How to Convert an Android App to iOS (or Vice Versa)
There is no magic button that runs an Android app on iOS. Here is what really happens when you move an app between platforms, what it costs, and the fastest way to ship on both.
Your app is doing well on one platform and now you want it on the other. The honest answer up front: you cannot just run an Android app on iOS, and no real “online converter” exists for native apps. Converting an Android app to iOS (or the reverse) means rebuilding it for the new platform, or skipping the rewrite entirely by building once on a no-code app builder and publishing to both stores. This guide walks through what changes, the four-step process, the real cost, and the shortcut.
What This Guide Covers
- Whether an Android-to-iOS converter actually exists
- What really changes between Android and iOS
- The 4-step conversion process, start to finish
- How much converting an app actually costs
- Converting iOS to Android (vice versa)
- The fastest no-code way to ship on both platforms
Written for founders and product owners, not engineers. Rated 4.7/5 on G2 from 1,388 reviews.
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TL;DR Quick Summary
You cannot run an Android app on iOS (or vice versa) and there is no genuine “app converter” that does it for you. The two platforms use different languages (Kotlin/Java vs Swift), are compiled differently, and follow different design rules. To convert, you rebuild the app for the new platform in four steps: evaluate the app and run a gap analysis, redesign to the new platform’s guidelines, re-code the architecture, then test and launch in the new store. The shortcut is to build the app once on a no-code platform and publish to both Android and iOS from a single project, which avoids the rewrite altogether.
Build Once, Publish to Both →Table of Contents
Jump to any section: whether a converter exists, why you can’t just run the app on the other OS, what changes between Android and iOS, the four-step process, the cost, the no-code shortcut, and an FAQ.
Why Convert Your App to the Other Platform?
Launching on one platform first is a smart way to validate an idea on a limited budget. Once the app proves itself, expanding to the other OS is where the next wave of growth comes from. Here is why it is worth it.
Reach the platform you skipped
Launching on one OS first is smart early on, even Instagram started iOS-only. Once the app is validated, the other platform is pure upside.
New user acquisition
Android leads global market share; iOS dominates in higher-spending regions. Being on both opens a whole audience you are currently missing.
Expand into new markets
Android matters in South America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe; iOS is critical in North America, Oceania, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
More revenue, two channels
iOS users tend to spend more in-app; Android’s download volume drives ad revenue. Two apps mean two marketing channels and two income streams.
Competitive edge
If rivals favor one platform, the other is open territory. Being on both gives you an early-mover advantage where competitors are absent.
More data to learn from
Two platforms mean more behavioral data, which means sharper product decisions and a better app for everyone.
Can You Actually Convert an Android App to iOS?
This is the part most “convert your app” articles skip. There is no tool that takes your Android app and runs it on iOS, and the reasons are fundamental, not temporary.
Different languages
iOS apps are written in Swift (Objective-C is legacy); Android in Kotlin or Java. Code does not translate one-to-one, the logic must be rebuilt.
Compiled differently
Android compiles to DEX bytecode run by the Android Runtime (ART). iOS compiles to native machine code. There is nothing to “convert” between them.
Locked-down install
iOS will not run an app that has not been signed and approved through the App Store (outside enterprise/developer channels), so a wrapped Android app simply will not launch.
The real options
Rebuild natively for the new OS, adopt a cross-platform framework (Flutter, React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform), or build once with no-code and publish to both. If you are targeting iOS specifically, here is how to submit your iPhone app to the App Store.
Android vs iOS: What Actually Changes
Before you start, know what actually differs between the platforms. These are the gaps your rebuild has to close, the same content reworked for each OS, not copied across.
| Factor | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|
| Design language | Material Design (Google) | Human Interface Guidelines (Apple) |
| Primary language | Kotlin or Java | Swift (Objective-C is legacy) |
| Compilation | DEX bytecode, run by ART | Native machine code |
| System font | Roboto | San Francisco |
| Screen sizes | Very wide range of device sizes | Smaller, more standardized set |
| OS fragmentation | Many versions in active use | Most users on the latest few |
| Navigation | Vertical-leaning, gesture + system bars | Vertical and horizontal, gesture-based |
| Design assets | Exported at mdpi/hdpi/xhdpi/xxhdpi | Scalable vectors rendered at 1x/2x/3x |
The same business logic, reworked for each platform’s rules. Last verified: June 2026.
How to Convert an Android App to iOS in 4 Steps
Whether you are moving from Android to iOS or iOS to Android, the path is the same, and it is a rebuild rather than a translation. Here is the four-step process.
Evaluate the app and run a gap analysis
Gather everything about the existing app, functional specs, designs and source code, then study it so business logic stays intact while platform-specific parts get adapted. Bring in a business analyst and a software architect for the gap analysis.
