OS and SDK updates
Builds updated for each year's iOS and Android releases, Apple's SDK rule, and Google Play's target API level.
The Problem
Apps Break Quietly When Nobody Owns the Updates
A live app keeps changing under you: Apple and Google ship new OS versions every year, libraries age, and store rules tighten on a deadline. Without an owner, problems show up in reviews first.
01 · OS updates
A new iOS version freezes a key screen.
We test on Apple and Google beta releases before the public update ships.
02 · Deadlines
Store deadline emails arrive, and nobody answers them.
Every Apple and Google deadline goes on a calendar months ahead.
03 · Old libraries
Payment and push libraries fall versions behind.
Monthly dependency updates keep libraries current in small, tested steps.
04 · Silent crashes
Crashes pile up unread until reviews mention them.
Crash alerts reach us right away, with a weekly review of new issues.
Your app launched a while ago and still works, mostly. Then an iOS update arrives, and the login screen freezes on newer iPhones. Google Play emails a target API deadline, and the developer who built the app doesn't reply. The payment library is several versions behind, and the crash dashboard is full of unread events. One-star reviews arrive before anyone on your team notices. Every month nobody owns the app, the catch-up bill grows.
We start with an audit of your code, accounts, and crash data, then put every Apple and Google deadline on a calendar. Each month we update libraries, review crashes weekly, and fix what users hit from a set hours bank. We test on beta OS releases before the public update lands. Updates ship on your schedule, not on a store's final warning.
Store deadlines on a calendar
Apple's yearly SDK rule and Google Play's target API date planned months before they bite.
Crashes reviewed weekly
Crashlytics or Sentry alerts on every release, plus a weekly look at new and rising issues.
Small, regular updates
Libraries and SDKs updated each month in tested steps, so no update turns into a rebuild.
Our App Maintenance Process
From a Free App Audit to Steady Monthly Care in Five Steps
Our mobile app maintenance services start with an audit and then run on a monthly rhythm. You see every change, every hour used, and every deadline coming up.
We review your code, store accounts, crash data, and library versions, plus any store notices you've received. You get a written health report and a fixed monthly plan at no cost.
What's Included
What You Get With Our Mobile App Maintenance Services
OS and SDK updates, library upgrades, crash monitoring, an hours bank for fixes, security and policy upkeep, and a monthly report, for iOS, Android, or both.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs the Original Freelancer vs an In-House Developer
The original freelancer knows the code best, and an in-house developer sits inside your team. Here is where each one tends to fall short on steady, ongoing upkeep.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Original freelancer | In-house developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge of your code | Documented in the first audit | Deepest, if still available | Grows over time |
| Store deadline tracking | Calendar, months ahead | When asked | Depends on workload |
| Crash monitoring | Alerts plus weekly review | Ad hoc | Between other projects |
| Response time | Set in your plan | Depends on their schedule | Fastest during work hours |
| Holiday and sick cover | Team cover | One person | One person |
| Monthly cost | From $450 per month | Hourly, hard to predict | A full salary |
| Platforms covered | iOS and Android | Often one | Depends on skills |
| Account ownership | Your accounts, documented | Sometimes in their name | Yours |
DeveloperLook
Original freelancer
- Knowledge of your code
- DeveloperLook: Documented in the first auditOriginal freelancer: Deepest, if still available
- Store deadline tracking
- DeveloperLook: Calendar, months aheadOriginal freelancer: When asked
- Crash monitoring
- DeveloperLook: Alerts plus weekly reviewOriginal freelancer: Ad hoc
- Response time
- DeveloperLook: Set in your planOriginal freelancer: Depends on their schedule
- Holiday and sick cover
- DeveloperLook: Team coverOriginal freelancer: One person
- Monthly cost
- DeveloperLook: From $450 per monthOriginal freelancer: Hourly, hard to predict
- Platforms covered
- DeveloperLook: iOS and AndroidOriginal freelancer: Often one
- Account ownership
- DeveloperLook: Your accounts, documentedOriginal freelancer: Sometimes in their name
Projects We've Built
Live App Projects From Our Portfolio
Insurance, food delivery, doctor booking, and pet care apps we have designed and built, shown for their scope, not as maintenance case studies.
