DEV Community: Appmaster.io

How to Convert Android App To iOS. 5 steps to Prepare and Convert your App to iOS

Appmaster.io — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 12:28:22 +0000

Let's assume you have created an Android platform app, successfully launched it, and decided to expand the project by acquiring users of the iOS platform. The right decision will be to convert the Android app to iOS.

Converting Android app to iOS or vice versa is a challenging assignment. You can't just use the same app for Android and iOS.

And when you are ready to start the app converting process, you probably ask yourself how to begin. In this post, you'll find five key stages that you need to accomplish during the converting process of the Android app to iOS or vice versa, iOS to another platform.

Converting the app: What you should know

Versions of operating systems

The systems iOS and Android have frequent updates. However, not all users update the devices as soon as the latest version airs. Thus, to make sure your app is working correctly, you need to make it compatible with at least three latest versions of the iOS/Android systems.

Screen dimensions

There are so many mobile devices out there. Each of them comes in different sizes and with different screen resolutions. These differentiations could become another challenge for app developers. Your app has to look perfect on any device, doesn't matter if it is an Android or iOS platform.

The app's appearance includes more aspects to consider than screen sizes when you convert Android apps to iOS. One of the critical factors distinguishing Android and iOS apps is navigation — buttons vs. swiping and gestures.

Programming language

Android and iOS apps are built on two different languages. You can't simply translate the code when converting Android apps to iOS or vice versa due to the syntax and algorithms specifications.

For iOS products, developers mainly use Swift, Objective-C and build Android apps on Java, Kotlin.

Knowing all aspects that affect converting Android apps to iOS or vice versa will help you build a particular plan and organize the work pattern for the team.

Converting Android app to iOS: 5 steps

Converting an app from Android to a new platform requires responsibility and concentration from developers. Hence, it's vital to create a consistent and logical plan. Below you will find the breakdown of an Android app converting process and the essential tasks you need to accomplish.

Five steps of the app converting process:

Revision of the app (both business and technical side of production).
Alignment of design with the new platform specification.
Optimization of the app's code and architecture.
App testing and publication to the store.
Further technical support and updates.

Step 1. Review technical and business sides of the app

The step includes an in-depth analysis of the Android app technical side. It implies the review of the app's business logic, modules, and integrations, compatibility of separate elements that may cause performance issues on the new platform.

You need to take the Android app's revision from business and technical perspectives. Involve in the process a business analyst and a software architect to hear the professional opinion from both sides.

Before converting the Android app to iOS, you need to study the app's functionality. Pay attention to the business logic and app architecture and its alignment with the specifications of the new platform.

Here are the primary steps of the examination:

Review the app for optimization and possible enhancements.
Check the app's business logic, make the necessary changes and implement it into the new project.
Review and approve compatibility with integrations.

Revising the app and studying a new platform's requirements will help to build the same features correctly for the new version. You will probably find some flaws and aspects that need to be improved. So you can shape a new direction through which you can enhance the existing app and make sure the new iOS app will be performing smoothly.

Step 2. Make adjustments to the app design if needed

Analyze the app's appearance because you may need to change the look and feel of several design parts. Copying the interface when converting the Android app to iOS or vice versa is not good.

Android and iOS platforms follow different design paths. If you have experience developing Android apps, you know that this platform follows the Material Design UI guidelines. And for iOS, Apple has its Human Interface Guidelines and follows a flat design style.

When you convert Android apps to iOS, you will probably need to renew the critical elements such as buttons, icons, fonts.

User interface components

Each platform has its navigation system. So app users will interact differently with your product. iOS apps, for example, do not have back/home buttons when Android apps have. iOS devices generally have fewer buttons, and to operate within the system, you are required to swipe or use gestures.

So when you are converting an Android app to iOS, or vice versa, you need to keep in mind that the design of your product should be properly revised to provide convenient navigation.

Except for UI components, you may need to change the fonts. The fonts each platform originally uses are the following:

iOS — San Francisco
Android — Roboto

You don't have to stick to those two options. Using unique fonts for the app is applicable when it's necessary.

Mirroring

The mirroring factor is about your app supporting the RTL (right to left) and correct content display. If your app includes this functionality, you should consider how the content is displayed. It is vital to pay attention to this aspect when converting Android apps to iOS or vice versa. You will have to work on the automated text mirroring for custom elements yourself.

Step 3. Rewrite the code and optimize app architecture

iOS apps and Android apps are built with different programming languages. You can not recompile the code easily to fit the iOS app architecture specifics. You will need to change a significant part of it.

It could take a long time to have this work done. Make sure any changes in the code don't cause new bugs after the app is converted. It is also vital to check all the compatibilities and sync them with the requirements of the new iOS app.

When converting the Android app to iOS, or the other way around, check the localization thoroughly, review the custom functionalities, and do not forget to create Apple and Google developer accounts beforehand.

We know that this particular step, and the conversion in general, is very time-consuming whether you convert the iOS app to Android or follow the opposite way. Unfortunately, there are no other alternatives. You can find software that automatically converts Android code to iOS to reduce manual work. However, the result won't be clear, and in any way, you will have to spend a lot of time rewriting and reviewing the code.

