Quotes that are miles apart
Three companies, one idea, and a gap of tens of thousands of dollars nobody can explain. A one-week blueprint maps the screens and flows first, then ends in one fixed price with the scope written down.
Toronto mobile app development company
Mobile app development in Toronto, from first blueprint to the App Store
Ojastra does app development in Toronto for businesses and founders who want an app real customers use, not a demo that stalls. We build iPhone, Android and web apps for booking, ordering, client portals and the first version of a new product, for one price agreed before we write code.
You own the code and the App Store and Google Play accounts from day one, and you get a build you can tap through every week. If a web app or a better spreadsheet would do the job, the free written plan, within 48 hours, will say so.
Fixed price. You own the code. A working demo every week.
Why app projects go wrong
A prototype that looks finished but isn't
Polished screens can hide an app with no working back end. You tap through a real build on your own phone every week, so you see what works.
Every mobile app developer in Toronto recommends something different
Native, cross-platform or web: each company pushes what it sells. We choose from your users and budget, with one codebase for both phones when that's enough and a web app when you don't need the stores at all.
An app another developer left half done
That includes apps built with AI tools that break under real users. We audit the code, fix and secure it and put it live, or tell you honestly when a rebuild is cheaper.
What our Toronto app developers build
Booking and appointment apps
Clients pick a time, pay a deposit and get reminders, while your staff work from one calendar instead of three.
Ordering and repeat-order apps
Menus or catalogues, Stripe payments, live order status and one-tap reorders, the kind of platform we run ourselves with pickup.kitchen.
Client portals and member apps
Logins, documents, invoices and status updates, so customers stop phoning to ask where things stand.
Field and staff apps
Job lists, photos, signatures and routes for crews on the road, like the driver app we built for pickup.kitchen.
First versions of new products
An MVP for a funded founder: the smallest app real users will pay for, built so version two doesn't mean starting over.
iOS app development and Android app development
One codebase for both phones where that covers it, so you pay once. Native builds when the app needs Bluetooth, heavy camera use or background location.
App development for Toronto's founders and small businesses
Toronto has two kinds of app buyers, and we work with both. One is the founder with seed money and a product idea, often tied to a university or an innovation hub like the MaRS Discovery District, who wants a first version in weeks and an engineer on the call, not a salesperson. The other is the established business, a restaurant group, a clinic, a trades company or a retailer, that wants customers to book or order directly instead of paying a marketplace.
Toronto users shape the product. Your customers speak many languages, often pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay, and open the app on a subway platform where the signal comes and goes, so we keep screens light and the main actions working on a weak connection. Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA) governs what you collect, so we collect only what the app needs, and we can host your data in Canada when customers or contracts call for it.
We're based in Toronto and meet GTA clients in person, from Mississauga to Markham. Further away, the process is the same over video, weekly demo included.
What it costs
Fixed prices in Canadian dollars. The blueprint fee is credited in full when you go ahead with the build.
| What you get | Price (CAD) | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| BlueprintWorkflow map, key screens, fixed quote and build schedule. 100% credited to the build. | $1,500 | About 1 week |
| Customer-facing web or mobile appBooking, ordering, client portal or marketplace. | $20K–$60K | 6–12 weeks |
| MVP for a funded founderThe first version of your product, built to grow. | $25K–$75K | 8–14 weeks |
| Rescue an AI-built or broken appAudit, fix, secure, deploy and hand over. | $5K–$20K | 2–6 weeks |
| Care planHosting, monitoring, fixes and small changes. | From $500/month | Monthly |
Apple and Google charge their own developer-account fees, billed directly to you. Everything else is in the fixed price, and scope changes are priced in writing first. See all prices.
How we work
1. Plan
A free written plan within 48 hours, then a one-week blueprint ($1,500, credited to the build) that ends in one fixed price and a schedule.
2. Build
A working link to click every week. Milestone payments, no hourly surprises. Scope changes are priced in writing before we build them.
3. Care
You own the code and accounts from day one. Optional care plan from $500 a month for hosting, fixes and small changes.
Software we built and run
pickup.kitchen
Our own live ordering and meal-plan platform for food businesses.
- Each kitchen gets its own storefront on a subdomain or custom domain
- Stripe payments and a Shopify POS integration
- Live order tracking, delivery routes and a driver app
Naina
An AI coaching app we took from idea to paid MVP.
- Upload screenshots, get a score and the top fixes
- Email one-time-code sign-in and a paid pass
- AI output checked by its own test suite
Questions owners ask us
How much does app development cost in Toronto?
Most customer-facing apps cost $20K–$60K CAD and take 6–12 weeks. An MVP for a funded founder is typically $25K–$75K over 8–14 weeks. A one-week blueprint ($1,500, credited to the build) ends in a fixed quote before you commit.
Do you build iPhone and Android apps, or one app for both?
Both. Often one codebase covers iPhone and Android, which keeps the cost down. If your app needs deep phone features, we'll recommend separate native builds and show the extra cost in the blueprint.
Do I need an app at all, or would a website do?
Often a web app is enough. If you only need bookings and payments, a web app costs less and skips the app stores. The free written plan will say so if that's the better fit.
How are you different from other app development companies in Toronto?
You get a fixed price, a working build every week and full ownership: the code sits in your GitHub account and the store and hosting accounts are in your name. You talk to senior engineers, not a sales team.
How long does it take to get into the App Store and Google Play?
Plan on the last week or two of the project for store setup and review. We prepare the listings, screenshots and privacy details with you, and build in slack because Apple and Google set review times.
Can you fix or take over an app another developer built?
Yes. A rescue starts with an audit of the code, hosting and accounts, then a fixed price to fix, finish or rebuild. Rescues typically cost $5K–$20K and take 2–6 weeks.
Could my startup's app qualify for SR&ED or IRAP funding?
It may, if the work involves real technical uncertainty. SR&ED is a CRA tax credit and IRAP is NRC support for technology-driven small businesses. We prepare the technical documentation; confirm eligibility with your accountant or NRC before you count on it.
Related
Tell us the problem. Get a written plan in 48 hours.
No call needed. You get the approach, a price range and a timeline in writing, free.