Common Mobile App Development Mistakes in Saudi Arabia 2025

Imagine investing uncountable hours and a small fortune developing your app just to witness it falling flat on the app stores – you’ll probably faint right there, and then, at least, I will!  

No doubt, mobile apps have bloomed into a billion-dollar industry. It’s predicted that the mobile app market size will reach around $407.31 billion globally by 2026. 

Due to this trend, from the tech giants of Silicon Valley to young entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia – grab a piece of the pie. 

But here’s the catch – if you are not careful with your mobile app development process, this flowery journey will turn into a hell road in seconds! And obviously, this would be the last thing you’ll ever want, right? 

Saying that, here is the guide that studies the most common mobile app development mistakes and comes with tips and tricks that help you overcome them. 

Whether you are an app developer in Saudi Arabia or part of any app development company, this article is for you! 

Inadequate Market Research

• Understanding The Needs Of Your Target Audience

Let’s get to the golden rule: you are not your user. Probably the most common mistake made in mobile app development is to assume you know what people want without actually asking them. 42% of startups fail because they create products nobody wants. 

Skipping market research is like building a house without a blueprint- you’re going to end up with a disaster. Here’s how you can avoid this. 

• Take Help From Surveys: Seek help from platforms like Google Forms and Typeform to understand the pain points of your audience.
• User Personas: Study your users in-depth and pick out details like their age, habits, and favorite social media trends. 
• A/B Testing: Test early prototypes with real users to see what sticks and what stinks.

• Analyzing Competitor Services

Ever heard the phrase, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer“? That’s your mantra here. 

Dive deep into your competitors’ apps. Seek answers to questions like “What are they doing right?”  or, more importantly, “What are they doing wrong?” 

Our Pro Tip: Read reviews – especially the bad ones. They’re a goldmine of insight.

Poor User Experience (UX) Design

• Complicated Navigation Structures

Poor UX design is equal to handing an individual a map of a treasure chest before setting it on fire. In this context, about 88% of users will not come back to a site again after a bad experience.

So, what needs to be done is to keep it as simple as possible. 

• Easy-to-navigate menus: Users should be able to locate what they are looking for within a maximum of three clicks.
• Obvious CTAs: The buttons must shout, “Click me!” not “Guess what I’m supposed to do.” 

Pro Tip: If you’re an app developer in Saudi Arabia, take cultural nuances into account. For instance, navigation styles in Arabic apps often differ from Western designs due to language orientation.

• Inconsistent Design Elements

Imagine watching a movie where every scene has a different color filter. Doesn’t make sense, right? Inconsistent design confuses users and makes your app look amateurish.

To avoid this:

• Use a design system such as Material Design or Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines.
• Use tools like Figma or Adobe XD to keep your team on the same page.

Neglecting Cross-Platform Compatibility

• Limiting App to a Single Platform

So, you’ve built an amazing iOS app. Congrats! But wait – what about the 71% of mobile users on Android? Limiting your app to one platform is a rookie mistake.

To cover all your bases:

• Consider cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native.
• Start with a minimum viable product (MVP) for both platforms for testing purposes.

• Inconsistent Performance Across Devices

Different devices, different problems! It is like juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle to ensure smooth performance on a Samsung Galaxy and an iPhone at the same time.

Thorough testing investments:

• Use BrowserStack to simulate performance across different devices.
• Test for screen size, resolution, and operating system variations.

Ignoring App Security Measures

• Lack of Data Encryption

We’ve all heard horror stories of data breaches. Yet, 40% of mobile apps have at least one high-risk vulnerability. 

And as per our expert’s advice, we recommend you to encrypt everything – user data, passwords, even your coffee order. Also, try using protocols like AES-256 to keep the hackers at bay.

• Inadequate Protection Against Threats

Hackers don’t take holidays. If your app isn’t secure, you’re inviting them to the party. 

Implement the following strategies to keep things streamlined: 

• Two-factor authentication (2FA): A must-have for apps handling sensitive information.
• Routine Penetration Testing: Engage ethical hackers to identify and correct vulnerabilities.

Inadequate Testing and Quality Assurance

• Skipping Beta Testing Phases

Releasing an app without testing it first is like skydiving without checking your parachute. Beta testing isn’t optional – it’s essential.

Being an app development company focusing on Middle Eastern markets, you need to get your app tested and experienced in mobile app development in Saudi Arabia to ensure that it fits best with their culture. 

