Developing a Mobile App for an Online Store

Introduction

In 2026 it is obvious that almost every business (format doesn’t matter: sole proprietor / self-employed / newly opened LLC or an LLC with tens of millions in turnover) should have an online storefront with its own products or services.

This article is a practical breakdown: how creating an app for an online store is organized, what approaches exist (Telegram Mini Apps, builders, native development), how much it costs to create a store app, what must be included in the functionality, and how to choose an option without unnecessary expenses.

Why an online store needs a mobile app

Any online store needs to sell its products or services and manage those sales. Given that every user has a smartphone, a mobile app is the most convenient channel to interact with customers.

• “Standard” online store app covers the following scenarios:
• Showcase. Display of products and services. Full descriptions, prices, photos/videos. If there are many products, there is usually a catalog and search.
• Ability to place an order. The customer selects the needed products/services and places an order in the cart.
• Payment options. Or the ability to contact the seller to clarify additional details or remaining questions.
• Sales analytics. The ability to analyze sales for a selected period to make tactical and strategic business decisions.
• Marketing capabilities. Send an email/push notification describing a new product/service. Announce promotions, etc.
• CRM system. Manage order statuses, customers, and so on.

Ideally, you would want all of this in a single service to make management easier from a “single window.” All these capabilities already exist in our service: Mini Apps Builder.

Ways to create a mobile app for a store

Globally, there are 3 ways to create a store app:

1. Do everything yourself. Requires experience in this area; usually not suitable for a beginner/small business.
2. Hire a team of specialists. They can do anything, but in 99% of cases it’s very expensive for a beginner/small business.
3. Use a template solution via builder services. Usually the most suitable option for a start / small business.

Telegram Mini Apps — a new era of mobile commerce

From a technical perspective: this is simply a mobile version of a website “wrapped” in the Telegram API. It runs inside Telegram, not the browser.

Thanks to this implementation, a Telegram Mini App has the advantages of both platforms: web and mobile apps.

It is developed easily and quickly, similarly to websites (even faster and easier), and visually for the customer it looks like a native mobile app.

It uses Telegram capabilities:

• Telegram ID - the user is immediately authorized when launching the app. No need to register each time.
• No need to go through the review process like in Google Play / App Store for mobile apps.
• Accessible on any device, since Telegram has apps for all platforms.
• The user does not leave Telegram when launching a Mini App, which increases conversion to the target action.

Traditional mobile apps

Native mobile apps, which are usually built from scratch by a team of 3–5 people over several months, will cost from $20,000 — and that’s if the team is junior or mid-level. Plus in terms of time: 3–6 months of development.

App builders

Similarly to the point above, there are app builders where you don’t need to write code or need almost no code. This will be much cheaper and faster than full-team development, but still not as fast as Telegram Mini Apps. Also you are tied to the App Store / Google Play review process, which takes about 1–2 days per release, and during major holidays can increase to 3–4 days.

Another important point: Apple and Google have a rather extensive set of requirements for apps.

How much it costs to create a store app

The cost of creating an app depends on the chosen approach. We described them above:

• Use a template solution via builder services. The cheapest and fastest option. Usually this is a monthly/annual subscription to a builder service to create and then manage the app. Price: approximately $50 per month.
• Do everything yourself. This is an intermediate option — more expensive than builders but cheaper than a dedicated team. Just don’t deceive yourself: your time must also be counted as an expense, because while you handle these tasks you’re not working on other business areas. Price: your hourly rate * number of hours spent on all tasks.
• Hire a team of specialists. The most expensive option, thousands of dollars at a minimum given current IT salaries. Price: roughly from $20,000 per project.

Stages of developing an app for an online store

Here is the main (maximum) path for creating Android and iOS apps for an online store. Some of these steps can be removed, but if you are doing this for the first time, skipping certain nuances may cause problems later.

1. Product formation (Product Discovery)

1.1. Goal and hypothesis

• What problem the app solves
• For whom (personas, JTBD)
• Why a mobile app, not web

Result: a clear product hypothesis.

1.2. Market and competitor analysis

• Direct and indirect competitors
• Their functionality, UX, monetization
• App Store / Google Play requirements

Result: a list of must-haves and differentiators.

2. Requirements and architecture

2.1. Functional requirements (PRD)

• Main user scenarios
• Edge cases
• Platform limitations

Result: PRD or user stories.

2.2. Platform and stack selection

• Native: Swift (iOS), Kotlin (Android)
• Cross-platform: Flutter, React Native
• Backend: REST / GraphQL / Firebase / Supabase
• Authorization, payments, push notifications

Result: technical architecture.

3. UX/UI design

3.1. User Flow and Wireframes

• Navigation
• Main screens
• Behavior on errors

Result: clickable prototype (Figma).

