Building Once Isn’t Enough! Convert Your iOS App to Android

If you are considering converting your iOS app to Android, you have undoubtedly made the right decision.

 

Of course, the approach of building for a single platform and validating your idea is rational. But if your iOS app has already achieved its initial goals, like receiving positive user reviews and generating steady revenue, now is the perfect time to expand your reach by porting it to Android.

 

Furthermore, we cannot ignore that Android dominates the global smartphone operating system market today, holding 71.9% of the market, while iOS has a share of around 27%.

 

You should understand that converting an iOS app to an Android app isn't about replicating code. The tech specialists will adapt the experience to a new platform and ecosystem.

 

We have prepared this guide to help you navigate this process and know what to expect.

Stick with us. Here’s what’s coming up:

 

• There are currently over 1 billion active iPhones and over 3 billion Androids. This is your chance to access new markets and expand your user base. We will explain how to do this.
• Converting an iOS app to Android offers many benefits but comes with challenges. Our experts will explain how to solve or even avoid them.
• Instead of losing opportunities for Android, our client expanded their audience reach and converted their iOS app to Android. Below, we will discuss our experience.

Not Sure If You Should Convert Your iOS App to Android? Here are the Reasons

If your iOS app is doing well, it's a smart move to make it successful for Android as well. And here’s why:

 

Expanding your user base

As we mentioned above, Android dominates the global smartphone market and continues to be the most used mobile operating system among users worldwide.

70% of the global mobile OS market share is a massive audience. Don't miss it, especially in regions where Android dominates:

 

• Africa – 84.72%
• Asia – 80.13%
• Europe – 65.5%
• Canada – 59.16%
• United States Of America – 57.36%
• United Kingdom – 51%
• Oceania – 50.9%

 

More users = more revenue

One app on one platform with a well-thought-out monetization model is good. But what about doubling your income potential? Or even tripling it?

 

Having more users means more downloads, subscriptions, or in-app purchases, which will impact your revenue more. This sounds like a good reason to consider converting your iOS app to Android.

Learn more: How much does it cost to make a mobile app?

 

Competitive advantage

Having an app that runs on both platforms is no longer a bonus. Nowadays, it is a must.  

If a potential user searches for your app on Google Play and can't find it, they'll likely turn to a competitor. Don't lose a colossal number of potential users.

How to Convert an iOS App to Android: Steps We Follow

 

First of all, let's clarify some technical nuances:

Converting an iOS app to Android isn’t about copy-pasting code. This process entails rebuilding the app from scratch, but using the original as a blueprint.

 

Developers rewrite code using another programming language while preserving UI and the logic it executes. This is easier than writing from scratch, as specialists don't have to think through the project architecture.

 

Well, now let's look at the steps the Onix team takes to convert iOS apps into Android apps:

Analyze the iOS app

Before starting the development process, we need to know what needs to be recreated. So, our first step is reviewing the existing iOS app. We mean analyze its features, architecture, design, and third-party integrations.

 

Plan the Android version 

Our next move is mapping out the Android version. This includes:

 

• Identifying what we can reuse
• Understanding what we need to redesign 
• Determining what we need to rebuild.

 

Adapt the design

Copying the interface when porting an iOS app to Android is not a good idea. If the design is not changed properly, Google Play will not approve your app, and all the effort will be wasted.

 

Since Android and iOS have different design guidelines and design elements, we need to adjust an app’s UI to match Android’s Material Design principles while keeping a brand identity.

 

For example, there are some design differences like:

 

• Android devices have a wide range of screen sizes, resolutions, and aspect ratios that designers must consider.
• Navigation works differently. Android users rely on the built-in “back” button, while iOS apps use on-screen navigation bars and buttons.
• Platform conventions are different. Android has an overflow menu while iOS uses tab bars at the bottom of the screen.
• Android's visual design is more flexible, while iOS has stricter guidelines.

Our designers always find a compromise between the iOS Flat Design and Android Material Design. When we run and convert your iOS app to Android, we pay the most attention to the following design elements:

 

Rewrite the codebase

At this stage, we aim to ensure your Android app has the same functionality as the iOS version.

