Mobile app design for startups
Mobile app design for startups
Mobile app design for startups
We design mobile apps for startups adding a mobile product next to a web app, on one design system with the product your engineers already ship.

Mobile app
Mobile app design for Solace Energy.
The mobile app experience for Solace Energy, from core flows to final UI. The case study walks through the work.
Read the case study
How a mobile app design project runs.
How a mobile app design project runs.
How a mobile app design project runs.
Five steps, each with clear outputs. You always know what you’ll have at the end of the week and what decision we need from you.
Scope
Decide which jobs the app has to do first.
- Mobile use cases
- Must-have vs later list
- iOS, Android or both
- Success signal
UX auditSDWhat to fix first12 findings1Signup asks for too muchHigh2Empty dashboard on day oneHigh3Two date pickersLowLow contrast on buttonsMedUnclear pricing pageMedFlows
Map the flows for small screens and short sessions.
- Core flows
- Navigation model
- Notification plan
- Edge cases listed
Critical workflowSDSign upConnect dataInvite teamFirst reportValue momentPrototype
Test it on a real phone before polishing.
- Wireframes
- Clickable prototype
- Usability checks
- Agreed direction
9:41ContinueApp UI
Design the real interface, every state included.
- High-fidelity screens
- Empty, error and offline states
- iOS and Android conventions
- Light and dark themes
9:41Thursday, 6 NovemberTodayActive teams1,284+12%Needs attentionOnboarding drop-offStep 3Weekly reportReadyInvite teammates›TodayReportsTeamSettingsHandover
Stay close while your engineers build it.
- Design system in Figma
- Dev-ready specs
- Walkthrough with engineers
- Design QA on device builds
TestFlight · Build 24SDVersion 1.0 (24)Ready to testInternal testers6Installed5 of 6Crash-free sessions99.8%Submitted for App Store review
Scope
Decide which jobs the app has to do first.
- Mobile use cases
- Must-have vs later list
- iOS, Android or both
- Success signal
UX auditSDWhat to fix first12 findings1Signup asks for too muchHigh2Empty dashboard on day oneHigh3Two date pickersLowLow contrast on buttonsMedUnclear pricing pageMedFlows
Map the flows for small screens and short sessions.
- Core flows
- Navigation model
- Notification plan
- Edge cases listed
Critical workflowSDSign upConnect dataInvite teamFirst reportValue momentPrototype
Test it on a real phone before polishing.
- Wireframes
- Clickable prototype
- Usability checks
- Agreed direction
9:41ContinueApp UI
Design the real interface, every state included.
- High-fidelity screens
- Empty, error and offline states
- iOS and Android conventions
- Light and dark themes
9:41Thursday, 6 NovemberTodayActive teams1,284+12%Needs attentionOnboarding drop-offStep 3Weekly reportReadyInvite teammates›TodayReportsTeamSettingsHandover
Stay close while your engineers build it.
- Design system in Figma
- Dev-ready specs
- Walkthrough with engineers
- Design QA on device builds
Ready for buildSDRelease checklist3 of 4Specs and tokens handed overWalkthrough with engineersDesign QA on stagingShipped
Where mobile apps usually lose people.
Where mobile apps usually lose people.
Where mobile apps usually lose people.
Most drop-off comes down to a handful of patterns. We find which ones are costing you and fix those first.
Onboarding that asks too much
Accounts, permissions and profile questions up front send people straight to the back button. We ask only when it helps them.
Actions out of thumb reach
Key actions sit too high, or behind gestures nobody discovers. We design for one hand and real thumbs.
Navigation that buries things
Too many tabs and nested screens hide what people came for. We structure the app around the jobs they do.
Slow, empty and offline screens
Spinners, blank lists and dead connections feel like a broken app. We design loading, empty and offline states properly.
Notifications that get muted
Noisy or badly timed alerts get switched off for good. We decide what deserves a notification and when.
Platform conventions ignored
An app that fights iOS or Android feels off before people can say why. We follow each platform where it matters.
Two ways to work together.
Two ways to work together.
Two ways to work together.
Every engagement is scoped on a short call first, so the price matches the work.
Web to mobile
Fixed scopeFor products adding an app next to an existing web product.
- Mobile use-case review
- Flows redesigned for touch
- App UI on your design system
- Shared components
- Handover and design QA
Product partner
from $2,500/moFor teams that need senior design every month without hiring a full-time designer.
- Unlimited requests, one active at a time
- Most tasks delivered in 2–3 working days
- Product, web and brand from one backlog
- Async in Slack, plus a weekly check-in
- Pause or cancel any month
Why teams pick Studio Magik.
Why teams pick Studio Magik.
Why teams pick Studio Magik.
Product designers who think in systems. We care about what the app has to do for your users, not only how it looks.
One system for web and mobile
Your app and your web product share components, so users feel at home on both.
Platform-aware
We follow iOS and Android conventions where they help, and break them only on purpose.
Product thinking before pixels
We start from the problem and the business goal, and push back on work that won’t move them.
Designed to be built
Specs your engineers can implement without guessing, and design QA until it ships.
Senior people, AI-assisted
Senior people do the thinking. AI speeds up the repetitive parts, so you get more iterations for the same budget.
Part of your team
We work in your Slack, your Figma and your rituals. A direct line to the people doing the work, no account managers.
From the teams we work with.
From the teams we work with.
From the teams we work with.
Founders, product leads and PMs on what it’s like to build with us.
“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“Communication was super easy, and we were always able to have great mutual discussions about our perspectives. Project bottlenecks were practically nonexistent. Kept the momentum moving forward and ensured the project crossed the finish line on time.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

