10 Mistakes SMEs Make When Building Their First Mobile App

Building a mobile app for the first time is an exciting milestone for any small or medium business. It is also a moment where companies unintentionally make decisions that slow down development, increase costs or create a product that users never fully adopt. After working with many SMEs across IoT, e-commerce, insurance and media like Vicodo, we see the same patterns repeat again and again.

Below are the ten most common mistakes and how to avoid them when building your first mobile application.

1. Starting without a clear problem to solve

Many SMEs jump into development because “we need an app”, not because customers need specific value. Without a clear problem statement, teams end up with a product that looks good but does not solve anything meaningful.

What works better is a simple question:
What pain point will this app remove for the user?

If the answer is vague, the project is not ready for development.

2. Choosing technology based on trends, not needs

Flutter, React Native or native development can all be great options, but the decision should depend on performance requirements, device integrations and long term scalability. The key is to know whether your application needs a native solution or whether a cross-platform option would be better.

SMEs often choose the stack because another company used it, or because the CTO “just likes it”. This leads to early technical debt.

3. Underestimating the importance of UX

UX is not about making screens beautiful. It is about guiding users through the product with minimal friction.
The most common issue among SMEs is skipping UX research and immediately asking designers for final screens.

This usually results in:

• confusing navigation
• features users don’t understand
• higher abandonment rate
• UX is a strategic investment, not decoration.

4. Trying to build too many features in version one

The first version of a mobile app should be a focused MVP, not a full ecosystem. SMEs often try to include every idea at once, hoping it will increase value.
In practice, the opposite happens. More features create more bugs, longer timelines and higher costs.

A strong MVP does one thing exceptionally well.

5. Forgetting about backend and infrastructure

Many first time app owners focus heavily on the mobile interface and underestimate the backend. If your app requires user accounts, notifications, analytics or real time data, the backend becomes the backbone of the entire product.

Weak infrastructure leads to:

• slow loading
• dropped sessions
• inaccurate data
• security risks

A **reliable backend **determines how your app performs after launch.

6. Not planning for maintenance

Developing the app is only the beginning. SMEs often forget that mobile apps require continuous updates, security patches and compatibility fixes with new iOS and Android releases.

When maintenance is not planned upfront, budgets explode later.
The rule is simple: if your app lives in the store, you must maintain it.

7. Ignoring data privacy and security requirements

Security becomes critical the moment your app handles personal data, payments, IoT signals or health information.
SMEs sometimes rely on shortcuts because “it’s only version one”, but security debt is expensive and dangerous to clean up later.

Encrypted communication, proper authentication and secure storage should be included from day one.

8. Building without analytics

Many SMEs launch their app without integrated analytics. As a result, they do not know how users behave, which features work or where people drop off.

Without data, teams rely on assumptions. With analytics, every improvement becomes more strategic and cost effective.

9. Choosing the wrong development partner

A good development team does more than write code. They question assumptions, guide the roadmap and help you avoid mistakes.
SMEs sometimes choose partners based only on price, which often leads to missed deadlines, rework and low code quality. The cheapest option usually becomes the most expensive over time.

Look for a partner who understands product thinking, not just development.

10. No clear growth or scaling plan

Launching an app is not a finish line. It is the starting point of product growth.
SMEs often forget to plan how the app will scale with more users, new features or integrations. Without a roadmap, the product becomes harder to extend and loses momentum.

A scalable app is designed with future versions in mind.

Start with complex discovery workshops

Building your first mobile application can be one of the most valuable investments for an SME, but only with the right architecture, planning and long term mindset. By avoiding these common mistakes, companies can create a product that grows sustainably, engages users and evolves with business goals.

A great solution is to take advantage of discovery workshops that will help you discover the purpose of your application and draw your attention to specific steps and stages of working on your application.

If you would like us to conduct such a workshop for you - contact us.