Step 4. Testing

The vital finalizing process after converting your app from Android to iOS, or vice versa, is carefully testing everything. A significant amount of QA tasks should be completed to check all features and functional and operational capabilities to ensure everything works properly.

The tests that must be conducted are functional and security testings, performance, load, and control tests.

In-app development process, testing is considered to be the crucial part. Use these recommendations and check the app for any shortcomings before finishing the conversion.

Step 5. Further technical service

After the app is converted from Android to the iOS platform, there is an ongoing task for you to follow. You can detect critical errors only during the active app operation. That's why you have to keep a finger on the pulse to catch any flaws immediately, fix them and provide relevant and timely product updates for both iOS and Android.

When is it right to convert the app from Android to iOS?

Many factors can drive you to convert an Android app to an iOS app or the other way around, but in case of any doubts, the following are the key indicators telling why you should start the conversion process.

Successful app performance Evaluate the performance of the Android app on the market. Look at the numbers, such as the overall amount of downloads, the number of users, in-app purchases, and determine if they are positive before launching the app for a new platform.
Expanding customer base Converting the Android app to iOS will be the right way to get more customers. By entering the new market, you attract the new platform's users.
Make more profit Android app and iOS app will generate more profit together. Users tend to spend more on the iOS platform, and with a high downloading rate on Android, you can earn more through in-app advertisements.
Competitive advantage Most of your competitors may favor one platform over the other. Having a product for both platforms gives you a competitive advantage.

Conclusion

Your decision to convert an Android app to iOS, or versa, will require you to allocate resources and have the whole team involved in the process as if you were creating an app from scratch. But that pays off in the long-time perspective as you get the opportunity of acquiring a new paying user audience.

And if you'd like to test another platform first, you can build an MVP. This way, you can analyze whether the users' will be interested in your product and understand if it is enough for you to develop a new app. No-code platform AppMaster.io is ready to help create an MVP or a complete project, generating code for you.

AppMaster.io no-code platform updates | November 2021

Appmaster.io — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 19:04:03 +0000

We are starting this winter season with significant updates and improvements. Check out what was changed and added to the AppMaster.io platform.

Beta testing

We launched Beta Testing for AppMaster.io. Now is the time if you were interested in trying out our platform and participating in its development. Register and become one of the beta testers.

Explore all of the functionalities and share opinions. We want to make our product better for you!

New Modules

It’s never too many modules. We want to provide you with the module diversity and give you more opportunities to develop and expand your project.

Check out the new module added and some improvements:

Telegram module updated: the business process with bot support.
New Cloud Convert module added — an online file converter.

New blocks in Business Processes

We added new blocks to Business Processes:

Date types to Unix timestamp and from Unix timestamp
SSH Command (Password) and SSH Command (Key)

Subscription plans update

Switch easily from a monthly to a yearly plan at any moment without paying any extra fees.

Major improvements

Enhanced code generating functionality
Cancellation functionality added for purchased resources
Protection from deletion of Production type deployment plans added
Improved the process of null-fields hiding in the endpoint responses
Enhanced performance and stability of the studio
Optimized data-models scheme saving process (10x times)
Global variables added

We continue working on new ideas and enhancing the performance of the platform. Hope to present even more new features next month!

Stay tuned, and don't miss no-code updates! You are always welcome to join the AppMaster.io community chat and write directly to our developers there!

TOP 10 Mobile App UI Design Ideas in 2022

Appmaster.io — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 21:46:58 +0000

If the mobile app doesn’t correspond to the latest design trends, it will probably be out of users’ interest.

Making the app look modern and beautiful is challenging, considering that trends never stay the same, and there is always a new trend to appear. But following the design trends is a must for every app developer.

We understand that It is not always possible to keep track of all the tendencies and trends in the industry. There are always new guidelines, animation content, video, new approaches to illustrations, and many other concepts you need to find time to study and test first.

10 Design trends: 2022 expectations

We have completed this task for you and collected 10 top design trends and ideas to use in 2022 and make your apps’ design stand out:

Motion and animation
Gestures and swiping experiences
90's style
Depth in graphic
Dark mode
Typography
AR and VR
Gradients and transparent elements

Let’s discover and look into each trend more closely.

Motion and animation

We all love watching videos and spend a lot of time on TikTok or YouTube. Video content and animation are more engaging and interactive.

Statistics show that the majority of people watch explanatory videos before using an app. Animation and motion design trends make the content more engaging. It is easier to consume the information when there is a practical example in front of you. Unlike static content with long descriptions, animation retains the users' attention and makes the app more appealing.

It is always a good idea to highlight essential things with the animation trend. For example, you may animate the buttons in your app to make the user interaction with an app better and more straightforward. Micro-movements like icon animation can change your application significantly.

With the help of an animation, you can emphasize app features, improve conversion rates and even sales.

Explore advanced animation: simple movements do not work for users anymore. Use more complicated transitions and differentiate animation approaches.

Source: Dribbble

Gestures and swiping experiences

Gesture and swiping experiences are what make mobile devices more attractive opposite to computers. Plus, swiping is just more fun.

We spend hours scrolling and swiping daily. Buttons and additional actions can irritate and distract.