“Rather than simply creating designs, they challenge ideas, proposes better solutions, and always keeps business goals in mind. After working together, the overall user experience improved significantly, and the design language became much more consistent. Complex user flows were simplified, resulting in clearer and more intuitive experiences.”

“They really take their time to understand our company, our product and the audience we serve, and translated that into a consistent visual language. Design decisions were always well-reasoned, iterated fast, and kept communication transparent. It felt like working with an in-house teammate!”

“Our project (A global hotel chain with 7 hotels and 20 languages) took 3 months and we only had 4 phone calls with them. His discipline made the whole design and Framer development process perfectly smooth. Their technical abilities helped us with the project to make it better and smoother.”

“They contributed significantly to our projects, especially on the design side. When urgent situations came up, they were always willing to jump in and help. Provided clear, structured design files. This made it much easier for both the product and development teams to understand and implement the designs efficiently.”

“They have a really good sense of balancing clean visuals with usability. The design became way more intuitive. It looked effortless, but you could tell there was a lot of smart thinking behind it. Working with them just flowed naturally, and I genuinely enjoyed the process.”

“Having them on board has elevated the way we approach digital product design. Thanks to their structured, thoughtful, and user-centered workflow, our websites have become more intuitive and aligned with our clients’ needs. Their involvement has allowed us to deliver complex web projects faster, without compromising on quality or design integrity.”

Questions about mobile app design.
Questions about mobile app design.
Questions about mobile app design.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Email hello@studiomagik.com or book a 15-minute intro.
Flows, every screen state, UI design, a prototype and specs for your engineers.
Start from the jobs users do on the go, keep the same design system, and redesign layouts for touch and small screens.
Start with design while the flows are still moving. Changing a screen is cheaper than changing code. Once the flows are settled, any good mobile team can build from the designs.
Usually both, from one design that respects each platform’s conventions. If most of your users are on one, we start there.
Yes. We design for how your team builds and hand over specs that fit the framework.
It depends on the scope, so we agree the timeline in writing before we start. You’ll know the plan after the scoping call.
Yes. We extend what you have for mobile, and fix the parts that don’t work on small screens.
Yes. Many of our projects are under NDA, and we never share client work publicly without permission.
Related services
- app.yourstartup.com/setupAccountConnect dataFirst reportConnect your dataChoose where your customer data lives.StripeHubSpotSegmentContinue
MVP design
The few flows that prove your idea, designed so v1 ships without guessing.
Read more → - app.yourproduct.com/overviewOverviewActive teams1,284+12%MOnboarding62%JIntegrations48%PTeam invites35%
Product design
Flows, product UI and design systems your engineers can build from.
Read more →
Tell us what you’re building.
Tell us what you’re building.
Tell us what you’re building.
In 15 minutes we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right team, and what it would take.
