We design and build social apps that people come back to every day: niche communities, creator platforms, short-video apps and social commerce, with fast feeds, real-time chat and content moderation built in from the start. Own your audience instead of renting it from someone else's platform.
- London-headquartered since 2019
- iOS, Android and web
- Moderation and safety built in
- You own the code
Your community, your data, your rules
Brands, creators and communities increasingly want their own space rather than relying on algorithms and policies they don't control. A custom social app gives you the relationship with your users, the data, the monetisation model and the moderation standards.
Social apps are also among the hardest products to get right. They need fast feeds, reliable real-time messaging, media that loads instantly, and moderation that keeps the community safe. We design the engagement loops and the infrastructure together, so the app feels great at launch and keeps working as it grows.
Planning your build? Read our guide on how to build a social media app in the UK.
Social apps we build
From a focused community app to a full social platform, each designed around your audience.
Niche community apps
Social networks for a specific interest, profession, location or identity, with groups, events and discussions.
Photo and media sharing
Instagram-style feeds, stories, reactions and comments, with fast image delivery.
Short-video apps
Vertical video feeds with upload, editing, sounds and personalised recommendations.
Creator platforms
Subscriptions, paid content, tips and digital products, with creator dashboards and earnings.
Social commerce
Shoppable posts, product tagging and in-app checkout. See our ecommerce development services.
Influencer platforms
Creator discovery, campaigns and approvals for brands. See influencer marketing app development.
Messaging-first apps
Group chats, channels and communities built around real-time conversation.
Dating and social discovery
Matching and safe introductions between people. See dating app development.
Private and member networks
Invite-only or paid communities for organisations, alumni and members.
Social app features: launch and grow
Start with what makes your community work, then add features as engagement grows.
| Launch (MVP) | Grow (later phases) |
|---|---|
| Sign-up, profiles and follows | Stories and short video |
| Feed with posts, photos and video | Personalised AI recommendations |
| Comments, likes and shares | Live streaming |
| Direct messaging | Group chats, channels and events |
| Notifications | Creator subscriptions and tipping |
| Search and discovery | Shoppable posts and in-app checkout |
| Report, block and mute | Advanced moderation and trust scores |
| Moderation dashboard and analytics | Advertising tools and partner APIs |
Adding smart feeds or AI moderation? See our AI app development services.
Safety and compliance built in
Social apps are user-to-user services under the UK Online Safety Act, regulated by Ofcom. You need to assess risks from illegal content, give users simple reporting tools and act on harmful content quickly. If children are likely to use your app, there are extra duties, and the ICO Children's Code applies alongside UK GDPR.
We design these into the product from the first sprint, matched to your platform's risks and audience. We recommend specialist legal advice for your specific service.
- Reporting, blocking and muting for every user
- Automated checks on images, video and text
- Admin review queues and audit trails
- Age assurance where your audience requires it
- Privacy by design, consent and easy account deletion
- Clear community guidelines and terms
Our social app development process
Discovery
Audience, engagement loops, monetisation and MVP scope.
UX and UI design
Prototypes of onboarding, feed and posting, tested with users.
Development
Two-week sprints with working demos.
Integrations
Media, payments, notifications and analytics.
Testing
Devices, load, security and moderation flows.
Launch
App store release and community seeding.
Grow
Features, scaling and moderation as you grow.
Social media app development cost
Indicative ranges for iOS and Android apps with an admin dashboard, excluding VAT, hosting and marketing.
| Project | Typically includes | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | Profiles, feed, posts, comments, messaging, notifications, reporting and moderation | £25,000 – £50,000 | 3 – 5 months |
| Growth platform | Groups, stories, video, creator monetisation, analytics | £50,000 – £120,000 | 5 – 9 months |
| Large-scale platform | AI recommendations, live streaming, advanced moderation, high-scale infrastructure | £120,000+ | 9 months or more |
See how this compares with other apps in our mobile app development cost guide.
Have a community or platform idea?
Tell us who it's for and what makes it different. We'll scope an MVP and send an itemised GBP estimate.
Technology built for real-time scale
| Layer | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Mobile | Flutter, React Native, Swift, Kotlin |
| Web | React, Next.js |
| Back end | Node.js, Python, GraphQL and REST APIs |
| Real-time and feeds | WebSockets, Redis, event-driven services |
| Data and search | PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch or OpenSearch |
| Media | Cloud storage, video transcoding and a CDN |
| Moderation | Automated image, video and text screening plus human review tools |
| Cloud | AWS or Google Cloud, Docker, CI/CD |
Apps from our portfolio
Consumer and platform apps with community, real-time and content features.
Why work with Fulminous Software
Engagement-first design
We design the loops that bring users back: posting, replies, notifications and discovery.
Built to scale
Feeds, chat and media architected for growth from the first release.
Safety in scope
Reporting, moderation and privacy built into the MVP, not added later.
London-headquartered
UK-hours project management and the option to meet in person.
Itemised GBP quotes
Clear proposals with VAT shown separately, and two-week sprints.
You own your platform
Code, designs and accounts handed over to you.
Social media app development FAQs
How much does social media app development cost in London?
As a guide, a social media app MVP typically costs £25,000 to £50,000, a fuller platform with groups, stories, creator monetisation and analytics £50,000 to £120,000, and a large-scale platform with AI recommendations, live streaming and advanced moderation £120,000 or more. We provide an itemised GBP quote after a free scoping call.
How long does it take to build a social media app?
An MVP usually takes 3 to 5 months, a fuller platform 5 to 9 months, and large-scale platforms 9 months or more, depending on features, integrations and testing.
Can you build an app like Instagram or TikTok?
Yes, we can build apps with similar core features, such as photo and short video sharing, personalised feeds, stories and creator tools. We design them around your audience and business model rather than copying a generic template, and we recommend starting with a focused MVP.
What features does a social media app need?
Most social apps need profiles, follows or connections, a feed, posts and media sharing, comments and reactions, messaging, notifications, search, reporting and blocking, and a moderation dashboard. Stories, groups, live streaming, creator monetisation and AI recommendations are usually added in later phases.
What UK laws apply to social media apps?
Social media apps are user-to-user services under the Online Safety Act 2023, so they must assess and reduce risks from illegal content, provide reporting tools and protect children. UK GDPR applies to personal data, and the ICO Children's Code applies if children are likely to use the app. Take specialist legal advice for your platform.
Which technology do you use for social media apps?
We typically use Flutter or React Native for mobile, React or Next.js for web, Node.js or Python for the back end, PostgreSQL and Redis for data and feeds, WebSockets for real-time features, cloud storage and a CDN for media, and AWS or Google Cloud for hosting.
How do you handle content moderation?
We combine automated checks on images, video and text with user reporting, blocking and an admin review queue, so harmful content can be found and acted on quickly. The level of moderation is matched to your platform's risks and audience.
Do you provide support after launch?
Yes. We offer ongoing support covering monitoring, scaling, moderation tooling, iOS and Android updates, security patches and new features.
Will we own the code?
Yes. Full ownership of the source code, designs and documentation is transferred to you, and your app store and cloud accounts stay in your name.
Ready to build your social app?
Tell us about your community, audience and goals. We'll recommend the right MVP and send an itemised GBP quote.
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