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Verified Profile
Tapptitude is a Product Studio that partners with funded startups and established brands to build interactive, mobile-first products that people love to use.
We work with our clients as Product Partners, supporting them proactively throughout the journey from idea to launching a product and scaling it up. Startups and brands work with us to define their product, design their prototype, develop their MVP and scale a successful product.
Our process stands out through our early focus on value and close partnerships. We work on each product to identify and create easy acquisition flows, generate value early to retain users, and build a solid infrastructure for scalability.
Our workflows are based on lean principles, rapid prototyping techniques and agile development, making us very fast and flexible in iterating value to users.
Our solutions for startups:
- Product definition
- Rapid prototyping
- MVP development
Our solutions for larger organisations:
- Design sprints
- UX research and persona design
- Evidence-based growth plan
Locations
Romania
2A Lunii,
Cluj-Napoca,
Cluj
400068
+40743142383
United Kingdom
3 Loughborough St, Vauxhall, London ,
London,
London
SE11 5RB
+442071939759
United States
109 S 5th St.,
NYC,
New York
11249
646-580-6172
Focus Areas
Service Focus
- Mobile App Development
- Web Development
- App Designing (UI/UX)
- Testing Services
Client Focus
- Small Business
- Medium Business
Industry Focus
- Automotive
- Art, Entertainment & Music
- Real Estate
Tapptitude Executive Interview
Gabriel DOMBRI
CEO
Please introduce your company and give a brief about your role within the company?
Tapptitude is a product studio, specialized in helping funded startups to define, design, and develop mobile-first experiences for their audiences. Our specialty is approaching the process of product building holistically, by providing end-to-end solutions, from product strategy, UX & UI, full-stack development, testing, and product management.
I’ve been the CEO for the last four years, time in which we got from a small development team of 10 people to a proper product squad of over 50 now.
I’ve been the CEO for the last four years, time in which we got from a small development team of 10 people to a proper product squad of over 50 now.
What was the idea behind starting this organization?
The company was started by four developers. I joined after the first year. The main vision was to deliver great products to smart and ambitious startup founders who embarked on a mission to solve some relevant problems in the world around us. Soon after the launch, we found out that in order to build great products, coding alone was not enough, so we’ve brought in strategy people, product managers, great product designs, and testers. And we moved our approach from code-first to a process where we define a testable product first (what is typically called an MVP) that we iteratively build and test from a design-driven angle and focus on clearing out the main risks in the products’ business model. Such an approach positions us more in the space of product partners than in the space of development agencies, even though product development is still core business for us.
What are your company’s business model–in house team or third party vendors/ outsourcing?
We only work with an internal team, as the expertise, close collaboration within the team, and ongoing learning are key in what we do for the startups.
How is your business model beneficial from a value addition perspective to the clients compared to other companies' models?
The typical things our clients tell us is that we are a top-tier agency, in terms of quality of what we deliver - like the one you find in New York, San Francisco, or London, but with more affordable rates, creating tremendous value for our clients. We’ve been very lucky from that perspective, as having our product team located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, we could afford to go with lower rates but still keep very high quality in what we delivered.
What industries do you generally cater to? Are your customers repetitive? If yes, what ratio of clients has been repetitive to you?
We are pretty much industry agnostic, as our main skills are focused on delivering great product value to the final users. From that perspective, we’re rather focused on understanding a certain market audience, real user struggles, and user motivations, as the process to deliver value to them after such understanding is pretty similar from one industry to the other.
We typically build the first product for our startups, then accompany them as product partners while they scale, till the moment when it actually makes sense for them to build an internal team. We’ve had collaborations that lasted 3-4 years, some of them up to their exits, and in many cases, we still step in to help our clients’ teams even after they are fully autonomous.
Since 2019, we’ve had a steady focus on some verticals, like health tech and fintech, especially on the UK market.
We typically build the first product for our startups, then accompany them as product partners while they scale, till the moment when it actually makes sense for them to build an internal team. We’ve had collaborations that lasted 3-4 years, some of them up to their exits, and in many cases, we still step in to help our clients’ teams even after they are fully autonomous.
Since 2019, we’ve had a steady focus on some verticals, like health tech and fintech, especially on the UK market.
Mention the objectives or the parameters critical in determining the time frame of developing a mobile app.
It all depends on how the product is defined, and its main scope depends a lot on the main objective the founding team has with it, to validate certain assumptions or to build a solid, scalable product.
