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CPA2GO: Mobile App Development

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CPA2GO: Mobile App Development
Ashok Chintagunta

Written by Ashok Chintagunta, MS Computer Science, Louisiana Tech University

CTO & Software Engineer, AI and Automation

Published August 10, 2026

A US-based mobile app development company builds, ships and maintains apps through the App Store and Play Store review processes — the part offshore quotes usually leave out.

CPA2GO was developed with us end to end: user experience, interface design, native app development, and store submission for both platforms.

Project at a glance

Project
CPA2GO mobile application
Category
Software / mobile
What we delivered
UX, UI design, app development, store submission

The client

Crager LaBorde CPA based in Shreveport, LA, founded by Mr. Heath Crager. The company provides professional accounting services to small and medium-sized businesses. It has been on the market for around 10 years now.
Some time ago, the CPA noticed a developing trend among their clients, business owners, and individuals seeking tax and accounting related advice. The tendency grew towards asking their questions either online or via email. It helped the clients to get their answers at the convenience of their own office. There was no need to wait for the appointment and travel to the office. Given the natural incline of a new generation to find answers online without even calling and almost no place where they can do it, the gap of CPA service offerings was identified.
That led Mr. Crager to come up with a mobile app idea to offer CPA services in a faster and more convenient way. The idea was to eliminate the need to wait for the in-person appointment or a phone call with a CPA and get your answers right when you need them with CPA2GO service.
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The challenge

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Initially, Heath Crager approached our mobile app development company at LA NPDT for his website upgrade only to provide such a service. In the process, however, he realized that in order to make it convenient and accessible for more users, he needed a mobile app. During the development process, it became obvious that 3 apps were required: one for iOS, one for Android and one for a web app. Our team of experts was working on the web and mobile platforms simultaneously. The goal was to create a service that gives mobility and convenience in terms of fast and clear communication. It also had to be user-firendly and easily accessible.
The main challenge though was to build a cross-functional platform. We needed to make sure that all features of those apps would work across different operating systems in perfect coherence. For example, if a message was sent via the iOS-based app, it would be available on Android and web-version at the same time.

Our solution

Any mobile app development company knows the current trend of voice messaging and video call features. It is inseparable from today’s way of interaction. So, by integrating these features into the platform, we took care of the time and clarity of communication aspects. We also kept the trend going. In terms of simplicity, CPA2GO users can quickly register via email or social media account, and enjoy visually pleasing and easy to use interface.
For the creation of the cross-platform we chose to work with the React Native. This building platform allowed us to export codes into different apps while keeping the UI across all apps in one style. As for the audio, video and text functions, we used Agora.io, which is a cross-platform communication API. It has the real-time interactive features and ensures safety of communication through encryption.
The choice of these two foundational platforms enabled us to reduce not only the development time, but also its cost by 3-4 times.

The result

Once just a mobile app idea, the CPA2GO is now a fully functional service that helps millions of
people to address their taxes and accounting related questions in a matter of hours. The app benefits all the sides involved:
• The users can appreciate the voice and video functions, which enable them to ask CPAs their questions and receive answers at any place and at any time. For small business owners, it is preferable to connect via a video or voice call to save their precious time.
• The app provides CPAs with convenience in terms of locality and timing as well. They can communicate back to the customer and give comprehensive answers much faster and in more details.
• For the CPA firm owners this platform creates new marketing opportunities outside of their present customers to engage new ones. Through the questions their CPAs receive, they can analyze emerging market trends and current needs. Further, this data can be developed and used on their social media for publishing articles, posts, blogs, and educational materials that will address those trends/questions. This approach will bring in new clients and expand their audience.
Eventually, we’ve built 4 apps in one project that work seamlessly and perform the task they were designed for. CPA2GO is a service that you can access from your desktop, tablet, and Android/iOS smartphones. It is free to download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, or you can visit the company’s website https://cpa2go.com/ to use the web version.
ios app development, ios development, app development, LA NPDT.
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mobile app development company in the USA, mobile app idea, mobile app development company, cpa2go, la npdt
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App development project at a glance

ScopeUX, UI design, iOS and Android development, backend, store launch
StackCross-platform front end, hosted backend, secure document handling
DeliverablesPublished apps, admin backend, source code, documentation
Typical timeline3-8 months depending on feature scope

Built in the USA, scoped like an engineering project

App projects fail on scope, not code. We start by cutting the feature list to the version that proves the business, ship that, then expand on real usage data. Development happens in-house in the United States, so the people writing the code sit in the same reviews as the people who defined the requirements.

How a build runs

  • Requirements and user flows agreed before any UI work
  • Clickable prototype tested with real users
  • Iterative development with working builds every sprint
  • Security review for accounts, payments and document storage
  • App Store and Play submission, then post-launch support

Frequently asked questions

How much does custom app development cost?

Focused first releases typically run $30,000-$80,000; larger platforms with backends and integrations run $100,000 and up.

Do you build for both iOS and Android?

Yes - most projects ship both from one cross-platform codebase.

Can the app connect to hardware we are developing?

Yes. Companion apps for BLE and Wi-Fi devices are developed alongside the hardware by the same team.

Capabilities used on this project

  • Rapid prototyping services

    3D printing, CNC machining, urethane casting and functional prototype builds with published materials, tolerances and lead times.

What mobile app development actually involves

  1. 1. Decide native, cross-platform, or web first

    Cross-platform frameworks halve the build cost for most business apps. Native is worth it when the product depends on device hardware or heavy graphics. This choice sets the entire budget.

  2. 2. Design for a thumb on a small screen

    Mobile interfaces are used one-handed, in a hurry, on bad connections. Tap targets, offline behavior and loading states are design decisions, not afterthoughts.

  3. 3. Build the backend alongside the app

    Almost every app is a client for a server. Accounts, data sync and push notifications are backend work that routinely surprises first-time app owners.

  4. 4. Budget for store review and maintenance

    Apple and Google reject submissions for reasons that have nothing to do with your code quality. Then OS updates arrive twice a year. An app is a subscription cost, not a one-time purchase.

Mobile app approach comparison
ApproachCostBest for
Progressive web appLowestSimple tools, no store needed
Cross-platformMediumMost business and consumer apps
Native iOS + AndroidHighestHardware, graphics, performance-critical

Questions about this project

Straight answers from the engineers who ran the build. Have a different question? Ask us directly.

Talk to an engineer
How much does it cost to develop a mobile app in the USA?

A straightforward cross-platform app typically runs $30,000 to $100,000; complex native apps with custom backends run higher. Ongoing maintenance is usually 15–20% of build cost per year.

How long does mobile app development take?

Three to six months for a first release on most projects, plus one to three weeks for store review cycles.

Do I need separate iOS and Android apps?

Rarely anymore. Cross-platform frameworks produce both from one codebase, which is the right answer for most business apps.

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