Do you need an app, or is a website enough
An app pays off when customers come back often and want the service within reach: food delivery, a gym, a chain of clinics or salons, a store with a loyalty programme, a courier service. If someone contacts you once a year, say for a repair or paperwork, installing a separate app is just extra effort for them.
In Uzbekistan many everyday journeys already happen elsewhere. Orders arrive in Telegram, people pay through Click and Payme, the showcase lives on Instagram, and goods sell on Uzum and OLX. Before commissioning an app, check whether a website, a Telegram bot or a mini app inside the messenger would solve the problem. These launch faster and do not ask customers to download anything new.
- Customers order or book often, not once a year.
- You need push notifications, a personal account, bonuses or order history.
- The product relies on the camera, geolocation or offline mode.
- You already have a flow of customers you can move into the app.
Freelancer, small team or studio
The contractor market in Tashkent is uneven. A freelancer usually charges less, but the project rests on one person. If they get ill, change jobs or disappear, you are left with unfinished code. A small team is more flexible but may not cover every role.
A studio splits the work between a project manager, a designer, iOS and Android developers and a tester. The difference is not only price but accountability. Find out who will fix a bug six months after launch, and who actually owns the code.
How to vet a company before signing
A polished presentation proves nothing. Look at what you can touch, and ask the awkward questions.
- Download the apps from their portfolio and use them: are they fast, do they crash?
- Ask what role the company played in each project.
- Clarify who will own the source code and the store accounts. The developer account is best opened in your company's name.
- Find out how testing works and who handles publication.
- Check whether they can integrate Click, Payme, SMS providers, maps, a CRM or accounting system.
- Make sure the contract describes stages, acceptance of work and support terms.
What drives the price
No one can give an honest figure without looking at the task, and any "from" price without a brief is meaningless. But it is easy to see what moves the budget.
- Platforms: Android only, iOS only, both, or a cross-platform build.
- Number of screens and complexity of features.
- Design: a standard interface or one built around your brand.
- The server side and admin panel, without which you cannot manage the app.
- Integrations with payments, delivery, CRM and other services.
- Publishing, updates and support after release.
Metrics and promotion after release
A common mistake is to start building before agreeing on goals. Decide in advance what success means: share of orders from the app, repeat purchases, cost per install or leads. Connect analytics from day one, otherwise in a few months you will not know whether the project pays back or the budget simply disappeared.
A finished app will not bring customers by itself. You need a page that ads and search can send people to, with links to the App Store and Google Play, plus traffic from Meta Ads, Google Ads, Instagram and Telegram. That is why the website and the app are best planned together.
Where to start
Write down who the user is, the one action they must take, and which metrics you will watch. Build a minimal version from that, not everything at once. If the review shows that a website or bot is enough, that is also a perfectly good outcome.
The markdev team builds turnkey websites and sets up advertising and end-to-end analytics. If you are unsure whether you need an app, describe the task and we will work out together which format will bring more value.
FAQ
How is an app development company different from a freelancer?
A company covers every role and answers for the result under a contract, while a freelancer depends on one person. A freelancer can suit a small project, but a team is safer for something complex with integrations and ongoing support.
What is better for a business: an app or a Telegram bot?
A bot launches faster and needs no installation, so it fits testing demand, taking orders and sending notifications. An app makes sense when you need a personal account, push notifications and complex features.
What does the cost of an app depend on?
Platforms, the number of screens and features, design, the server side, integrations and support. A reliable estimate comes only after the task is described, ideally broken down by stages.
Who owns the code and the App Store and Google Play accounts?
This should be written into the contract. It is safer to open the accounts in your company's name and receive the source code on acceptance, so you do not depend on a single contractor.
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