01.

Define your app idea & validate it with market research

Every successful mobile app starts with a clear, well-defined idea. Before you think about design or development, you need to understand what problem your app will solve and who it’s solving it for.

Ask yourself

Once you have answers, set measurable goals around them. Define a North Star Metric — the one key outcome that matters most — and tie it to a realistic timeline. This will keep your efforts focused and help you avoid feature creep or building things that don’t deliver real value.

At this stage, it's also important to validate your app idea. Talk to potential users, explore forums or communities where your target audience hangs out, and check existing apps that solve similar problems. Tools like Google Trends, App Store search suggestions, or even surveys can help you understand if there's genuine demand.

The mobile app market is highly competitive. As of August 2024, the number of apps on the Google Play Store was 2.3 million, and 2 million on the Apple App Store. Only apps with clear value propositions and a unique problem-solving angle stand out in such a crowded space.

Let’s understand how you need to define your app idea and conduct necessary market research, step-by-step.

What problem does your app solve?

The first step of creating an app is defining exactly what problem it solves. This ensures you clarify the unique value proposition (USP) of your app.

Take Zillow, for example - it makes real estate discovery easier. Uber makes ride-hailing fast and convenient.

Who is your target audience?

You know the problem your app solves, great. Now, define who experienced it

The answer to these questions will help you identify your target audience and create app user personas.

What are your competitors doing — and missing?

List down areas where you can improve or differentiate. Then, analyse how your competitors market their app. Since you share the same target audience, this will help you refine your go-to-market plan and understand your target ideal customer profile (ICP).

Validate your app idea

Validate your app idea through market research.Before building your app, it's essential to confirm there's real market demand for your idea. This is where app market research comes in.

Two approaches to market research

If you're a first-time builder, conducting full-scale primary research might not be feasible. In that case, lean on secondary research to validate your app idea.

Look for existing data and trends in your industry. Explore reports, forums, reviews, and app stores to connect real-world user pain points with the problem your app aims to solve.

You can also analyze competitor reviews to find what users are asking for — and where those apps are falling short.

02.

Plan & prioritise key features of your mobile app

Once your app idea is validated, the next step is planning and prioritising its features. Many first-time app builders start with a long wishlist of features they might want to see in their apps. More often than not, this approach leads to complexity, delays, and higher development costs.

A more viable and sustainable way is to have a feature roadmap that supports the Minimum Viable Product. An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is the most basic version of your app that includes only the essential features needed to solve the main problem for your users.

It’s not the final version — it’s a starting point designed to help you launch faster, test your app with real users, and gather feedback early on.

Ask yourself

The first step in your feature roadmap is to list the essential features — the ones your app can't launch without.

List core features

Before adding extras or "nice-to-have" ideas, focus on identifying the core features — the ones your app absolutely needs to solve the primary problem and deliver value.

What to include in core features

Avoid listing features that you hope to build someday. As a beginner, it’s best to start lean. Your goal at this stage is to create a version of the app that does just enough — nothing more, nothing less — to validate your idea and start gathering feedback.

List supporting features

Once your core features are defined, the next step is to list the supporting features — the ones that may not be essential to launch, but will help enhance the user experience, drive engagement, and add polish to your app.

These features should still be included in your feature roadmap, even if you plan to introduce them in later updates.

For example:

In a cab booking app, the core features might include location tracking, booking, and payment. A tipping option, however, isn’t essential for the app to function — but it adds value for both drivers and riders, and improves user satisfaction.

Popular supporting features include:

Over time, as you gather user feedback and observe usage patterns, this list will naturally grow. In the beginning, keep it focussed and realistic. Prioritize features that meaningfully enhance the experience without slowing down your launch.

03.

Choose between native apps and PWAs

When people think of building an app, they often imagine something listed on the App Store or Google Play. But those are just one category of apps — known as native apps.

In reality, there are multiple types of mobile apps, and choosing the right one depends on your goals, budget, and timeline. One increasingly popular alternative is the Progressive Web App (PWA) — especially for beginners looking to launch quickly and collect early user feedback.

Before diving into the differences, let’s start with native apps.

What are native apps?

In simple words, native apps are designed to run directly on specific devices, like Android & iOS. These are apps you download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

To better understand native apps, compare them to mobile websites.

A mobile website runs on a browser. A native app runs directly on your device, launching from its icon and interacting with your phone’s hardware and operating system.

Key benefits of native apps

What are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)?

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are a type of app built using web technologies, but they look and feel like native mobile apps.

They can be installed on a device, placed on the home screen, and even work offline — all without needing to go through the App Store or Google Play.

