Building an app when you’re not technical
Last reviewed 3 November 2026
Straight answers to the questions founders ask us most: who to hire, what it costs, how to protect yourself, and what to do when things go wrong. Free to read, with no sign-up.
Planning and hiring
- How to hire an app developer when you’re not technicalFreelancer, agency or studio, the questions to ask, the warning signs, and how to compare quotes.
- How much does it cost to build an app? What really drives the priceWhat really moves the price, the costs people forget after launch, and how to get a quote you can trust.
- App development contract: what to include, and who owns the codeWho owns the code, how to tie payments to milestones, and the clauses founders wish they had.
- How to build an MVP app: a step-by-step guide for foundersWhat an MVP is, how to choose its features, and how to test your idea before spending much.
During the build
Built with AI tools
- Is your AI-built app safe to launch? A security checklistTests you can run yourself on a Lovable, Bolt, Replit or Cursor app, and what to fix before real customers arrive.
- Can you put an AI-built app on the App Store?Why a Lovable or Bolt web app can get rejected, your three options, and what Apple will check.
- Lovable app not working? How to fix it and get unstuckStuck in a fix loop, a blank page, or an error that keeps coming back? What to do, and when to stop prompting.
- Bolt.new not working? How to fix it and get unstuckBlank preview, errors that keep returning, or tokens running out? How to recover and when to get help.
- Replit app not working? Fixing preview and publishing problemsWorks in preview but not when published? The usual causes: secrets, ports, slow startup and separate databases.
- Base44 not working? How to fix errors and publish safelyErrors, publishing problems, or questions about the App Store? How to recover, and what Base44’s wrapper means for Apple.
- Lovable SEO: how to get your Lovable site found on GoogleWhy a Lovable site may not show on Google, how to check it, and what brings real search traffic.
Launching
- App maintenance cost: what you’ll keep paying for after launchWhat you’ll keep paying for after launch, month by month, and what happens if you stop.
- How to publish an app on the App Store and Google PlayThe accounts you need, what Apple and Google ask for, how long review takes, and surprises that catch founders out.
- App Store rejected your app? Start here.Find the reason in Apple’s message, then follow the steps that get the app approved.