Desktop application development for Windows, macOS and Linux

When does a business need a desktop application?

Custom desktop application development makes sense when the software is a daily work tool rather than a page customers visit. Typical cases:

• point-of-sale (POS) systems — sales continue even when the internet drops;
• warehouse and stock control — barcode scanners, label printers and local data;
• internal office tools — order processing, document preparation or a simple CRM that runs all day on the same computers;
• working with local files — large files, exports and imports that are awkward in a browser;
• kiosks and self-service terminals — one app that opens full-screen on start-up.

If most of your users are customers on phones and laptops, a web app is usually cheaper to run. The comparison of desktop and web apps goes through the decision in detail.

Why build it with Electron?

Electron lets you build desktop applications with web technologies: I write the interface in React and TypeScript, and Node.js gives the app access to the file system, local devices and the operating system. Visual Studio Code and Slack are well-known Electron apps.

For a business this means:

• one codebase for Windows, macOS and Linux;
• one stack — the same one I use for websites and backends, so the desktop app, the server and a web version can share code;
• a familiar interface — the app can look like your website or brand, instead of a dated standard window.

The trade-off is size: an Electron installer includes its own browser engine, so it is larger than a native app. For business tools that run on ordinary office computers, that rarely matters.

Can the app work offline and sync later?

Yes, and this is often the main reason to choose a desktop app. Data is stored in a local database on the computer, so the team keeps working without a connection. When the internet is back, changes are sent to the server and updates from other computers come in.

Before development we agree on the sync rules: what happens when two people edit the same record, which data stays only on the device and what must always go to the server. Offline mode with sync is part of the Complex package.

How are installation and updates handled?

Your team gets one installer per system — for example an .exe for Windows, a .dmg for macOS and an AppImage or .deb for Linux. The builds are code-signed: on macOS, Apple requires Developer ID signing and notarisation for apps distributed outside the Mac App Store, and signing is also required for automatic updates; on Windows, a code-signing certificate shows your company name instead of “Unknown publisher” when the app is installed, although a brand-new app can still get a SmartScreen warning until it builds up reputation. The certificates are best registered to your business, and their fees (Apple’s annual developer membership, a Windows code-signing certificate) are paid by the owner, just as with app store accounts.

From the Standard package, the app checks for new versions and updates itself, so a fix reaches every computer without anyone reinstalling it.

What does custom desktop software cost?

A desktop MVP starts at $1000; the full package list is in the pricing table below. Which package fits depends on how the app is used:

• a tool for one team on a few computers, working with local data, usually fits the MVP;
• once several people need their own logins, shared data on a server or automatic updates, it is the Standard package (from $2000);
• offline work with sync, custom integrations or ongoing monthly support are quoted individually as Complex.

The exact price depends on the number of screens, the devices the app talks to and the integrations. Send the details through the project brief and you get a fixed quote.

Why one developer for the app, the server and the web version?

Desktop software rarely lives alone: it talks to a server, an admin panel or a website. I build all of these, so the pieces fit from the start. The backend skills are visible in real projects such as barsogroup.kz, a full-stack site with a custom admin panel on Next.js, PostgreSQL and Docker. If your users also need a browser or phone version, see website development and mobile app development.