 

This process involves:

 

• Rewriting the app’s logic in Kotlin/Java (Android’s programming language)
• Optimizing the code for Android-specific performance requirements 
• Integrating with platform tools like Android SDK, Google Play services, and device-specific APIs.

 

In the table below, we compare the key development elements during the iOS-to-Android conversion process:

 

Ensure backend and API integration

While most APIs are platform-independent and can be reused, integration methods may vary due to platform-specific SDKs and tools.

 

For example, we replace Apple Pay with an Android-compatible payment system like Google Pay or other widely used Android SDKs (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).

 

When converting an iOS app to Android, we also pay attention to all backend interactions. Our developers adapt user authentication, data synchronization, analytics, and other features to Android environments to ensure reliable performance.

 

No less important is the configuration of Android-specific permissions, network calls, and push notifications.

 

Here are some key considerations on API and payment integration:

 

Read also: Top 8 Mobile App Development Trends to Look for in 2025

 

Test and release

Since Android runs on a wide range of devices, each with different screen sizes, resolutions, and OS versions, we need to ensure that your app runs consistently and with high quality.

 

We conduct in-depth testing that includes:

 

• Screen size and resolution testing to make sure design elements scale correctly and remain user-friendly across devices.
• OS version compatibility to verify that an app runs smoothly on older versions up to the latest release.
• Device fragmentation involves testing on different brands like Samsung and Xiaomi to handle manufacturer-specific differences.
• Performance testing to evaluate the app’s behavior under different memory, battery, and network conditions.

How Onix Converted an iOS App to Android: Our Experience

When the client approached Onix, they had an almost finished iOS application, including design, backend, and basic functionality.

 

The main idea of ​​their app was to purchase customer goods with the possibility of group ordering.

 

However, our clients wanted to launch the app on Android to expand their audience. This is how the Onix team began the process of converting the application from iOS to Android.

 

Below, we share the solutions our team provided:

 

Code migration

Our developers rewrote all the application logic from Swift to Kotlin. We successfully implemented key app functionality, including order placement, group creation, friend invitation, and order management.

 

Backend and data processing

Our team connected the app to the existing backend (Firebase) and ensured smooth operations for authorization tokens, user profiles, and local data storage.

 

Payment integration

While the iOS version used Apple Pay, we integrated Google Pay for Android to process transactions seamlessly.

 

Push notifications

The push notification feature has been fully implemented and tested to inform users about the status of their orders and updates.

 

Design adaptation

We ported most of the iOS design to Android, making the necessary adjustments to comply with Android conventions and Material Design guidelines. 

 

Our team redesigned some dialogs, such as permission requests, to conform to Android system standards rather than the custom descriptions used in iOS.

 

Navigation and components

We customized the navigation according to Android UX practices, using BottomNavigationBar, Snackbar, FloatingActionButton, Toast, and appropriate system animations when transitioning between screens.

 

After the application was released, the client noticed an increase in users. This is a strong signal of growth and market trust.

Challenges You May Face While Porting an iOS App to Android

When it comes to converting an iOS app to Android, it may seem like it's just a "copy and paste" process. But it's actually much more complicated.

 

Here are some common obstacles you may encounter:

 

Fragmentation

Apple tightly controls its hardware and software, while Android runs on thousands of devices.

 

Each of these devices has different features:

 

• Screen sizes
• Resolutions capabilities
• Operating system versions
• Hardware capabilities 
• Manufacturer-specific skins

 

This means that testing on one or two devices won’t be enough.

 

Fragmentation is a part of the Android world, and if you ignore it, your users may experience strange interface glitches, crashes, slow performance, etc.

 

To ensure an Android app delivers a great experience on most devices, we recommend:

 

• Focus on the most popular devices among your target audience.
• Support the latest Android version, plus a few older versions (released in the last 3–4 years).
• Implement flexible layouts that automatically adjust to different screen sizes and resolutions.
• Combine real device testing with emulator testing to quickly cover a broader range of devices.
• Optimize memory use, battery consumption, and loading times for better app performance.

