iOS Mobile App Developer — React Native, Stripe Off-Session Payments, GPS Geofencing

PROJECT BRIEF: iOS MOBILE APP MVP DEVELOPMENT OVERVIEW I am looking for an experienced mobile developer to build the MVP of an iOS app. The product concept, business model, and detailed documentation will be shared under NDA after an initial screening conversation. The app has several technically demanding requirements involving location services, server-side decision-making, payments, subscriptions, analytics, and backend infrastructure. Candidates should have direct experience building and shipping production applications that rely on these systems. Although iOS is the immediate priority, Android support is planned for a future release. React Native is preferred to support this roadmap. This is not an open-ended product discovery engagement. Extensive product decisions, user flows, and documentation already exist. I am looking for a developer who can absorb detailed requirements, identify risks, ask thoughtful questions, and execute reliably. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS The app combines several systems that must work together reliably. Candidates should have demonstrable experience with all of the following. Stripe Off-Session Payments via Setup Intents API Payment methods are saved during onboarding. Charges are executed automatically on the backend based on server-determined outcomes, without requiring user interaction at the time of charge. iOS Location Services The application uses both continuous foreground location updates and background geofence monitoring. Location data is evaluated server-side rather than client-side. Server-Side Session Logic Session timers and outcomes are determined entirely on the backend. Device state including app closure, connectivity loss, or battery depletion must not affect the authoritative result. Core System Reliability The most important technical requirement is the interaction between server-side location evaluation, server-side session logic, and automated payment execution. Candidates should be comfortable designing systems that remain reliable under poor connectivity and changing device conditions. Apple In-App Purchases and StoreKit Subscription tiers and free trials are managed through Apple IAP, including receipt validation and synchronization with backend entitlements. Referral Program The app includes install attribution and server-side reward triggering based on downstream user behavior rather than signup events. Analytics Event Logging A detailed analytics schema will be provided. The implementation requires server-side logging of onboarding events, session activity, outcomes, subscription events, and referral attribution. Push Notifications The app includes notifications for session outcomes, reminders, and account-related events. INFRASTRUCTURE AND OWNERSHIP All infrastructure must be provisioned in accounts that I own from day one, including cloud services, databases, analytics systems, repositories, and third-party services. The developer will receive access as needed, but ownership of all assets remains with me throughout the engagement. - Source code repository owned by me from day one - Backend infrastructure owned by me from day one - Third-party accounts owned by me from day one - Full source code delivery at project completion - Nothing should reside permanently in developer-owned accounts MVP SCOPE The MVP currently includes the following. - Multi-screen onboarding flow, fully designed in Figma - Primary interface with user-configurable inputs - Interactive map and location-selection experience - Active-session screen with live status updates - Success and failure outcome screens - Account settings and subscription management, including multi-tier account logic with defined rules around tier changes and timing - Activity history - Referral functionality with server-side attribution and reward triggering - Freemium subscription model via Apple IAP - Analytics implementation per provided schema - Push notifications The core architecture and user experience have already been defined. After reviewing the complete documentation, I am open to discussing which supporting features belong in the initial MVP in order to align with budget and timeline constraints. DESIGN AND DOCUMENTATION STATUS Figma files are substantially complete and developer-ready. A clickable prototype covering approximately 90% of the user experience has already been built, including onboarding flows, navigation, menus, core screens, and major interaction patterns. Most implementation work will involve building against an established design. Some areas, particularly those involving maps, location behavior, and platform constraints, will require collaborative discussion. Extensive product documentation covering system architecture, payment flows, feature logic, analytics requirements, and business rules is prepared for handoff. This project is unusually well documented for a freelance engagement. The objective is execution against a defined product vision rather than product definition. TECHNOLOGY PREFERENCE React Native is preferred because Android support is planned after the initial iOS launch. Reliability takes precedence over framework purity, and candidates should expect that some functionality may require native implementation. The developer should be comfortable implementing native modules where appropriate, especially around the following. - Location services - Geofencing - Background execution - Notifications - Platform-specific integrations Candidates should explain which portions of the system they would implement natively and why. TESTING AND QA EXPECTATIONS Reliability is critical to this application. Candidates should be prepared to validate the following. - Behavior during connectivity loss - Background execution scenarios - App closure and reopening - Geofence transitions - Session expiration - Payment execution - Push notification delivery - GPS inaccuracies and delayed updates - Edge cases involving battery optimization and operating system restrictions A testing plan and milestone acceptance criteria will be required. BUDGET AND PROPOSAL PROCESS Target budget range is $25,000 to $40,000 USD. Because detailed product documentation will be shared only after an NDA is executed, I am not expecting candidates to commit to a final fixed bid based solely on this brief. For the initial application please provide the following. - A preliminary budget estimate based on the information provided - An itemized breakdown of major workstreams and cost drivers - Key assumptions and open questions that could affect scope or pricing - A proposed milestone structure - Your recommendation for an MVP scope that could realistically fit within the target budget Following an NDA and review of the full documentation, shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide a formal fixed-bid proposal and statement of work. TIMELINE Looking to begin immediately. Rather than prescribing a fixed delivery schedule, I am interested in each candidate's assessment of the timeline required to build a reliable MVP based on the proposed scope. Please include the following. - Your estimated delivery timeline - The assumptions behind that estimate - Key risks or dependencies that could affect the schedule - Any recommendations for adjusting scope in order to accelerate delivery while preserving the core product experience Timeline expectations will be refined after shortlisted candidates have reviewed the complete documentation and proposed MVP scope. APP STORE SUBMISSION The developer will be responsible for the following. - Preparing the application for submission - Submitting the application through App Store Connect - Addressing technical review issues - Supporting the review process through approval Final business and product decisions remain with me. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS - NDA required before sharing detailed documentation - Full IP assignment upon payment - Milestone-based payment structure - Source code repository owned by me from day one - Backend infrastructure owned by me from day one - Full source code delivery at project completion - Developer agreement covering confidentiality and ownership WHAT A SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE I am a non-technical founder with extensive product documentation and a clear vision. I am not looking for someone to define the product. That work is largely complete. I am looking for someone who can do the following. - Read detailed documentation - Ask thoughtful clarifying questions - Identify technical risks early - Communicate clearly - Execute reliably - Deliver against agreed milestones I will be responsive and decisive on my end and expect the same level of professionalism from the developer. This is an MVP engagement with strong post-MVP potential for the right developer. TO APPLY Please include the following in your proposal. - Examples of mobile apps you have shipped to the App Store - A brief explanation of your experience with Stripe Setup Intents and off-session payments - A brief explanation of your approach to server-side session management and outcome delivery under poor connectivity conditions - Which components you would implement natively rather than in React Native and why - A preliminary estimate, itemized work breakdown, proposed milestone structure, and any assumptions that could materially affect cost or timeline Applications that do not address all five points will not be considered. NEXT STEPS FOR SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES Selected candidates will be asked to sign an NDA and review the complete product documentation, Figma files, and prototype. After that review, candidates will be invited to submit the following. - A formal fixed-bid proposal - A detailed milestone plan - A statement of work - A recommended MVP scope within the target budget - A technical risk assessment - Any concerns, assumptions, or dependencies identified during review