While PWAs are technically built like regular websites (using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), they include additional technologies that allow them to deliver an app-like experience, such as:

• Service worker: A background script that can unlock advanced features like offline access, push notification, caching, etc.
• Web app manifest: A file that contains information like app icon, app name, splash screen, etc. This enables PWAs to be installed on mobile devices.

Key Benefits of PWA

Native App vs PWA: Which one should you build?

Short answer: build both, if you can.

Native apps offer better performance and deeper device integration, and a polished user experience. PWAs are faster to launch, easier to share, and more cost-effective, especially when you're just starting out.

If you’re on a limited budget or want to validate your app idea quickly, starting with a PWA is a smart move. It lets you launch fast, gather user feedback, and improve over time, without app store barriers.

If you’ve already validated your idea, have the budget, and are aiming for scale, a native app will serve you better in the long run, offering smoother performance and access to device-level capabilities.

The good news? You don’t have to choose just one.

With AppMySite, you can build and publish native apps and PWAs from a single platform — without writing code. That way, you can offer users the flexibility of installing your app from the App Store or accessing it instantly via a browser.

04.

Choose your development platform

So far, you’ve defined your app idea, validated it, and outlined the key features — in short, you’re ready to start building.

Now comes the big question: how will you create your app?

Choosing the right development platform depends on your goals, technical skills, budget, and how quickly you want to launch.

In the next sections, we’ll walk you through two common app development options — one for beginners and one for full custom control.

Option 1: Use a no-code app builder

If you're a beginner, small business owner, or just someone who wants to launch an app quickly, using a no-code app builder is often the smartest choice. These platforms allow you to build and publish mobile apps without any technical skills.

Instead of hiring a developer or learning to code, you can simply sign up for an app builder solution, choose your features, customize your design, and generate native apps and PWAs — all in one place.

AppMySite, for example, lets you create native Android, iOS, and PWA apps — all without writing a single line of code.

Benefits of using a no-code app builder

Option 2: Code your app from scratch

In case you have the technical experience required to code your app from scratch, or your app idea requires complex features not supported by no-code solutions, you can consider a custom app development approach.

This method gives you control over the design and features of your app, but also requires more time, technical knowledge, and budget.

Benefits of custom mobile app development

Custom app development challenges

05.

Create an app with a no-code app builder

By now, you’ve laid the groundwork for your app - from validating your app idea to outlining the core and supporting features. If you’ve decided to use a no-code platform, you’re on the fast track to creating your app.

Among the many no-code solutions available, AppMySite stands out for its user-friendliness, speed, and the ability to create both native apps and PWAs — without writing a single line of code.

With AppMySite, you can launch feature-rich mobile apps for Android, iOS, or the web. Whether you’re building a shopping app, blog, business tool, or community space, the platform offers everything from real-time app previews to advanced features like chat, analytics, push notifications, and more.

So, what does the mobile app development process look like with a no-code builder like AppMySite?

Design your app’s visual elements

The design of your app plays a vital role in how users perceive and interact with it — and with AppMySite, you have complete control over the look and feel of your app, right from the start.

Begin by creating your app icon and splash screen — the first visuals users see when they install and launch your app. You can upload your designs or use AppMySite’s built-in design editor to create them from scratch.

Next, choose your global color theme to match your brand. You can customize elements like the app header, buttons, and overall layout styling. Set the stage for seamless user journeys by configuring

Every visual element you add — from screens to content blocks — can be easily styled to ensure your app feels polished and fluid. And the best part? You can make design changes anytime, even after publishing.

With AppMySite, you’re not locked into rigid templates. You’re free to curate a seamless user experience that reflects your brand and engages your audience from the very first tap.

Add content to your app

Your app’s content isn’t just about words — it’s everything your users will see, browse, tap, or engage with.

With AppMySite, you can populate your app with a wide variety of visually rich content, whether you’re importing it from an existing website or creating it directly within the platform.

Manage your app content with AppMySite

Whether you're showcasing a product, writing a blog, or creating an interactive landing page — content is fully customizable.

Personalize everything

Everything you publish is automatically synced and reflected live in your app, minimizing ongoing maintenance.

And of course, your home screen — the face of your app — can be customized to highlight key content areas. You’re in control of how users engage from the very first screen.

Set up navigation

Your app’s navigation is the foundation of a great user experience. With AppMySite, you can customize how users move through your app using two key navigation elements: the bottom bar and the side (hamburger) menu.

The bottom bar is your app’s main navigation tool, always visible at the bottom of the screen. Add your most important screens here — like Home, Shop, Blog, or Profile — so users can reach them instantly.

