Appiloom Journal
Straight answers for founders building software
We get asked the same handful of questions by almost every founder we talk to: can I build this myself, what will it cost, how long will it take. This is our honest attempt at answering them properly, before you ever get in touch.
AI & software
What AI tools can genuinely do for a founder building software today, and where their limits are.
Can I Build an App Myself Using AI?
Further than most people assume, and not as far as some of the hype suggests. Where the line realistically sits, and what changes once you cross it.
7 min readWhat Is an MVP? Prototype vs Production Software, Explained
Prototype, MVP, production: three different things people use interchangeably, which is exactly how projects end up over budget and behind schedule.
3 min readPlanning & costs
Budgeting, timelines and the decisions worth making before any code is written.
How Much Does It Cost to Build an App in the UK?
There's no single number, and anyone who gives you one without asking questions first is guessing. What genuinely moves the price, and how long things really take.
4 min readHow Long Does It Take to Build a Business App?
Realistic timelines for an internal tool, an MVP and a full platform, what actually consumes the weeks, and which parts of the schedule you control.
6 min readCustom Software vs Off-the-Shelf: Which Is Right for Your Business?
Not every problem needs custom software, and not every off-the-shelf tool is good enough. How to tell which one you're facing, and when it's time to bring in a developer.
3 min readWhat to Prepare Before Approaching a Software Company
The quote you get depends heavily on the conversation you start with. A short checklist that makes that first conversation count.
3 min readLaunching & publishing
Getting an app into the App Store and Google Play, and what happens after it goes live.
How to Publish an App: The App Store and Google Play Explained
Apple and Google both review every app before it goes live, and both catch first-time publishers out in their own particular ways. What the process really involves.
3 min readWhat Happens After Your App Launches? Maintenance, Updates and Costs
Launch day isn't the finish line, whatever it feels like at the time. What ongoing maintenance really covers, and a rough sense of what it costs.
3 min readWebsites & web apps
Choosing the right kind of product for what your business actually needs.
Website vs Web App vs Native App: What's the Difference?
Three different products, often confused for one another, with very different costs attached. How to work out which one fits what you're building.
3 min readReact Native vs Native Apps for Small Business
What cross-platform really means, where React Native is the sensible default, where native genuinely wins, and why the answer matters less than you think.
6 min readSoftware for small businesses
Turning manual processes and spreadsheets into software that saves real time.
Does My Small Business Need Its Own App?
The honest answer is that most small businesses don’t, at least not yet. Here is how to tell whether yours is one of the ones that genuinely does.
7 min readHow a Custom Booking System Actually Works
What the moving parts are, how availability is worked out, what it connects to, and a realistic view of what a custom booking system costs in the UK.
6 min readTurning Spreadsheets and Manual Processes into Real Software
Most businesses run on a spreadsheet for longer than they should. Here's how to tell when yours has quietly become the thing holding you back.
3 min readSecurity & privacy
Data protection, UK GDPR and the security a business application needs.
Hosting & maintenance
Domains, hosting, ownership and what it takes to keep software running after launch.
Have an idea you'd like to discuss?
If any of this sounds like where your business is right now, we're happy to talk it through.
Get in touch