App Maintenance: Post-Launch Essentials
The complete guide to keeping your mobile app healthy, secure, and thriving after launch. Learn update strategies, maintenance costs, and how modern platforms simplify ongoing app care.
Founder, Natively
Launching your mobile app is just the beginning. App maintenance is the ongoing work required to keep your application functional, secure, and competitive in a constantly evolving ecosystem. With Apple and Google releasing major OS updates annually and users expecting bug-free experiences, understanding post-launch maintenance is critical for long-term success.
Key Takeaways
- Annual maintenance costs typically run 15-20% of initial development cost, though no-code platforms can reduce this significantly
- Top apps update every 2-4 weeks — the median is 18 days for free apps on the App Store
- 88% of users abandon apps with bugs, and apps with 99%+ crash-free rates retain 42% more users
- 1.5+ million apps removed from stores for not being updated in over 2 years
- Android 15 (API 35) required for new app updates by August 2025 per Google Play policy
App Maintenance by the Numbers
Sources: Stormotion, Alchemer
What is App Maintenance?
App maintenance encompasses all the activities required to keep your mobile application running smoothly after its initial release. This includes fixing bugs, updating for new operating system versions, patching security vulnerabilities, optimizing performance, and adding new features based on user feedback.
According to Imaginovation, post-launch spending accounts for 20-30% of the total app lifecycle cost within the first year, and by the third year, that number often crosses 50%. This makes maintenance one of the most significant ongoing investments for any app owner.
| Maintenance Activity | Frequency | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| OS Compatibility Updates | Annually (major), Quarterly (minor) | Critical |
| Security Patches | As needed (immediately) | Critical |
| Bug Fixes | Bi-weekly to Monthly | High |
| Performance Optimization | Monthly | High |
| Feature Updates | Quarterly to Bi-annually | Medium |
| Third-party Library Updates | Monthly | High |
Types of App Maintenance
Understanding the different types of maintenance helps you plan and budget effectively. Each type serves a distinct purpose in keeping your app healthy.
Corrective Maintenance
Fixing bugs and errors discovered after release. This is reactive work triggered by user reports, crash analytics, or QA testing.
- •Bug fixes and crash resolution
- •Error handling improvements
- •Edge case handling
Adaptive Maintenance
Updating the app to work with new OS versions, devices, and changing platform requirements. This is essential for store compliance.
- •iOS/Android version compatibility
- •New device support
- •API and SDK updates
Perfective Maintenance
Enhancing existing features and adding new functionality based on user feedback and market demands.
- •New feature development
- •UX improvements
- •Performance enhancements
Preventive Maintenance
Proactive work to prevent future issues, including code refactoring, security audits, and infrastructure updates.
- •Security vulnerability scanning
- •Code optimization
- •Database maintenance
App Maintenance Checklist
Track your essential maintenance tasks
Platform Compatibility
Security
Technical
Quality
Business
Platform Compliance
Infrastructure
How Often Should You Update Your App?
The frequency of app updates directly impacts user retention, store rankings, and overall app health. According to Alchemer research, top-ranking apps in both free and paid categories tend to update more frequently than lower-ranking ones.
Recommended Update Frequencies
Velvetech notes that most top apps release 1-4 updates each month, with free apps typically targeting a 1-2 week cycle. However, the right frequency depends on your specific situation:
- ✓Critical bug fixes: Deploy immediately, regardless of schedule
- ✓Security patches: Within 24-48 hours of discovery
- ✓Minor improvements: Bundle into monthly releases
- ✓Major features: Release when ready, with proper testing
- ✓OS compatibility: Test immediately after new OS release, update within 30 days
How Much Does App Maintenance Cost?
App maintenance costs vary significantly based on complexity, team location, and update frequency. According to Stormotion, the industry standard is 15-20% of the original development cost annually.
| App Development Cost | Annual Maintenance (15%) | Annual Maintenance (35%) |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 (Simple) | $7,500/year | $17,500/year |
| $100,000 (Medium) | $15,000/year | $35,000/year |
| $250,000 (Complex) | $37,500/year | $87,500/year |
Ptolemay research shows that developer rates significantly impact costs: a senior mobile engineer in San Francisco bills $120-150/hour, while the same profile in Eastern Europe or South Asia costs $35-55/hour.