3.2. UI design

• Design System
• iOS Human Interface Guidelines
• Material Design (Android)

Result: final mockups.

4. Development

4.1. Backend (if needed)

• Database
• API
• Authorization and security
• Admin panel

4.2. Mobile development

• Screen by screen
• Integrations (payments, maps, analytics)
• Offline logic
• Push notifications

4.3. Infrastructure

• CI/CD
• TestFlight / Internal Testing
• Monitoring and logging

5. Testing and quality

5.1. Types of testing

• Functional
• UI/UX
• Performance
• Security
• Regression

5.2. Beta test

• Closed access
• Collect feedback
• Fixes

Result: a stable build.

6. Release preparation

6.1. App Store / Google Play

• Icons, screenshots, video
• Description and keywords
• Privacy Policy / Terms

6.2. Checks

• Apple Review Guidelines
• Google Play Policies
• Payment workflows

7. Publication

• iOS: App Store Review (usually 1–5 days)
• Android: publication is almost instant

8. Support and development

8.1. Analytics

• Retention
• DAU / MAU
• Crash-free users

8.2. Iterations

• UX improvements
• New features
• A/B tests

Timeline: roughly 4–8 months until the first public release.

An app is not code, but a process: from hypothesis → UX → architecture → development → iterations.

We haven’t listed stages like “registering a developer account in the App Store / Google Play”, “purchasing software licenses”, “managing the team” and other minor tasks.

Telegram Mini Apps vs traditional apps: which to choose?

If you want to launch an app to sell products or services as quickly and cheaply as possible, at the time of writing the fastest option is launching a Telegram Mini App. You can assemble the app you need in about 30 minutes — or an hour the first time as you get used to the service and learn to work with Telegram Mini Apps.

No other platform will give you that speed. In terms of cost, a Telegram Mini App is practically free compared to full mobile app development.

When to choose Telegram Mini Apps

• You value speed and minimal startup costs.
• Your audience actively uses Telegram.
• You need to test a hypothesis, get first sales, and build marketing in Telegram Source.

When to choose a builder

• You need presence in the App Store / Google Play.
• You need typical functionality without complex integrations.
• It’s more important to “launch quickly” than to fully own all code/architecture.

When native development is needed

• Complex catalog/price/delivery/integration logic.
• Requirements for performance, security, scalability.
• The product needs to be actively developed for years.

Conclusion and expert recommendations

As usual, everything depends on the goals, budget, timeline, and target audience of your project. Building a Telegram Mini App for a country where no one uses Telegram except you and hoping hundreds of customers will come tomorrow is not a good idea. On the other hand, if you want an app for your business in a country where Telegram is popular, Telegram Mini Apps are your choice.

Besides speed and price, this also gives you the ability to use Telegram as a marketing channel, where competition and ad costs for such apps are still lower than, for example, in SEO and Paid Search.

Additionally, you will have higher conversion because the user does not need to download and register in yet another new app, but can open your app inside Telegram with one click.

FAQ block

1) What’s better: Telegram Mini App, builder, or native development?

If you need a quick start — Telegram Mini App; if you need an app in the stores without code — a builder; if you need a complex product and flexibility — native / cross-platform development.

2) Is it possible to create a mobile store app without developers?

Yes — via builders or via Telegram Mini Apps (as a fast launch format).

3) How much does it cost to create a store app?

It depends on the approach: with a builder it’s a subscription; with a development team — significantly more expensive (the text gives a guideline of “from $20,000”); Telegram Mini Apps are described as the cheapest launch option relative to full development.

4) How long does it take to develop a mobile app for an online store?

The original gives guidelines: Discovery + design 3–6 weeks; MVP 2–4 months; production version 4–8 months.

5) Do you need to pass App Store / Google Play review?

For native apps and apps built with builders — yes. For Telegram Mini Apps — no (according to the source text).

6) What must be included in an online store app?

Showcase (catalog / product page), cart and checkout, payment / contact, notifications, analytics, and basic CRM logic — these are listed in the source as the main scenarios of a “standard” app.

7) Why can Telegram Mini Apps provide higher conversion?

Because the user doesn’t leave Telegram when launching a Mini App, and they are already authenticated via Telegram ID.

8) Can you start with a Mini App and later build a native app?

Yes, this is a common strategy: start with a quick launch to validate demand, then expand functionality and move to full development when the economics make sense.

9) What hidden costs exist with native development?

Besides development itself, the source mentions accompanying stages: registering developer accounts, software licenses, team management, and other expenses.

10) What’s more important at the start: “beauty” or speed of launch?

If you are building a product for the first time, speed and hypothesis validation are often more important (so you don’t spend a budget on a perfect product with no demand). Then follow iterations and improvements (analytics, UX, new features), which is also described in the “Support and development” section.