Dualcare Insurance App Design & Development
- Insurance
- Dashboard
- Mobile App
Foodies Restaurant Food Delivery App Design & Development
- Food & Beverage
- Food Delivery
- Dashboard
DocLink Doctor Booking App Design & Development
- Business
- Medical
- Booking System
Petopia Pet Care App Design & Development
- Pets
- Booking System
- Mobile App
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built mobile and web products for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why App Owners Trust Us With Their Live App
A live app needs steady, visible care more than heroics. These habits keep yours updated, monitored, and ready for the next store deadline.
Deadlines planned early
We start OS and SDK work when Apple and Google publish a rule, not the week before it applies. Your release doesn't hinge on a last-minute scramble.
A changelog for every release
Every release comes with a plain-language note of what changed and why. When something behaves differently, you can trace it to a specific change.
Small steps, tested on devices
We update libraries in small monthly steps and test each one on real iPhones and Android phones. Big-bang upgrades after years of neglect are where apps break.
Hours logged, not guessed
Every hour from your bank is logged against a task you can see. You know what the monthly fee bought, line by line.
Your accounts and keys
Store accounts, signing keys, and repositories stay in your name, documented in the first week. If you move to another team later, the handover is quick.
Honest about rebuilds
Some apps are so far behind that maintenance would cost more than a rebuild. If yours is one, the free audit will say so plainly.
Overview
What do app maintenance services include each month?
DeveloperLook provides app maintenance services for live iOS and Android apps. Each month we handle OS and SDK updates, library upgrades, crash monitoring, bug fixes from an hours bank, and store policy deadlines. Plans start at $450 per month, onboarding takes 1 to 2 weeks, and the code and accounts stay yours.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · App Maintenance Services
- Service
- App Maintenance Services (OS updates, library upgrades, crash monitoring, bug fixes)
- Typical timeline
- Audit and onboarding in 1 to 2 weeks, then ongoing monthly care
- Platforms
- iOS and Android apps, native or built with React Native or Flutter
- Built with
- Xcode, Android Studio, Firebase Crashlytics, Sentry, and GitHub Actions
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- Monthly hours bank of 4, 8, or 14 hours, depending on plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $450 USD per month, fixed scope after a free app audit
Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Owners whose developer moved on
Your app was built by a freelancer or agency that has moved on, and nobody watches the crash reports anymore.
Apps facing a store deadline
You got an email from Google Play about the target API level, or about Apple's SDK rule, and you're not sure what will break.
Teams with a backlog of small fixes
Your users report small bugs every week, and your developers are busy building the next product instead of fixing this one.
Buyers comparing maintenance vendors
You're comparing mobile app maintenance and support services and want fixed monthly hours, a response time, and a report you can read.
Agencies with launched client apps
Your agency launched apps for clients and needs an app maintenance company working behind your brand after the handover.
Not a fit
Website, not an app
You need upkeep for a website or web application, not a phone app. Our Website Maintenance Services page covers that work.
Big new features
You need major new features, a redesign, or a rebuild rather than upkeep. Our Mobile App Development Company page scopes new builds.
Two apps to merge
You want to replace separate iOS and Android apps with one codebase. Our Cross-Platform App Development Services page covers that merge.
Budget under $450 a month
Your budget is under $450 a month, or the app changes once a year. A one-off update quote may suit you better, and we'll tell you before you sign.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for App Maintenance Services
These are monthly starting points in USD. Your plan depends on the platforms, the hours of fixes you need, and your backend, and you get a fixed proposal after a free app audit.
For one live app on iOS or Android that needs steady upkeep and a safety net.
$450/month
- One app on iOS or Android
- OS and SDK deadlines on a calendar
- Monthly library and dependency updates
- Crash alerts with a weekly review
- Up to 4 hours of fixes each month
- Response within 2 business days
Recommended
For apps on both stores, or one cross-platform app, with regular small fixes.
$750/month
- Everything in App Care
- iOS and Android, or one cross-platform app
- Up to 8 hours of fixes and small changes
- API and backend uptime checks
- Gradual release for every update
- Monthly report with crash trends
For business-critical apps that need faster response, backend care, and small features.
