Should You Build an iOS App or Android App First? A Market-Driven Decision Guide

Every business willing to invest in a mobile app faces a critical conflict: what should you build first– An Android or iOS app?

The choice is important, mostly because it determines how quickly your business app reaches the users, supports your growth, and the revenue it generates. However, making the decision is not an easy task! 

As there are billions of active devices across the globe for both Android and iOS platforms, considering just the market share for each of them isn’t enough to decide! You ought to assess the spending habits, user behavior, development speed, approval process, and other such insights. 

So, this article will be your guide towards choosing between iOS and Android apps and what to build first for your business to thrive. 

A Deeper Insight into the Android and iOS Market!

Android is undoubtedly the market leader in 2025 and will continue to be for the next decade. Today, Android powers more than 70% of smartphones around the world, and its dominance is visible across regions like South America, Southeast Asia, India, and parts of Africa. 

This is mostly the case because Android devices are widely available at different price points for people with varying budgets. Brands like Vivo, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Samsung are the leading Android smartphone manufacturers. 

On the other hand, iOS continues to thrive mainly in the high-income markets, especially in the US, UK, and Canada. Even though iOS holds only 30% of the global market share, it is presumed that iOS users hold higher purchasing power, showcasing improved brand loyalty. 

Businesses mostly target iOS apps for targeting a premium audience group, whereas Android app is built specifically for catering to a wide-scale user base. 

Android vs. iOS App: What to Build First?

To help you decide on whether to seek Android or iOS app development first, here are some of the parameters that you must take into consideration:

1. Development Time:

• Developers claim that building Android apps takes 10-12% more time than iOS. It is because Android developers must ensure the app supports a wider range of devices, OS versions, and screen sizes, which increases the designing, coding, and testing efforts. 
• Building an iOS app often benefits because of its uniform device ecosystem, which helps developers reduce the overall testing and debugging time. 

Note:

If you intend to get quick validation of your idea and target a niche customer base, iOS apps offer a strategic advantage. On the other hand, if you want your product to reach a larger and global audience base, especially in the early days of the launch, Android app development can make more sense. 

2. Monetization:

• iOS does have a smaller user base, but it still generates a total app revenue higher than that of Android. A 2025 report reveals that iOS recorded approximately 60-65% of all app revenue, whereas Android secured just 35-40%. 
• People using iOS devices are known for spending more on apps and add-on subscriptions than Android users, which leads the former to generate a higher revenue share. 
• The average revenue you can expect to generate from an iPhone user is $140 per year, whereas with Android, it is $69 per year. Thus, it implies that higher per-user spending of iOS users makes it a better platform choice if you are operating on a premium or subscription-based business model. 
• Android also has a strong monetization profile, as it accounts for 60-70% of global downloads, benefiting freemium and ad-based monetization. 

Note:

If you are aiming at scaling your business based on an ad-based monetization strategy and larger download volume from a wider user base, building an Android app can be a smarter move. However, if you want a recurring revenue stream for your app-driven business, iOS has a stronger monetization ecosystem through subscription-based income. 

3. Privacy & Security

• iOS holds the top position as far as privacy and security are concerned! A 2025 report shows that Android accounted for around 98% of mobile malware encounters, whereas iOS was under 1%. 
• iOS devices record faster security updates than Android devices. Around 89% of all iOS devices reportedly run the most recent OS version, only within a month of its release. In contrast, only 63% of Android devices are equipped with the latest OS. 
• Android’s openness makes it vulnerable to a higher rate of malware and phishing attacks. On the other hand, iOS is completely sandboxed with a closed ecosystem and a strict App Store review process. Thus, the chance of a malicious app being installed on an iOS device is less. 

Note:

If security and privacy are the core necessities, launching an iOS app will help you showcase your products or services to the world in a controlled environment, reducing the overall risk. 

4. App Store or Play Store Deployment:

• Apple usually takes around 24 to 48 hours to review a standard app submission. However, for some complex apps, App Store approval might come days later. 
• Google Play takes around 3 to 7 days for app reviews. And, for apps that require closed testing or internal evaluation, the approval time can go up to 2 weeks or more. 
• A 2024 report reveals that Apple has stricter review policies, which led to the rejection of around 24-25% of apps across the globe during the initial review. Apple mostly rejects app submissions for security, legal, and performance issues, which showcases the brand’s tight vetting priority. 
• Getting approval on Android’s Play Store is easier, as a MoldStud report specified 60% of Android apps get approved on their initial submission. 
• Google Play charges a one-time fee of $25 for app submission, whereas App Store charges a recurring fee of $99 per year. 

Note:

Even though iOS offers a quicker turnaround with respect to deployment, it still demands careful compliance with all the guidelines. Similarly, Google Play enables automated review for app submissions, which might be quicker, but there are still chances based on guideline violations. 

What Should You Choose to Build First– iOS App or Android App?

Your choice on whether to go with Android or iOS app development first will depend on your business goals and how these market stats align with them. 

If you believe your business objective is to cover larger grounds and reach a global audience base across the emerging markets, building an Android app can be your best bet. However, if you intend to monetize your app only for the high-value users and operate primarily in the premium markets by launching the app faster and prioritizing security, iOS is a better choice. 

In most cases, businesses often tend to start with one of the two platforms for validating their idea, and later adopt the other. Some business owners also use a cross-platform mobile app development approach right from the start to reduce the overall cost and reap the benefits of both platforms. 

So, take the help of experts and use this guide to decide on what would suit your business needs the best in the initial days, an iOS or an Android app!