How to Choose the Best Web Design Company in Calgary

A Complete 2025 Guide for Companies, Startups & Entrepreneurs Choosing between iOS and Android is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning a mobile app. Both platforms dominate the global smartphone market, but they differ significantly in terms of cost, user demographics, development tools, performance, monetization, and long-term maintenance. Whether you're a startup launching an MVP, an established business upgrading your digital ecosystem, or a Calgary company entering the mobile market for the first time—this guide will help you decide which platform is the right choice for your business goals.

How to Choose the Best Web Design Company in Calgary

Logo

1. Market Share: Who Uses iOS and Who Uses Android?

Understanding audience demographics is essential when choosing a platform.

Global Market Share

  • Android: ~70% worldwide

  • iOS: ~30% worldwide

Android dominates globally due to affordability and device variety. iOS has a strong presence in developed nations.

Canadian Market Share

  • iOS: ~55–60%

  • Android: ~40–45%

Canada is an iPhone-heavy market, meaning Calgary businesses benefit significantly from iOS development.

Audience Demographics

Feature iOS Users Android Users
Income Level Higher Moderate to Lower
Spending Power Higher Moderate
Geography North America, Europe, Australia Asia, Africa, Latin America
Digital Behavior More likely to purchase apps More likely to download free apps

Conclusion:

If your business targets Canadians or premium customers, iOS is often better. For global reach or diverse audiences, Android is essential.

2. Development Cost & Timeline

Cost matters—especially for startups or businesses with tight budgets.

iOS Development Cost

  • Typically lower compared to Android

  • Faster development due to limited device types

  • Lower testing and QA time

Android Development Cost

  • Typically higher

  • Fragmentation (hundreds of devices, screen sizes, OS versions) increases development & testing time

  • More budget needed for support and updates

Development Speed

Platform Speed Reason
iOS Faster Controlled device ecosystem
Android Slower Device fragmentation

Conclusion:

If you want a faster, cost-effective initial launch, choose iOS.
If you aim for wide reach, choose Android.

3. App Monetization: Which Platform Makes More Money?

If your goal is revenue—this section is critical.

iOS Monetization Strength

  • iOS users spend 2–3x more on apps and in-app purchases

  • Higher success for subscription-based apps

  • Better for e-commerce, SaaS, and premium apps

Android Monetization Strength

  • Higher ad-based revenue

  • More downloads globally

  • Better for large-scale free apps

Revenue Comparison

Monetization Method Best Platform
Paid Apps iOS
In-App Purchases iOS
Subscriptions iOS
Ads Android
Free Apps Android

Conclusion:

If you want direct revenue from your app, choose iOS.
If you want more users or ad revenue, choose Android.

4. Security & Privacy: iOS Leads the Industry

iOS Security Strengths

  • Closed ecosystem

  • Strong sandboxing and encryption

  • Strict App Store review

  • Regular OS updates

  • Lower malware risk

Android Security Strengths

  • Powerful Google Play Protect

  • Open ecosystem for flexibility

  • Strong developer tools

Security Challenges

  • Android faces more malware due to open system

  • Device manufacturers update OS versions inconsistently

Conclusion:

If your app handles private data, payments, or health information, iOS offers stronger built-in security.

5. Customization & Flexibility: Android Wins

Android Advantages

  • Best for highly customized apps

  • Allows deeper system-level integration

  • More flexibility with features, background processes, hardware integration

iOS Limitations

  • Stricter rules for background access

  • Limited customization

  • More restrictions around permissions

Conclusion:

If your app needs heavy customization or deep device functionality, Android may be the better platform.

6. Development Tools: Swift vs Kotlin

iOS Development Tools

  • Language: Swift

  • Framework: Xcode

  • Advantages: Fast, stable, modern, high performance

Android Development Tools

  • Language: Kotlin (preferred) & Java

  • Framework: Android Studio

  • Advantages: Highly flexible, powerful for complex apps

Both ecosystems offer excellent development environments, but:

  • Swift allows faster coding with fewer crashes

  • Kotlin offers more flexibility and cross-platform support (KMM)

7. Device Fragmentation: A Major Difference

iOS Ecosystem

  • Few device models

  • Consistent screen sizes

  • Reliable OS adoption (80%+ update within months)

Android Ecosystem

  • Hundreds of device brands and screen sizes

  • Older devices may not support new features

  • OS update inconsistencies

Impact on Development

  • Android requires more testing time

  • iOS offers predictable performance across devices

8. User Experience & Performance

iOS UX Strengths

  • Smooth fluid interface

  • Consistent UI guidelines (Human Interface Guidelines)

  • Strong hardware-software integration

Android UX Strengths

  • Highly customizable UI

  • Material Design for consistency

  • Better multitasking

Performance

iOS apps often perform better because Apple controls both software and hardware.

9. App Store vs Google Play: Which Is Better?

App Store (iOS)

  • Strict review process

  • Higher quality apps

  • Better revenue potential

  • Slower approval times

Google Play Store (Android)

  • Faster approval

  • Easier experimentation

  • Larger global audience

Conclusion:

For premium apps—iOS is ideal.
For global reach or flexible publishing—Android wins.

10. Which Platform Should Your Business Choose?

A Simple Decision Framework

Choose iOS if:

✔ Your target customers are in North America, Europe, or Australia
✔ You want to generate revenue through paid apps or subscriptions
✔ You prefer faster development and lower initial cost
✔ Security and privacy are top priorities
✔ You want a polished, premium user experience

Choose Android if:

✔ Your audience is global or diverse
✔ You want maximum reach and downloads
✔ Your app uses device-level customization
✔ You rely on ad revenue
✔ You want flexibility in testing and publishing

Choose Both (iOS + Android) if:

✔ You want complete market coverage
✔ You are building a long-term product
✔ You have the budget to support multi-platform development
✔ You want your app to scale to as many users as possible

Use Cross-Platform (Flutter/React Native) if:

✔ You want both iOS and Android with one codebase
✔ You need fast time-to-market
✔ You want to reduce cost without sacrificing performance

Final Verdict: There Is No “One-Size-Fits-All” Answer

The best platform depends on your business goals, audience, budget, timeline, and long-term vision. For Calgary businesses targeting local customers, iOS may offer better ROI. For companies expanding internationally or focusing on scale, Android provides broader reach.

Many successful businesses choose to launch on one platform first—usually iOS—then expand to Android once the app gains traction.

Need Expert Help Choosing Between iOS and Android?

At App Development Calgary, we help businesses make smart, strategic decisions and build high-performance apps using the latest technologies.

We specialize in:

  • iOS app development (Swift)

  • Android app development (Kotlin/Java)

  • Cross-platform apps (Flutter, React Native)

  • UI/UX design

  • API development & cloud integration

  • App maintenance and scaling

📞 Contact App Development Calgary for a free consultation.
Let’s build the right mobile app for your business—on the best platform.