 

Design differences

As we previously mentioned, iOS and Android follow different design approaches:

 

• iOS offers Human Interface Guidelines
• Android uses Material Design

 

So, copy-pasting design won't work. 

 

You may ask, “Why?”

 

Let’s consider key design differences to answer your question:

 

• Android is about a hierarchical arrangement of objects, while Apple makes objects look flush.
• iOS uses a bottom tab bar for navigation, while Android has a navigation drawer or BottomNavigationView.
• iOS provides consistent typography, while Android offers more flexibility and variety.
• iOS icons are more detailed and realistic, while Android icons are more abstract.
• iOS and Android use different fonts: iOS – San Francisco, Android – Roboto.
• Date pickers differ: Android offers a standard calendar interface, while iOS provides three scrolling wheels for day, month, and year. 

 

As you can see, many differences in app design can affect the product's functionality and aesthetics.

 

If you want to make your app feel "at home" on Android,  consider our tips on thoughtful design adaptation:

 

• Keep the spirit of your iOS design but adapt it to Android norms.
• Create navigation, gestures, and interactions the way Android users expect.
• Instead of building everything custom, use native Android UI components whenever possible (e.g., FloatingActionButton, Snackbar, AlertDialog). They look and behave the same on all devices.
• Ensure your Android app is branded the same way as your iOS app.
• Do a small beta test with Android users and get feedback on the UI and UX.

 

Performance optimization

Even if your iOS app works great, everything can change when you port it to Android. 

 

The main reason is the wide variety of Android devices, each with specific processors, memory capacities, and stricter battery-saving rules.

 

Here are some of the actions we take to avoid performance optimization issues:

 

• We use Kotlin best practices, such as coroutines, to smoothly execute asynchronous tasks and minimize memory usage.
• Our developers use modern image formats (e.g., WebP) and compress assets without losing quality to save memory and loading time.
• We recommend our clients who have apps with lots of data to implement lazy loading or pagination.
• We use Android's WorkManager or JobScheduler to handle background processes and efficiently adhere to battery optimization rules.
• During development, our specialists monitor resource usage using Android tools like Android Profiler.
• We recommend maintaining lightweight animations or selectively disabling them on lower-spec devices to maintain smoothness.

 

What’s Next?

Well, we hope you now have a better understanding of the process of converting an iOS app to Android. 

 

Converting an iOS app to Android is a technical task for us. For you, it is an excellent opportunity to expand your audience, increase revenue, and stay competitive.

 

And if you want to convert your iOS app to Android and are ready to achieve all these advantages, our experts will help! We will assist you at every development stage, from careful design adaptation to seamless launch on Google Play.

 

FAQs

 

Can the same code be reused?

Not directly. iOS apps are built with Swift or Objective-C, while Android uses Kotlin or Java. You can't copy-paste code, but backend logic, assets, and APIs can often be reused, which helps speed up development.

 

Can I keep using my iOS backend for the Android version?

Yes, it can be reused if your backend is platform-independent (e.g., REST API, Firebase). Minor adjustments may be needed for authentication, payment methods, or device-specific features.

 

How long does it take to convert an iOS app to Android?

It depends on the app's complexity, features, and integrations. A basic app might take 1–2 months, while a feature-rich app could take 3–6 months or more. This includes development, UI adaptation, testing, and launch preparation.

 

How much does it cost to convert an iOS app to Android?

The cost can vary widely depending on the app’s complexity, number of features, UI design, third-party integrations, and testing requirements. On average, it may range from $15,000 to $50,000+. Simple apps cost less, while apps with complex functionality like payments, real-time data sync, or animations cost more.

 

What’s the best way to convert an iOS app to Android? How can Onix help?

Onix handles complete conversion: rewriting logic, adapting UI to Material Design, integrating Android-specific features, and launching on Google Play, ensuring a native feel and smooth performance.