App Rescue & Modernisation Services

Stop Losing Revenue to Underperforming Technology

You don't need another feature. You need your app to work. Our app rescue and modernisation services fix underperforming mobile platforms threatening your business - from eliminating technical debt to complete architecture rebuilds. Whether your app crashes frequently, loads slowly, can't scale, or is built on outdated technology, we've rescued dozens of platforms and restored them to high-performing, revenue-generating assets.

We specialise in platform rescue scenarios: apps built by offshore teams that can't scale, inherited codebases with no documentation, platforms cobbled together by junior developers who've moved on, legacy apps on deprecated technology, and rapidly growing apps where infrastructure is collapsing under demand.

You know something's wrong when: user ratings are dropping (from 4.5+ to sub-4.0 stars), crashes are increasing (users complaining in reviews), performance is degrading (slow load times, laggy interactions), development is stalling (simple changes take weeks), costs are escalating (servers costing more each month), and users are churning (retention rates declining).

We've seen it all. We've rescued apps with 200% month-over-month server costs, 15-second load times, 98% crash rates on specific devices, codebases where a single feature change breaks three others, and platforms so outdated that App Store rejected updates for deprecated APIs.

Our App Rescue Process

Phase 1: Emergency Triage (Week 1)

First, we stop the bleeding. Our emergency triage identifies critical issues causing immediate harm - crashes, performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities - and implements quick fixes to stabilise the situation whilst we plan comprehensive rescue strategy.

Activities: Comprehensive technical audit (codebase quality, architecture analysis, infrastructure review), performance profiling (identifying bottlenecks), crash analytics review (finding patterns in failures), security vulnerability scan (checking for exploitable weaknesses), user feedback analysis (what are people actually complaining about?), and stakeholder interviews (understanding business impact).

Deliverables: Technical audit report (honest assessment of current state), prioritised issue list (ranked by business impact), emergency fixes implemented (stopping immediate bleeding), rescue roadmap (path to stability), realistic timeline and budget (transparent about what's needed).

Phase 2: Stabilisation (Weeks 2-4)

Next, we stabilise your platform. This isn't about adding features - it's about making your existing app reliable. We fix critical bugs, optimise performance bottlenecks, reduce server costs, improve crash-free rates, and establish monitoring systems so you know when problems occur.

Focus Areas: Crash elimination (achieving 99.5%+ crash-free rates), performance optimisation (reducing load times by 40-60%), server cost reduction (optimising infrastructure spend), database optimisation (query performance improvements), memory leak fixes (eliminating performance degradation over time), and third-party integration fixes (addressing broken external services).

Expected Outcomes: 50-70% reduction in crash rates within 2 weeks, 40-60% improvement in load times, 30-50% reduction in server costs, measurable improvement in user ratings and reviews, and development velocity improvements (your team can ship faster).

Phase 3: Technical Debt Elimination (Weeks 4-8)

Then, we eliminate technical debt systematically. Technical debt is the accumulated shortcuts, outdated code, and architectural decisions that compound over time - making your app increasingly expensive to maintain and difficult to improve. We refactor critical systems, modernise deprecated code, improve code documentation, establish testing frameworks, and implement CI/CD pipelines.

Common Technical Debt We Fix: Outdated dependencies (libraries no longer maintained or supported), poor architecture (spaghetti code, tight coupling, no separation of concerns), missing tests (no automated testing = constant regressions), lack of documentation (institutional knowledge lost when developers leave), deprecated APIs (iOS/Android features no longer supported), inefficient database schemas (poor query performance at scale), and security vulnerabilities (unpatched libraries, insecure practices).

Benefits: 60-80% reduction in time required for feature development, 70-90% reduction in bugs introduced by new changes, ability to onboard new developers quickly (documentation exists), confidence in making changes (tests catch regressions), and App Store/Google Play compliance (no more rejected updates).

Phase 4: Modernisation & Architecture Upgrade (Weeks 8-12+)

Finally, we modernise your architecture for long-term sustainability. This phase depends on your specific platform and business objectives. Options include: selective modernisation (upgrading critical systems whilst preserving stable components), full rewrite using modern frameworks (when codebase is beyond salvaging), migration to cloud-native infrastructure (for scalability and cost efficiency), API layer introduction (decoupling frontend from backend), microservices architecture (for complex platforms requiring independent scaling), and cross-platform migration (consolidating iOS and Android into single Flutter codebase).

Decision Framework: We help you determine whether to refactor (improve existing code—typically 40-60% cost of rebuild), replatform (migrate to modern framework whilst preserving logic - 60-80% cost of rebuild), or rebuild (start fresh with modern architecture - full development cost but future-proof outcome). Most platforms benefit from selective refactoring of critical systems rather than complete rebuilds - we're honest about what you actually need.

App Rescue Services We Provide

Performance Optimisation

Slow apps lose users. We optimise app performance through: code profiling and bottleneck identification (finding what's actually slow), inefficient algorithm replacement (better approaches to common problems), image and asset optimisation (reducing app size and load times), lazy loading implementation (loading only what's needed), database query optimisation (faster data retrieval), API response time improvements (backend optimisation), and caching strategy implementation (reducing redundant work).

Typical Results: 50-70% faster load times, 40-60% reduction in API response times, 30-50% smaller app download size, smoother scrolling and animations, and improved user experience ratings.

Crash Elimination & Stability

Crashes kill retention. We achieve 99.5%+ crash-free rates through: comprehensive crash analytics review (understanding patterns), memory leak detection and fixes (preventing gradual degradation), edge case handling (testing unusual scenarios), third-party SDK updates (fixing integration issues), device-specific bug fixes (addressing fragmentation), and automated crash reporting (catching issues immediately).