• Performance Testing Mistakes

Nobody likes slow performers. Be it lag, crashes, or any kind of bug – your user won’t be taking a second uninstalling your app if it lacks providing them the experience they want!

Test for performance using tools such as Apache JMeter or Appium to ensure your application runs fast scalable, and dependable.

Neglecting Application Performance Optimization

Mobile applications are used in a world where performance optimization is no luxury – it’s a necessity. The bottom line is that if a mobile app fails to deliver, slows down, or crashes often without providing user responses, it creates a terrible user experience. 

And obviously, who would even keep a buggy app around? No one will! Saying that having applications with robust performance optimization is super essential to keep your app in the spotlight! 

Ensure to follow the practice below: 

• Good Coding Practices: Clean and efficient code reduces the consumption of resources and improves the responsiveness of an application.
• Periodic Performance Testing: Testing will reveal bottlenecks that could slow down the user’s experience or even cause it to crash.
• Apply Caching Mechanisms: Reduce the time to load and speed up data access.
• Monitor and Analyze Performance Metrics: Track performance indicators and user behavior through analytics tools to make proactive optimization.

With a focus on performance optimization, you will be able to steer clear of mistakes that many people make when creating mobile apps! Overcoming this ensures that your users get a smooth, engaging experience, keeping them intact with your app. 

Failure to Plan for App Monetization

Developing and deploying a mobile application incorrectly without any means of generating revenue is equivalent to preparing a lavish car without an engine – it will surely look stunning but will take you nowhere.

No plan for app monetization is the most commonly made mistake in mobile app development. It’s not a “we have built it now, we can just add monetization” afterthought but should instead be baked into your development strategy from day one.

• Undefined Revenue Models

Without having a defined revenue model, you put your users at risk, and always has a risk of not making any profits from your app. 

Here are a few proven monetization methods to consider: 

• In-App Advertising: This is a favorite way to monetize free apps, but don’t go overboard with intrusive ads. 
• Subscriptions: Subscription is another source of steady revenue when premium content or services are being sold.
• Freemium Models: Basic features should be free but premium upgrades at a cost.
  

• Ignoring User Perception of Monetization

Even the best monetization strategy can go wrong if it upsets the user experience. Overloading your app with ads or expensive paywalls can drive users away. To avoid this:

• Balance Revenue and Usability: Ensure your monetization methods enhance rather than hinder user satisfaction.
• Test Your Approach: Conduct surveys or A/B tests to understand user preferences.
• Cultural Sensitivity: For apps targeting mobile app development in Saudi Arabia, be mindful of regional preferences, such as offering ad-free premium options.

Lack of Post-Launch Support and Updates

Launching your mobile app is just the beginning of a never-ending journey. One of the most common mistakes in mobile app development is the failure to consider post-launch support and updates, which will only leave users unhappy and the app unsuccessful. 

• Ignoring User Feedback Post-Launch

Post-launch feedback is a goldmine of information. Ignoring it is like closing your eyes while driving – a recipe for disaster. Users are very vocal about bugs, feature requests, and usability concerns. Implement this feedback to make users feel their opinions are valuable.

It would be perfect if you could organize a mechanism for collecting and analyzing feedback through in-app surveys, app store reviews, or emails.

• Not Innovating through Updates

Your users are always on the lookout for updates – and the apps that don’t evolve tend to lose their potential users. 

Updating your app is an excellent opportunity for bringing new features and keeping the app tech-savvy as per the changes in the market requirements.

• Best Practice: Plan a roadmap for regular updates which include functional and feature enhancement.
• Consider Regional Trends: Keeping your Saudi audience in mind, consider bringing some cultural updates that keep your targetted audience intact with the app.

How To Rectify These Mobile App Development Mistakes?

Though we have listed an ample amount of solutions for every problem – lowkey, we know that all of it can be too overwhelming to absorb. 

Saying that here is a comprehensive table that highlights the solution to every problem that life may throw at you! 

How Tekrevol Can Help With Eradicating Your App Development Mistakes?

The truth is, even the best intentions can lead to inevitable mobile app development mistakes. But, don’t you worry – that’s where Tekrevol swoops in.

Our team does not just develop apps – but creates experiences that last a lifetime. Whether you want someone to fix your UX, put your app’s security to the test, or bring out killer updates for your app – we’re your one-stop solution! 

And the best part? It’s our pricing. For us, our client matters to us more than money. So, no matter what your needs are, you can be assured that choosing Tekrevol won’t cost you an arm and a leg!