genuine visionaries with incredible center and care towards their work, the company and the representatives.” — Massey T Ruth
10. Fuzz
About the agency: The company has been around for more than 13 years now, and has since created more than 300 apps and completed over 500 projects.
What they’re known for: In Q4 2016, Forrester Research named Fuzz among the “most significant vendors” for designing and developing B2C mobile applications.
Motto: Creating beautiful, usable products engineered to perform
Customer quotes:
“Fuzz were dynamic and accommodating of any request we made.” — Director of Business Development, Wearable-Tech Software Startup
“Overall, they have just been great with communication; that’s the key thing for me here.” — Innovation Manager, Packaged Goods Company
11. Octal Info Solution
About the company: Another global behemoth in the world of mobile app development. Octal Info Solutions is a large IT company with offices in the UK, USA, Singapore, Italy and India. It was founded in 2004, and has since worked with more than 1,200 clients in 40 countries. It employs more than 150 experts, and focuses mostly on mobile app development, web design, custom software, SaaS and enterprise solutions.
What they’re known for: Octal builds apps for iOS, Android, but also for the Web, Cloud, and Open Source. The company builds Enterprise Solutions, and its clients include Skype, Vodafone, Fiat, Aviva, and many other Fortune 500 companies.
Motto: Technology Outsourcing Simplified
Customer quotes:
“The kind of development services Octal delivered was expected, but in such a short span of time they did it was like a treat for me.” — Mr. Dan Abeling NBL Media LLC
“Their expertise in PHP, CMS, e-commerce and many other web development platforms ensure quality as well as the touch of innovation it gets.” — Mr. Chris Weldon Prospect Hill Advisors, LLC
12. Blue Label Labs
About the company: This New York-based company employs 64 people, and is a perfect example that company size is no prerequisite for exceptional work. It builds apps for Android, iOS, smart watches, TVs, VR and AR. It was formed in 2009, and has since built more than 100 iOS and Android-based apps.
What they’re known for: If you have a mobile device, chances are you’re using one of Blue Label Labs’ apps. It is known as an all-round app development agency, building apps for various industries like e-commerce, finance, insurance, games, health and wellness, and utilities. Its projects include Rudder, Printshop and Lunchboxery, as well as work for American Express and Bloomberg News.
Motto: You have a partner in us
Customer quotes:
“The Blue Label project management team was easy to get a hold of and changes were easy to implement. The project finished on-time and on-budget. I could not ask for anything more. I will certainly use them for future mobile application projects.”– Joseph M. Rukas, CTO at Conner Strong & Buckelew
“After researching the many different ways to develop a mobile app and talking to a wide range of companies, I am so happy to have picked Blue Label Labs to develop my mobile app. I came to them with an idea and they executed it perfectly. We’ve had a great response to the finished product, and look forward to working with Blue Label labs again on newer versions.” — Dr. Patrick Kelly, PT, DPT and Founder of Super Baby