Common options for bottom navigation

Common options for side menu

Enhance your menu styling with these features

Together, your navigation setup ensures users can move fluidly through your app, with quick access to everything that matters.

Create a smooth onboarding experience

Your app’s onboarding flow is the first real interaction users have, and it sets the tone for what follows. With AppMySite, you can enable login and signup options that make onboarding simple and secure.

Multiple onboarding options include

You can also personalize your onboarding flow to reflect your brand. From colors and fonts to logos and backgrounds, every screen — including login, signup, and consent — can be styled to create a seamless and trustworthy first impression.

Add premium native app features

Now that your app looks and feels complete, it’s time to enhance it with the right features. AppMySite allows you to easily configure a wide range of tools that improve user experience, engagement, and monetization.

Supercharge your app with these features

These steps allow you to build an app on AppMySite. Once you configure your app to your liking, you can test your app in real time and download it from your account and be ready for submission or distribution.

06.

Test your app before launch

Now that you’ve assembled all the pieces — from validating your idea and outlining features to designing and building your app — it’s time to take one final, crucial step: test your app before going live.

Whether you're launching on Android, iOS, or as a PWA, it's important to test how your app performs across all platforms. This helps catch bugs, improve usability, and ensure everything works as expected.

If possible, share your app with a few beta testers — friends, colleagues, or even professional QA testers — to gather feedback from real users before launch.

What to check before your app goes live?

Here’s a quick checklist to help guide your app testing

Testing on mobile devices

Once your app is ready, it’s important to see how it looks and performs on real mobile devices - both Android and iOS. 

To test on Android devices, the easiest way is to install the APK file directly on your phone. You can also share the file with friends, family, and colleagues to collect feedback. It’s a simple, hands-on way to experience your app exactly as users will and spot any final tweaks if needed. 

For iOS, you can use Apple TestFlight, a tool that lets you test your app on iPhones and iPads before submitting it to the App Store. You’ll receive a test build that can be shared with internal or external testers.

Effortlessly test your app with AppMySite

Testing across both platforms ensures your app feels smooth, polished, and fully functional, no matter the device.

07.

Publish and share your app

You’ve built, customized, and tested your app — now it’s time to publish it. The distribution process depends on the platform

Let’s walk through how publishing works on each platform.

Publishing on the Google Play Store

To get started, you’ll need a Google Play Console account, which involves a one-time $25 fee. New accounts may also be asked for ID verification before proceeding with app submissions.

Set up your app listing

Once your Google Play Console account is active, the next step is to set up your app listing — the information that users will see on your app’s Play Store page.

Metadata required for Google Play submission

This content forms your store listing, which plays a key role in how users discover and engage with your app. Make sure it’s clear, well-written, and reflective of what your app offers.

Additional information required for Android app review

These fields help ensure your app complies with Play Store policies and provides transparency to your users. Filling them out accurately is a crucial part of publishing your app successfully.

For first-time publishers, Google mandates a closed testing period. This means you’ll upload your Android app’s AAB file and share access with a group of at least 12 testers. These users need to install and use your app for at least 14 days to validate its functionality and stability. It’s a one-time checkpoint to ensure quality before public release.

Once testing is complete, you can request production access. After approval, you’ll create a release and submit your app for review. Once approved by Google, your app will go live on the Play Store and be available for download.

Publish on the Apple App Store

To publish your app on the Apple App Store, you'll first need to enroll in the Apple Developer Program. This requires an Apple ID and an annual fee of $99. Once your account is active, you'll be able to access App Store Connect, the platform where all app submissions are managed.

Metadata required for Apple App Store submission

Since Apple conducts a manual review of every app submission, it’s important to provide accurate and detailed information. Reviewers will test your app based on the metadata and assets you submit, so clarity and completeness are key.

Once your listing is ready, you’ll upload your app build using Transporter, a free macOS app provided by Apple. This tool allows you to submit your app binary to App Store Connect.

After submission, Apple reviews your app to ensure it meets App Store guidelines. If everything checks out, you’ll receive an email confirming that your app is live and ready for download.

Share progressive web apps (PWAs) via link

PWAs don’t require submission to an app store. Once your PWA is ready, you can share it instantly via a direct link through your website, email, social media, or any other marketing channel.

When users open the link on their mobile browser, they’ll typically see a prompt to add the app to their home screen, allowing them to access it like any other mobile app — without needing to download it from a store.

With AppMySite, you can create and publish Android and iOS apps, as well as share your PWA instantly — all from a single platform.