This design trend became one of the highest priorities for modern app design. Some of the app creators even do not support the usage of the buttons at all. Buttons create clutter and take too much screen space. And the gesture design trend suggests replacing buttons with swiping functionality.

It can be helpful to try animation for swiping actions. Books apps usually use animation for turning the pages, for example.

Source: Dribbble

90's style

The style of the 90's affected all areas, even the design of mobile apps.

Designers use retro fonts, images, graphics similar to popular PlayStation games from the 90's (for example, Mario or Pac-Man). With 90's vibes, you have a chance to acquire interest from two generations: young people love vintage things, and older ones experience nostalgia.

This trend won't suit every product, but if the retro style is appropriate in your app, be sure to experiment.

Source: Dribbble

Depth in graphic

Flat design and pictures may be more strict and direct unless they become dull. People love seeing more realistic and interactive content.

Shadows and layers in graphics give them a 3D effect, volume, and depth so that people can enjoy more realistic images.

This trend can be used with any element, creating a hierarchy of objects on the screen and helping the user navigate the application more easily.

Couple of words about 3D. 3D is a revolutionizing technology. 3D graphics can be used in almost any app. For instance, developers could use 3D imaging technology to build apps that store maps of buildings and room interiors. It can become very applicable in games and change the whole experience for players. So when adding depth to graphics in your app, think of a 3D trend.

Source: Dribbble

Dark mode

The dark mode is one of the biggest design trends that are already highly used in many apps. Recently vast developers have provided the opportunity of switching between standard mode and dark mode in the apps. So users can choose whatever they like most.

Dark theme design turns the background into dark mode and makes fonts and other elements light/white.

The dark mode is now available in the most popular apps like Facebook, for example. Switching to the dark mode helps people to reduce eye strain and navigate more conveniently.

Source: Dribbble

Typography

Choosing the right font is an essential step in mobile app design. People usually scan content on the Internet; they don’t read it. Therefore, it is worth using a font that will properly set emphasis.

Designers have started to use unusual fonts. The text no longer looks so boring and does not get lost in the background. Its purpose is to make the design brighter and more original.

Correctly selected fonts will help:

set the tone and mood;
raise brand awareness;
provide better visual experience;
improve readability.

Offer your app users a pleasant and readable user experience by organizing typography: set point sizes, line-spacing, line length, tracking, and hierarchy.

Bear in mind that unusual, "crazy" typography is not suitable for every product. Define the function that text carries in your application. If it provides an additional and informational function, do not experiment that much with fonts. But, for example, in an online magazine, you can play with formats, making the layout more interesting.

Source: Dribbble

AR and VR

Virtual reality and Augmented reality give you this incredible opportunity to have interactive experiences just from your mobile phones. The app design trend immersed especially during the lockdowns, replacing actual activities for people sitting in their houses.

In the upcoming year, this magical UI mobile design trend tends to grow and spread. The key to this design trend is that the app’s interface makes you feel like you’re inside the app. Engaging design elements and gamification are the keys to this experience.

It is a great chance to combine the previous trends we discussed, like animation and 3D effects. Primarily, well-created animation and 3D touches can support VR in your app design.

Do you remember those engaging filters from Instagram allowing us to place different characters wherever we want just through the app and mobile camera? Then you know how fun that could be. Moreover, it can be not only fun but efficient. For example, IKEA used AR to show how a piece of furniture will look in different spots of your house.

Source: IKEA Place App

Gradients and transparent elements

This app design trend is all about gradients and transparency. Designers usually use gradients on buttons and the backgrounds of the apps. Mobile gradient trend highlights essential parts of the application and makes people focus on the particular aspects giving them a sense of hierarchy.

Transparent elements in mobile app design demonstrate the depth and drive attention to certain app parts, making the design clearer and more attractive.

You can use the transition from light to dark theme design, thus dividing the screen into two logical parts. Also, you can use gradient themes on buttons to make them pop up on the screen.

The concept of glassmorphism is also worth mentioning. The idea behind glassmorphism is to soften the contrast between light and dark design elements. The design concept uses transparent blurred backgrounds that resemble the surface of the matte glass.

Main characteristics of glassmorphism:

transparency and background blur;
thin light border on transparent objects;
layering;
bright colors.

Source: Dribbble

Comfort visuals

Comforting visuals are easy on the eyes. Both users and app developers love this recent mobile app design trend.

Mobile apps design shouldn’t be just beautiful. It should be convenient and easy for our eyes. During the whole day, we stare at our screens and, by the end of it, experience fatigue and eye strain. To reduce this adverse effect, app developers create a design we can consume comfortably.

The concept of comfort visual design trend is to use natural colors, soothing images, and simple layouts for your app. These techniques can usually be found in meditation apps. They include real photos of nature with calming colors and light elements with simple structure, rarely dark theme design.

Source: Dribbble

Abstract art

After discussing comfort visuals, simplicity, and real photos, mentioning the abstract art design trend may sound contradictory. However, this technique is highly used in the UI mobile industry.

