What transfers and what gets rebuilt
There's no button that turns an APK into an iOS app. Android and iOS use different languages, UI systems, and platform services, so the client (screens and interactions) is rebuilt while much of the thinking behind the app carries over.
Your backend, APIs, business logic, and data models usually port with little change. The user interface, navigation patterns, and platform integrations are where the real iOS work lives.
- Reusable: server APIs, database, business rules, and your product design decisions
- Rebuilt: UI in SwiftUI or UIKit following iOS navigation and gesture conventions
- Swapped: Google services for Apple equivalents (maps, push, sign-in, in-app billing)
- Re-implemented: permissions and privacy prompts the iOS way, with usage strings
- New: App Store Connect setup, provisioning, and App Privacy labels
Making it feel like an iPhone app, not a port
Users can tell when an app was designed for Android and pasted onto iOS. Back-button behavior, share sheets, date pickers, and typography all have iOS-native expectations.
A good conversion honors those conventions instead of forcing Android patterns onto iPhone. That's the difference between an app that passes review and one that people actually keep.
- Replace Android's back button with iOS swipe-back and navigation bars
- Use native share sheets, pickers, and system fonts (SF Pro) for a familiar feel
- Adopt Sign in with Apple where you offer other social logins (Apple requires it)
- Move billing to StoreKit in-app purchases for digital goods
- Support iPhone screen sizes, Dynamic Type, and Dark Mode
More on ios apps
Frequently asked questions
Can you reuse our Android code directly?
The UI and Android-specific code, no, but the parts that matter often carry over: your backend, APIs, and product logic. We map what's reusable before quoting so you're not paying to rebuild things that transfer.
Should we rebuild native or go cross-platform for the iOS version?
Both are valid. If iOS needs to feel first-class and use platform features, native is often best. If you want future updates to stay in sync across platforms, cross-platform may fit. We'll lay out the tradeoffs for your case.
How do you price an Android-to-iOS conversion?
It's driven by how many screens you have, how much platform-specific integration is involved, and how much design polish you want. There's no flat rate that would be honest. Share your Android app in a free consultation and we'll scope it.