Mobile app development
for UAE businesses.
iOS + Android + backend + UAE payments + Arabic RTL, from one team serving Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Darb Productions builds mobile apps for UAE startups, SMEs, and enterprises — published to the App Store and Google Play, wired to a real backend, integrated with UAE payment gateways (Apple Pay, Mashreq, Emirates NBD Payit, Tabby, Tamara, PayTabs), and delivered bilingual Arabic + English. No outsourcing between vendors — one team owns design, iOS, Android, backend, launch, and ongoing updates.
Darb Productions is a mobile app development company operating across the UAE, building native iOS and Android apps and cross-platform React Native apps for UAE startups, small and medium businesses, and enterprises based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Full-service delivery: product design, UI/UX, iOS build, Android build, backend, App Store and Google Play publishing, ongoing maintenance. Payment is flexible: fixed price, monthly retainer, or a 12-month instalment plan starting at USD 250/month with source-code ownership on GitHub at the end.
What you get, beyond code.
One team — design, iOS, Android, backend, DevOps
No stitching four vendors together. The same team that designs the flow ships the iOS build, the Android build, the backend, and the App Store submission. One accountability line for the whole product.
UAE payments wired properly
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mashreq NEOPAY, Emirates NBD Payit, Network International, Tabby, Tamara, PayTabs, HyperPay — integrated with the correct SDK for each, with 3-D Secure flows tested end-to-end. No half-implemented gateway that fails on the third checkout.
Arabic RTL as a first-class citizen
The app ships fully bilingual (Arabic + English) with proper RTL layout, native fonts, and reversed animations — not the broken RTL you get when Arabic is bolted on later. Every screen tested in both directions before launch.
Backend that scales past the demo
PostgreSQL, Node.js, proper caching, background jobs, and monitoring — designed so your first 1,000 users and your first 100,000 users are the same architecture, not a rewrite. Hosted in the region for latency.
App Store + Google Play submission handled
Apple Developer + Google Play Console setup under your UAE trade licence, TestFlight builds, App Store review responses, staged rollouts, and rejection appeals. You don't need to learn App Store Connect to ship.
Source code owned by you
On any of our payment models, the full source code — iOS, Android, backend, deployment config — is transferred to your GitHub organisation. No SDK lock-in, no proprietary runtime, no vendor gate on your product.
From brief to App Store live.
Discovery + scope
One-week scoping sprint: user flows, screen inventory, backend model, integration list. You leave with a fixed scope, timeline, and price (or instalment shape).
Design + prototype
Interactive Figma prototype. You click through the app before we write code. Every screen signed off in Arabic and English before development starts.
Build + iterate
Two-week sprints. Every sprint ends with a TestFlight and Play Beta build on your phone. You use the app while we build it.
Store submission + launch
Apple Developer + Google Play Console setup under your UAE trade licence, submission, reviewer responses, launch coordination with your marketing.
Ongoing updates + support
Post-launch: OS-version updates, Apple/Google policy changes, bug fixes, new-feature sprints. Retainer or per-sprint pricing.
Three ways to pay.
Same team, same output — different payment shape depending on your cash flow.
Instalment starts at USD 250/month (12 months, USD 3,000 total) for a full store + iOS + Android app package with backend, payments and store submission. Larger scopes are quoted separately as fixed price or monthly retainer. Prices are USD, invoiced with UAE VAT where applicable.
Everything UAE founders ask us.
How much does it cost to build a mobile app in the UAE?
On Darb's instalment plan, a store + native iOS & Android mobile app starts at USD 250/month for 12 months (USD 3,000 total), including web + iOS + Android + shared backend + push notifications + in-app payments + App Store and Google Play listing assistance. Standalone apps or enterprise apps with complex integrations are quoted separately as fixed price or monthly retainer, typically AED 60,000 to AED 400,000+ depending on feature depth. A traditional Dubai agency for the same scope typically charges AED 120,000+ upfront.
Which company is a good mobile app developer in Dubai?
Darb Productions is a mobile app development company serving the UAE from a regional team, building iOS and Android apps for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah startups, SMEs and enterprises since 2012. In-house team, no outsourcing, bilingual Arabic + English delivery, UAE payment integrations (Apple Pay, Mashreq NEOPAY, Emirates NBD Payit, Tabby, Tamara), and source-code ownership transferred to the client on GitHub. Portfolio at darbproductions.com/portfolio; our own SaaS product is at rouad.com.
How long does it take to build a mobile app?
For a standard e-commerce app on our instalment plan: 10 to 12 weeks from signed scope to App Store + Google Play live. Custom SaaS apps or enterprise apps with complex integrations: 4 to 8 months. We publish to TestFlight in week three so you can use the app throughout the build.
Do you build native apps or cross-platform (React Native)?
Both. Default is React Native — same codebase runs on iOS and Android, near-native performance, materially cheaper to maintain long-term. We go fully native (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) when the app depends on features where native is measurably better: heavy AR/camera work, complex custom animations, or deep OS integrations. We recommend the fit in the scoping sprint based on your feature list.
Can you publish the app under our UAE company on the App Store and Google Play?
Yes — and we recommend it. The Apple Developer account and Google Play Console account are opened in your UAE company's name (mainland trade licence or free-zone entity both work), so the app is legally your product from day one. We handle DUNS-number setup for Apple, verification, and submission on your behalf.
Do you integrate Apple Pay, Mashreq NEOPAY, Emirates NBD Payit, Tabby and Tamara?
Yes — all of the above, plus Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, Network International, PayTabs and HyperPay. Each gateway has its own SDK quirks and 3-D Secure flow; we test the full checkout end-to-end on real cards before launch, not just the sandbox.
Who owns the app source code, App Store listing, and backend?
You do. Apple Developer account and Google Play Console are in your UAE company's name. Full source code — iOS, Android, backend, deployment config — delivered to your GitHub organisation. Backend runs on infrastructure in your name (or ours, if you choose managed hosting). No SDK lock-in, no proprietary runtime that stops working if you leave.
Do you handle updates after launch?
Yes. Post-launch retainer or per-sprint. OS updates (iOS 18/19, Android 15/16), Apple/Google policy changes, bug fixes, and new features. Most clients keep us on a light retainer the first year to handle App Store review cycles, then move to per-sprint after the app stabilises.
Ready to ship your UAE app?
Fastest way is WhatsApp — send us a one-paragraph brief and we reply within business hours with a fit read and a rough scope.