Why is that so? Abstract images and geometric art look very artistic in mobile apps. It draws attention to colors and shapes without distracting from the app functionality and creating an original design. There is no need to turn to pricey photography and real photos at all or illustration. That is the easiest way to grab users’ attention quite firmly.

Source: Dribbble

What are good app design practices, and where to find ideas?

Implementing all top design trends won’t make your app perfect. Besides following the ideas, you may as well use some quality design practices.

Inspecting others’ work. Examine the leading mobile UI works and analyze their pros and cons. Learn from their experience but never copy.
Make the app intuitive. Use all of the trends to create an app with a user-friendly and intuitive interface. Whether these are 3D effects, animation, or VR, make sure it only simplifies the app and makes it convenient to use.
Use standard navigation. Don’t overflow menu bars with lots of options. Keep only the essentials. Remember that buttons distract and take a lot of space on the screen.
Use attractive images. We have listed too many options of how you can create attractive images. Abstract art, illustration, real photos trend — everything can help catch the attention of a user.

But where to find inspiration?

Yes, there are tons of different selections on the Internet. However, instead of just searching, go directly to websites of the companies related to the industry. As professionals, they can share some great ideas. For example, the Shakuro app design agency usually posts quality articles on design trends. Being a professional in digital and app design, Shakuro provides excellent information. And for looking for “design trends 2022” and app theme design Shakuro will be a great place.

To find more ideas, try Awwwards — a collection of thousands of designs presented by creators from all over the world; or Mobbin — a library of 50,000+ app screenshots.

Of course, there is no intention to make you follow all the design trends. One approach suits one type of business and can break another. The critical point is to keep an eye on the trends, evaluate the market and analyze the demand of your customers.

Web Design Inspiration and Ideas: 30 Best Resources | 2021

Appmaster.io — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:45:25 +0000

Websites and applications building is creative work, and inspiration is one of the main tools of a web designer. But where to get it, especially for those who are just starting to master the profession?

We have compiled a selection of resources where beginners and experienced web designers can find examples of the best work: landing pages, multi-page sites, web, and mobile applications. You will be able to see examples of the best designs, share experiences, get advice from professionals, as well as post your portfolio and find clients.

AWWWARDS: web designers, developers, and agencies from all over the world present their work and the authors of the best ones get awards.
Ecomm.design: over 3000 e-commerce sites with the ability to filter by platform, category, technology, and traffic.
Land-book: many examples of landing pages, portfolios, blogs with a convenient search by tags.
99designs’ Discover: you can see examples of work, find clients, participate in contests and non-commercial projects
SiteInspire: a collection of over 8,000 examples of web design and interactive design.
Lapa Ninja: landing page examples, free tutorials, templates, illustrations, and UI kits.
Mediaqueri: examples of responsive design, useful when creating layouts.
Houseofbuttons: a site dedicated to the design of buttons.
Sitesee: gallery of the best modern sites created by professionals from different countries with convenient filtering by topic.
One Page Love: a showcase of one-page sites for different areas of business, dozens of templates, including free ones.
Mobbin: library with over 50,000 searchable mobile screenshots
Behance: the base of the designers' portfolio in various fields, you can find inspiration and place your portfolio as well.
Colourlovers: palettes and examples of color combinations.
Dribbble: a platform where you draw inspiration, share experiences and receive feedback from professional web designers.
Graphiclovedesign & Osasto Tumblr blogs with graphic design samples.
CollectUI: a daily updated archive of Dribbble-based user interface examples.
Siiimple: examples of minimalistic web design.
Creative Bloq: a platform with work samples and news for UX designers, illustrators, 3D and VFX artists.
Good Web Design: a high-quality selection of sites with a convenient search by tags, here you can also apply and post your work.
Best Website Gallery: a collection of sites that has been regularly updated since 2008, there is filtering by frameworks, styles, CMS, and color schemes.
Inspired UI: selection of design screenshots for Android, iPhone, and iPad.
Hover States: an archive of custom web projects that experiment with design, interactivity, and content.
Iconfinder: one of the world's largest databases of icons and illustrations.
Designmadeingermany: author's collections of sites of different styles and themes.
Designspiration: websites, landing pages, 3D, UI / UX, mobile design, interface elements, and much more.
The Best Designs: a selection of websites for those who love a balanced, minimalistic design.
Screenlane: examples of high-quality landing pages, mobile and web applications for different platforms.
Landingfolio: a selection of landing pages for inspiration, a collection of templates, and UI elements.
Pttrns: library of mobile UI templates for iOS and Android.
Muz.li: plugin for Google Chrome (desktop and mobile) with collections of ideas and news collected from different platforms.
Look for inspiration, learn from the best, and don't be afraid to experiment! And when the time comes to create your application, we will be there to help you bring your ideas to life!

Go to AppMaster.io designer and join our Telegram community chat.

What to charge for your app and what’s the value of it?

Appmaster.io — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 22:05:38 +0000

We all want to see a return on our investment, especially when creating applications, which require significant resources.

You spent money, your time, put in a lot of effort, and finally, your app is ready. Now comes the new challenge: what to charge for your app?

The decision depends on many factors. The number of working hours, testing costs, marketing and promotion, purchase of any licenses are some aspects that define the overall cost of development. Calculate the costs first, then set the price for the app.

