Yes, with Apparati, you can build high-quality iOS and Android apps from virtually any website, regardless of the CMS or tech stack you use. Whether your site is built on WordPress, Shopify, Salesforce, Magento, or a custom platform, if your website functions well as a web app and is mobile-optimized, we can convert it into a native mobile app. Our platform allows you to reuse everything you've already built on the web, so there's no need to start from scratch. The mobile app will pull directly from your website, ensuring that all the functionality, design, and features remain intact and in sync across both web and mobile platforms. This allows you to maintain a single code base for both your website and mobile app, saving you time and resources.
Apparati apps are not strictly native, but rather your existing site or web app running in a native webview inside a native container that runs in every way like a native app, adds native navigation and many native features like push notifications. This allows you to recreate your web experience exactly, while adding the key features you need to improve user experience on mobile devices. Ultimately, you could build a native app from scratch (very very expensive, complex – only for well funded companies where the app is a key part of the value prop), or use a template based solution (could be good but by definition it will be limiting), or use our approach, which gives you the benefits of a native app with the flexibility of the web. A hybrid approach lets you have a mobile app with all the features of your website, in a very short time and very affordably, with the added benefit of not having to worry about constantly catching up with your site's development to add new features (i.e. if you add or change anything on the site, it changes in the app). You'll maintain a single code-base, your website's, for both site and app. It's a huge saving in both time and money terms, and it gives you incredible flexibility compared to a situation where you have a web app or website and a native app alongside it. And yes, your app will be published in both App Store and Play Store.
The limitations of Apparati apps are primarily the same as those of your website. If it works in a browser, we can convert it into a mobile app. There are some limitations when it comes to accessing certain native device features, such as the accelerometer, Face ID, or complex hardware integrations like Bluetooth and NFC. These are all out of scope for the type of applications that we provide. If you require deep native functionality, Apparati might not be the best fit, as we focus on leveraging your existing web app or website to create an app and some native integrations would be too complex. For fully custom native features or layouts built from scratch, solutions like Cordova or React Native might be better suited. Our solution is ideal for most web-based apps or websites that don’t rely on highly specialized native functions. Apparati is not ideal for apps requiring native features, such as: - Banking apps needing Face ID or NFC payments. - Fitness or health apps using sensors or wearables. - Bluetooth-connected apps for IoT or smart devices. - Games needing advanced graphics or real-time rendering. - Video conferencing apps needing real-time multimedia control. - Apps relying on NFC for payments or access. For these cases, custom native or hybrid app development is a better fit.
Your app will require an internet connection to operate, which is the case for almost all modern apps, including e-commerce platforms like Amazon, media apps, and social networks. Technically, building a fully offline app that mirrors everything your website provides would require an impossibly large application, with full synchronization when a connection is restored. This is highly impractical, if not impossible, to achieve with most web backends, whether it's a custom-built backend or a platform/CMS like Shopify and WordPress. The reality is that most mobile apps, including major brands, require an internet connection for content updates, transactions, and real-time interactions. If your use case specifically requires offline functionality, then Apparati may not be the best fit for your needs, as our solution is optimized for apps that are connected to the web.
Our process starts with a consultation to understand your vision and app requirements. After sign-up, we schedule an onboarding call to discuss customization options and guide you through the design options available. Once your preferences are clear, we develop your app, prepare custom graphics, and share a preview for your feedback. Together, we test the app, making sure everything works as expected. After testing, we submit your app to the Apple and Google stores, monitor the approval process, and keep you updated until the app is live. Once your app is launched, we provide marketing advice and ready-to-use assets to help you promote it effectively. We also conduct strategy sessions around push notifications to ensure you're leveraging this powerful channel to maximize user engagement. Throughout the entire process, we ensure you have support and input at every key step, from development to post-launch growth.
Our service creates a fully custom app by turning everything from your website (your unique design, vendors, plugins, apps, and custom element) into a mobile app. This means the app is inherently custom without needing to rebuild or recreate everything using native code, which can be expensive, inflexible, and slow to update. With Apparati, your app maintains all the uniqueness of your website, and we add the native app functionality that your site doesn't provide. Plus, our team works with you on making optimizations and improvements to ensure your app feels just like a typical native app, without the inefficiencies and costs that come with building one from scratch. We work with you to create your unique category and collection menus, layouts , icons, font types, colours and backgrounds. With so many customisable options, it is virtually impossible for your app not to be unique! We use code to make changes to your existing mobile web layout to simplify the website experience when it’s powering the mobile app. This allows us to achieve the same level of design and user experience that a native app provides, without rebuilding from scratch on a different code base, which is typically what is done with custom native app development.