In the first case, we do a lot of validation scenarios and validation planning, based on which we decide what the testable MVP is. And in building such an MVP, we move pretty fast, with time frames from a few weeks, to 2-3 months.
In the second case, a scalable product may take a lot more, and the approach is based on creating some scalability scenarios, then designing a product architecture that can support that. The choice of the tech stack, coding decisions, and even testing flows can be pretty different in such a context.
In the first case, we do a lot of validation scenarios and validation planning, based on which we decide what the testable MVP is. And in building such an MVP, we move pretty fast, with time frames from a few weeks, to 2-3 months.
In the second case, a scalable product may take a lot more, and the approach is based on creating some scalability scenarios, then designing a product architecture that can support that. The choice of the tech stack, coding decisions, and even testing flows can be pretty different in such a context.
How much effort in terms of time goes into developing the front end and back end of a mobile app?
This question is way too general to be able to give a relevant response. As you all know, you can have scrappy products that you do in a few weeks, as you can have behemoth products that are constantly in development, with ongoing releases over some years.
But to give you some examples, the typical timelines for the products we’ve built in the last two years were anywhere from 5 to 8 months to deliver something in the stores.
But to give you some examples, the typical timelines for the products we’ve built in the last two years were anywhere from 5 to 8 months to deliver something in the stores.
What are the key parameters to be considered before selecting the right platform for a mobile application?
It depends a lot on the audience the product targets. If we want to start with a proper MVP, it’s typically quite fine to go with only one platform initially, test that and then push the other into the market. Now, the choice of such a platform comes from what that initial audience actually uses in terms of devices. To give you an example, if you want to create a mobile solution on giving nutrition advice for upscale users in New York, most likely, you will find that those people use mainly iPhones, so it makes a lot of sense to build an iOS app first.
But there are also situations where you cannot really choose one platform over the other, as the users would be split between the two (iOS and Android). In such a case, we either build native apps for both iOS and Android or give a cross-platform solution using React Native.
But there are also situations where you cannot really choose one platform over the other, as the users would be split between the two (iOS and Android). In such a case, we either build native apps for both iOS and Android or give a cross-platform solution using React Native.
Android or iOS, Native or Hybrid — which platform is best to use to build your app? What are your recommendations?
As said before, there are cases when you need to reach both an iOS and an Android audience. The typical solution for that is to build two native apps, one on iOS and another on Android. The implication of that is that you will need to manage two products, though very similar, but still different, with different code bases, store accounts, etc. The alternative is to build a cross-platform solution, using something like React Native. In such a case, you only have one code base that is deployed on two platforms, and this may result in a smaller budget to build it and sometimes faster development.
Now, in some cases, a React Native solution works, but in many, it doesn’t, as it may struggle to give you proper customization in some elements of the product or hinder your scalability plans.
What we typically tell our founders is that if you can afford to build natively, you should do it, especially if your product needs to have top-class interactions, like a B2C app, and be ready to scale-up.
Now, in some cases, a React Native solution works, but in many, it doesn’t, as it may struggle to give you proper customization in some elements of the product or hinder your scalability plans.
What we typically tell our founders is that if you can afford to build natively, you should do it, especially if your product needs to have top-class interactions, like a B2C app, and be ready to scale-up.
What are the key factors that you consider before deciding the cost of a mobile application?
As we build custom products that strive to solve some real needs for real people, the estimation of how much time it will take to build each of those products is a very individual process. We start from a very simple operational question, “Is this product fully and clearly defined?”
If it is, and such definition has the form of technical specs, architecture documents, user flows, and some form of UX (wireframes, mockups, prototypes), a product team on our side will do a documentation debriefing, then estimate on a module or functionality level the time needed to build, test and release such a product component.
If it isn’t, the flow is quite different, and we move into a process of product definition, where do we product workshops, wireframing, prototyping, etc. This process can take from a few weeks to a couple of months. The deliverables of this process are pretty much the definition assets I mentioned above that would allow a product team to understand what functionality would be built, all the integrations such a product will have, and the major UX logic of the product. Based on those, the product team will estimate the amount of time needed to build each of the product components.
The budget is only a conclusion of this entire exercise, where we take the estimated time and apply our rate card for the allocated team. As we rarely work on fixed-price projects, such estimates are only guidelines from a budget and timeline perspective, and what really matters is the sprint or monthly budget for the estimated team.
