Got quotes for an iOS app — how does the process work, and what's expected of us?

If you go with the agency giving you a one-line quote, they'll hit you with extra invoices midway through claiming "this wasn't in scope." Never sign a contract without a detailed scope of work. What is NOT included needs to be written down just as clearly as what is.

Definitely ask which tech stack they're proposing. Are they offering a hybrid framework, or building native iOS directly in Swift? In a B2B spare parts setup with heavy data and filtering, performance and offline reliability are critical. Native development costs more, but it's far more stable in the long run.

When reviewing the proposal, get absolute clarity on three things: 1) Who owns the source code? 2) How many months of free warranty and bug fixing are covered post-App Store approval? 3) Who will develop the endpoints needed to integrate with your existing accounting and ERP systems?

Do you really only need an iOS app for B2B parts sales? Are all of your clients exclusively using iPhones? If you only build for iOS and skip Android or jump straight into an app instead of a solid responsive web portal, you might be sinking your budget into an incomplete setup.

def dont leave the duns number to the last minute but apple corporatte verification can take 2-3 weeks sometimes app will be ready and youll just be stuck waiting to submit it.

I recommend checking references from agencies that have built similar B2B inventory or ordering systems, and speaking directly to those clients. Including clear late-delivery penalties in the contract's project timeline also ensures mutual accountability.

We're considering something similar, but do you have to pay Apple separately for an enterprise developer account or can it just be published under the agency's account?

Talk to your developers right away and find out if your current inventory software exposes an external API. If the agency has to build a data bridge from scratch the quote will double. If you can provide clean API access upfront dev costs drop immediately.

Let me write how it's done in practice. Payment schedules should be tied to project phases, not calendar dates.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

I'm in the same situation, that's why I'm asking. Code without setup documentation isn't yours, even if you have it.

If code ownership isn't in the contract, you have no bargaining power when leaving. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think it's hard to be that definitive about iOS app development. If code ownership isn't in the contract, you have no bargaining power when leaving.

If you don't write this down from the start, it leads to arguments later.

If I understood correctly, you're saying: Payment schedules should be tied to project phases, not calendar dates.

If I were you, I'd go this route.

Let me speak from the other side; I'm on the supplier side. When we decide without measuring, we always end up in the same place.

If I were you, I'd go this route.

The answer above hits the nail on the head. When we decide without measuring, we always end up in the same place.

Code without setup documentation isn't yours, even if you have it. If you post the result here, it will help others too.

I agree, and I'd like to emphasize that. If you don't write this down from the start, it leads to arguments later.

This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

My questions are cleared up, thanks. The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

Taking notes for two weeks yields better results than a six-month estimate. Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

There's one point I'm curious about. Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval.

Mistakes made on the iOS app development side are usually reversible but expensive. This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

If you're going this route, sort this out first. If scope grows either time or budget must grow. There is no third option.