Mobile app development · San Diego
Orcatec is a San Diego mobile app development company that also runs its own app in production. We design, build and support iOS and Android apps for local businesses and startups, and we know what it takes to keep an app working after launch day, because we do it for our own customers every day.
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Whether you need a customer-facing app, a tool for your field team or a mobile version of an existing product, we cover the full cycle under one roof.
Native Swift and SwiftUI apps for iPhone and iPad that follow Apple’s design guidelines and pass App Store review the first time.
Native Kotlin apps for phones and tablets, tested on the device range your customers actually use, published on Google Play.
React Native or Flutter when you want one codebase for both platforms, a faster launch and a lower maintenance cost.
Offline mode, GPS, photos, signatures, barcode scanning and job checklists: the features technicians and crews rely on, built from our own experience.
APIs, admin panels, payments, push notifications and integrations with your CRM, ERP or accounting software such as QuickBooks.
OS updates, crash monitoring, performance work and new features after launch, with a clear monthly plan.
Most agencies show screenshots of client work. We can also show an app we own, run and improve every week.
We designed, built and still run Orcatec, a field service management platform used by home services companies to sell, schedule, dispatch, invoice and get paid, in the office and in the field.
Read the case study →There is no single right answer. We recommend a stack after we understand your users, features, budget and plans for the next few years.
| Criteria | Native (Swift / Kotlin) | React Native | Flutter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Apps that depend on device hardware, heavy graphics or the newest OS features | Teams that already use JavaScript or React on the web | Apps with a custom, brand-heavy interface on both platforms |
| Codebase | Two, one per platform | One shared | One shared |
| Time to first release | Longest | Shorter | Shorter |
| Performance | Highest | Close to native for most business apps | Close to native for most business apps |
| Long-term cost | Higher, two codebases to maintain | Lower, one codebase and a large hiring pool | Lower, one codebase |
A workshop to define users, core features, integrations and what success looks like. You get a scope, a timeline and a budget range.
Clickable prototypes you can test on your phone before any code is written, so changes are cheap.
Two-week sprints with a working build at the end of each one. You see progress in TestFlight and on Android test tracks.
Manual and automated testing on real devices, App Store and Google Play submission, analytics and crash reporting set up.
Monitoring, OS updates and a roadmap of improvements based on real usage data.
Share a few lines about the app you need. We’ll reply within one business day with questions and a rough estimate.
AI works best inside the tools people already use. We add it where it saves time, not as a gimmick.
Chat or voice assistants that answer customer questions, book appointments or guide users through a task.
Fill out reports from a photo or a short voice note; recognize equipment, documents and receipts.
Suggest the next product, service or job based on history and context.
Summaries, follow-ups and status updates generated automatically from what happens in the app.
App cost depends on the number of screens and user roles, integrations, the platforms you target and how polished the first release needs to be. Most clients start with one of these packages:
from $8,000
160+ hours · 2–4 weeks
A clickable prototype or a working core feature to test the idea with real users or investors.
from $32,000
640+ hours · 1–2 months
A first public version with the core features, published on the App Store and Google Play.
from $80,000
1,600+ hours · 4–7 months
A full product with several user roles, payments, integrations and analytics.
from $160,000
3,200+ hours · 7+ months
Complex apps with many integrations, offline work, strict security and a long roadmap.
Hourly rate: $50–70 per hour. Package prices start at the minimum hours × $50. You get a fixed quote after a free discovery call.
San Diego has a strong mix of biotech, defense, tourism, construction and home services companies, and many of them run teams in the field. We started by building software for exactly that kind of business, so we understand offline sync, crew scheduling, customer notifications and payments on a phone.
You work with one accountable team, in your time zone, and you can meet us in person in San Diego County. You own the code, the designs and the store accounts from day one.
If you run a home services or field service business, the Orcatec app may already do what you need, with no development required.
How much does it cost to build an app in San Diego?
How long does it take to develop a mobile app?
Should I build a native or a cross-platform app?
Do you meet clients in person in San Diego?
Who owns the app and the source code?
Can you take over an app another team started?
Do you publish the app to the App Store and Google Play?
React Native and Flutter apps with one codebase for iOS and Android, shared logic with your web app and a clear migration path.
Learn more →Product design for apps and web software: research, user flows, clickable prototypes and design systems developers can build.
Learn more →A focused first version of your product, built to test with real users and grow into production software.
Learn more →AI strategy, agents, chatbots and automation built into the tools your team already uses, from first use case to production.
Learn more →Custom apps, portals and integrations for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, cleaning and other field service companies.
Learn more →Tell us what you want to build. We’ll reply within one business day with questions and next steps.