If it is, and such definition has the form of technical specs, architecture documents, user flows, and some form of UX (wireframes, mockups, prototypes), a product team on our side will do a documentation debriefing, then estimate on a module or functionality level the time needed to build, test and release such a product component.
If it isn’t, the flow is quite different, and we move into a process of product definition, where do we product workshops, wireframing, prototyping, etc. This process can take from a few weeks to a couple of months. The deliverables of this process are pretty much the definition assets I mentioned above that would allow a product team to understand what functionality would be built, all the integrations such a product will have, and the major UX logic of the product. Based on those, the product team will estimate the amount of time needed to build each of the product components.
The budget is only a conclusion of this entire exercise, where we take the estimated time and apply our rate card for the allocated team. As we rarely work on fixed-price projects, such estimates are only guidelines from a budget and timeline perspective, and what really matters is the sprint or monthly budget for the estimated team.
What kind of payment structure do you follow to bill your clients? Is it Pay per Feature, Fixed Cost, Pay per Milestone (could be in phases, months, versions etc.)
We typically work in an agile approach with a product team that is allocated to a product. Such a team is pretty self-managed, led by a product manager, and has all the functions needed to move the product from start to release in the store, developers, testers, designers, and some time product strategists. As we work as a product partner, our main mission is to help the startup founders define the right product to build for their specific business objectives, then build such a product as quickly as possible, launch it, test it, and then scale it into a sustainable business. From such an angle, we can be seen as the external product team for the startup, being paid every sprint or every month.
Do you take in projects which meet your basic budget requirement? If yes, what is the minimum requirement? If no, on what minimum budget you have worked for?
We deliver two types of solutions, product definition solutions, and product building solutions. In the first case, we do workshops, UX sessions, design explorations, etc., and the budgets can start from a few thousand dollars to $15-20K.
In the second case, lately, the smallest projects, quick MVPs or POCs, were about $20-30K, while the typical scalable project is anywhere from $60K up.
In the second case, lately, the smallest projects, quick MVPs or POCs, were about $20-30K, while the typical scalable project is anywhere from $60K up.
What is the price range (min and max) of the projects that you catered to in 2019?
We had quite a few MVPs launched, for budgets mentioned above, but also many ongoing or big projects that ranged way over $100K.
Which business model do you suggest to your clients enabling them to generate revenue from mobile applications? Why?
Such advice is highly customized to the specific project we have at hand, where the business model fundamentally depends on the audience the product targets, the value it proposes to that audience, the competitive landscape they have around, and some other objectives and constraints they have. Our product strategists spend a lot of time advising startups founders on possible business models to test; then, the product teams build product offerings in order to test those models. But this is very specific to each project, and I don’t believe there is a ‘recipe’ that works for this.
Tapptitude Clients & Portfolios
Tapptitude Reviews
8 Reviews
- All Services
- Mobile App Development
- Relevance
- Most Recent
- Rating: high to low
- Rating: low to high
Oliver
Posted on Apr 14, 2020
Business Understanding + Technical Excellence
Review Summary
We've been working with several development companies so far but our best experience was with Tapptitude. What differentiates Tapptitude from other companies is their focus on the business side. They dive into the business behind the desired product first and only then begin to develop the technical solution. This understanding of the business combined with their technical experience enabled Tapptitude to develop a high-quality and market-ready MVP in record time.
Further strengths of Tapptitude in our project were:
- Flexibility to form a project team on relatively short notice
- Strict adherence to processes for quality assurance
- Clear and direct daily communication, incl. their "open-door" policy
Highly recommended!
Further strengths of Tapptitude in our project were:
- Flexibility to form a project team on relatively short notice
- Strict adherence to processes for quality assurance
- Clear and direct daily communication, incl. their "open-door" policy
Highly recommended!
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development
Daniel Spijker, Founder NearMint, Senior PM at Discogs Inc
Posted on Mar 31, 2020
The perfect extension of our team
Review Summary
I have had the pleasure to work with Tapptitude from inception to execution, launch and currently scaling phase of our platform, and I couldn't recommend them enough. They provided great strategic and technical consultancy to get started, we then kicked off with a design sprint and from there started working on the actual coding of the platform. Throughout this process the Tapptitude felt like the extension of our own team with constant communication, stable team composition and a deep investment in understanding our business and industry, Over the past 2 years we have slowly increased the team size with them and we have not lost speed nor quality while growing and scaling. I have worked with other agencies that really felt like outsourcing in the past and was specifically looking for a partner that didn't, while of course delivering high quality code and project management. Tapptitude more than delivered on all of that.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development, Web Development
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
High quality code & design Constant communication & delivery Great partnership
What was it about the company that you didn't like which they should do better?