To put an adequate price tag on your product, first, let's look at the different pricing models.

Understanding the pros and cons of pricing models will help you choose the best option for you.

Pricing Models

It is essential to find the balance between the price that customers are ready to pay and the amount you are hoping to receive to cover production costs and costs of future maintenance. The pricing model you will be prepared to adapt will entirely depend on the nature of your app.

Free

Who doesn't like getting things for free? Everybody does. Offering your app for free can be a good starting point. Lots of customers will be willing to try the app as long as it costs nothing.

It is a working model for mobile apps. Because stores are full of options, people usually start looking for the solution from the "free" tab.

Another reason for making the app completely free is if you are not planning to generate profit directly from it, rather than use it as a booster for other revenue streaming platforms. For example, redirect users to a website where they can make a purchase.

In other cases, you need to figure out additional ways to generate revenue. And a profitable way to do so — run in-app advertisements.

In-app ads

Running advertisements in the app generate ongoing revenue. You can implement many different formats for serving ads within your application: video ads, banners, pop-ups, etc.

Still, you need to be very precise when picking the advertisement's format, periodicity, and subject. Otherways you may disrupt users with irrelevant, aggressive content.

Use online services, such as Google AdMob, for filtering and sorting in-app ads.

What else can you do? Offer customers to make a one-time payment to turn off the ads.

In-app purchases

We bet you saw many examples of this model. According to this structure, a user can download an app for free, but it offers them some additional features for the money. If it's a game app, you can refill lives or unlock a photo filter in the editing app for an extra price.

This is generally the most using model as it doesn't have any noticeable flaws and allows users to access the significant app functionality.

Freemium

The term freemium comes from two words — free + premium. Like in-app purchases, it lets your customers download the app for free and then charges them for a premium feature.

You can try several options:

Offer two versions of the app — free and premium with broadened functionality. After downloading a free version and testing it, users themselves can decide whether to upgrade to premium or the free set is enough for their needs.
Provide a free trial. Set a limited free trial for your app, and once it expires, customers will have to pay to continue using the app.
With the freemium model, your goal is to allure customers with the app's functionality and compel them to switch to the paid version.

Potential pitfalls

This pricing model can cause a lot of work for developers as they will be required to provide continuous updates and improvements and manage two different apps.

Subscription

Subscription is another good strategy to consider for your app. Everything is simple: users have to pay a monthly/annual fee to continue using the app.

It is a general approach for streaming platforms and music apps. We all have an active subscription to Spotify, Netflix, or Apple Music.

Even though you may not gain new users, you are still generating revenue from subscribed customers. Look at this as an opportunity to build loyal and long-lasting relationships with your customers. Keep in mind that you still have to provide updates and improvements, so you will not see a lot of subscription cancellations.

Paid

This one is the simplest pricing model. It requires customers to pay a one-time fee to download the app and freely use it.

More importantly, users can't get a feel for the app, and you ask them to pay you money right away. Your potential users need to understand that this app is worth purchasing. Use marketing to convince people that your application is one of the best to help them solve their problems.

A short description in the app store is not enough. Users will want to know as many details as possible to make a purchase decision. So give them this information, create visual content to show how everything works, launch a website, and use related platforms for the promotion.

What's the value of your app?

Let's assume you analyzed all the pricing models and picked the most appropriate one. Whichever option you are considering, you still have to put a price tag.

To make the right decision, you have to consider many things. Among them:

The purpose of your app
Your business goals
Your target audience
Market demand
The cost of building and maintaining the app
Your competitors
Where you are going to display the app

But most importantly, identify the value of your app. You and your team are the first people to understand the value of your product. Only with a clear idea, you make people believe that they will get something worthwhile in return after the purchase.

How to identify the value of the app?

First, specify the problem your app solves: a dictionary translating verbal speech, an editor improving your photos, or a task tracker organizing your workday.

Then, identify how it delivers the solution and is better than thousands of other similar apps. Your dictionary may have a higher translation speed; an editor provides a broader range of manual settings.

Prove to your customers that if they pay for your dictionary, they will get a pocket translator providing instant service and keeping translations in separate text documents. So it can replace interpreters and reduce expenses that you most likely spend to pay for their work.

Nonetheless, try to be honest with your customers and respect their choice. You don't want to exceed their expectations. Built your relationships on trust, only this way you can earn loyalty and retention of your customers, which is key to ongoing revenue.

Last but not least — make a competitive analysis. Look at the rates of similar apps and analyze the market you are entering in. Again, you can follow some strategies. Get your advantage by undercutting competitors on the price. If your app is on the same level, selling it for a higher price won't do any good. However, if your app is more complex and advanced, you should charge more.

Many suggest when releasing your application to set a higher price and lower it over time. Be practical, and don't put more than average users will pay. If we are talking about mobile app stores, users expect the cost of the apps to be around 0.99 cents, if not free. And they hardly pay an amount more than $6.99.

Conclusion

Considering these facts, stores now contain more free apps, and paid ones continue to decrease. The best way to go, release a free app with in-app purchases. It gives you a field to be creative; you may include more options of purchasable features and service, providing customers with a choice: whether to pay or not, for what to spend money. If you decide to sell your app aside from the store, go with the subscription model. The pricing strategy should reflect the value of your app. A quality product will always find its customers.

