Calm and Headspace turned a simple idea — helping people breathe, sleep and switch off — into apps used by tens of millions of people worldwide, backed by subscription revenue that runs into hundreds of millions of pounds. They’re useful reference points for what’s possible when a wellness idea meets the right platform, not something we built or are affiliated with. But the underlying model — guided sessions, daily streaks, a monthly subscription, and a calm, simple design — is exactly the kind of app founders come to us to build.
If you’ve got an idea for a meditation, sleep, mindfulness or mental wellbeing app and no technical background, that’s completely normal, and it’s exactly who we work with. By Design UK builds working apps for people with an idea, not a pitch deck — fixed price, AI-accelerated development, and full ownership of the source code when we’re done.
A wellness platform in this space typically includes:
None of this needs to be built all at once. Most founders start with a focused first version, prove people want it, then expand — which is exactly how we approach every build through our SaaS development service.
Full platform builds with us typically range from £18,000 to £650,000+, depending on scope — a lean first version with core meditation content and subscriptions sits at the lower end, while a feature-rich app with personalisation, community features and multi-platform apps sits higher. We agree the price upfront, so there’s no drifting scope or surprise invoices halfway through. If your idea is closer to a content or product storefront rather than a full app, our Shopify builds start from £499 to £18,999 instead. Once live, ongoing support plans start from £797/month for app-based platforms or £299/month for Shopify sites, covering fixes, updates and small improvements as your user base grows.
Hiring a freelancer for something like this often means one person, one point of failure, and no guarantee the code is properly documented or even usable once they move on. Going to a traditional agency usually means slower timelines, higher day rates, vague pricing that “depends,” and layers of account management between you and the people actually building your app. We sit deliberately between the two: a small, senior UK team, AI-accelerated workflows that cut build time without cutting corners, transparent fixed pricing agreed before work starts, and full ownership of your source code handed over at the end — it’s your app, not ours to hold hostage.
You can read more about how we work, and who’s behind the studio, on our about page.
We don’t just talk about building platforms — we run one. Tackly.co.uk is a live, multi-toolkit app we designed, built and operate ourselves, handling real users and real subscriptions every day. It’s the clearest evidence of what we can deliver: working software, built by a UK team, using the same fixed-price, source-code-owned model we offer every client. If we can build and run our own platform, we can build yours.
The process starts with a straightforward conversation about your idea, not a sales pitch. We’ll talk through what the app needs to do, give you a realistic fixed price, and outline a timeline before anything is signed off. If ongoing help is useful afterwards, our support plans keep things running smoothly without needing an in-house developer. Reach out via our contact page or email info@bydesignuk.co.uk — we’re based at Office 13, 25 Mollison Avenue, Enfield, EN3 7NJ, and happy to talk through an idea even if it’s still rough around the edges.
No. Most people who come to us have an idea and no coding background at all. We handle the technical side entirely and explain everything in plain English throughout the build.
Yes. Unlike many agencies and platforms that keep you locked into their systems, we hand over full source code ownership once the project is complete, so the app is entirely yours.
We scope the project carefully before work begins and agree a fixed price for that scope. If you want to add features later, we quote those separately rather than letting costs creep unexpectedly.
A focused first version can typically be built in a matter of weeks rather than months, thanks to our AI-accelerated development process, with more complex platforms taking longer depending on scope.