Say goodbye to glitchy apps with the best app developers in Leeds!
Most business owners know how much apps matter. It’s the 21st century, after all; if you’re not online like everyone, prepare to eat dust.
Seriously, my cousin Paul found that out the hard way. His coffee shop had a slow year until he got on an app for streamlining orders and giving loyalty perks.
If you need a specialised app for your business, the good news is Leeds is stacked with ace app developers who can help you. The even better news is that we sniffed out and reviewed the top ones below.
How much do app developers charge in the UK?
The UK’s app developers usually charge £10,000 for simple apps and £40,000 for complex ones. Some factors affecting the price include visual intricacy, security, targeted platform, and project timeline.
You can also develop one yourself, but prepare to shell out at least £5,000 for development tools and servers.
1. NewRedo
Address: Platform, New Station St
Contact Details: 0113 320 7336
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri – 9 am to 5 pm
NewRedo has been in the programming industry since 2010. They’re a team of full-stack developers, meaning they handle both the back-end (how an app works) and front-end (how an app looks) sides.
They’re ideal for business owners who’d rather avoid vendor lock-ins. You get full control and clear rights over your assets, and there’s no risk of outdated proprietary tech setting you back in the future.
Also, your industry won’t be a limitation. These devs have covered sectors like gaming, medical, finance, government, and more.
As for the apps, NewRedo covers multiple types, native and cross-platform. Each app undergoes prototyping, API integration, and maintenance to ensure reliability and performance.
If your budget and time are limited, there’s a hybrid option. Development for this is quicker, though the resulting app performs slower due to its use of web technologies, requiring extra processing layers native and native-like apps don’t need.
The biggest hitch is their focus. Most clients are midmarket and large enterprises.
Weekend closures are snags you must also factor in.
Fantastic Experience
‘NewRedo has been an absolute game-changer for me and my APIMS product! The quality of their development work and services is exceptional. Their customer service has been an invaluable support during intricate and demanding developmental phases. They are positively investing in APIMS’s success with their time, resources and contacts. I’ve had a fantastic experience – the staff are friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. I highly recommend NewRedo to anyone looking for reliable technology solutions and a seamless experience. Congrats to the team for their outstanding work!’
– Simon Hall, Google Review
They Offer Creative Solutions
‘Our business relationship with NewReDo is still quite new but so far, we have been impressed with the team. The communication between our companies is very good, and we feel well informed regarding progress on our projects. They offer us creative solutions to our system issues and have a real “can do” attitude – essential for the success of both of our businesses!’
– Helen Dutton, Google Review
2. Pocketworks Mobile Ltd
Address: Avenue HQ Leeds, 10-12 E Parade
Contact Details: 0113 466 0302
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri – 8 am to 4 pm
If you want your projects to be as successful as apps like Toucan and Veezu, give Pocketworks Mobile a shot. The Veezu app’s numbers, in particular, are glowing, with over 100k downloads in Google Play and a 4.8-star rating in the App Store.
Pocketworks can also test aspects of a rough prototype to see if it has real demand or tech suitability. That’s game-changing if you want to try an idea with actual users before actual development begins.
These full-stack devs don’t come cheap, though. The mentioned services both cost £20,000, and the full development service isn’t light at £180,000 a year.
Additionally, mid-market businesses and corporate giants make up their clientele.
That said, Pocketworks’ numbers don’t lie, with Travelodge as another great example. They made prototypes for the app, and it has 17,097 downloads on the App Store with a rating of 4.8 as of March 2025.
No issues on compatibility and being ‘future-proof’ either. Regular and analytics-based updates are provided post-launch to avoid outdated software woes.
These Guys Have Nailed It
‘Couple older guys making “cool” apps. But they do a good job nonetheless. Don’t dismiss these guys just because you want the “latest down with the kids tech” – long in the tooth experience speaks volumes. From Assembly or COBOL and beyond, these guys have it nailed.’
– Peter Pugason, Google Review
Amazing Apps
‘Amazing company making amazing apps!’
– Max Jermy, Google Review
3. Motion 12
Address: Motion 12, Compass House, East St
Contact Details: 0113 534 3255
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri – 9 am to 5:30 pm
Personalisation earned Motion 12 a spot here. To achieve that, they work closely with clients, zeroing in on motivations, needs, and pain points. Doesn’t hurt that their support team is also quick and warm.
Every phase will include your collaboration too—planning, design, development, and testing. That means you’ll call the shots and provide/receive feedback.
Businesses with existing systems are also fully accommodated. Motion 12 can integrate bespoke apps into your current setup instead of replacing it, saving you money while reinforcing scalability.
If there’s a catch, it’s that they stick to SMEs, which may not suit larger firms. And like the entries before, Motion 12 doesn’t operate during weekends.