Nothing comes to mind
Jacqueline van der Gracht, Founder at My Dialogues
Posted on Mar 25, 2020
The best develoment agency to create the best product with!
Review Summary
We are working together now for more than 1 year and the team of Tapptitude is not only creating the best designs and codes, but the also contribute to an overall better product, marketing and business strategy for you to be succesful.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development
MIchel Francis, Founding Partner at Reloadly
Posted on Feb 15, 2018
Tapptitude excellent work!
Review Summary
team was very patient and enthusiastic about our product. They took good care of us with every single detail and listened to our every needs. Great company!
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development, App Designing (UI/UX)
Eric S, Chief Technology Officer at FlyCleaners
Posted on Nov 23, 2017
Strong team with a mentality towards flexibility
Review Summary
FlyCleaners chose Tapptitude via an RFP process for an iOS and Android project to build our 2nd generation customer-facing app from scratch. The team's level of understanding of the requirements and the expectations on time and quality, along with their very interactive and thorough level of communication during the RFP put them ahead of even some other lower-cost alternatives. In the end the value was excellent and the project a success.
Because of this, FlyCleaners has continued to go to Tapptitude for all our of iterative development and maintenance needs on that app as well as other front-end development efforts -- most of which are internally-facing apps and web-apps. They always give accurate time and cost estimates and work well with our in-house team to alert us of issues with our API or other concerns that could threaten project timelines or success. Because we are a small company and don't have time to work out detailed requirements documents, we are extremely happy that Tapptitude is able to achieve the project needs with a minimum amount of "paperwork", instead working to understand the requirements through VOIP calls, emails, and Slack chats, both up front and throughout the project when requirements are unclear. Tapptitude is one of the best firms I've ever worked with.
Because of this, FlyCleaners has continued to go to Tapptitude for all our of iterative development and maintenance needs on that app as well as other front-end development efforts -- most of which are internally-facing apps and web-apps. They always give accurate time and cost estimates and work well with our in-house team to alert us of issues with our API or other concerns that could threaten project timelines or success. Because we are a small company and don't have time to work out detailed requirements documents, we are extremely happy that Tapptitude is able to achieve the project needs with a minimum amount of "paperwork", instead working to understand the requirements through VOIP calls, emails, and Slack chats, both up front and throughout the project when requirements are unclear. Tapptitude is one of the best firms I've ever worked with.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development, App Designing (UI/UX)
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
The team. They always strive to calmly and gently nudge the project along when there are hold-ups on our side of the project. They're smart, thorough, professional, and even fun to work with.
John P Walkup II, Co-Founder at UrbanDigs Analytics, LLC
Posted on Nov 21, 2017
Smart, Fast, Involved
Review Summary
We hired Tapptitude to build ios and android apps to complete our real estate ecosystem. They took on an enormous project with gusto and made it shine by pre-emptively solving problems. While there are always learning curves, we found Tapptitude to be continually on-point and were impressed by how they took ownership of the project. The developers stayed in contact and were generally reachable for any questions for feedback. They remain our top choice going forward.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development, App Designing (UI/UX)
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
Clever, fast, ahead of the curve
Pierre Josseaux, CPO & Co-Founder at Speaken
Posted on Nov 21, 2017
An exceptional technical team
Review Summary
We have been working with the Tapptitude agency for over a year. They are in charge of the whole front part and integration of our mobile applications (iOS & Android). We consider them as full members of our technical team. I highly recommend Tapptitude because they are rigorous, professional, competent and often offer the right solutions. In addition, they work fast and well, the deadlines are always respected.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development, App Designing (UI/UX)
Adrian Daniel Cernat, CEO at smartdreamers.com
Posted on Jul 25, 2017
SmartDreamers Mobile App
Review Summary
After closing our first VC round one of the main priorities was to develop the mobile app. Based on the recommendations we decided to work with Tapptitude. The project was delivered in time and as we lack know-how for mobile app development, their solid know-how was key to the success of the project.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Mobile App Development