Web app development
Custom web app development in Sydney and Melbourne
Rocket Lab Australia designs and builds custom web applications: customer portals, partner platforms, admin systems and SaaS products, in React, Next.js and TypeScript. We work from Sydney and Melbourne, and you deal directly with the designers and engineers building your app.
- Web apps, portals and platforms in React and Next.js
- Sydney and Melbourne team
- You own the code once it is paid for
- Trusted by James Hardie, and Before You Buy
- Founded 2014, Sydney and Melbourne team
Portals, platforms and internal tools your business runs on.
Since 2014 we have built web platforms for clients including James Hardie, Before You Buy and Erin Living.
Web apps we design and build
From a first release to a platform your business runs on, we cover the whole life of a web app.
Customer portals
Self-service accounts, bookings, orders and reports for your customers, connected to the systems you already run.
Partner and B2B platforms
Portals for partners, suppliers and agents, with roles and permissions so each group sees what it needs.
Internal tools and admin systems
Admin consoles and back-office tools that replace spreadsheets and manual steps for your team.
SaaS products
Multi-user web products from MVP to scale, with the accounts, payments and data a growing product needs.
Modernise an ageing web app
We take over or rebuild older web apps in stages, so the business keeps running while the platform moves forward.
AI features in your web app
Search, summaries, assistants and automation built into your product where they pay off.
Web apps and platforms we have built
A few of the web products our team has designed, built and supported.
Real estate and proptech
Before You Buy
The whole platform, designed and built from scratch to replace an MVP built offshore: the public website, the customer portal, the admin and BYB Assist for agents, in React and Next.js.
Construction
James Hardie
Smarter Partner, the portal for James Hardie's partners and builders, and HardieBase, the admin behind it, built and extended by Rocket Lab.
Aviation training
Visual Vectoring
VVResponse, a web-based training simulator for air traffic control communications, rebuilt from a proof of concept in Next.js and TypeScript on AWS. An LLM plays the pilots, then evaluates the trainee.
Property
Erin Living
The web app behind Erin Living's MVP launch, defined and built with the founders as the business grew.
And many more, for startups, enterprise and government. See all case studies.
Why teams choose Rocket Lab for web apps
Senior and local
Your app is designed and built by our Australian-based team in Sydney and Melbourne, and you work directly with the people writing the code.
Built to last
We build web apps you can keep improving for years. Clients like James Hardie have worked with us for over a decade.
Web and mobile
We build web apps in React and mobile apps in React Native and Flutter, so one team can deliver both sides of your product.
Faster with AI, safely
We use AI coding tools every day to move faster, and a person reviews what we ship to your users.
The technologies we build web apps with
Design: Figma
Front end: ReactJS, Next.js, TypeScript
APIs: GraphQL
Content: Directus (headless CMS)
Testing: Jest
How a web app project runs
Discovery
We agree goals, users, scope and the must-haves for launch, then give you a fixed quote.
Design and prototype
Wireframes and clickable designs your users can try before a line of code is written.
Build in sprints
Fortnightly sprints, with a show and tell at the end of each so you see the progress.
Test and launch
Testing across browsers and devices, user acceptance testing with your team, then a production release.
Support and grow
Updates, monitoring and new features after launch.
Web app development FAQs
What is a web app?
A web app is software people use in a browser, such as a customer portal, a booking system, an admin console or a SaaS product. Unlike a marketing website, it has user accounts, data and business rules behind it, and it usually connects to your other systems.
Should we build a web app or a mobile app?
It depends on who uses it and where. People at a desk, such as staff, partners and business customers, are usually best served by a web app. People on the move, or features that need the camera, location or push notifications, often call for a mobile app. Many products need both, and we build both.
Which technologies do you use for web apps?
Mostly React, Next.js and TypeScript, with GraphQL APIs and, where content needs managing, a headless CMS such as Directus. We recommend the stack after discovery, based on your systems, your team and how the product needs to grow.
Can you connect a web app to our existing systems?
Yes. Connecting to CRMs, payment providers and internal systems is a normal part of a web app build. We map those integrations in discovery, so they are in the quote rather than a surprise later.
How much does web app development cost in Australia?
It depends on scope: the number of screens, user roles, integrations and backend work, and how much already exists. 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 a web app?
A focused first release usually takes 2 to 3 months, a medium-sized web app 4 to 6 months, and a larger platform 6 months or more. Discovery confirms the timeline before the build starts.
Can you take over or fix an app built by another team or with AI tools?
Yes. For apps built with tools like Lovable, Cursor or Claude Code, the App Rescue Report tells you what to fix, what to cut and what it costs to launch. For larger products we start with a technical review, then modernise or rebuild only what needs it, with ongoing support and optimisation after launch.
Do you only work with clients in Sydney and Melbourne?
Our team is based in Sydney and Melbourne, and we work with clients across Australia.
What happens in a free consultation?
A 30-minute call with a senior member of the team. You tell us what you are building, we ask about goals, users, timeline and budget, and we tell you honestly whether we are the right fit. No pitch deck, no obligation. Book a free consultation when it suits you.
Cost and timelines
Every project gets a fixed quote after a short discovery phase. As a guide, how long a project usually takes:
Focused first release
2 to 3 months
Medium-sized web app
4 to 6 months
Larger platform
6 months or more
Related capabilities
React and Next.js web app design, development, takeovers, upgrades and support.
iOS, Android and cross-platform apps with React Native and Flutter, built for speed, usability and long-term scalability.
We design robust technical architectures that let your product scale securely as your business grows.
Custom, scalable web platforms built on modern frameworks like React and Next.js. Engineered for performance and maintainability.
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.