⚡ FREE ACCESS TO APPMASTER.IO BETA ⚡

Appmaster.io — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:46:31 +0000

We are launching the AppMaster.io Beta program, within which we give developers access to the beta version of the AppMaster.io platform completely free of charge without any functionality restrictions.

Fill in the form to access AppMaster.io Beta

AppMaster.io Beta is a pilot version of the platform that contains the latest and often under-tested functionality with many changes. This is a great opportunity to understand the no-code platform and see if it is suitable for your project, as well as work in beta mode.

What to expect if you participate:

Work with the newest features, before they are officially released
Up to 20 platform updates per day
Collected and published projects work almost as stable as on production
Up to 20 projects per account, including mobile applications and everything else that works (and doesn't work either)
Fair-usage policy for all beta accounts - no spam, no brute-force, etc.
It will be necessary to report the errors encountered
Unlimited term of use - once you understand how you can make money by developing projects on the AppMaster.io platform - welcome to production.

10 apps and platforms built with no-code

Appmaster.io — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 16:09:00 +0000

While some organizations still have doubts about no-code platforms, others actively implement new instruments and strategies into their businesses. The usage of no-code technology brings a competitive advantage. Startups become more successful quickly and effectively launching their products.

In this article, we want to share some inspiration. Below you will find real examples of apps and platforms built with no code.

Chant

Chant is a social media app built for creatives. A community environment allows users to engage with each other, chat, and share their work. The app connects like-minded people. The main goal of Chant is to bring artists together and help them discover new ways to take their work to the next level. The platform is perfect for those who are already creating and those who wish to be.

Chant was built with Adalo and even was added to the Showcase section of Adalo featured as an example of a unique take on social media.

You can easily download Chant from the App Store and Google Play.

Outsite

Outsite is an original web application that helps freelancers and remote workers find interesting places to spend time in and communities to hang out with.

Outsite presents a huge library of locations that visitors can browse through to find the next stop.

Users of the website are the content creators. They engage with each other, create photo libraries, share their experience and leave reviews. Similar to how Amazon-like platforms work.

And all this was made with Webflow — a no-code website builder.

Kollecto

Kollecto is a web app for sharing, collecting, and buying art. Its founder Tara Reed did not have the funds to hire developers to create her MVP. That’s why she used more accessible no-code instruments.

Kollecto was built with the help of Strikingly, Typeform, Plasso, Stripe, and Paypal. As soon as the platform gained its first 1500 users, things started falling apart. It took weeks to process recommendation requests. But Tara quickly managed to find a decision. She tried Bubble service and was able to construct an art-matching algorithm in just under three weeks.

Plato

Plato — a tailored mentorship every company can use for its team. Plato connects engineers to mentors from the best companies around the world. They analyze requests and match applicants with mentors with relative experience to help applicants with challenges and give actionable advice.

Plato provides the best match between engineers/team and mentors and delivers goal-oriented outcomes for the problems addressed.

The platform was built with Bubble. The project was accepted to YCombinator — the most prestigious startup accelerator where it raised millions in funding for future development.

Ensemble19

The no-code instruments are especially helpful during a crisis, like the one we had when Covid-19 exploded. To help merchants to survive through the pandemic Ensemble19 was launched. The platform was created in three days. It allows companies and individuals to make donations or buy vouchers for future spending (when the enterprises will be reopened).

Ensemble19 managed to help thousands of businesses by raising over 600,000 CHF in 8 weeks. Impressive result for the app built in 3 days with no-code instrument Bubble.

Qoins

Qoins is an app that helps people to pay off their debts through the service of financial coaching. Mainly it uses payroll deductions and roundups on daily purchases that go to cover someone’s debt.

The app creators used Bubble to build the first version and test it. And even after the project's big expansion, they are still using the no-code platform for most of the business tasks.

Now Qoins covers parts of debts no matter what amount they are, providing significant financial support.

Nóz Delivery

Nóz Delivery — is an app for food delivery. It works as an intermediary between restaurants and clients. However, restaurants get all the profit, and Nóz Delivery service is paid a fixed monthly fee.

Not all food entities have sources to create their app or pay a huge commission to big delivery services. And this application provides them an opportunity to cover online deliveries and attract more customers.

Nóz Delivery was built with Bubble. It is a cross-platform app that can be used on every smartphone or PC.

Rebel Book Club

[Rebel Book Club[(https://rebelbook.club/) is an international platform connecting book enthusiasts. How it works: registered club members vote for the book that everyone needs to read within the upcoming month. By the end of the month, they arrange a meeting to discuss what they read. So users engage both online and offline.

Rebel Book Club offers subscription plans. Today it has over 950 active members with monthly revenue of £10,000.

The platform was built with the following no-code instruments: Strikingly, Typeform, GoCardless.

Mmirror.io

An interesting startup project that was built with Bubble. Mmirror platform provides users with services for A/B testing. Depending on the pricing plan, users can get 10-250 respondents for their project tests.

Thanks to the ready-to-use functionalities of no-code instruments, it was built really fast.

