Why it matters

A generic listing or booking platform doesn't feel like your brand.

Third-party booking tools and marketplace apps get the job done, but they put someone else's logo on your customer relationship, charge ongoing fees per transaction, and cap what you can build. For a hospitality or service business, that's the moment guests decide who they remember — your name, or a platform's.

We build the app instead: custom-branded, wired to the exact workflow your team already runs, and delivered on a modern stack (React Native or Flutter, with a Node.js backend) that's fast to build, cheap to run, and entirely yours.

Third-party booking platformTheir brand, per-transaction fees
Platform-owned
White-labeled template appLimited customization
Partly yours
A Platypus custom buildYour brand, your codebase
Fully yours

Ownership and brand control across common approaches — the more custom the build, the more of the relationship (and the data) you keep.

What's included

Built right, from the backend to the app store.

Open any area to see what's inside a Platypus app build.

01 iOS & Android app development

One codebase, both platforms, without compromising on feel.

  • Cross-platform builds on React Native or Flutter
  • Native Swift/Kotlin when a feature needs it
  • Responsive, offline-friendly, and tested across devices
  • Polished, on-brand interactions and animation
02 Backend & API development

A backend built to support real usage, not just a demo.

  • Node.js APIs with a Postgres or Supabase database
  • Authentication, user accounts and role-based access
  • Admin dashboards for your team to manage the app
  • Built to integrate with the tools you already run
03 Booking, payments & concierge workflows

The features that turn an app into a working part of your business.

  • Reservations, scheduling and availability
  • Secure payments and checkout
  • In-app guest messaging and itineraries
  • Staff-facing tools to manage requests in real time
04 Push notifications & engagement

An app in someone's pocket is the highest-attention channel you have — we help you use it well.

  • Push notifications for confirmations, updates and offers
  • In-app messaging and alerts
  • Segmented, permission-based targeting
  • Analytics on opens, engagement and retention
05 App Store & Play Store launch

We handle the submission process so launch day isn't a scramble.

  • App Store and Google Play account setup
  • Store listing copy, screenshots and assets
  • Compliance and review-guideline checks
  • Versioned releases and update rollouts
06 Ongoing support & updates

An app is a living product, and we stay in it with you.

  • OS and dependency updates to keep it running smoothly
  • Bug fixes and monitoring
  • New features as your business grows
  • Optional ongoing maintenance retainer
Tech stack

Modern, open tools — nothing proprietary.

The same principle as our web builds: everything we use is an open, portable technology, so you're never locked into us or a platform vendor.

Frontend

React Native & Flutter

Cross-platform frameworks that ship one codebase to iOS and Android, with native Swift or Kotlin available when a feature calls for it.

Backend

Node.js, Postgres & Supabase

Battle-tested, well-documented tools for APIs, databases, authentication and real-time features — easy for any future developer to pick up.

Payments & integrations

Stripe & your existing tools

Secure payments through Stripe, plus connections to the booking, CRM or property systems your business already runs on.

Hosting & delivery

Cloud infrastructure you control

Backends deployed on standard cloud infrastructure under your own accounts — no black-box hosting you can't access.

How we work

From scoping call to a live app in the store.

01

Scope

We map the exact workflows the app needs to support and the core screens that make up version one.

02

Design & prototype

We design the flows first, so you can react to a clickable prototype before a line of code is written.

03

Build & integrate

We build the app and backend, wiring in payments, notifications and any systems you already use.

04

Launch & support

We submit to the App Store and Play Store, then stay on to fix, update and extend it as you grow.

Common questions

App development questions, answered.

Do you build native apps or cross-platform apps?

Most projects use React Native or Flutter, which ship a single codebase to both iOS and Android — faster to build and cheaper to maintain. When a feature genuinely needs native performance, we build natively in Swift or Kotlin instead.

Can you build booking or concierge-style features?

Yes — reservations, guest messaging, itineraries, staff dashboards and payments are common building blocks we wire together for hospitality and service businesses.

Do I own the app and its code?

Completely. Your codebase, backend, and developer accounts are yours, with no proprietary lock-in. You can take it to another team at any time.

How long does a custom app take to build?

It depends on scope, but a focused first version (core screens, one or two key workflows, backend and store submission) typically runs eight to twelve weeks. We scope it with you up front so there are no surprises.

Have an app idea to scope?

Let's talk through the workflow, the platforms, and what a first version could look like.