App Maintenance Cost Calculator
Estimate your annual maintenance costs
Traditional Maintenance
With Natively
* Traditional costs based on industry averages. Actual costs vary by project and region.
How No-Code Platforms Reduce Maintenance Costs
Platforms like Natively dramatically reduce maintenance overhead by handling OS updates, security patches, and infrastructure management automatically. Instead of paying developers $15,000-$35,000 annually, you pay a simple monthly subscription starting at $5/month.
- ✓React Native and Expo framework updates handled automatically
- ✓Supabase backend maintenance included (database, auth, storage)
- ✓One-click deployment for updates via Expo Launch
- ✓Full source code ownership for custom modifications
What Happens If You Do Not Maintain Your App?
Neglecting app maintenance has serious consequences that can destroy your business. The data paints a stark picture of what happens to unmaintained apps.
Store Removal Risk
Google and Apple have removed approximately 869,000 apps from Google Play and 650,000 apps from the App Store for not being updated in over 2 years. Starting August 2025, Google requires apps to target Android 15 (API 35) or risk becoming undiscoverable.
User Abandonment
According to Alpha Software, 88% of users will abandon an app because of bugs. Apps that maintain a 99%+ crash-free rate keep 42% more monthly active users than those dipping below 97%.
The Downward Spiral of Unmaintained Apps
New OS release breaks compatibility
iOS and Android release major updates annually
Users experience crashes and bugs
77% of users leave within 3 days of a bad experience
Negative reviews tank store rankings
Poor ratings reduce discoverability and downloads
Store policies flag or remove the app
Apps targeting outdated APIs become invisible or removed
Security is another critical concern. Outdated apps with unpatched vulnerabilities put user data at risk and can expose your business to legal liability, especially under regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
How No-Code Platforms Handle Updates
Modern no-code and AI-powered platforms have revolutionized app maintenance by automating much of the tedious work. This is one of their most significant advantages over traditional development.
Traditional Development Maintenance
- ✗Manual OS compatibility testing and updates
- ✗Developer hours for each security patch
- ✗Separate iOS and Android maintenance tracks
- ✗Complex deployment pipelines to manage
- ✗Server and infrastructure maintenance
Natively Platform Maintenance
- ✓Automatic framework updates for new OS versions
- ✓Security patches applied at the platform level
- ✓Single codebase for iOS and Android
- ✓One-click deployment via Expo Launch
- ✓Supabase backend fully managed
With Natively, making updates is as simple as describing what you want to change in natural language. The AI generates the code changes, and you deploy with a single click. Plus, you retain full source code ownership, so you can always export your code and customize it further or migrate to traditional development if needed.
Simplify Your App Maintenance
Stop spending thousands on maintenance. With Natively, you get automatic platform updates, managed backend infrastructure, and one-click deployments starting at just $5/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What maintenance does an app require?
App maintenance includes OS compatibility updates (iOS/Android releases), security patches, bug fixes, performance optimization, third-party library updates, server and backend maintenance, App Store compliance updates, and feature enhancements based on user feedback.
How often should I update my app?
Top-performing apps typically update every 2-4 weeks. The industry standard minimum is monthly updates. Major OS updates (iOS and Android) happen annually and require compatibility testing. Security patches should be applied immediately when vulnerabilities are discovered.
What happens if I do not maintain my app?
Unmaintained apps face serious consequences: Google and Apple have removed over 1.5 million apps for not being updated in 2+ years, 88% of users abandon apps with bugs, apps targeting outdated OS versions risk removal from stores, and security vulnerabilities put user data at risk.
How much does app maintenance cost?
Traditional app maintenance typically costs 15-20% of initial development cost annually. For a $100,000 app, expect $15,000-$35,000 per year. However, no-code platforms like Natively can reduce these costs significantly by handling OS updates and infrastructure automatically.
How do no-code platforms handle app updates?
Modern no-code platforms like Natively handle much of the maintenance automatically. They update the underlying framework for new OS versions, manage security patches, and provide one-click deployment for updates. This significantly reduces maintenance overhead compared to traditional development.