With its responsive performance, the project can gain popularity and be helpful for many startups.

Comet

Comet is a perfect tool for freelancers to find a job, and for employers to hire qualified professionals. It is an international marketplace for IT freelancers.

The main difference between Comet and other similar platforms is in its strict applicants' selection. Such an approach builds a trustworthy community that a company can rely on and be sure to find a real professional. Everything is checked by the service itself.

Comet was also built with Bubble. And in 2018 startup attracted an investment of $12,8 mln.

These examples only prove that no-code products can become part of large successful projects. By using them, you can turn your idea into a real application in no time, easily launch it and present the project to investors to raise funds for further development.

Get inspired, experiment — no-code movement creates opportunities for this.

No-code games: examples of projects created with no code

Appmaster.io — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 12:50:39 +0000

No-code is suitable not only to quickly create business applications and websites. Game developers have also adopted it for a long time. Games created with the help of constructors perfectly demonstrate the possibilities and potential of visual programming.

Little Misfortune
by Killmonday Games AB

A small quest game with extraordinary visuals and a plot about the mystical adventures of a little girl.

Game page on Steam

Tool: Adventure Creator

Cessabit: a Stress Relief Game
by Tepes Ovidiu

A minimalist anti-stress game that improves visual memory.

Game page in the App Store

Tool: BUILDBOX

Small Saga
by Jeremy Noghani

A miniature mouse adventure RPG that has raised almost £ 50,000 on Kickstarter. Coming to Windows and Mac.

Project page on Kickstarter

Tool: Construct

Dash N Blast
by Popa Radu

A simple but visually pleasing 3D game, the main component of the gameplay of which is avoiding and destroying obstacles.

Game page in the App Store

Tool: BUILDBOX

Utopia Syndrome
by Utopia Games

Point & click in the fantasy genre. A cycle of atmospheric games about the life of people in an underground shelter.

Game page on Steam

Tool: Adventure Creator

Swamp
by After Apocalypse Games

A visual novel with interactive battles and meaningful choices.

Game page on the developer's website

Tool: GDevelop

Rainswept
by Frostwood Interactive

Interactive story with an intricate plot and minimalistic graphics.

Game page on Steam

Tool: Adventure Creator

Mighty Goose
by Blastmode, P2 Games

Conquering with only one idea, a dynamic shooter about the adventures of a goose that explores the vastness of the galaxy and fights evil.

Game page on Steam

Tool: Construct

Moth
by Mertzsoft

A mobile game with pleasant visuals and endless levels about the adventures of a moth in a night forest.

Page on Google Play

Tool: BUILDBOX

A Pixel Adventure Legion
by Ulises Freitas

Pixel mobile game with a character leveling system, the ability to collect items, conduct dialogues, and trade.

Page on Google Play.

Tool: GDevelop

Arcana Sands of Destiny
by Invoke Games

Classic adventure game with hidden object elements.

Game page on Steam

Tool: Adventure Creator

Nite Fighter
by Ben Scriven

3D arcade shooter for mobile platforms with dynamic graphics.

Game page in the App Store

Tool: BUILDBOX

Goldspace
by mabafu

A story-driven shooter with completely destructible environments, non-linear levels, and multiple endings.

Goldspace project website

Tool: Stencyl

No-code tools for games creation

List of tools mentioned in this article with short descriptions.

Adventure Creator

A full-featured Unity toolkit for developers of all levels. There is a visual scripting interface and an intuitive design that is good for beginners. Experienced programmers will definitely be interested in the powerful event system and extensive API capabilities.

Check games created with Adventure Creator

Construct

An environment for rapid game development that allows you to combine visual and classic programming: there is both a block builder and a full-fledged code editor. You can develop games through a browser or offline by installing Construct on your computer.

Check games created with Construct

Stencyl

A platform that provides a set of visual programming tools for creating 2D games. The portfolio on the site has not been updated for a long time, you can see new projects in which developers use Stencyl by the #MadeInStencyl hashtag on Twitter.

Check games created with Stencyl

BUILDBOX

No-code constructor that allows you to create 2D and 3D mobile games without programming skills - thanks a convenient drag & drop interface and a library of templates. There is a free tariff plan, the possibilities of which are quite enough for novice no-code developers.

Check games created with BUILDBOX

GDevelop

Free open-source game builder. The event editor allows you to express the logic of the game without programming knowledge, and ready-made behavior models for game objects speed up development. You can create native games for different platforms and publish them quickly.

Check games created with GDevelop

Inspires!
The possibilities of no-code are rapidly expanding. Thousands of people around the world can bring their ideas to life - it doesn't matter whether as part of a team or alone, using programming experience or completely from scratch.

Today, visual designers allow you to set up rather complex logic, design levels and implement branched scenarios. Although no-code game development is not an area in which the capabilities of AppMaster.io are applicable, nevertheless we are still quite interested in the field!

https://appmaster.io/

Desktop App or Web App: pros and cons

Appmaster.io — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 12:18:34 +0000

Today we'll talk about the differences between desktop and web applications. We do not promise that we can be completely unbiased, but we will try to honestly consider all pros and cons.

