Membership app development

Custom membership apps for brands with an existing audience.

Phico designs and builds custom iOS and Android membership apps that bring your content, live sessions, events, commerce and member access together in one branded app. Projects start at €20,000, most cost €40,000 to €100,000, and launch in two to four months.

What it can include

The whole membership, in one app.

Membership and access

Free and paid tiers, previews for non-members, company packages and access rules that follow how your membership actually works.

Content and live sessions

On-demand video libraries, live sessions members can join from the app, and notifications before something new starts.

Events and bookings

Event discovery, booking and tickets, with the same identity as the events themselves.

Commerce and benefits

A shop connected to Shopify, member benefits and offers, under one account.

Your team in control

An admin area to publish content, manage members and see what is happening.

Your brand throughout

Your name in the App Store and Google Play, your design on every screen, and a direct line to your members.

Case study

ADN de México: from monthly live sessions to a membership app.

ADN runs two-hour "journeys through time" live sessions for 150 to 200 paying members every month, with an archive that has grown to around 120 hours of video. Members were watching recordings on a website that no longer fit the membership.

The app brings the live sessions, the on-demand library, previews for non-members, a paywall, notifications and ADN's charity work together. During discovery we also found a B2B opportunity: access packages companies can buy for their employees or customers.

ADN had already looked at membership and content platforms. They could host video and charge for access, but none matched the way ADN worked as a whole.

Read the ADN case study

The ADN de México membership app on a phone.

Jackalope: membership, festivals and Shopify in one app

A production app for one of North America's best-known action sports brands, bringing festivals, video, membership, commerce and customer identity together. Live on the App Store and Google Play.

Oneforone: a community rebuilt around premium events

Event discovery, booking and organiser tools, after real usage showed that events were what the community came back for.

Platform or custom app

Circle, Mighty Networks, Uscreen, or your own app?

Membership platforms are good products, and for many communities they are the right place to start. A custom app makes sense when the membership has outgrown what a template can express.

A platform is probably enough if

You are still testing whether people will pay for the membership.
The community is mostly discussion and courses.
Your budget is a monthly subscription, not a project.
Being in the App Store under your own name isn't important yet.

A custom app makes sense when

You already have an audience and paying members, or a clear path to them.
Your membership combines things platforms keep separate: content, live sessions, events, commerce, benefits.
Your access rules are your own, such as previews, company packages or tiers that don't fit a template.
The app has to connect to systems you already run, like Shopify, ticketing or a CRM.
You want to own the experience and the member relationship, not rent them.

Wondering what it would cost? See what a custom app costs and why.

Questions

About membership apps.

How much does a custom membership app cost?

From €20,000. Most membership apps for established brands cost between €40,000 and €100,000 excluding VAT, at a fixed price for the agreed scope. The price depends mostly on how many experiences the app brings together and which systems it connects to.

How long does it take to build?

Around two to four months. From defining the first version to launch on the App Store and Google Play, depending on scope, integrations and store approvals.

Can members pay inside the app?

Yes, and there are two common ways. Digital memberships sold inside the app go through Apple's and Google's in-app purchases. Many brands sell memberships on their website and members simply sign in to the app. We choose the setup that fits your business and the store rules.

We're on Circle, Mighty Networks or Uscreen. Can we move?

Usually, yes. We look at what your current platform lets you export, such as members, content and subscriptions, and plan the move so members aren't left behind.

Do you build apps for private members clubs?

Yes. I've built an app for a private members club. That work isn't public, but I'm happy to talk through how it was approached on a call.

Who will I be working with?

With me, directly. Phico is founder-led. I shape the product with you, build the app and the systems behind it, and work with trusted design collaborators when needed.

Start a conversation

Let's talk about the app you're imagining.

A clear vision or a feeling that your business is ready for something more is a good place to start. We'll explore what it could look like, what it would take and whether Phico is the right fit.