Typical Results: 70-90% reduction in crash rates, improved App Store and Google Play ratings, reduced negative reviews, and lower support ticket volume.

Infrastructure Cost Reduction

Inefficient infrastructure is expensive. We reduce server costs through: database optimisation (efficient queries, proper indexing), caching implementation (Redis, CDN), auto-scaling configuration (right-sizing capacity), serverless architecture migration (pay-per-use vs. always-on), API rate limiting (preventing abuse), and monitoring and alerting (catching cost spikes early).

Typical Results: 30-60% reduction in monthly infrastructure costs, improved scalability (handle more users without cost increases), and elimination of surprise bills.

Legacy App Modernisation

Outdated technology limits growth. We modernise legacy platforms through: iOS app upgrades (Objective-C to Swift, UIKit to SwiftUI), Android app upgrades (Java to Kotlin, XML to Jetpack Compose), framework migrations (updating to modern, supported versions), API modernisation (RESTful to GraphQL, monolith to microservices), authentication upgrades (implementing OAuth 2.0, SSO, biometrics), and payment system updates (modern, secure payment processing).

Typical Results: Future-proof technology stack, App Store and Google Play compliance, ability to hire modern developers (nobody wants to work on Objective-C in 2025), and foundation for feature development.

Security Vulnerability Remediation

Security breaches destroy trust. We secure vulnerable platforms through: security audit and penetration testing, SSL/TLS implementation and certificate management, authentication and authorisation hardening, API security improvements, data encryption (at rest and in transit), compliance requirements (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA), and secure coding practices implementation.

Typical Results: Elimination of critical vulnerabilities, compliance with security standards, reduced breach risk, and increased user trust.

Complete App Rebuilds

Sometimes rebuilding is the only option. When technical debt is insurmountable, codebase is fundamentally flawed, app is built on deprecated technology, or cost of fixing exceeds cost of rebuilding—we execute strategic rebuilds. We preserve your existing features and user data, modernise architecture from ground up, implement best practices from day one, migrate users seamlessly (zero downtime), and deliver superior performance.

When to Rebuild vs. Refactor: Rebuild if codebase is >70% technical debt, technology is deprecated (Objective-C, Java, Angular 1.x), architecture is fundamentally broken (impossible to scale), or cost of fixing >80% of rebuild cost. Refactor if core architecture is sound, most features work well, technology is modern but poorly implemented, or budget is constrained.

Warning Signs Your App Needs Rescue

You need app rescue services if you're experiencing:

• Declining User Ratings: Ratings dropping from 4.5+ to sub-4.0 stars with negative reviews citing crashes, slowness, or bugs
• Increasing Crash Rates: Crash analytics showing upward trend - even 2-3% crash rates mean thousands of users experiencing failures
• Performance Degradation: App getting slower over time - load times increasing, animations stuttering, user experience suffering
• Development Paralysis: Simple feature requests taking weeks or months - every change breaks something else, fear of touching code
• Escalating Infrastructure Costs: Server bills doubling or tripling despite modest user growth - inefficient architecture burning cash
• Security Concerns: Outdated dependencies with known vulnerabilities, failed security audits, compliance issues
• Deprecated Technology: App Store or Google Play threatening rejection due to outdated APIs, unsupported frameworks
• Developer Exodus: Original developers left, nobody wants to work on the codebase, hiring is difficult
• User Churn Increasing: Retention rates declining, users citing app quality as reason for cancellation
• Competitive Pressure: Competitors launching better apps, your technical limitations preventing response

If you're experiencing 3+ of these symptoms, your app needs rescue services now - not next quarter.

Platform Rescue Pricing

Honest pricing based on rescue scope:

• Emergency Triage & Assessment: $15K-$25K - Comprehensive technical audit, emergency stabilisation, rescue roadmap (2-4 weeks)
• Stabilisation Package: $40K-$80K - Critical bug fixes, performance optimisation, crash elimination (4-6 weeks)
• Technical Debt Elimination: $80K-$150K - Systematic refactoring, testing implementation, architecture improvements (8-12 weeks)
• Complete Modernisation: $150K-$300K - Full architecture upgrade, technology migration, long-term sustainability (12-20 weeks)
• Strategic Rebuild: $200K-$500K - Ground-up rebuild with modern stack, feature parity, seamless migration (16-24 weeks)

Most platforms require Triage + Stabilisation + Debt Elimination ($135K-$255K total over 3-6 months). We provide transparent assessment upfront—you'll know exactly what's needed and why.

Payment Structure: Assessment fee upfront, remainder in monthly instalments aligned to rescue phases. No surprises, no scope creep.

What Makes Our Rescue Approach Different

• We've Seen Worse: 15+ app rescues in past 3 years means we've encountered every failure pattern—we know what works and what doesn't.
• Honest Assessment: We tell you what you actually need—not what generates maximum billable hours. Sometimes that means refactoring, sometimes rebuild.
• Business-First Approach: We prioritise fixes by revenue impact, not technical elegance. Stop bleeding revenue first, perfect later.
• Transparent Timeline & Budget: Fixed-scope rescue packages with clear deliverables and timelines—no endless consulting without outcomes.
• Proven Process: Systematic rescue methodology refined over dozens of engagements—we know how to stabilise platforms fast.
• Long-Term Partnership: Most rescue clients become ongoing partners—we don't just fix and leave, we support sustained success.

Ready to Rescue Your App?

Book a free technical assessment. We'll review your app, identify critical issues, and provide honest guidance on whether rescue services are needed or if simpler solutions exist. No sales pitch—just honest technical advice from developers who've rescued platforms ranging from early-stage startups to established businesses generating millions in revenue.