A web application works through a browser, using it as a runtime, a desktop application - is installed, launched, and run locally. Let's compare them according to their main characteristics.

Installation, update
The web application does not require installation, all updates take place on the server, are delivered to users immediately - you just need to reload the page or exit, and then log back into your account. But sometimes for it to work, you need to install additional libraries or use secure network protocols.

The desktop application needs to be installed on a computer or mobile device, updated every time a new version is released. Even though most often the process is automated, it still takes users' time and device resources. Additionally, you will have to track versions on each computer, smartphone, and tablet.

Publish/deploy
The web application is published on a local or cloud server, and the update process takes place there. In this case, the server is needed in any case, even if the solution is quite simple. After all, in addition to the frontend, with which users will work through the browser, you need to host the backend somewhere.

The desktop application will have to be installed manually on each device. In a company with many jobs, this can take a long time. The good news is that you don't have to choose a server or search for resources to publish if we are not talking about a client-server solution.

Reliability
The operation of a web application depends not only on how competently it is developed and the characteristics of the user device but also on the speed of the Internet connection and the performance of the remote server.

The desktop application works autonomously, so the main thing is the quality of the code and the stability of the hardware on which this code is executed. But if communication with the server is necessary, then the same problems arise as the "competitor" has.

Availability
The web application is accessible from anywhere in the world, from any device, and user files are always at hand. But only if there is an Internet connection or the ability to work offline and download and upload data is implemented.

The desktop application is always available - but only from the device on which it is installed. To work from different devices, you will have to install it on each, and also figure out where to store the files so that you always have access to them.

Cross-platform
The web application will work equally well on any device, it can be a stationary computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone - after all, it practically does not depend on hardware or operating system. The main thing is the right browser. Typically Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple's Safari, or a Windows browser (Microsoft Edge / Internet Explorer) will work for most web clients.

The desktop application depends on the operating system, processor, video card, and several other parameters. You have to take into account the nuances of each environment (including when "catching" errors), write code taking into account possible options, hire individual developers or even entire teams for versions for different OS.

Functionality, performance
The web application is completely dependent on the browser and its technology. Therefore, there are several restrictions, for example - in access to the hardware of your device. It is impossible to get around this and some other restrictions (at least now). But several tasks can be solved according to the principle "what cannot be rewritten, can be built on or expanded." Editors of documents, images, audio, video, 3D graphics; project management systems; file storage; no-code constructors - work successfully in browsers. Rapid service integration tools and front-end libraries further expand existing capabilities.

The desktop application allows you to implement any function - in this, it surpasses the web. In any case, no one has yet developed a full-fledged online analog of Photoshop or Sony Vegas. System utilities are the realm of desktop development. As well as programs that need to work in the background for a long time - for example, chats or torrent clients - it will simply be inconvenient to work with them through a browser. Also, such software is more often used for specific projects, with non-standard interfaces or functions. Therefore, web development does not present any danger for desktop programmers yet - these technologies will develop in parallel, just for different tasks.

As for the speed of work, everything is not as clear as it might seem. Although the browser client constantly exchanges data with the server, the performance will largely depend on how competently it is designed, the "purity" of the code, the capabilities of the equipment, and the stability of the communication channel. The difference in performance, which is obvious during testing, is often invisible to users.

Security
The web application developed using modern protocols and security tools can fully ensure the safety of data. However, developers cannot influence some points: browser, cloud server, communication channel - they can increase the level of security due to additional means of verification, but also reduce it due to their vulnerabilities. A definite plus for users: such software is easier to control. The limitations of the environment make it less likely that it will secretly gain access to files or launch a process.

The desktop application is configurable more flexibly, which means that theoretically all potential vulnerabilities can be foreseen during its development. In practice, it is unlikely. However, you can still make it completely safe. But only if the device on which it is installed will not connect anywhere, even to a secure local network. Otherwise, there will still be a risk.

It is difficult (if not impossible) to say what is safer. This is influenced by many factors, primarily the human factor. But the meaning of all security measures lies indeed in protection from the human factor.

The trust in desktop software is higher. Some organizations fundamentally disagree with browsers, and many users are still wary of them. However, the situation is changing - with the development of technologies, people's loyalty to them grows.

Our findings
The possibilities of browser development are enormous, and its potential is far from being fully revealed. Technology is advancing, the IT market is growing, offering more and more applications - all other things being equal, users will choose the web simply because it is more convenient. If we talk about solutions for corporate clients, then browser applications are irreplaceable. They are flexible, versatile, do not require preliminary preparation of the environment, and save company finances, hardware resources, and employee time.

Alternative opinion
But consider a different opinion. Some developers believe that the prospects are far from cloudless. Browser operating technologies are too imperfect, too much low-quality software has already been "coded". Therefore, users of browser solutions will fall back to desktop solutions. This trend will continue as long as browser developers use Java Script in large quantities. Only when a real alternative appears will it be possible to make predictions for the future.

Web applications are already suitable for solving many problems - for both business and ordinary users. If you decide to develop your own, use the no-code AppMaster.io platform.

Ready-made blocks of code and visual tools for working with them will help you create a web application and its back-end much easier and faster than classical programming methods!