iOS app development
iPhone and iPad app developers in Sydney and Melbourne
Rocket Lab Australia is a team of iPhone and iPad app developers in Sydney and Melbourne. We design, build and maintain iOS apps for Australian businesses, usually in React Native or Flutter so your Android app comes from the same codebase, and in native Swift when the app needs it.
- iPhone and iPad, with Android from the same codebase
- Sydney and Melbourne team
- You own the code once it is paid for
- iOS apps for Petbarn, CSIRO and Before You Buy
- Founded 2014, Sydney and Melbourne team
Our iOS work includes apps for Petbarn, CSIRO and the South Australian Tourism Commission. You work directly with the designers and engineers building your app, from the first workshop to the App Store.
What we build for iPhone and iPad
Whether you are starting from a blank page or inheriting an app someone else built, we cover the whole life of an iOS app.
New iPhone and iPad apps
From MVP to launch. We design and build your app, integrate your backend and payments, and handle App Store submission and review.
iPad and tablet layouts
Screens designed for the larger iPad display, for apps people use in the field, in store or at a desk. CSIRO's field researchers use a tablet-optimised app we built.
Cross-platform or native Swift
Most iOS apps we build use React Native or Flutter, so Android comes from the same codebase. When an app depends on platform features those frameworks handle poorly, we say so at scoping and quote native Swift.
Native iOS code where it counts
When your app needs device features a cross-platform framework can't reach, we write native iOS code for them, so you get one codebase without its limits.
Take over an existing iOS app
Your agency or freelancer has moved on? We review the codebase, stabilise it, document it and keep shipping, without a rewrite unless it is truly needed.
Maintenance and support
Monthly plans that keep a React Native or Flutter app building with the latest Xcode and iOS SDK, and passing App Store review.
iOS apps we have built
A few of the iPhone and iPad apps our team has designed, built and supported, each also on Android.
Retail
Petbarn
The iOS and Android app for Australia's largest specialty pet retailer: shopping, loyalty, personalised offers, order history, store locator and push notifications, integrated with Magento and a headless CMS.
Tourism
South Australian Tourism Commission
Explore South Australia, the commission's official travel app for iOS and Android, built from the ground up by Rocket Lab in React Native. Trips sync with southaustralia.com, and saved trips work offline.
Government
CSIRO
The Bushfire Surveyor System: a tablet-optimised app for iOS and Android, with a web app, so researchers can collect bushfire survey data in the field, work offline and sync when they reconnect.
Property
Before You Buy
BYB Inspector, the iOS and Android app inspectors on the Before You Buy panel use to run their jobs, part of the platform we designed and built from scratch.
And more, for startups, enterprise and government. See all case studies.
How an iOS project runs
Discovery
We agree goals, users, scope and the must-haves for launch, then give you a fixed quote.
Design and prototype
Clickable iPhone and iPad designs you can test before a line of code is written.
Build in sprints
Regular demos on real devices so you see progress every fortnight.
Test and submit
QA on iPhone and iPad, then App Store submission and review under your own Apple account.
Support and grow
Updates for each new iOS release, monitoring and new features after launch.
iPhone and iPad app FAQs
How much does an iPhone app cost to build in Australia?
It depends on scope: the number of screens, integrations, user roles and backend work, and whether you need Android as well. We give every project a fixed quote after a short discovery phase, and a free consultation is enough for a ballpark.
How long does it take to build an iPhone app?
A focused first release usually takes 2 to 3 months, a medium-sized app 4 to 6 months, and a larger platform 6 months or more. Discovery confirms the timeline before the build starts.
Do you build iPhone apps in Swift or cross-platform?
Usually cross-platform: React Native or Flutter ship one codebase to the App Store and Google Play, at lower cost than two separate apps. When an app depends on platform features that cross-platform frameworks handle poorly, we say so at scoping and quote native Swift.
Can you build an app for iPad as well as iPhone?
Yes. One iOS app can run on both, with layouts designed for each screen size. CSIRO's Bushfire Surveyor System, for example, is tablet-optimised for researchers working in the field.
Will we need a separate Android app?
Not usually. With React Native or Flutter, the same codebase ships to the App Store and Google Play, so Android comes with the build rather than as a second project. See Android app development.
Do you handle App Store submission and review?
Yes. We prepare the App Store listing, run the beta builds, handle Apple review and submit each release under your Apple developer account.
Can you take over our existing iOS app?
Yes. We start with a code review to understand its health, then stabilise, upgrade and keep building. If the app was built mostly with AI tools, our fixed-price App Rescue Report (from A$2,950) is the fastest way to find out where it stands.
Do you only build apps for teams in Sydney and Melbourne?
Our team is based in Sydney and Melbourne, and we also work with teams in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra. Wherever you are, you work directly with the people building your app.
Other technologies we work with
iOS, Android and cross-platform apps with React Native and Flutter, built for speed, usability and long-term scalability.
Android app design, development, takeovers and maintenance for phones and tablets, in React Native, Flutter or native Kotlin.
New React Native apps, takeovers, upgrades and maintenance for iOS and Android.
Flutter app design, development, takeovers, upgrades and maintenance for iOS and Android.
Fixed-fee plans that keep React Native and Flutter apps updated, compliant and live in the stores.
In our clients' words
Founders and long-term partners on what it is like to build with us.
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We have a long standing partnership with Rocket Lab who provide Webjet with critical strategic and development services for our front-end websites.
Over the years Rocket Lab have seamlessly integrated with James Hardie in delivering a number of key projects for the business that to this day continue to be critical to the success and functionality of our operations.
When it comes to out-sourcing and partnering with a technology vendor, Rocket Lab is top of mind. Julien, Jen and the team are incredibly detailed and thorough whenever they’re engaged in a project. And, they do so at velocity.
Rocket Lab’s ability to help define and execute our business through software in a timely fashion, has been a breath of fresh air and a pleasure to work with.
The guys worked together very well with our internal resources and blended into our process seamlessly. We were very impressed with the level of skill from each of the engineers…
Our business has hundreds of suppliers and thousands of customers so we needed a highly robust structure and that’s exactly what was delivered by Julien, Jen and the RL development team.
Julien and his team are a real pleasure to work with. They are well rounded with a solid understanding of design/user experience best practices as well as diving deep under the hood with solid web and app development capabilities.
Their team delivered a site that met our expectations, and they’ve continued to assist us in refining and enhancing it over time. They are dedicated, creative, and technically skilled, helping to ensure our website looks good and functions smoothly.
Tell us what you are building.
A 30-minute call. No pitch deck, no obligation. We will tell you if we are the right fit.