Yes, all the features and functionality your web app or website currently has can be recreated within your iOS and Android apps using Apparati. Our platform takes everything from your web app (whether it's content, functionality, or design) and translates it seamlessly into an enhanced mobile app experience. This includes all custom features, web-based plugins, vendors, and integrations (whether you're using platforms like WordPress, Shopify, or something custom-built). It also includes all your third party payment platforms like Stripe, Paypal & Klarna. You don’t have to rebuild anything from scratch. We bring everything over into your app, allowing you to maintain a single code base and website while expanding your reach to mobile app users. Any updates or changes you make to your site are automatically reflected in the app, ensuring that the app stays in sync with your web platform.
Our approach with Apparati is to empower you to use a single platform (your website) to serve both web and mobile app audiences. The new features we add beyond what you’ve built on the web, are designed to help you leverage your existing website to create a mobile app experience for your users. Principally this revolves around greatly improved navigation, native search integration, and notifications. In addition, we add splashscreen options, onboarding , dark & light modes, app sharing and rating. All other functionality comes from your website. We strongly believe that almost anything can be built on the web today. With Apparati, you only need to focus on maintaining a great website, and from that effort, you get both a high-quality website and a mobile app, without any additional work or investment. Our platform and service adds native elements to enhance your app, making the user experience just like a native mobile experience, using the functionality of your website and adding the benefits of mobile app UX. We include native navigation with familiar elements like a tab menu, category and collection screens, and floating buttons, making it easy for users to navigate your app. Your app will have a dynamic custom splash screen, loading animations, and spinners, ensuring a good UX while content loads. Push notifications are fully integrated through platforms using OneSignal, allowing you to send personalized notifications and automate flows. Users can view previous push notifications directly in the app, and subscribe to notifications where they are not already subscribed. Our team handles everything related to getting your app published on both the App Store and Google Play, making sure it complies with all of Apple and Google's requirements.
We offer a complete configuration dashboard that gives you full control of your app once it’s live. However, to ensure the app is built optimally and approved quickly by Apple and Google, our team handles the initial configuration. With our experience, we can set up your app in the most efficient and effective way possible. After the app is live, you or your technical team can access the dashboard to manage every aspect of the app's configuration, including pages, menus, categories, collections, fonts, colours, icons, push notifications and more. If you prefer, our team is always available to make any adjustments on your behalf, especially if you’re not technical. We can handle everything for you as needed.
From the moment you sign up and provide the information we need to build your app to sending you a version you can test, we take typically 10-15 days. However, the complete process to get your app live typically takes around just under a month. This timeline accounts for more than just the technical build. It includes important steps like making design adjustments, preparing app store graphics, and thoroughly testing the app to ensure it’s ready for launch. Your involvement in the process is crucial. You’ll need to review and approve your app, assist us with the sign up for necessary developer accounts, and provide feedback on test builds. Once the app is submitted, the approval process from Apple and Google can take anywhere from 1-7 days, depending on feedback and any changes requested by the app store review teams. It’s a good idea to prepare for your app’s launch with marketing activities and materials, but we strongly recommend not scheduling anything to go live until the app is officially approved by Apple and Google.
No coding knowledge is needed to launch and manage your app with Apparati. Our platform converts your existing website into a mobile app, bringing over your content, design, and functionality without requiring complex native development work. The app stays in sync with your website, so any updates you make are reflected instantly in the app. If you want to make advanced customizations, like adding unique features or adjusting the app’s design, our platform offers options for that. Even then, you won’t need to work with code unless you choose to. Our team is always available to help with small design changes and optimizations at every step, and we can provide guidance for bigger changes and new functionality. Every app comes with its own remote dashboard, where you can control your app's configuration in almost every detail. Literally just the app name and the app icon cannot be modified from the dashboard, everything else is under your control.
No – the apps will update automatically whenever you publish anything new! There is little to add to your existing workflow, just keep doing what you're doing, easy like that!