$1,150/month
- Everything in App Care Plus
- Up to 14 hours, small features included
- Next-business-day response on critical crashes
- Backend hosting and database care
- Quarterly security and dependency review
For Agencies
White-Label Mobile App Maintenance and Support Services for Agencies
You keep the client relationship after launch. We supply the monthly upkeep in the background: updates, crash monitoring, and fixes under your brand, with reports you can forward to clients as your own.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the app list
Send the apps, their stores, and any deadlines or open issues.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We audit and price
You get a health report for each app and a monthly price to resell.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Care under your brand
We maintain each app and send reports for you to forward to clients.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
Stay client-facing
Reports and release notes go out under your agency's name.
Predictable upkeep
Store deadlines for every client app planned on one calendar.
Senior mobile engineers
Swift, Kotlin, React Native, and Flutter apps maintained by experienced developers.
Flexible capacity
Add one client app or a whole set of launched apps.
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
The native toolchains and cross-platform frameworks your app is built on, plus the monitoring and update tools that keep it current every month.
Firebase Crashlytics- Sentry
- Google Play Console
- App Store Connect
- Swift
- Kotlin
- Xcode
- Android Studio
React Native
Flutter- Expo
- TypeScript
- GitHub Actions
- Fastlane
- Dependabot
- Renovate
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on app maintenance costs, how to estimate them, store deadlines, and taking over an app someone else built.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
Maintenance plans at DeveloperLook start at $450 per month for one app on iOS or Android with up to 4 hours of fixes. Both platforms with 8 hours, uptime checks, and gradual releases start at $750 per month. Business-critical apps with 14 hours, faster response, and backend care start at $1,150 per month.
Our standard app maintenance plans run from $450 to $1,150 per month, depending on the hours you need. The biggest drivers are how often users report bugs, how many third-party libraries the app uses, and whether we look after your backend. Months with a major OS release take more hours, so we plan them on the calendar. Larger upgrades beyond your hours bank are quoted first.
The full cost of mobile app maintenance is the monthly maintenance fee plus the running costs you pay directly. Those include Apple's yearly developer membership, hosting for your backend and database, and paid services such as push, maps, or analytics once you outgrow free tiers. We list each of them in the free audit, so the yearly total holds no surprises.
Calculate mobile app maintenance costs by adding four parts: yearly OS and SDK work, monthly library updates, bug fixes, and running costs. Estimate the hours each OS release takes on each platform, then add a few hours a month for libraries and crashes. Multiply by an hourly rate, add store fees and hosting, and compare the total with a fixed monthly plan.
Estimate from what your app is made of: each platform, third-party SDK, and integration adds upkeep. A cross-platform app with few libraries costs less to maintain than two native apps with many SDKs. Count your integrations, check how far behind your framework version is, and note any store deadlines. Our free audit turns that list into a monthly plan.
App maintenance is the ongoing work that keeps a published app working, secure, and accepted by the App Store and Google Play. It includes updates for new iOS and Android versions, library upgrades, bug fixes, crash monitoring, and store policy changes. Mobile application maintenance also covers the backend the app depends on, when that's part of the plan.
Yes, published apps need maintenance, because the platforms underneath them change every year. Apple requires new uploads to be built with a recent version of Xcode. Google Play requires apps to target a recent Android API level to stay available to new users. Libraries also get security fixes that only reach your users through an app update.
Most apps are on a maintenance plan within 1 to 2 weeks. The free audit takes 3 to 5 days, and access and handover take about a week. If a store deadline is close, we fix that first during onboarding. Apps we didn't build follow the same path, because the audit is where we learn the code.
We plan each change as soon as Apple or Google publishes it, so your app is updated before the deadline. For example, Apple has required uploads built with Xcode 26 or later since April 28, 2026. Google Play requires new apps and updates to target Android 16 (API level 36) from August 31, 2026. Each change is tested on real devices before release.
Yes, taking over an app built by another developer is a normal start for our mobile application maintenance services. The audit covers the code, library versions, build steps, and who holds the store accounts and signing keys. If accounts or keys sit in the old developer's name, we help you move them into yours first.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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