000 — DESKTOP APPS

Desktop apps that install cleanly and update themselves.

We build desktop software for macOS, Windows and Linux: internal tools, pro apps and companions to your web product. Tauri or Electron for one cross-platform codebase, Swift for macOS-first apps. Signed, notarized and auto-updating from the first release. Projects start from €9,900; a first release typically takes six to twelve weeks.

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001 — Sound familiar?

Desktop is where small mistakes get loud.

  • Windows SmartScreen and macOS Gatekeeper warn users your app might be dangerous, and half of them give up.
  • Updates mean emailing a new installer and hoping people run it. Support handles five versions at once.
  • The app eats a gigabyte of memory to show a form, and users notice.
  • It works on the developer's Mac and fails on a locked-down corporate Windows laptop.
  • Local data has no backup or migration path, so every schema change risks someone's work.
  • Crashes happen on users' machines and you never hear about them.

002 — What's included

What we build and ship

Desktop apps live on machines you do not control. Most of the engineering is in making install, update and failure boring.

  • Cross-platform with Tauri or Electron

    One codebase for macOS, Windows and Linux. Tauri when size, memory and startup matter; Electron when you need its mature ecosystem. We explain the trade-off in writing before we start.

  • Native when it counts

    Swift and SwiftUI for macOS-first apps that should feel exactly like the platform: menus, shortcuts, system integration, Apple silicon performance.

  • Code signing and notarization

    Apple Developer ID signing and notarization, Windows code-signing certificates, so users get a clean install instead of a security warning.

  • Auto-updates

    Signed, verified, staged updates with a rollback path. Users stay on the current version without thinking about it, and support stops juggling old builds.

  • Local data and sync

    SQLite or files on disk with versioned migrations, backups and optional sync to your backend, built to survive a crash mid-write.

  • OS integration

    File associations, deep links, tray and menu bar, notifications, keyboard shortcuts, printing and hardware access where the app needs them.

  • Enterprise deployment

    MSI and PKG installers, silent install, managed configuration and proxy support for IT teams that roll software out to hundreds of machines.

Who we build desktop apps for

  • SaaS companies that need a desktop companion with offline mode, file access or system integration.
  • Businesses replacing an old Windows-only tool with something cross-platform and maintainable.
  • Pro-tool makers who need native performance and a polished macOS experience.
  • Internal teams that need a reliable desktop tool deployed by IT to many machines.

003 — How it works

From first build to auto-update

  1. Discovery and platform choice

    Target operating systems, offline needs, OS integration and distribution. The Tauri, Electron or native decision with written reasons, and a fixed quote.

    Week 1

  2. Prototype

    The core workflow running on real machines — including the oldest and most locked-down one your users have.

    Week 2–3

  3. Build in sprints

    2-week sprints with signed test builds on every platform at the end of each one. The update channel works from the first build, not the last.

    Week 3–10

  4. Release

    Signing, notarization, installers, update server and crash reporting, verified end to end. Then a staged rollout.

    Week 10–12

  5. Maintain

    OS releases, certificate renewals and dependency updates. A desktop app that is not maintained starts failing the day the OS updates.

    Ongoing

004 — Pricing

Desktop app pricing

The starting price covers a focused first release on your target platforms, signed and auto-updating. Platform count, OS integration and enterprise deployment move the number.

  • Desktop app v1

    Most chosen

    from €9,900

    fixed quote

    • Discovery and platform recommendation
    • macOS, Windows and/or Linux builds
    • Code signing and notarization
    • Auto-update channel with rollback
    • Crash reporting
    • 30-day warranty

  • Feature sprint

    from €4,900

    per 2-week sprint

    • New features or OS integrations
    • Migration from a legacy desktop tool
    • Signed test builds every sprint
    • Fixed scope per sprint

  • App care

    from €490

    per month

    • OS release compatibility
    • Certificate renewals
    • Dependency and security updates
    • Crash monitoring and small fixes

Every quote is fixed before work starts. Signing certificates and developer accounts are issued to your company, not ours.

005 — Definition of done

Every desktop app we ship

Stack

  • Tauri
  • Electron
  • Rust
  • Swift
  • SwiftUI
  • TypeScript
  • React
  • SQLite
  • GitHub Actions
  • Sentry

definition_of_done.md

  • Signed and notarized

    No security warnings on install. Signing runs in CI, with keys stored as secrets, never on a laptop.

  • Updates you can roll back

    Every update is signed and verified before it installs, rolled out in stages, and reversible.

  • Tests on critical paths

    Core workflows covered by automated tests on every target OS in CI, not just the developer's machine.

  • Data safety

    Versioned local migrations, atomic writes and a backup path, so an update or a crash never costs a user their work.

  • Accessibility

    Keyboard navigation, screen reader labels, focus order and contrast checked against WCAG 2.2 AA principles.

  • Docs, ADRs and runbooks

    Every non-obvious decision gets a short architecture decision record. Every operational task — deploy, rollback, restore, rotate a secret — gets a runbook someone else can follow at 3 a.m.

  • Your repo and cloud from day one

    Code lives in your GitHub organisation and runs in your cloud accounts from the first commit. Full IP transfers to you on payment. No hostage situations, ever.

007 — Questions buyers ask

Questions buyers ask

How much does a desktop app cost?

A focused first release starts from €9,900, signed and auto-updating. The final price depends on platforms, OS integration, offline sync and enterprise deployment needs, and it is fixed in writing before we build.

How long does it take?

A typical first release takes six to twelve weeks. You get signed test builds on every target platform every two weeks, so you see real progress on real machines throughout.

Tauri or Electron?

Tauri produces much smaller apps with lower memory use, and its Rust core is a good fit for performance-sensitive work. Electron has the most mature ecosystem and the most predictable rendering across platforms. We pick based on your constraints and write the reasons down.

Can you convert our web app into a desktop app?

Yes, and it is often the fastest route. We reuse your web UI, then add what makes it worth installing: offline mode, file access, notifications, shortcuts and auto-updates.

Who owns the code, certificates and IP?

You do. Code in your GitHub, signing certificates and developer accounts in your company's name, full IP on payment. If we part ways, you can keep shipping updates without us.

What happens after launch?

Code we shipped has a 30-day warranty. After that, OS updates and certificate renewals make maintenance a real need — our care plans start from €490 per month, or your team takes over with runbooks for every release step.

Do you work with our internal IT and security team?

Yes. We build MSI and PKG installers, support silent install and managed configuration, and answer your security team's questions directly. We sign an NDA and, where personal data is involved, a GDPR data processing agreement.

008 — Related services

100 — DESKTOP APPS

Need software that lives on the desktop?

Tell us which platforms and what the app has to do. You will get a reply within one business day and a fixed quote after a short call.

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