- Confirm healthy metrics (downloads, active users) before investing
- Reuse the existing business logic; flag what must change
- Check third-party frameworks and SDKs for compatibility on the new OS
Redesign to the new platform’s guidelines
The app is rebuilt, so the interface changes too. Convert to Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines when moving to iOS, and Google’s Material Design when moving to Android. Do not copy the old UI wholesale, it will feel wrong on the new platform.
- Swap the system font (Roboto ↔ San Francisco) and rework layout/motion
- Re-slice assets: vectors at 1x/2x/3x for iOS, mdpi–xxhdpi for Android
- Re-check UI mirroring if you support RTL languages (Arabic, Hebrew)
Rebuild the code and architecture
Native code cannot be recompiled across platforms, it is written from scratch. Audit every external library and integration for a compatible equivalent on the new OS, and replace what does not exist.
- Re-implement features in the new language; do not expect a 1:1 port
- Keep shared services where they already align (see compatible tooling below)
- Re-test localization and backend adjustments; create the new store account early
Test thoroughly, then launch in the store
QA can take up to 30% of development time. Test functionality, UI, navigation, performance and security before submitting to the App Store or Google Play, where review guidelines differ by platform.
- Run functional, performance/load, usability and validation testing
- Complete user-acceptance testing on real devices and screen sizes
- Prepare store assets and submit for review on the new platform
What carries over: compatible tooling
It is not all from scratch. Many services align across both platforms, so you can reuse them rather than rebuild them.
How Much Does It Cost to Convert an App?
Converting an app to the other platform costs roughly the same as building a new app from scratch, because that is essentially what you are doing. The real number depends on these factors, not on a fixed “conversion fee.”
App complexity
A simple content app is far cheaper to rebuild than one with custom backends, real-time features or heavy integrations.
Redesign scope
Following the new platform’s guidelines well takes design time, especially for custom (non-standard) UI components.
Integrations to replace
Every third-party SDK that lacks a like-for-like equivalent on the new OS adds rebuild and testing effort.
QA and store launch
Testing can eat up to 30% of the timeline, and each store has its own review process to clear.
Skip the Rewrite, Build for Both at Once
Instead of converting an app from one platform to the other, build it once with Appy Pie AI no-code app builder and publish to Google Play and the App Store from a single project.
Build My App for Both Platforms See the Best AI App BuildersThe No-Code Shortcut: Build Once for Both
Every step above exists because native apps are platform-specific. A no-code app builder removes that constraint: you design the app once, and the platform generates and publishes a native Android app and a native iOS app from the same project. There is no second build, no language rewrite, and no separate conversion cost, you maintain one app and it lives in both stores.
That is the fastest way to “convert” in practice, by never locking yourself to one platform in the first place. If you already have a website, you can even turn the website into an app for both platforms the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you convert an Android app to iOS?
Not directly. You cannot run an Android app on iOS, and no real online converter exists for native apps. To get your app on iOS you rebuild it for the platform, use a cross-platform framework, or build once on a no-code platform and publish to both stores.
Is there an app or tool that converts Android apps to iOS automatically?
No genuine tool runs your Android app on iOS. The platforms use different languages and are compiled differently, so anything that claims to instantly convert a native app is misleading. The practical routes are a native rebuild, a cross-platform framework, or a no-code builder that targets both platforms.
How do I convert an iOS app to Android (vice versa)?
The process is the same in reverse: evaluate the app, redesign to Google’s Material Design, re-code in Kotlin or Java, then test and launch on Google Play. Development time is roughly the same in either direction.
How long does it take to convert an app to the other platform?
Because you are effectively rebuilding the app, it takes about as long as building a new one. QA alone can take up to 30% of the timeline. A no-code build that publishes to both platforms at once is dramatically faster.
How much does it cost to convert an Android app to iOS?
Roughly the same as building a fresh app, driven by complexity, redesign scope, integrations to replace and QA. There is no fixed conversion fee. Building once with no-code avoids the second build cost entirely.
Can I avoid the rewrite altogether?
Yes. If you build your app on a no-code platform like Appy Pie AI, you create it once and publish to both Google Play and the App Store from one project, so you never have to convert it between platforms.
Will my app look the same after converting?
It should not, and that is intentional. Each platform has its own design language, fonts and navigation conventions, so a good conversion adapts the look to feel native on the new OS rather than copying the old interface pixel for pixel.
One App, Both Platforms, No Rewrite
Converting an Android app to iOS (or the reverse) is really a rebuild, plan the design, code and testing as if starting fresh. Or skip all of it: build once with Appy Pie AI no-code app builder and ship to both stores.
Build for Android and iOS →Launch on Android and iOS, the Easy Way
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