On the upside, their prices align with the UK’s standard rates. They can also develop desktop apps and not just mobile ones.
Technically Brilliant
‘I’m compelled to write this review but I urge you to stop reading and pick up the phone!
Motion 12 are, without a doubt, the best agency we have worked with. Technically brilliant, Sam and the team deliver quality work on time, every time. Yes, this is awesome, but their support and communication are the things that really knock our socks off! From a new project to further development or just a small tweak, the motion 12 guys are with you at every step.
If you’re looking for a new partner, do not pass go. These guys are awesome!’
– faye Allyn, Google Review
So Enthusiastic
‘Sam and his team at Motion 12 are a breath of fresh air to work with. So pleased they were recommended to us and can highly recommend them to anyone. Sam is so enthusiastic and gets what you want from the off. Wonderful….’
– Javid Blutt, Google Review
4. DevStack
Address: Platform, New Station St
Contact Details: 0113 493 1006
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri – 9 am to 5:30 pm
DevStack, founded in 2013, is suitable for brands seeking experienced and flexible developers. The latter criterion is met thanks to their full-stack development approach, which, as mentioned above, takes care of the front-end and back-end sides of an app.
Moreover, they have a dedicated UX team, which means you’ll likely get a highly intuitive, user-friendly, and sleek app.
However, it’s crucial to note that they’re a small company, with not more than 10 employees. Development time may take longer.
The upside is that DevStack can integrate into or upgrade the performance of existing systems.
Their team also values a personalised approach, even hosting workshops for a more effective and interactive ‘get-to-know-each-other’ phase.
Consultancy services are offered too, especially helpful for those not ready to commit yet.
Furthermore, clients describe their customer service as responsive in problem-solving. This support continues even after an app’s launch.
The weekend closure, though, is a downer.
Happy with the Final Result
‘We’ve had an excellent experience working with the DevStack team. They are meticulous in their work and provide excellent customer service. I would highly recommend them! From conceptualisation to project management to implementation, we felt confidently guided through the processes, and we are very happy with the final result.’
– Andrew Lythe, Google Review
Added Value for Our External Customers
‘We needed a solution that would reduce the amount of resources we were using for a repetitive task. DevStack developed a platform that our administrators were able to use which ultimately saved us a lot of time and effort and we gained a high return on our investment. We were able to provide quicker turnarounds as a result of this and it really added value for our external customers.’
– Jenny Martin, Google Review
5. Ascensor
Address: Ascensor Digital Agency, Block 1, City West Office Park, The Blvd
Contact Details: 0113 831 4400
Operating Hours: Mon to Fri – 8:30 am to 6 pm
Launching in 2007, Ascensor easily ticks our experience criterion. However, it’s their many offerings that truly caught our attention.
For one, these full-stack developers have the basics—think native, bespoke, and Cloud-integrated solutions. These will let you leverage platform-specific tech (native), meet specific needs (bespoke), and maintain scalability or security (Cloud).
On top of that, Ascensor incorporates gamification elements into their apps. This attracts users who prioritise engaging and reward-driven interactions.
Their industry reach is somewhat limited, though, primarily consisting of sectors like business, IT, media, and medical.
That concern aside, we think they’re worth a shot. Having an ISO 27001 for data security and collaborations with known names like Gripple add to their legitimacy.
Ascensor also has a solution most entries here don’t have, and that’s Progressive Web App development. This allows for cost-effective, cross-platform, and SEO-friendly apps that skip the downloads, with limited functionality and personalisation as the trade-off.
The Service We Received Was Excellent
‘We had a terrible experience with our previous web developer and was recommended to go to Ascensor to help us complete our strategy of developing a successful e-commerce website. The service we received was excellent, we worked extremely well with the team at Ascensor and would like to particularly thank Jeannette and Laura for their support, patience and attention to detail throughout the project. We are pleased to say we now have an e-commerce site that functions excellently and is extremely successful, completing a vital part of our marketing strategy. After-sales service is vitally important for us in order to ensure our websites are well maintained and deliver on their goals, and unlike other web developers the after-sales support received by Ascensor is fantastic. We was impressed with Andy’s expertise and so happy with the work done that are halfway through developing our second website with these guys – I would thoroughly recommend them to all’
– Luke Chapman, Google Review
Customer Service Is Second to None
‘Once I had made the decision to create a new website, there was only one company to talk to, Ascensor. Their level of technical expertise, design options, project management and customer service is second to none and they held my hand through the whole process, being patient when I made changes and prompting me when content or decisions were due. I now have five websites built by Ascensor with another on the way. I trust Andy and his team to make the right decisions for my businesses and would not hesitate to recommend them to any business wanting web, e-commerce and digital marketing solutions.’
– Gary King, Google Review